MAKE IT HEALTHY! GLUTEN-FREE WEEKNIGHT DINNER IDEAS EASY FOOD ISSUE 125
HALLOWEEN TREATS!
90
LE P P A G H N U T S P. 9 4 U
DO
A
ü STORECUPBOARD RECIPES ü SLOW-COOKER DINNERS TIVE ü CREATIVE SPUD IDEAS C I D D
SPICE IT UP BAKING WITH AUTUMNAL SPICES, P.92
ONLY IN EASY FO
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FROM RECIPES T OUR TES KITCHEN
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• HALLOWEEN SNACKS • SEASONAL FENNEL IDEAS • WEEKNIGHT MEALS • SIMPLE TAPAS • GLUTEN-FREE DINNERS • AUTUMNAL BAKING • PERFECT HOMEMADE SCONES •
WARMING FAVOURITES
SPOOK-TACULAR
OD! We chat to Simon Delaney about his debut cookbook an d share some of his favourite recipe s inside
NEW LOOK, LONGER LASTING PACK IN
OF SHEETS TODAY
Easy Food team Hello
Easy Food readers!
EDITOR Caroline Gray cgray@zahramediagroup.com t: +353 (0)1 255 7566 fave recipe: Apple doughnuts, p.94
What a treat it is to be the guest editor of Easy Food this month. I’ve always been passionate about cooking; honestly, is there anything better than creating something delicious and gobbling it up with family and friends? Food plays such a huge part of so many of life’s best moments — whether it’s easing into the weekend with a big fry-up, celebrating a holiday with the staple favourites, or just laughing Simon Delaney with family around the dinner table after a long day, there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal to make any occasion a special one! With four little ones and my wife, Lisa, at home, I love the hustle and bustle of our kitchen, even if it means there are multiple meals on the go to keep all of the mouths happy!
EDITORIAL TEAM Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle jdoyle@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Khachapuri, p.86 Editorial Intern Emer Brady foodintern@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Curried vegetable and chickpea stew, p.69 Contributors Michael Fleming, Aoife Howard, Jenny Morgan Wallace and Sinead Keegan.
I’ve always been a cooking show devotee — I could easily watch nothing but cooking programmes — and have been delving more into the food world over the past year. I had the best time participating in Celebrity MasterChef Ireland, and this led me to take some even greater leaps from my background in acting to cooking. I did my first live cookery demonstration at Taste of Dublin alongside Neven Maguire and Michelin-starrted chef Daniel Clifford (no pressure, right?!), then went on to do more at Taste of Cavan and Taste of Donegal. I’m also set to do another demo at Savour Kilkenny Festival of Food at the end of the month. From acting in films, television shows and on stage, I’ve grown to love the thrill of performing, and cooking in front of so many people has certainly proven to be another adventure!
DESIGN Art Director Nikki Kennedy fave recipe: Croque Monsieurs, p.73 PHOTOGRAPHY & FOOD STYLING Agnieszka Wypych, Charisse van Kan, Pauline Smyth and Shannon Peare. Some images from Shutterstock.com. TEST KITCHEN Proudly built by QK Living www.qkliving.ie
My aim is to share my love of cooking with as many people as possible, which is why I wanted to write my cookbook, Simply Simon’s: The Diner Cookbook. Putting this together was a lot of hard work, but seeing my recipes come to life was an absolute joy. From my decadent New York-style cheesecake to the ultimate mouth-watering burger, the book is all about recreating diner favourites at home. Be sure to check out some of the recipes that I’m sharing exclusively with Easy Food readers, from p.19.
ADVERTISING Sales Manager Sarah Currey scurrey@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Crunchy popcorn chicken, p.58 ADMINISTRATION Production Consultant Val Citron valeriecitron@gmail.com Circulation Manager John Dempsey jdempsey@zahramediagroup.com Accounts accounts@zahramediagroup.com Syndication Enquiries syndication@zahramediagroup.com
Of course, there’s plenty of easy recipes to make this month; try the handy five-ingredient meals on p.70, or warm up with slow-cooker favourites, from p.66. Halloween is covered with spooky — and healthy! — snacks, p.102, and let the little cooks have a go at a traditional barmbrack, p.105, complete with a step-by-step guide. Dig into this issue of Easy Food and have some fun in the kitchen — I know I will!
Simon
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Managing Director Gina Miltiadou gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Fennel and orange crispy cookie thins, p.37 Chief Executive John Mullins jmullins@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Beef short rib pies, p.62
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REGULARS 08 YOUR SAY
Your comments, photos and questions
10 FOOD BITES
News, products and cookbooks from the wonderful world of food
16 COMPETITIONS
October
CONTENTS
Exciting things for you to win!
WHAT’S IN SEASON? 30 WICKED WATERCRESS!
Make the most of fresh watercress with
these spooktacular recipes!
34 IT’S THE FENNEL COUNTDOWN
If you’ve never cooked with fennel before,
this is a good time to start
36 EAT IRELAND
Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle heads “up
north” to discover why an Armagh apple a
day is a real treat
LARDER LUCK 44 EASY ELEGANCE
Add a touch of luxury to your day with
these simple recipes
52 ROLL ON!
These simple sushi rolls are a delicious treat to make at ahome
Fennel and orange crispy cookie thins
P.37
P.80
Easy and traditional tapas
WHAT’S FOR DINNER? 54 WEEKLY MENU PLANNER
Beef short rib pies
P.62
Keep it simple, keep it quick with a whole week’s worth of easy family meals
76 15 WAYS WITH FREEZER AISLE FOODS Handy ways to use frozen spinach, fish and hash browns
4 Easy Food
SEPTEMBER 2017
COOKING FOR FUN
KIDS’ KITCHEN
80 TIME FOR TAPAS
100 HALE AND HEARTY
Take your tastebuds to sunny Spain with these mix-and-match tapas recipes
Butter chicken curry
P.112
Our Home Ec experts welcome
comfort food back into the kitchen
86 CHALLENGE YOURSELF
105 EASY JUNIORS
This cheesy, eggy bread is the perfect
treat for lovers of savoury food
This traitional barmbrack is the perfect treat to make for Halloween
MAKE IT HEALTHY!
88 BACK TO (COOKING) SCHOOL!
Recipes from Donnybrook Fair’s new
108 FROM THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK
cookbook are perfect for your repertoire
Ginger whoopie pies
P.95
Local butcher Michael Fleming discusses
Gooey graveyard cake
ever-popular bacon
P.125
116 OH MY GOODNESS!
Food blogger Aoife Howard indulges her
sweet tooth with these free-from cookies
Bacon-fried leek and potato soup
P.109
FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS
www.easyfood.ie
OCTOBER 2017
Dive into these luscious baked treats with hints of autumnal spices
HALLOWEEN TREATS!
