EASY FOOD ISSUE 116
MAKE IT HEALTHY! BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES & DINNERS UNDER 500 CALORIES
• CLEVER IDEAS FOR SEASONAL BROCCOLI • SWEET AND SAVOURY TARTS • QUICK WEEKNIGHT DINNERS • LUNCHBOX IDEAS FOR PICKY EATERS • GLUTEN-FREE BAKING • THE BEST IRISH SUPERMARKET FINDS •
Roasted garlic
mac & cheese
p.61...You have to try this!
Comfort cooking Souped-up soups Simple midweek meals Mega-cheesy dinners
80
WARMING WEEKNIGHT RECIPES THE BEST GLUTEN-FRE E C AKES AND BREADS
Kid-approved lunchboxes for
picky eaters
AUS $3.99 OCTOBER 2016 UK £2.90
OCTOBER 2016
R29.90 (incl. VAT) Other countries R26.23 (excl. VAT)
ROI 33.20
EF116_01_COVER_SPINE.indd 1
SPECIAL GUEST ED
ITOR Baking queen Lilly Higgins shares her favourite autu mnal meals 03/10/2016 10:51
. e m & u “Yo e l b a t n e h c t i k On the ” . s e t u n i m 0 2 in
Potatoes are fat-free & fab. For this tasty Thai Potato & Chicken Stir-Fry recipe and lots of healthy, quick, midweek meal ideas: potato.ie
EF116_02_IFC_Potato Board.indd 2 0041_Potato_Easy Food IR.indd 1
POTATOES MORE THAN A BIT ON THE SIDE
30/09/2016 09:44 24/08/2016 11:29
Easy Food team EDITOR Caroline Gray cgray@zahramediagroup.com t: +353 (0)1 287 8638 fave recipe: Roasted garlic mac ‘n’ cheese, p.61 EDITORIAL TEAM Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle jdoyle@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Steak, broccoli and blue cheese pasta, p.30 Contributors Michael Fleming, Eimear O’Donnell, Sarah White and Aoife Howard DESIGN Art Director Nikki Kennedy fave recipe: Spicy pork ribs, p.44 PHOTOGRAPHY & FOOD STYLING Charisse van Kan, Agnieszka Wypych, Pauline Smyth and Bartosz Luczak. Some images from Shutterstock.com. TEST KITCHEN Proudly built by QK Living www.qkliving.ie ADVERTISING Sales Manager Sarah Currey scurrey@zahramediagroup.com t: +353 (0)1 287 8631 fave recipe: Pain au chocolat pudding, p.55 ADMINISTRATION Production Consultant Val Citron valeriecitron@gmail.com Circulation Manager John Dempsey jdempsey@zahramediagroup.com Accounts accounts@zahramediagroup.com Syndication Enquiries syndication@zahramediagroup.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS Managing Director Gina Miltiadou gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Sweet pear tart, p.34 Chief Executive John Mullins jmullins@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Toad-in-the-hole, p.48
Welcome! Welcome to the October issue of Easy Food! I’m delighted to be the guest editor this month; we’re getting back into the chillier weather, which means it’s time to delve back into warming recipes for soup, quick breads and little treats that are perfect with a cup of tea.
Lilly Higgins
I’ve included some of my favourite recipes from my two cookbooks, p.17, so that you’ll have plenty of options for when you want to whip up something sweet or are craving a handy lunch. Speaking of lunches, we’ve included some of the easiest, kid-approved lunchbox recipes for picky eaters, p.82. With three children of my own, I know it’s not always easy to keep all of the little eaters happy, but it’s so important to ease wholesome, nutritious foods into their diets while introducing them to new ingredients (sometimes easier said than done!). One of the best ways to keep them interested in new foods is to get them involved in the kitchen, and the recipe for chilli con carne with step-by-step photos, p.92, is perfect for budding cooks. The kitchen is truly the heart of the household at this time of year, and our recipes for hearty soups, p.68, and easy, cheesy meals, p.58, are the perfect for sharing with family and friends. And be sure to check out the feature on gluten-free breads and cakes, p.101, for wholesome baking that everyone can enjoy. Easy Food is delighted to be a media partner with the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, as well as with the Irish Quality Café Awards. These annual awards help consumers across the country choose the very best food and drinks available, and to make that even easier, we’ve included a full list of all of the winners, p.118. Thanks for stopping by, and happy cooking!
Easy Food is published by Zahra Publishing Ltd ISSN 1649-4253
Printed in the UK
M E D I A
G R O U P
X Lilly
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All rights, including moral rights, reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. While our recipes have been tested by experts, sometimes recipes don’t work properly due to mismeasuring and different cooker performance. We advise readers to measure ingredients carefully and time their own bakes.The views expressed in this magazine are not those of the publisher. It is recommended that you consult your GP before following any kind of weight reduction, health or exercise programme. Articles and advertisements are for information only.They are not intended to replace medical care. Special thanks to all our guardian angels.
www.easyfood.ie
EF116_03_Ed's Letter.indd 3
THE NEXT ISSUE...
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Easy Food 3
30/09/2016 17:01
REGULARS 08 YOUR SAY
Your comments, photos and questions
10 FOOD BITES
News, products and cookbooks from the wonderful world of food
October
CONTENTS Roast butternut soup
14 COMPETITIONS
P.43
Exciting things for you to win!
Broccoli WHAT’S IN SEASON? 28 NICE STEMS
New ways to enjoy broccoli, one of the healthiest foods around
32 A TASTE OF HOME
Blogger Eimear O’Donnell shares one of her favourite healthy breakfast recipes
34 PICK A SIDE
However you decide to finish off this pear tart, it won’t disappoint
LARDER LUCK 38 AUTUMNAL EATS Embrace the longer evenings with these sweetly seasonal recipes
40 PANTRY PERFECTION
Transform storecupboard staples into easy, elegant meals
4 Easy Food
EF116_04-05_Contents.indd 4
42 SHAREABLE SENSATIONS
It’s never been easier to whip up a batch of these crowd-pleasing favourites
Chicken cacciatore
P.49
WHAT’S FOR DINNER? 46 WEEKLY MENU PLANNER Keep it simple, keep it quick with our tasty midweek meals
56 FROM THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK
MIchael Fleming helps us get the most from our slow cookers
OCTOBER 2016
03/10/2016 09:37
64 WEEKNIGHT WARMERS A lesson in comfort cooking from Dingle Cookery School
78 READER RECIPE
One creative reader puts a tasty twist on an Irish spooky season favourite
COOKING FOR FUN
KIDS’ KITCHEN
74 EAT IRELAND
88 BAKE IT BEAUTIFUL
Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle turns trash into tasty treasure
Our Home Ec expert explains how to
make vanilla cupcakes with beautiful edible sugar flowers
77 TREAT YOURSELF
The perfect cheesy treat for one... because sometimes you need a little indulgence
114 KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
All the tips you need for buying, cleaning and caring for ovens
IRISH QUALITY FOOD AWARDS
118 The best Irish products from this year’s IQFA awards
P.105
Saucy chocolate loaf cake
91 EASY JUNIORS
Anyone can make dinner with this easy chilli con carne recipe
MAKE IT HEALTHY! 98 OH MY GOODNESS!
Healthy blogger Aoife Howard shares a hearty and healthful autumnal soup
P.75
Simple Parmesan risotto
Upgrade your soup recipe repertoire with these creative dishes
P.17
LOVE FROM LILLY
www.easyfood.ie
EF116_04-05_Contents.indd 5
mac & cheese
Comfort cooking Souped-up soups Simple midweek meals Mega-cheesy dinners
110
WARMING WEEKNIGHT RECIPES THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE CAKES AND BREADS
Kid-approved lunchboxes for
picky eaters
EF116_01_COVER_SPINE.indd 1
Dinosaur sandwiches
P.85
P.58
5 WAYS WITH CHEESE
Make cheese the star of the show with these full-offlavour recipes
P.101
LOAF-TY GOALS
Loaf cakes and breads that have it all — easy, comforting and gluten-free!
P.82
PICK-ALITTLE
ROI 33.20
OCTOBER 2016
Lilly Higgins shares her favourite autumnal recipes
Roasted garlic p.62...You have to try this!
AUS $3.99 OCTOBER 2016
SOUPED-UP DINNERS
an expert in the kitchen
LIGHT AND HEALTHY BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES & DINNERS UNDER 500 CALORIES
UK £2.90
P.68
• CLEVER IDEAS FOR SEASONAL BROCCOLI • SWEET AND SAVOURY TARTS • QUICK WEEKNIGHT DINNERS • LUCNHBOX IDEAS FOR PICKY EATERS • WHOLESAME BAKING • THE BEST IRISH SUPERMARKET FINDS •
These tasty breakfasts, lunches and dinners clock in at under 500 calories
EASY FOOD ISSUE 116
15 WAYS WITH LOWCALORIE MEALS
107 All the knowledge you need to become
FROM THE Cover
R29.90 (incl. VAT) Other countries R26.23 (excl. VAT)
P.94
FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS
SPECIAL GUES
T EDITOR Lilly Higgins shares her best autumnal bakes and dinners 30/09/2016 14:19
These lunchboxes will help nudge fussy eaters into the clean plates club
Per Serving 312kcals, 7.1g fat (3.9g saturated), 57g carbs, 37.9g sugars, 5.9g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.07g sodium
x Readers! Please take note that the nutritional information that appears underneath each recipe is only for one serving. The key for the buttons is in our recipe index on page 6. All Euro/GBP prices are converted at the time of going to print. Prices may vary.
Easy Food 5
03/10/2016 09:37
RECIPE INDEX v
Budget-Friendly
Freezable
☺
Kid-Friendly
x
Dairy-Free
v
Vegetarian
LF
DF
Diabetes-Friendly
GF
Gluten-Free
Low-Fat
v
v MEAT
LF DF GF
x
v Blue cheese and mushroom risotto
62
•
Jacket potato soup with saffron
69
•
Simple Parmesan risotto
75
•
Goat’s cheese and onion parcels
77
•
Herby eggs and tomatoes
94
•
Healthy blueberry pancakes
94
•
Spinach and Feta breakfast wraps
94
•
Steak, broccoli and blue cheese pasta
30
•
Mustard pork chops with apples
39
•
Brazilian black bean and pork stew
41
•
•
•
Spicy pork ribs
44
•
•
•
•
Toad-in-the-hole
48
•
•
•
Chilli-stuffed sweet potatoes
50
•
•
•
Tartiflette
58
•
•
•
•
Apple and blackberry porridge
94
•
French onion soup
59
•
•
•
•
Lentil, barley and mushroom soup
95
•
Roast cauliflower soup with chorizo
65
•
•
•
•
Avocado and chickpea salad pittas
95
•
Slow-cooked lamb shanks
66
•
•
•
Simple courgette spaghetti
96
•
Potato, leek and bacon gratin
66
•
•
•
•
•
Butternut squash risotto
96
•
Veggie-packed Bolognese sauce
83
•
•
•
•
•
Spicy beetroot soup
99
•
Chilli con carne
92
•
•
•
•
•
Breakfast fried rice
94
•
•
Cream buns
19
•
Pizza baked potatoes
95
•
•
Blueberry muffins
23
•
•
Coffee streusel cake
25
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• • •
FISH AND SEAFOOD •
• • •
•
v
LF DF GF
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
41
•
Power bars
25
•
•
•
•
Salmon fishcakes
43
•
•
•
•
Old Henry bars
26
•
•
•
•
Cheesy smoked fish bake
52
•
•
•
•
Chocolate chip cookies
44
•
•
•
•
Green Thai mussels with courgettes
71
•
Kerry apple cake
65
•
•
•
•
Sweetcorn with lemongrass, crab and lime
72
•
Barmbrack
79
•
•
Easy fish stew
96
•
Seabass and potato traybake
96
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
• •
•
•
•
•
•
Vanilla cupcakes
89
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bakewell bread
102
•
•
•
•
Banana cake
102
•
•
•
•
Cheddar-jalapeño bread
103
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Seedy oat bread
104
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Saucy chocolate loaf cake
105
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Chicken cacciatore
49
•
•
•
•
Honey balsamic chicken traybake
54
•
•
•
Slow-cooker cheesy chicken pasta
57
•
•
•
Brie, pear and prosciutto chicken
61
•
•
•
Make-ahead coconut water chicken
71
•
•
Baked crispy chicken tenders
86
•
•
Turkey lettuce wraps
95
Chicken noodle soup Chicken and sweet potato traybake
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
95
•
•
•
96
•
•
•
•
20
•
•
•
•
Cinnamon and oat pancakes with honey and banana
23
•
Roasted broccoli and sesame cous cous
29
•
Bircher muesli
33
•
•
Savoury pear tart
35
•
•
Granola with yoghurt and roasted strawberries
39
•
•
•
Cannellini bean and pea croquettes
40
•
•
•
•
Roast butternut soup
43
•
•
•
•
•
Veggie burrito bowls
47
•
•
•
•
Quick-fix creamy tomato pasta
51
•
•
•
•
COVER RECIPE: Roasted garlic mac ‘n’ cheese
61
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
• •
•
Sweet pear tart
34
•
•
•
•
Apple log
53
•
•
•
•
•
Pain au chocolat pudding
55
•
•
•
•
Welsh rarebit
20
•
Apple and pear compote
39
•
•
•
•
•
Hummus with pitta chips
43
•
•
•
•
•
•
VEGETARIAN Quinoa salad with pistachios and pomegranate
•
•
• •
•
DESSERTS
• •
•
•
•
29
EF116_06_Recipe_Index.indd 6
• •
•
Chicken, broccoli and mushroom pie
6 Easy Food
• •
•
POULTRY
•
•
BAKED GOODS
Smoked haddock and chickpea kedgeree
•
x
•
SAUCES • •
• •
• •
•
•
OCTOBER 2016
03/10/2016 10:50
What’s inside
CHEESE, PLEASE An extremely valuable source of protein, calcium,
vitamins and minerals, cheese is often overlooked as a nutrient-packed food. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it’s also delicious! We’ve been nibbling away at plenty of the good stuff this month…
A sneak peek at what you’ll find in this issue
COMFORT FOOD
The cold weather has crept up on us, and most of us are trekking home from work through gloomy, darkened evenings. There’s only one remedy: get cooking some serious comfort food to warm your bones and soothe your soul. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, guest editor Lilly Higgins has been baking up a storm, p.17, and we’ve got a whole feature of gluten-free breads and cakes, p.101. For those who prefer savoury options, try one of our delicious cheesy recipes, p.58 – because nothing says comfort like a generous helping of mac and cheese – or whip up a steaming hot pot of hearty soup, p.68. The talented folks at the Dingle Cookery School have also been sharing their favourite winter warmers, p.66; we highly recommend the lamb shanks!
Cheesy smoked fish bake
P.52
Brie, pear and prosciutto chicken
P.61
Goat’s cheese and onion parcels
P.77
Steak, broccoli and blue cheese pasta Tartiflette P.58
Slow-cooker cheesy chicken pasta
P.57
FOR THE LITTLE ONES
Roast butternut soup
We know that dealing with fussy eaters can be challenging, so we’ve worked out a number of ways in which to fill their lunchboxes with healthy options that they’ll actually enjoy, p.82. For more adventurous eaters and those kids who love to get involved in the kitchen, our back-to-basics chilli con carne recipe, p.92, means that they can make a family dinner – with a little adult supervision, of course!
Baked crispy chicken tenders
P.86
www.easyfood.ie
EF116_07_What's inside.indd 7
P.43
P.30
Quality, not quantity
As media partners of the Irish Quality Food Awards, we were once again delighted to be involved in the judging process, which was fascinating, and to be invited to the fabulous Awards Night in Dublin’s Mansion House. The quality of products was once again top-notch, and we should all be very proud of the foods produced all around our little island. We’ve put together all the information you need on the best products entered in this year’s competition, p.118 – and, best of all, they’re available in supermarkets around the country.
Chilli con carne
P.92
Easy Food 7
30/09/2016 15:01
your say
We love hearing about what you’re up to in the kitchen, so send on your comments, questions and cooking tales!
WHAT YOU’VE BEEN COOKING “More raiding @easyfoodmag for dinner ideas: sesame steak lettuce cups with sticky rice! The lettuce cuppage didn't really work out as planned, but the marinaded steak in soy, honey, sesame oil, ginger and garlic was lovely. With some sushi rice and corn, it was certainly something different! More rare than I usually do my steaks, but I went with the recipe.” – @easyskinnyeats @easyskinnyeats has been diligently working her way through Easy Food recipes and sharing the results on Instagram…
“Just picked up my @easyfoodmag Home-Cook Hero cookbook. Can’t wait to try out all the yummy recipes!” – @sueyonkers
“I'm trying new things this week, so tonight's dins was from @easyfoodmag: pork chops with balsamic and blue cheese. ‘Twas lovely; baby potatoes, chestnut mushrooms, red onion and balsamic vinegar, tomato paste and oil. It has redeemed pork chops in my eyes!” – @easyskinnyeats
The new Home-Cook Hero cookbook is in shops now, packed with Easy Food recipes as well as all of the finalists’ dishes from the 2015 competition.
“@easyfoodmag for dinner again tonight, continuing to try something new! We now officially love lamb chops, especially when seasoned with lemon, cumin, rosemary, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper with Greek yoghurt mint sauce. Nicest dinner I've made in a while!” – @easyskinnyeats
“New month = new food magazine!” @therealvickykavanagh
“Tried out the recipe for chorizo stuffing in this month's Easy Food. Delish. Perfect comfort food!” – @sweetandmeat 8 Easy Food
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“Why not try my Jumpin Jambalaya for dinner this week? Recipe link in bio and also featured in the current @easyfoodmag Home Cook Hero Cookbook.” – @thymetoeat1
Contact us Easy Food Magazine @easyfoodmag easyfoodmag OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 16:54
letters and comments
Meet the Taste Team...
We’ve got mail Hi all at Easy Food! I thought you might like this. My daughter took sugarcraft classes and entered this at the Ballinlough End of Summer Festival, where she won a prize for the best decorated cake! An old faery trail opened in the community earlier in the summer, so she used that as a theme for the cake. She has two boys aged four and two, so she felt the gnome theme suited for them!
Elaine Heading lives on the outskirts of Drogheda “with my pea-hating husband, three curry-obsessed kids and a blind dog named Tico who will eat everything except carrots. In my spare time I like to hang upside down doing antigravity yoga and baking – obviously not at the same time! Unfortunately for the kids I absolutely hate fiddly stuff like icing buns, but my chocolate and orange scones make up for it.”
We both love Easy Food magazine: the recipes are always so good, and the best thing is that we nearly always have the ingredients in the store cupboard! Keep up the great work. Janet Kelly
Jane Spencer Heffernan “I'm Jane, a stay-at-home wife and mother of three – although sometimes that feels like being a mother of four! We live in the coastal town of Donabate surrounded by golf clubs and beaches. We're always on the go in our house between swimming, GAA, Scouts, cheerleading, art, violin, drama and dance, so our dinners need to be nutritious, well-balanced and quick. I love cooking with fresh ingredients oozing with flavours and colours, and I’m always hoping I can tempt my seven-year-old into eating. The best part of the day for me is sitting down to our evening meal and listening to all the happenings of the day.”
Dear Editor, My mam Anne O’Donoghue was looking for a recipe, and she took out all her Easy Food magazines and put them into piles from each year... from 2016 back to 2005, including all of your special editions. Thought you guys might like to see the collection of one of your most valued customers! She buys your magazine all the time, makes the recipes and enters the competitions – she's looking forward to the next edition already! Heather O’Donoghue
August competition winners 1 x two-night stay in Delphi Lodge with breakfast and five-course tasting menu at The Chef's Table restaurant Frank Kiernan, Drogheda, Co. Louth
2 x dinner for two at Le Pain Quotidien Orlaith Mannion, South Circular Road, Co. Dublin Siobhan Kennedy, Maynooth, Co. Kildare
1 x Morphy Richards spiraliser Geraldine Cronin, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
3 x €50 vouchers for The Greenery restaurant Orla Fitzgerald, Navan, Co. Meath Joy Lennon, Clontarf, Co. Dublin Jolene McKenna, Mullagh, Co. Cavan
www.easyfood.ie
EF116_08-12_Yoursay_FoodBites.indd 9
Tash Peters “I'm a vegan mama to a meat-free family. My eldest daughter has Type 1 diabetes, so food is a big deal in our home and has to be delicious on the first try – carb counting and insulin ratios can go haywire if there is any food refusal. I love creating recipes that get my children excited to be vegetarian. Our kids are home-schooled, so a lot of our time is spent trying new things and seeing new places. Aside from food, I'm also an avid lover of sewing, and I have my own up-and-coming business selling kids’ homewares.”
ATTENTION UK READERS!
Sadly, due to ever-increasing postal costs, we are unable to continue our subscription services to the UK. We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience. The good news is that Easy Food will still be stocked in WHSmith, so that would be the best way to pick up a hard copy. If your local WHSmith doesn’t carry it, simply ask them to order it in. Alternatively, if you have an iPad or iPhone, you can download each issue for free every month.
Easy Food 9
30/09/2016 16:56
FOOD BITES BREADY OR NOT
National Bread Week is back! From 9-15th October, the bread industry will once again be calling on the public to #LoveYourLoaf and celebrate all that is great about this muchloved staple food. Here are a few fun facts to get us in the spirit: • After the Great Famine, bread baked by commercial bakers with yeast, as opposed to soda bread made at home, became a status symbol and was bought for special occasions such as weddings and wakes. • Many of the names of bread relate to how they were baked, e.g. basket loaf or batch. • Ever noticed the cross on soda bread? Traditionally, Irish folks did it to ‘let the devil out’ or 'let the fairies escape,' thus ensuring good luck while baking. @loveyourloaf NationalBreadWeek
Go Wild
FOOD ON THE EDGE Galway will welcome over 40 of the world's leaders shaping our food culture this month at the Food on the Edge symposium, where discussions focus on how to make good food accessible for everyone. This year’s theme is The Future of Food; chefs and panelists were chosen for their innovation, passion and influence on today’s food culture and will aim to challenge our perspective on food and our connection to it in 15-minute TEDstyle talks. Founder and Galway-based chef JP McMahon launched Food on the Edge in 2015 with the aim to establish a benchmark for best practice, in terms of food, its culture, and the people who produce it. Visit www.foodontheedge.ie for updates, or follow @foodontheedge on Twitter or Facebook.
