SPECIAL HEALTHY FEATURE ALLERGY-FRIENDLY MEALS FOR KIDS EASY FOOD ISSUE 123
ROM RECIPES F OUR TEST KITCHEN
BLUEBERRY STREUS MUFFINS, P.91 EL
NEW WAYS WITH CHICKEN HEARTY SALADS 3-STEP MEALS
SANDWICH SHOWDOWN
! E L B LET'S CRUM AND Y H C N U R SWEET, C OD OH-SO-GO
SPECIAL GUEST
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AUGUST 2017
AUS $4.99 AUGUST 2017
WHICH BREKKIE SAMBO ARE YOU?
R 34.90 (incl. VAT) Other countries R30.61 (excl. VAT)
• GET TO KNOW YOUR STONE FRUITS • EASY CHICKEN DINNERS • WEEKNIGHT MEALS • SWEET AND SAVOURY CREATIONS • APPRENTICE CHEF WINNERS • HEALTHY COOKING METHODS • ALLERGY-FRIENDLY KIDS MEALS •
92
DINNER'S DONE!
Chef Adrian puts his EDITOR twist on Ireland's takeaway favourites in his debut cookbook
ADVERTORIAL
For more delicious recipes, visit www.philadelphia.ie
An easy summer supper Grilled peach, prosciutto and Philly flatbread Serves 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes
2 prepared naan breads or flatbreads 2 peaches, halved and pitted Olive oil, for brushing 100g Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Mediterranean Herbs 4 slices of prosciutto, torn Black pepper 2 small handfuls of fresh rocket 1 Preheat the barbecue to a medium heat and cook the naan breads for 30 seconds per side. 2 Brush the peaches with oil and place cut side-
down on the barbecue. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until charred and softened. Remove from the barbecue and slice. 3 Spread half of the Philadelphia over each naan and top with the sliced peaches. Tear over the prosciutto, season with some black pepper and add a small handful of fresh rocket on top of each. Cut into slices to serve. Per Serving 463kcals, 19.9g fat (3.8g saturated), 52.1g carbs, 15.5g sugars, 19g protein, 4.1g fibre, 0.373g sodium
Easy Food team
Hey!
EDITOR Caroline Gray cgray@zahramediagroup.com t: +353 (0)1 255 7566 fave recipe: Dutch apple pie, p.93
I’m so thrilled to be the guest editor of Easy Food this month! If there’s one thing I love, it’s food, and I’m delighted to be sharing some recipes from my first cookbook, Fakeaway. I’m a qualified chef and have trained in many of the best restaurants in Ireland, but also am passionate about teaching homecooks how to cook real food. This got me into hosting cookery demonstrations in schools, food festivals and organisations across the country.
EDITORIAL TEAM Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle jdoyle@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: The veggies’ breakfast bap, p.86 Editorial Intern Emer Brady foodintern@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Honey mustard potato salad, p.111 Contributors Michael Fleming, Aoife Howard and Fiona Broderick.
All this has led me to where I am now: indulging in my love of good food, while sharing my best tips and recipes with you! After speaking with beginner cooks and students across Ireland, I realised that so many people don’t have the basics of cooking and are put off by the idea of making a delicious meal at home. While everyone loves a good takeaway now and again, I wanted to show people just how easy it is to recreate so many of these quick favourites at home. A lot of the recipes in the book are ones I’ve been making for myself for years, and I’m pretty sure you’ll love them too! I’ve included a few of these recipes in this issue from p.16 so you can check them out for yourself.
DESIGN Art Director Nikki Kennedy fave recipe: Nectarine and raspberry cobbler, p.32 PHOTOGRAPHY & FOOD STYLING Agnieszka Wypych, Charisse van Kan, Pauline Smyth and Shannon Peare. Some images from Shutterstock.com.
Easy Food always has plenty of options for simple weeknight meals as well; you’ll have dinner on the table in no time with the three-step meals, p.64, while the hearty salads, p.108, are the perfect way to fill up without feeling weighed down.
TEST KITCHEN Proudly built by QK Living www.qkliving.ie ADVERTISING Sales Manager Sarah Currey scurrey@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Bacon, avocado and chilli jam sambo, p.71
Looking for something sweet? Well, there are five recipes with crunchy crumble toppings from p.88, and you can get a real taste of seasonal stone fruits from p.30. For the bold among you, the top tips and recipes for making boozy bakes is a must-read on p.124.
ADMINISTRATION Production Consultant Val Citron valeriecitron@gmail.com Circulation Manager John Dempsey jdempsey@zahramediagroup.com Accounts accounts@zahramediagroup.com Syndication Enquiries syndication@zahramediagroup.com
Whatever your skill level, there’s definitely something in this issue to entice you into the kitchen and get cooking!
Adrian
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Managing Director Gina Miltiadou gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Gin and tonic cupcakes, p.126 Chief Executive John Mullins jmullins@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Philliy cheesesteak baps, p.58
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SUMMER’S HERE
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REGULARS 08 YOUR SAY
Your comments, photos and questions
10 FOOD BITES
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August
CONTENTS Baked berry cheesecake chimichangas
P.61
stone fruits WHAT’S IN SEASON? 30 FEELING FRUITY?
Sweet, juicy stone fruits are the epitome of
summer flavours
36 EAT IRELAND
Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle explores
some of the Boyne Valley’s fabulous foods
LARDER LUCK 45 HALE AND HEARTY
Cupboard staples give these flavoursome
meals a healthy kick
48 FROM THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK
Local butcher Michael Fleming
encourages us to broaden our horizons
Tomato, peach, prosciutto and goat’s cheese salad
P.33
WHAT’S FOR DINNER? 52 WEEKLY MENU PLANNER
Vietnamese steak noodles
P.66
Keep it simple, keep it quick with our tasty midweek meals
68 FLAVOUR FUSION
Enjoy the contrast of flavours in these sweet-meets-savoury creations
77 COOK TO IMPRESS!
David Gillmore, head chef of Belfast’s famed James Street South, shares recipes for an impressive al fresco meal
4 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
COOKING FOR FUN
These budding chefs share their award- winning recipes
MAKE IT HEALTHY!
We help you decide which kitchen gadgets are worth the splurge
Goat’s cheese pasta salad
P.110
Blogger Aoife Howard dishes on one of
her favourite healthy summer desserts
96 SCHOOL’S IN!
tasty quick-fix snack
127 KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
114 OH MY GOODNESS!
KIDS’ KITCHEN
These pitta pizza pockets are a fun and
80 APPRENTICE CHEF ALL-STARS
105 EASY JUNIORS
Our Home Ec expert shares creative ideas for healthy, interesting school lunches
The meat-lovers’ breakfast bap
P.87
116 15 HEALTHY COOKING TECHNIQUES
Delicious recipes for steaming, poaching
and grilling your foods
FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS
121 All the knowledge you need to become an expert in the kitchen
124 Shannon Peare, one of our resident Food
Stylists, spills on how best to incorporate alcohol into sweet treats
Beetroot chocolate cake with avocado icing
P.99
FROM THE Cover
P.98 P.64
P.86
SPECIAL HEALTHY FEATURE ALLERGY-FRIENDLY MEALS FOR KIDS EASY FOOD ISSUE 123
EASY AS 1-2-3!
FREE-FROM FOODIES
Allergy-friendly treats to please even the fussiest of eaters
P.108
• GET TO KNOW YOUR STONE FRUITS • EASY CHICKEN DINNERS • WEEKNIGHT MEALS • SWEET AND SAVOURY CREATIONS • APPRENTICE CHEF WINNERS • HEALTHY COOKING METHODS • ALLERGY-FRIENDLY KIDS MEALS •
To celebrate our 123 issue, we’ve created these so-simple three-step meals
rd
PICK A SIDE
92
OM RECIPES FR OUR TEST KITCHEN
DINNER'S DONE! BLUEBERRY STREUS MUFFINS, P.91 EL
NEW WAYS WITH CHICKEN HEARTY SALADS 3-STEP MEALS
SANDWICH SHOWDOWN WHICH BREKKIE SAMBO ARE YOU?
SALAD SATISFACTION
These hearty vegetarian salads are sure to keep you full for longer
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LET'S CRUMBLE
ADRIAN ON THE GO
!
Y AND SWEET, CRUNCH OD OH-SO-GO
UK £4.95
AUS $4.99 AUGUST 2017 UK £3.20
AUGUST 2017
These tasty chicken dinners are easy to make and even easier to eat!
P.16
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WEEKNIGHT WONDERS
P.88
LET’S GET READY TO CRUMBLE!
A little crumble is the perfect topping for these sweet treats
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P.40
Make your weekend breakfast the most delicious meal of the day with these decadent baps
SPECIAL GUEST EDITOR
Chef Adrian puts his twist on Ireland's takeaway favourites in his debut cookbook
Chef Adrian Martin puts his twist on takeaway favourites in recipes from his debut cookbook
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
RECIPE INDEX v
Budget-Friendly
T Freezable
J
Kid-Friendly
x
Dairy-Free
v
Vegetarian
LF
DF
Diabetes-Friendly
GF
Gluten-Free
Low-Fat
v
v MEAT
LF DF GF
Lamb shank rogan josh
21
•
•
•
The pimped-up burger
23
•
•
•
•
Pork tacos
27
•
•
•
•
Tomato, peach, prosciutto and goat's cheese salad
33
•
•
•
•
Seared steak salad with jalapeño chimichurri
47
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Harissa kofta salad with yoghurt dressing
47
•
•
x
•
Braised beef cheeks
49
•
•
•
•
Barbecued pork fillet fajitas
54
•
•
•
•
v
LF DF GF
x
Giant couscous with corn and mushrooms
53
•
•
•
•
x
Aubergine parmigiana melts
56
•
•
•
•
Simple summertime gnocchi
67
•
•
•
Fresh fig, balsamic onion and blue cheese pizza
69
•
•
The veggies' breakfast bap
86
•
•
•
•
No-bake apricot quinoa breakfast bites
99
•
•
•
•
Banana french toast
102
•
•
•
•
Roast butternut squash and black bean salad with chillilime dressing
111
•
•
•
Samosa salad
111
•
•
•
Goat's cheese pasta salad
110
•
•
•
Honey-mustard potato salad with soft-boiled eggs and asparagus
111
•
•
•
Asian cucumber salad with stir-fried tofu and crispy noodles
VEGETARIAN
v
•
Philly cheese streak brioche baps
58
•
112
•
•
•
Vietnamese steak noodles
66
•
•
•
•
Steam-baked eggs
116
•
•
•
Asian steak salad with pineapple
70
•
•
•
•
Tomato-poached eggs
117
•
•
•
Bacon, avocado and chilli jam sambo
71
•
•
•
Charred tomato toasts
118
•
Korean pork chops
73
•
•
Pesto spaghetti with cheesy grilled tomatoes
118
•
Barbecue pork with basil salsa verde
77
•
•
Marinated pan-fried Skeaghanore duck fillet
82
•
Nectarine and raspberry cobbler
32
•
The meat-lovers' breakfast bap
87
•
Cheese and apple scones
69
Easy cheesy pitta pizza pockets
106
•
•
Salted 'n' spiced chocolate cookies
75
Garlic lamb chops with mint and mustard sauce
118
•
•
Raspberry lemon crumb bars Forest fruit almond crumble
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
FISH AND SEAFOOD •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
89
•
•
•
•
90
•
•
•
•
Cover recipe: Blueberry streusel muffins
91
•
•
•
•
NY-Style crumb cake
92
•
•
•
•
Dutch apple pie
91
•
•
•
•
Quick lemon and pecan scones
97
•
•
•
•
•
Baked hake with a chorizo crumb crust
60
•
Prawns a la veracruzana
65
•
Herb-crusted fillet of cod
83
•
Gluten-free flapjacks
97
•
•
•
•
Pan-seared sea bream
84
•
Banana rhubarb muffins
102
•
•
•
•
Thai steamed mussels
116
•
Stout bread
125
•
•
•
Steamed salmon in parchment
116
•
•
Gin and tonic cupcakes
126
•
•
•
Poached white wine salmon
117
•
•
Grilled peaches with whiskey brown butter
34
•
Buffalo chicken wings with a smoked garlic and chive dip
19
•
Mango fools with candied cashews
59
•
•
•
The chicken fillet roll
21
•
Baked berry cheesecake chimichangas
61
•
•
•
Crispy honey chilli chicken bites
25
•
The spice bag
27
•
BBQ chicken drumsticks
41
•
•
Spatchcocked piri piri chicken
41
•
•
Baked chicken fajitas
42
•
Easy pineapple teriyaji chicken
43
•
Club sandwiches with crispy chicken
43
•
Chicken, lemon and sun-dried tomato pesto pasta
55
•
Harissa honey chicken skewers with garlic and mint yoghurt
57
•
Baked sweet and sour chicken
72
•
Garlic and chilli steamed chicken
116
•
All-in-one chicken and veggies
117
•
Poached whole chicken
117
•
•
•
Simple grilled chicken tenders
118
•
•
•
•
•
• • •
•
•
POULTRY
6 Easy Food
•
• •
• •
• • • •
•
•
•
• •
78
•
•
85
•
•
•
Beetroot chocolate cake with avocado icing
99
•
•
Blueberry banana ice cream
101
•
Egg-free meringues
103
Maple-baked bananas with tahini caramel
114
Steamed lemon pudding
•
• •
x •
•
• •
•
Lemon and chocolate trio surprise
•
• •
• •
•
•
•
•
• • •
•
•
•
Elderflower strawberries with white chocolate cream
•
•
DESSERTS
•
•
•
•
•
37
•
•
BAKED GOODS
Chive Dutch baby with Annagassan smoked salmon and lemon creme fraiche
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
23
•
•
•
•
•
Prawn pad Thai
•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
116
•
•
•
Red wine poached peaches
117
•
Grilled banana and Ricotta pots
118
•
Sunrise smoothie
34
•
Apple cider and ginger shrub
45
•
34
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
DRINKS •
• •
•
SAUCES Plum sauce
•
AUGUST 2017
What’s inside A sneak peek at what you’ll find in this issue
Fresh favourites
We just can’t get enough of summer’s fresh produce, whether that means filling our crumbles with sweet, ripe berries (from p.88); finding tantalising ways to enjoy seasonal stone fruits, (p.30); upgrading our salads to whole-meal status (p.108) or simply including more veggies in our weekday dinners (p.64). With so many delicious ways to include fresh fruit and veg in your everyday meals, getting your recommended seven-a-day will be easier than ever.
Raspberry lemon crumb bars P.89
Tomato, peach, prosciutto Honey-mustard potato and goat’s cheese salad salad with soft-boiled eggs P.33 and asparagus P.111
UP YOUR GAME
If you’ve been looking to increase your culinary skills, we’ve got plenty of features to inspire you. Head to p.77 for a delicious al fresco spread from David Gillmore, head chef of Belfast’s famed James Street South; this year’s winning Apprentice Chefs are sharing their original – and wildly impressive – recipes from p.80; one of our own Food Stylists dishes on how to make adults-only boozy bakes from p.124; and on p.130 you can learn how to make your own roasted red peppers as well as tips for incorporating them into your daily diet.
Simple summertime gnocchi P.65
BRUNCHIN’ IT
There’s nothing quite like the opportunity to enjoy a decadent weekend brunch and relax over a pot of tea and the papers. Treat yourself to one of our droolworthy breakfast baps from p.86 – the only decision you’ll need to make is whether you want to go full carnivore or opt for veggie hash brown heaven?
TO YOUR HEALTH
We have no time for faddy diets here in Easy Food, but we’re all about striking a healthy balance. Flip to p.116 to find 15 tasty recipes using lighter cooking methods like poaching, grilling and steaming. Our Home Ec expert has plenty of tips to get prepared for the upcoming school year, p.96, and our allergy-friendly kids’ meals from p.98 are sure to please even the fussiest of eaters. Last but not least, Chef Adrian has been showing off some of the delectable takeaway-inspired recipes from his new book, Fakeaway. Head to p.16 to kickstart some serious cravings and learn how to make your takeaway favourites at home!
Beetroot chocolate cake with avocado icing P.99 www.easyfood.ie
Blueberry banana ice cream
P.101
Giant couscous with corn and mushroom P.53
Vietnamese steak noodles
P.66
Easy Food 7
your say
We love hearing about what you’re up to in the kitchen, so send on your comments, questions and cooking tales!
“Thank you @easyfoodmag! Great article on #BurrenSlowFood Festival and the value of #slowfood and raw milk cheese. Ivy approves! #chuffed” – @cloonconra “Thrilled to see my article on #BBQ in this month's @easyfoodmag #homeeconomics @ATHE_HomeEc #TullamoreCollege.” – @kellymdoolan
BIY(bake your own!) wedding cake
“A little bit of office inspiration thanks to @surfgirlmag @easyfoodmag and my own wanderings. Have some really exciting project ideas hopefully in the pipeline soon and having my wee office all set up makes it just feel a little more real!” – @finsfitfood
“The slow-cooked barbacoa from the May issue is well worth the six hours' cooking time!" – @sweetandmeat
TRIED AND TESTED
Newlywed Patrick O’Callaghan said “I do” to making the cake for his June nuptials to Paula Curran! After a ceremony in Dublin’s National Gallery of Ireland and dinner in the Shelbourne Hotel, the Maynooth-based couple celebrated with family and friends, while the two-tiered homemade cake served as the decadent centrepiece of the evening. The verdict? A huge — and delicious — success! The base layer was a moreish chocolate biscuit cake, topped with a delicate sponge as the top tier. Both layers were finished with white chocolate and outlined in white chocolate biscuit fingers. Fresh, seasonal berries added right before guests arrived provided the finishing touch to this memorable creation.
Who says you can’t make your cake and eat it too! 8 Easy Food
The new Judge Radiant range benefits from Teflon’s latest radiance non-stick surface, which is PFOA-free. This is a three-layer non-stick surface, which helps accelerate heat transfer through the non-stick layer, creating a very even heat throughout the pan as you cook. The range's level of thickenss provides a speedy and even heat transfer, making it ideal for fast and efficient cooking. The launch collection of Judge Radiant includes three different sizes of frying pan, in addition to a chef’s pan, a crêpe pan, a milk pan and a sturdy wok. Judge Radiant is suitable for all hob types, including induction. They are easy to clean and all products hold the Judge 25-year guarantee and signature 10-year non-stick guarantee.
We tested the wok in the Easy Food Test Kitchen, and this is what we found: The pros § Visually appealing with a lovely colour and design. § The size and high sides are great as you can cater for more people without worrying about the food spilling out. § Performed very well, especially after having been used once and seasoned. The cons § The handles have steel just below the rubber, so it's important to be careful so as not to grip there. JOM34 Judge Radiant 24cm Stir Fry / Wok £35.84 JOM36 Judge Radiant 26cm Stir Fry / Wok £39.20
AUGUST2017
letters and comments
WHAT YOU’VE BEEN COOKING Cook the cover!
Meet the Taste Team...
The strawberry orange drizzle cake from our May cover has been inspiring plenty of summer bakes...
Eunice Nolan
BONUS! SIX THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOUR BUTCHER COULD DO EASY FOOD ISSUE 121
Simply homemade
ñ PERFECT SUMMER PIES ñ MIDWEEK MEALS ñ 5-INGREDIENT FIX
A TASTE OF THAILAND
AUTHENTIC THAI COOKING, MADE EASY!
BERRY GOOD!
SEASONAL STRAWBERRY DESSERTS
”@easyfoodmag I tried out the strawberry and orange loaf from the May issue and it turned out great!” – @Miss_Hayley_D
Strawberry orange
EF121_01_Cover new.indd 1
Collette Kelly
UK £4.95
AUS $4.99 MAY 2017
ROI 33.50
MAY 2017
R 34.90 (incl. VAT) Other countries R30.61 (excl. VAT)
drizzle cake, p.41
UK £3.20
• COOKING WITH SEASONAL STAPLES • NEW WAYS WITH TINNED TUNA • MONEY-SAVING MEALS • SUMMERY PIES • AUTHENTIC THAI COOKING • GLUTEN-FREE BREAKFASTS • HEALTHY CHOCOLATE RECIPES •
92
D TRIED AN TESTED RECIPES
says, “I live in Dunderry, Co. Meath, with my husband Mark and our four children, Jack (aged 15), Conor (14), Evan (12) and Isabel, aged eight. I am also a part-time midwife and juggle my time between family life, work and the kids’ activities. Cooking helps me to switch off. My favourite recipes are of the sweet nature: cakes, cakes and more cakes! My son Conor loves to bake with me, and he's quite good at it, too.”
SPECIAL GUEST EDITOR
Recipes and tips from Tara the East Coast Cookery Walker of becoming a more efficientSchool on home cook
25/04/2017 17:38
“@easyfoodmag My take on May's cover for national strawberry week.” – @eveobrien
comes from Co. Wicklow, and tells us, “I have one daughter and two sons and I am a full-time working mum. I enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes, including my own made-up ones. The only food I will not cook is lamb, I really don’t like the smell of it. I’m not great at baking, but I am getting a bit more adventurous. I love spending as much time as possible with the kids and going out walking.”
Sarah Mulholland
“Fabulous! Perfect for a sunny Sunday!” – @pammersp
“Cook the cover @easyfoodmag strawberry orange drizzle cake” – @rachiebakesni
May competition winners 1 x dinner for two in Le Plancha Lilly Fitzgerald, Gorey, Co. Wexford
1 x hamper of Urban Veda skincare Laura Doyle, Rush, Co. Dublin
2 x €100 vouchers for 56 Central Melissa Ní Fhlaithearta, Claddagh, Co. Galway Flora O'Sullivan, Ennis, Co. Clare
lives in Dublin with her husband Ed and works in a local afterschool. She says, “I have loved cooking since I was small and learnt a lot of my recipes from my mum. Even though during the week I am busy and do quick dinners, on the weekends I love to try new recipes out on family and friends. I love cooking Italian food in particular, and being able to use the fruit and vegetables I grow in the garden.”