A
BAKING WITH AUTUMNAL SPICES, P.92
DO
U
LE A PP HN U T S P G . 9 4 G
SPICE IT UP
Mouthwatering dishes to elevate the humble spud
P.66
IT’S A GOSLOW
Let your slow cooker do the work for you with these dinners
P.70
STORECUPBOARD STARS
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UK £4.95
SUGAR AND SPICE
90
FROM RECIPES OUR TEST KITCHEN
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There’s no trick to making these healthy Halloween treats!
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SPOOKY SNACKS
YOU SAY POTATO...
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P.102
• HALLOWEEN SNACKS • SEASONAL FENNEL IDEAS • WEEKNIGHT MEALS • SIMPLE TAPAS • GLUTEN-FREE DINNERS • AUTUMNAL BAKING • PERFECT HOMEMADE SCONES •
Stay gluten-free with ease with these winter dinners
P.47
MAKE IT HEALTHY! GLUTEN-FREE WEEKNIGHT DINNER IDEAS EASY FOOD ISSUE 125
P.110
GLUTEN BE GONE
FROM THE Cover
We chat to Simon Delaney about his debut cookbook and share some of his favourite recipe inside
Maximise your storecupboard potential with these tasty meals
120 All the knowledge you need to become an expert in the kitchen
122 STEP-BY-STEP SCONES Our handy guide for making perfect scones 124 FROM OUR TEST KITCHEN Food stylist Shannon Peare explains Irish Halloween baking traditions and shares a showstopping festive cake
126 KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Natural cleaning hacks to make your kitchen sparkle!
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 Creamy chorizo and garlic mash
15
•
•
LF DF GF
x
•
•
•
•
Chicken and chorizo paella
82
•
Butter chicken curry
112
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
31
•
32
•
Chuck-beef burger with hot pastrami
20
•
•
Spooky tortilla graveyard with guacamole dip
Eggs Benedict with chorizo patties and hollandaise sauce
22
•
•
Crispy twice-cooked fennel and potatoes
35
•
Decadent Armagh apple and cheese toasties
41
•
Baked Parmesan fennel
37
•
Lamb-stuffed squash
48
•
•
•
Sicilian winter salad
37
•
Potato farl steak sandwiches
48
•
•
•
•
Carved Halloween pineapples and fruit skewers
39
•
Potato and ham broth topped with a poached egg
51
•
•
•
•
Cheesy roasted vegetable pasta
55
•
Potato beef moussaka
51
•
•
•
Curried vegetable and chickpea stew
69
•
•
Huevos rancheros chorizo quesadillas
57
•
•
•
Eggs and sweet potatoes in parchment
71
•
Breaded pork chops with roasted apples and sprouts
60
•
•
•
Cream of spinach soup
76
Beef short rib pies
62
•
•
•
Spinach dip
76
Slow-cooker boeuf bourguignon
68
•
•
•
Colcannon
76
•
Creamy spinach gratin
76
•
Spinach, egg and Taleggio pizza
76
•
•
Hash brown breakfast cups
78
Hash brown frittata
•
73
•
•
Roasted pork with pears, parsnips and shallots
74
•
•
Crunchy breakfast wraps
78
•
Chicharónnes (fried pork belly bites)
81
•
•
•
•
Croquetas de jamón (ham and cheese croquettes)
83
•
•
•
•
Caramelised fillet of beef
89
•
Stuffed Portobello mushrooms with Brie and bacon
101
•
•
• •
•
Pork adobo
101
•
•
•
Bacon-fried leek and potato soup
109
•
•
•
One-pan Mexican beef and rice
113
•
•
•
Creamy mustard pork medallions
115
•
•
•
•
26
•
Smoked fish pancake parcels
59
•
•
•
Tuscan baked fish
75
•
•
•
Posh fish burgers
77
•
Fish with minted pea purée and sweet potatoes
77
•
•
Easy jambalaya
77
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
78
•
•
•
•
•
Avocado and poached egg hash brown
78
•
•
•
•
•
Toasted paprika almonds
85
•
•
•
•
•
Patatas bravas
85
•
•
Garlic aioli
85
•
Spanish tortilla
85
•
•
Khachapuri
86
•
Grapefruit jack-o-lanterns Monster bites
• •
•
•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
102
•
•
•
•
103
•
•
•
•
•
Pretzel pumpkins
104
•
•
•
•
•
Hot and sour noodles
111
•
•
•
•
•
Homemade garlic ginger paste
130
•
•
•
•
•
Caramelised onion and Philly tartlets
131
•
•
•
•
•
Fennel and orange crispy cookie thins
37
•
•
•
•
•
Ginger whoopie pies
95
•
•
• •
77
•
•
•
•
77
•
•
Dark ginger loaf bread
96
•
•
•
•
Smoked salmon rösti
78
•
Speculoos biscuits
97
•
•
•
•
•
Halloween barmbrack
106
•
•
•
•
•
Coconut chocolate chip cookies
116
•
•
•
•
Scones
122
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gambas al ajillo (prawns in garlic oil)
81
• •
•
•
Smoked haddock chowder
91
•
•
•
Creamy tomato fish stew
114
•
•
•
•
• •
• •
21
•
•
•
Chicken thighs with fennel and leeks
37
•
•
•
Banana butter chicken
38
•
•
Buffalo-style slow cooked potato and chicken with slaw
49
•
Teriyaki chicken sushi rolls
52
•
Quick chicken chow mein
56
•
•
•
Crunchy popcorn chicken with honey mustard dip
58
•
•
•
Low ‘n’ slow Mexican chicken
67
•
•
6 Easy Food
•
Classic baked New York cheesecake
23
•
•
Chocolate hazelnut mousse pots
61
•
•
•
•
Honeyed Greek yoghurt with warm blueberry compote
63
•
•
•
•
Mini churros
84
•
•
•
•
•
Limoncello lemon tart with blueberry compote
90
•
•
•
•
Apple cake with cinnamon cream icing
93
•
•
•
Cover recipe: Apple doughnuts
94
•
•
•
Gooey graveyard cake
125
•
•
•
•
•
• • • •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
•
DESSERTS
POULTRY Sticky baked buffalo wings, Dublin-style
•
BAKED GOODS
Quick prawn and pesto linguine
•
• •
•
Tomato and garlic prawn skewers
•
•
•
• •
• •
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
FISH AND SEAFOOD Coney Island lobster rolls
•
•
•
• •
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Croque monsieurs
•
•
VEGETARIAN Roasted cauliflower brain
•
LF • DF GF x •
•
72
•
•
v
• v Curried chicken legs with lemon rice and broccoli
•
•
OCTOBER 2017
What’s inside A sneak peek at what you’ll find in this issue
FEELING FISHY
FIVE UNDER 500 KCALS Cheesy roast veg pasta P61
This month, we’re all about healthy, hearty meals, and have included enough fab fishy recipes to appease even the pickiest pescatarian. We’ve even included our five best ways to use up frozen fish, from p.77, in order to prove that eating healthily doesn’t have to cost a lot.