Small(er) BUT MIGHTY We’re delighted to see the return of Wild&Slow, Slow Food Ireland’s unique Wild Foods Festival celebrating all that is good about native wild foods. Wild&Slow is now Europe’s largest Wild Foods Festival –– it falls at the perfect time of year, just at the moment when harvest season ends and our wild game season opens. Wild&Slow 2016 promises an even bigger
street market and more workshops than ever. Cap it all off by booking into the Wild Foods Dinner: we’ve been before and trust us, it’s an experience you won’t soon forget! When: 12-13th November from 12-7pm Where: The BrookLodge Hotel and Macreddin Village, Co. Wicklow www.wildandslow.com
The new KitchenAid Artisan Mini Stand Mixer has a 3.3 litre bowl and is 25% lighter and 20% smaller than the Classic Stand Mixer, but with all the power of the standard size. Available from Harvey Norman (RRP €549)
DO THE CAN-CAN As fans of the multi-award winning Franciscan Well range of craft beers, we’re beyond delighted that three of the Cork-based brewery’s beers now come in a handy can! Consumers can now pick up 330ml cans of Rebel Red, Friar Weisse and Chieftan IPA from retailers and off-licences nationwide. 10 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 16:55
Whisk(ey)ed away
news
We’ve always prided ourselves on knowing a thing or two about the good old uisce beatha, so when we visited the Irish Whiskey Museum we were pleasantly surprised to learn quite a few new facts about our favourite traditional tipple. With informative tours and tasting experiences, as well as master classes in blending and cocktail making, there’s something for every whiskey lover. Tours start from €16 per adult.
AN ODE TO YELLOWMAN A native of Ballymena, Co. Antrim, West Limerick’s Sharon Noonan has produced her first radio documentary titled “Devlins’ Yellowman – A Taste of Childhood”. The presenter of the weekly food and drink radio show and podcast, Best Possible Taste, was inspired to make the piece after spotting the humble honeycomb-style sweet of her childhood on a prestigious restaurant's petits fours menu. The documentary features an interview with Sharon’s father, Tony Devlin, at the site on Hill Street where Devlins' Yellowman was made for many years to be sold at Ballycastle’s annual Lamas Fair. Sharon was given the secret recipe for Devlins' Yellowman by her paternal grandmother and great aunt, but the question is, does she reveal the recipe during the documentary? To find out, have a listen at www.sharonnoonan.com.
PASTA THAT ‘LEAVES’ THE BLOATING AT BAY
www.irishwhiskeymuseum.ie 119 Grafton Street, Dublin 2 Phone: (01) 525 0970 info@irishwhiskeymuseum.ie
SAVOUR KILKENNY Savour Kilkenny – Festival of Food 2016 will host its biggest festival yet this October bank holiday weekend (28-31 October), celebrating a decade of delicious dining and demos. From cooking demos hosted by celebrated Irish cookbook authors to a pop-up café and bookshop, festival goers will have plenty of opportunities to experience top-quality food. There will also be a ‘Comedy and Cocktails’ event, a packed children’s programme with special screenings of favourite food films, and the everpopular Craft Beer and Distillers Pavilion with a DJ and artisan street food. www.savourkilkenny.com @SavourKilkenny
Leaves PastaMagic is made with just buckwheat and chickpeas, meaning it has 50% more protein than regular pasta, three times more fibre and is wheat-, dairy- and egg-free. This is ideal for anyone that feels bloated after eating pasta, and the lower carb count actually helps you feel fuller for longer. Leaves is launching a new 300g value pack of their successful plantbased pasta. Available exclusively in SuperValu stores nationwide. (RRP €3.99)
Bear essentials
We are loving the new range of chopping, bread and cheese boards from Wicklow-based Bear Creation. Custom designed and handmade to order by Bear Creation’s designer, maker and owner, Brian Tyrrell, they can be created using oak, walnut, ash or other timbers if requested. The boards can also be custom engraved with a personalised message for a loved one, making them ideal for a special gift. Prices start from €35. Visit www.bearcreation.com for more details on the boards as well as other upcoming projects, or email Brian at brian@bearcreation.com to get a quote. www.easyfood.ie
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BUTCHERY ACADEMY AT JAMES WHELAN BUTCHERS James Whelan Butchers will invest €100k in a new scholarship program dedicated to the art and craft of butchery. As the first privately certified, fullyaccredited professional butchery academy, the program will initially be open to 10 candidates and run over three years in James Whelan Butchers shops around the country. “The Butchery Academy at James Whelan Butchers is an opportunity for us as a company to select and help shape 10 great people as butchers, to share our ethos with them, and to equip them with the essential skills to ensure there is a new generation of butchers in Ireland as committed to their craft as we are to ours,” says Pat Whelan, CEO of James Whelan Butchers. For more information, see www.jameswhelanbutchers.com
Easy Food 11
03/10/2016 09:59
CORNER
SMALL VICTORIES
I LOVE SOUP
CHELSEA MARKET MAKERS
By Beverly LeBlanc Published by Nourish Books €15.55/£12.99
By Michael Phillips and Cree LeFavour Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang €22.70/£18.99
By Julia Turshen Published by Chronicle Books €26.30/£21.99
While it’s always sad to say goodbye to the warm(ish!) weather, there is one thing that will always keep a smile on our faces: we adore winter cooking, and making pots of soup is our foodie form of therapy. This coldweather companion is packed with over 100 recipes taking inspiration from around the world, from clean-eating broths to chunky chowders. We love the opening chapter with guides to the techniques involved in great soup making and short recipes for tasty accompaniments such as soda bread, croutons and a “big white loaf,” plus fancier options like gremolata and rouille. From Mexican chicken noodle to classic French onion, we’ll be relying on this one to keep our bellies warm all winter long.
This behind-the-scenes look at New York’s famous Chelsea Market offers collected advice and recipes from its leading artisan producers. Learn how to make your own sourdough starter and master the art of bread-baking; treat yourself to hot or cold lobster rolls; cure your own pancetta; make your own homemade Korean-style ramen noodles; or infuse Feta with thyme, rosemary and olive oil. While this book would certainly be too advanced for the beginner cook, it provides countless challenges for the more experienced home chefs in search of a project or two – perfect for any rainy weekend afternoon.
“I can’t wait to cook my way through this amazing new book,” writes long-time Easy Food favourite Ina Garten in the foreword to this collection of over 400 recipes. Here, the world of home cooking is demystified through the “small victories,” or valuable lessons scattered throughout the book, ranging from simple midweek meals (turkey and Ricotta meatballs; roasted mushrooms on toast; corn and potato chowder) to the more impressive (all-day pork shoulder with apple cider; Korean clambake; homemade Merguez sausage). Our favourite parts? The calming, empowering approach, as well as the fab little “spin-off” options allowing personalised variations for many of the recipes. We were also quite taken with the boozy peach and bourbon milkshakes…
IN THE MOOD FOR QUICK FAMILY FOOD By Jo Pratt Published by Nourish Books €17.95/£14.99 Our typical Easy Food reader is a busy one, juggling all the demands of modern life and often struggling to balance family with a full-time career. This book is written for the exact same person, providing wholesome, quick solutions to the “what’s for dinner?” question, just as we aim to do. With three main chapters (Monday to Friday Survival; The Busy Weekend; Cling on to Your Social Life) bursting with quick and easy recipes, Pratt seems to have it all sorted. Our favourite addition is the mini “Lifesaver or Leftover?” ideas designed to extend the lives of each of the main recipes, making your shopping and cooking go further. We love the salmon and seafood crumble, the Thai sausage and peanut rolls and the baked miso aubergines, and there are plenty of family-friendly sweet treats to follow, including a particularly sumptuous chocolate and salted caramel tart. Easy Food approved!
12 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 16:55
Pack up a new-look pack instore today New packaging,
even better taste Pick up a new-look pack instore today moyparkchicken.com #sharethegoodness
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30/09/2016 15:25 19/09/2016 14:09
COMPETITIONS MARIA LUCIA BAKES HAMPERS TO BE WON!
S POSTAL ENvaTntRIEinstructions
le Fo ll ow th e reto en te r fo r ea ch on ho w po st yo ur en try to : d co m pe ti ti on anPrin ce of Wal es Te rrac e, . Ea sy Fo od , 12h R oa d, B ra y, Co . W ickl ow ti on Q ui ns bo ro ug in di ca te w ha t co m pe til to al et e rg ud fo cl D on ’t ri ng an d in yo u ar e en te nt ac t de ta il s. yo ur co
To celebrate the launch of the new Maria Lucia Bakes On-The-Go Pots range we are giving away three hampers packed with the full range of award-winning luxury Maria Lucia Bakes Granolas, Toasted Mueslis and Porridge, which are all Irish-made and gluten-free. To be in with a chance to win a hamper, simply email your contact details with the answer to the question below to competitions@easyfood.ie with MARIA LUCIA BAKES in the subject line:
Maria Lucia Bakes Granolas, Toasted Mueslis and Porridge are produced in: A) United Kingdom B) China C) Ireland
WIN
www.marialuciabakes.com
WIN A ¤250 GOLD CARD TO MARVIN.IE! The days of scouring the house for curly old menus have gone! From Chinese to chipper, pizza, Indian, salad, sushi, Mexican and much more, Marvin has hundreds of takeaway restaurants throughout Ireland standing by to satisfy your cravings. Simply head to Marvin.ie or download the Marvin app (available for iPhone, tablet and Android), where you can search for takeaways, browse menus, order and pay for your food online. Marvin passes your order to the restaurant in real-time so that shortly after, your food is ready for delivery or collection. You can choose to pay by cash, card, PayPal and even Bitcoin. What's more, Marvin has introduced an amazing loyalty reward system – each time you order from a restaurant, you collect a stamp from that takeaway. Once you've collected 10 stamps with that takeaway, you automatically qualify for a free meal from that restaurant!
Marvin.ie @Marvin_ie @Marvin_ie
For a chance to win, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with MARVIN in the subject line.
14 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2015
30/09/2016 09:45
WIN A HAMPER OF GOURMET GOODIES This year, Epicure celebrates its 125th Anniversary. Epicure has offered a wide variety of products over the years, but the one constant has always been the brand's dedication to quality. The team at Epicure has remained committed to selecting the finest ingredients from across the world since 1891, and it continues today. To celebrate the 125th Anniversary, Epicure is giving away one hamper of top-quality ingredients and cooking equipment, including a Le Creuset 4-piece roasting set. To enter, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with EPICURE in the subject line.
WIN
WIN AFTERNOON TEA AT DUNBOYNE CASTLE HOTEL There are few things in life as fun or enjoyable as a leisurely afternoon tea in good company, and Dunboyne Castle Hotel, Co. Meath, is the perfect setting for your very own afternoon tea party. Dunboyne Castle Hotel are offering one lucky Easy Food reader and a guest the chance to win Afternoon Tea for two, made extra special by adding a glass of bubbly. Enjoy delicate finger sandwiches and freshly baked scones with cream and preserves, as well as a delectable display of cakes and miniature pastries, including milk chocolate and pistachio mousse, lemon meringue tartlet, poppy seed and lavender cake and mini cupcakes.
To enter, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with DUNBOYNE in the subject line. Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa, Dunboyne, Co. Meath T: +353 1 801 3500 W: www.dunboynecastlehotel.com
www.easyfood.ie
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Easy Food 15
30/09/2016 09:46
s t r o f com
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HOME
Snuggle down and stay cosy with these kitchen companions
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1. My family cookbook www.designist.ie €28/£24 2. Tea for one www.debenhams.ie €30/£25.80 3. Set of 4 botanical measuring cups www.dotcomgiftshop.com €19.95/£17.15 4. Nessie soup ladle www.designist.ie €17/£14.60 5. Vintage Iron tea caddy www.dotcomgiftshop.com €29.95/£25.75 6. Victor’s Drinks cider-making kit (apple, pear or mixed berry) www.firebox.com €29.79/£25 7. American Originals popcorn maker www.argos.ie €19.99/£17.20 8. Hell is other people mug www.aprilandthebear.com €14/£12 9. Joseph Joseph GoEat space-saving soup pot in grey www.debenhams.ie €18/£15.50
16 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2008
30/09/2016 09:47
LOVE FROM Lilly
An always-welcome face on the Irish baking and cooking scene, Lilly Higgins is here to share some of her favourite autumnal recipes www.easyfood.ie
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W
e ’ve always been big fans of Lilly in the Easy Food offices –– not only were her columns in the magazine one of our favourite features each month, but we’re always sure to keep her two cookbooks in arm’s reach on our shelf. Hailing from a family of 10 in Co. Cork, Lilly was never lacking for recipe testers as she found her footing in the kitchen. After graduating with an honours degree in design, Lilly enrolled in the 12-week course at Ballymaloe Cookery School and even went on to teach there afterwards. She lovingly maintained her blog where she shared her baking triumphs and was soon approached to chronicle them into her first cookbook, Make, Bake, Love. Armed with an arsenal of winning recipes and a keen creative eye, she developed, tested, baked, styled and photographed each recipe for the book. Her second book, Dream Deli, was inspired by the monthly supper club she ran for a year, and showcases the more savoury side of her extensive recipe repertoire. Living in Cobh with her husband and three children, Lilly’s food world has only grown; she is a regular columnist and photographer for magazines and newspapers in Ireland and the UK, and frequently brightens television screens across the country with her cooking segments and as a judge on The Great Irish Bake Off. We can’t wait to see what comes next for Lilly, but whatever it may be, we know it will be crafted with love. Craving more? Check out Lilly at: www.lillyhiggins.ie @LillyHiggins
e, Love Make, Bak + li Dream De by Gill Published k o Bo s 9.99 €22.99/£1
How did you first develop a love of cooking? I first began to love cooking when I was a little girl and realised that it was the best way to get quality time with my mother! There were eight kids all looking for her attention, so I spent lots of time helping her in the kitchen, learning how to make feathery light scones and how to cook a mean roast chicken! I only associate cooking with good memories and I love that.
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What made you take a career leap from graphic design to food? I kept thinking about food and would spend my day at the office day-dreaming about what I’d cook once I got home. I took the plunge and did the 12-week Ballymaloe course and I’ve never looked back. I use all of my experience in design and photography, as I do all the food styling and photos for my work. For me, cooking is just another form of creativity and self-expression. And you get to eat it once you’ve finished making it, so what’s not to love?! Your first book, Make, Bake, Love focuses on baked treats, whereas Dream Deli is an ode to savoury delights. What was it like creating recipes for these two different books? My first book was an extension of my blog, very baking focused with everything sugary and pretty. My second book is healthier food that I cook everyday, including loads of granola recipes, soups and lovely things like dukkah to sprinkle over roast vegetables. If you’re in the kitchen, is it more likely that you’re whipping up something sweet or savoury? When do you find you crave each? Usually I’m savoury but if it’s a special occasion like the weekend, or a Monday, or even midweek, then I bake! There’s nothing like a warm muffin to say ‘Have a great Monday!’. I’m a big believer in comfort food, so I want a warming potato and leek soup when it’s stormy outside and pancakes with warm blueberries on a sleepy Saturday morning. Food not only nourishes ourselves and our kids, but makes great memories. As a judge on The Great Irish Bake Off, what was one of the most common mistakes you saw from contestants? I think it was an incredibly difficult thing for them to do! They’re so brave to bake publicly, let alone on TV with judges watching their every move. At the end of the day, no matter how creative or fancy something looks, it has to taste great and be baked properly. Taste will always win! What advice would you offer to home-cooks who are just starting to learn to bake or cook for themselves? The best advice I can give is try everything once, taste as you go and keep eating and exploring new foods. Get a great foundation book for reference that has everything, like the big silver Ballymaloe Cookery Course cookbook. It’s the perfect gift for just about anything, from a housewarming to an 18th birthday present, or
when someone is moving out of the home for the first time. YouTube also has it all, so watch videos and cook alongside them. It’s all great fun; so the main thing is just to start cooking! What do you find about Irish cooking and baking that makes it so special? We have a rich history of intuitive baking here in Ireland. We’re always told it’s a science, but our grandmothers made bread using handfuls of flour and judged the buttermilk by eye, feel and touch. I think we should have more confidence and belief in our cooking. Irish food is some of the best in the world and we have some truly exceptional raw ingredients to work with like dairy, meat and vegetables. What dishes do you find you prepare most often for your family? I seem to be constantly making granola -- the boys eat it by the handful. I make lamb kibbeh, meatballs, bean burgers, loads of salads and vegetarian food. Chia puddings for breakfast or dessert and endless amounts of cookies! I try to use natural sweeteners as much as possible. Have you ever had any cooking or baking disasters? Of course! It’s all part of the learning process. My biggest disasters were when I was small and I tried to make everything myself, from muffins to marmalade, with mixed results. Some days if I’m cranky or tired my cakes don’t rise to the occasion! Trying to make food healthier has proved a little tricky. Traditionally we rely on white sugar to make things taste good, so I’m constantly trying dates, honey, maple syrup or apple sauce to make healthier treats. My kids don’t always love them, but they eat them! What would be your ideal dinner party menu for this time of year? We’d start with a glass of something bubbly. I’d serve labneh rolled in zaatar with some lovely Foods of Athenry crispbreads, tabbouleh with apricot, pistachio and orange blossom from Honey & Co.’s beautiful cookbook with some beetroot hummus or smoky baba ganoush. We’d need some crunchy raw vegetables or lettuce leaves to scoop everything up with. For the main, I’d make plump buttered prawns in arak with tomatoes and kalamata olives (it’s an Ottolenghi recipe!) with crusty rye baguette to mop up the sauce and a Sauvignon Blanc. For dessert, crème brûlée with blackberries. We’d finish with a board piled with Irish farmhouse cheeses and a sweet honey-kissed glass of Sauternes. Everyone would roll home full and happy!
30/09/2016 09:50
guest editor Lilly Higgins
“These buns are simply a vehicle for cream and fruit! Loads of fresh berries make the buns really special. They are also lovely with strawberries, drizzled with chocolate or maple syrup and slices of banana.”
Cream buns Makes 8 100g butter 100ml milk 70ml water 140g plain flour, sieved 4 eggs To serve: Whipped cream www.easyfood.ie
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Fresh berries Icing sugar 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas mark 6 and line two baking trays with parchment paper. 2 Put the butter, milk and water into a medium saucepan. Heat until the butter melts. 3 Remove the pan from the heat. Beat in the sieved flour really well with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes smooth and pulls away from the side of the saucepan. Leave to cool for a minute. 4 Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then gradually add to the dough, beating all the time with the wooden spoon until shiny and
glossy. 5 Spoon mounds of the mixture onto the trays, spaced well apart. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 for the final 15 minutes. Make a hole in the side of each bun for the steam to escape and return to the oven for five minutes to dry out. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. 6 Once the buns are fully cooled, cut them in half, fill with whipped cream and berries and dust with icing sugar. Per Serving 251kcals, 17.5g fat (10.2g saturated), 18.6g carbs, 3.9g sugars, 5.6g protein, 0.9g fibre, 0.114g sodium
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2 Toss the cubed butternut squash in the olive oil and place in a roasting tin. Roast for 20-25 minutes until golden around the edges. Stir halfway through the cooking time to ensure an even colour. 3 Place the quinoa in a medium pan and dry fry (with no oil) over a high heat for a minute or so. Add the spices and stir to coat evenly, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for five minutes, then remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and leave to stand for a further 30 minutes. 4 Fluff the quinoa with a fork and gently mix through the pistachios, brocco shoots, parsley and butternut squash cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter the pomegranate seeds over the top before serving. Per Serving 360kcals, 18.7g fat (2.3g saturated), 44.4g carbs, 7.3g sugars, 10.5g protein, 7g fibre, 0.143g sodium
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Lilly’s tip: You can use any sprouted seeds, peppery rocket or watercress instead of the brocco shoots.
Welsh rarebit Serves 4 2 tsp Dijon mustard 60ml stout (I like Eight Degrees Knockmealdown Porter) 60g butter 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, to taste 350g mature farmhouse cheese, grated Salt and black pepper 4 slices of bread 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
Quinoa salad with pistachios and pomegranate Serves 6 650g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes 3 tbsp olive oil 200g quinoa 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp sumac 20 Easy Food
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450ml stock or water 120g pistachios, shelled, toasted and chopped 50g brocco shoots (a mixture of alfalfa, broccoli, clover and radish sprouts) 20g fresh parsley, finely chopped Salt and black pepper 1-2 pomegranates, seeds only 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6.
1 Mix the mustard and a little stout to make a paste in a small pan. Add the remaining stout, the butter and the Worcestershire sauce. Gently heat until the butter melts. Stir in the cheese to melt, but don’t let the mixture boil. Stir until smooth, then taste for seasoning. Remove from the heat and keep slightly warm while you toast the bread. 2 Turn the grill on to a high heat and toast the bread on both sides. Beat the eggs and yolk into the cheese sauce. Once smooth, spoon it generously onto the toast and grill until bubbling and golden. Per Serving 339kcals, 22g fat (12.7g saturated), 7.9g carbs, 1.6g sugars, 25.8g protein, 0g fibre, 0.811g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 09:52
guest editor Lilly Higgins
www.easyfood.ie
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22 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 09:56
guest editor Lilly Higgins
Cinnamon and oat pancakes with honey and banana Makes 12 300g plain flour 200g porridge oats 80g light brown sugar 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ tsp ground cinnamon 2 eggs 480ml milk 80ml sunflower oil, plus extra for cooking To serve: ½ a banana per person, sliced Honey 1 Place the flour and half of the oats in the bowl of a food processor and add the sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Blitz until the oats are coarsely ground. 2 Whisk the eggs, milk and oil in a large mixing www.easyfood.ie
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bowl. Add the flour mixture and the remaining oats. Whisk until just combined. 3 Heat a little sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Drop 2-3 tablespoons of the batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. Flip the pancake over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter. 4 Serve the warm pancakes topped with sliced bananas and drizzled with honey. Per Serving 320kcals, 9.4g fat (1.7g saturated), 53.2g carbs, 15.8g sugars, 7.7g protein, 4g fibre, 0.229g sodium
“Blueberry muffins are an all-time classic. These little cakes are perfect for school lunchboxes, and are also quite happy to sit at home in the cake tin until they’re needed with a hot cup of tea!”