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Easy Food 9
FOOD BITES BREAD AND BARTER
A ROOM WITH A VIEW Roberta’s Restaurant, Bar and Terrace is a sparkly new Dublin eatery serving contemporary cuisine beneath a luxurious glass ceiling. Sink into a comfy chair with a crafted cocktail in the courtyard-style terrace, or gaze on the Liffey as you sit down to a casual meal. Dinner is served each night and from 11pm a DJ turns down the lights and turns up the tunes to transform it into a buzzing city-centre locale. The spacious restaurant is in the former Dollard Printworks Building, the oldest steel frame building in Ireland, and offers over 40 metres of
riverside views on one side while overlooking Temple Bar's cobblestoned streets on the other. Roberta’s Restaurant & Rooftop Bar First Floor 1 Essex Street East Temple Bar Dublin 2 Dinner and/or drinks from 5pm Drinks and tunes from 11pm *Brunch Saturdays and Sundays, coming soon! @RobertasDublin www.robertas.ie
The tradition of bartering has waned over the years, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less useful than it was in its heyday. Trading one good for another carries advantages, not least of all that you can minimise waste by exchanging your surplus stock for something you need. This is why we love that award-winning Wicklow-based Firehouse Bakery is bringing the concept back for customers. Looking for some wood-fired sourdough bread, a savoury treat or mouth-watering pastry? Well, it’s yours even if you don’t have cash to hand! Firehouse Bakery is now accepting trades of homegrown fruit, vegetables or herbs for freshly-baked bread and pastries. " We just want to reduce food waste, so as long as we are able to make use of the produce, we're happy to take it in exchange for bread and pastries," said owner Patrick Ryan.
FUN WITH FOOD!
The four winners of the 2017 Apprentice Chef programme visited the Easy Food office for a fun food styling workshop. These culinary marvels had a go at creating dishes to be professionally photographed with our in-house styling and photography team and, we have to say, we’d be happy to print these in any issue!
Emily O'Hara
Kelly English
Lauren Wall
Pádraig Randles
Check out their winning recipes from the Apprentice Chef finals on p.80 10 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
news
BBQ to beat cancer
Ballymaloe Foods and the Marie Keating Foundation have joined forces to ‘turn up the heat on cancer,’ and are inviting BBQ buffs to become BBQ heroes by organising a BBQ to Beat Cancer! This year, the initiative is focusing on raising awareness on issues surrounding men’s health. Every year 10,948 men are diagnosed with cancer and the Foundation’s nursing team educates men and women on the signs and symptoms of the common cancers affecting men, as well as what steps men can take to reduce the risk of cancer. The funds raised from the BBQ to Beat Cancer campaign will be used to help those on their cancer journey, while also funding programmes designed to raise awareness on cancer preventions.
HANDY AND WHOLESOME We’re all for convenient, high-quality ingredients, so we were delighted to hear about Homebird: O’Brien Fine Food’s new range of pre-cooked, ready-to-serve sliced chicken and turkey that is 100% Bord Bia approved. Homebird is also the only range to use quality sliced chicken and turkey that has been raised on Irish farms.
To host a fundraising BBQ, simply register your details on the Marie Keating Foundation website and you will receive a pack including a poster, invites, balloons, a Ballymaloe Foods coupon, Ballymaloe Foods recipes and the all-important chef’s hat! Those who host a BBQ to fundraise for the charity will also be entered into a weekly draw on receipt of the funds to win a selection of Ballymaloe goodies. For more information or to register visit www.mariekeating.ie/bbq
Homebird chicken is sourced from Manor Farm, while its turkey is sourced from Hogan’s Farm. The range includes traditional Irish roast chicken and turkey, as well as chicken in sweet and smoky or garlic and herb varieties. Available in supermarkets nationwide in 90g and 100g for €3.50, or two packs for €6. @realhomebird
sophisticated makeover of its beloved La Fougère restaurant, which has been transformed with subtle touches to make the most of those amazing vistas over Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay.
LOCAL ELEGANCE IN WESTPORT We indulged in a weekend out west, and already can’t wait to go back! Inspired by the scenic drama unfolding outside the windows, Knockranny House Hotel in Westport has just unveiled a stylish and
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We tucked in to the seasonal tasting menu, designed by chef Seamus Commons and paired with wines by sommelier Nick Faujours. Each course connects you to the stunning panorama right outside the floorto-ceiling windows — the scallops and wild turbot offer delicate tastes of the nearby sea, while the Mayo spring lamb is a hearty nod to one of the region’s specialties. Nick expertly advised us on each wine served with the dishes. Naturally, they did their job of balancing the subtle flavours and cutting through any richness. Knockranny’s strawberry “soup” is one
of the freshest twists we've seen on this seasonal favourite, while the black pudding “cigars” were a clever accompaniment to the seared scallops. The rooms boast spectacular views, while the restaurant's offerings highlight the culinary team's keen attention to detail. One would think the focus should ideally always be on one or the other, but the classic, cosmopolitan feel of the newly designed La Fougère makes it the ideal setting for thoroughly enjoying both. Knockranny House Hotel & Spa Westport Co. Mayo Ireland +353 (98) 28600 info@khh.ie www.knockrannyhousehotel.ie
Easy Food 11
CORNER
Adrian’s e of Chef To try som to p.16! recipes, flip
FAKEAWAY
AN AVOCADO A DAY
CRAVE
By Lara Ferroni Published by Sasquatch €17/£14.99
By Martha Collison Published by Harper Collins €19.35/£16.99
By Adrian Martin Published by Mercier Press €16.99/£14.90
The world’s trendiest fruit continues to cling stubbornly to its heyday and doesn’t seem to be giving up its Instagram credentials any time soon. This collection of beautiful recipes will be welcomed by any avo aficionado, beginning with breakfast (think green eggs; avocado waffles; and, of course, on toast) and continuing on through condiments, starters, sides, salads, soups, sambos (the Cubano is a thing of beauty) and main courses (fish and avo chips; avocado green curry noodles) before winding down with desserts (truffles, cakes, pies and cookies galore) and drinks. We are especially enamoured with the idea of pickled avocado slices and intrigued by the stuffed, twice-baked avocados. The lamb chops with avocado chutney look incredible, and we’re basically helpless before the idea of avocado margaritas (or “cado-ritas”).
Previous Great British Bake Off contestant Martha Collison is back with her second cookbook installment, this time focused on eight of the most common food cravings: citrus, fruit, nuts, spice, chocolate, caramel, cheese and alcohol. Everything looks so delicious, the book is actually giving us cravings we never knew we had! Sweet treats range from a simply stunning lemon meringue profiterole pyramid to a rich, luxurious flourless hazelnut pie via triple chocolate éclairs and brown sugar beignets, while on the savoury side of things, recipes include tartiflette potato skins, a mouthwatering baked Époisses fondue with prosciutto dippers, a beautiful preserved lemon and olive focaccia and spicy “fire” fries with raita dip. A beautiful collection of truly craveworthy recipes, this one is sure to bring pure, unadulterated joy to your kitchen.
We enjoy a good takeaway on occasion, but we also like to take it easy on our wallets and waistlines by making our own homemade versions where possible. We love this first-ever cookbook offering from this month’s guest editor, fresh-faced Chef Adrian; packed with a huge variety of “fakeaway” recipes, you’ll be sure to find whatever it is you’re in the mood for. Chapters include Indian, Chinese, Italian, American, Thai, Western Europe, world cuisine, burgers and ‘dogs, soups and subs, a host of tempting side dishes and healthy desserts. With classics such as tikka masala, chow mein, doner kebabs, the ubiquitous Irish chicken fillet roll, burritos and beer battered fish alongside more unusual offerings like white pudding croquettes or spaghetti with clams, there truly is something for every palate. Our only problem now will be choosing where to begin.
DINNER: CHANGING THE GAME By Melissa Clark Published by Clarkson Potter €31.90/£28 New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark is out to revolutionise your dinner with a hefty collection of 245 never-before-published dinner recipes. Hands-down, our favourite thing about this book is that each recipe is a complete meal in itself, needing at most some mixed leaves or crusty bread on the side. This is our kind of cooking: tasty, quick and easy, and often using only one pan. Organised by main ingredient (chicken, meat, seafood, eggs, pasta and noodles, tofu, vegetables, grains, pizza, soup and salads), the photos alone will have you itching to get into the kitchen. We’ve been staring longingly at the spicy stir-fried cumin lamb, the “pizza chicken” with pancetta, Mozzarella and spicy tomatoes, the crispy salt and pepper pork, the shrimp bánh-mì and the herbed Parmesan Dutch baby. If you’re as obsessed with your dinner as we are, we recommend you pick up this book and make each evening a little celebration.
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AUGUST 2017
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Easy Food 13
COMPETITIONS
Win a
POSTAL ENTRIE
MID-WEEK BREAK FOR TWO
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Looking to relax? Head to Wexford’s four-star Ferrycarrig Hotel; situated on the water's edge of the River Slaney, the hotel offers one of Ireland's most stunning getaways with every one of the hotel’s 102 rooms offering a view. Relax over dinner at the award-winning Reeds Restaurant; with every dish on the menu featuring locally sourced ingredients, it is no surprise Reeds Restaurant was recently named as the top hotel restaurant in Wexford and is listed in the top five hotel restaurants in Leinster for 2016 and 2017. Executive Chef Tony Carty says his ethos is to use “local, seasonal, quality ingredients” and the proof is in the pudding (literally!), as the menu is stacked with suppliers from all across Wexford. For a chance to win a mid-week break for two at Ferrycarrig Hotel, with dinner in Reeds Restaurant, simply email the answer to the question below and
14 Easy Food
your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with FERRYCARRIG in the subject line.
Q: What is the name of Ferrycarrig Hotel’s award-winning restaurant? For more information on Ferrycarrig Hotel and Reed Restaurant, visit www.ferrycarrighotel.ie.
AUGUST 2017
competitions
Win a hamper
OF PIZZA GOODIES! Pizza da Piero, creators of authentic handcrafted Italian pizza bases, has teamed up with Easy Food to offer three lucky readers a chance to win a Pizza da Piero hamper stocked with foodie treats. Pizza da Piero brings fresh, artisan pizza bases to Ireland. The bases are ready to top with your favourite ingredients and cook in any home oven. These quality bases are hand-made in the traditional Italian way, using only the finest ingredients. The result is guilt-free pizza, full of authentic Italian flavour. In fact, each 12” pizza base contains fewer than 365 calories! The hamper includes three sizes of Pizza da Piero bases; grande (the size of your oven shelf), medium (12”) and mini, along with your very own pizza stone and paddle — the perfect accessories to help you create delicious pizza at home for the family.
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Pizza da Piero is available in SuperValu, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Avoca, Cavistons Food Emporium, Ardkeen Quality Food Store and Sheridan’s Cheesemongers. Follow Pizza da Piero on Facebook and Twitter or visit the www.pizzadapiero.ie for ideas, recipes and more. To enter, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with PIZZA in the subject line.
Easy Food 15
ADRIAN
ON THE GO Chef Adrian Martin puts his twist on takeaway favourites in recipes from his debut cookbook
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guest editor Adrian Martin
With
the range of fad diets and conflicting food advice swirling around, it’s no wonder it can seem easier to avoid the kitchen altogether and let someone else do the cooking. This is why we need champions of home cooking like Adrian Martin; the 25-year-old Cavan native has been a familiar face on the Irish food scene for the past few years, promoting the benefits of cooking delicious, nutritious meals at home. Or — as he puts it — real food. When you meet Adrian, you know he’s the real deal. His chilled-out demeanor lends itself well to his penchant for witty remarks and a bubbling laugh that often has him doubled over. When you get on the topic of food, he buzzes with an infectious enthusiasm and can spout off any number of tips, ideas or anecdotes on everything from burgers to bain-maries. You may know him by his moniker, Chef Adrian, and recognise him from his appearances on TV3’s The Six O’Clock Show or RTÉ Player’s Fakeaway and Chef Adrian Eats Ireland. He travels the country working on food education for primary and secondary schools, and regularly hosts cookery demonstrations for charities, GAA clubs, ICA groups and festivals. Starting at a very young age, he trained in some of Ireland's most renowned restaurants including Neven Maguire's MacNean House and Bon Appétit in Malahide. He also holds a degree in Culinary Arts from the School Of Tourism Killybegs. This has equipped him with the right know-how to transform some of his favourite foods — from Nando’s chicken to KFC and meatball subs — into tasty homemade recipes that will help you ditch the takeaway menus. Adrian’s aim is to prove that real food is easy to make at home, even our beloved takeaways. He shares some recipes here from his first cookbook, Fakeaway, and proves that you can enjoy your favourite treats with much less work than you might expect and for a fraction of the price. For more information on Chef Adrian, visit www.chefadrian.ie.
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When did you first become interested in cooking? When I was 13, I was obsessed with Richard Corrigan and used to watch him on TV and any of his cookery series on YouTube. I was amazed by how he could throw together a meal just with a random set of ingredients in front of him. I was working a part-time job in SuperValu doing a lot of janitorial jobs — scrubbing toilets, mopping the floor — but what I was really interested in was working at the deli there. I’m a firm believer in, “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”, so I used to ask my manager all the time to let me have a shot at the deli. I kept getting turned down though, so I actually walked out of the job. I went down to Neven Maguire’s MacNean Restaurant and told them I really wanted to be a chef. I was eager to learn and asked if there was any chance they would give me a job. Sure enough, they put me to work straight away. I would head there after school from Wednesday through Friday, plus at the weekends and holidays.
You like to inspire people to cook real food; what is the benefit of this rather than relying on ready meals and takeaway? One of the most startling statistics I’ve learned is that €9 million is spent per week on takeaways in Ireland. I think that during the boom, a lot of people started eating out more and would get loads of takeaways. This led to a lot of kids not really being introduced to the benefits of home cooking. There’s no base level of food knowledge with a lot of these kids, and that’s what I wanted to help turn around. I go into schools — from primary schools up to colleges — and teach the basics, from how to hold a knife and chop an onion to making their own Bolognese or curry sauce. I hope it feeds into fixing another one of the main things I believe we’ve forgotten to do, and that’s spending more time together during meals around a table, with no social media allowed! Just sit down, have a meal together and enjoy each other’s time and conversation.
So the culinary persistence paid off! What was it like in the kitchens?
How did this inspire you to create your first cookbook?
The kitchen is a great place to learn. There was always someone who needed to do the odd jobs like peel the potatoes, peel and chop carrots and de-stem the spinach. I moved around the kitchen stations, from the meats to desserts to garnishes. Eventually, I got to the stage where I could serve full tickets on my own. Chefs are a great support for people who are really interested in a culinary career. I ended up training professionally, with a degree from the School of Tourism Killebegs, and worked in some of the best restaurants in Ireland. Chefs know straight away if you’re trained and treat you with a great deal of respect. It’s about speaking the same language as them and being able to keep up.
I love chatting to students and asking them questions about what they love eating. Of course, it’s usually takeaway staples! So this cookbook is really a collection of a lot of my favourite recipes, plus the foods that people just love to eat. The book is a good journey for cooks; if you’re a beginner cook, you can start off with a recipe for something you’re already familiar with, maybe a curry or a chicken roll. If you’re more experienced, these recipes are going to still be delicious!
continued on next page
What made you want to pursue a culinary career? After training, a lot of my chef friends decided to move to Australia. Melbourne has a really great food scene, so I had the option of moving there, but I wasn’t really all that interested. I decided to stay in Ireland and take a chance here. I got in touch with different food producers and schools and offered my services as a qualified chef who would be happy to essentially come and show people how to cook.
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Easy Food 17
What changes are you finding in the Irish food scene? I think we’re really turning into a nation of foodies. When people go out to eat now, it’s all about the best — “You gotta go!”, “It’s the best burger!” or “These chicken wings are the best!” Restaurants seem to feed peoples’ obsession with food now, and more places are specialising in just one thing done really
well. Filming my RTÉ Player series, Chef Adrian Eats Ireland, I got to travel across the country to find the ultimate versions of a lot of foodie favourites from chicken wings to burgers, and I found that people are so passionate about what they think is the best! The book comes alongside this and also feeds peoples’ desires to explore these foods, but in a way that lets them cook them at home.
What do you like to cook at home for yourself? Anything! It really changes all the time. For lunch, I’ll often cook a risotto, since I usually have the main ingredients in the cupboard anyway. I’m a big steak lover; I will usually eat steak once or twice a week. I love making a curry — the crispy honey chilli chicken bites in my cookbook is one of my go-to meals when served with a bit of rice. Honestly, a lot of the recipes in the book are ones I’ve made for myself over and over again throughout the years. I find once people learn to make these recipes once or twice, they’re so easy that you can just keep throwing them together.
What’s the best kitchen tip/advice you’ve ever received? Organisation in the kitchen is key. I have a friend who’s never cooked in his life; he literally has a ready meal every day. I’ve made it a personal mission to make sure he cooks a meal every week from my cookbook. Cooking with him, I realised that he had no idea where anything was in the kitchen, which made it so much more difficult to cook anything there. It’s great to have everything to hand — from pots and pans hanging on hooks right above the hob, to chopping boards always in reach. Also, make sure you have good, sharp knives ready to use.
Time to dish: what’s the worst kitchen disaster you’ve ever had? Ha! I’ve had two, both at Neven Maguire’s MacNean Restaurant. One was when I was about 16 years old and making confit duck legs; these would marinate and cure overnight, then be placed into huge trays of duck fat in the oven for six hours on a low setting. I overfilled one of the trays with duck fat, and it spilled onto the bottom of the oven as it cooked. Well, it set the entire oven on fire! I nearly burned down the kitchen, which definitely wouldn’t have been ideal. The other was when I was about 14 or 15; the kitchen staff had made a ton of sauces for a wedding. These sauces take hours to make and the containers they had been packed in were piled high in the cold room. I accidently knocked them over, and they spilled all over the floor — it was like a swimming pool! I had to make them all over again myself in the end. Every good chef has made millions of mistakes; it’s all about making them, learning from them and moving on! 18 Easy Food
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guest editor Adrian Martin
Buffalo chicken wings with a smoked garlic and chive dip Serves 4-6
“A classic wing from the United States. It is normally deep fried and coated in a vinegary, buttery, spicy sauce, but for a healthier version I bake these in the oven. This version has the addition of bourbon to the sauce, which adds an incredible musty flavour. Don’t worry, the alcohol burns off in the cooking.” 24 chicken wings 2 pinches of sea salt 5 sprigs of fresh thyme 3 tbsp olive oil 1 x 354ml bottle of hot sauce (I prefer Frank’s) 100ml white wine vinegar 100ml bourbon 100g butter A handful of sesame seeds 1 red chilli, sliced 4 spring onions, sliced For the garlic and chive dip: 4-5 chives 2 garlic cloves, smoked 3 tbsp mayonnaise 1 First make the garlic and chive dip. Slice the chives thinly and finely chop or crush the garlic. Mix the chives and garlic into the mayonnaise in a small bowl and set aside until needed. 2 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 3 Season the chicken wings with the salt and thyme leaves. Now sprinkle the wings with the oil. Give them a good mix with clean hands and place on a baking tray. Roast the wings for 25 minutes. 4 While the wings are cooking, make the sauce. Place the whole bottle of hot sauce in a wide saucepan. Add the white wine vinegar, bourbon and butter and then allow to simmer until the sauce becomes sticky and reduces to a nice syrup consistency. 5 After 25 minutes remove the wings from the oven and dunk them into the sauce. Return them to the oven for another five minutes and then dunk them again to get them extra sticky. Place them into the oven for a further five minutes and then they are ready. Spoon them into a dish, place the dip on one side, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, chilli and spring onions and tuck in.
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Easy Food 19
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guest editor Adrian Martin
Lamb shank rogan josh Serves 4
“The inspiration for this recipe came from a time when my lecturer Gabriel McSharry made his incredible rogan josh in college. I loved the spices and felt they gave the ordinary lamb shank a complete lift. Here is my take on his recipe. Cheers Gabriel.” 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for searing 2 cinnamon sticks 5 cardamom pods 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 1-2 bay leaves 2 onions, sliced 1 tbsp ginger, grated 1 tbsp garlic, chopped Sea salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp chilli powder 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp sugar 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt 4 lamb shanks, excess fat removed 1 tbsp garam masala 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and sweat the cinnamon, cardamom, fennel and cumin seeds and bay leaves in it. Then add the onions, ginger and garlic, and fry, stirring constantly, until they turn golden, using a pinch of salt to help them sweat. 2 Add the ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli and continue to stir, adding two tablespoons of cold water to prevent the spices from burning. 3 Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and sugar to balance the acidity. 4 Gradually add the yoghurt and stir in to the mixture. Keep stirring until all the yoghurt has incorporated into the sauce and making sure the oil has not separated. 5 Sear the lamb in some oil in a frying pan on a high heat, ensuring that it is sealed and browned all over. 6 Place the meat in an oven roasting tray, then pour over the sauce, cover with foil and roast in the oven for three hours, until the meat is tender. 7 Remove from the oven, mix the garam masala into the sauce with a spoon, and adjust the seasoning with sea salt. Spoon
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the lamb shanks into bowls and ladle over that amazing sauce. Finally sprinkle with the chopped coriander and enjoy with a side of your choice. I love serving this with some mashed potato or sticky rice.
The chicken fillet roll Serves 4
“Every deli counter in Ireland sells a chicken fillet roll. Students live on them for lunch. Here’s my healthy version. It may take a little longer to make your own, but at least you know exactly what has gone into it.” For the chia rolls: 500g wholemeal flour A pinch of caster sugar A pinch of sea salt 1 x 7g sachet of fast action yeast 325ml water 1 egg, beaten Chia seeds For the chicken: Plain flour, for dusting 4 chicken breasts 3 eggs, beaten 2 tbsp Cajun spice Wholemeal breadcrumbs Sea salt Olive oil Mayonnaise Rocket leaves (optional)
1 First, make the rolls. In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together. Then, using a fork, mix in the water. Once a dough forms, place it onto a flour-dusted surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and soft. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel in a warm area until it doubles in size. 2 Once the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 3 Cut the dough into four pieces and roll into a nice bread roll shape. Place the rolls onto a tray lined with parchment paper and score the top of each 3-4 times with a knife. Brush the rolls with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with chia seeds. Bake for 25 minutes. Leave the oven on for cooking the chicken. 4 Put some flour in a bowl and dust each chicken breast, then dip them into the beaten egg. In another bowl mix together the Cajun spice and wholemeal breadcrumbs, and dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mix. Place the chicken on a baking tray, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with oil, and bake for about 25 minutes. The timing really depends on the size of the chicken breasts you use — just make sure there isn’t a sign of pink meat when you cut it. You can bake the rolls and chicken together to save time. 5 Now it’s time to assemble them. Slice your rolls in half and slice the chicken into strips. Layer some mayonnaise onto your rolls, then add the chicken and some rocket leaves, and you’re ready to go.