Eggs and sweet potatoes in parchment P71
P59 Smoked fish pancakes
P81 Gambas al ajillo
P114 Creamy tomato fish stew
Low 'n' slow Mexican chicken P67
ROUGHAGE
Did you know that almost 80% of Irish adults do not get enough fibre? It’s recommended that we consume between 24-35g of fibre a day to keep our digestion working at its best. To increase your intake, try one of these delicious recipes, each of which contains over 10g of dietary fibre.
Tuscan baked fish P59
Creamy mustard pork medallions P115
P63 Huevos rancheros
P31 Cauliflower brain
P35 Twice-cooked fennel potatoes
HALLOWEEN
If you’ve got kids, or are simply young at heart, October means just one thing: Halloween! This month, we’ve included both sweet and savoury spooky foods, beginning with our wicked watercress feature from p.30. Enjoy a healthier twist on terrifying treats from p.102, or impress your friends and family with Easy Food stylist Shannon’s decadent graveyard cake, p.125. Decorated with ghosts and tombstones, this gooey chocolate cake went down a treat in the Easy Food test kitchen!
P32 Spooky tortilla graveyard with guacamole dip
www.easyfood.ie
P125 Gooey graveyard cake
P103 Monster bites
P104 Pretzel pumpkins 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!
“Two page spread in September’s issue of Easy Food Magazine by the lovely and talented Jocelyn Doyle. Thank you Jocelyn — great article.” — @secondnatureoil
"#GBBO tonight and @easyfoodmag arrived. Good food day!" — @sweetandmeat
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TRIED & TESTED Michelle Doyle of Barndarrig, Co. Wicklow has been diligently testing the Judge Radiant non-stick frying pan.
“Over the moon to grace the pages of Easy Food Magazine this month. I’ve five delicious Autumnal recipes for you to try out, be sure to grab a copy!” — @chefshanesmith
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"Flicked through an old copy "Heading west, countryside flying by out of Easy Food Magazine and the window, with a cup of tea and the made this beautiful slow-cooked new issue of @easyfoodmag edited by pork. Ready to be pulled." @rorysfood. Bliss." — @alisongorman1 — @sweetandmeat
“I used the judge radiant 26cm nonstick frying pan for dinner this evening. The non-stick coating allowed me to cook using minimal oil, perfect as we are trying to be a little healthier. The pan heats up quickly, and evenly, allowing me to cook my dinner over a low heat, using a small ring. The pans are very lightweight, and the soft grip handles are comfortable to hold and do not heat up. I was able to place the pan in the oven to keep the food hot, as they are oven-safe too! I used warm, soapy water to clean the frying pan, but they are also dishwasher safe. Overall, this
is an excellent piece of kitchen equipment – plus it’s under a 25 year warranty!”” Judge Radiant 26cm non-stick frying pan €28/£24.64 See www.judgecookware.co.uk/ Where-To-Buy for stockists.
OCTOBER 2017
letters and comments
We’ve got mail
Meet the Taste Team...
A lovely email from Rev. Jim Mattison, also known as the Cooking Cleric! Read your mag each month — it's great! Especially wise words of Butcher Michael Fleming in the Butcher's Block section. I am now retired, but have cooked for years, from demonstrations to good craic evenings. Keep up the good mag! Regards, Rev. Jim Mattison Hillsborough, Co. Down
Liz Healy
is married with four kids aged 25, 22, 10 and nine. She says, “I live in Co. Mayo near Swinford. I work part time and job-share on nights, so I like dinners that are easy to prep and cook on the days I’m working so that I can try and get some sleep while the kids are in school. My hobbies are walking and listening to audio books. I love spending time with family and spending time with my large extended family is important to me.”
"Delighted to see this in one of my favourite food magazines, well done @Laurnie1234" - @maunsellb4
Joanna Reilly
is married to Neil and they have three teenagers: two boys, Neil and Dean, and one girl, Lia. “We live in a lovely village in Co. Meath. I love to bake, cook and knit. Baking is my favourite hobby, which my kids love, of course. I bake something different every weekend and we all enjoy trying my new bakes.”
"Loving all the back to school inspiration from Easy Food Magazine, just in time for our first week back!" — @mrs.p_xx
“Attempt at @easyfoodmag seafood chowder wasnt bad at all! #seafood #chowder #fishdinner #cooking”
— @Nicole_Lonican
Anna Gajewska
moved to Ireland from Poland 12 years ago and settled in Ballylinan, Co. Laoise. “I’m a mother of three kids — Justyna (24), Martin (12) and Alan (10). I began cooking 30 years ago when I bought my first cooking magazine. It was hard to be adventurous at the start as the products available in shops were very limited, but that never discouraged me from trying out new flavours and combinations. My middle child is autistic so I always cook at least two dinners to please all the kids. Cooking is a great hobby of mine and no one ever leaves my house hungry. That’s our Polish tradition!”
August competition winners 1 x midweek break for two in Ferrycarrig Hotel with dinner in Reeds Restaurant Benny Morgan Boyle, Co. Roscommon
3 x Pizza Piero hampers Aidene Rogers Crusheen, Co. Clare Mai Nolan New Ross, Co. Wexford Damaris Ayres Clondalkin, Dublin 22
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Easy Food 9
FOOD BITES Family finds
A recent national study commissioned by Tesco Ireland has given us a glimpse into some of the habits of Irish families at mealtimes. The research marks the launch of a new brand evolution — Family Makes Us Better — putting families at the heart of everything it does as a business. Here are some of the findings:
SAVOUR KILKENNY
10 Easy Food
Savour Kilkenny is back over the Bank Holiday weekend (27-30th October). Savour brings together local and national food produce, talented chefs, a mix of exciting options in the food market, and plenty of foodie talks and entertainment for everyone to enjoy. Over the course of the festival, there will an extensive selection of events for food lovers of all ages: browse food markets; watch cookery demonstrations; and participate and listen to discussions among the industry’s leaders. Plus, enjoy specially designed drink and dining events in local hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars. And be sure to catch a cookery demostration by guest editor Simon Delaney on Saturday, October 28th in Kilkenny! www.savourkilkenny.com
TRICK OR TEA! The pastry team in Dublin's The Shelbourne have turned up the terror and created a terrifyingly tasty Halloween afternoon tea. Alongside a tradtional selection of dainty sandwiches, homemade scones and a selection of loose-leaf teas or specialty coffees, the menu for the Halloween Afternoon Tea features a selection of creatively creepy sweet treats. This includes: The Pumpkin, a caramelised pumpkin and cinnamon mousse cheesecake macaron; The Ghost, a profiterole with raspberry lemon mousse; and The Witches’ Hat, a blackcurrant and white chocolate mousse, along with traditional homemade barmbrack. Available during the month of October, the Halloween Afternoon Tea at The Shelbourne is served daily and costs €49 per person for a classic tea or €64 per person for a Champagne tea. www.TheShelbourne.ie The Shelbourne 27 St Stephen's Green Dublin 2
ALL HAIL A FREE TAXI! White Gables restaurant has launched a new initiative to help get diners home safely with their taxi collection service — perfect for the chilly months! Located in Moycullen, Co. Galway, the restaurant will treat dinner guests to a taxi service from the door of the restaurant to their home, hotel or B&B, and White Gables will look after the fare. “Dinner is always better with a lovely bottle of wine or bubbles, and — as we want to ensure that our guests enjoy their evenings even more with us — we thought, let’s take that stress away and provide a taxi service home!” said co-owner Anne Dunne. Terms and conditions apply; to find out more visit www.whitegables.com. To book a table for dinner, call White Gables at (091) 555744.