Blueberry muffins
75g Demerara sugar 1 egg 150ml milk 40ml sunflower oil 1 tsp vanilla essence 160g blueberries 1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. 2 Sieve the flour and baking powder together into a bowl, then stir in the sugar. 3 Whisk the egg, milk, oil and vanilla together in a jug. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix gently. Fold in the blueberries. 4 Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly amongst the cake cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and risen. Remove the muffins from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Makes 12 225g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder
Per Serving 141kcals, 4g fat (0.6g saturated), 23.7g carbs, 8.1g sugars, 2.9g protein, 0.9g fibre, 0.015g sodium
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 09:59
guest editor Lilly Higgins
Coffee streusel cake Serves 8–10 For the streusel: 60g chopped walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts 30g caster sugar 30g demerara sugar or light brown sugar For the cake: 225g caster sugar 110g butter, softened 2 eggs 300g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp baking powder 300ml Greek yoghurt 75ml strong coffee, cooled For the icing: 200g icing sugar, sieved 2 tsp coffee essence (or 2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water) 50g walnuts, Brazil nuts or almonds, toasted and chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease and flour a 25cm Bundt tin. 2 Combine all the streusel ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 3 To make the cake, beat together the sugar and butter in a mixer until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 4 In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the yoghurt and coffee. Mix until just combined. 5 Spoon half of the batter into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the streusel. Dollop the rest of the batter over the top and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool for 15 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. 6 To make the icing, stir the icing sugar and coffee together until it’s as thick as honey. Spoon over the top of the cake, letting it drizzle down over the sides. Top with the chopped toasted nuts. Per Serving 476kcals, 17g fat (6.7g saturated), 74.8g carbs, 50.5g sugars, 8.7g protein, 1.6g fibre, 0.226g sodium
www.easyfood.ie
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“I love these bars! They’re perfect for breakfast, full of magical sunflower seeds and oats that slowly release their energy throughout the morning. If, like me, you find yourself sitting at your desk starving at 11am, then these are great to have in your bag. They keep really well in an airtight tin so they’re just the thing to make on Sunday night to keep you going throughout the week!”
Power bars Makes 12 150g butter 6 tbsp maple syrup or honey 2 tbsp Demerara sugar 225g oats 150g steel cut oats
225g mixed dried fruits and nuts 4 tbsp sunflower seeds 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Line a 35cm x 11cm (or 20cm x 23cm) tin with parchment paper. 2 Melt the butter, syrup and sugar together in a medium saucepan. Stir in the oats, oatmeal, mixed fruit and nuts. Mix well and press into the tin. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top and press down slightly. 3 Bake for 25 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool slightly, then cut into bars. Store in an airtight tin. Per Serving 320kcals, 17g fat (7.4g saturated), 38.3g carbs, 8.2g sugars, 6.1g protein, 4.8g fibre, 0.133g sodium
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“If you mention Old Henry Bars in our house, everyone will think of Henry, our late, great bulldog who loved nothing more than rolling on the driveway when you were trying to reverse your car. There was no point yelling at him because he was mostly deaf, and no point shooing him away because he could only see about one foot in front of him. If you went too close he’d get a fright, because to him it would seem like you came out of nowhere all of a sudden. So all you could do was sit in your car with the engine running and admire poor old Henry as he rolled around, joyfully scratching his back on the autumn leaves.” 26 Easy Food
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Old Henry bars Makes 16 340g oats 225g light brown sugar 225g butter, melted 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter 150g milk or dark chocolate A handful of dry-roasted peanuts (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Line a 23cm x 33cm baking tin with parchment paper. 2 Mix the oats, sugar and melted butter
together in a bowl. Spread onto the base of the tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and while still warm, spread the peanut butter over the oat base. 3 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter. Stud with dry-roasted peanuts. 4 Allow to cool slightly, then cut into 16 bars.
Per Serving 308kcals, 17.6g fat (9.8g saturated), 34.5g carbs, 19.1g sugars, 4.7g protein, 2.7g fibre, 0.094g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 09:59
What's in season? EASY RECIPES USING THE BEST OF THIS MONTH'S FRESH, SEASONAL INGREDIENTS
28-35 IN THIS SECTION
NICE STEMS P28
We showcase delicious new ways to enjoy broccoli, one of the healthiest foods around
www.easyfood.ie
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A TASTE OF HOME P32 Blogger Eimear O'Donnell shares her favourite healthy autumnal breakfast recipe
PICK A SIDE P34
Sweet or savoury, however you decide to finish off this pear tart, it won't disappoint
Easy Food 27
30/09/2016 16:18
Nice stems Delicious new ways to enjoy broccoli, one of the healthiest foods around
.121 to Flick to p ore m t u o find coli’s c o r b t abou health impressive s! it f bene
28 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:02
what's in season? broccoli
MAKE IT YOURS: Add 2-3 crumbled, crispy cooked streaky bacon rashers along with the chicken, if desired.
Chicken, broccoli and mushroom pie Serves 4 Butter, for cooking 1 leek, washed, trimmed and sliced 150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced Salt and black pepper ½ a head of broccoli, chopped into small florets 1 carrot, chopped 30ml white wine 250ml cream 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 400g leftover roast chicken Large handful of frozen peas 1 x 320g sheet of puff pastry 1 egg, beaten To serve: Green salad 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 Melt a knob of butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 4-5 minutes, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 3 Melt another knob of butter in the same pan over a medium-high heat and cook the broccoli and carrot for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until just tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 4 Return the pan to a high heat and add the wine. Allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, then add the cream, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 5 Add the leek and broccoli mixtures and the chicken to the cream and stir to combine well. 6 Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and scatter over the peas. Roll out the puff pastry and place it over the top, trimming to fit. Brush with the beaten egg. Pierce 2-3 holes in the top with the tip of a sharp knife. 7 Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Slice and serve with a simple green salad. Per Serving 772kcals, 45.6g fat (15.5g saturated), 50.1g carbs, 5.9g sugars, 39.6g protein, 4.7g fibre, 0.393g sodium
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MAKE IT YOURS: If you like it spicy, this couscous works well with some hot sauce drizzled over the top.
Roasted broccoli and sesame couscous Serves 6 as a side dish 2 heads of broccoli, chopped into bitesized florets 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking 200g couscous 1 tbsp sesame seeds 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp lemon juice ½ tsp honey Salt and black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 230˚C/210˚C fan/gas mark 8. 2 Place the broccoli florets on a rimmed baking tray. Drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Roast for 20-25 minutes. 3 Prepare the couscous according to the package instructions. 4 Place the sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium-low heat and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until light golden brown. 5 Transfer the sesame seeds to a plate. Heat a small splash of olive oil in the same pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring to prevent it from sticking. Remove from the heat. 6 In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame
Tash Peters “Being vegan, I find that a lot of recipes require a little extra love and time to make them amazing. However, this dish was very simple and easy to make with only a small number of ingredients, all of them inexpensive to buy. I used pearl cous cous because I love the texture of it and I added a little extra lemon juice as I like a bit of zing. I also subbed the honey for maple syrup, which was lovely. I made this for the whole family and, although the kids were skeptical, they liked it – although my five-year-old currently refuses to eat anything green! I think this is perfect cold as well: I doubled the recipe and kept the extra in the fridge, and it was fantastic as a quick lunch the next day.”
oil, lemon juice, honey and garlic. 7 When the broccoli is cooked, combine it with the couscous. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and serve. Per Serving 235kcals, 10.4g fat (1.5g saturated), 30.5g carbs, 1.4g sugars, 6g protein, 3.2g fibre, 0.048g sodium
x ___ JAN ___ FEB ___ MAR ___ APR ___ MAY ___ JUNE ___ JULY ___ AUG ___ SEPT
In season e Jun – November
___ OCT ___ NOV ___ DEC Easy Food 29
30/09/2016 10:02
Steak, broccoli and blue cheese pasta Serves 4 1 large head of broccoli, chopped into small florets Olive oil ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) Salt and black pepper 2 sirloin steaks 40g butter 320g penne pasta 120g milk 150g blue cheese, crumbled, plus extra to serve 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra to serve 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 Line a baking tray with tin foil. Place the broccoli florets on the foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the chilli flakes, if using. Toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once, until the broccoli is slightly charred. Set aside. 3 Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat
half of the butter in a pan over a high heat, and cook the steaks for three minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking. Transfer the steaks to a plate, tent loosely with tin foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 4 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain well, reserving some of the cooking water. 5 In the pot that you used to cook the pasta, heat the remaining butter together with the milk, blue cheese and some seasoning (be careful with the salt as the cheese is already salty), whisking constantly, until smooth. 6 Add the pasta back to the pot and toss to coat. Stir in the broccoli and parsley. Add a splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce, if desired. 7 When the steaks have finished resting, slice them thinly against the grain. 8 Divide the pasta among four bowls and top with the sliced steak, some fresh parsley and some extra crumbled blue cheese. Per Serving 669kcals, 30.6g fat (15.3g saturated), 51.4g carbs, 2.8g sugars, 46.9g protein, 2g fibre, 0.737g sodium
loves BROCCOLI
BROCCOLI LOVES… ❤ CHEESE ❤ CREAM ❤ LEMON JUICE ❤ PINE NUTS ❤ CHICKEN ❤ FISH ❤ BEEF ❤ SOY SAUCE ❤ MUSHROOMS ❤ MUSTARD ❤ GARLIC ❤ CHILLIES ❤ SESAME ❤ BUTTER
MAKE IT YOURS: If you would prefer a more subtle blue cheese flavour, use just 100g of cheese; if you are a real lover of funky blue, up the amount to 200g.
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:05
Trusted for quality since 1891 Available now from Dunnes, Supervalu and all good food stores.
www.epicure.ie EF116_31_Epicure_Ad.indd 31
30/09/2016 10:04
32 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:04
what’s in season? healthy breakfasts
Home A TASTE OF
Blogger Eimear O’Donnell shares one of her favourite healthy breakfast recipes
F
or me, this recipe is all about convenience. It’s something I can prepare on a Sunday evening and dip into throughout the week for a grab-and-go breakfast or a filling snack between meals. If porridge or toast isn’t quite doing it for you anymore, bircher muesli is the perfect alternative. A twist on traditional muesli, it was developed by a Swiss doctor and nutritionist as a way to include more raw fruit into his patients’ diets. This means that, aside from being yummy, it’s bursting with goodness, so there’s no need to feel guilty reaching for the fridge door!
BIRCHER MUESLI Serves 4-6 2 Pink Lady apples, grated 3 tbsp desiccated coconut 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp vanilla bean paste 1 tbsp chia seeds 80g pomegranate seeds 100g oats 100g natural apricot yoghurt 100ml cold water 25g pistachios, chopped 25g almonds, chopped Honey, to drizzle
1 In a bowl, combine the grated apple, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, chia seeds, pomegranate seeds and oats. 2 Stir in the yoghurt and water. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least four hours or overnight. 3 Serve topped with the chopped nuts and a drizzle of honey. Per Serving 245kcals, 10.3g fat (5g saturated), 35.9g carbs, 18.4g sugars, 5.7g protein, 5.6g fibre, 0.039g sodium
FOR MORE WHOLESOME FOOD AND DRINK INSPIRATION, FOLLOW EIMEAR ONLINE AT: homebirdfoodblog home.bird homebirdfood.tumblr.com
Here, I want to share one of my favourite mixes: apple, vanilla, almond, pistachio, honey, pomegranate and ginger, although remember that bircher muesli can so easily be customised to suit your tastes (and cupboard!). I always use apple as my base and top with a nut or seed, some spice and either some citrus fruit or berries. For best results, prepare this the night before and allow to set for 4-6 hours before digging in. Bircher can last for up to three days once refrigerated, but the fresher the better. Enjoy,
Eimear x www.easyfood.ie
EF116_32-33_A Taste of home.indd 33
Easy Food 33
30/09/2016 10:05
Pick a Side However you decide to finish off this pear tart, it won’t disappoint
Sw t pear tart wi whiskey honeycomb ice cream Serves 2
250g honeycomb ice cream, slightly softened 2 tbsp candied ginger, finely chopped 1 tbsp whiskey Plain flour, for dusting 1 x 320g sheet of puff pastry 2 pears, cored, halved and sliced 2 tsp caster sugar 25g butter, melted 1 egg, beaten 1 Spoon the ice cream into a clean bowl and add the candied ginger and whiskey (if using). Stir until mixed. Return to the freezer to firm up for one hour. 2 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with
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parchment paper. 3 On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to ½cm thick. Cut the pastry into a rough circle measuring around 10cm in diameter. Use the tip of a sharp knife to mark out a border about 1cm in from the edge of the pastry, being careful not to cut all the way through. 4 Slice the pears and fan them out over the pastry base. 5 Sprinkle the sugar over the pears and brush with the melted butter. Brush the border of the pastry with the beaten egg. 6 Bake for 15-18 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the pears are soft and slightly caramelised. 7 Top the warm tart with the ice cream and serve immediately. Per Serving 846kcals, 51.1g fat (19.7g saturated), 89.8g carbs, 40.5g sugars, 12.1g protein, 8.2g fibre, 0.362g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:06
larder luck pear tart
Blue ch se and walnut pear tart Serves 2
Plain flour, for dusting 1 x 320g sheet of puff pastry 2 pears, cored, halved and sliced 25g butter, melted 1 egg, beaten Handful of walnuts 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp port 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 50g blue cheese 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 2 On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to ½cm thick. Cut the pastry into a rough circle measuring around 10cm in diameter. Use the tip of a sharp knife to mark out a border about 1cm in from the edge of the pastry, being careful not to cut
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EF116_34-35_pick a side.indd 35
all the way through. 3 Slice the pears and fan them out over the pastry base. 4 Brush the pears with the melted butter. Brush the border of the pastry with the beaten egg. 5 Bake for 15-18 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the pears are soft and slightly caramelised. 6 Lightly toast the walnuts on a dry pan over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until you notice a colour change. Drizzle in the honey, port and balsamic vinegar and toss the nuts in the mixture until well coated and glistening. Spoon out onto a sheet of baking paper to cool, separating the nuts where possible. 7 Once the tart is cooked, crumble over the blue cheese and return to the oven for one minute to melt slightly. Top with the nuts and serve with a green salad. Per Serving 836kcals, 53.2g fat (19.6g saturated), 77.9g carbs, 30g sugars, 16g protein, 8g fibre, 0.654g sodium
Easy Food 35
30/09/2016 10:06
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30/09/2016 10:06
larder luck TURN TO YOUR STORECUPBOARD TO MAKE MEALS IN MINUTES
38-44 IN THIS SECTION
AUTUMNAL EATS P38
Embrace the longer evenings with these sweetly seasonal autumn recipes
www.easyfood.ie
EF116_XX Intro Pages New.indd 37
PANTRY PERFECTION P40
Transform storecupboard staples into easy, elegant meals
SHAREABLE SENSATIONS P42 It's never been easier to whip up a batch of these tasty crowdpleasing favourites
Easy Food 37
30/09/2016 16:18
Autumnal EATS Embrace the longer evenings with these sweetly seasonal recipes
38 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 12:38
larder luck autumn cooking
Apple and pear compote Makes 12 portions
8 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks 4 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks 8 firm pears, peeled, cored and thickly sliced 6 tbsp sugar, or more to taste 150g dried cranberries 1 Place the apples, pears and sugar in a large pot and add 50ml of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes until the cooking apples have collapsed and the eating apples and pears are tender. 2 Add the cranberries and cook for one minute, then add more sugar if needed. Serve on top of pancakes or with vanilla ice cream. Per Serving 205kcals, 0.5g fat (0g saturated), 53.5g carbs, 39g sugars, 1g protein, 9.2g fibre, 0.003g sodium
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Homeade granola with yoghurt and roasted strawberries Serves 4
175g oats 50g bran cereal 40g pumpkin seeds (or mixed seeds) 40g walnuts 40g flaked almonds 40g raisins 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp vanilla extract 40g butter, melted 125ml maple syrup www.easyfood.ie
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For the yoghurt: 125g Keelings strawberries, washed, hulled and halved ½ tbsp caster sugar ½ tbsp orange juice 250g Greek-style natural yoghurt
A small handful of sage leaves, torn 100ml chicken stock 2 tsp Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4. Combine the oats, bran, seeds, walnuts, almonds, raisins, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl. 2 Whisk together the vanilla, butter and syrup, then pour over the oat mixture. Toss to combine together. 3 Spread out the mixture onto a large baking tray and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, tossing stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown. 4 Meanwhile, toss the strawberries with the sugar and orange juice on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes until the strawberries are tender. Leave to cool. 5 Transfer the strawberries and their roasting juices to a bowl, then mash lightly with a fork. Stir in the yoghurt and serve over the granola.
1 Heat some of the oil in a frying pan and season the pork with salt and pepper. Cook the chops for about two minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a plate. 2 Add a little more oil to the pan and cook the apples, onion and sage for five minutes or until the apples have softened. 3 Add the stock and mustard, then return the chops to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced by a third and the pork is cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes.
Per Serving 648kcals, 27.9g fat (7.9g saturated), 89.1g carbs, 42.2g sugars, 18.5g protein, 12.1g fibre, 0.144g sodium
Mustard pork chops with apples Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil 4 pork chops Salt and black pepper 2 eating apples, cored and sliced 1 onion, halved and sliced
To serve: Mashed potatoes
Per Serving 348kcals, 23.7g fat (8g saturated), 15.5g carbs, 10.7g sugars, 18.7g protein, 2.9g fibre, 0.206g sodium
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Easy Food RECOMMENDS
Fancy getting delicious fresh berries straight from the Farm? Keelings have opened their new Farm Shop at their location in St. Margaret’s, Co Dublin. The Keelings Farm Shop has a delicious range of fresh Irish berries including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries when in season. Currently we are harvesting our autumn crop of bramley and eating apples as well as pumpkins, that are all available in the Keelings Farm Shop. We personally select the very best fruit from our supply partners to offer specialities such as limited season grapes, pears and tomatoes. The Farm Shop is open 10am to 6pm, seven days a week, until the end of October.
Easy Food 39
03/10/2016 10:01
Transform storecupboard staples into easy, elegant meals Cannellini bean, pea and mint croquettes
Pantry PERFECTION
Serves 4 as a main
For the dressing: 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt Juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp fresh mint 100g Feta 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil For the croquettes: 6 tbsp olive oil 5 shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 x 400g tin of Epicure cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 300g frozen peas 4 eggs 80g smooth goat’s cheese, rindless 3 tbsp fresh mint, finely shredded Salt and black pepper 100g plain flour 140g panko breadcrumbs 700ml sunflower oil 1 To make the dressing, place all the ingredients into a blender and blitz to a smooth consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use. 2 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 4-6 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. 3 Place the cannellini beans and the peas in a food processor and blitz briefly, leaving the mixture chunky. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in one beaten egg with the shallots, goat’s cheese, mint and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. 4 Line a tray (that will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper. Shape the cannellini mixture into 14-16 patties. Place on the tray and freeze for 1-2 hours. 5 To coat the patties, place the flour in a shallow dish. Beat the remaining eggs together in a second shallow bowl and pour the breadcrumbs into a third. Dip 2-3 of the 40 Easy Food
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patties into the flour, coating well. Gently shake off any excess, then dip in the egg. 6 Coat evenly in the breadcrumbs. Place the coated croquettes on the tray and repeat with the remaining patties. 7 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 8 Heat the oil in a medium frying pan for a few minutes until hot. Reduce the heat and fry the croquettes in batches for about 3-4 minutes, turning once, until both sides are golden brown. 9 Transfer to a baking tray and place in the oven for 5-8 minutes to warm through. Serve immediately with the dressing either drizzled over the top or on the side as a dipping sauce.
Easy Food RECOMMENDS
Celebrating 125 years of good food This year Epicure celebrates 125 years of passion for good food. It is a brand that has been known for its quality store cupboard essentials since 1891 and continues this tradition today. Epicure was among the first to import many speciality foods and introduce consumers to a whole new world of taste. The team at Epicure continues to work hard to source the best quality ingredients from around the world, and one of their favourite ranges is the Organic Pulses. These make a flavoursome, healthy addition to countless recipes, and are easy to store in your home cupboard.