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guest editor Adrian Martin
Prawn pad Thai Serves 2
“This isn’t your authentic Pad Thai recipe, but it’s a simple twist on it that tastes very similar and uses easily accessible ingredients that we have here in Ireland. You can always substitute your favourite meats like chicken or beef if you don’t like prawns. Most supermarkets now stock smoked garlic and baby spring onions. But if it happens that they don’t, just use the ordinary varieties, giving the spring onions a small chop.” 200g rice noodles 2 garlic cloves, roasted A handful of coriander, leaves and stalks separated ¼ stick of lemon grass 1 red chilli Olive oil 10 Dublin bay prawns shelled and deveined (ask your fishmonger to do this) 10 baby spring onions Zest and juice of 2 limes 100g bean sprouts Sea salt A handful of salted peanuts, chopped 1 Place the noodles in salted boiling water and cover for five minutes to soften. 2 Chop the garlic, coriander stalks, lemon grass and chilli, then fry together in some oil for one minute over a medium heat. Add the prawns and spring onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 3 Add the lime zest and juice and the bean sprouts. Now add the noodles to the pan and stir well until heated through. Season with sea salt to taste and serve sprinkled with the chopped peanuts and coriander leaves.
The pimped-up burger Serves 4
“If you like eggs you will love this burger. The egg bakes in the centre of the bun and also toasts the bun at the same time.” 570g beef mince 2 good pinches of sea salt 100g breadcrumbs 4 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks A small piece of ginger, grated 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, plus extra for topping Olive oil 4 of your favourite buns
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400g smoked cheddar Mayonnaise 1 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/gas mark 3. 2 Mix the mince, sea salt, breadcrumbs, egg yolks, ginger and sweet chilli sauce in a large bowl. Split the mixture into four pieces and shape into patties. 3 Heat some oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the patties until they are golden and crispy on each side. 4 While the patties are cooking, use a ring cutter to cut out a ring from the top of each
of the burger buns. Put these on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and crack an egg into the hole in the middle of each. Bake the buns with the eggs in the oven for 5–8 minutes. If you like your egg runny take it out after five minutes. If you like it well cooked, leave it in for the full eight minutes. 5 Once the burgers are cooked, grate the cheese over them. 6 Now it’s time to build your burger. Spread a layer of mayonnaise on the bottom part of the burger bun, then add the burger with cheese, blob some sweet chilli sauce on top, and top off with the eggy bun. Delicious!
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guest editor Adrian Martin
Crispy honey chilli chicken bites Serves 2
“Another Chinese takeaway favourite. Sweet, spicy and absolutely delicious. Try to use good quality local honey as it is a good source of antioxidants. You can bake the chicken in the oven if you don’t fancy wok-frying it.” 2 large chicken breasts Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 200g plain flour 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger 1 large red chilli (or more for extra heat) 300ml rapeseed oil 1 large lemon 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 2 tsp soy sauce 80ml water 2 tsp cornflour 2 tbsp honey A handful of spring onions
into an oval shape, roughly 1½cm thick. 5 Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add one of the ovals and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until cooked through, turning halfway. Brush with a little of the remaining melted butter. If the butter has gone solid again, just melt it over a low heat. Then sprinkle with a few nigella seeds and a small pinch of salt. Keep warm in the oven while you make the remaining breads. 6 Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips. Mix some salt, black pepper and the plain flour in a bowl and coat the chicken with this mixture. Set aside. 7 Peel and finely slice the ginger and cut the chilli into thin strips, removing the seeds. 8 Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Meanwhile, juice the lemon into a cup or bowl, add the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce,
water and cornflour and stir together. Leave to one side. 9 Fry the chicken in batches for a few minutes in the hot oil until golden brown, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat until all the chicken is looking ace! 10 Discard all but about a tablespoon of the oil from the wok, then gently fry the ginger and chilli for a minute or so. Add the honey and stir whilst it is bubbling away for another minute. Then add the lemon juice mixture. Keep stirring and bring to the boil, the sauce will thicken in about one minute. 11 Return the chicken to the wok to heat through for a few minutes, tossing in the sauce to coat well. Slice the spring onions into fancy diagonals and throw into the wok for the last minute of cooking. 12 Serve with some naan bread or rice.
For the naan bread: ½ x 7g sachet of dried yeast 1 tsp runny honey 125ml lukewarm water 45g unsalted butter 250g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting Sea salt 3 heaped tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt 1 tbsp nigella seeds 1 For the naan bread, combine the yeast, honey and lukewarm water in a bowl, then set aside for five minutes, or until the mixture is starting to bubble. 2 Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Meanwhile, combine the flour and half a tablespoon of salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in one tablespoon of the melted butter, the yoghurt and the yeast mixture, and beat the wet ingredients together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour from the sides until the mixture starts to form a rough dough, then bring it together with your hands — it should be soft and sticky, so add a splash more water if you think it needs it. 3 Knead the dough on a flour-dusted surface for around five minutes, or until smooth, then place into a lightly floured bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. 4 Once risen, knock back the dough with your fist, then divide into six balls. Roll each portion
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Easy Food 25
26 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
guest editor Adrian Martin
The spice bag Serves 2
“The latest trendy thing to eat across Ireland is the spice bag. It’s sold in Chinese takeaways, but was invented in Ireland. With this dish, it’s all about the spice mixture. Here’s my version.” 2 chicken breasts, sliced into small strips 2 eggs, beaten ½ tsp cumin 200g ground almonds 1 tsp coconut oil Sliced red and green chilli (optional) For the chips: 4 medium-sized Maris Piper potatoes, washed 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped 1 onion, sliced 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted For the spice: 2 good pinches of sea salt 1 tbsp Chinese five spice ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp chilli powder 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 2 To make the chips, slice the potatoes to whatever thickness you like. Sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and sliced onion, coat with the coconut oil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Make sure you mix all the ingredients with your hands before cooking. If your tray isn’t non-stick, use some greaseproof or parchment paper. 3 To prepare the chicken, place the strips into the beaten egg. In a separate bowl mix the cumin and ground almonds, then place the chicken strips into the mixture, ensuring they are fully coated. If you find they aren’t fully coated, go back and dip into the egg and then back into the ground almond mix once more. 4 Place the chicken onto a baking tray, put it in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. 5 Mix the spices together in a small bowl. Once cooked, combine the chicken and chips and then from a height sprinkle the spice mix over them, making sure to coat both the chicken and chips. 6 I recommend serving this in a bag or wrapped up in some newspaper, with a sprinkling of red and green sliced chilli.
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Pork tacos Serves 2
“Tacos are a traditional Mexican food consisting of a meat or vegetarian filling in a corn or wheat tortilla shell. This is my favourite version, which is made with crispy pork belly. For convenience you can ask your butcher to slice up the pork belly for you.” 1 red onion, thinly sliced Sea salt 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 400g pork belly, sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika 2 tbsp natural yoghurt 1 small bunch of coriander, chopped 1 lime, sliced thinly For the tacos: 100g wholemeal flour 60g water A pinch of salt 1 Mix the red onion, a pinch of sea salt and white wine vinegar together. Leave the mixture to sit until serving.
2 To make the tacos, mix the flour, water and salt in a bowl with a fork. Dust a work surface with a little extra flour and knead the dough until smooth. 3 Divide the dough into eight pieces and roll out with a rolling pin until they are half the depth of a one euro coin. Fry them over a medium heat in a dry pan until cooked on either side. You’ll know they are cooked once you have a nice golden colour on each side. Allow them to cool down curled around a rolling pin, wooden spoon, or even placed into small bowls just to hold their shape. 4 To prepare the pork belly, put the olive oil in a frying pan over a low to medium heat and add the meat. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and two good pinches of sea salt and cook until golden and crispy. The pork belly will release a lot of fat and oil, so once it is cooked, remove it from the pan and drain on lots of kitchen paper. Cooking the pork on a low to medium heat will allow most of the fat to render out. 5 Build up the tacos by placing some of the crispy pork into each tortilla. Spoon in some of the red onion and a dollop of yoghurt. Scatter with some fresh coriander, serve with some lime slices and get stuck in.
Easy Food 27
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What's in season? EASY RECIPES USING THE BEST OF THIS MONTH'S FRESH, SEASONAL INGREDIENTS
30-37 IN THIS SECTION
FEELING FRUITY P30
Sweet, juicy stone fruits are the epitome of summer flavours
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EAT IRELAND P36 Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle explores some of the Boyne Valley's fabulous foods
Easy Food 29
30 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
what’s in season? stone fruits
FEELING Sweet, juicy stone fruits are the epitome of summer flavours
To market, to market
Stone fruits won’t become sweeter once they’re picked, but are often harvested while still a little under-ripe so that they don’t bruise during transit. Look for fruits that have the colour, if not the softness, of ripe fruit, then let them soften at room temperature for a few days.
Apricot
love... STONE FRUITS
Peach
Plum
Nectarine www.easyfood.ie
Cherry
❤ OLIVE OIL ❤ SALTY CHEESES ❤ BLACK PEPPER ❤ CHOCOLATE ❤ CITRUS ❤ CINNAMON ❤ PORK AND DUCK ❤ FRESH HERBS ❤ CURED MEATS, SUCH AS PROSCIUTTO OR BACON ❤ NUTS ❤ VANILLA ❤ HONEY ❤ GINGER
Easy Food 31
Nectarine and raspberry cobbler Serves 8
For the filling: 650g nectarines, peeled and chopped 150g raspberries 1 tsp orange juice 200g granulated sugar 1½ tbsp cornflour ¼ tsp salt For the topping: 300g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 2½ tbsp granulated sugar Zest of 1 orange 55g cold butter, cubed 120ml milk 60ml orange juice To serve: Vanilla ice cream 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm tart tin with tall sides. 2 In a bowl, toss the fruit with the juice and sugar. Stir together the cornflour and salt, then toss through the fruit and set aside. 3 In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and two tablespoons of the sugar. Add the zest and butter, then use your fingers to rub this into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. 4 In a jug, stir together the milk and orange juice. Pour this into the crumble mixture and stir until everything is just combined into a dough. 5 Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until it comes together. Form the dough into a ball and roll into a 23cm circle. 6 Pour the fruit into the prepared tart tin. Carefully place the dough over the top and sprinkle with the remaining half tablespoon of sugar. 7 Bake for 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream. Per Serving 366kcals, 6.9g fat (3.8g saturated), 73.6g carbs, 37.5g sugars, 5.8g protein, 4g fibre, 0.197g sodium
32 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
what’s in season? stone fruits
Tomato, peach, prosciutto and goat’s cheese salad Serves 4
200g rocket 3 ripe tomatoes, sliced 2 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced 6 slices of prosciutto, torn 200g soft fresh goat’s cheese Large pinch of fresh thyme leaves Small handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt and black pepper
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1 Place the rocket on a serving platter and layer over the slices of tomato and peach. Tear over the prosciutto. Scatter the goat’s cheese, fresh herbs and shallots over the top. 2 In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper. 3 Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad.
MAKE IT YOURS: Use Parma or Serrano ham in place of the prosciutto. Soft blue cheeses will work well in place of the goat’s cheese if you like a stronger flavour. Add croutons for some crunch, if desired.
Per Serving 379kcals, 26.6g fat (13.7g saturated), 16.3g carbs, 11.6g sugars, 21.6g protein, 4g fibre, 0.413g sodium
Easy Food 33
Added extras
Grilled peaches with whiskey brown butter
Serves 4 Place 60g butter in a saucepan set over a medium heat. Allow it to melt, then foam. After 2-3 minutes, the foaming will subside and the butter will have browned. Remove the pan from the heat and, standing back, carefully add 60ml whiskey. Stir in 100g brown sugar and return to a medium-high heat. Let the sugar dissolve and the sauce boil for five minutes. Preheat a barbecue or griddle pan to a medium-high heat. Halve 4 peaches and remove the pits. Place the peaches, cut side-down, into the sauce for 30-40 seconds to coat the surface. Move the peaches to the barbecue or griddle pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until they soften and their outsides begin to caramelise. Serve the peaches drizzled with the whiskey brown butter with whipped cream on the side. Scatter with chopped pistachios or pecan nuts, if desired.
Plum sauce
Serves 4 Remove the zest from 1 orange in wide strips using a vegetable peeler. Place the zest in a saucepan and squeeze in the juice of the orange. Whisk in 4 tbsp rice vinegar, 6 tbsp honey and 200ml red wine. Add 6 sprigs of fresh mint, place over a medium-high heat and cook for 12-15 minutes until syrupy. Add 2 peeled, pitted and chopped plums and cook for 4-5 minutes longer until slightly soft. Remove from the heat and discard the mint. Stir in a knob of butter and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve the plum sauce with duck or pork.
___ JAN ___ FEB
In season May – September
___ MAR ___ APR ___ MAY ___ JUNE ___ JULY ___ AUG ___ SEPT ___ OCT ___ NOV ___ DEC
Sunrise smoothie
Serves 1 In a blender, combine 250ml unsweetened almond milk, 4 tbsp oats, 6 hulled and chopped strawberries, 1 tsp chia seeds and 1 tbsp orange juice. Blend until smooth. Pour into two large glasses, filling them about halfway. Give the blender a quick rinse. In the blender, combine 120ml orange juice, 3 pitted, chopped apricots, 1 medium banana, 1 tbsp honey and Âź tsp grated fresh ginger. Blend until smooth. Pour this mixture over the pink layer in the glasses to create a sunrise effect. Serve immediately.
34 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
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Leisure is delighted to introduce the new top of the range CuisineMaster which combines an improved design with cooking performance to make it worthy to become the centre of attention of any kitchen. The sleek and sophisticated look combined with a stylish and durable design will ensure this model will prove popular with food lovers. The new model includes a 5-zone touch control induction hob, with two large ovens and a third oven and grill combination providing maximum capacity and flexible cooking including a faster and safer pan heating feature. Further complementing the user friendly and safer design, the CuisineMaster includes an improved responsive and controllable induction technology ensuring an enhanced cooking experience. Available in stainless steel, the innovative and energy efficient model boasts a self-cleaning mode with cook clean catalytic liners and removable glass doors to provide users with effortless cleaning options. The CuisineMaster CS90D530X is now available from all good retailers nationwide. To find your local retailer, visit: www.leisurecooker.ie/support/find-a-retailer. For more information visit: www.leisurecooker.ie/item/ cs90d530#Stainless Steel.
EAT Ireland Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle explores some of the Boyne Valley's fabulous foods
T
he Boyne Valley in Ireland’s Ancient East is an area steeped in millennia of history and mythology. Made up of fertile soils, rich grasslands, natural forests and the River Boyne as it courses towards the sea, the Valley offered a safe, prosperous home to the Stone Age builders who raised Newgrange even before the Egyptian pyramids were constructed, and to the pagan gods and goddesses who resided there in the shadowy aeons before that. The region continues to provide such quality sustenance today that it was recognised as Ireland's Foodie Destination of the Year in 2016. I’m on the way there to see what all the fuss is about. We meet at the Monasterboice Inn, where the proprietors raise their own herd of cattle on Pleasure Hill — a name that must seem apt to the sole bull, smugly surrounded by his own personal harem of cows. Farmer Joe O’Reilly believes that “you can’t correct bad breeding, and you can’t correct bad feeding,” and the herd — a mixture of breeds — is kept out at pasture for as much of the year as possible, happily munching on the lush grasses that make Ireland so special. Later, in the Inn, we’ll get to sample the end product in a superb steak dinner with all the trimmings. We move on to the newly-built Boann Distillery and Boyne Brewhouse, a two-inone producing some of my favourite things: Irish whiskey and craft beer, as well as a cider. This is a family project, deliberately built near the river so that they might draw natural spring water from the on-site well. We’re welcomed to the vast, glassy building by Sally-Ann Cooney, in charge of marketing, PR and hospitality. The Cooney family have big plans, and we’re standing in the primitive stages of what will become a visitors’ centre and restaurant. We sample their inaugural whiskey, operating under the temporary moniker “Whistler” until 36 Easy Food
they have a batch that has been distilled and aged here for the requisite three years, at which point it will assume its permanent name: Boann, after the pagan goddess who purportedly created the Boyne Valley. Even now, in its formative years, this is a quality whiskey; I’m already hankering to taste its more mature sister once she has graduated from the cask. We chase our samples down with Boyne Brewhouse beers, enjoyed in the sunshine, and I savour my flavoursome amber ale. On we roll to our next stop: Coastguard Smokehouse in Annagassan, where the unassuming Terry Butterly makes absolutely stunning smoked fish with little fanfare. We step into his diminutive smokehouse while he explains the process of smoking his salmon, cod, haddock and hake, and the patience involved — slowsmoking the fish can take eight hours, but this produces a far superior end product. As he talks, Terry expertly slices hot and cold smoked salmon for us to nibble. The flavour is fantastic, a world away from mass-produced smoked salmon; the delicate touch of slow-smoking allows the natural taste of the fish to have as much presence as the smoke. After our tour, we sit in the idyllic garden which slopes down to the river, languidly enjoying platters of smoked salmon and hake with little cups of red wine.
them. The old idiom “busy as a bee” is no less true for being clichéd; it takes visits to up to two million flowers to make just one jar of honey, and no matter how much is already stored in the hive, the dogged little creatures never stop collecting. Eoghan reminds us that this is not the bees’ most important job: far more essential is their role in cross-pollination, with many plant species heavily reliant on their comings and goings. Humans’ increasing use of chemical pesticides has led to a real threat facing bees worldwide; if hives collapse, so too will many of our floras. We take teaspoons of Eoghan’s honey and marvel at the depth of flavour; the wide range of wildflowers from which the bees collect provides real complexity rather than simple sweetness. Later, back in Monasterboice Inn, we lounge in our post-prandial seats with bellies full of splendid steaks and carefully matched wines, and I reflect on the day’s eating. Just as those burgeoning Stone Age farmers were drawn to the Boyne Valley over five thousand years ago, it’s not hard to see why its lush, fertile fields continue to attract farmers, brewers and artisan producers. Thanks to its long history, there is a veritable wealth of tourist attractions scattered throughout the Valley but, even if that’s not your thing, it’s worth a visit purely for the local food and drink. This Louth Food Safari was part of the Boyne Valley Food Series, which is running throughout 2017. For details of upcoming events, visit www.boynevalleyfoodseries.ie.
The final stop of the day is Barmeath Castle, home to the Bellew family since the 1670s, where Eoghan Mac Giolla Coda is waiting to introduce us to his bees. Eoghan has hives spread from here to Drogheda and up the Coolea Mountains, with 40,000 black Irish bees in each, all hard at work making his renowned Lannléire Honey from the nectar they forage from the meadows, hedgerows and forests surrounding AUGUST 2017
what's in season? local food
Chive Dutch baby with Annagassan smoked salmon and lemon crème fraîche Serves 2-4
Top tip:
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5 tbsp crème fraîche 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp lemon zest, grated Black pepper 3 eggs, beaten 100g flour 180ml milk Pinch of salt 2 tbsp Parmesan, grated 4 tbsp chives, chopped, plus extra to serve 40g butter 120g smoked salmon 1 In a small bowl, stir together the crème fraîche, lemon juice and zest. Season with black pepper and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve. 2 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Place a 25cm cast iron or ovenproof pan in the oven to preheat for 15 minutes. 3 In a bowl, beat the eggs, flour, milk and salt until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan and chives. 4 Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the butter. Once melted, pour the batter into the pan. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden; do not open the oven door while it cooks. Reduce the temperature to 150°C/130°C fan/ gas mark 2 and cook for another five minutes. 5 Remove the Dutch baby from the oven. Top with smoked salmon, a generous dollop of the lemon crème fraîche and some extra chives. Slice and serve immediately with the remaining lemon crème fraîche on the side. Per Serving 648kcals, 37.1g fat (20g saturated), 45.3g carbs, 5.1g sugars, 33.3g protein, 1.5g fibre, 1.67g sodium
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Easy Food 37
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40-49 IN THIS SECTION
WEEKNIGHT WONDERS P40
These tasty chicken dinners are easy to prepare and even easier to eat!
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HALE AND HEARTY P45
Cupboard staples give these flavoursome meals a healthy kick
FROM THE BUTCHER'S BLOCK P48
Local butcher Michael Fleming encourages us to broaden our horizons
Easy Food 39
Weeknight wonders
These tasty chicken dinners are easy to prepare and even easier to eat!
40 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
larder luck chicken dinners
BBQ chicken drumsticks Serves 4 8 Moy Park Chicken Drumsticks 350ml BBQ sauce 60ml apple cider vinegar 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp chilli powder 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp mustard powder 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and place the drumsticks in a large baking dish. (For slow-cooked drumsticks, place them in the bowl of a slow cooker.) 2 Combine the remaining ingredients in a large jug. Whisk together well, then pour over the drumsticks. Place the baking tray in the oven for 40 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked throughout. (For slow-cooked drumsticks, cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours.) 3 Serve the drumsticks warm with cooked rice, potatoes or chips. Per Serving 333kcals, 6.4g fat (1.4g saturated), 40g carbs, 26g sugars, 26.5g protein, 2.7g fibre, 1.138g sodium
x
Spatchcocked Piri Piri chicken Serves 4-6 5 red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved Large bunch of fresh parsley Juice of 2 lemons 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp caster sugar 2 tsp sea salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 Moy Park Fresh Whole Chicken To serve: Jacket chips Coleslaw Lemon wedges 1 In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chillies, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Whizz until well combined. 2 Place the chicken, breast-side down, on a
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chopping board and carefully cut along both sides of the backbone with good kitchen scissors or poultry shears. Discard the backbone. Cut off the wing tips. 3 Turn the chicken over and push down firmly on the breastbone to flatten out the bird. 4 Place the chicken in a shallow, non-metallic baking dish, tucking in the wings and legs. 5 Massage the marinade into all sides of the chicken, coating every part well. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to marinate for at least five hours, or overnight if possible. 6 Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6, then place the chicken on a rack over a large baking tray, breast-side up. 7 Roast for 40-50 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked throughout and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with tin foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
Easy Food RECOMMENDS
FRESH WHOLE IRISH CHICKEN Moy Park’s Whole Irish Chicken offers a 100% fresh, succulent grade A roast every time. Perfect for dinner for the whole family, Moy Park chicken is for everyone to enjoy. We want you to share the goodness that you find in all of our delicious products, from fresh chicken drumsticks to breaded goujons. Moy Park is part of family life — from the succulent Sunday roast to goodness-filled school night dinners, and everything in between.