OCTOBER 2017
news
one, but three kinds of cheese. Even the blush wine (vintage August 2016) was made on site. From the aperitif – a chilled three-orchard cider with apple syrup and freshly pulped juice, served in flutes – to the very last drop of “beech bark booze,” a honeyed liqueur made from the sap of the beech tree, we were wowed the entire way through. Evan and the entire team at Macreddin should be extremely proud of themselves, both for putting on such an amazing spread to begin with and for the incredible planning and hard work that went into producing something so unique.
Going the distance T
hursday, Oct. 5th brought a whole new meaning to the idea of eating locally. Home to the BrookLodge Hotel, Macreddin Village in Co. Wicklow has always been associated with wild, organic and locally-produced foods, and proprietor Evan Doyle has been pushing the boundaries of these terms since the early eighties, whether he’s busy running Ireland’s first certified-organic restaurant, The Strawberry Tree, or hosting Wild Foods Masterclasses. Doyle’s latest venture has been his most difficult challenge to date: inspired by the idea of eating locally, he decided to go one better and host a dinner that came entirely from within a one kilometre radius of Macreddin, a world first. The purpose of this exercise was to illustrate how precious food is, and how much time and labour food production really takes. Some elements of this weren’t too demanding; within the designated area, there are around two kilometres of hedgerows from which wild foods can be harvested, while Macreddin itself boasts a walled herb garden, three orchards, resident chickens, ducks and quails, numerous beehives and even a miniature vineyard. Fortunately, the Village also neighbours two farms from which dairy and meat could be sourced, although this still took considerable commitment as everything from milk and cream to butter and cheese had to be prepared on site. In fact, it was the more simple ingredients
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that presented the most problems: things like lemons and olive oil can’t be produced from Irish soil, while – at around 18km from the sea – even salt was a worry. Aided by a range of Irish producers, each an expert in his/her own field (pun intended), the team converted an old riding arena into a bespoke farm, planting everything from vegetables to wheat – carefully calculated to provide just enough to make flour for breads and desserts – and rapeseed, which would be cold-pressed into service to replace the more usual olive oil. Easy Food was honoured to be in attendance at the ZER0KM dinner – beating out stiff competition for limited tickets – and we weren’t to be disappointed. This 12-course feast was fit for kings in any case, but the fact that everything had been grown and made within such an unforgiving definition of “local” made it all the more special. The little touches for which Macreddin is renowned were present in abundance, right down to the adorably diminutive ceramic flowerpots at each place setting, holding fresh brassica and pea shoots; scissors were provided for dinner guests to snip their own garnishes. The red gooseberry sorbet course was served “lollipop style” with sweet blackcurrant dust for dipping. Our salads of baby leaves and pea shoots arrived in sealed tins for us to shake and open ourselves, their fresh flavours marrying beautifully with soft-yolked quail eggs. Legs of lamb had been slow-cooked, then glazed and barbecued, a mouthwatering contrast to the equally impressive short-smoked loin. Ever ambitious, the team made not just
Easy Food 11
CORNER
PRONTO!
HERBS
ONE TO FIVE
By Gino D’Acampo Published by Kyle Books €18.85/£16.99
By Judith Hann Published by Nourish €22.20/£20
By Ryan Scott Published by Oxmoor House €22.20/£19.99
We can’t stress this enough: we LOVE Italian food, and we’ve long been fans of Gino D’Acampo’s relaxed yet infectious attitude towards cooking. Pronto! is quite possibly his most accessible cookbook yet, focusing on getting delicious, affordable family meals on the table in just 20 minutes. Like all good Italian food, the beauty of these recipes lies in their simplicity: quality ingredients require minimal preparation but provide fantastic flavour when treated correctly. We’ve been helplessly seduced by the chicken in martini and sage sauce; the loaded pork toasties; lamb steaks with warm baby gems and peas; linguine with clams and white wine and, per dolce, the cappuccino mousse — although, to be honest, there isn’t a single recipe in here that doesn’t make us hungry. Pick up this book and get thee to the kitchen, pronto.
At Easy Food, we’re well aware of the power of fresh herbs to elevate the flavour of any dish to the next level. Expert Judith Hann combines practical advice on planting and growing herbs with fascinating historical snippets and an extensive collection of recipes in this beautiful hardback, providing any wannabe green fingers with everything they might need to get growing. With an index encompassing simple, fresh herb sauces and salads right up to more sophisticated recipes such as thyme shortbread; pumpkin, chorizo and rosemary risotto; roast John Dory with chervil and almond butter; or bay-infused crème brulées, there's something for everyone. From the recipes themselves to the clean, classic layout, Herbs is elegant and informative from cover to cover, and a must-have for would-be herb enthusiasts.
Another great choice for those just embarking on their kitchen adventures, One to Five is based on the oh-so-simple concept of using one base ingredient or recipe — say, a beef pot roast — and leveraging it to make five different meals: in this case, mini pot roast strudels, a breakfast hash, French dip onion soup with grilled Swiss cheese sandwiches, a hearty Cuban-inspired stew and 12-layer super nachos. This is not just one for the novice cook, but Scott’s myriad — and, frankly, genius — shortcut solutions make this an invaluable kitchen companion for anyone who feels too busy to cook. We especially liked how simple the base ingredients are: it’s always great to have new ideas on how to use staples like hardboiled eggs, steamed veggies or stale bread. A fantastic tool that will inspire both thriftiness and kitchen creativity.