Per Serving 1,267kcals, 70.7g fat (16.9g saturated), 114.8g carbs, 10.7g sugars, 48.1g protein, 28.6g fibre, 0.804g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:08
larder luck storecupboard staples
Smoked haddock and chickpea kedgeree Serves 4
1 tbsp sunflower oil 40g butter 4 curry leaves (optional) 1 tsp brown mustard seeds 3 shallots, finely sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 250g basmati rice 1 x 400g tin of Epicure chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 tsp curry powder Pinch of cayenne pepper 250ml water 125ml double cream 200ml milk 500g naturally smoked, undyed haddock, skinned and cut into chunks Salt and black pepper 3 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered 50g strong mature Cheddar, grated 1 lemon, cut into wedges 1 Melt the oil and half of the butter together in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the curry leaves and mustard seeds. Cook for one minute until the seeds start popping. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for five minutes or until softened. 2 Stir in the rice, chickpeas, curry powder and cayenne pepper and cook gently for another few minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom. 3 Stir in the water, cream and milk and bring to a simmer. Add the haddock, cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the www.easyfood.ie
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rice is cooked, stirring occasionally but ensuring you don’t break up the fish. 4 Once the rice is cooked and all of the liquid has evaporated, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the quartered eggs, then sprinkle the Cheddar over the top. Replace the lid back on and leave to stand for 2-3 minutes. 5 Serve straight from the saucepan with the remaining butter and the lemon wedges. Per Serving 759cals, 31.6g fat (16.3g saturated), 73.5g carbs, 5.9g sugars, 44.8g protein, 6.2g fibre, 0.596g sodium
Brazilian black bean and pork belly stew Serves 4-6
3 tbsp olive oil 350g pork belly, rind removed, cut into bitesized chunks 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 4 garlic cloves, grated 2 bay leaves 1 tsp smoked hot paprika 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 heaped tsp ground cumin 100g smoked streaky bacon, diced 100g chorizo, thickly sliced 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 x 400g tins of Epicure black beans 600ml chicken stock Salt and black pepper For the salsa: 5 ripe tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 garlic clove, grated
½ a red onion, finely chopped ½ a red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped Juice of ½ a lemon 1 tbsp olive oil To serve: 100g sour cream Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 160˚C/140˚C fan/gas mark 3. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole pan over a medium heat. Add the pork belly and fry for about 15 minutes or until golden. 2 Add the onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, both paprikas and the cumin and cook for about eight minutes, stirring often, until the onions and celery have softened. 3 Add the streaky bacon and chorizo and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring often, until the oil starts to be released from the chorizo. 4 Stir in the vinegar, the black beans and their liquid and the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, place in the oven and cook for two hours or until the pork is tender, stirring occasionally and topping up with a little more stock or water if needed. 5 To make the salsa, place all of the ingredients into a blender and blitz for 10 seconds, or just until the mixture comes together in a semi-chunky consistency. 6 Divide the stew into four hot bowls. Spoon over the salsa and a dollop of sour cream, garnish with chopped coriander and serve. Per Serving 935kcals, 44g fat (15.4g saturated), 72.1g carbs, 6.6g sugars, 61.1g protein, 17.4g fibre, 1.881g sodium
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30/09/2016 10:08
SHAREABLE
Sensations It's never been easier to whip up a batch of these crowd-pleasing favourites
Easy Food RECOMMENDS An exceptionally powerful hand blender with 12 speed settings plus a turbo button for smooth results, the Bosch Hand Blender is an excellent kitchen helper. Ideal for soups, smoothies, sauces, purĂŠes and dips, it has a detachable foot and balloon whisk for easy cleaning. The mini chopper makes short work of chopping, blending and numerous kitchen tasks. High quality stainless steel housing and large buttons with a soft touch surface make this easy to use and store at home.
42 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:23
larder luck
Roast butternut soup
Hummus with pitta chips
Salmon fishcakes
Serves 4
Serves 4
Serves 4
1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped into chunks 3 tbsp olive oil Pinch of cinnamon Salt and black pepper 2 onions, chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1l vegetable stock 100ml cream (optional) Chives or parsley, chopped
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained 50g light tahini 1 garlic clove, crushed 4-5 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste Pinch of ground cumin Salt and black pepper 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve ½ tsp paprika Small bunch of fresh coriander
400g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 30g butter, melted 450g salmon fillets Zest and juice of 1 lemon Salt and black pepper Small bunch of fresh parsley Small bunch of fresh dill 3 slices of bread 2 eggs, beaten 6 tbsp sunflower oil
1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 and line the Bosch Universal Pan or a baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper. 2 Spread the butternut squash out on the paper and sprinkle over one tablespoon of olive oil, the cinnamon and some salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until soft. 3 While the butternut squash is cooking, place the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a low heat and add the onions. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for two more minutes until fragrant. 4 Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the roasted butternut squash. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. 5 Season well with salt and pepper. Blitz using a Bosch hand blender with the blender foot attached, until smooth. Stir in about half of the cream, if using. 6 Serve in warm bowls drizzled with the remaining cream, scattered with some chives or chopped fresh parsley.
Per Serving 167kcals, 11.4g fat (1.7g saturated), 16.9g carbs, 4.8g sugars, 2.4g protein, 3.1g fibre, 0.852g sodium
For the pitta chips: 4 pitta breads, wholemeal or plain 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
1 Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a Bosch food processor with the universal blade attached. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Season well with salt and pepper. 2 With the motor running at high speed, add the olive oil and process to a smooth paste. If the hummus is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl. 3 To make the pitta chips, preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Cut each pitta pocket into strips about 2cm thick. Place them on a wire rack with the Bosch Universal Pan or a baking tray underneath. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle over the chopped rosemary. 4 Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. 5 Make a well in the centre of the hummus. Pour over some extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with the paprika and scatter over the coriander. Serve with the pitta chips for dipping.
Per Serving 459kcals, 23.2g fat (3.3g saturated), 52.5g carbs, 3.9g sugars, 12.8g protein, 7.3g fibre, 0.386g sodium
1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. 2 Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Drain well. Tip into a large bowl, add the butter and mash well. Allow to cool slightly. 3 Wrap the salmon in foil, sprinkle over the lemon juice and season well. Bake for eight minutes. 4 Place the herbs in the bowl of a Bosch food processor with the universal blade attached. Process for a few seconds until chopped, then add to the potatoes. 5 Use two forks to flake apart the salmon, then add to the potatoes. Mix in the lemon zest and about one tablespoon of the beaten egg. Shape the salmon mixture into round cakes about 2cm thick. 6 Place the bread in the bowl of the food processor with the universal blade attached. Process to form breadcrumbs. Tip out onto a large plate. Pour the remaining egg onto a separate plate. Brush the fish cakes with the beaten egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. 7 Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the fish cakes for two minutes on each side until golden. 8 Transfer to the Bosch Universal Pan or a baking tray and bake for 6 -8 minutes, turning once. Per Serving 515kcals, 36.7g fat (7.7g saturated), 21.1g carbs, 1.7g sugars, 27.5g protein, 3.1g fibre, 0.222g sodium
x www.easyfood.ie
EF116_42-44_Bosch_.indd 43
Easy Food 43
30/09/2016 10:25
The cookie do ugh freezes well. Once it is formed into lo gs and wrapped, it ca n be frozen. The dough ca n be sliced an d baked from fro zen. Never refreeze defro sted cookie dough.
Spicy pork ribs Serves 4 20 baby back ribs 2 garlic cloves, peeled 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1 red chili, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp black pepper 1 tbsp paprika Small bunch coriander, stems left on, plus extra for serving
1 Put the pork ribs in a large bowl. 2 Place all of the other ingredients – except for a few coriander leaves – in the bowl of a Bosch Food Mixer. Blend until the mixture has combined and a paste has formed. 3 Using clean hands, rub the paste all over the ribs until completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight if possible, to allow the flavours to develop. 4 Preheat the oven to 160˚C/140˚C fan/gas mark 3. 5 Place the ribs in a roasting dish and cover with foil. Cook for 1½ hours until the ribs are cooked through. 6 Remove the foil and increase the oven 44 Easy Food
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temperature to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Cook the ribs for another 35-40 minutes, turning a couple of times during cooking. 7 Allow to cool slightly before serving with the reserved coriander leaves. Per Serving 818kcals, 43.4g fat (17.5g saturated), 7.6g carbs, 2.6g sugars, 93.3g protein, 1.5g fibre, 0.835g sodium
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Chocolate chip cookies Makes about 36 400g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda Pinch of salt 225g butter, at room temperature 175g caster sugar 175g soft brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs, beaten 350g good-quality dark chocolate chips
1 Line two baking trays with parchment paper. 2 Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a small bowl. 3 In the bowl of the Bosch MUM mixer with the stirrer attached, beat the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract together on a slow speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed and beat until pale and light. 4 Beat in the eggs one at a time. On the slowest speed, stir in the flour mixture and the
Easy Food RECOMMENDS
Light and powerful with a 550W motor, four speed settings and a wide range of accessories, the Bosch Food Mixer is the perfect allrouner for family baking. Mixing goes right to the edges of the stainless steel 3.9 litre capacity bowl, which has a max dough capacity of 2kg and comes with kneading, whisking and stirring attachments. A one litre blender, grater and shredder also come as standard.
chocolate chips. 5 Split the dough into three pieces. Form each piece of dough into log about 3cm in diameter. Roll it up using cling film and seal the ends. Refrigerate until firm. 6 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 7 Cut each log into 12 rounds. Place them on the baking trays, spaced well apart. 8 Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking trays before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Per Serving 178kcals, 8.3g fat (5.3g saturated), 23.9g carbs, 14.7g sugars, 2.3g protein, 0.6g fibre, 0.088g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:28
what 's for dinner? FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, MADE EASY!
46-66
IN THIS SECTION
WEEKLY MENU PLANNER P46
Keep it simple, keep it quick with a whole week's worth of easy family meals
www.easyfood.ie
EF116_XX Intro Pages New.indd 45
FROM THE BUTCHER'S BLOCK P56 Local butcher Michael Fleming helps us make the most of our slow cookers for midweek meals
5 WAYS WITH CHEESE P58
Make cheese the star of the show with these full-of-flavour dinner ideas
WEEKNIGHT WARMERS P64
A lesson in comfort cooking from Dingle Cookery School
Easy Food 45
30/09/2016 16:18
Weekly
MENU PLANNER
Keep it simple, keep it quick with our tasty midweek meals
46 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:10
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Monday
Veggie burrito bowls Serves 4-6 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 large tomato, chopped 1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 jalapeĂąo, deseeded and finely chopped (optional) 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp chilli powder 2 tsp ground cumin 1 x 400g tin of kidney or black beans 240g uncooked long grain rice 600ml chicken or vegetable stock 1 bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked, leaves and stalks chopped
240g Cheddar, grated Salt and black pepper 1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a mediumhigh heat. Add the onion, tomato, peppers and jalapeĂąo and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic, chilli powder and cumin and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring. 2 Stir in the beans, rice, stock, the coriander stalks and half of the cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. 3 Stir to combine, then cover the pan with a lid or foil. Cook over a medium-high heat for 15 minutes
or until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice, stirring every few minutes. 4 Turn the grill on to a high heat. Remove the lid and sprinkle the rice mixture with the remaining cheese. Place the pan under the grill for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. 5 Allow to rest for five minutes, then top with the coriander leaves and serve in bowls. Per Serving 500kcals, 7g fat (2.3g saturated), 81.1g carbs, 3.7g sugars, 29.3g protein, 12.6g fibre, 0.584g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: To make this suitable for children, simply omit the jalapeĂąo and use mild chilli powder.
-free Meat ay! Mond
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Easy Food 47
30/09/2016 10:10
Tuesday
Toad-in-the-hole
To serve: Gravy Mashed potato Peas
Serves 4 3 tbsp vegetable oil, beef dripping or lard 8 sausages 2 eggs 100g plain flour, sifted 90ml whole milk 90ml dark beer 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 48 Easy Food
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1 Preheat the oven to 220ËšC/200ËšC fan/gas mark 7. Put half of the oil, dripping or lard in a roasting tin and place in the oven to heat up until very hot. 2 Heat the remaining oil in a pan over a medium heat. Brown the sausages on all sides. 3 Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat until thick. Beat in the flour and milk bit by bit until smooth, then stir in the beer and mustard. Leave
the batter to sit for 15 minutes. 4 Once the sausages are browned all over and the batter has rested, take the roasting tin from the oven. Immediately pour in the fat from the sausage pan, followed by the batter, which should sizzle as it hits the tin. Add the sausages, spacing them out evenly, and return the tin to the oven. 5 Bake the toad for 35 minutes or until the batter is golden brown and puffed up. Serve immediately with gravy, mash and peas. Per Serving 335kcals, 21.3g fat (5.4g saturated), 22.2g carbs, 1.5g sugars, 12g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.238g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:12
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Wednesday
Chicken cacciatore Serves 4
Plain flour, for dredging Salt and black pepper 8 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in 1 tbsp olive oil ½ an onion, chopped 1 yellow or green pepper, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes ½ tsp dried oregano 120ml white wine 200g mushrooms, quartered
To serve: Pasta, crusty bread or baked potatoes 1 Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Add the chicken thighs and shake until coated in flour. 2 Heat the oil in a large pan (one with a lid) over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side until browned all over, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Discard all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan. 3 Add the onion and pepper to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. 4 Return the chicken to the pan and add the
tomatoes, oregano and wine. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes over a medium-low heat. 5 Add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 more minutes. 6 Serve with pasta, crusty bread or baked potatoes. Per Serving 432kcals, 16.9g fat (4.1g saturated), 10g carbs, 5g sugars, 53.7g protein, 2.7g fibre, 0.2g sodium
x MAKE IT YOURS: ional in White wine is tradit red in the Northern Italy, and eit e her or, if you South. You can us stock. To make en ick prefer, use ch endly, simply this dish coeliac-fri ur and serve use gluten-free flo s. po with baked tatoe
? NOW OU K Y re D o I D cciat en ca chicken.” k ic h C nter’s in Italy, s “hu ates mean origin nally h is d traditio eat This s a w m e it tever wher h wha t day, it w e a th mad aught it. was c bb a r often
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Easy Food 49
30/09/2016 10:13
Thursday Chilli-stuffed sweet potatoes
To serve: Spring onions, chopped Fresh coriander, chopped Cheddar, grated Avocado, chopped
Serves 4 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed 1 tbsp coconut oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 500g beef mince 5 garlic cloves, crushed 4 tbsp chilli powder 1 tbsp cumin Salt and black pepper 500ml tomato passata 50 Easy Food
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1 Preheat the oven to 220ËšC/200ËšC fan/gas mark 7. Pierce the skin of each sweet potato a few times with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 30-45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. 2 Heat the coconut oil in a pan over a mediumlow heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. 3 Add the beef to the pan and cook until no pink parts remain, breaking up any lumps with a
wooden spoon. Drain away any fat from the pan. 4 Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the chilli powder, cumin and some salt and black pepper. 5 Add the tomato passata and stir to combine well. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6 When the sweet potatoes are cooked, cut a slit down the centre of each and stuff with the chilli beef filling. 7 Top with spring onion, coriander, grated Cheddar and avocado to serve.
Per Serving 567kcals, 13.8g fat (6g saturated), 63.9g carbs, 2g sugars, 43.9g protein, 12.9g fibre, 0.14g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:14
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Friday
Quick-fix creamy tomato pasta Serves 2 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve 130g Ricotta 200g penne, fusilli or other short pasta 2 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 2 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped Salt and black pepper Parmesan, grated www.easyfood.ie
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1 In a bowl, stir the basil leaves into the Ricotta and set aside. 2 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. 3 While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute. 4 Add the drained pasta to the pan along with four tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.
Season generously with salt and black pepper and stir well. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes are tender but not falling apart. 5 Stir in the Ricotta, stirring so it melts and coats the pasta and tomatoes. Serve immediately topped with extra fresh basil and some grated Parmesan.
Per Serving 583kcals, 25.1g fat (7.7g saturated), 66.7g carbs, 5g sugars, 25.5g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.334g sodium
Easy Food
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MAKE IT YOURS: Add a layer of baby spinach to the botto m of the baking dish for extra goodness , or throw in some halved cherry tomatoes to the fish mixture to cut through the richness of the dish. If you’re serving this for guests, you may prefer to keep the potatoes separate from the fish mixt ure and layer everything into the baking dish for a neater look.
Saturday
Cheesy smoked fish bake Serves 2 For the béchamel sauce: 40g butter 1 leek, washed, trimmed and chopped 30g plain flour 500ml milk, plus extra to thin the sauce if needed 1 bay leaf Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional) Salt and black pepper For the bake: 300g skinless, boneless smoked haddock 1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped 600g potatoes, cooked, peeled and thinly sliced 120g Gruyère, Comté or mature Cheddar, grated 52 Easy Food
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To serve: Salad Crusty bread 1 Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. 2 Add the flour and stir vigorously until a smooth paste forms around the leek. Remove from the heat and add the milk gradually whilst stirring the mixture constantly. 3 Return the pan to a medium heat and add the bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little more milk. 4 Remove the bay leaf. Add the nutmeg, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to
cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4. 5 Cut the haddock into small chunks and add to the béchamel sauce with most of the parsley, reserving a little for garnishing. Add the potato slices and stir gently to combine together. 6 Transfer the mixture to a medium baking dish. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. 7 Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Sprinkle with the reserved parsley, then serve with a simple salad and some crusty bread for mopping up the sauce. Per Serving 412kcals, 13.6g fat (8.2g saturated), 39.7g carbs, 8.6g sugars, 30.4g protein, 4.4g fibre, 0.552g sodium
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:18
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Dessert
Apple log Serves 4-6
60g butter 2 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 4 tbsp brown sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 1 tsp ground cinnamon Plain flour, for dusting 1 x 320g sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, lightly beaten To serve: Vanilla ice cream
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1 Preheat the oven to 200ËšC/180ËšC fan/gas mark 6. 2 Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced apples and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. 3 Reduce the heat to low and stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another five minutes until the apples are soft and caramelised. 4 Dust the work surface lightly with flour and roll out the puff pastry to flatten slightly. Cut the pastry in half lengthwise down the centre to make two equal rectangles. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray and place one of the pastry rectangles on top. 5 Arrange the apples in a tight row lengthwise down the middle of the pastry
sheet, leaving a 2cm border on all sides. Pour the remaining syrup from the apples over the top of the apples. Brush the beaten egg around the border of the pastry. Top with the second pastry sheet and press down all around the edges to seal. 6 Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut 5-6 slits down the centre of the pastry. 7 Brush the pastry with more of the beaten egg and sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with ice cream.
Per Serving 438kcals, 29.3g fat (10.5g saturated), 40.6g carbs, 14g sugars, 5.1g protein, 2.8g fibre, 0.203g sodium
Easy Food 53
30/09/2016 10:18
Jane Spencer Heffernan “Whether it’s rocky road or a one pot dinner, who doesn’t like a traybake? This honey balsamic chicken is a dinner that you can whip up in a matter of minutes and pop in the oven – then you can get on with the ironing! The marinade was so tasty and complimented the chicken and vegetables perfectly. The whole family devoured it with gusto, and the only complaint was that they wanted more! The traybake took only 40 minutes to cook, perfect for a go-to dinner. It will be a returning dish to our table.”
Sunday
Honey balsamic chicken traybake Serves 4 For the chicken: 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried basil Salt and black pepper 4 chicken fillets For the bake: Cooking spray 450g baby potatoes, quartered 300g cherry tomatoes 54 Easy Food
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2 tbsp olive oil 400g asparagus or green beans, trimmed 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped To serve: Balsamic syrup or vinegar 1 In a large bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, oregano and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken fillets and turn to coat in the marinade. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if possible, turning the fillets in the marinade occasionally. 2 When ready to cook, remove the chicken and discard the marinade.
3 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Coat a large baking tray with cooking spray or grease lightly with olive oil. 4 Place the potatoes and tomatoes in a single layer onto the prepared baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season. Roast for 10 minutes. 5 Push the potatoes and tomatoes around to make four spaces on the tray and place a chicken fillet in each space. 6 Return the tray to the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Add the asparagus or green beans for the last 10 minutes of cooking time. 7 Allow the chicken to rest for five minutes. Drizzle with a little balsamic syrup or vinegar, then serve warm. Per Serving 457kcals, 17.6g fat (3.9g saturated), 30.7g carbs, 12.6g sugars, 45.6g protein, 6.2g fibre, 0.219g sodium
x OCTOBER 2016
03/10/2016 10:26
Dessert
Pain au chocolat pudding Serves 6 Butter, for greasing 5 eggs 350ml whole milk 250ml cream 1 tbsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp brown sugar 8 large chocolate croissants, quartered 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 23 x 33cm baking dish with butter and set aside. 2 In a large bowl, whisk together the
eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and sugar. Add the chocolate croissants and allow to sit for five minutes until they have absorbed the custard. 3 Pour the croissant mixture, plus any remaining liquid, into the prepared baking dish. 4 Bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is fully cooked and the tops of the croissants begin to crisp slightly. 5 Remove the bread pudding from the oven and serve warm.
Loose ends
Top tips for making the most of your weekly shop!
Per Serving 496kcals, 25.5g fat (13.5g saturated), 51.4g carbs, 19.8g sugars, 14.2g protein, 2.3g fibre, 0.757g sodium
■ Use leftover chocolate croissants to make decadent French toast as a weekend treat. Simply slice them in half and soak in seasoned beaten egg as you would with regular bread, then fry in a little butter until golden. Add a dollop of Ricotta and a drizzle of honey, dust with icing sugar or top with chocolate hazelnut spread.
■ Cook extra rice when you’re making the Veggie Burrito Bowls and make an easy Spanish-inspired rice another night. Sauté chopped onion, peppers, jalapeño and garlic in a little olive oil with some chilli powder and cumin, then stir in some chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned) or passata. Add chorizo or beans, if desired, and garnish with leftover coriander.
■ Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1cm-thick slices, brush with a little oil and toast in a sandwich press until just tender. Top the sweet potato toast with sliced tomato, avocado and spring onion, or any other toppings you prefer.
■ Toss leftover sausages, halved baby potatoes, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and onions in a little oil and roast all together for a simple, tasty one-pan dinner.