8 Carve the chicken, then serve with jacket chips, coleslaw and lemon wedges. Per Serving 407kcals, 24.9g fat (6.7g saturated), 2.8g carbs, 1g sugars, 40.5g protein, 0.5g fibre, 0.75g sodium
x Easy Food 41
Baked chicken fajitas Serves 4 2 peppers (any colour), deseeded and sliced 2 onions, sliced 2 tbsp fajita seasoning 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil 1 x 300g pack of Moy Park Breaded Chicken Mini Fillets To serve: Flour tortillas Avocado, sliced Pickled jalapeños Salsa Sour cream
42 Easy Food
1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. 2 In a bowl, combine the peppers, onions, fajita seasoning and oil. Stir to coat the vegetables thoroughly. Transfer to a large, rimmed baking tray. 3 Push the vegetables to one side and place the chicken on the other side of the tray. 4 Bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked throughout and the vegetables are tender. 5 Serve with large flour tortillas, sliced avocado, pickled jalapeños, salsa and sour cream for assembling at the table. Per serving 520kcals, 26.7g fat (5.5g saturated), 49.8g carbs, 4.5g sugars, 21g protein, 7.3g fibre, 1.199g sodium
Easy Food RECOMMENDS
CHICKEN BREAST MINI FILLETS Moy Park’s tasty and tender Chicken Breast Mini Fillets in a crispy breadcrumb coating are perfect for any family feast as a quick and convenient midweek meal! Available in 300g packs, they are great for sharing, snacking and dunking in your favourite sauce! Moy Park aims to keep providing chicken products that add happiness and quality to the lives of all kinds of families. Not only is our chicken acclaimed for taste, but it reaches the standards that you expect and deserve when you buy great food.
AUGUST 2017
larder luck chicken dinners
Easy pineapple teriyaki chicken Serves 4 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp water 40g brown sugar 2 tbsp honey 120ml soy sauce 60ml white wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp black pepper 2 tsp vegetable oil 4 Moy Park Chicken Breast Fillets, sliced 150g tinned pineapple chunks, drained To serve: Rice Spring onions, sliced Sesame seeds
Turn off the heat and set aside for 10-15 minutes, allowing the sauce to cool and thicken. 2 Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Fry the chicken in batches until browned and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. 3 When all of the chicken has been browned, return it all to the wok and add the sauce and pineapple. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked throughout and the sauce is thick and sticky. 4 Divide the chicken and pineapple between four serving plates, each with a portion of rice. Pour over the excess sauce from the pan and sprinkle sliced spring onions and sesame seeds over the top. Per Serving 375kcals, 10.2g fat (2.8g saturated), 28g carbs, 22.7g sugars, 41.6g protein, 1.1g fibre, 1.939g sodium
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Club sandwiches with crispy chicken Serves 2
1 In a cup, stir together the cornflour and water. Transfer the mixture into a saucepan and add the brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Place over a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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2 Moy Park Breaded Chicken Steaks 4 thick-cut smoked rashers 6 thick-cut slices of white bread 2 tbsp mustard mayonnaise 4 thick slices of semi-ripe tomatoes 6 Little Gem lettuce leaves
2-3 tbsp coleslaw, prepared or homemade To serve: Chips or crisps 1 Cook the chicken according to the package instructions, then set aside to cool. 2 Turn the grill on to a high heat and cook the rashers for 4-5 minutes per side until crispy. Set aside to cool. 3 Lightly toast the bread. Spread four slices of the toast with mustard mayonnaise. 4 To assemble each sandwich, begin with one of the mustard mayonnaise-coated slices of toast and layer with two rashers, sliced tomato and lettuce leaves. Sandwich together with one of the dry slices of toast. Add a layer of coleslaw on top of that. Slice some chicken and place over the coleslaw. Add a second slice of toast, with the mustard mayonnaise facing down. Press down gently, then slice diagonally and secure each half with a cocktail stick. 5 Repeat with the remaining ingredients to form the second club sandwich. 6 Serve immediately with chips or crisps. Per Serving 527kcals, 28.9g fat (6.7g saturated), 44.2g carbs, 5.1g sugars, 22.1g protein, 3.2g fibre, 1.536g sodium
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larder luck healthy meals
Hale and hearty Cupboard staples give these flavoursome meals a healthy kick
Apple cider and ginger shrub
To serve: Soda water (optional) Mint leaves (optional)
Serves 2 2 tbsp Frontier Foods Cider Vinegar 1½ tbsp Jakemans Maple Syrup 1 x 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated 300ml water www.easyfood.ie
1 Combine all of the ingredients in a jar. Cover and place in the fridge for at least two hours or up to a day. 2 When ready to serve, shake the jar vigorously. Taste and add more maple syrup if desired.
3 Place some ice cubes in the bottom of two glasses. Strain the shrub through a fine sieve into the glasses. 4 Top up with soda water, if desired, and garnish each glass with a mint leaf. Per Serving 164kcals, 0.4g fat (0.1g saturated), 40.6g carbs, 33g sugars, 0.5g protein, 0.6g fibre, 0.007g sodium
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46 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
larder luck healthy meals
Seared steak salad with jalapeño chimichurri Serves 4 For the jalapeño chimichurri: 1 large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped 2 large handfuls of fresh coriander, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, crushed 8 La Costena Pickled Jalapeño Nacho Slices 1 spring onion, roughly chopped 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp dried oregano 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 180ml Frontier Foods Avocado Oil Salt and black pepper For the steaks: 1.3kg flank steak To serve: Mixed leaves 1 In the bowl of a food processor, combine the parsley, coriander, garlic, spring onion and jalapeño slices. Whizz until smooth. 2 Add the remaining chimichurri ingredients and whizz until well combined. Set aside. 3 Heat the barbecue to a high heat (or, if cooking indoors, place a griddle pan over a high heat and brush with oil). Pat the flank steak dry with kitchen paper and season on both sides. 4 Cook the steak to your liking. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with tin foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. 5 Slice the steak against the grain. Add a layer of mixed leaves to each serving plate and top with the steak. Serve with the jalapeño chimichurri. Per Serving 701kcals, 32.7g fat (12.4g saturated), 4.7g carbs, 0.7g sugars, 91.5g protein, 2.5g fibre, 0.229g sodium
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Easy Food RECOMMENDS We’re Frontier Foods — a plucky Irish company on a mission to bring you brave discovery through food. We are trailblazing our way around the world to discover the absolute best quality, authentic, new taste experiences to make sure our foods are always traditional, healthy and organic. Our obsession for quality means we go above and beyond to bring you the very best. We work hard with our brand partners to bring together traditional foods from all over the world. We are distributors of oil alternatives such as coconut and avocado oil, as well as wholesome snacks and healthy ingredients.
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Harissa kofta salad with yoghurt dressing Serves 4 For the Mediterranean yoghurt dressing: 250g plain Greek yoghurt 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 tbsp Frontier Foods Tahini 2 Frontier Foods Roasted Red Peppers 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp dried oregano For the koftas: 500g beef mince ½ an onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp harissa Salt and black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil For the salad: 1 x 200g bag of baby spinach leaves 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped 20 kalamata olives, pitted
3 Frontier Foods Roasted Red Peppers, sliced 80g Feta, crumbled 1 Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and whizz until combined. Set aside. 2 In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, harissa and some salt and pepper. Mix until just combined. Turn out onto a chopping board and divide into 16 equal portions. Use your hands to shape into miniature meatballs, then flatten each one slightly. Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/gas mark 3. 3 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and brown the koftas on all sides, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer to a large baking tray. 4 Place the meatballs in the oven for 10-12 minutes until completely cooked throughout. Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl and toss together. Divide between serving plates. 5 When the koftas are cooked, place four on each plate of salad. Drizzle with the yoghurt dressing and put any extra dressing in a jug to serve on the side. Per Serving 599kcals, 37.8g fat (8.7g saturated), 17.9g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 48.8g protein, 4.5g fibre, 0.75g sodium
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48 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
larder luck butcher advice
From the
BUTCHER'S BLOCK
Local butcher Michael Fleming encourages us to broaden our horizons Why do you think people are becoming more interested in unusual types of meat? There’s definitely more knowledge out there; people are better educated about food and cooking, thanks to the wealth of information available online and the popularity of cooking shows. High-profile TV chefs have made unusual cuts trendy, as well as showing that they don’t have to be intimidating, and people have become more adventurous and willing to experiment. What are the advantages of trying a new type or cut of meat? They say variety is the spice of life, and it is always worth trying something new and discovering new textures and flavours. Many of the less popular cuts are cheaper to buy but actually pack a flavour punch. What cuts of beef would you recommend that people try? I’m a big fan of beef brisket, which is fantastic when slow-cooked and shredded. Try beef shin or oxtail for an amazing stew. Beef short ribs are a great dinner party option, as they are very easy to cook but truly delicious. Beef cheeks are often overlooked but, cooked slowly in red wine and served with creamy mash, they make some of the best comfort food around. In terms of steaks, don’t be afraid to try something new; I especially love flank steak for a summer barbecue as it’s perfect for feeding a crowd. What cuts of pork would you recommend that people try? The “neck-end” of pork, or part of the pig’s shoulder, is very popular in the States and is known as a “Boston butt”. It’s most often
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used for Southern States-style barbecue and makes delicious pulled pork. Ham hocks are delicious, too, and add amazing flavour to liquid-based dishes like braises, stews and soups. The meat releases its flavours while cooking slowly. Afterwards, pull off the bits of meat and add them to the finished dish. What cuts of lamb would you recommend that people try? Lamb neck can be purchased on or off the bone and is absolutely full of flavour — it’s great when barbecued. Lamb leg steaks make a delicious alternative to the traditional steak dinner, while lamb ribs are significantly cheaper than pork ribs and just as delicious. Are unusual cuts always more suited to slow cooking? Not necessarily, but many are. Leaner cuts suited to quick cooking (such as chicken fillets) became increasingly popular over the last few decades, while the cuts that took longer to cook fell out of favour, despite often having a vastly superior taste to their lean counterparts. These budgetfriendly, slow-cooking cuts were once the mainstays of the average Irish household, and their fall from the spotlight has been relatively recent. As a butcher, I’m delighted to see them making a comeback. Are there any unusual meats you would recommend? Ireland has fantastic indigenous game, including venison, rabbit and a variety of wild birds including pigeon, pheasant and duck. Goat is rarely eaten in Ireland but is actually one of the most widely-consumed meats on the planet; if you can source it, it is very tasty. We’ve also seen a big influx of exotic meats from further afield, and it is not uncommon to see ostrich, kangaroo or even rattlesnake in Irish butchers’ shops these days.
Braised beef cheeks Serves 6 3 tbsp olive oil, separated 6 beef cheeks (about 1.5kg in total) 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped 2 carrots, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 tsp fresh thyme leaves 3 dried bay leaves 1l beef stock 500ml red wine Salt and black pepper To serve: Mashed potato Peas 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 2. 2 Trim any large, fatty membrane from the beef cheeks and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Season the beef on all sides. 3 Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy casserole dish over a high heat. Sear the beef cheeks on both sides until nicely browned, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Remove the cheeks to a plate and tent loosely with foil. 4 Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 4-5 minutes until onion is becoming translucent. Add the celery and garlic and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. 5 Add the wine and bubble for 2-3 minutes, scraping any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. 6 Stir in the thyme, bay leaves, beef stock and some salt and black pepper. Cover with the lid and place in the oven for 3½ hours until the cheeks are very tender, turning once during cooking. 7 Remove the beef cheeks to a plate. Discard the thyme and bay leaves. Use a stick blender to whizz the braising liquid into a smooth gravy. 8 Bring the gravy to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until darker and reduced by about one third. 9 Taste the gravy and add extra salt or pepper if needed. 10 Serve the beef cheeks with mashed potatoes, peas and the gravy. Per Serving 508kcals, 24.6g fat (9.3g saturated), 7.3g carbs, 3g sugars, 49.5g protein, 2.5g fibre, 0.436g sodium
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ABOUT FREIXENET Freixenet Cordon Negro is Ireland’s best-selling Cava, offering consumers a Champagne-quality sparkling wine with a distinctly Spanish twist. Widely available around Ireland (RSP €20), it’s the perfect bubbly for any celebration – even if that celebration is just a Tuesday catch-up with friends. But its weight, flavour and versatility means it’s perfect for enjoying with food too, and can even be enjoyed throughout a meal. Founded in 1861, Freixenet has produced outstanding sparkling wines for over 150 years, becoming the world’s leading producer of top-quality sparkling wines while still remaining family-owned. Pronounced “fresh-eh-net”, Freixenet’s Cavas are made in the same way as Champagne...it’s a difficult and lengthy process, but well worth the effort! Based near Barcelona in Spain, Freixenet combines the traditional Catalan grapes of Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada to produce a sparkler that shares some of the toasty yeasty characteristics of Champagne but adds the Iberian twist of tropical fruit and citrus.
what 's for dinner? FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, MADE EASY!
52-78 IN THIS SECTION
WEEKLY MENU PLANNER P52
Keep it simple, keep it quick with a whole week's worth of easy family meals
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EASY AS 1-2-3 P64
To celebrate our 123rd issue, we've created these so-simple three-step meals
FLAVOUR FUSION P68
Enjoy the contrast of flavours in these sweet-meets-savoury creations
COOK TO IMPRESS! P77
Chef David Gillmore, shares simple recipes for an impressive al fresco meal
Easy Food 51
Weekly
MENU PLANNER
Keep it simple, keep it quick with our tasty midweek meals
52 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Monday Giant couscous with corn and mushrooms Serves 4 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 200g giant couscous 350ml vegetable stock Salt and black pepper 250g mushrooms, sliced 4 spring onions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced 1 courgette, chopped 1 x 198g tin of sweetcorn, drained 1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced Juice of 1 lime
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To serve: 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced 1 Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. 2 Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Set aside. 3 Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms for five minutes, stirring
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occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a large bowl. 4 Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and cook the white parts of the spring onions with the courgette, sweetcorn and chilli for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. 5 Stir in the couscous, lime juice and mushrooms. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. 6 Divide among four bowls and top with the spring onion greens and some sliced avocado. Per Serving 477kcals, 22g fat (3.8g saturated), 62.7g carbs, 5.3g sugars, 13g protein, 9.5g fibre, 0.351g sodium
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Easy Food 53
Tuesday Barbecued pork fillet fajitas Serves 4 For the pork: 4 tbsp olive oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp cracked black pepper 2 tsp fajita spice Juice of ½ a lime 1 x 450g pork fillet For the vegetables: 2 onions, sliced 3 peppers (any colour), sliced 2 tsp fajita spice Salt and black pepper
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To serve: Small tortillas Guacamole Salsa Fresh coriander, chopped 1 Place the olive oil, garlic, pepper, fajita spice and lime juice in a large sealable bag. Add the pork fillet, seal the bag and use your hands to work the marinade all around the pork. Place in the fridge for at least two hours or up to eight. 2 Remove the pork from the fridge one hour before you start cooking to allow time for it to come to room temperature. 3 Turn the barbecue on to a high heat. 4 On a barbecue or grill tray, combine the onions and peppers and season with the fajita spice and some salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer.
5 Shake any excess marinde off the pork and add to the barbecue, then close the lid. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until completely cooked throughout, turning every five minutes. Remove to a plate, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. 6 Add the tray of vegetables to the barbecue and close the lid. Cook for 15 minutes, tossing every five minutes. 7 Warm the tortillas on the cooler side of the barbecue for one minute per side. 8 Slice the pork and serve with the barbecued vegetables, the warmed tortillas, guacamole, salsa and some fresh coriander.
Per Serving 348kcals, 18.1g fat (5.8g saturated), 13.2 g carbs, 6.9g sugars, 33.1g protein, 2.6g fibre, 0.091g sodium
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AUGUST 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Wednesday Chicken, lemon and sun-dried tomato pesto pasta Serves 4 230g conchiglie (pasta shells) 4 chicken fillets, sliced into strips 1 tbsp paprika Juice of 1 large lemon Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 60g sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 tbsp fresh basil pesto 4 large handfuls fresh spinach 60g Feta, crumbled
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1 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over a high heat and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. 2 Season the chicken with the paprika, half of the lemon juice and some salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a high heat until very hot, then reduce the heat to medium-high and add the chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden-brown. 3 Push the chicken to one side and add the sun-dried tomatoes with one tablespoon
of their oil, along with the garlic, pesto and spinach. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and half of the Feta. 4 When the pasta is ready, drain well and add to the pan. Stir to combine everything together, then serve topped with the remaining Feta. Per Serving 539kcals, 20.6g fat (6.1g saturated), 38g carbs, 1.2g sugars, 49.4g protein, 2g fibre, 0.393g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: Replace the chicken with prawns, if preferred.
Easy Food 55
Thursday Aubergine parmigiana melts Serves 4 2 eggs Salt and black pepper 100g breadcrumbs Olive oil, for greasing 1 aubergine, sliced into 1cm-thick rounds 2 baguettes, split 400ml tomato passata 1 x 250g ball of Mozzarella, thinly sliced
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To serve: Fresh basil, torn Green salad 1 Preheat the oven to 230˚C/210˚C fan/gas mark 8. Lightly grease a baking tray with olive oil. 2 Beat the eggs together in a shallow bowl and season with salt and black pepper. Place the breadcrumbs in a second shallow bowl. 3 Dip the aubergine slices in the beaten egg, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing them on to coat completely. Place the crumbed aubergine slices on the prepared baking tray. Bake, without turning, for 1820 minutes until golden and tender, then
remove from the oven. 4 Place the baguettes cut-side up on a separate baking tray. Pull out some of the bread from each of the baguette halves to create a shallow well in each one. 5 Generously spread both halves with tomato passata, then layer up with the aubergine slices and Mozzarella. 6 Bake for another 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Top with torn fresh basil and serve with a green salad.
Per Serving 407kcals, 7.9g fat (3.1g saturated), 63.9g carbs, 7.2g sugars, 19.9g protein, 8.3g fibre, 0.719g sodium
AUGUST 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Friday
Harissa honey chicken skewers with garlic and mint yoghurt Serves 2 For the marinade: 3 tbsp harissa 4 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp honey Salt and black pepper
4 chicken thighs, bones and skins removed, cut into 2cm-thick strips For the garlic and mint sauce: 4 garlic cloves, crushed Juice of ½ a lemon 5 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped To serve: Flatbreads Salad
1 In a sealable bag, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Add the chicken, then seal the bag and squash until all of the chicken pieces are covered in the marinade. Place in the fridge for at least three hours, or overnight if possible. 2 Preheat the barbecue (or a griddle pan brushed with vegetable oil) to a medium heat. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes if wooden). Discard the marinade. 3 Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until completely cooked throughout. 4 Meanwhile, place all of the ingredients for the sauce into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. 5 Drizzle the sauce over the chicken skewers. Serve with flatbreads and salad.
Per Serving 636kcals, 44.9g fat (4.1g saturated), 29.8g carbs, 23.6g sugars, 37.4g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.978g sodium
Collette Kelly “I made this for myself and the kids; at first they were a bit wary about trying something new, but I encouraged them to help put the kebabs together which was easy and a lot of fun. I marinated the chicken overnight rather than for just a few hours. It didn’t take long to cook on the barbecue, but you could easily pop them in the oven to cook instead. My son found them a little too spicy, but he just used extra mint yoghurt to cool it down. I will certainly make these again.”
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Easy Food 57
Saturday
Philly cheesesteak brioche baps Serves 4 Vegetable oil 2 green peppers, deseeded and sliced 2 onions, thinly sliced 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 500g flank steak or bavette Salt and black pepper 4 brioche buns, split 4 slices of Gouda 2 tbsp mayonnaise Lettuce, chopped 1 Heat a large griddle pan over a high heat and brush with vegetable oil. Add the peppers and onions, drizzle with the Worcestershire sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and set aside. Return the pan to a very high heat. 2 Brush the steak on both sides with oil and season with salt and black pepper. 3 Preheat the grill to a high heat. 4 Once the pan is very hot, add the steak and
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cook for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium, or to your liking. Remove to a plate and allow to rest for five minutes. 5 Lightly toast the buns under the grill until pale golden, then add the Gouda to the top bun halves and place back under the grill until the cheese has melted. 6 Slice the steak against the grain into 1cm thick slices. Toss the slices in the resting juices on the plate. 7 Spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun halves and add some lettuce. Top with the sliced steak and the vegetables and sandwich together with the top halves. Per Serving 600kcals, 26.9g fat (9.7g saturated), 36.1g carbs, 9.4g sugars, 49.5g protein, 3.3g fibre, 0.607g sodium
AUGUST 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Dessert
Mango fools with candied almonds Serves 4-6 For the fools: 3 small ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted 250ml cream 4 tbsp icing sugar 250ml low-fat Greek yoghurt For the candied almonds: 4 tbsp granulated sugar 2 tbsp water 60g flaked almonds 1 Place the mango in a blender and whizz until completely smooth.