MY VIRGIN KITCHEN By Barry Lewis Published by Harper Collins €18.85/£16.99 Barry Lewis taught himself to cook publicly on his YouTube blog, My Virgin Kitchen. The blog became an instant hit, and Lewis continues to inspire new cooks in this recipe collection. If you’ve been thinking about learning to cook, or you know someone who would like to gain more skills in the kitchen, this is a great place to start, with plenty of pages covering the basics before the recipes even begin. Once you’re ready to get cooking, chapters range from feel-good and nostalgic recipes to bakes and cakes. Our one disappointment is the lack of photos, but we admit that we have an unusually intense obsession with food porn here in the Easy Food offices. Standout recipes for us include lamb and ginger potsticker dumplings; sesame Halloumi bites with sweet pepper sauce; and the chocolate mousse balloon cups — not to mention the vodka Jaffa cakes! If your kitchen is still chaste and unsullied, take the plunge with this go-to beginners’ guide.
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OCTOBER 2017
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Easy Food 13
14 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
Warming comfort food, MADE EASY! Creamy chorizo and garlic mash
1
2
Serves 4-6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes 600g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tsp olive oil 100g chorizo, peeled and finely chopped Splash of milk 50g Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Garlic and Herbs Handful of chives, finely chopped Salt and white pepper
4
3
1 Place the potatoes in a pan of salted water over a high heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 6-8 minutes until the potatoes are soft enough to mash. Drain well and set aside to steam dry. Mash the potatoes with the milk until quite smooth. 2 Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Cook the chorizo for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly brown and crispy. 3 Add the Philly, crispy chorizo, chives and some salt and pepper to the potatoes. Stir to combine well. 4 Serve immediately or transfer to a baking dish and set aside until later. If serving later, dot with extra butter or sprinkle with cheese and bake at 200ËšC/180ËšC fan/gas mark 6 for 15-20 minutes.
Per Serving 182kcals, 10.2g fat, (4.4g saturated), 16.4g carbs, 1.3g sugars, 6.4g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.237g sodium
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For more delicious recipes, visit www.philadelphia.ie Easy Food 15
COMPETITIONS
POSTAL ENTRIE
S
ct io ns le va nt in st ru Fo ll ow th e reto en te r fo r ea ch on ho w po st yo ur en try to : d co m pe ti ti on anPrin ce of Wal es Te rrac e, . 12 , od Fo . W ickl ow Ea sy R oa d, B ra y, Co ti on Q ui ns bo ro ug h in di ca te w ha t co m pe til to D on ’t fo rg ete en te ri ng an d in cl ud e al yo u ar de ta il s. yo ur co nt ac t
Win a NIGHT AWAY AT THE STATION HOUSE HOTEL
T
he Station House Hotel is the top country house hotel in the Boyne Valley and Co. Meath. Nestled in its own picturesque gardens, in the centre of Ireland’s Ancient East with verdant countryside views, it offers guests peace and relaxation in elegant and charming surroundings. The Station House Hotel, Kilmessan, also offers an award-winning restaurant in the Signal Restaurant, with a seasonal menu that showcases the best of the Boyne Valley culinary offerings. This Halloween, The Station House Hotel is hosting its famous Murder Mystery Dinner Party on Sunday, 29 th October, inviting all for a night of exceptional food and crime solving! The Murder Mystery Halloween Dinner will have all guests fully immersed into a frightening night of crime, intrigue, a spooky four-course meal, scary costumes and most of all, hair-raising craic!
16 Easy Food
The exceptional Station House Hotel in the heart of the Boyne Valley is offering one lucky reader the opportunity to win a wonderful culinary escape for two people including a three-course dinner with a bottle of wine, accommodation for an overnight stay and breakfast. To enter, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with StationHH in the subject line. For all reservations and enquires, please visit www.stationhousehotel.ie, call +353 (0)46 9025239 or email info@stationhousehotel.ie.
OCTOBER 2017
competitions
WIN! A CASE OF CONO SUR RESERVA ESPECIAL WINE! One lucky Easy Food reader has the chance to win a mixed case of Cono Sur Reserva Especial wines! Each variety in the Cono Sur Reserva Especial range has its own personality and unique characteristics: the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir we’re giving away come from the Casablanca Valley, which gives them a fresh minerality due to its close proximity to the Pacific ocean. Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993,
WIN
with the vision of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines that convey the spirit of the New World. The name refers to the company’s geographic position, representing wines proudly made in South
A RANKIN SELECTION
hamper!
America’s "Southern Cone” — “Cono Sur” — and their logo also evokes a freehand drawing of the silhouette of South America.
Created in partnership with top chef Paul Rankin and County Armagh-based Irwin’s Bakery, Rankin Selection
Right from the start, Cono Sur applied new ideas
Irish Barmbrack is part of the Rankin Selection range
and technology to traditional winemaking method
of award-winning traditional Irish breads. Packed with
to create expressive and innovative wines from the
succulent sultanas and candied orange and lemon peel,
world’s southernmost land.
Rankin Selection Irish Barmbrack is the perfect comfort food for any season — toasted with butter and jam —
To enter, simply email
or for those shoppers who want to make Halloween a
your contact details to
little more exciting by hiding a coin or ring in the sweet
competitions@easyfood.ie
fruit loaf.
with CONO SUR in the subject line.
This month, three lucky readers have the chance to win a hamper packed full of Rankin Selection traditional Irish breads. To enter, email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with RANKIN SELECTION in the subject line. Terms and conditions: Irwin’s Bakery to liaise directly with winners for delivery. Deliveries to be made in December.
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Easy Food 17
a in W SOUP MAKER! I
s there anything like a warming soup on a chilly night? Morphy Richards has made it easier than ever to whip up a delicious and wholesome soup in no time with the new Sauté and Soup Maker. The Morphy Richards Sauté and Soup has five functions including sauté, blend, chunky, smooth and juice, meaning that a range of foods can be prepared at the touch of a button. The sauté function sears a range of ingredients such as spices, onions and bacon lardons for added flavour, and this takes place in the same cooking vessel as the soup, reducing time and washing up. The blend function and motorised blending blade in the lid can adjust consistencies to individual tastes.
busy kitchen. Serving soup couldn’t be simpler, as its large easy-pour handle and removable power source from the base ensure that it’s simple and flexible to use and keeps spilling to a minimum. For a chance to win a Sauté and Soup Maker, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with MORPHY RICHARDS in the subject line. The Morphy Richards Sauté and Soup Maker is available from Power City, DID Electrical, Expert & Euronics (RRP €99.95).
Perfect for cooks of all abilities, the handy control panel features an LED countdown display, while the non-stick coating makes cooking and cleaning a breeze. With a large 1.6 litre capacity making up to four servings in one go, it’s the perfect tool for any
18 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
Simon and editor Caroline busy planning!
s from Recipe ’s: Simon Simply ook b k o er Co The Din ney on Dela By Sim Hess l il G ed by Publish /£17.99 €16.99
SIMON SAYS… cook!