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Easy Food 55
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56 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:28
from the BUTCHER'S BLOCK Local butcher Michael Fleming helps us make the most of our slow cooker on midweek evenings What are the main advantages of slowcooking? Slow cooking is a great way to get good value for money with meat, as it’s the tougher cuts that work best with this cooking style. Tougher cuts benefit from slow cooking because you need the longer, lower cooking to really make it tender and flavoursome. You’ll be surprised at how rich the flavours from these cuts can be. Compared to five years ago, there are definitely more and more customers now asking for specific cuts of meat for slowcooking — such as beef short ribs on the bone — and your butcher will more than likely have what you want in stock. Do I need an actual slow cooker for this method of cooking? No, you actually don’t need a slow cooker at all. I’d recommend a large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, or a casserole dish, that will keep all the flavours and juices trapped inside while it cooks. Once you have this, you can cook either right on the stovetop or in the oven. The benefit of slow cookers is that you don’t need to have the oven on or have a hob burning, but it’s just as easy to cook without them. If a recipe says to cook for eight hours, do I have to be home exactly when it’s ready, or could it cook a little longer? No, that’s the beauty of slow-cooking: more often than not, the longer you cook it, the better. If you think you need to leave it for a very long time, then I would recommend leaving it on the ‘low’ setting; you might otherwise run the risk of some of the juices drying up if left unattended for a very extended period of time. What are the best cuts of meat for cooking slowly? There are plenty of options for slow-cookerfriendly meats; try chuck beef, lamb shank, pork belly, pork shoulder, beef brisket or lamb shoulder. Basically, any cut that gets www.easyfood.ie
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a lot of exercise on the animal will make for good slow-cooking, so think of things like the legs, shins (shank) and shoulder. The best part is that these tougher cuts are also usually quite inexpensive, so this is actually a very cost-effective way of cooking. Lean cuts like fillet or loins aren’t ideal, as they won’t have the fat needed for a full flavour.
what's for dinner? butcher advice
Can I use the slow cooker to reheat my leftovers? Yes, just make sure to defrost them thoroughly in the refrigerator first before heating them again. What are the best ways to use up leftover slow-cooked meat? Use the meat in sandwiches, quesadillas, salads, burritos or in curries. One of my favourites is brisket burritos, but the possibilities are endless!
SLOW-COOKER CHEESY CHICKEN PASTA Serves 4
When I see ‘stewing beef’ on the butcher’s counter, what cut is that? It can be either diced round beef or chuck beef. Round beef comes from the hind quarter, and the chuck comes from the shoulder. If you have the option between the two, chuck beef seems to have more flavour in it and is nice and tender when it’s slow cooked. Round beef tends to be slightly dryer because it has less fat in it, but you can remedy that by including more liquid or fats when cooking it. Regardless, it’s good to remember that when you see it pre-wrapped at your butcher’s, it’s exactly the same quality and value that we would prepare to order, so it's a handy option. Do some meats work better at the low setting as opposed to high? Cuts that are quite tough, such as beef brisket, will fare better when cooked very low and slow. Brisket is from the chest of the cow, so it would be worked quite a lot. This results in a tougher muscle, so it needs a long, slow cooking process to break it down. Can I slow-cook chicken fillets? Yes, you can, but ask for bone-in chicken breasts ideally. Boneless, skinless chicken fillets can work well when slow-cooked in a nice sauce, but bone-in fillets will have a little more moisture. You can ask your butcher to cut them in thirds and use them in a chicken casserole. If I slow-cook a meal and eat half of it, is it safe to freeze what’s left for another day? Yes, slow-cooked meals are perfect for batch cooking and freezing.
2 chicken fillets Salt and black pepper 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes ½ an onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) 300g penne 2 large handfuls of baby spinach 120g mushrooms, sliced 100g Mozzarella, grated 30g Parmesan, grated 1 Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place chicken into a 5.5l slow cooker. 2 In a large bowl, combine the tinned tomatoes, onion, basil, oregano and chilli flakes, if using. Stir into the slow cooker and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on the low setting for four hours. 3 Remove the chicken fillets from the slow cooker and place on a chopping borad. Use two forks to shred the chicken. 4 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well. 5 Stir the pasta, chicken, spinach and mushrooms into the slow cooker and top with the Mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook on low for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheeses have melted. Serve immediately. Per Serving 495kcals, 13.4g fat (5.5g saturated), 53.7g carbs, 6.4g sugars, 40.8g protein, 3.4g fibre, 0.356g sodium
Easy Food 57
30/09/2016 10:29
URS: MAKE IT YO ochon in bl Re You can find ts as well ke ar rm pe some su stores. se ee ch as specialist d it, you can If you can’t fin membert Ca use a good instead.
ways with
CHEESE
Make cheese the star of the show with these full-of-flavour ideas
Tartiflette Serves 6 Salt and black pepper 1kg potatoes, peeled and halved 20g butter, plus extra for greasing 1 onion, sliced 250g pancetta or smoked bacon lardons, chopped 200g crème fraîche 200ml white wine 1 x 220g Reblochon cheese To serve: Green leaves dressed with vinaigrette 58 Easy Food
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1 Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 6-8 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly. 2 Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the pancetta and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. 3 Turn the heat to high and add the wine, stirring and scraping any sticky bits from the bottom using a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the crème fraîche. Season with black pepper. 4 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas
mark 7. Thinly slice the potatoes. 5 Lightly grease a baking dish with butter. Arrange half of the potato slices in the bottom of the dish. Add half of the onion and pancetta mixture. Repeat these layers a second time. 6 Slice the Reblochon horizontally into two circles. Place these on top, rind side-up. 7 Bake the tartiflette for 30-40 minutes until the crust on top is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. If it begins to look too brown, cover it with foil. Allow to rest for five minutes, then serve with green leaves dressed with vinaigrette. Per Serving 594kcals, 37.5g fat (18.2g saturated), 31.1g carbs, 3.2g sugars, 27.2g protein, 4.4g fibre, 1.27g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:30
what's for dinner? cheesy recipes
French onion soup Serves 6 1 baguette or crusty loaf, sliced into rounds Olive oil Knob of butter 4 onions, thinly sliced 1 tsp sugar Salt and black pepper 1.7l beef stock 180g Gruyère, grated 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 Place the bread slices on a baking tray and brush with olive oil on both sides. Bake for www.easyfood.ie
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7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside on a wire rack to cool. 3 Heat one tablespoon of olive oil with the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle over the sugar and some salt. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring often and scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. 4 After 45 minutes, the onions should be a deep golden brown. Add the beef stock and increase the heat. 5 Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and
simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. 6 When ready to serve, turn on the grill to a high heat. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls and place the bowls on a baking tray. Place 1-2 slices of bread on top of each portion of soup and top with grated Gruyère. Place under the grill for 1-3 minutes until the cheese has melted, then serve immediately. Per Serving 282kcals, 17.4g fat (8g saturated), 17.1g carbs, 4.3g sugars, 15g protein, 2g fibre, 1.163g sodium
Easy Food 59
30/09/2016 10:31
Elaine Heading “This was super tasty and made the kitchen smell divine – assuming you like the smell of roasted garlic! I halved the recipe, which made just enough for a family of two hungry adults and three kids who eat like birds. I also used macaroni pasta (it seemed wrong not to) and added extra Dijon mustard to give it a kick. Next time I would pimp it up a bit with some frozen peas and a sprinkle of paprika. If you've a bit of baguette handy, I suggest you rub it round the cheesy saucepan at the end and eat immediately… you're welcome!”
60 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2016
03/10/2016 10:47
what's for dinner? cheesy recipes
Roasted garlic mac ‘n’ cheese Serves 8-10 For the topping: 40g butter 150g breadcrumbs For the mac ‘n’ cheese: 1 head of garlic Olive oil Salt and black pepper 450g spirali pasta 150g streaky bacon rashers, chopped 120g butter 6 tbsp plain flour 1l whole milk 600g Cheddar, grated 60g Parmesan, grated 1 tsp Dijon mustard 8 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 For the crumb topping, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the crumbs are slightly toasted, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. 2 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Slice the top third off the head of garlic. Place the bottom of the head on a square of tin foil, drizzle with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper. Place the top back on the head of garlic and close the foil over the garlic, crumpling it together to create a sealed packet. Roast for 30 minutes. 3 Remove the roasted garlic from the oven. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of their skins into a bowl and use a fork to mash them into a paste. Set aside. 4 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well, reserving 120ml of the cooking water. Butter a 23 x 33cm shallow baking dish. 5 Add the bacon to a large, heavy pot over a medium-high heat and cook until crispy. Remove from the pot and set aside. 6 Melt the butter in the pot over a mediumlow heat. Stir in the flour and garlic paste and cook, stirring, for three minutes until golden. 7 Whisk in the milk and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the Cheddar, Parmesan, mustard, salt and pepper. 8 Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water, stirring to combine. Stir in the bacon. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish and top with the tomatoes. 9 Sprinkle with the crumb topping and place it www.easyfood.ie
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on a large baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Per Serving 635kcals, 30.7g fat (16.6g saturated), 58.2g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 31.8g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.804g sodium
Brie, pear and prosciutto chicken Serves 4 4 chicken fillets Olive oil, for cooking ½ an onion, chopped 2 sage leaves, chopped 1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped Salt and black pepper Small handful of baby rocket 4 slices of Brie, rind removed 4 slices of prosciutto 1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. 2 Use the tip of a sharp knife to make a lengthwise cut into the side of each chicken fillet to create a pocket, being careful not to cut all the way through. 3 Heat one teaspoon of oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 3-4
minutes until golden. 4 Add the sage and pear. Season with a little salt and black pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the rocket and stir for one minute until it has just wilted. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 5 Fill each chicken fillet with one-quarter of the stuffing, then carefully push a slice of Brie into each pocket. 6 Lay the slices of prosciutto out on a chopping board. Place a chicken fillet on the closest end of one slice and roll it up tightly in the prosciutto. Secure with 2-3 cocktail sticks and repeat with the remaining fillets and slices of prosciutto. 7 Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. 8 Carefully sear the prosciutto-wrapped chicken on all sides until golden, working in two batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. 9 Transfer to a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Per Serving 389kcals, 19.5g fat (6.2g saturated), 7g carbs, 4.1g sugars, 44.6g protein, 1.5g fibre, 0.371g sodium
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Blue cheese and mushroom risotto Serves 4 Knob of butter 2 tbsp olive oil 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 3 shallots, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 320g Arborio rice 200ml white wine 1l hot vegetable stock 40g cold butter, cut into cubes 80g Gorgonzola or other soft blue cheese, cubed Salt and black pepper Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped 1 Melt the butter with half of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes until golden, then remove to a bowl and set aside.
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2 Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the shallots over a low heat for five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. 3 Add the rice and toast, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until opaque. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it has been absorbed. 4 Gradually add the hot stock to the pan, a ladleful at a time, and wait until each ladleful has been absorbed by the rice before adding another. Keep stirring and adding the stock for about 20 minutes until the rice is cooked to al dente. 5 Remove the risotto from the heat. Add the
cold butter cubes and blue cheese and beat in with a wooden spoon until completely melted into the rice. Season well with salt and pepper. 6 Fold through the mushrooms and parsley. Divide among plates and serve. Per Serving 585kcals, 23.9g fat (11.4g saturated), 72.3g carbs, 2.1g sugars, 12.8g protein, 3.6g fibre, 0.982g sodium
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:32
5 Charvey Lane Rathnew County Wicklow
EF116_63_Miller Brothers new.indd 63
T: 0404-32222 www.millerbros.ie sales@millerbros.ie
Ireland's Leading Stone Fabricator Stone by Nature. Stone by Name.
30/09/2016 15:25
Weeknight WARMERS A lesson in comfort cooking from the Dingle Cookery School
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what’s for dinner? autumnal meals
M
ark Murphy and Muireann Nic Giolla Ruaidh opened Dingle Cookery School in 2014 in the seaside town of Dingle, Co. Kerry, known for its food and hospitality. The school offers a variety of classes, ranging from Sunday Brunch to Fermentation, or Sensational Seafood to Sourdough Bread Making. One of the most popular courses is the ‘Catch and Cook’ experience where students venture out on a fishing boat, bring back their bounty and learn how to prepare their fresh catches, all to be enjoyed at the end of the class. Check out Dingle Cookery School at www.dinglecookeryschool.com.
from it, then add the wine and stock. 3 Return the lamb shanks to the pot and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and transfer the pot to the oven for about four hours. This will allow a tough cut of lamb to turn into a beautiful and succulent piece of meat, which should fall away from the bone. 4 Remove the lamb shanks from the casserole dish and keep warm. Place the casserole dish over a medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce the liquid for a further 10 minutes, adjusting the seasoning to taste. 5 Put a lamb shank in the centre of each serving bowl. Use a ladle to pour the braising liquid and some of the vegetables around the lamb. Serve with creamy mashed potato. Per Serving 795kcals, 31.3g fat (9.1g saturated), 14.5g carbs, 6.3g sugars, 93.2g protein, 2.5g fibre, 0.774g sodium
x
Kerry apple cake Serves 8 110g sugar 110g butter 2 eggs
2 tbsp milk 225g self-raising flour 4 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced 25g flaked almonds 1 tbsp brown sugar To serve: Whipped cream or custard 1 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/ gas mark 3 and grease a 23cm deep round baking tin. 2 Cream the butter and sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and milk, then sieve in the flour. Mix together and stir in the apples. The mixture should be quite wet; if it seems a little dry, add some more milk. 3 Spread the batter into the tin and top with the almonds and sugar. Bake for 30 minutes. 4 Serve the cake warm with whipped cream or custard. Per Serving 351kcals, 14.4g fat (7.6g saturated), 52.7g carbs, 26.9g sugars, 5.5g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.098g sodium
Slow-cooked lamb shanks Serves 4 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 4 lamb shanks 2 small onions, roughly chopped 3 carrots, roughly chopped A few sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme 2 bay leaves 5 garlic cloves, left whole 2 tbsp plain flour (optional) 1 tbsp tomato purée 350ml white wine 600ml lamb or chicken stock To serve: Mashed potato 1 Preheat the oven to 160˚C/140˚C fan/gas mark 3. Heat the oil in a casserole dish over a medium-high heat and cook the lamb shanks for a few minutes per side until browned all over. This should take up to 10 minutes. Remove the lamb and set aside. 2 In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and garlic for 6-8 minutes until they start to take on some colour. Stir in the flour (if using) and tomato purée. Allow the tomato purée to cook for about two minutes to remove the bitter taste www.easyfood.ie
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Easy Food 65
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Potato, leek and bacon gratin Serves 4-6 Rapeseed oil 2 leeks, washed and halved lengthways Salt and black pepper 15g butter, plus extra for greasing 4 streaky bacon rashers, cut into lardons 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tbsp thyme leaves 150ml milk 150ml cream 800g potatoes, thinly sliced 50g breadcrumbs
Roast cauliflower soup with chorizo Serves 4-6 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped Rapeseed oil Salt and black pepper 400ml milk 400ml vegetable stock 100g chorizo, diced A large handful of fresh parsley, chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4. Put the cauliflower on a tray, drizzle with some oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and shake well to allow for even cooking, then return to the oven for another 10 minutes. This will give the cauliflower a beautiful nutty flavour. 66 Easy Food
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2 Heat the milk and stock in a pot over a medium heat for about five minutes. Add the cauliflower and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 3 Using a slotted spoon, put the cauliflower into blender and add as much liquid as needed to bring this to a smooth purée. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Meanwhile, heat a pan over a medium-high heat and add the chorizo. The chorizo will start to release some of its oil and turn to brown. Let it cook for about three minutes then add the chopped parsley. 5 Pour the soup into bowls. Garnish with the chorizo and parsley. As a final touch, drizzle over some of the chorizo oil.
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Heat a pot over a medium heat and add a little oil. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Allow to cook gently for three minutes. 2 Add the butter, bacon, garlic and thyme and cook for a further five minutes. Add the milk and cream to the pot. Once everything comes to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain the liquid into a bowl. 3 Use butter to grease the bottom and sides of a rectangular ovenproof dish (measuring about 23cm x 18cm and 6cm high. Spread some of the leek and bacon into the dish in a thin even layer. Season well with salt and pepper. Add a layer of potatoes and pour some of the strained cream and milk mixture over it. Continue to layer in this order until you reach the top of the baking dish. 4 Cover with foil and place it in the oven. Cook, covered, for about one hour, then remove the foil. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and return the gratin to the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the topping has browned and the potatoes are tender.
Per Serving 168kcals, 10.4g fat (3.5g saturated), 11.2g carbs, 6.5g sugars, 9.2g protein, 3.4g fibre, 0.522g sodium
Per Serving 237kcals, 8.3g fat (4.1g saturated), 34.2g carbs, 4.8g sugars, 7g protein, 4.5g fibre, 0.283g sodium
OCTOBER 2016
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cooking for fun
GET CREATIVE IN THE KITCHEN WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE TIME TO SPARE
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SOUPED-UP DINNERS P68
Upgrade your soup recipe repertoire with these creative dishes
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EAT IRELAND P74
Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle turns trash into tasty treasure
TREAT YOURSELF P77 The perfect cheesy treat for one... because sometimes you need a little indulgence
READER RECIPE P78
One creative reader puts a tasty twist on an Irish spooky season favourite
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cooking for fun soup “Onions play the supporting role in a great many soups, but this one lets them shine. Although shallots are a little sweeter than common onions, they’re also slightly more potent with more notable garlic tones so I think they offer something a bit richer. However, I’m aware that they’re more hassle in terms of preparation, so feel free to use normal onions or a mixture of both. The word soup derives from the Latin suppa, which translates as ‘bread soaked in broth’. So this really is a soup, in the original meaning of the word.”
Sticky shallot, sprout and raisin soup Serves 6
20g butter 1 tbsp olive oil 500g shallots, thinly sliced lengthways 1 tsp sugar 1 garlic clove, chopped 30g raisins, a mix of dark and golden if possible 60ml Madeira/dry sherry 700ml beef stock 100g Brussels sprouts, shaved 2 slices of French bread 30g Gruyère, grated 1 Melt the butter and oil together in a widebased non-stick saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sugar, along with some salt and pepper, and cook very gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelised (if things begin to stick, just add a splash of water). 2 Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more, then add the raisins and Madeira. Let the alcohol burn off for a couple of minutes before pouring in the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 3 Add the sprouts and bring back to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for one minute if you’d like your sprouts to retain some bite, or longer if you’d like them soft. Adjust the seasoning to taste. 4 Just before your soup is ready, place the bread on a tray lined with baking paper under a preheated grill. When it’s lightly toasted on both sides, add a generous pile of cheese to each piece and place it back under to melt. Add a piece of Gruyère toast to each soup bowl.
Per Serving 189kcals, 7.2g fat (3.2g saturated), 24.3g carbs, 4.2g sugars, 6.5g protein, 1g fibre, 0.48g sodium
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“Two comfort foods – soup and the jacket potato – rolled into one. There are faster ways of making a potato soup, but all the goodness is in the skin, and for the skin to develop the most deliciously crispy exterior possible it needs time. The flesh within fares well, too, when it is slow-cooked, becoming considerably creamier than it would otherwise.”
Jacket potato soup with saffron Serves 6
2 baking potatoes 1 tsp olive oil, plus a splash ½ tsp rock salt 30g butter 1 large leek, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 30ml white wine 1 big pinch of saffron threads 700ml chicken or vegetable stock Juice of ½ a lemon, plus more to serve 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Prick the potatoes, rub them with olive oil and sprinkle them with rock salt. Place them directly on
an oven shelf and bake for 2-2½ hours. 2 When they are ready, remove them from the oven and allow to cool a little before splitting them, scooping the flesh out and cutting the crispy skins into large triangles to use as croutons or dippers. Set these aside while you make the soup. The potato skin pieces should be incredibly crispy. If they’re not, or you’re not eating the soup straight away, they can be placed in a hot oven for five minutes just before serving. 3 Melt the butter in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Add the leek and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes or until very soft. 4 Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes. 5 Pour in the wine with the saffron and let the alcohol reduce for 2-3 minutes before tipping in the potato flesh to heat through. 6 Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then blitz in the blender with the lemon juice and plenty of salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the crispy potato skins. Per Serving 125kcals, 7.6g fat (3.1g saturated), 13g carbs, 1.5g sugars, 1.8g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.576g sodium
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cooking for fun soup “If you don’t fancy making your own Thai curry paste you can always use shop-bought. It might not be quite as fragrant or vibrantly green, but it does mean you’ll have something to eat in 10 minutes. Look for semi-fresh offerings from smaller brands in the fridge section of good health food shops.”
Green Thai mussels with courgettes Serves 6
800g fresh mussels For the curry paste: 1 bunch coriander (reserve some leaves for garnish) 2 garlic cloves 1 lemongrass stalk 2cm root ginger 3 spring onions 1 green chilli 1 tbsp groundnut oil ½ tsp shrimp paste (optional) 1 kaffir lime leaf ¼ tsp salt For the soup: 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk 200ml fish or vegetable stock 1 tsp fish sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp honey 1 large courgette, halved lengthways and cut into 1cm crescents To serve: 1 lime, cut into wedges 100g jasmine or sticky rice, cooked Reserved coriander leaves 1 Scrub the mussels and remove the beards, discarding any that don’t open. 2 Blitz all of the curry paste ingredients together in a food processor or blender; depending on your machine you may need to chop things first. 3 Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the curry paste for 2-3 minutes (if you are using shop-bought you may need to add a little oil to your pan first – see what it says on the label). 4 Add the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, soy and honey and bring everything to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. 5 Stir in the courgettes and bring back to the boil, then add the mussels. Cover with a lid and cook, shaking occasionally, until the mussels open – this should take about five minutes. 6 Serve with the reserved coriander leaves, wedges of lime, and a bowl of cooked rice on the www.easyfood.ie
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side. After you’ve eaten your mussels, spoon the rice into the broth.
Per Serving 374kcals, 21.8g fat (15.4g saturated), 26.2g carbs, 4.4g sugars, 20.3g protein, 3.2g fibre, 0.675g sodium
x “Marinating meat in coconut water has the rather brilliant effect of tenderising it while imparting sweet, nutty flavours. Add a couple of tablespoons of curry paste and the results are far more flavoursome than a dish this easy deserves to be. I’ve included a recipe for a quick Thai-style paste here – heavy on the lemongrass and ginger – but you could veer off track if you don’t have everything to hand. This recipe is just as delicious without noodles, so if you’re looking for something carbfree, just use extra chicken.”