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2 In a bowl, whip the cream together with two tablespoons of the icing sugar until soft peaks form. 3 In a separate bowl, whip the Greek yoghurt together with the remaining icing sugar until no lumps remain. 4 Fold the yoghurt mixture into the whipped cream. Gently fold in about two-thirds of the mango purĂŠe. 5 In six dessert glasses, alternate layers of the mango cream and the mango purĂŠe. Place in the fridge until ready to serve. 6 For the almonds, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook until the sugar dissolves. 7 Add the almonds and gently swirl to coat. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until the sugar caramelises and turns a deep amber colour. 8 Remove from the heat and
immediately spread the almonds out onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool completely. 9 Top the mango fools with the candied almonds to serve. Per Serving 600kcals, 26.9g fat (9.7g saturated), 36.1g carbs, 9.4g sugars, 49.5g protein, 3.3g fibre, 0.607g sodium
Easy Food 59
Sunday
Baked hake with a chorizo crumb crust Serves 4 120g chorizo, skin removed, chopped 70g breadcrumbs Zest of 1 lemon Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing 4 fresh hake fillets 400ml tomato and chilli sauce (homemade or shopbought) To serve: Roasted baby potatoes Green beans 1 Preheat the oven to 200ËšC/180ËšC fan/gas mark 6 and lighty grease a baking dish with olive oil. 2 Heat a large pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 3-4 minutes until it is slightly crispy and its oils have been released. 3 Transfer the chorizo with its oil into a food processor. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, seasoning and half of the olive oil. Whizz into even crumbs. 4 Place the hake fillets in the prepared baking dish and brush the tops with the remaining olive oil. Heap the crumbs onto the hake and pat down firmly to completely cover the top of each fillet. Pour the tomato and chilli sauce around the fish. 5 Bake for 15 minutes or until the fish is opaque and the chorizo crumb is golden. Serve with the tomato and chilli sauce, some roasted baby potatoes and green beans. Per Serving 589kcals, 60.5g fat (4.9g saturated), 17.1g carbs, 1.1g sugars, 74.4g protein, 0.8g fibre, 0.73g sodium
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60 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Dessert
Baked berry cheesecake chimichangas Serves 4 For the chimichangas: 1 tsp cinnamon 50g granulated sugar 4 flour tortillas 20g butter, melted For the filling: 160g cream cheese, at room temperature 25g icing sugar 1½ tbsp sour cream
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1 tsp vanilla extract 80g strawberries, hulled and chopped 60g blueberries To serve: Melted chocolate (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 200ËšC/180ËšC fan/gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. 2 In a shallow bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside. 3 In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, icing sugar, sour cream and vanilla extract. Cream
together well, then gently fold in the strawberries and blueberries. 4 Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas, then roll each one up tightly, tucking in both ends. Secure with a toothpick. 5 Brush the wraps all over with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Arrange seam side-down on the prepared baking tray. 6 Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy. 7 Drizzle with melted chocolate to serve, if desired. Per Serving 344kcals, 22.3g fat (13.6g saturated), 33g carbs, 19.1g sugars, 5.2g protein, 2.6g fibre, 0.167g sodium
Easy Food 61
Loose ends
§ Combine roasted vegetables such as mushrooms, courgettes, peppers and/ or onions with couscous and a simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing for a delicious and healthy lunch or side dish. Add crumbled Feta or torn Mozzarella for extra flavour and protein. § Make extra candied almonds and add them to your granola or porridge for a
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sweet morning treat! You can also replace the almonds with cashews, pecans or roughly chopped walnuts. § Add leftover Gouda to sun-dried tomatoes and grated Cheddar to make two-cheese and tomato toasties! § Once you’ve used breadcrumbs for the Parmigiana Melt and the Baked Fish, place the remaining crumbs into a freezer bag, pushing out all of the air. Store in the
freezer and use the breadcrumbs straight from frozen whenever you need them. § Cube leftover cooked potatoes and fry in fajita spice with chorizo, sliced chilli and spring onions. Combine with scrambled eggs and grated cheese and wrap up in tortilla wraps for decadent breakfast burritos on a weekend morning. § Add harissa to your next batch of burgers, meatballs or meatloaf for a fiery flavour kick.
AUGUST 2017
64 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
what’s for dinner three-step meals
Easy as To celebrate our 123rd issue, we’ve created these so-simple three-step meals
Prawns à la veracruzana Serves 4 1 tbsp rapeseed oil Knob of butter 1 bay leaf 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 jalapeño peppers, deseeded and very thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, crushed Salt and black pepper 500g raw prawns, peeled and deveined 3 medium tomatoes, diced 8 green olives, pitted and thinly sliced (optional) To serve: Crusty bread 1 lime, cut into wedges 1 Heat the oil and butter together in a large nonstick pan over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf and cook for one minute. Add the onion, jalapeños and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for three minutes,
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stirring, until softened. 2 Add the prawns, then cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Stir in the tomatoes and olives. 3 Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover again and cook for 2-3 minutes longer until the tomatoes are almost broken down. Discard the bay leaf. Serve with crusty bread and some lime wedges for squeezing over. Per Serving 255kcals, 10.1g fat (3g saturated), 10.5g carbs, 3.9g sugars, 30.1 g protein, 2.5g fibre, 0.704g sodium
Sarah Mulholland “This recipe was easy to follow, quick to prepare and even quicker to make – perfect for a weekday dinner. My husband and I enjoyed the meal and it made a pleasant change to have crusty bread rather than pasta, rice or potatoes. The dinner reminded us of a tapas-style dish you get when on holiday. We both agreed that when we make it again we will omit the olives, which was the only change we would make!”
Easy Food 65
Vietnamese steak noodles Serves 4 1 tbsp vegetable oil 500g sirloin steak or strip steak 120g rice noodles 120ml rice vinegar 2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla) 2 tbsp sugar, or to taste 200g prepared coleslaw mix (shredded
66 Easy Food
cabbage and carrot) 3 radishes, thinly sliced Handful of fresh basil, torn 40g unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped 1 Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes per side, then transfer to a board, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the
package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. 3 Whisk the rice vinegar, fish sauce and sugar together in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Slice the steak thinly and add to the bowl along with the noodles, shredded vegetables, radishes, basil and peanuts. Toss to combine, then serve.
Per Serving 416kcals, 15.9g fat (4.5g saturated), 20.4g carbs, 8.4g sugars, 41.8g protein, 2.7g fibre, 0.806g sodium
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AUGUST 2017
what’s for dinner three-step meals
Simple summertime gnocchi Serves 4 1 x 500g pack of fresh gnocchi 30g butter 2 shallots, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 small courgettes, very thinly sliced lengthwise using a vegetable peeler 200g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ tsp dried oregano Pinch of chilli flakes (optional) Salt and black pepper 50g Parmesan, grated Zest and juice of ½ a lemon
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1 Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Drain well. 2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic and courgettes and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add the tomatoes, oregano, chilli flakes (if using) and seasoning and cook for another two minutes, stirring. 3 Stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest and juice and the gnocchi. Toss to coat and serve immediately. Per Serving 448kcals, 10.3g fat (6.1g saturated), 76.1g carbs, 20.4g sugars, 14.2g protein, 6g fibre, 0.913g sodium
Easy Food 67
Flavour FUSION
Enjoy the contrast of flavours in these sweet-meets-savoury creations
68 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun sweet meets savoury
Fresh fig, balsamic onion and blue cheese pizza Makes 1 large pizza (serves 2) 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing 1 small onion, sliced 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 large prepared pizza base 5 fresh figs, halved 120g blue cheese, crumbled 50g Mozzarella, grated 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped Black pepper 1 Heat the oil in a pan over a low heat. Cook the onion and balsamic vinegar for 25-30 minutes or until soft and caramel-coloured, stirring regularly. If the onions start to stick on the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water. Set aside to cool completely. 2 Preheat the oven to 230˚C/210˚C fan/gas mark 8. Place the pizza base on a pizza stone or large baking tray. Brush with olive oil. 3 Spread the cooled balsamic onions over the pizza base. Arrange the figs cut-side up around the pizza and crumble over the blue cheese. Scatter over the Mozzarella and rosemary and season with black pepper. 4 Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Per Serving 609kcals, 29.9g fat (13.1g saturated), 66.2g carbs, 25.4g sugars, 22g protein, 6.7g fibre, 0.887g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, any cheese will work, but we especially recommend salty cheeses. If you’re not cooking for vegetarians, adding some sliced prosciutto works very well.
Cheese and apple scones Makes 10 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp baking powder 75g cold butter, diced 1½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 apple, coarsely grated 125g mature Cheddar, grated 1 egg About 150ml milk To serve: Butter Cheese Relish
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1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Lightly grease a large baking tray. 2 Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and stir in the baking powder. Use your fingers to rub in the diced butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 3 Stir in the fresh thyme, grated apple and half of the Cheddar. 4 Beat the egg in a small measuring jug, then add just enough milk to make up to 150ml of liquid. 5 Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the egg and milk. Use a butter knife to bring the mixture together into a soft dough. 6 Transfer onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll the
dough out until it is about 2cm thick. Using a 6cm pastry cutter, cut out 10 scones, rerolling the dough as you go. 7 Arrange the scones on the prepared baking tray, spaced well apart. 8 Brush the tops with a little extra milk and sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar. 9 Bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 10 Serve the scones warm or at room temperature, buttered, with slices of good cheese and dollops of relish.
Per Serving 215kcals, 8.2g fat (4.8g saturated), 28.1g carbs, 3.2g sugars, 7.5g protein, 1.9g fibre, 0.135g sodium
Easy Food 69
Asian steak salad with pineapple Serves 4 For the dressing: Juice of 2 limes 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp brown sugar ½ tsp sesame oil 1-2 small red chillies, finely chopped For the salad: 1 small red onion, finely sliced 120g pineapple, diced Large handful of fresh coriander, chopped 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
70 Easy Food
450g sirloin steak Salt and black pepper 1 In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside. 2 Place the onion, pineapple and coriander in bowl and toss to combine. Set aside. 3 Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat. Pat the steak dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and black pepper. 4 Sear the steak for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with tin foil and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes. 5 Thinly slice the steak, halving any long strips into bite-sized pieces.
6 Divide the pineapple mixture between four serving bowls and top with the steak slices. Drizzle over the dressing and serve immediately. Per Serving 290kcals, 11.2g fat (3g saturated), 11.3g carbs, 5.6g sugars, 35.2g protein, 2g fibre, 0.464g sodium
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Top tip:steak
allow Always room to sit at re for tu ra e p tem before s te u 30 min . cooking
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun sweet meets savoury
Bacon, avocado and chilli jam sambo Makes 2 6 bacon rashers 4 thick-cut slices of sourdough bread 1-2 tbsp mayonnaise 1-2 tbsp chilli jam Handful of rocket 1 avocado, pitted and sliced Salt and black pepper
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1 Preheat the grill to a high heat and cook the rashers until crispy. 2 Meanwhile, spread two slices of the sourdough with mayonnaise and the other two with chilli jam. 3 Pile some rocket on top of the mayonnaise and place the slices of avocado on top. Season with a pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. 4 When the bacon is cooked, place three rashers on top of each and close over the
sandwiches with the chilli jam-covered lids. Serve immediately.
Per Serving 630kcals, 38g fat (9.6g saturated), 52g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 22.9g protein, 8.6g fibre, 1.3g sodium
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Easy Food 71
Baked sweet and sour chicken
½ red pepper and ½ green pepper, deseeded and chopped
Serves 4 For the sauce: 4 tbsp soy sauce 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 3 tbsp apricot jam or orange marmalade 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 x 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated For the chicken: 650g chicken thighs fillets, chopped into bite-sized pieces 3 tbsp cornflour 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp vegetable oil ½ an onion, chopped
72 Easy Food
To serve: Fried rice 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients for the sauce together until well combined, then set aside. 3 Place the cornflour in one bowl and beat the egg in a second. Toss the chicken in the cornflour until thoroughly coated, shaking off any excess, then coat the chicken in the beaten egg. 4 Heat a large pan over a high heat and add the oil. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes until browned on all sides.
Transfer each batch to a plate lined with kitchen paper. 5 Return all of the chicken to the pan and add all of the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken thoroughly. Transfer everything to a baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. 6 Stir in the onion and peppers until coated with the sauce. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked. Serve immediately with fried rice. Per Serving 497kcals, 20.3g fat (5.1g saturated), 26.7g carbs, 12.5g sugars, 50.6g protein, 1.5g fibre, 1.234g sodium
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Eunice Nolan “I made this for my family and it was absolutely delicious. Everybody loved it and the plates were cleared. The recipe was easy to follow; I used chicken fillets instead of thighs, and I doubled the recipe as there are six of us. I like making dinners from scratch; this year we switched to healthy eating and myself and Mark have both lost weight. This recipe was perfect to fit our diet.”
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun sweet meets savoury
Korean pork chops Serves 4 4 pork chops 4 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp honey 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp sesame oil 1 x 2cm piece of ginger, grated 1 tbsp sriracha hot sauce Black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil To serve: Rice or mashed potato
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1 Preheat the oven to 200ËšC/180ËšC fan/gas mark 6. 2 Place the pork chops in a sealable plastic bag. In a jug, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame oil, ginger and sriracha hot sauce. Season the mixture with some black pepper and pour into the bag with the pork chops. Seal the bag and use your hands to work the mixture into the chops. Allow the meat to marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes. 3 Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat. Add the pork chops, reserving the marinade. Cook for five
minutes until golden brown. Flip the pork chops over and pour the remaining marinade over them. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. 4 Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pork chops are completely cooked throughout and the marinade has reduced into a sticky sauce. 5 Serve with rice or mashed potato.
Per Serving 358kcals, 24.8g fat (8.2g saturated), 14.3g carbs, 9.1g sugars, 19.5g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.986g sodium
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Easy Food 73
Top tip: make
ookies These c am t ice-cre s e b e th e W ! hes sandwic g in s u d n e recomm la il n a v ality good-qu ramel ice a c or salted m. crea
74 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun sweet meets savoury
Salted ‘n’ spiced chocolate cookies
3 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 tbsp vanilla Sea salt
Makes 8 190g plain flour 90g cocoa powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp cinnamon 120g dark chocolate chips 2 large eggs 200g brown sugar 200g white sugar 120ml rapeseed oil
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1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/ gas mark 5. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. 2 Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, cayenne pepper and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. 3 In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add both of the sugars, the rapeseed oil, grated ginger and vanilla. Stir gently to combine. 4 Stir the wet mix into the dry ingredients until it comes together into a dry dough.
5 Form golf-ball-sized balls of the dough and place them onto the prepared baking tray. Use your thumb to press each one down a little in the centre, then sprinkle in a small pinch of sea salt. 6 Bake for 10-12 minutes until they start to crack but the centres are still fudgy. Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes before eating.
Per Serving 542kcals, 21.8g fat (5.5g saturated), 85.9g carbs, 57.7g sugars, 7.6g protein, 5.1g fibre, 0.258g sodium
x Easy Food 75
Special Menus
FROM €40
Bookings now being taken
Best ethnic restaurant 2016
ñ AUTHENTIC INDIAN FLAVOURS ñ FRESHLY GROUND SPICES ñ 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.
www.picklerestaurant.com
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
cooking for fun Belfast bites
David Gillmore
COOK TO
Impress!
David Gillmore, head chef of Belfast’s famed James Street South, shares recipes for an impressive al fresco meal
O
riginally from Birkenhead in North West England, David Gillmore, head chef at iconic Belfast restaurant James Street South, gained an interest in food from the baking and home-style cooking of his grandmother. David has been living and working in Northern Ireland for the past four years and, in that time, has become a true fan and champion of the world-class produce available from local suppliers and farmers in Ireland. “Local produce is used extensively on all of our menus across the group, and for good reason. Whether it’s langoustines from Strangford Lough or the award-winning butter from Abernethy, Northern Ireland is fast gaining a reputation on the world stage as a destination for foodies. Independent small suppliers have helped to raise the standard of food within restaurants by improving the quality of raw produce available.” David has been with the group since 2013 and in that time has seen the restaurant win numerous industry accolades, including Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland from the Waitrose Good Food Guide and Best in
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Ireland from the Georgina Campbell Awards. David also won Best Chef in Ireland at the Yes Chef Magazine Awards and led the team to be named Best Eatery at the recent Belfast Business Awards. Whether manning the pass during a busy weekend dinner service or cooking for friends at home, David is an advocate of keeping it simple and letting the true flavours of high quality ingredients shine through.
½ an onion, peeled and roasted 1 garlic clove, peeled 2 green chillies A handful of fresh basil leaves A large handful of fresh mint leaves A handful of fresh coriander leaves 50ml garlic oil Juice of 1 lime 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp sea salt
With summer in full swing, we asked David for two of his favourite recipes that you can enjoy at home. “My top tip is to use seasonal ingredients simply and pair with complementing flavours. The barbecued pork always goes down well, and the strawberries are an ideal way to finish up a delicious barbecue — especially if a chilled glass of wine or cocktail is involved! Brining meat or fish before cooking is something that we do regularly and results in a superior taste and end result.”
To serve: Barbecued corn Abernathy’s Smoked Butter
Barbecue pork with basil salsa verde Serves 4 4 x 220g pork rib-eye steaks For the brine: 100g sea salt 1l water 2 bay leaves 2 star anise 1 sprig each of thyme, rosemary, sage 5 white peppercorns For the basil salsa verde: 4 green tomatoes, roasted
1 First, make the brine. Dissolve the salt in the water, then add the remaining brine ingredients. Place the steaks in the brine and refrigerate for four hours. 2 Remove the steaks from the brine and rinse under cold running water for 15 minutes. 3 Add the tomatoes, roasted onion, garlic, green chilli and herbs to a blender or food processor. Pulse until combined. 4 Slowly add the garlic oil, lime juice, honey and salt, continuing to blend until smooth. You may add a couple of tablespoons of water to the mix to reach the desired consistency. This can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 5 Heat a barbecue to a high heat and cook the steaks for two minutes per side until seared. Cook for another six minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from the barbecue and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then serve with the salsa verde, corn on the cob and Abernethy’s Smoked Butter. Per Serving 457kcals, 18.6g fat (4.2g saturated), 11.9g carbs, 8.5g sugars, 59.3g protein, 2.3g fibre, 0.607g sodium
Easy Food 77
Elderflower strawberries with white chocolate cream Serves 4 For the white chocolate cream: 370g good-quality white chocolate 1 tsp liquid glucose 1 sheet of leaf gelatine 200ml milk 400ml whipping cream For the strawberry cordial: 250g fresh, local strawberries, halved 30g caster sugar Elderflower cordial For the sugared nuts: 200g caster sugar 50ml water 200g pistachio nuts
78 Easy Food
1 Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir in the glucose, then remove from the heat. 2 Soak the gelatine leaf in cold water until soft, then squeeze out any excess liquid. 3 Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the gelatine and stir to combine. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. 4 Gradually pour the milk over the melted chocolate, stirring until shiny and emulsified. 5 Stir in the cream, then transfer the mixture to a blender and purĂŠe until smooth. Divide the mixture between ramekins and refrigerate for 24 hours until set. 6 Mix the strawberries with the sugar in a bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to set for three hours in a warm place. Once the strawberries have softened and released their juices, place in a sieve and leave to
drain. Toss the strawberries lightly with elderflower cordial. 7 Combine the sugar and water for the sugared nuts in a saucepan. Use a candy thermometer to check when the temperature reaches 118ËšC; at this point, add the nuts and stir constantly until the sugar starts to crystallise. Continue stirring until each nut is coated, then transfer to a tray and leave to cool. 8 Arrange the strawberries over the set moulds. Sprinkle with sugared nuts to serve.
Per Serving 1.323kcals, 85.7g fat (40.7g saturated), 136g carbs, 120.9g sugars, 19.7g protein, 6.4g fibre, 0.409g sodium
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun
GET CREATIVE IN THE KITCHEN WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE TIME TO SPARE
80-93 IN THIS SECTION
APPRENTICE CHEF ALLSTARS P80
These budding chefs share their awardwinning recipes
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PICK A SIDE P86
Make your weekend breakfast the most delicious meal of the day with these decadent baps
LET'S GET READY TO CRUMBLE! P88
A little crumble is the perfect topping for these sweet treats
Easy Food 79
80 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen young chefs
PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Cronin and Domnick Walsh
Apprentice Chef ALL-STARS These budding chefs share their award-winning recipes
S
econdary students across Munster participated in the fifth annual Apprentice Chef finale at IT Tralee in May to prepare dishes for a discerning panel of judges. Sponsored by Flogas Ireland and Fáilte Ireland and established by Mark Doe of Just Cooking Cookery School and Mark Murphy of IT Tralee, the Apprentice Chef programme promotes the importance of healthy eating, encourages young people to consider a culinary career to help combat the current chef shortage in Ireland and aims improves their self-confidence. All finalists experienced an authentic restaurant environment in the IT Tralee kitchens, where they prepared and served dishes they had cultivated over months of mentoring through the programme to the judges. Check out their recipes here, or visit www.theapprenticechef.ie for more information.
SUPREME APPRENTICE
JOINT SECOND PLACE
Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine, Kenmare, Co. Kerry DISH: Marinated pan-fried Skeaghanore duck fillet
St Declan’s Community College, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford DISH: Herb-crusted fillet of cod
Pádraic Randles
JOINT SECOND PLACE
Emily O’Hara
Midleton College, Midleton, Co. Cork DISH: Pan-seared bream
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Lauren Wall
THIRD PLACE
Kelly English
St Colman’s Community College, Midleton, Co. Cork DISH: Lemon trio and chocolate surprise
Easy Food 81
1 tbsp rice wine 3 garlic cloves Thumb-sized piece of ginger 3 star anise For the purée: 2 carrots, chopped 1 shallot, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ tsp cumin Splash of oil Splash of water Buttermilk For the rösti: 1 large floury potato Vegetable oil For the sweet potato crisps: 1 sweet potato Salt and black pepper For the hazelnuts: A large handful of hazelnuts Icing sugar For the carrots: Carrots, cubed A knob of butter Honey Thyme Parsley For the spring roll: Celeriac 100ml cream Savoy cabbage Spring roll pastry Egg white To serve: Buttered spinach Mandarin orange segments
Supreme Apprentice
Marinated pan-fried Skeaghanore duck fillet Serves 1 For the duck: 1 large duck breast 1 tsp five spice powder Sea salt 25g hazelnuts, toasted
les Pádraic Rand 82 Easy Food
For the duck marinade: 3 tbsp of dark soy sauce Juice of ½ an orange 3 tbsp honey
1 The night before, whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade. Score the duck diagonally. Put the duck into a bowl with the marinade, making sure the duck is covered. Refrigerate overnight until ready to cook. 2 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Toss the carrots, shallot and garlic in the oil, water and cumin. Transfer to a small roasting dish, cover with tin foil and roast for 40 minutes. 3 When the vegetables are soft, purée in a blender with a splash of buttermilk until smooth. Keep adding more buttermilk until a slack texture is obtained.
AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen young chefs
4 Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Grate the potato for the rösti into a tea towel. Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the potato and season generously with salt and pepper. 5 Pack the grated potato tightly into a metal ring. Add butter to the preheated pan. Gently push the rösti from the ring, ensuring it maintains shape. Fry the rösti until it has a golden colour all around. Place in the oven. 6 Slice the sweet potato using a mandolin. Place in a deep fat fryer for about three minutes, making sure the slices don’t get too browned. 7 Place the hazelnuts onto baking parchment on a baking tray. Place the hazelnuts into the middle tray of the oven for 8-15 minutes. Once hazelnuts are roasted, place in tea towel bun and allow rest for five minutes. Gently rub off the skins. Dust the hazelnuts in icing sugar and place back in oven for about two minutes. 8 Slice carrots into cubes. Add to a pot of boiling water and allow to cook until al dente. Once cooked, toss the carrot cubes in butter, honey, thyme and parsley. 9 To make the spring rolls, separate the egg yolk from the white. Brush the inside of the spring roll pastry with the egg white. Shred the cabbage and cube the celeriac. Blanche the celeriac and cabbage in a pot of boiling water. Put the 100ml of cream over a low heat and allow it to reduce. Mix the cream through the celeriac and cabbage. Carefully spoon the mixture into the pastry and roll tightly. Deep fat fry the spring rolls until a golden brown colour is achieved. 10 Remove the duck breast from the marinade and gently pat dry. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan. 11 Rub the duck breast generously with five spice and sea salt. Place the duck, skin-side down, in a heavy based pan and cook over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Turn the duck and fry for about a minute. Place the pan into the oven for 10 minutes. Place the rösti in the oven for 15 minutes. 12 Preheat medium frying pan. Add a knob of butter and once melted, place a few spinach leaves and allow them to slightly wilt. Bring the marinade to a simmer over a high heat for ten minutes until thickened. 13 Let the duck rest on a chopping board for five minutes under tin foil to allow the meat to rest. Begin plating.
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Second place
Lauren Wall Herb-crusted fillet of cod Serves 1 1 cod fillet, trimmed Carrot Samphire Baby potatoes Butter For the crust: Wholemeal bread, crumbed Dill Parsley Chives Lemon zest For the concasse: Cherry tomatoes on the vine Plum tomatoes A few garlic cloves Shallots Tomato passata For the pea purée: Petit pois Mint leaves 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Heat a small skillet and add some butter and oil. Peel the garlic cloves and once the foaming subsides, add the vine tomatoes and garlic. Remove them once they begin to cook. 2 Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. 3 Peel and dice the shallots into fine chunks. Chop the carrots into julienne strips. Cut a cross into round end of the plum tomatoes and remove the eyes of the tomatoes to make it
easier when peeling. Cook in boiling water for 10-15 seconds, then submerge the tomato in ice water and peel. 4 Put a saucepan on the stove and fill with water and add salt. Once the water starts to boil, add the potatoes until cooked. Then add the peas into the pot of water and cook for around 2-3 minutes. 5 Remove the roasted garlic and vine tomatoes from the oven. 6 Cook the carrots until al dente and blanche the samphire for a minute. 7 Sauté the onions until they are slightly coloured and chop the chives, the dill and the parsley. 8 Melt some butter in a saucepan for the herb crust. Add two tablespoons of bread crumbs, the chives, the dill, the parsley, the zest of one lemon and some wasabi paste to the breadcrumbs. 9 Remove the tomatoes from the vine and place in a food processor along with the garlic cloves, the balsamic vinegar and the pasatta sauce, half of the shallots and all the juices from the skillet pan. Blend until a paste is formed. Press through a sieve to remove all lumps and add the chopped tomatoes and the other half of the shallots. Ball and peel the potatoes. 10 Brush the fish with the egg wash and add the crumb mixture on top. Cook on a hot skillet, skin side down again in half oil half butter for around two minutes until the fish begins to cook, then roast for 10 more minutes in the oven until fully cooked. 11 Toss the samphire and the carrots in some butter just to reheat them and to add flavour. Reheat the concasse and cook it out a bit until it looks dryer and so it won’t leak on the plate. Plate everything while warm to serve. Easy Food 83
a Emily O’Har Pan-seared sea bream Serves 2 For the fish stock: Head and bones of 1 sea bream ½ tsp fish sauce 500ml water 75ml white wine 2 bay leaves 1 tsp fennel seeds A few sprigs of thyme A few stalks of parsley A large strip of orange peel 1 carrot 1 white part of a leek 1 celery stalk A knob of butter 1 egg yolk Cream For the saffron potatoes: 450g new potatoes A few strands of saffron Olive oil For the salsa: 40g hazelnuts Rapeseed oil 1 brown onion 2 tsp harissa paste 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp juice and zest of ½ a lemon 1 tsp cider vinegar A handful of chives, chopped roughly
84 Easy Food
soften and the leeks start to fall apart. Add to a saucepan alongside the fish heads. 4 Put the potatoes in cold water with the saffron and a pinch of salt. Heat over a high heat. 5 Put the fish stock over a high heat. Stir occasionally. Second 6 Put hazelnuts on baking tray and roast in the place oven. Combine the chives, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, brown sugar, cider vinegar and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 7 Add some oil to a deep oven tray. Add the red onion, sugar, orange zest, ginger and mix. Add the tomatoes to the tray. 8 Take the stock off the heat and leave aside to let it infuse. 9 Heat some rapeseed oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and stir occasionally. Put tomatoes in oven and take out hazelnuts. 10 Remove the skin from the hazelnuts and chop roughly. Add them to the salsa mixture. 11 Stir the onions. If they are brown and starting ½ garlic clove, crushed to crisp up slightly, take them off the heat. Mix 1 tsp light brown sugar with half of the harissa. Add to the salsa and mix. Put aside. Add the rest of the harissa. For the tomatoes: 12 Cut the potatoes and put them into the oven 25g light brown sugar with olive oil and salt. Zest of ½ an orange 13 Put a muslin cloth in a sieve over a saucepan. 20g ginger Pour fish stock into a second sieve over the 1 red onion cloth. Mix and squish the stock with a spoon to 6 vine tomatoes get all the juices through. 14 Reduce the stock by half and leave to cool. For the tempura: Season well. ½ cup rice flour 15 Season and score the fish. ½ cup plain flour 16 Whisk the egg yolk and as much cream as ½ tsp baking powder there is stock in a bain marie with an electric 1 tsp cumin whisk. Gradually add the stock and season well. 1 tbsp sesame seeds 17 Remove it from the hot water and put in 1 egg white a bowl of cold water. Keep whisking until the 1 cup very cold sparkling water sauce has cooled enough so that the egg has Garlic-infused oil, for shallow frying stopped cooking. 18 Sieve the flours into a bowl with the baking For the sea bream: powder, cumin and sesame seeds. Add the egg 2 fillets of sea bream white but don’t mix and chill. Heat up some oil Samphire in a non-stick pan. Place the fish skin-side down 8 spears of sprouting broccoli onto the pan. Heat up two serving plates. Sea salt and black pepper 19 Put the sauce in squeeze bottle and put Alfalfa sprouts samphire and broccoli into boiling water with half Bronze fennel of a lemon for 30 seconds. Wild garlic flowers 20 Take everything out of the oven. Turn the fish over and take off heat. Peel long slices of 1 Prepare the potatoes, onions as well as the courgette. Heat up oil. stock vegetables and herbs. Reduce the wine 21 Coat the courgette slices lightly in flour and down by half. roll them up. Put a skewer through to hold their 2 Place the fish head and bones, fish sauce, shape and dip them in batter. Put them in hot oil water, wine, bay leaves, fennel seeds, thyme and and tempura until golden brown and crispy. parsley in a large pot. 22 Plate everything up on the warm plates and 3 Combine the celery, carrots and leek in a pan serve while hot. and cook over a medium heat until they start to
AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen young chefs
Lemon and chocolate trio surprise Serves 4 For the chocolate honeycomb: Chocolate, melted A handful of hazelnuts For the shortbread: 125g flour 25g cornflour 50g caster sugar 100g butter For the lemon mousse: 50g white chocolate 177ml double cream ½ leaf of gelatine 1 egg white For the lemon parfaits: 10 biscuits 118ml water 2 tbsp lemon zest 237ml double cream 100g sugar 5 egg yolks 2 tbsp icing sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 96g sugar 177ml lemon juice 5 tbsp butter 2 tbsp lemon zest For the triple chocolate brownies: 150g milk chocolate 3 eggs 125g butter 200g caster sugar 75g white chocolate 150g self-raising flour 75g dark chocolate
180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and grease a baking tin. 3 Sieve the flour and cornflour into a mixing bowl and add the caster sugar. 4 Rub in butter until it comes together, kneading everything to ball. 5 Press mixture into the tin with your knuckles and smooth gently with the back of a wet tablespoon. Roll out and cut with a heart-shaped cutter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until pale golden. 6 Melt the chocolate for the mousse and leave to cool slightly. Whip the cream in a separate bowl until it is almost stiff. 7 Place the gelatine in a small bowl waster until it has softened. Squeeze out the water and then add two tablespoons of boiling water and stir to dissolve the gelatine. 8 Place the egg white in a medium sized bowl with half the sugar, whisk until it is firm and add the remaining sugar. Continue whisking until mixture is stiff. 9 Pour the dissolved gelatine into the melted chocolate and stir to mix. Fold in the whisked egg white mixture, then gently fold in the whipped cream. 10 Pour into glasses or bowls, cover and place in the fridge until set.
Third place
11 Mix the water, sugar and lemon juice for the lemon parfait a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Allow to cool. 12 Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and yolks to a saucepan. Whisk to combine. 13 Cook over a medium-low heat, whisking in the butter straight away until thick. Allow to cool. 14 Take out the shortbread out of the oven, and leave to cool. Put in the glass. Put the lemon parfait on top and refrigerate until set. 15 Break up the dark chocolate and the cubes of butter into large bowl for the brownies, then melt until smooth. 16 Break up the milk and white chocolate. 17 Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and frothy. Pour in the melted chocolate and stir to combine. 18 Sieve in the flour and fold into the mixture. Poor the mix into tin. 19 Sprinkle with chocolate and hazelnuts pieces. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 20 To make the berry coulis, put the berries in a saucepan, then add the sugar and orange zest. Heat until soft, then purée in a blender and strain through a sieve to leave a smooth liquid. 21 Whip the cream. Put into piping bag and put on the lemon parfait. 22 Plate up the dessert, paint the berry coulis on a plate, place the honeycomb on the mousse, cut out a brownie and put a mint leaf on the parfait. Dip the heart biscuit in melted chocolate and crushed pistachio.
h Kelly Englis
For the berry coulis: 200g berries 75g caster sugar Zest of 1 orange For the whipped cream: 75ml double cream 25g caster sugar Zest of 1 lemon 1 First make the chocolate honeycomb by spreading the melted chocolate on bubble wrap and sprinkling over the hazelnuts on top. Chill until set. 2 Preheat the oven for the shortbread to
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Easy Food 85
Pick a side
Make your weekend breakfast the most delicious meal of the day with these decadent baps The veggies’ breakfast bap Serves 2 For the hash brown patties: 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated 30g butter 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch of salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp chilli powder ½ tsp garlic powder 40g Parmesan, grated For the baps: 2 large, deep portobello mushrooms, stalks removed Cooking spray Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp tomato relish 2 brioche, sourdough or crusty baps, split 2 small eggs, cooked over-easy 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas mark 6 and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. 2 Place the grated potato in a bowl and rinse with cold water. Drain well, then transfer the potato to a clean tea towel and squeeze as much water out as possible. Place the potato in a dry bowl. 3 In a small bowl, combine the butter, oil, salt and spices. Microwave on high for 30 seconds until the butter has melted. Pour this mixture over the potatoes. Add the Parmesan and stir
well to combine. 4 Spread the potato mixture out in an even layer on the prepared baking tray. 5 Cook on the lowest rack of the oven for 18-20 minutes, then transfer to the top rack, rotating the tray as you do so (there is no need to flip the hash brown). Cook for another 10-12 minutes or until crispy. 6 Meanwhile, spray the mushrooms with cooking spray and place gill side-down on a baking tray in the centre of the oven. Cook for five minutes until just tender. Flip the mushrooms over and cook for another few minutes until soft. 7 To serve, use a pastry cutter around the same diameter as the baps to cut out 1-2 hash browns per person. 8 Spread some tomato relish into each split bap, then pile up each one with 1-2 hash brown patties, the roasted mushroom and an over-easy egg.
Per Serving 682kcals, 27.9g fat (13.6g saturated), 85.4g carbs, 5g sugars, 24.3g protein, 7.4g fibre, 0.92g sodium
Top tip:
ch, ecial tou For a sp g into g e n a k rac ollow gentl y c h m shroo m. each mu e u flip th once yo the in k o o e to c oms Continu ro h us til the m es of it oven un h w e and th et. are soft s have s the egg
MAKE IT YOURS: Too hungry to make your own hash browns? Just cook four shop-bought hash browns according to package instructions and add two to each bap.
86 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun breakfast baps
The meat-lovers’ breakfast bap Serves 2 For the sausage patties: 300g pork mince ½ a small onion, very finely chopped or grated 1 tsp mustard powder ½ tsp dried thyme ½ tsp dried sage 2 tsp maple syrup (optional) Salt and black pepper For the bap: 4 bacon rashers 2 large eggs 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp tomato relish 2 brioche, sourdough or crusty baps, split
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1 Combine all of the ingredients for the sausage patties in a large bowl and mix until just combined. 2 Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of cling film and cover with a second sheet. Roll out to 1cm thick, then use a pastry cutter to cut out round patties about the same in diameter as the baps. Set two aside for the breakfast baps, placing the rest on a baking tray in the freezer. Once frozen solid, wrap the patties individually and store in the freezer for future meals. 3 When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausage patties and the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until completely cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with tin foil. 4 Turn the heat under the pan to medium and crack two eggs into the fat left in the pan. Fry the eggs to your liking, carefully flipping them
over for the final 20 seconds to make them easy over. 5 In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Spread on one side of each split bap, spreading tomato relish on the other side. 6 Pile up each bap with a sausage patty, two rashers and an egg. Per Serving 766kcals, 21.5g fat (4.8g saturated), 124g carbs, 3.2g sugars, 22.1g protein, 5.2g fibre, 1.063g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: Too hungry to make your own sausage patties? Simply split two large, good quality sausages in half down the middle and open them out like a book, then cook as usual and add one to each bap.
Easy Food 87
LET’S GET READY
TO CRUMBLE!
A little crumble is the perfect topping for these sweet treats
88 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun crumbles
RASPBERRY LEMON CRUMB BARS Makes 16 375g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 230g cold butter, cubed 200g light brown sugar 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract 600g raspberries 70g sugar Zest from 1 lemon 1½ tbsp cornflour For the glaze: 120g icing sugar, sifted Juice of 1 lemon 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 30 x 18cm rectangular baking tin and line with parchment paper. 2 Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly. 3 Whisk the brown sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla in a second bowl until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. 4 Press two-thirds of the mixture into an even layer in the baking tin. 5 Toss the raspberries, sugar, lemon zest and cornflour together. Spoon over the crumb base. 6 Crumble the remaining flour mixture over the top and press down gently. 7 Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. 8 Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth, then drizzle over the top of the cooled bake. Slice into bars to serve. Per Serving 214kcals, 8.5g fat (5.1g saturated), 33g carbs, 17.1g sugars, 2.4g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.113g sodium
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Easy Food 89
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FOREST FRUIT ALMOND CRUMBLE Serves 6-8 300g raspberries 300g blueberries 200g blackberries 1 tbsp caster sugar For the crumble: 175g self-raising flour 75g cold butter, cubed 100g demerara sugar 100g flaked almonds
90 Easy Food
1 Preheat the oven to 180ËšC/160ËšC fan/gas mark 4. Put the berries into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the sugar. 2 Add the flour to a large mixing bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the sugar and flaked almonds. 3 Sprinkle the crumb topping over the fruit mixture in the baking dish.
4 Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned and crisp, then remove from the oven and leave to set for 10 minutes before serving with custard or ice cream.
Per Serving 324kcals, 14.6g fat (5.3g saturated), 45.5g carbs, 20.8g sugars, 6.1g protein, 6.8g fibre, 0.059g sodium
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun crumbles
BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS Makes 12 For the crumb topping: 120g plain flour 3 tbsp light brown sugar 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp baking powder 90g butter, melted For the muffins: 220g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt
200g caster sugar 2 large eggs 120ml vegetable oil 180ml whole milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 150g blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. Line 18 cups of two regular muffin tins with paper liners. 2 Combine the flour, sugars and baking powder for the crumble in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter, then break up the mixture into pea-sized clumps. 3 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt for the
muffins into a separate bowl. 4 Beat the sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the blueberries. 5 Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of each muffin. 6 Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Per Serving 232kcals, 11.2g fat (4.1g saturated), 31g carbs, 15.9g sugars, 3.1g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.109g sodium
Cover
Cook the
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Easy Food 91
NEW YORK CRUMB CAKE Makes 9 large or 18 small bars 200g dark brown sugar 100g caster sugar 1½ tbsp cinnamon 300g plain flour 250g butter, melted For the cake: 180g butter, at room temperature 300g caster sugar 2 large eggs 300g sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 300g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ¾ tsp baking powder
92 Easy Food
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 32 x 20cm rectangular baking tin and line with parchment paper. 2 Whisk the sugars, cinnamon and flour for the crumble in a mixing bowl until combined. 3 Stir in the melted butter, then break up the mixture into pea-sized clumps to make a rough crumble. 4 Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl for a few minutes until creamy. Beat in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. 5 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into medium bowl. 6 Gradually beat the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined.
7 Spread the batter into the tin. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven. Squeeze handfuls of the crumble topping, then drop clumps of it over the top of the filling to completely cover it (it will be thick). 8 Bake for 20 minutes longer until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, and the topping is browned and slightly crisp. 9 Leave to cool, then serve slightly warm or at room temperature with a cup of coffee. Per Serving 702kcals, 35.7g fat (22g saturated), 91.7g carbs, 49.9g sugars, 7.5g protein, 3g fibre, 0.342g sodium
AUGUST 2017
cooking for fun crumbles
DUTCH APPLE PIE Serves 8-10 For the dough: 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 4 tsp granulated sugar 200g cold butter, cubed 1 large egg, beaten with 2 tbsp of cold water For the filling: 1.2kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced Juice from 1 lemon 80g granulated sugar 50g light brown sugar 1 tbsp cornflour 60g butter 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground allspice
For the streusel topping: 120g plain flour 100g light brown sugar 90g butter, at room temperature 60g walnuts, chopped 1 For the dough, combine the flour and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and pulse again until combined. If it is very dry, add a tablespoon of water and pulse again. 2 Remove the dough from the food processor and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour. 3 Add the apples to a large bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients for the filling. 4 Stir the flour and sugar for the topping in a bowl. Rub in the butter until combined, then mix in the walnuts.
5 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a baking tray onto the rack and let it warm up as the oven preheats. 6 Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a 30cm circle. Use it to line a 23cm pie tin. Fold and crimp the edges as desired. 7 Spread the filling into the tin. Squeeze handfuls of the streusel topping, then drop clumps of it on top of the filling to completely cover it. 8 Place the tin on the baking tray and bake for 50-60 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. 9 Leave to cool before serving with ice cream or custard. Per Serving 560kcals, 33g fat (18.5g saturated), 18.5g carbs, 28.1g sugars, 6.9g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.211g sodium
WHAT’S IN A NAME ?
The term Dut ch Apple Pie refers to the apple pi e variation po pular among the Pe nnsylvania Dut ch settlers in Am erica. As New York settlers in the th 17 centur y be gan to move into Pe nnsylvania, th ey took with them the habit of using crumb toppin gs on their pies.
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Easy Food 93
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kids' kitchen A GO-TO GUIDE FOR BUDDING YOUNG COOKS
96-106 IN THIS SECTION
SCHOOL'S IN! P96
Our Home Ec expert shares creative ideas for healthy, interesting school lunches
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FREE-FROM FOODIES P98
These allergy-friendly treats are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters
EASY JUNIORS P105
Handy pitta pizza pockets are a fun and tasty quick-fix snack
Easy Food 95
Home Economics Masterclass
SCHOOL’S IN! Fiona Broderick, Galway, shares creative ideas for healthy, interesting school lunches
I
t’s that time of year again: lunch boxes are being bought and trolleys are being filled with foods suitable for the academic year ahead. It can be hard to keep lunches and snacks interesting all year round, but with the right knowledge and a bit of creativity, all will be well. Making snacks and lunches together can add some fun; try taking an hour over the weekend Sunday to bake or prepare food for the week ahead. Not only will this save time in the mornings, but it can also be a bonding experience. The food pyramid outlines the ideal portions of foods to be consumed daily. Using this as a guide when preparing lunches and snacks for your little ones will ensure a balance of foods in the diet.
A healthy balanced diet is crucial to ensure all your body’s nutrient requirements are met each day. A combination of the macronutrients protein, carbohydrates and fats should make up the most part of lunches and snacks, while including essential micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals and water. One can achieve this by using wholemeal wraps, bread, rolls or bagels as a source of complex carbohydrates which release energy slowly throughout the day. Wholemeal foods are also rich in fibre, aiding digestion and keeping us fuller for longer, in contrast to refined carbohydrates (such as white bread, cakes and biscuits). A source of lean meat, fish, eggs or meat alternatives will provide protein, necessary for the growth
THE FOOD PYRAMID
of body cells in children and teenagers. Healthy sources of unsaturated fats such as avocado or nuts should be included to provide energy for school work, activities and homework. Fruit and vegetables will provide fibre, as well as vitamin C to help ward off nasty colds and flus. According to the food pyramid, seven portions of fruit and vegetables should be consumed daily. Buy fruit in season when it is at its freshest and is less expensive. Include fruit and veggies with every meal and incorporate them into your child’s snacking routine. Being creative with your little one may encourage him/her to eat the produce: try making faces on sandwiches with fruit or arranging the fruit in a colourful way. Water is essential daily for hydration, so including a bottle of water as part of lunch instead of sugary drinks is important. Snacking on the correct foods as well as eating them at lunchtime is vital. The risk of obesity, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes and other health problems can be significantly reduced by using the information above and introducing good habits to your child from a young age. Opting for a handful of nuts, fruit, carrot sticks or homemade flapjacks is a much healthier option than junk foods like sweets, chocolate or crisps, all of which should be eaten sparingly. A FEW KEY GUIDELINES TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING LUNCHES AND SNACKS: • Take your kids’ likes and dislikes into consideration, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different foods. • Ensure that all lunches and snacks are filling and nutritious to aid in concentration and provide energy for activities and play. • Avoid empty calorie foods such as chocolate, cake, sweets and crisps. Keep these for a very occasional treat. • Aim for variety wherever possible; eating the same lunch every day can make it become less appealing. • Remember the Food Pyramid and aim to include healthy options in lunches.
96 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen home ec
Top Tip The mixture w ill still be soft w hen fully baked, bu t will harden as it co ols.