Actor, director and TV presenter Simon Delaney takes on a new role…in the kitchen!
We
at Easy Food are lucky to work with Simon Delaney on a regular basis. A familiar face on screen for his work on RTÉ’s "Bachelor’s Walk" as well as "Coronation Street", "The Good Wife", "Moone Boy" and "The
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Fall", Simon is one of the star hosts of TV3’s "SaturdayAM", where Easy Food often presents on the cookery slot. Arriving bright and early to the TV3 studios, the set is always buzzing — producers run through the scheduled segments
to make sure all is in order for the three-hour live show ahead; make-up artists with tools at the ready flit about to put final touches on hosts and guests; camera operators meticulously position equipment on the floor. Nestled in this hive of activity, stationed at the set’s kitchen every Saturday morning is Simon, preparing breakfast for the entire crew. He fries sausages and rashers to set at the edge of the counter, where cast and crew can grab a hot breakfast with some fresh bread and butter. Everyone pitches in a quid or two to fund ingredients, but it’s understood that these weekly brekkies are just a typical Simon move — feeding the hardworking staff that has probably been on set already for hours, and probably won’t get a chance for a bite or cup of tea until midday. After the food is ready, he rushes to get changed and ready for camera, where he’ll keep guests and fellow hosts entertained for three hours without breaking a sweat. This is what we love about Simon — he genuinely loves food and loves sharing it with people. We can think of no better reason, then, to release a cookbook, which is Simon’s most recent foray into the foodie world after his successful stint on "Celebrity MasterChef Ireland" earlier this year. Simon impressed judges, fellow contestants and viewers with his culinary aptitude, expertly tackling daunting kitchen tasks while keeping his upbeat demeanor intact. Simon is used to keeping crowds entertained, which was on show during one of his first big cooking demos at Taste of Dublin this summer.
Easy Food 19
He shared the stage with two veteran chefs — Neven Maguire and "Celebrity MasterChef Ireland" judge Daniel Clifford — whose presence with Simon served as the ultimate seal of culinary approval. Witty banter between the hosts was the perfect backdrop to the informative demo, and guests were certainly hungry for more. Luckily, Simon has obliged by releasing his first cookbook, Simply Simon’s: The Diner Cookbook, a mouth-watering tome of wellloved American diner favourites. Simon is a feeder, and the best sort: he fills friends, family and fans with great food and plenty of laughs. We’ll definitely be pulling up a seat at whatever foodie adventure he tackles next.
Have you always been interested in cooking? I’ve always been interested in food, but I was never an adventurous eater. I liked simple food as a kid, and it was only when I started to cook for myself that I introduced exotic ingredients like chillies into my menu!
How has your work as an actor exposed you to different styles of food? I’ve been lucky to travel around the world with my job, so it has exposed me to different types of cuisine. From Eastern Europe to China, from Russia to the US, I’ve tasted many a strange dish, and many a wonderful dish, and I’ve taken some of those dishes and tried to replicate them at home... to varying degrees of success!
20 Easy Food
What prompted you to sign on to Celebrity MasterChef Ireland? I’m a huge fan of food TV, and of course "MasterChef". It’s the only "reality TV show" that I watch (well, that and "The Apprentice"). I’d been asked several times to do "MasterChef", but because of my work schedule I’d never been available to sign up. I was delighted last year then when the call came; I had the time in my diary, so I was in! Best decision ever.
How did this experience change the way you cook at home? I think it’s changed the way I look at food, particluarly how I prep dishes. That’s all down to finding recipes, finding ingredients, prepping them correctly and of course presenting them well.
That inspired you to write your cookbook? This been on my bucket list for years. Thankfully, after doing the show and finishing reasonably well in the competition, I was approached by a publishing agent about doing a book. I signed up and it’s exciting times!
What was the process like of recreating these dishes? That was the fun part of the book: finding classic Amercian diner dishes, researching recipes and trying to adapt them for the home cook. I’d love the process of taking a dish like the classic American meatloaf and
getting a recipe right for the Irish cook to make at home. There were lots of attempts made on each dish, but hopefully I’ve cracked every one of them!
Are there other areas of food or cooking you’d be interested in exploring? I’m a huge fan of Italian cuisine, so that’s something I’d love to explore more in the kitchen. I really just adore the country; myself and my wife, Lisa, honeymooned there, and it made me fall even more in love with the people and the culture.
What would a typical dinner at home be like? I’d say it would be a one-pot wonder that feeds the masses! With four kids — boys, no less — at home, there are always hungry mouths to feed. It’s also such a busy house that having one dinner for all is the way to go. A good Irish stew, or an American classic like mac and cheese is always a winner.
What would be your ideal dinner? Well, a long one! Something involving 11 courses that includes chocolate, lamb, dauphinoisse potatoes, and more chocolate!
Have you had any kitchen disasters? We don’t have enough space in this magazine! Yes, mainly involving me and sharp knives. I think I can chop like Jamie Oliver, but I actually chop like Oliver Hardy!