Make-ahead coconut water chicken Serves 4
1 red chilli, seeds removed 1 garlic clove 2 spring onions 1 kaffir lime leaf 1 lemongrass stalk 4cm piece of root ginger A small bunch coriander, stalks only (reserve the leaves for garnish) Salt 1 litre coconut water 2-4 chicken thighs (depending on size), bone
in, skin removed 200g mangetout, green beans and bean sprouts, a mixture of, all sliced if necessary To serve: 100g rice noodles, cooked 1 tbsp peanuts ½ red chilli, sliced, or to taste 1 spring onion, thinly sliced 1 Put the first eight ingredients into a blender and blitz to form a rough paste. Add the coconut water, then transfer the lot to a large sandwich bag and add the chicken. Leave for at least two hours, or overnight for best results. 2 When you’re ready to eat, decant the contents of the bag into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum as it appears (it will be impossible to remove everything without also removing other ingredients so don’t worry too much). 3 Reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the chicken for about 45 minutes. 4 When the meat is thoroughly cooked, remove it from the broth and shred it. Add the green beans, mangetout and bean sprouts to the broth to cook, which will only take a minute, then put the chicken back in. 5 Pour the broth over the noodles (if using) then top with coriander, peanuts, red chilli and sliced spring onion. Per Serving 263kcals, 9.1g fat (2.3g saturated), 11.8g carbs, 1.2g sugars, 32.5g protein, 2.6g fibre, 0.141g sodium
x Easy Food 71
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“This recipe falls somewhere between a milky sweetcorn chowder and an aromatic Asian broth, having the texture of the former and the piquancy of the latter.”
Sweetcorn with lemongrass, crab and lime Serves 4
1 tbsp groundnut or rapeseed oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove ½ red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced (reserve the other half for topping) 2 lemongrass stalks, finely sliced 200g sweetcorn (frozen is fine) 1 yellow or orange pepper, deseeded and chopped 500ml milk For the topping: 150g white crab meat Zest of 1 lime, juice to taste ½ red chilli, finely sliced 1 tsp olive oil A handful of fresh coriander, chopped A handful of chives, or 1 small spring onion, chopped Salt and black pepper 1 Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat and cook the onion for 10 minutes or until softened and translucent. 2 Add the garlic, chilli and lemongrass and cook for two minutes longer, then add the sweetcorn and pepper. 3 Stir to heat through for a couple of minutes, then add the milk and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 4 Whizz the soup with a stick blender and adjust the seasoning, adding a little milk to loosen to your desired consistency. 5 Mix all the ingredients for the crab salad, season with salt and pepper and serve on top. Per Serving 209kcals, 8.3g fat (2.5g saturated), 22.2g carbs, 8.7g sugars, 14.1g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.17g sodium
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R USES FO TH… R AN B O PARMES s w te S Soups hen add (t ta s a gp ing Cookin sy cook the chee f o e ) m e c so your sau water to n and a p a g in Deglaz ces pan sau making id u q li g Braisin n g chicke in h c a o P
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OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 10:38
cooking for fun local food
EAT Ireland Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle turns trash into tasty treasure
I
’ve long been a hater of food waste. I run a practical and frugal kitchen, and I am quite happy to be known as the office weirdo who eats any dinner leftovers – no matter what – for breakfast. I recently found out that my housemate was afraid to throw out half of a lemon covered in mould, as he was convinced I would find a use for it. He’s probably not far off. There are good reasons for my zeal. Wasting food is terrible for the environment, and extremely unfair when you consider that there are people who can’t afford to feed themselves. I’ve also got a few selfish motivations; watching my waste saves me precious money, and you’d be surprised at how many dishes taste better the day after they’re made. So, when I was invited to the Trash Bash Supper at Airfield Estate, Dundrum, dedicated to showcasing how food “waste” can be transformed into delicious, healthy meals, I was enthusiastic and hungry. We arrived at dusk and made our way to a huge teepee, where inventive canapés kept us ticking over until the main event: wonky-looking vegetable crudités and stale bread croutons were perfect for dipping into fresh turnip-top pesto; shots of bone broth warmed our insides; cucumber slices were topped with Ricotta from the farm. Fresh Ricotta is by far the tastiest way to utilise whey, a by-product of cheese-making. The pièce de résistance was a hearty goat tagine, gently spiced, tender and flavoursome. Goat meat is actually incredibly popular around the world but, because it’s not a cultural norm in Ireland, goats are bred only for milk production. This means that male kids are usually slaughtered at birth, a senseless squandering of perfectly good meat. My comfortably-full belly had the added satisfaction of knowing that every bite had
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been saved from a landfill. One man’s trash really is another’s delicious treasure.
Simple ideas for reducing food waste: Use a shopping list and stick to it: don’t buy anything just to have it languish in the fridge until it’s only good for the bin. Make one dinner each week a “use-it-up” meal based solely on leftovers and other food that might otherwise get overlooked. Some of my most inventive and delicious meals have been the result of this habit! Don’t be put off by flawed fruits or vegetables. Trim away imperfections if they bother you, and use the rest. Even over-ripe or wilted produce can be whizzed into a soup, juice or smoothie. Use every bit of food whenever possible. Leave skins on cucumbers, carrots and potatoes, cook broccoli stems along with the florets and so on. Many of these offcuts carry added nutrients. Save vegetable trimmings in a bag in the freezer. When the bag gets full, make vegetable stock. Freeze this in individual portions and use as needed. Work your leftovers! Freeze extra portions of pasta bakes, casseroles, soups and stews for another day’s minimum-effort lunch or dinner… or discover the joys of “dinner for breakfast,” my favourite way to start the day! I’ve long been hoarding Parmesan rinds and adding them to soups and stews for a flavour boost, but I’ve recently been made aware of an even better use for them: Parmesan broth. It’s a simple idea, but an easy way to add flavour to a myriad of dishes. I’m a big advocate of “nose-totail” eating, meaning that every part of a slaughtered animal deserves to be used, and this is the cheese version of that – rind-to-point. I love subbing it for part of the stock in a simple risotto focusing on the fantastic umami flavour of Parmesan.
Parmesan broth
In a large pot, cover 7-8 Parmesan rinds with 1.6l water and add 3 peeled, halved garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for two hours until reduced by half, stirring regularly. Use immediately, or allow to cool and keep in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for three months.
Simple Parmesan risotto Serves 4-6
50g butter 1 onion, finely chopped Salt and black pepper 200g Arborio rice 120ml white wine 600ml chicken stock 250ml Parmesan broth 60g Parmesan, grated, plus extra for serving Fresh basil, chopped 1 Melt 30g of the butter in a pot over a medium heat. 2 Add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. 3 Add the rice and stir for two minutes, coating the grains in the butter. Add the wine and simmer, stirring regularly, until almost completely absorbed. 4 Add a ladleful of the stock and simmer, stirring, until absorbed. Keep adding the stock bit by bit, stirring until almost completely absorbed before adding the next ladleful. When the stock has been absorbed, continue with the Parmesan broth, adding it little by little and stirring very often until the rice is tender and creamy, but retains a little bite. 5 Stir in the Parmesan. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the remaining 20g of butter. Season to taste and sprinkle with some chopped basil and some extra Parmesan. Per Serving 369kcals, 14.2g fat (8.8g saturated), 45.8g carbs, 2.1g sugars, 9.3g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.942g sodium
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EAT HEALTHY WITH
easyfood.ie QUICK & HEA LTHY RECIPES L og on for ou r fav guilt-free 30 ourite -minute meals
GREEK PRAWN COUSCOUS Serves 4
170g couscous 60g dried apricots, chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 120g natural Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp hummus 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped Salt and black pepper 600g prawns, peeled and deveined 100g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ tsp paprika Juice of ½ a lemon STEP 1: Preheat the grill to high. Combine the couscous, apricots and one tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl. Pour in 300ml of boiling water, cover with clingfilm and leave to soak for five minutes. STEP 2: Stir together the yoghurt, hummus, mint and a spoonful of water in a separate bowl. Season well and set aside. STEP 3: Toss the prawns, tomatoes, paprika and remaining oil on a baking tray. Grill for four minutes until the prawns are pink and curled. Drizzle over the lemon juice. STEP 4: Fluff the couscous with a fork and divide among serving plates. Top with the prawns and drizzle over the yoghurt sauce.
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Treat YOURSELF! The perfect cheesy treat for one... because sometimes you need a little indulgence Just-for-you goat’s cheese and onion parcels Serves 1 lucky person
1 sheet of puff pastry 4cm-thick piece of a goat’s cheese log
1 tbsp onion chutney or red onion marmalade Thyme leaves (optional) 1 egg, beaten 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6.
cooking for fun treat yourself 2 Roll out the sheet of puff pastry and cut out a circle around 10cm across. Reserve the rest of the pastry for use in another recipe. 3 Use the tip of a sharp knife to mark a 1cm border around the circle, being careful not to cut all the way through. 3 Spread the onion chutney/marmalade within the border and top with the goat's cheese. Sprinkle with some thyme, if desired. 4 Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. 5 Place the parcel on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes, then enjoy immediately. We recommend a glass of wine! Per Serving 860kcals, 60.3g fat (23.3g saturated), 51.5g carbs, 6.2g sugars, 28.1g protein, 1.5g fibre, 0.504g sodium
Top Tfaipn of onion
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Easy Food 77
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STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY BARTOSZ LUCZAK 78 Easy EasyFood Food
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NOVEMBER OCTOBER 2016 2013
30/09/2016 11:12
cooking for fun reader recipe
e p i c e R s ' r e d Rea
One creative reader puts a tasty twist on an Irish spooky season favourite
Bart is a food stylist and photographer based in Dublin and loves making stunning culinary creations, especially cakes, at ww.klfoodstyle.ie. He says, “I hope I did not offend Irish tradition by adding ripe banana and Bramley apple, but I have found that giving the traditional recipe this twist is a very easy way to add great moisture.”
BARMBRACK Serves 10-12 150g raisins 150g sultanas 75g currants (or use 1 x 375g packet of mixed fruits) 200ml lukewarm tea 80ml whiskey 240g flour 2 tbsp baking powder 100g soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tbsp grated nutmeg 1 egg 2 tbsp candied lemon 2 tbsp orange peel 3-4 glacé cherries, chopped www.easyfood.ie
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4-5 blanched almonds, chopped Zest of 1 lemon 1 ripe banana 30g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 1 Bramley apple, peeled and grated 1 ring (optional) 1 Place all of the dried fruits into a bowl. Pour over the tea and 50ml of the whiskey. Cover with a lid or some tin foil and leave to soak overnight. 2 The following day, preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Grease a 20cm loaf tin and line with parchment paper, then grease the paper. 3 In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, spices and egg. 4 Drain the liquid from the soaked fruits into the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add the soaked fruit, candied peel, cherries, almonds and lemon zest and mix again to combine. 5 In another bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Add the melted butter, grated apple and remaining whiskey. Mix well to combine and then add this mixture to the dough, beating everything together with a wooden spoon. Add the ring now if you wish. 6 Transfer the dough into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, covering with
MAKE IT YOURS: You can substitute for 1½ tsp mixed spice and ves clo , on nam the cin nutmeg.
parchment paper after the first 30 minutes. 7 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. 8 Once completely cool, wrap the barmbrack in cling film and place in an airtight container. It will taste best after two days. Per Serving 216kcals, 3g fat (1.5g saturated), 42.4g carbs, 20.8g sugars, 3.4g protein, 2.2g fibre, 0.027g sodium
FUN FACT Barmbrack is an Anglicised spelling of bairín breac, meaning "speckled loaf". The Halloween brack traditionally contained various objects baked into the bread which, when found in a slice, each conferred a meaning. The pea meant the recipient would not marry that year; the stick foretold an unhappy marriage; the cloth or rag was a sign of bad luck or poverty; the coin signified good fortune or impending riches; and the ring meant the person would be wed within the year.
Easy Food 79
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kids' kitchen A GO-TO GUIDE FOR BUDDING YOUNG COOKS
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PICK-A-LITTLE P82
These lunchboxes will help nudge fussy eaters into the clean plates club!
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Our Home Ec expert explains how to create vanilla cupcakes with beautiful edible sugar flowers
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Anyone can make dinner with this easy chilli con carne recipe
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it Hide
K PIlC e l t t i a
xes will help These lunchbo aters into the nudge fussy e b! clean plate clu
82 Easy Food
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kids’ kitchen lunchboxes
A
lthough pediatric nutrition experts agree that “picky eating” is a normal rite of passage for young children, it can make meal planning a tricky task for parents eager to make sure their little ones are eating well-balanced meals. There are several reasons that children might refuse to eat new foods, or suddenly decide they don’t like foods they once happily devoured. Children also have more taste buds than adults (we lose them as we age), so they may genuinely be more sensitive to certain foods, especially bitter ones. The trick is to keep presenting new, healthy foods into their mealtimes without forcing them. The “one bite rule” is a good start, as it helps kids to gradually become accustomed to new foods in their own time. Try to do your best to vary meals and make them fun; research has shown that kids will eat more fruits and vegetables when presented in an appealing way. Try using biscuit cutters to stamp out shapes from watermelon and apples, or create fun new names for foods. Researchers found that young children ate twice as many carrot sticks when they were called “X-ray vision carrots” instead of plain “carrots”! Kids also love to be involved in meal planning and are much more likely to try new things when they’ve had a hand in the preparation. Flip through this issue of Easy Food and let them choose the recipes they want to make at home, or try these easy ideas that make healthy eating fun and achievable, even for the pickiest of eaters!
TOP TIP
One of our favourite tried-and-tested ways to make sure the lunchbox comes home empty is to let children get involved with packing. Once the main part of the lunch is ready – whether that’s a sandwich, pasta salad or dinner leftovers from the night before – let your little eater choose three other healthy add-ins. Set out three bowls every morning, or just make three piles, each with a selection of the following: fresh fruits, ready-to-eat veggies and dairy options (think natural yoghurts or small portions of cheese). Let the kids choose a fruit, a veggie and a dairy product for their lunch each day – they’ll be much more likely to eat them when they made the choice themselves!
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Wrap it Hide it
Healthy vegetables and grains can be sneakily hidden in some of the kids’ favourite foods, so there’s no fear of icky textures or spotting something they don’t like!
TRY THIS LUNCHBOX: • Pasta with veggie-packed spag bol sauce. • Spinach, strawberry, banana, orange and natural yoghurt smoothie. Try this recipe: Combine the following in a large pot: 1 chopped onion, 1 grated carrot, 1 grated courgette, 1 thinly sliced red pepper and 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes. Add 200ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in 2 handfuls of spinach until wilted. Purée with a hand blender until smooth. Cook 400g
of lean beef mince until browned. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 crumbled beef stock cube and the tomato sauce. Cook for 15 minutes, then serve with pasta and grated Parmesan.
Wrap it
Wraps come in different flavours and even colours, and kids tend to love when everyday sandwiches are transformed into twisty, funto-eat wraps.
TRY THIS LUNCHBOX: • Turkey and cream cheese with grated carrots and lettuce in a spinach or wholemeal wrap. • Ants on a log: celery sticks spread with peanut butter and a line of raisins down the centre. Easy Food 83
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Stick it
Thread bite-sized fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses onto small cocktail sticks. They’ll add a pop of colour to lunchboxes, and your little eaters will have lots of fun pulling them apart!
TRY THIS LUNCHBOX: • Ham, cheese and grapes. • Mozzarella, halved cherry tomatoes, green peppers and pepperoni. • Small serving of pretzels.
84 Easy Food
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Cut it
A simple biscuit cutter can do wonders! The best part of this trick is that once you’ve prepared the lunchbox as usual, one small step at the end transforms a humdrum sandwich, piece of fruit or slices of cheese into a rocking lunch!
TRY THIS LUNCHBOX: • Ham and cheese sandwich, cut into dinosaur shapes on a bed of lettuce. • Hard-boiled egg, with blue food colouring dotted around the outside. • Steamed broccoli florets (they make perfect trees for your dinosaur!).
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Dip it
Incorporating some of your children’s favourite dips into lunches are a great way to get them to try new foods.
TRY THIS LUNCHBOX • Baked crispy chicken tenders with barbecue sauce or veggie sticks with hummus. • Natural yoghurt with fresh berries and granola. Try this recipe: Cut 4 chicken fillets into bite-sized pieces. Place 50g of plain flour into one bowl, 3 beaten eggs into a second and 120g of breadcrumbs into a third. Coat the chicken in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and bake at 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 for 30-35 minutes, flipping once, until cooked through.
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30/09/2016 11:13
Bake it beautiful Sarah White of Mercy College, Sligo, explains how to create vanilla cupcakes with edible sugar flowers
Vanilla cupcakes Makes 12
STEP 1: MAKE THE CUPCAKES For the cupcakes: 175g self-raising flour 125g caster sugar 125g butter, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs 2 tbsp cold water 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 2 Line a regular 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake cases. 3 Put the flour, sugar, margarine, vanilla extract, eggs and water into a bowl. Beat all the ingredients together with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. 4 Using two spoons, fill each cupcake case two-thirds of the way with the mixture. 5 Place in the oven on the top shelf and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown. 6 Cool completely on a wire rack.
C
upcakes have become very popular in recent years. An Bord Bia (2015) surveyed consumers in the Republic of Ireland and Britain on their behaviours towards “sweet baked goods,” and found that “small cakes and slices” were the most popular, with 40% of people indicating that this was their favourite type of sweet baked good. The survey also revealed that Wednesday was the most popular day of the week to eat cake! With that in mind, this article will help you to prepare for the next “sweet treat” event with a delicious recipe for vanilla cupcakes, made using a basic Madeira mixture and topped with homemade sugar flowers. 88 Easy Food
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onto the foam pad and press out the flower using the button. 3 Using the small end of the ball tool, curl the petals by running it along each petal. Start at the end of the petal and work inwards. 4 Continue using the smaller sized cutters. Leave the flowers to dry on the foam pad for a few minutes. 5 Make the centre of each flower by rolling a small ball and pricking it with a cocktail stick to make indentations. 6 Assemble the flowers by placing the largest flower on the bottom, then wet your finger and dab it in the centre of the flower. Add the other layers, ensuring you dampen each layer with a little water. Place the centre ball into the flower. Leave to dry while you make the butter cream.
STEP 3: ICE AND DECORATE For the vanilla buttercream icing: 250g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 125g butter, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 3-4 drops of concentrated food colouring 1-2 tbsp water
4
1 Prepare the disposable icing bag by cutting 2-4cm from the corner (depending on the size of the nozzle). Fit the nozzle into the hole. 2 Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl. 3 Beat in the butter until light and fluffy. 4 Add the vanilla extract, food colouring (using a cocktail stick) and the water. 5 Beat all of the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and evenly coloured. 6 Turn down the sides of the piping bag and spoon in the buttercream until two-thirds full. 7 Pipe icing rosettes onto the buns, starting from the outside and working into the centre. 8 Place the sugar flowers on top. 9 Place the cupcakes into a presentation box. Per Serving 370kcals, 19.1g fat (11.2g saturated), 48.1g carbs, 36.3g sugars, 2.6g protein, 0g fibre, 0.146g sodium
STEP 2: MAKE THE SUGAR FLOWERS For the sugar flowers: 100g ready-to-roll icing in colours of your choice (or use white icing and dye it with food colouring) Equipment: Disposable icing bag and rosette nozzle Daisy flower cutters Ball tool www.easyfood.ie
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Cocktail sticks Sugar craft foam pad Small amount of water (for sticking the flowers together) 1 Dust the worktop with sieved icing sugar and use a rolling pin to roll out the icing into a thin, even layer. 2 Press the largest daisy cutter into the icing and gently swirl it around until the cutter has separated from the icing. Place the cutter
Sources of information: An Bord Bia (2015) “Opportunities in the Cakes & Pastries Category” Available from: http://www.bordbia.ie/industry/ manufacturers/insight/publications/ bbreports/RecentMarketingReports/ Final%20report%20Cakes%20and%20 Pastries%20-%20November%202015.pdf
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EASY JUNIORS Anyone can make dinner with this easy chilli con carne recipe
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:-)
Easy Food
ep! and ke Cut out
Chilli con carne Serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil 500g beef mince 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp mild chilli powder 1 tsp cumin 2 tsp dried oregano 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 250ml beef stock 1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained Salt and black pepper 1 Heat the olive oil in a pot over a high heat. Add the beef mince and use a wooden spoon to break up any lumps into small pieces. 2 Cook the mince for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, until you can’t see any pink parts left. 3 Add the onion, pepper and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring every minute or so. 4 Stir in the tomato purée, chilli powder, cumin and oregano and cook for two minutes. 5 Stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and beans. 6 Simmer over a medium heat for 25-30 minutes. Taste the chilli and add salt and black pepper until you’re happy with the flavour. Ladle the chilli into bowls and serve with your favourite side. Pick a few toppings and put them on the table so people can top their own portions.
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Per Serving 444kcals, 8.8g fat (2.5g saturated), 49.7g carbs, 5.9g sugars, 42.4g protein, 12.6g fibre, 0.239g sodium
x SIDE OPTIONS
Wraps, rice, chips, potato wedges, baked potatoes or tortilla chips.
TOPPING TIP!
Try grated Cheddar, chopped avocado, salsa, sour cream, chopped spring onions, chopped tomatoes, crushed-up tortilla chips or coriander.
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make it healthy! GIVE YOUR BODY THE LOVE IT DESERVES
94-105 IN THIS SECTION
15 MEALS UNDER 500 CALORIES P94
These tasty breakfasts, lunches and dinners clock in at under 500 calories
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OH MY GOODNESS! P98
Blogger Aoife Howard shares a healthful and hearty autumnal soup
LOAF-TY GOALS P101 These loaf cakes and breads have it all — easy, comforting and gluten-free!