QUICK LEMON AND PECAN SCONES Makes 8-10 225g self-raising flour Pinch of salt 50g unsalted butter Zest and juice of 1 lemon 115g pecan nuts
GLUTEN-FREE FLAPJACKS Makes about 16
250g unsalted butter Zest of 1 orange 225g golden syrup 75g muscavado sugar 375g pure, gluten-free oats 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and line the base and sides of a 28 x 20cm shallow baking tin with parchment paper. 2 Place the butter, orange zest, syrup and sugar in a large pan and heat gently until the butter has melted. 3 Add the oats to the pan and stir to mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture into the tin and flatten with a spatula. 4 Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin, then remove from the tin and cut into bars. Store for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Per Serving 259kcals, 14.2g fat (8.3g saturated), 31.5g carbs, 8.7g sugars, 3.2g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.113g sodium
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Line the base and sides of a shallow baking tin with parchment paper. 2 Put the flour in a food processor with the salt and butter. Whizz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. 3 Add the lemon zest. Add two tablespoons of lemon juice to a jug. Add enough water to the jug to make up to 120ml, then add to the food processor with the pecans. 4 Whizz everything together into a dough. Add a splash of water if the dough is very dry. 5 Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and roll out to 2cm thick. Cut out scones using a round cutter and transfer them to the baking tray. Brush the scones with the reserved lemon juice. 6 Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire tray to cool. Store the scones in an airtight container for up to three days. Per Serving 199kcals, 12.5g fat (3.5g saturated), 18.9g carbs, 0.6g sugars, 3.6g protein, 1.9g fibre, 0.046g sodium
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Easy Food 97
Foodies
FREE-FROM
These allergy-friendly treats are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters!
Top tip: by
e Save tim oked re-co p g in y bu ts and beetroo lending b simply h the them wit te wa r.
98 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen allergy-friendly
Beetroot chocolate cake with avocado icing Serves 8-12
Gluten-free Dairy-free No refined sugars Egg-free Nut-free 2 beetroots, peeled and chopped 240g gluten-free flour 40g cocoa powder 200g coconut sugar 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt 60ml coconut oil, melted 180ml water 1 tsp apple cider vinegar For the icing: 2 avocados 180g maple syrup 40g cocoa powder 1 To make the beetroot purée, place the beetroots in a pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender. Leave to cool, then place in a food processor with 1-2 tablespoons of the beetroot water. Purée until smooth. 2 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 16cm cake tin and line with parchment paper. 3 Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. 4 One at a time, whisk in the oil, beetroot purée, water and vinegar. 5 Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 50 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin for about 25 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely. 6 Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the icing in a food processor and whizz into a very smooth purée. 7 Spread the cooled cake with the icing and refrigerate to store.
Per Serving 286 kcals, 12.3g fat (6g saturated), 46.9g carbs, 27.6g sugars, 3g protein, 6.2g fibre, 0.264g sodium
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No-bake apricot quinoa breakfast bites Makes 12
Vegan Gluten-free No refined sugars 180g dried apricots 80g walnuts, chopped A pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 30g raisins 4 tbsp puffed quinoa 1 Purée the apricots, walnuts, salt and vanilla in a food processor until smooth. 2 Transfer to a bowl and stir in the raisins. 3 Roll the mixture into 12 small balls. 4 Immediately roll each ball in the puffed quinoa to serve.
DI Y puffed quinoa
If you can’t find puffed quinoa, you can simply make it at home with regular quinoa. Wash the quinoa very well and dry at room temperature, pressing it between kitchen paper. If you want quinoa to dry quickly, spread the washed quinoa onto a baking tray and warm in in an oven heated to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6, stirring constantly, until dry. Once the quinoa is dried, heat a nonstick pan. (Make sure the pan is properly heated. You can test the temperature of the pan by sprinkling few quinoa grains. If it splutters, it means the pan is ready). Add the quinoa the pan and stir constantly to avoid any burning or over-cooking. Remove to a bowl and leave to cool completely.
Per Serving 62 kcals, 4.1g fat (0.2g saturated), 5.2g carbs, 2.9g sugars, 2.1g protein, 0.9g fibre, 0.012g sodium
x Easy Food 99
Banana French toast Makes 10 slices Vegan Dairy-free Gluten-free Nut-free 2 apples, peeled and sliced 2 tbsp muscovado sugar 3 tbsp water 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 ripe banana, mashed 120ml soy/almond milk
100 Easy Food
1 tsp vanilla extract Coconut oil, for greasing 4 slices of gluten-free bread To serve: Maple syrup 1 Combine the apples, sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat and simmer for five minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in half of the cinnamon, then cover and set aside.
2 Whisk the banana, milk, vanilla extract and remaining cinnamon in a shallow bowl. 3 Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Dip the bread into the banana mixture and place in the hot pan. Cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately with the cinnamon apples. Per Serving 496 kcals, 11.8g fat (7.1g saturated), 98.6g carbs, 42.7g sugars, 5.7g protein, 10.3g fibre, 0.684g sodium
x
AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen allergy-friendly
Blueberry banana ice cream Serves 2
Dairy-free Gluten-free No refined sugars Egg-free Nut-free
1 Place the bananas and blueberries in a food processor and leave to sit for three minutes. 2 PurĂŠe at a high speed until a smooth consistency is reached. Eat as is, or freeze for at least two hours for a firmer texture. Per Serving 186 kcals, 0.8g fat (0.2g saturated), 47.7g carbs, 26.6g sugars, 2.3g protein, 5.8g fibre, 0.002g sodium
x
3 frozen bananas, chopped 100g blueberries, frozen
Top tip:
to chop Be sure anas a b the n ezing e before fr r ie s a e r fo g! blendin
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Easy Food 101
Banana rhubarb muffins Makes 12-15
Gluten-free Dairy-free No refined sugars Egg-free Nut-free 230g brown rice flour 70g chickpea/fava flour 100g coconut sugar 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt
102 Easy Food
1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg 2 ripe bananas, mashed 180ml almond milk 120ml maple syrup 2 tbsp apple sauce 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted 1 tbsp ground flax seed 1 tsp vanilla 1 rhubarb stalk, chopped and tossed with a squeeze of lemon juice 2 peaches, pitted and chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper
liners. Combine the first eight ingredients in a small bowl. 2 In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the rhubarb and peach. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. 3 Stir in the rhubarb and peaches. 4 Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
Per Serving 247 kcals, 7.2g fat (5.4g saturated), 44g carbs, 22.7g sugars, 3.7g protein, 3.1g fibre, 0.308g sodium
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AUGUST 2017
kids’ kitchen allergy-friendly
Egg-free meringues Makes 6
Gluten-free Egg-free Nut-free 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas ½ tsp cream of tartar ½ tsp white vinegar 100g icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp vanilla extract To serve: 300ml whipped cream Fresh berries
spaced well apart on each sheet. Line two large baking trays with the parchment paper, marked-side down. 2 Drain the chickpeas over a bowl to reserve the liquid. Transfer the chickpeas to a container and refrigerate for another use. 3 Using an electric mixer, beat the chickpea liquid for five minutes or until the mixture is white, foamy and forms soft peaks. 4 Add the cream of tartar and vinegar and beat until combined. 5 Gradually beat in the icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy. Beat in the vanilla. 6 Spoon the mixture into a piping bag, or a plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe onto the circles to form discs or nests. Leave
ample space between the meringues. 7 Use the back of a teaspoon to make a small indent into the top of each meringue. 8 Bake for two hours or until just firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues to cool inside for 30 minutes with the door closed. 9 Crack the door open slightly and leave the meringues to cool completely with the oven door ajar. 10 Immediately before serving, top each with whipped cream and fresh summer berries. Per Serving 296 kcals, 17g fat (10g saturated), 29.2g carbs, 16.5g sugars, 5.5g protein, 0g fibre, 0.032g sodium
1 Preheat the oven to 120˚C/100˚C fan/gas mark ½. Cut two 30cm lengths of parchment paper. Use a pencil to draw three 8cm rounds
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Easy Food 103
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Easy Food juniors
kids’ kitchen easy juniors
These toaster pitta pizzas are a fun and tasty quick-fix snack!
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Easy Food 105
Easy cheesy toaster pitta pizzas
1
:-)
Easy Food juniors
ep! and ke Cut out
2
Makes 1 (easily doubled)
1 small pitta bread, white or wholemeal 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp cream cheese 1½ tbsp Cheddar and Mozzarella mix, grated Ham, pepperoni or any other favourite pizza toppings 1 Assemble all of your ingredients. 2 Rub the outsides of the pitta with wet hands, then place in the toaster for 45-60 seconds until puffed up but not crispy. 3 In a small bowl, combine the tomato purée with the cream cheese and grated cheeses. 4 Carefully slice an opening at one side of the pitta (ask an adult to help). 5 Use a teaspoon to push the tomato and cheese mixture inside and add any other fillings you like. Gently squash the pitta bread until it is closed. 6 Put the pitta back in the toaster, cut sideup. Toast for two minutes or until the pitta is crisp and the cheeses have melted.
3
4
5
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Per Serving 242kcals, 9.7g fat (5.3g saturated), 25.9g carbs, 3g sugars, 11.7g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.985g sodium
106 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
make it healthy! GIVE YOUR BODY THE LOVE IT DESERVES
108-118 IN THIS SECTION
SALAD SATISFACTION P108
These hearty vegetarian salads are sure to keep you full for longer
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OH MY GOODNESS! P114
Food blogger Aoife Howard dishes on one of her favourite healthy summer desserts
15 HEALTHY COOKING METHODS P116
Delicious recipes for steaming, poaching and grilling your foods
Easy Food 107
Salad
SATISFACTION These hearty vegetarian salads are sure to keep you full for longer
108 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
make it healthy hearty salads
Roast butternut squash and black bean salad with chillilime dressing Serves 4 For the dressing: Juice of 1 lime 2 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce ½ tsp honey Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil For the salad: 450g butternut squash, peeled and cubed 1½ tsp olive oil ½ tsp ground cumin 1 x 200g bag of rocket 1 x 400g tin of black beans, rinsed and drained 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 2 In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, sriracha, honey and some seasoning. Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking. 3 Place the butternut squash on a large rimmed baking tray. Pour over the olive oil and season with the cumin and some salt and pepper. Toss to coat. 4 Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender. 5 In a serving bowl, toss together the rocket, beans and pumpkin seeds. Add the roasted squash and the dressing and toss again. Per Serving 565kcals, 18.1g fat (2.9g saturated), 81.2g carbs, 6.6g sugars, 26.2g protein, 18.7g fibre, 0.082g sodium
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MAKE IT YOURS: Roasted sweet potato will work just as well as the squash.
Samosa salad Serves 4 For the crispy chickpeas: 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and thoroughly dried 1 tsp curry powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) 1 tbsp rapeseed oil Salt and black pepper
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For the salad: 1 bunch of baby carrots 450g baby new potatoes 1 tsp curry powder 1 tbsp rapeseed oil For the dressing: 1 bunch of fresh coriander 3 garlic cloves ½ tsp dried oregano 3 mint leaves 3 tbsp olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp curry powder Pinch of cumin seeds To assemble: 200g baby spinach 150g peas, thawed if frozen 2 shallots 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6.
2 On a large, rimmed baking tray, toss the chickpeas together with the curry powder, cumin, garlic powder, chilli flakes (if using), the rapeseed oil and some salt and pepper. Spread the chickpeas out into an even layer. Roast in the bottom half of the oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy. 3 On a separate baking tray, toss the carrots and potatoes in the curry powder, rapeseed oil and some salt and pepper and roast along with the chickpeas for 15-20 minutes. 4 Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. 5 On a large serving platter, spread out the spinach leaves, peas and shallots. Top with the crispy chickpeas and roasted vegetables. Drizzle over the dressing and serve.
Per Serving 476kcals, 19.2g fat (2.9g saturated), 62.8g carbs, 10.9g sugars, 17.1g protein, 16.2g fibre, 0.131g sodium
x Easy Food 109
Goat’s cheese pasta salad Serves 4 For the dressing: 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp honey Salt and black pepper For the salad: 320g fusilli or other short pasta
300g green beans, ends trimmed 120g goat’s cheese, crumbled ½ a red onion, thinly sliced 30g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained 250g rocket 1 In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. 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. Rinse under cold water, then drain well.
3 Blanch the green beans in boiling water for two minutes, then drain and plunge into a bowl of iced water until cold. Drain well. 4 In a large serving bowl, toss the pasta and green beans together with the goat’s cheese, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes. 5 Just before serving, stir in the rocket, pour over the dressing and toss to coat. Per Serving 582kcals, 23.8g fat (9.3g saturated), 73.7g carbs, 8.4g sugars, 23.1g protein, 7.2g fibre, 0.213g sodium
Top tip:
e, you If you lik three e s can u the oons of tablesp to oil a m to d sun-drie in ressing, in the d e th f o e c pla gin. extra-vir
110 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
make it healthy hearty salads
MAKE IT YOURS: If you’re not serving this to vegetarians, some crispy crumbled bacon makes a tasty addition.
Honey-mustard potato salad with soft-boiled eggs and asparagus Serves 4 450g baby new potatoes, scrubbed and halved Salt and black pepper 12 asparagus spears, trimmed 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 tsp honey 40ml olive oil 1 small red onion, finely sliced
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Handful of fresh parsley, chopped 3 dill pickles, roughly chopped 1 Place the potatoes in a pot, add one teaspoon of salt and add just enough water to cover. Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon. 2 Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for two minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of iced water until cold, then drain. 3 Gently lower the eggs into the pot of boiling water and set a timer for exactly seven minutes. When ready, drain the eggs
immediately and run under cold water until cool to the touch. 4 In a bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, mustard and honey. Slowly stream in the oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. 5 Add the potatoes, red onion and parsley to the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter. Peel the eggs and cut in half lengthwise, then tuck them in between the potatoes. Top with the chopped pickles and serve. Per Serving 283kcals, 16g fat (3.6g saturated), 25.9g carbs, 7.2g sugars, 10.2g protein, 4.4g fibre, 0.716g sodium
x Easy Food 111
Asian cucumber salad with stir-fried tofu and crispy noodles Serves 2-3 For the dressing: 1 x 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled 2 garlic cloves, peeled 3 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp honey or maple syrup For the crispy noodles: Vegetable oil, for frying 80g thin dried rice noodles/vermicelli, cut into 6-8cm lengths For the salad: 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced Salt
112 Easy Food
1 tbsp sesame oil 400g extra firm tofu, drained and cubed 3 large carrots, shaved into ribbons using a vegetable peeler 3 spring onions, chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 green chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Handful of peanuts, crushed (optional) 1 Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Set aside. 2 Pour the vegetable oil for the crispy noodles into a medium-sized saucepan to a depth of 5cm and heat over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. When hot, drop the rice noodles in a few at a time. They will puff up immediately. Quickly flip the noodles over using tongs, then remove to a plate lined
with kitchen paper to drain. Repeat with the remaining noodles. 3 Place the cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside in the sink to drain for about 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen paper. 4 Heat the sesame oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly browned, turning occasionally. 5 In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, carrots, spring onions, pepper, chilli and coriander. Drizzle over the dressing over and toss to coat. Top the salad with the stir-fried tofu, the crispy noodles and some crushed peanuts, if desired. Per Serving 475kcals, 33.5g fat (5.9g saturated), 34.7g carbs, 12.9g sugars, 14.8g protein, 6g fibre, 0.473g sodium
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AUGUST 2017
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25/04/2017 17:06
Goodness! OH MY
Blogger Aoife Howard dishes on one of her favourite healthy summer desserts
A
fter the veritable feast that is a summer barbecue, I think it's always nice to end the meal on a lighter — albeit sweet — note. This quick and delicious dessert effortlessly fits the bill and is an ideal way to end any late summer meal. The baked bananas take just minutes to prepare, leaving you with plenty of spare time to enjoy the sunshine and company! The simplicity of this recipe helps to transform the humble banana into a drool-worthy summer pudding. Simply halve your banana, brush with a glaze made of maple syrup and sweet cinnamon, then bake until soft and golden. Finish the dessert with a liberal drizzle of my favourite three-ingredient caramel sauce, which combines earthy tahini, sweet maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt. I highly recommend making extra of the moreish caramel sauce — if you’re anything like me, most of it won't make it out of the bowl! Leftovers are heavenly served atop a steaming bowl of vanilla porridge, alongside creamy yoghurt, crunchy granola and sweet berries, or pour over a stack of indulgently fluffy pancakes with a handful of crunchy nuts for the ultimate treat. My favourite thing about this recipe is just how versatile it is. Here, I chose to take inspiration from Middle Eastern cuisine by topping the bananas with zingy pomegranate seeds and cooling, fresh mint, and by using earthy tahini in the caramel sauce. For a more childfriendly take, substitute the tahini for crunchy peanut butter and serve with a sprinkle of grated chocolate and a
114 Easy Food
dollop of vanilla ice cream. Or how about almond butter caramel, coconut yoghurt and a sprinkle of lime zest? Get creative! The combinations are endless. No matter what variation you choose, these baked bananas liberally drizzled in smooth caramel guarantee that any summer meal will end on a sweet note!
✓ Gluten free ✓ Vegan ✓ Dairy-free
Maple-baked bananas with tahini caramel Serves 2 2 bananas 2 tsp maple syrup or honey A pinch of cinnamon For the caramel sauce: 1 tbsp light tahini paste (or any nut butter of your choice) 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk or water Pinch of sea salt
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
until the skins are black and the bananas are soft. 4 Meanwhile, prepare the caramel sauce. Whisk the tahini paste and maple syrup in a bowl. 5 Slowly whisk in the almond milk (or water) until smooth. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste. 6 Remove the baked bananas from the oven or barbecue. Drizzle over the caramel sauce and top with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds and fresh mint.
Per Serving 189kcals, 4.4g fat (0.7g saturated), 38.9g carbs, 24.2g sugars, 2.6g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.088g sodium
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To serve: Pomegranate seeds Fresh mint 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/ gas mark 3, or heat a barbecue to a medium-high heat. Slice the bananas lengthwise through the skins and arrange cut-side up on a baking tray. 2 Drizzle the maple syrup over the bananas and sprinkle with cinnamon. 3 Bake or barbecue for 10-12 minutes
AUGUST 2017
make it healthy BBQ dessert
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Easy Food 115
5
15 HEALTHY COOKING METHODS
ways with
STEAMING
STEAM-BAKED EGGS
Serves 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Lightly grease a small baking dish with oil, butter or cooking spray. Gently whisk 4 eggs together in a small bowl with a splash of milk. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Cover with tin foil and place the baking dish within a larger pan filled with 1cm water. Place in the oven to steambake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to sit for one minute, then slice. Serve in wholemeal pitta breads with baby spinach leaves and sliced tomatoes.
THAI STEAMED MUSSELS Serves 4 (or 6 as a starter) Pour 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk into a
116 Easy Food
Top Tip:ave a
large pot. Stir in 1 tbsp Thai green or yellow curry paste and bring to a simmer. Add 2kg fresh, washed and de-bearded mussels and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the mussels have opened, stirring once or twice in the meantime. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened, then serve in big bowls with the Thai broth ladled over the top.
STEAMED SALMON IN PARCHMENT Serves 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas mark 6. Spray two large pieces of tin foil with cooking spray. Divide 2 chopped spring onions between the pieces of foil. Season 2 salmon fillets with salt and black pepper and place on top of the onions. Place a knob of butter on each fillet. Add a handful of trimmed green beans beside each salmon fillet. Bring the foil up on all sides of the salmon and add a small splash of white wine and/or a squeeze of lemon juice to each parcel. Pinch the tops of the parcels together, leaving a little space inside each one. Place in the oven to steam for 25-30 minutes or until the salmon is completely cooked.
GARLIC AND CHILLI STEAMED CHICKEN Serves 2 Season 2 chicken fillets with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, a pinch of dried chilli flakes and the zest of 1 lemon.
n’t h If you do basket, or r e m a te s e se a siev u ly simp over t e s r e d or colan ng simmeri a pot of r. te a w
Place in a steamer or a colander set over a pan of simmering water. Steam for 8-10 minutes until completely cooked. Squeeze over a little lemon juice, drizzle with extravirgin olive oil and serve with roasted baby potatoes and some spinach.
STEAMED LEMON PUDDINGS Serves 8 Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas mark 3. Grease eight ramekins with butter and set inside a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, stir together 40g plain flour, ½ tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, beat together 3 large egg yolks with 100g granulated sugar until pale and smooth. Whisk in the juice of 2 lemons, 2 tsp lemon zest, 30g melted butter, 300ml whole milk and the flour mixture. Place in the fridge. In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to beat 3 egg whites together with 50g granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold this into the cool batter. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins. Pour enough hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
AUGUST 2017
15 ways with healthy cooking methods
ALL-IN-ONE CHICKEN AND VEGGIES Serves 4 In a large pot with a lid, combine 1½ tbsp olive oil with a large knob of butter over a medium heat until the butter has melted. Add 400g sliced carrots, 3 chopped celery stalks and 1 sliced onion. Cook for 10 minutes until soft. Season 4 chicken fillets with salt and black pepper and add to the pan, snuggling the fillets down amongst the vegetables. Add 350ml white wine and enough chicken stock to just cover the chicken and vegetables. Add 3 sprigs each of fresh thyme and parsley. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked throughout. When ready, slice the chicken fillets and serve with the vegetables and some mashed potato or rice.
POACHED WHITE WINE SALMON Serves 4 Drizzle 4 salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Pour 500ml white wine into a large pan and add water until the liquid reaches a depth of about 15cm. Add 2 halved lemons and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the salmon and allow to cook for 7-8 minutes until cooked to your liking. Serve with lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley.
POACHED WHOLE CHICKEN Place 1 whole chicken in a large pot. Add 1 chopped onion, 3 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 tbsp whole peppercorns, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs of fresh sage. Top Tip:ol the Cover the chicken and co in a Str g liquid with water and poachin chicken add ½ tbsp salt. from the stock s a e s u and Bring to a boil, p odle sou o n a r fo . h then reduce the is d ther or any o heat to a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer to a chopping board and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Pull off all the meat and use in recipes for the next few days.
RED WINE POACHED PEACHES Serves 2 In a saucepan, combine 720ml wine, 180g sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves,
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3 whole black peppercorns and 2 strips of lemon zest. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook over a mediumhigh heat until syrupy. Add 2 halved and pitted peaches and cook gently for five minutes, turning occasionally in the syrup, until tender. Put the peach halves in serving bowls and top with good quality vanilla ice cream and some of the poaching syrup.