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
Chuck-beef burger with Monterey Jack cheese and hot pastrami Serves 4
"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." — Harriet Van Horne "When you mention the word ‘diner’, the word ‘burger’ pops into your head soon after. A good burger is truly one of the great dishes of the world. There are a few things that I wanted to feature in my burger, some of my favourite things. One is fried onions, a must for me: they add a lovely sweetness. The buns: brioche, of course. One of the things I love about eating a burger in a diner in the States is that when you pick it up, the bread almost collapses around the burger. The burger is the star, not the bread. But if you go with brioche buns, it’ll be worth it. Then the hot pastrami: my favourite deli sandwich filler, and amazing on a burger. Then, the small matter of the cheese: I’ve gone for Monterey Jack, a creamy melting cheese that’s a perfect companion for hot beef. Speaking of which, I’ve carried out a ridiculous amount of research into the perfect burger meat. What you’re looking for is an 80/20 mix of beef to fat. I’ve gone for chuck beef: a great cut of the meat and gorgeous in a burger. Your friendly neighbourhood butcher will provide you with the perfect burger meat; just ask. Finally, there’s the sauce, a little zing to spread on the buns, and this sauce recipe cuts through it beautifully. Hungry yet? Let’s cook..." For the burgers: 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp Chinese five-spice 960g minced chuck beef, with 20% fat (your butcher will sort this for you) Salt and black pepper For the burger sauce: 1 tsp smoked paprika 100ml hoisin sauce 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 small gherkins, chopped Juice of ½ a lemon To serve: 8 slices of Monterey Jack cheese 16 thin slices of pastrami Couple of knobs of butter, melted 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
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4 brioche burger buns 2 beef tomatoes, sliced 1 small head of baby gem lettuce, washed Olive oil 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 In a bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, the Chinese five-spice mix and the minced beef, and season well with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy with the salt: these burgers can take it! 3 Divide the mixture into four equal balls. Wet your hands with cold water, and then take the meatballs and shape them into burger patties about 2cm thick. Place them on a lined baking tray, cover and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up. 4 In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. 5 Take the burgers out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature before you cook them. Heat a little olive oil in a griddle pan or a standard ovenproof pan over a medium heat. When it’s nice and hot, pop the burgers in. Cook for about two minutes
on each side to get a nice char. Place the pan into the oven and cook for about six minutes or until done to your liking. 6 Remove the burgers from the oven, but leave them in the pan. Place a slice of cheese and two slices of the pastrami over each of the burgers, pop them back into the oven and turn the oven off. This will heat the pastrami and melt the cheese. 7 Heat a drizzle of olive oil and a knob of butter in a small pan over a medium heat and sweat down your onions until coloured and soft. Drain on kitchen paper. 8 To serve, spread a little melted butter on the brioche burger buns and heat them in your pan for a minute. Next, spread some of your burger sauce on both halves of the bun and layer on lettuce, a couple of slices of tomato and the fried onions. 9 Add the burger, cheese and pastrami, then skewer the bun top on with a burger skewer (yes, there is such a thing), and enjoy! Per Serving 1472kcals, 86.6g fat (40.5g saturated), 69.3g carbs, 27.2g sugars, 103.4g protein, 2.8g fibre, 3.751g sodium
Easy Food 21
22 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest Delaney guesteditor editorSimon Adrian Martin
Sticky baked buffalo wings, Dublin-style
Simon takes inventory of Easy Food's prop selectio
n
Serves 4
"He was a bold man that first ate an oyster." — Jonathan Swift "An absolute staple of diner menus everywhere. Some diners and restaurants have built their reputation on how good their Buffalo wings are. Here in Dublin, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to spots that serve great wings. Elephant & Castle springs to everyone’s minds when asked where to get good wings in Dublin. I’ve seen their wings almost reduce people to tears. But why is it that chicken wings are called Buffalo wings? I know, it keeps me awake at night too. Unsurprisingly, neither the origin nor the name has anything at all to with actual buffalo. I’m reliably informed that the reason they are called so is that they originated in Buffalo, New York, first being served at the Anchor Bar, owned by Frank and Teressa Bellissimo, who bought the place in 1939. In 1964, Teressa had an idea: why not fry chicken wings up and serve them in a hot sauce? Many theories exist about how she came up with the recipe, but the most reliable is the story that her husband Frank revealed in an interview with the New Yorker in 1980. The bar had received a shipment of wings by accident. They had been expecting other parts of chicken and simply they didn’t know what to do with the wings. His wife started experimenting in the kitchen, and hey-ho she came up with the beloved Buffalo wings. Thank God for deliveries that go wrong. This is my spin on her classic. The ‘Dublin-style’ element comes from one of our most famous exports: Guinness. You’re welcome." For the wings: 1kg chicken wings (about 14-20 wings, depending on their size) 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp fresh lime juice For the sauce: 1 tbsp hoisin sauce 3 tbsp organic honey 1 tbsp soy sauce 150ml Guinness 2 tsp sesame oil 1 garlic clove, crushed
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1 Let’s get started with the wings and the marinade. Get yourself a large resealable food bag and pop the wings in. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce and lime juice. Seal the bag and mix the wings around, making sure they each get a coating of that beautiful marinade. Place in the fridge for around three hours so the ingredients can do their thing. 2 Preheat your oven to 220°C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Spread the wings on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, place a small saucepan over a medium heat and add the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, Guinness, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk together until smooth. Bring to a
simmer and cook for about five minutes until the mixture has thickened. 4 Remove the wings from the oven and brush them with the sauce, making sure to toss them well so they all get a coating. Pop them back in the oven and cook for a further five minutes until glazed and cooked through. 5 To serve, pop these bad boys into a big bowl, and if you fancy a dip, I highly recommend a blue cheese one to go along with them. Per Serving 1293kcals, 57.8g fat (13.2g saturated), 34.4g carbs, 28.5g sugars, 147.1g protein, 0.5g fibre, 1.965g sodium
x Easy Food 23
Simon is right at home in the Easy Food Test Kitchen with food stylists Shannon (left) and Charisse (right).
24 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
Classic baked New York cheesecake Serves 8-10
"Because you don’t live near a bakery doesn’t mean you have to go without cheesecake." — Hedy Lamarr "This is one of my all-time favourite desserts. I’ve had cheesecakes all over the world — set cheesecakes, deconstructed cheesecakes, etc. — but none, and I mean none, compares with a classic baked New York cheesecake. During one of the rounds on MasterChef, we had to come up with a dessert on the spot, and straight away I made a set cheesecake. It’s easier to make than the baked one, so I thought I’d have a go — I’d never made one before then. I knew as both Daniel and Robin tasted it that they wished it was a proper baked cheesecake, and it got mixed results. So this recipe is for them. I promise I’ll cook it for them next time I see them. Now, this recipe takes a little time and effort and you need patience, but I promise you it’ll be worth the effort." For the cheesecake base: 200g gingernut biscuits 100g unsalted butter, melted For the cheesecake filling: 900g soft cream cheese 270g caster sugar ½ tsp salt 70g plain flour Zest and juice of 1 lemon 600g crème fraîche 1 vanilla pod, deseeded 8 free-range eggs 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 This recipe will fill a 28cm baking tin, and make sure you use a springform tin: it’ll make your life a lot easier! Grease the bottom of the tin with a little butter or oil, and line with greaseproof paper. 3 Pulse the gingernut biscuits in a food processor and add the melted butter until you have a mixture similar to wet sand. Spread the mix into the tin and press down until level and firm. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, clean your food processor, then add all of the remaining ingredients apart from the eggs and blend. Add the eggs in one at a time, being careful not to add the next
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egg in until the previous one is completely mixed through, or your filling could split. 5 Remove the base from the oven and increase the temperature to 220°C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Pour the mix in on top of the base and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 100°C/80˚C fan/gas mark ¼ and cook for a further 50 minutes. Turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake in there for about an hour.