Easy Food 93
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15 meals under 500 calories
Herby eggs and tomatoes
Serves 4 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Halve 4 medium-sized, firm but ripe tomatoes and cook, cut side down, for 10 minutes until slightly charred. Flip the tomatoes over and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cook for a further 15 minutes until soft. Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan clean with a ball of kitchen paper. In a small bowl, combine a bunch of chopped parsley and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Crack in 4 eggs and cook for 3-4 minutes until the whites are just set but the yolk is still runny, or to your liking. Remove from the heat and divide between plates. Add the tomatoes. Sprinkle everything with the parsley-garlic mixture, season with salt and black pepper and serve each portion with a slice of wholewheat toast.
gently, for 3-4 minutes until scrambled. Remove from the heat and set aside. Warm 6 tortillas and fill with the eggs, the spinach mixture and a little crumbled Feta.
Apple and blackberry porridge
Serves 4 Place 160g rolled oats and 600ml milk or water in a large pan over a medium heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and bring to a steady simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Use a box grater to coarsely grate 1 apple onto a chopping board. Stir the grated apple, 1 tbsp runny honey and 120g blackberries into the porridge and heat through for one minute.
Breakfast fried rice
Serves 8 Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil in a large pan or wok over a medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 peeled, chopped carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 100g frozen peas and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Push the onion, peas and carrots to one side and pour 3 beaten eggs into the other side of the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scramble the eggs as they cook, then add 150g cooked, diced ham and stir everything together. Stir in 750g cooked rice and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through and combined. Top with chopped spring onions.
Heal y blueberry pancakes
Serves 2 In the bowl of a food processor, combine 4 tbsp oats, 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt, 1 peeled banana, 2 egg whites, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp chia seeds and 100g fresh blueberries. Whizz until smooth. Heat a pan over a medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Working in batches, ladle in the pancake batter. Scatter a few extra blueberries over each pancake and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden-brown all over.
Spinach and Feta breakfast wraps
Serves 6 Heat a large pan over a medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add 200g baby spinach leaves and cook for five minutes until they start to wilt. Add 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and 2 tbsp cream cheese and stir for 2-3 minutes and until fully combined. Transfer to a large plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside. Return the pan to a low heat and add 4 beaten eggs and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring 94 Easy Food
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BREAKFASTS OCTOBER 2016
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make it healthy low-calorie meals
Turkey lettuce wraps
Serves 4 Cook 100g brown rice according to package instructions, then remove from the heat. Heat 2 tsp sesame oil in a large nonstick pan over a medium-high heat and cook 500g lean turkey mince and 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger for 5-6 minutes until cooked throughout, breaking down lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the cooked rice, 1 deseeded and chopped red pepper, 120ml chicken stock, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice and a pinch of salt. Heat through for one minute. To serve, divide 2 heads of Little Gem lettuce into individual leaves. Spoon some of the turkey mixture into each leaf and top with chopped coriander and grated carrot. Roll up into wraps to eat.
Lentil, barley and mushroom soup
Serves 4 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add 2 trimmed and chopped leeks, 3 crushed garlic cloves and 250g sliced button mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes, 150g red lentils, 70g pearl barley and 1.2l chicken stock. Season with salt and black pepper, then cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the barley is tender.
Avocado and chickpea salad pittas
Serves 4 In a bowl, combine 1 chopped ripe avocado, 4 tbsp tahini, the juice from ½ a lemon and one rinsed and drained 400g tin of chickpeas. Mash roughly with a fork. Add ½ a chopped cucumber, 1 grated carrot, 2 tbsp fresh dill and 3 tbsp sunflower seeds. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Divide among serving plates and serve each portion with a small wholewheat pitta bread. www.easyfood.ie
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LUNCHES
Chicken noodle soup
Serves 6-8 Put 2 quartered onions, 2 roughly chopped carrots, 3 celery stalks, 2 bay leaves, a bunch of parsley stalks, 1 vegetable stock cube and a 1.4kg chicken in a very large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 90 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, skimming off foam every half an hour or so. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a sieve, skimming off as much fat as you can. Rinse out the pot and put the stock back in. Add 2 chopped carrots and 2 chopped leeks and simmer on a high heat for 15 minutes. Shred the chicken and add to the pot with 200g vermicelli noodles and 200g frozen peas. Simmer for 7-8 minutes until the noodles are cooked, then ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.
Pizza baked potatoes
Serves 4 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Scrub 4 large baking potatoes and dry well, then prick several times with a fork. Bake directly on the oven shelf for 70-90 minutes until soft. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan and cook ½ a chopped onion for five minutes. Add 60g finely chopped chorizo and cook for two minutes, then stir in a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5-6 minutes. Season to taste and stir in ½ tsp dried oregano. Split the baked potatoes and top with the pizza mixture. Add a small sprinkling of grated Mozzarella over each and serve.
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Simple courgette spaghetti
Serves 2 Melt ½ tsp coconut oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp ground almonds and a pinch of salt and toast for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove the crumbs from the pan and set aside for garnish. In the same pan, cook 4 spiralised courgettes for 1-2 minutes until just tender. Set aside. Heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a new pan over a low heat and add 2 crushed garlic cloves and ½ tsp dried chilli flakes. Stir for 20-30 seconds until fragrant. Add the courgetti to the garlic and oil mixture and toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and some seasoning to taste. Divide between two bowls and sprinkle with the almond crumbs.
Easy fish stew
Serves 4 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add 3 peeled, chopped carrots, 1 chopped celery stalk, 3 garlic cloves and 1 tsp fennel seeds. Cook for 5-6 minute, then add 2 chopped leeks, 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes, 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas and 900ml hot fish or vegetable stock. Season and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced. Chop 400g white fish into cubes and add to the pot. Cook for five minutes longer until the fish is cooked throughout. Ladle into bowls and serve.
squash and 1 chopped onion on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, toss to coat and bake for 20-25 minutes until softened. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add 300g Arborio rice and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add 120ml white wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Make up 900ml hot chicken stock and begin adding to the pot one ladleful at a time, stirring until it has been absorbed before adding the next ladleful. After 15 minutes, the rice should be soft and creamy but still retain some bite. Place the roasted vegetables into a food processor and whizz until smooth, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen. Stir this through the rice and season to taste. Divide between six plates and garnish with crispy bacon and sage leaves to serve.
Chicken and sw t potato traybake
Serves 4 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Place 4 boneless chicken thighs into a roasting tin with 3 quartered red onions, 3 peeled garlic cloves, 2 tbsp fresh rosemary and 200g chopped chorizo. Add 2 cubed sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper and 2 tsp smoked paprika. Roast for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, add 250g cherry tomatoes and 1 chopped red pepper. Spoon over the juices from the bottom of the tray and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Stir in 250g baby spinach leaves and cook for a final five minutes, then serve.
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DINNERS
Seabass and potato traybake
Serves 2 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Arrange 300g sliced potatoes, 1 deseeded and sliced green pepper and 1 sliced red onion on a large non-stick baking tray. Drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary. Toss to coat and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are golden and crisp at the edges. Arrange 2 fillets of sea bass on top and top with a few lemon slices. Add 30g pitted black olives, if desired. Drizzle with an extra 1 tbsp oil and return to the oven for 8-10 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
Butternut squash risotto
Serves 6 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Combine 350g chopped butternut
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30/09/2016 16:40 22/09/2016 1:11 p.m.
Goodness! OH MY
Blogger Aoife Howard shares a healthful and hearty autumnal soup
W Aoife is a medical student and food blogger. She loves to create simple healthy recipes so that you can have your cake and eat it too! www.thegoodfoodgoddess.com
98 Easy Food
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ith the salads and sunny days of summer long forgotten, it's time to embrace warming, nourishing foods. For me, soup is the ultimate comfort food, and I love nothing more than devouring a piping hot bowl after a long, cold day. While most comfort food is lovingly cooked for hours on end, this soup is quite different: it shares the comforting nature of slow-cooked food, yet takes just minutes to prepare. I use pre-cooked beetroot to save on time and preparation – not to mention that it saves your tea towels and hands from sporting an indelible pink stain! Although this soup skimps on the preparation side of things, it certainly isn't lacking when it comes to flavour. This bowl of heaven has a delicate velvety texture that
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make it healthy healthy soup
is complemented beautifully by its rich autumnal flavour and warming kick of spice. When I was younger, beetroot was a vegetable that I thought only lived in jars, but it has so much more to offer than just its pickled variety. Not only is it a feast for the eyes with its vivid, deep purple-red hue, but it’s also a wonderful palate pleaser. Beetroot possesses a distinctive earthy flavour unlike any other vegetable, and pairs beautifully with other strong flavours. Here I have paired it with harissa, a fiery mix of chilli, aromatic spices and herbs that will to light a fire in your stomach no matter how cold the day!
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EF116_98-99_Ohh my Goodness.indd 99
Spicy beetroot soup Serves 2 1 tbsp olive oil ½ onion, finely diced 1 garlic clove 3 steamed beetroots 120ml vegetable stock 1-2 tsp harissa paste ½ tsp cumin seeds Toppings: Mint leaves Pomegranate seeds Yoghurt of choice
1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. 2 Add the precooked beetroots, stock, harissa and cumin seeds. 3 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-18 minutes. 4 Transfer to a food processor and blitz until smooth. 5 Season to taste. Serve topped with mint, pomegranate seeds and yoghurt.
Per Serving 160kcals, 8.4g fat (1.1g saturated), 20.4g carbs, 14.6g sugars, 3.5g protein, 3.7g fibre, 0.371g sodium
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Bakewell bread Makes 1 loaf For the bread: 175g ground almonds 175g butter, at room temperature 175g golden caster sugar 175g gluten-free self-raising flour 1 tsp xanthan gum 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 200g raspberries For the icing: 140g icing sugar 1 tsp almond extract 2-3 tbsp water To serve: A handful of raspberries Flaked almonds, toasted 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and line a standard 900g loaf tin with parchment paper. Combine all of the ingredients for the bread, aside from the raspberries, in a food processor. Blitz until combined, then scrape half of the mixture into the tin. 2 Top with the raspberries, then pour in the rest of the batter. 3 Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 4 Combine the ingredients for the icing until thick but runny, then drizzle over the top of the cooled cake. Top with a few extra raspberries and the toasted almonds to serve. Per Serving 439kcals, 24.2g fat (10g saturated), 51.7g carbs, 33.3g sugars, 7.1g protein, 4.3g fibre, 0.114g sodium
Banana cake Makes 1 loaf 125g butter, at room temperature 125g light muscovado sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 50g apple sauce 3 very ripe bananas, mashed 1½ tsp cinnamon 150g gluten-free plain flour 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder 70g walnuts, chopped, plus extra for topping 102 Easy Food
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For the icing: 150g butter, at room temperature 200g icing sugar, sifted 100g light muscovado sugar 1 tbsp milk Dried banana slices (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and line a standard 900g loaf tin with parchment paper. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl for a few minutes until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk in the eggs, apple sauce and mashed bananas. 2 Stir in the cinnamon, flour and baking powder until the mixture is just combined.
3 Fold in the walnuts. 4 Scrape into the tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 5 To make the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar and muscovado sugar until smooth. Stir in the milk if the mixture is too thick. Spread it over the cooled cake and top with walnuts and dried banana slices. Per Serving 421kcals, 23g fat (12.3g saturated), 53.2g carbs, 39.3g sugars, 4.2g protein, 1.7g fibre, 0.144g sodium
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make it healthy gluten-free baking From our guest editor: “This recipe proves just how easy gluten-free baking can be! Bake individual portions in a muffin tin and freeze for when you need them. These would be gorgeous with tomato soup on a cold night!”
Cheddar-jalapeño bread Makes 1 loaf 360g gluten-free plain flour 1 tbsp caster sugar 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder 1¼ tsp sea salt 200g mature red Cheddar, grated 40g Parmesan, grated 2 large jalapeño peppers, deseeded and finely chopped 370ml buttermilk 60g butter, melted
1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 and line a standard 900g loaf tin with parchment paper. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. 2 Stir in the Cheddar, Parmesan and chopped jalapeño peppers. 3 Whisk the buttermilk and butter together, then stir into the flour mixture. 4 Scrape into the tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Per Serving 245kcals, 7.9g fat (4.8g saturated), 32.3g carbs, 3.3g sugars, 11.2g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.545g sodium
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Seedy oat bread Makes 1 loaf 300g pure gluten-free oats 500g yoghurt 1 tsp gluten-free bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp milk 1 tbsp treacle A handful of mixed seeds 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and line a standard 900g loaf tin with parchment paper. 104 Easy Food
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2 Combine all of the ingredients, except for the seeds, in a large mixing bowl and fold together until combined; the mixture will be quite wet. 3 Scrape into the tin and sprinkle the seeds over the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the bread from the tin and place it directly on the oven rack. Bake for another 10 minutes, then leave it to cool completely on a wire rack. Per Serving 215kcals, 5g fat (1.4g saturated), 32.4g carbs, 6.3g sugars, 9.5g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.354g sodium
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make it healthy gluten-free baking
Saucy chocolate loaf cake Makes 1 loaf 100g gluten-free plain flour 25g buckwheat flour 70g golden caster sugar 25g cocoa powder ½ tbsp gluten-free baking powder 1 tsp xanthan gum ¼ tsp salt 50g butter, melted 2 tbsp cold coffee 2 eggs 80ml milk 50g milk chocolate, broken into chunks For the sauce: 100g light muscovado sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder 150ml boiling water
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and line a standard 900g loaf tin with parchment paper. Combine the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt in a large mixing bowl. 2 Whisk the butter, coffee, eggs and milk together in a separate bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate pieces. 3 Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce, then pour over the batter. 4 Bake for 30 minutes until the surface of the cake looks firm, risen and crisp. 5 Leave to cool for five minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Per Serving 247kcals, 9.1g fat (5.4g saturated), 40.5g carbs, 25.2g sugars, 4.8g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.137g sodium
To serve: Ice cream or whipped cream
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Easy Food 107
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GET TO KNOW YOUR…
STRANGE FOOD
Phobias
ACEROPHOBIA
Fear of sourness
Acerophobes will avoid sour candies whenever possible.
ALEKTOROPHOBIA
Fear of chicken
These people are chicken when it comes to poultry.
ALLIUMPHOBIA
Fear of garlic
Probably a common one in the vampire community.
ARACHIBUTYROPHOBIA
Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
MAGEIROCOPHOBIA
Fear of cooking
Seems like an awfully easy way to get out of making dinner…
MYCOPHOBIA
Fear of mushrooms If you have mycophobia, you probably don’t want to be described as a “fungi.”
METHYPHOBIA
Fear of alcohol
And oenophobia, specifically, is the fear of wine.
CONSECOTALEOPHOBIA
Fear of chopsticks
So very, very specific.
Yep. Chopsticks.
ICHTHYOPHOBIA
THERMOPHOBIA
Some people find the sight, smell and texture of fish to be terrifying.
So… you don’t want me to put the kettle on, then…
Fear of fish
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Fear of hot things
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KITCHEN SKILLS
EAT MORE…BROCCOLI 150G
SERVING CONTAINS:
135%
tasty For some ccoli bro seasonal ip to , s e recip fl p.28!
OF RDA OF VITAMIN C
245%
42%
OF RDA OF VITAMIN K
OF RDA OF FOLATE
CARETENOIDS DECREASE THE RISK OF AGERELATED EYE DISORDERS
PACKED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS FIBRE IMPROVES DIGESTION AND GUT HEALTH, AND IS LINKED TO REDUCED BODY WEIGHT
POTASSIUM CONTROLS BLOOD PRESSURE AND HELPS PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
MAGNET RECIPES: SOUPS
These winter warmers are a quick and easy way to up your five-a-day!
CREAMY CELERY SOUP Heat 30g butter in a large soup pot over a medium heat. Add 650g chopped celery, 1 chopped onion and 1 peeled, chopped large potato. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1.4l chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. Use a stick blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Stir in 1-2 tbsp lemon juice and season to taste.
CURRIED CARROT SOUP Heat 30g butter in a large soup pot over a medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft. Add 1.5l chicken or vegetable stock with 900g peeled and chopped carrots. Bring
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to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the carrots are very tender. Use a stick blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Season to taste.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CHILLI SOUP Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas mark 6. Peel and deseed 1 butternut squash, then chop into 4cm cubes. Place in a large roasting tin and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once during cooking. Meanwhile, melt 20g butter with 1 tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot. Add 1 chopped onion, 3 crushed garlic cloves and 2 deseeded, chopped red chillies. Cover and cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes until the onion is very soft. Add the roasted squash, 900ml chicken or vegetable stock and 5 tbsp crème fraîche. Use a stick blender to purée the soup until
very smooth, then season to taste.
EASY TOMATO SOUP Heat 30g butter with 1 tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot over a medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and season with salt and pepper, then cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Stir in 4 tbsp plain flour and 4 tbsp tomato purée and cook for one minute, stirring. Add ½ tsp dried thyme, 900ml chicken or vegetable stock and 4 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Use a stick blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Season to taste.
Easy Food 109
30/09/2016 16:42
Pumpi ng i ron
UNUSUAL INGREDIENTS
TAHINI
Tahini is a condiment made from toasted sesame seeds, commonly used in Middle Eastern and North African cuisines. It is probably best known as a main ingredient in hummus and baba ghanoush — although it can also be served as a dip by itself — and has a wide range of health benefits: it’s rich in vitamins and minerals, an excellent source of calcium and is packed with protein. It’s also high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. The easiest way to use tahini is to make your own hummus or baba ghanoush, simple dips which you can whizz together in your food processor. Since tahini already contains oil, it can alternatively be emulsified with an acid such as lemon juice to create delicious salad dressings. Mix tahini with peanut butter to make a simple dressing for cold noodles; spread it on bread with a drizzle of honey for a typical Greek breakfast; toss some through vegetables before roasting; or combine with lamb koftas and some salad in a warm pitta bread. You can even use it to make cookies!
We all know red meat is high in iron, but did you know the following foods also pack quite a punch? Bivalves, e.g. mussels, clams and oysters Dark leafy greens, e.g. spinach and kale Dried fruits, e.g. figs, dates, prunes Dark chocolate Whole grains, e.g. oats, quinoa and brown rice Potatoes Soya beans Lentils Seeds, e.g. squash and pumpkin seeds Sesame and tahini Tofu Sun-dried tomatoes Nuts Chickpeas Beans Dried thyme and oregano
ALL ABOUT BRINE Brining is a great “secret weapon” technique, a foolproof way to add flavour and tenderness to meat. “Brining” essentially means soaking foods in a saltwater mixture before cooking. The brine is absorbed into the meat along with any added flavourings and, because the meat is now loaded with extra moisture, it will remain that way as it cooks. Brining is particularly effective for lean cuts of meat that tend to dry out during cooking, such as pork chops, chicken fillets or turkey breasts. The basic ratio for brining is about four tablespoons of salt to 250ml of cold water. You will need enough brine to completely submerge the meat. Place the meat into the brine and place in the fridge for about one hour per 500g of weight. To infuse your meat with extra flavour, add extra spices and aromatics into your brine that will complement the finished dish.
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5 WAYS
TO USE YOUR BREAD KNIFE... KITCHEN HACK
Fancy a coffee topped with foamed milk at home, but don’t have a frother? No problem – all you need is a small jar with a lid. Fill the jar with milk (no more than halfway) and put on the lid. Shake the jar until the milk has doubled in size, then remove the lid and microwave the milk for about 30 seconds. Top your coffee with the warm foam, et voilà!
OTHER THAN BREAD TOMATOES A serrated knife is the easiest way to slice tomatoes, and also works a treat on other fruits like peaches and nectarines.
CHOCOLATE
Quick question
I’m in the middle of making a cake and have just realised I’m out of baking powder. Is there something I can substitute without having to run out to the shops? Simply stir together 1 tbsp cream of tartar and ½ tbsp bicarbonate of soda. Use it as you would use baking powder and store in an airtight container for up to four weeks.
Serrated knives make quick work of breaking a block of chocolate into smaller pieces.
MELON Whenever we want to take the rind off a melon, we slice off the top and bottom, and then use a serrated knife to shave away the outer rind before cutting it into pieces.
PINEAPPLE It can be tough to cut through the spiky skin of a pineapple, but a serrated knife can handle the job.
CAKE It’s no surprise that a knife designed for bread works perfectly for cake.
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Baby,
IT’S COLD OUTSIDE Close the curtains, get the snacks ready and curl up with some of our favourite foodie movies, paired with their perfect nibbles.
CHOCOLAT A single mother (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter move to rural France and open a chocolaterie across the street from the local church, causing a moral uproar amongst the village’s conservative population. The only thing better-looking than the sweet treats concocted by Binoche is Johnny Depp’s roughand-ready gypsy eating said sweet treats. WHAT TO EAT: Do not, we repeat, DO NOT attempt to watch this movie without a large supply of chocolate.
JULIE & JULIA We love, love, love Julia Child, and adored this retelling of one woman’s attempt to cook her way through Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Both Meryl Streep and Amy Adams are fantastic as usual, and Streep’s perfect delivery of her opening line (“Butter,” said with an obviously watering mouth!) has us starving from the get-go. WHAT TO EAT: Something rich and savoury is a must, so plan your dinner around the movie. As Child herself once said, “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream!” so we recommend both: opt for a big bowl of creamy pasta with buttery garlic bread on the side.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other
Halving a recipe can be a challenge at the best of times, but halving an egg can definitely cause some head-scratching. The problem is that an egg has two distinct parts — the yolk and the white — and most baking recipes require some of both. The key is whisking before dividing: crack an egg into a small bowl and use a whisk or the tines of a fork to break up the yolk. Whisk the egg into a homogenous mixture, then divide it in half.