TOMATO-POACHED EGGS Serves 2 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Add 1 deseeded and chopped red pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, ½ tsp harissa paste, 1 tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp smoked paprika. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes, then half-fill the tin with water and add this to the pan as well. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cook over a medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes until thick. Reduce the heat to low and make four wells in the sauce with the back of a a spoon. Carefully crack 4 eggs into the wells. Cover the pan with a lid and gently poach the eggs for about five minutes or until cooked to your liking. Serve hot with pittas or flatbreads.
5 ways with
POACHING Easy Food 117
5 ways with
CHARRED TOMATO TOASTS Preheat the grill to a high heat with a rack about 15cm from the heat source. Brush 4 thick slices of rustic bread with olive oil. Toast under the grill for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Set aside. In a bowl, toss 250g cherry tomatoes with 3 tbsp olive oil and some salt and black pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking tray and place under the grill for 8-10 minutes until charred and the juices are released. Spread the toasts with goat’s cheese, then top with the warm tomatoes and their juices. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.
SIMPLE GRILLED CHICKEN TENDERS Serves 4 Place 4 tbsp rapeseed oil in a sealable bag and add the juice of ½ a lemon, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 crushed garlic cloves, ½ tsp black pepper and ½ tsp dried oregano. Slice 4 chicken fillets into strips, then add to the bag. Seal the bag and rub the marinade around to coat the chicken completely. Place in the fridge for at least two hours or up to eight, turning the bag occasionally. Preheat the grill to a high heat with a rack about 15cm from the heat source. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Remove the chicken tenders from the bag, discarding the marinade, and transfer to the baking tray. Place the chicken under the grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until completely cooked throughout.
118 Easy Food
PESTO SPAGHETTI WITH CHEESY GRILLED TOMATOES Serves 4 Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook 320g spaghetti according to package instructions. Preheat the grill to a high heat with a rack about 15cm from the heat source. Lightly oil a baking tray. Slice 3 large tomatoes and arrange the slices on the baking tray. Sprinkle each slice with salt and pepper, then top each one with 1 tbsp grated Mozzarella and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Place under the grill for 3-5 minutes until golden and bubbly. When the pasta is cooked, drain well and return to the pot. Stir in 4-5 tbsp fresh basil pesto and 1 tbsp olive oil. Warm through over the hot hob, then divide between serving plates. Top with the cheesy tomatoes, tear over some fresh basil leaves and serve.
GARLIC LAMB CHOPS WITH MINT AND MUSTARD SAUCE Serves 4 Allow 8 lamb chops to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to a high heat with a rack about 15cm from the heat source. In a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, combine 3 crushed garlic cloves with 80ml olive oil. Heat gently for five minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside. Brush the lamb chops on both sides with the garlic oil and season generously with
GRILLING
salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook for 5-8 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine 1½ tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tbsp honey. With the motor running, stream in the remaining garlic oil with the crushed cloves. Add a small handful of fresh mint leaves and whizz until finely chopped. Serve the lamb chops with the mint-mustard sauce on the side.
GRILLED BANANA AND RICOTTA POTS Serves 4 Preheat the grill to a high heat with a rack about 15cm from the heat source. In a small bowl, combine 8 tbsp brown sugar with a pinch of salt and 1½ tsp vanilla extract. Spread 4 tbsp fresh Ricotta into four ramekins. Slice 2 large bananas about ½cm thick and use to top the ramekins, gently pressing the banana slices into the Ricotta. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the bananas with water. Sprinkle a quarter of the sugar mixture in an even layer over the top of each ramekin. Place under the grill for 3-4 minutes until the sugar has caramelised. Serve immediately.
AUGUST 2017
All the know-how you need to develop your cooking skills and become an expert in the kitchen
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Easy Food 119
Quick Question SHOULD I COOK WITH COCONUT OIL? Sales of coconut oil have boomed in recent years, thanks to the rise of healthy eating bloggers and the ‘wellness movement’. The basis of its popularity stems from the fact that coconuts are free from gluten and lactose, and so can be used in vegan recipes. However, the health benefits of coconut oil are under debate among scientists.
Top tip:
of the taste ly g all y love n re ri a u p o s y If sing it oil, try u conut o c t a re coconut .T e r dishes r, and us to flavou ld butte u o for w d a u o te oil as y e oil ins oils il or oliv e o s e d h e T e . s rape ooking ryday c lesterol) your eve bad cho e h (t L D L r g e e h ood low e HDL (t and rais king m , rol) a choleste fo rfect r them pe ld use. househo
ONE TABLESPOON OF
THE SCIENCE: Saturated fat consumption
COCONUT OIL CONTAINS
raises levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol), which, when consumed over long periods of time, can cause the build up of plaques in arteries and lead to heart disease. This is important, as heart disease is the No.1 cause of death in Ireland, and is largely preventable!
12G OF SATURATED FAT, which is roughly the same amount found in:
3½ jam donuts or 10 squares of chocolate 120 Easy Food
COCONUT OIL CONTAINS 82%
APPROXIMATELY SATURATED FAT IN COMPARISON:
Rapeseed oil contains
Olive oil contains
saturated fat
saturated fat
7%
14%
BUTTER contains
52% saturated fat
AUGUST 2017
KITCHEN SKILLS
CHILLED OUT?
Ever wondered whether common condiments should be kept in the fridge or at room temperature? Look no further…
STORECUPBOARD FRIDGE KETCHUP
Ketchup is high in vinegar, a natural preservative, so it will keep well in your cupboard. However, some people enjoy the contrast of cold ketchup on hot chips so, if this describes you, you may prefer to keep it in the fridge!
MUSTARD
Mustard will survive in the cupboard for up to two months. If it’s going to take you longer to finish the jar, however, move it into the fridge.
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
This vinegar-based flavour-boost will live in your cupboard for 3-4 years.
MAYONNAISE
Mayonnaise should always be kept in the fridge and will last for 2-3 months once opened. Homemade mayonnaise will last for up to one week.
HOT SAUCE
The cupboard is perfectly suitable for most brands of hot sauce, unless specifically stated on the bottle.
BARBECUE SAUCE
Most BBQ sauces will last in the pantry for up to one month. If you don’t use it that often, the fridge will keep it fresh for up to six months.
HONEY
Honey actually never expires! Keep it in the cupboard rather than the fridge to discourage crystallisation.
MAPLE SYRUP
Unlike honey, maple syrup can attract mould, so it’s best to keep it in the fridge. It will last for up to one year.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Ever get confused between these similar-sounding foods? We’ve got it sussed…
VANILLA EXTRACT VS VANILLA ESSENCE
NATURAL YOGHURT VS GREEK YOGHURT
BAKING POWDER VS BICARBONATE OF SODA
An extract has natural flavours that have been extracted straight from the source: in this case, vanilla pods. This captures a natural, distinctive and rich vanilla flavour. In contrast, vanilla essence is artificially produced flavouring, which costs less but doesn't have the same depth of flavour.
Greek yoghurt is made by thoroughly straining regular yoghurt to remove liquid whey and lactose, leaving behind a thickertextured yoghurt. Greek yoghurt contains more protein and saturated fat and less sodium and carbohydrates than regular natural yoghurt.
Bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda) needs an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or buttermilk in order to activate it. Baking powder is essentially bicarbonate of soda with the acid already included. However, the two are not always interchangeable, so stick to whichever it says in the recipe.
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Easy Food 121
HOW TO‌ joint
a chicken 1
Place the chicken breast-side-up on a chopping board. Use the tip of your knife to slit the skin and meat where the leg is joined to the body, exposing the joint. 2
Rotate and bend the leg away from the body so the joint pops out.
122 Easy Food
3
Use the knife to cut down hard through the remaining skin and cartilage. Completely separate the leg from the body. Repeat with the other leg, separating it from the body.
4
To separate the thigh from the drumstick, cut through the skin and make a shallow slit in the meat. Rotate the joint so that it pops out, then cut straight down through the remaining cartilage and skin. Repeat with the other leg. AUGUST 2017
step-by-step
5
To separate a wing, again cut away a little of the skin and meat.
8
To remove the breasts, cut a slit down either side of the breastbone.
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7
6
Rotate each joint until it pops out. Repeat with Remove and discard the small tip. the other wing.
9
Keep cutting down on one side until you hit the ribs.
10
the Reserve nd a s s a carc s and p ti g in w ake use to m ade homem stock. chicken
Run the knife horizontally along the ribs to remove the breast in one piece. Repeat with the other breast.
Easy Food 123
it with the quantities, your finished bake should not have an overpowering boozy
SHANNON PEARE, one of Easy Food’s resident Food Stylists, spills on how to best incorporate alcohol into sweet treats and shares recipes for two of her favourite boozy bakes
Bakes under the influence
J
flavour. Even if you didn’t go to culinary school or you’re not a mixologist, it is fun to venture into the world of boozy bakes.
How to get your bakes a little tipsy SWAP IT FOR SPIRIT
A great way to incorporate a little “spirit”
ames Bond used to take his
example, apple will pair well with something
into your bake is by replacing some of
signature drink “shaken, not
that is spiced, like rum. It’s important to
your liquid for liqueur. Most sponge
stirred,” and this got me thinking
think of how strong the spirit is. Bourbon
recipes require milk, which adds extra fat
— what if the drink could be whisked
has a strong, oaky, vanilla flavour, so it’s
to the mix and therefore gives a tender
and baked instead? The idea of baking
best to use sparingly. Your flavours should
and moist texture. However, you can
with alcohol has intrigued me lately.
marry together without overpowering your
replace some of the milk with alcohol; this
Some of the classics have been
other flavours with the alcohol. Don’t get
has become my latest method of adding
staples in baking books for ages, such
your cake too drunk!
my chosen cocktail into the sponge.
as cherry-flavoured Kirsch in a Black
Replace a little under half of the milk
Forest gâteau, or sherry in a trifle, but
TEXTURE
with a spirit or liqueur. This will alter your
the range of liquors available now has
Adding alcohol to your bakes can affect
sponge’s texture slightly, as you’re adding
spurred a wave of culinary creativity.
the texture. For example, the ethyl in
more acidity and removing some of the
Alcohol can add flavour and moisture
alcohols like vodka doesn’t attach itself to
fat. If you want to make some boozy
and give a tender crumb texture to
gluten in the same way as water, which
biscuits, try topping them with a sweet
a sponge, or impart a floral flavour
means it does not hydrate the proteins and
glaze made from alcohol rather than
or smokiness to your bake. I believe
contribute to gluten formation. This makes
water. Mix icing sugar and liqueur to make
booze deserves as much presence in
alcohol a good option for using in shortcrust
a runny icing to decorate your biscuits. If
baking as it does in a cocktail glass.
pastry recipes. Replace half of the recipe’s
you make lemon shortbread, top it with a
However, it’s all about balance and
liquid requirement with alcohol for a perfect
limoncello water icing to really add a kick.
knowing how to incorporate it without
crisp pastry; try vodka in a quiche recipe,
compromising the texture or flavour of
or brandy in an apple pie crust. There is no
COCKTAIL CURD
your cake. I am here to show you how
magic number for how much of the liquid
Creating an intoxicated curd is one of my
and why you should add a little tipple to
in most recipes to replace with alcohol; it
favourite ways to recreate some of those
your bakes.
all depends on how strong you want the
classic cocktail flavors. A basic curd recipe
flavour to be.
consists of the juice and zest of a citrus
Why bake with booze?
fruit, sugar, butter and eggs. I recently
FLAVOUR
FOR FUN!
created a mojito curd by replacing some of
Using spirits, beers or wine can
The best reason to bake with alcohol?
the lime juice with white rum and adding
give a subtle warmth to a dessert or
It’s fun! I love the feeling when I capture
fresh mint leaves. Simply weigh out the
cake, deepen the flavour and make
my favourite cocktail in a cake, and the
juice of your citrus fruit and replace some
it taste more sinful. To choose which
cheekiness that comes with an extra bold
of it with your chosen spirit. It’s important
alcohol to incorporate into your bake,
booze-infused treat. It’s important to note
not to add too much extra liquid, as the
consider your ingredients and choose
that most of the alcohol will burn off in the
curd won’t set. However, if your curd is
a spirit that will complement them; for
oven so, as long as you’re not over-doing
too runny, you can add some leaf gelatine. Just soak your gelatine in cold water until very soft, squeeze out the excess liquid and mix it into your curd. When the curd is set, pass it through a sieve and then allow
Tips
FROM THE
TEST K TCHEN 124 Easy Food
it to cool. The curd is perfect for a cake filling, for macaroons or even to enjoy on a slice of toast. SOAKING YOUR FRUIT If a recipe calls for dried fruits such as raisins or cranberries, a great way to
AUGUST 2017
amplify the fruit flavours is by soaking them. Place some of your chosen alcohol into a saucepan with the dried fruit. Bring to the boil and allow it to bubble for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. This helps the fruit to plump up and absorb the flavour of the drink. Try soaking cranberries in orange liqueur, then adding them to a scone recipe. Serve them topped with whiskey marmalade to really pack a punch. Tipsy tea party, anyone? SYRUP WITH SPIRIT Simple syrup is made with equal parts sugar and water, and often used to moisten a sponge or as a drizzle for a citrus cake. By weighing out equal parts alcohol, fruit juice and sugar, you can make a syrup with a little spirit. Simply dissolve the ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat. Adding fresh herbs when the syrup is cool is a great way to infuse a unique flavour; be your own mixologist and play around with different infusions. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the syrup over your sponge; just be careful to use it sparingly. As Mary Berry says, “no soggy bottoms”!
Baking is all about experimenting so why not give it a try? If the cake doesn’t work, you can always just have a cocktail instead!
Stout bread Makes 1 loaf
600g wholemeal flour 150g plain flour 60g oats 15g sunflower seeds 2½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp salt 2½ tsp dark brown sugar 40g butter, at room temperature 480ml milk 200ml treacle 300ml stout
is just combined and forms a sticky dough. 4 Pour into the prepared tin and make for 45-50 minutes. To ensure that it is cooked, carefully take the loaf out of the tin and tap the bottom of the bread. If it sounds hollow, it should be baked.
1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas
5 Remove from the tin and wrap in a clean
mark 6 and line a standard 1kg loaf tin with
tea towel. When the bread is cool, serve
parchment paper.
as desired.
For more of Shannon’s creations, follow Petite Poire on Facebook and Instagram Petite Poire Cakes @petite_poire_cakes
2 Beat the flours, oats, seeds, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar and butter until it reaches a sandy texture.
Per Serving 357kcals, 5.7g fat (2.4g saturated), 65.4g carbs, 17g sugars, 9.6g protein, 5.5g fibre, 0.398g sodium
3 Add the milk, treacle and stout. Mix until it
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Easy Food 125
Gin and tonic cupcakes Serves 12
For the cupcakes: 250g self-raising flour 280g caster sugar 2 tsp baking powder A pinch of salt Zest of 1 orange, plus extra to serve 80g unsalted butter, at room temperature 120ml milk 100ml elderflower tonic 20ml gin 2 eggs For the syrup: Juice and zest of ½ an orange 40ml gin 40ml elderflower tonic For the buttercream: 420g icing sugar 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature Juice and zest of ½ an orange 2 tbsp gin 2 tbsp elderflower tonic 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6 and line a regular muffin tin with 12 paper cases. 2 Beat together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, orange zest and butter until it reaches a sandy texture. 3 Whisk together the milk, tonic, gin and eggs in a jug. The milk can curdle slightly but will come together once the eggs are whisked in. 4 Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix slowly. When it is all added, give it another quick beat, but try not to over-mix it. 5 Spoon into the prepared cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack. 6 For the syrup, place all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to the boil for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool. 7 Meanwhile, to make the buttercream, beat the icing sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the orange juice, orange zest, gin and tonic and continue beating until incorporated. If the mix is too runny, add more icing sugar until it reaches a pipable consistency. 8 To assemble the cupcakes, pierce the cupcakes with a toothpick and brush over
plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe
with the cooled syrup.
the buttercream on top of the cupcakes and
9 Add the buttercream to a piping bag, or to a
finish with a little orange zest.
126 Easy Food
Per Serving 494 kcals, 18.4g fat (11.3g saturated), 76.9g carbs, 59.9g sugars, 3.6g protein, 0.6g fibre, 0.153g sodium
AUGUST 2017
know-how KITCHEN
CLUTTER-PROOF YOUR KITCHEN We help you decide which kitchen gadgets are worth the splurge
W
hether you’re a novice cook or an aspiring chef, there are certain tools that are bound to be left unused in the kitchen. It seems that food trends dictate which kitchen tools and gadgets are needed to make cooking easier, neater and safer than ever before. However, many of these gadgets only serve to replace the simple knife or vegetable peeler! We’ve delivered our verdict on these single-purpose kitchen gadgets. Are they valuable additions to the kitchen, or are they just gathering dust in the cupboard?
1
LEMON ZESTER Often used as a garnish in both sweet and savoury dishes, lemon zest can add great flavour to most meals. A lemon zester acts as a mini grater, finely peeling the citrus fruits to give thin, short pieces. However, a zester isn’t the only way to make lemon zest! The same result can be achieved using a regular grater, or the combination of a vegetable peeler and a sharp knife. Our verdict: Unnecessary. The use of a grater works just as well, albeit with slightly larger pieces of zest.
2
task has made headlines in recent months, with doctors reporting avocadorelated injuries, such as knife slips leading to cuts on the palms. Our verdict: Unnecessary. A folded tea towel placed between your palm and the avocado should prevent any slips of the knife, reducing the need for such a specific gadget.
3
GARLIC CRUSHER Many cooks use garlic crushers (also called garlic presses) for convenience, as just one squeeze will reduce a clove to a fine mash. Others use presses to prevent their hands smelling of garlic all day. However, these tools may be more hassle than they’re worth, as cleaning the crushed garlic out can take much longer than the manual method. A simpler method, requiring no fancy equipment, is to peel cloves by crushing them lightly with the flat side of a broad knife. Our verdict: Unnecessary. The cons of this tool outweigh the pros.
4
SPIRALISER A spiraliser is a tool used to transform vegetables such as carrots, courgettes and beetroots into thin strips resembling noodles. This opens up the vegetable to a whole new range of uses, where they can be used in place of noodles or spaghetti for a lower-carb option, or incorporated into dishes to increase the vegetable content. Our verdict: Useful. They may look like just another gimmick, but spiralisers can be a cheap way to increase your vegetable consumption, helping you to reach the new recommendation of seven a day!
5
FRUIT SLICER/CORER Gadgets designed to cut and core fruit work on the same wavelength as avocado slicers in aiming to replace the humble knife. All types of fruit have been subject to this trend, from apples and mangoes to pineapples and watermelons. The gadgets can vary from simplistic apple cutters to a more complex pineapple slicer, which creates tin-worthy rings of fruit! Our verdict: Useful for the messy business of preparing pineapples; not so much for apples!
Top Tipp:le
A pineap ept be k shell can rating o c e d r fo ocktails c l tropica thies! or smoo
6
EGG SEPARATOR These are designed specifically to separate egg whites from yolks. Our verdict: Unnecessary. The tried-andtested methods of sliding the yolk back and forth between the shell halves, or simply letting the whites slide through your fingers, still work perfectly and don’t cost a penny. Don’t like touching raw egg? You can even use an empty plastic bottle!
AVOCADO SLICER The avocado slicer is one of the most specific tools on this list, with its sole purpose being to slice the avocado and remove the pit. This seemingly simple
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Easy Food 127
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24/05/2017 13:46
IN THE NEXT ISSUE...
Get back to basics with the September issue of Easy Food!
Our next guest editor is... Rory O’Connell! With more 20 years of experience cooking in the some of the world’s best kitchens, Rory O’Connell has ample tips and tricks for creating delicious recipes that homecooks can recreate in their own kitchens. He co-founded the Ballymaloe Cookery School with his sister Darina Allen and still regularly shares his best practical — yet impressive — advice and recipes with students there. He’ll be sharing simple, seasonal meal ideas that are perfect for weeknight dinners so that you can feel like you’re putting something special on the table every night, and all with minimal effort!
Rory O’Connell
ON SALE
H
R 5T E B M E T P SE
INSIDE...
nchbox > Back-to-school lu creations h herbs > Cooking with fres ng > Simple bread baki ers > Cheap chicken dinn > 5-ingredient meals s > Festive tapas recipe anut butter > New ways with pe
PERFECT PEPPERS This foolproof method means you’ll never need to buy jarred red peppers again!
Top Tip: uble
ve tro If you ha ins from g the sk e removin ply plac pers, sim r e v o the pep c d n a bowl a r fo them in lm fi g ith clin tightl y w steam tes. The u in five m s to slide the skin will help . right off
1 Preheat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/ gas mark 8 and place a rack in the upper half of the oven. Line a baking tray with tin foil. 2 Cut the peppers in half and remove the stems, seeds and membranes. Lay the peppers on the prepared baking tray, cut-side down. 3 Roast the red peppers for 15-20 minutes or until the skins are very dark and have collapsed; there is no need to turn the peppers. Once blackened, remove the peppers from the oven. 4 Allow to cool for five minutes or until you can handle them. Gently peel the skins off and discard them. 5 Use the peppers immediately or store for later. To refrigerate, place the peppers in a glass container, cover with extra-virgin olive oil and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. To freeze, place the peppers in sealable freezer bags and freeze for up to three months.
How to use your roasted peppers...
• Make roasted red pepper salsas, sauces or soups. • Add to pasta dishes, risottos, Mediterranean salads or mixed antipasto platters. • Cook into scrambled eggs, omelettes or frittatas. • Add to tarts or quiches. • Pile into a ciabatta or Panini with other roasted vegetables, pesto and goat’s cheese or Mozzarella. • Make roasted red pepper hummus. • Use as a flavoursome topping for bruschetta, crostini or pizza. • Add to a tuna melt for a flavour boost. • Add to the mixture for meatballs, meat loaf or burgers, or use as summery topping for burgers. • Pile into pitta breads with hummus and mixed leaves. • Whizz into sour cream for a simple, tasty party dip. • Serve with fa jitas, bake into enchiladas or include in quesadillas. • Stir into mashed potatoes. • Use in place of ripe tomatoes in a twist on the Caprese salad. • Add to your next tomato sauce for chicken, fish or pasta. • Get creative… the possibilities really are endless!
130 Easy Food
AUGUST 2017
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