RATATOUILLE A rat with an exceptionally well-educated palate becomes one of Paris’ most successful chefs. This film is plenty of fun, and family-friendly to boot. WHAT TO EAT: Put together a simple cheeseboard with 2-3 French cheeses, a handful of red grapes and the best baguette you can get your paws on. Add wine as desired!
FUN FOOD FACT
The pumpkin is possibly the oldest domesticated plant on Earth, with evidence suggesting cultivation as far back as 10,000 B.C. The first cultivated pumpkins were likely to have been grown in Mexico, and would have been small, hard gourds bearing little resemblance to the fleshy orange plants we know today.
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“homemade ready meals” at least once a week. This works well with soups, stews, chilli con carne, mashed potatoes, pasta bakes, pies, quiches, tomato sauces, meatballs and homemade bread. This is also great if you have teenaged kids with unpredictable schedules; teach them how to safely defrost and reheat freezer meals and they can feed themselves healthy, home-cooked food whenever necessary.
TAKE A BREAK If you have one day a week that is always manic, designate it as a cookfree day. This could mean heating up a from-the-freezer meal, grabbing a rotisserie chicken and some baguette on the way home or even just allowing yourself a guilt-free takeaway.
time to cook MAKE MORE
GET PLANNING
A meal plan doesn’t need to be rigid, but it’s a big help if you have a rough idea of what you’ll make in the week ahead. Not only does it save you time in the supermarket, but it really does make day-to-day life much easier.
FREEZE IN BATCHES Get into the habit of doubling recipes and freezing the extra in single portions. If your freezer is always well-stocked, you can rely on
ONE COOK, TWO DINNERS Plenty of meal components can be doubled to provide two dinners in the same week. Making a fish pie, for example? Double the Mornay sauce and keep the surplus in the fridge for 2-3 days, then use it to make an easy mac ‘n’ cheese. The trick to resuscitating the chilled sauce is to treat it like a roux: heat it up, stirring, and gradually add extra milk to thin it out. At this stage, you can add extra cheese if desired.
LOW ‘N’ SLOW Invest in a slow cooker. Prep in the morning and leave it to cook on Low while you’re at work. Nothing says convenience like coming home to a hot ready-cooked meal.
Providers of the Official
Test Kitchen
Dreaming of a New Kitchen? Live Your Dream! Contact QK Living to schedule your complementary design consultation today! info@qkliving.ie
01 426 7200
ww.qkliving.ie
Experts in Design, Manufacture & Installation
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Easy Food 113
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know-how KITCHEN
Whether you’re buying a new oven or taking care of your current one, we’ve got you covered
ELECTRIC • Cheaper to buy: An electric oven will cost less than a gas oven of the same size, in terms of initial investment. • Easier to install: Installing an electric oven is typically a simpler and less costly process in comparison to installing a gas oven, as it does not rely on fuel that must be piped in. • Easy to clean: A smooth-top electric range is the easiest type to clean. • Even surface: Smooth-top electric ranges are more stable for pots and pans than stoves with coil-elements, and can serve as additional counter or storage space when not in use. • Ignition: To turn a burner on, you simply twist its knob and the stovetop element – no ignitor required. • Heat distribution: The heat in an electric oven is drier and more evenly distributed compared to a gas oven, making it better for baking and roasting most types of food. • Extra features: Electric ovens often come with more features than their gas counterparts. 114 Easy Food
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GAS • Increased control: A gas oven gives you greater control over your cooking temperature. Warming-up takes less time and cooking stops almost immediately once the oven is off. • Moist cooking: Many dishes turn out better with the moist cooking environment provided by a gas oven. • Energy efficient: A gas oven heats up and cools down faster than an electric oven. Warming begins as soon as you turn on the gas. Equally, cooking will stop as soon as the gas is turned off. • Lower running costs: Natural gas costs less than electricity. If you do a lot of baking, an oven fuelled by natural gas may be a better choice. • Low maintenance: Most gas appliances have low maintenance requirements, needing replacement parts less often than electric ones. • Durable: Gas ovens tend to live longer lives than electric ovens. • No power? No problem: If your power goes off due to bad weather, you can still cook with a gas stove.
e a fan If you hav it to 20˚C oven, set the lower than e p m rature standard te ny recipe. Ma given in a d o o F asy recipes (E will show !) d e d u incl eratures. both temp
ELECTRIC WITH CONVECTION/FAN • Faster cooking: Since hot air is blowing directly onto food instead of just surrounding it, food cooks about 25% faster in a convection oven. • Even cooking: Regular ovens can have “hot spots”, depending on where the heating element is, but a fan should circulate the air to help even out the temperature variances.
OCTOBER 2016
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kitchen know-how
• Better browning: Air in a regular oven can become humid when moisture can't escape, steaming food instead of roasting. Convection creates a dry atmosphere that caramelises sugars faster when roasting. This means that food will brown more quickly. • Saves energy: Since food cooks faster in a fan oven, and generally at a lower temperature, it's a bit more energy efficient than a regular oven.
GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR OVEN • Always preheat the oven. Pay attention to recipes that require you to heat cookware inside the oven, too, such as Yorkshire puddings or roast potatoes. • Are you cooking at the right temperature? It can be difficult to determine exactly, so we recommend using an oven thermometer to be sure. If you’ve had your oven for a long time, it may need to be recalibrated for optimum results. • If you notice your oven cooks unevenly, items may need to be rotated and/or swapped around halfway through cooking. • Once your items are in the oven, don’t open the door unless necessary – your oven loses heat every time you do. Use the window to check on how your meal is coming along. This will save time (and energy!) in the long run. • Keeping lots of trays you are not www.easyfood.ie
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using in your oven can slow down the cooking process as heat might not be distributing freely, so remove these before you preheat. • Keep your oven clean to ensure heat is directed at the food you are cooking and to avoid any lingering smells. MAINTENANCE TIPS • Clean your oven regularly. We know it’s one of those jobs that’s easy to keep putting off, but it’s best to clean your oven at least twice a year – more often if you use it every day. • While it’s tempting to remove the oven knobs and squirt cleaner all around the area, don’t! This is essentially dousing an electrical system, which could cause it to short out or electrocute you. • Unplug the oven if you’re going to be
cleaning the inside by hand. You may be using a lot of water and it’s better to be safe than sorry and eliminate risk of electrocution. • When you are cooking anything that might drip, splatter or leak in the oven (such as a pie, which will bubble around its edges), use a drip tray. Just place a baking tray covered with tin foil under the dish to catch any spillages. • If any food does spill into the bottom of your oven, clean it as soon as possible – the longer the mess sits there, the more it’ll burn and the more difficult it will be to remove. • No need for those harsh chemicals with strong fumes: there's a natural way to clean your oven. It will take a little elbow grease on your part, but vinegar, baking soda and water are enough to get the job done. Easy Food 115
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! and keep Cut out
Braise you like I should Braising is a cooking technique in which the main ingredient is browned in fat, then twothirds covered in liquid and simmered in a covered pot over a low heat. It’s one of the best ways to prepare hearty, homely comfort food.
BENEFITS: • Renders cheaper, tougher cuts of meat more tender and flavourful. • Makes its own sauce or gravy. • Most of the cooking time doesn’t require much attention – perfect for entertaining. • One-pot cooking means minimal clean-up. • Cuts down on waste: anything leftover can be reheated or frozen for another day.
BEST FOR BRAISING Use tougher, less tender cuts of meat – a lean cut is a waste to braise and will be far less flavoursome. • Beef chuck • Beef, pork or lamb shoulder • Beef or pork cheeks • Beef brisket • Lamb shanks • Beef short ribs • Chicken legs and thighs (bones in) 116 Easy Food
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• Root vegetables • Fruits like apples or pears (the sweetness goes well with pork) 1 Season the main ingredient with some salt and black pepper. 2 Heat a few tablespoons of oil and/or butter in a heavy pan or casserole. 3 Brown the outsides of the meat in the pan over a medium-high heat. 4 Remove the meat and deglaze the pan by adding a little stock, juice, wine or other alcohol. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any sticky bits of meat from the bottom as the liquid bubbles. 5 Add the meat back in and cover two-thirds of the way with a cooking liquid, which can be water, stock, wine, juice or a combination. 6 Cover and cook the meat over a low heat on the hob or in a low oven. 7 Cook until completely tender. This can take anywhere from 1-6 hours, depending on what you’re cooking. 8 Strain the meat and vegetables out of the liquid. 9 Skim off any excess fat floating in the liquid, then reduce the sauce to desired thickness, or make gravy by adding a roux. OCTOBER 2016
30/09/2016 16:16
IN THE NEXT ISSUE...
IT’S THE MOST DELICIOUS TIME OF YEAR WITH THE EASY FOOD CHRISTMAS ANNUAL!
ON SALE TH
R8 NOVEMBE
INSIDE...
g ideas
> Easy cake decoratin gift guide > The ultimate foodie erts > Show-stopping dess courses > Step-by-step main istmas treats > Child-friendly Chr > Toasty tipples options > Vegetarian dinner ftovers > Clever ideas for le gifts > Edible homemade
EF116_117_In the next Issue.indd 117
03/10/2016 12:54
PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN ROWLETTE PHOTOGRAPHY
IRISH QUALITY FOOD & DRINK AWARDS 2016
For more information, please visit: irish.qualityfoodawards.com Follow on Facebook www.facebook.com/IrishQualityFoodAwards Follow on Twitter @IrishQFAs 118 Easy Food
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OCTOBER 2015
03/10/2016 12:56
xxxxx xxxxx
Only the best T
his is the third year that Easy Food has teamed with the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards and the Irish Café Quality Food Awards, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the results with our readers!
Each year, the IQFAs and ICQFAs set out to recognise excellence in the food and drink development industries from food retailers, producers and food service operators across Ireland. This is the very best of what is available to consumers, and we’re delighted to pass along this information here to all of you. All products across all of the categories are tested by expert panels of judges from the food and drink industries, who congregate to discuss each product in detail in terms of taste, value for money, appearance and, of course, the overall quality. The best products are rewarded with a coveted Q Award, which were announced at a black-tie gala hosted by Rachel Allen at Dublin’s Mansion House. The Gold Qs are the highest possible accolades, going to the products that the judges deemed to be the best overall. The awards were open to all food and drink retailers, producers and manufacturers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, so you know that products featuring the Q Award label really are the best of the best!
A word from event organiser, Helen Lyons “Our judges spent weeks sampling the very best products available to Irish consumers at Dublin Institute of Technology’s School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology over the summer. Their energy and insight were endless, and they selected deserving winners who were recognised in a stunning ceremony in September. Many thanks to the judging panel who were vital to these awards being such a success. From hundreds of products entered this year, we once again marvelled at the high standard they met –– it was a difficult task to narrow them down! We send a huge congratulations to the products that won Q Awards this year and wish you all the very best for more growth and success in the year ahead. We also have an extensive list of products that were commended with honourable mentions, so be sure to check out the full list at irish.qualityfoodawards.com. A massive thank you to all of our event partners and sponsors, Graphic Packaging International, Coeliac Society of Ireland, Dairymaid, Invest NI and Saclà. We also thank our media partners Easy Food and Retail News. It has been another fantastic year of building relationships across Ireland for the IQFA event team, and we look forward to continuing to work with you over the coming years.”
Wishing everyone much luck and continued success
www.easyfood.ie
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GOLD Q Dry Aged Angus Striploin Steak James Whelan Butchers A Gold Q Award is the ultimate accolade which is awarded to the one product that stands out from all other entries within a category. It is selected from the winners of all the main categories and represents the ‘best of the best’. James Whelan, producer of this classic striploin, describes this proudly as “the granddaddy of steaks.” This grass-fed Tipperary beef is dry aged following traditional methods before being cut into steaks by the master butchers. Judges loved this product, noting “the yellow colour of the fat is very appealing. The product looks well cared for, suggests luxury for a price and tastes premium.”
DUNNES STORES SIMPLY BETTER SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Orange, Mango and Gin Marshmallow Camran Crafts
Camran Crafts produces a range of artisan marshmallows, and these gin, orange and mango marshmallows provide a delicious, fresh flavour. Judges praised the taste, noting that the “aroma is divine, and the
taste of orange and mango really comes through. The marshmallow is not overly sweet, which is a good thing as it is aimed at adults.”
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NEW NEW Proud Sponsors of
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RETAILER OF THE YEAR Dunnes Stores A new award this year, the Retailer of the Year Award acknowledges a particular retailer’s exceptional performance and an outstanding standard of entries. Dunnes Stores was the most successful retailer in the 2016 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards. Their carefully selected entries delivered outstanding quality, showcasing superbly executed innovation and creativity; offering adventures in food across a vast range of categories.
GOLD WINNER CHRISTMAS Q Aldi Exquisite Mince Pies Genesis Crafty The Christmas Q Award is awarded to the best product specifically developed for Christmas consumption. Made in a traditional way using all-butter pastry and wonderful mincemeat, the pies are also hand-finished with roasted almonds, which judges agreed made them the perfect seasonal treat. “These smell delicious
straight away. It’s a great pastry, an excellent ingredient list and the almonds are gorgeous,” the judges commented.
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GOLD WINNER – FREE FROM Q Tesco Free From Strawberry and Vanilla Cones Eispro This delicious alternative to ice cream is made with coconut oil, resulting in a dairy-free ice cream in a gluten-free maize cone. Judges commented,
“this is superb. A lovely waffle cone with frozen yoghurt consistency, lovely flavour and just perfect sweetness. It is a great product and not just a great ‘free from’ product.”
GOLD WINNER VALUE Q Dunnes Stores My Family Favourites Mature White Cheddar Bandon Vale The Gold Value Q Award is awared to the product that offers the best value for money while maintaining its quality. The judges commented on the excellent flavour of this Cheddar, as well as the lovely creaminess. One judge noted: “This was a good, solid cheese that didn’t crumble at all. It melted in the
mouth and came in a generous family-size packet.”
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Irish Quality Awards
WINNERS Drinks
Dunnes Stores Grafters Kolsch Style Rye River Brewing Company
Tempted Elderflower Cider Tempted Cider Company
Dunnes Stores Grafters Porter Rye River Brewing Company
Red Ale The Porterhouse Brewing Company
Tesco Finest Vintage Champagne O Moore & Co
SuperValu Montagny 1er Cru Les Resses Andre Goichot Dunnes Stores Vina Maipo Mi Pueblo Syrah Vina Maipo
Tesco Finest Ribera Del Duero Reserva Felix Solis SA
Dingle Pot Still Vodka The Dingle Distillery
Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur
Blackwater No.5 Gin Blackwater Distillery
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Farmageddon Gold Pale Ale Farmageddon Brewing Co-Op
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Meat Charlesfort Turkey Roulade - Hogan’s Farm
Aldi Specially Selected 28 Day Matured Irish Rib Roast on the Bone ABP Cahir
Tesco Finest 14 Month Genuine Parma Ham Salumificio F.lli Beretta Spa
Sol Chorizo Cular Eirespan
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Fresh Irish Connemara Hill Rack of Lamb Tendermeats
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Dry Cured Irish Rashers Callan Bacon
Dry Aged Angus Striploin Steak James Whelan Butchers Duck Leg Confit Silver Hill Farm
Thick Cut Glazed by Hand Ham Brady Family
SuperValu Signature Tastes Lamb Steaks with a Spicy Tomato Marinade and a Parmesan Crumb Kepak
Dunnes Stores Simply Better 6 Superior Habanero Chilli Irish Pork Sausages Arthur Mallon Foods
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Traditional Homemade White Pudding Meeres Pork Products
Dunnes Stores Cook at Home Apple & Blueberry Stuffed Pork Fillet Wrapped in Streaky Bacon with a Maple Glaze / Meat & More
SuperValu & Centra BBQ Pork Rib Rack Kepak Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Angus Smoked Paprika & Tomato Beef Steak Burgers Tendermeats
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Christmas
Fish
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Wild Atlantic Jumbo Prawns Keohane Seafoods
Aldi Exquisite Mince Pies Genesis Crafty
Lidl Deluxe Seafood Chowder Galmere Fresh Foods
Aldi Skellig Bay Salmon Infusions Parsley, Chive & Garlic Good Fish Smoked Irish Wild Salmon Ballyhack Smokehouse
SuperValu Signature Tastes Trio of Smoked Salmon Dunn’s of Dublin
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Handmade Dark Chocolate & Ginger Florentines Sam’s Cookies
Free from Tesco Free From Brown Seeded Rolls Boulder Brands
Tesco Free From Strawberry and Vanilla Cones Eispro
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Decorated Irish All-Butter Christmas Cake Sam’s Cookies
Dunnes Stores Gluten Free Irish Pork Sausages Arthur Mallon Foods
Traditional Free Range Woodland Bronze Crown Hogan’s Farm
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Seasonally Spiced Cranberry & Orange Yogurt Killowen Farm
Lidl Deluxe Beetroot Relish Follain Coconut Nutritional Chocolate Bar Dr. Coy’s Health Foods Vegetable Burgers Mash Direct 126 Easy Food
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Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Cheese Board Selection Traditional Cheese Company
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Chocolate treats
Fresh foods SuperValu & Centra Super Green Veg Salad Wonderfoods
Tesco Finest Spicy Dark Chocolate Ginger Cookies Northumbrian Fine Foods
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Handmade Belgian Chocolate Swirl Stick Áine Handmade Chocolate
SuperValu Signature Tastes & Centra Corn Fed Eggs Clonarn Clover Sweet Irish Strawberries Keelings Retail
The Chocolate Box Butlers Chocolates
Aldi Handmade Chocolate Bar Dark Chocolate Valencia Orange Áine Handmade Chocolate
Crackers & cereals
Irish Lumpers Glens of Antrim Potatoes
Aldi Vegetable Fajita Kit Wonderfoods
Snack foods
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Wholemeal Crackers Sheridan’s Cheesemongers Coconut & Berry Super Seed Snack Good4U SPAR Select Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Crisps Golden Wonder
Tesco Finest 7 Nut Granola Bokomo Foods
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SPAR Select Gluten Free Porridge Grandma Henvey
Dunnes Stores Cacao Mix Forest Feast
Lidl Simply Tortilla Chips Snack Food Poco Loco
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Convenience foods
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade West Cork Gubbeen Chorizo & Irish Potato Quiche Zanna Cookhouse
Dunnes Stores My Family Favourites Mature White Cheddar Bandon Vale
Tesco Meat Free 2 Sweet Potato Paneer and Spinach Bakes Daloon Foods
Strawberry, Cucumber & Lime Cordial Naturally Cordial
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Wood Fired Goat’s Cheese & Caramelized Red Onion Pizza Eat Better
SuperValu Signature Tastes Chicken Korma Emaan Meal Solutions
SuperValu Signature Tastes Irish Lamb Tagine Ballymaguire Foods
Tesco Everyday Value 3 Way Cook Chips Fullers Food International
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Centra Melon & Pineapple Batons Freshcut Foods
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SuperValu Signature Tastes Single Origin Java Coffee Capsule Euro-Caps B.V.
Tesco Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti La Doria
Dunnes Stores Cook at Home Potato Gratin Avondale Foods
Sauces and dressings
Curry Sauce Bombay Pantry
Twist’d Creole Spice Devils Rum Butterscotch Sauce Royal County Puddings
SuperValu Signature Tastes Three Fruit Marmalade Follain
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Tomato Chilli & Balsamic Relish Follain
Aldi Mamia Organic Mango, Apple & Banana (Stage 1) The National Fruit & Beverage Company
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Freshly Squeezed Valencia Pure Orange Juice Keeling Juices Lidl Deluxe Sri Lankan Chicken Soup Ballymaguire Foods
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Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Made Honey & Mustard Dressing Derrycamma Farm
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Aceto Balsamico Di Modena IGP Del Gusto
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Cheese & dairy
Baked goods
Raspberry Crown Cuisine de France Dunnes Stores Simply Better Epoisses Traditional Cheese Company
SuperValu & Centra Sean Brown Soda Bread Genesis Crafty
Lidl Rathdaragh Irish Extra Mature Cheddar Dale Farm
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Belgian Chocolate Salted Caramel Shortbread Slices Sam’s Cookies Homely Bread The Breadski Brothers
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish All Butter Hot Cross Buns La Boulangerie Des Gourmets
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade All Butter Lemon & Irish Blackcurrant Layer Cake Sam’s Cookies
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Dunnes Stores Simply Better French All Butter Tarte au Citron Boncolac
SuperValu Signature Tastes Belgian Chocolate Truffle Torte Couverture
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Mozzarella Di Bufala Campana Traditional Cheese Company
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Fresh Irish Madagascan Vanilla Bean Custard Spice O’Life Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Churned Rosemary & Burnt Lemon Irish Butter Blast & Wilde
Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Lemon Curd Farmhouse Yogurt Killowen Farm
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Special
Christmas Menus FROM ¤40 Bookings now being taken
Best ethic restaurant 2016
AUTHENTIC INDIAN FLAVOURS FRESHLY GROUND SPICES LOCALLY-SOURCED MEATS AND VEGETABLES Enjoy fresh, funky Indian street food from multi-award-winning Chef Sunil Ghai and Benny Jacob in a relaxed, fun atmosphere that marries Dublin with Bollywood and the foodie streets of North India. Diners can choose between
gupshup (small plates), tandoori chakhna (chops and game) and desi khana (curries and biryani), all tied together with traditional zingy pickle and contemporary twists on classical Indian condiments and sides.
As we say in Hindi, Attithi Devo Bhavo: ‘Guest Is God’, and we always feed our God with pure food.
OPENING HOURS Monday 5:00pm to 10:30pm Tuesday – Friday 12:00pm to 2:45pm and 5:00pm to 10:30pm Saturday 5:00pm to 10:30pm Sunday 3:00pm to 10:00pm 43 Camden Street Dublin 2 01 555 7755
www.picklerestaurant.com
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PYRX40136 Glass Baking Ad-Easy Food Mag 206x276mm 5mm bleed_AW.pdf
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