6 Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Put the cake into the fridge for a minimum of two hours, but overnight is best. I know it sounds like a lot of time, and believe me, the temptation to eat it straight away is huge, but have patience, my friends: good things come to those who wait. Per Serving 876kcals, 70.1g fat (26g saturated), 51.2g carbs, 28.1g sugars, 14.3g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.490g sodium
Easy Food 25
Coney Island lobster rolls Serves 2
"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.’"— Jim Davis "They say, 'If you haven’t eaten a lobster roll in New England, then you haven’t eaten a lobster roll,' a proud statement from the food aficionados in the US. However, we have some of the best seafood in the world on this side of the pond — including lobsters — and I reckon if any of our New England cousins tried my lobster rolls, they’d be more than happy. The Coney Island reference comes from a restaurant there called Nathan’s Famous, which has been home to the world-famous frankfurter and hot-dog-eating championships every year since 1916. They also did a mean lobster roll back in the day, and this is my homage to that." 2 lobster tails, uncooked Salt and black pepper 1 lime Olive oil, for drizzling 200g crème fraîche 1 small handful of dill, finely chopped 1 small handful of chives, finely chopped 4 small hot dog or Subway-style rolls 1 Preheat your oven to 170°C/150˚C fan/gas mark 3. 2 Pop your lobsters on a lined baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Cut the lime in half and place on the tray, and drizzle a little olive oil over both lobster and the lime. Pop into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. 3 When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the lobster meat from the shells. 4 Pour any cooking juices from the tray into a bowl, and squeeze the roasted lime halves in. Add the crème fraîche, dill and chives and mix well. 5 Chop the lobster meat into bite-size pieces and add to the crème fraîche mix. Add salt and pepper if needed. 6 To serve, split the four rolls (not all the way through) and divide the filling between them. Garnish with a little sprinkling of dill and a drizzle of the sauce.
Per Serving 859kcals, 52.6g fat (2g saturated), 59.5g carbs, 8.6g sugars, 40.8g protein, 3.7g fibre, 1.031g sodium
26 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
www.easyfood.ie
Easy Food 27
200g chorizo sausage meat Olive oil, for frying To serve: 4 English muffins, or the bread of your choice 110g butter Pinch of cayenne pepper
Eggs Benedict with chorizo patties and hollandaise sauce Serves 4
"There is one thing more exasperating than a wife who can cook and won’t, and that’s a wife who can’t cook and will." — Robert Frost "There are lots of stories about where this dish originated, but this is my favourite: in 1894, Lemuel Benedict, a Wall Street broker who was suffering from a hangover, ordered ‘some buttered toast, crisp bacon, two poached eggs, and a hooker of hollandaise sauce’ at the Waldorf Hotel in New York. The Waldorf’s legendary chef, Oscar Tschirky, was so impressed that he put the dish on his breakfast and luncheon menus after substituting Canadian bacon for crisp bacon and a toasted English muffin for toasted bread. One of the most ordered dishes
28 Easy Food
in diner history, it’s another one of those dishes that has as many variations as there are stars in the sky. That’s what I love about eating in diners in different parts of the US: every diner’s eggs Benny is different. With my recipe I’ve added a little twist: I’ve used a chorizo patty instead of the ham that’s usually served. And hey, if you haven’t the time or patience to make your own hollandaise, a shop-bought one will be fine. But if you do make the effort, you’ll thank me!" For the hollandaise: 2 egg yolks 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp white wine vinegar 115g unsalted butter, melted For the poached eggs: White wine vinegar 8 eggs For the chorizo patties: 200g pork sausage meat
1 For the hollandaise, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. As soon as it boils, kill the heat. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice and vinegar until you really start to see the mixture thicken. 2 Place the bowl over the saucepan of hot water and slowly pour in the melted butter as you continue to whisk constantly to form what’s called an emulsion, which should be a little thinner than a mayonnaise. Leave the bowl sitting on the pan when done, and don’t panic if the mixture thickens up a little: just add a drop of hot water to thin it out again. 3 For the poached eggs, boil about 5cm of water in a large pot, then turn it down to a simmer. Add a little drop of white wine vinegar and carefully break the eggs into the water. (It’s easier if you crack the egg into a small cup and drop it into the water: it stops the egg white from going all over the pot.) 4 Cook until the egg is set — in other words, no longer transparent, but before it goes hard — then remove the egg with a slotted spoon and leave to sit on some kitchen paper. (During "MasterChef", Daniel Clifford showed me the twice-cooked method. Drop the eggs into the water for a minute, then take them out, and just before you serve, give them another minute in the hot water. Easy peasy. Believe me, if I can do it, you can!) 5 Skin the pork and chorizo sausages and mix the sausage meat together in a bowl. Shape them into eight small, flat patties. Heat a little olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 7-8 minutes, flipping once, until coloured, on both sides and cooked through. 6 To serve, toast the English muffins, spread a little of the melted butter on them, and place on serving plates. Add the chorizo patties on top, then the poached eggs, and dress with the hollandaise. Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper over the sauce. Serve these with home fries and, baby, you’ll be in NYC in a heartbeat!
Per Serving 918kcals, 72.4g fat (26.4g saturated), 32.2g carbs, 2.8g sugars, 34.3g protein, 2g fibre, 1.153g sodium
AUGUST 2017
What's in season? EASY RECIPES USING THE BEST OF THIS MONTH'S FRESH, SEASONAL INGREDIENTS
30-41 IN THIS SECTION
WICKED WATERCRESS! P30 Make the most of fresh watercress with these spooktacular recipes!
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IT'S THE FENNEL COUNTDOWN P34 If you've never cooked with fennel before, this is a good time to start
EAT IRELAND P40 Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle heads "up north" to discover why an Armagh apple a day is a real treat
Easy Food 29
WICKED
WATERCRESS! Make the most of fresh watercress in these spooktacular recipes!
30 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s in season? watercress
Roasted cauliflower brain with green slime hummus and dead man’s finger sandwiches Serves 6-8 1 whole cauliflower 2 tbsp olive oil 150ml white wine Salt and black pepper 3 tbsp tomato ketchup For the green slime: 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas 50g watercress, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves 1 tbsp tahini Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp ground coriander 6 tbsp olive oil Salt For the dead man’s fingers: ½ a loaf of white bread, thinly sliced and crusts removed Butter, at room temperature 150g cream cheese 50g whole almonds 1 Preheat the oven to 150˚C/130˚C fan/ gas mark 2. Trim the leaves from the cauliflower and cut its base flat so that it sits upright. Rub all over with olive oil. Place the cauliflower into an ovenproof dish and pour over the white wine. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1½ hours. Check after one hour and brush with more oil if it seems dry. Remove from the oven when tender and leave to cool. 2 While the cauliflower is in the oven, make the hummus. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place into a blender with the watercress, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, ground coriander and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, gradually adding the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning and lemon juice to taste if necessary. 3 To make the finger sandwiches, gently flatten the slices of bread with a rolling pin. Spread each slice with a little butter and some cream cheese. 4 Roll up the sandwiches, then use a blunt knife to make indentations to form the knuckles. Trim one end of each roll into a V shape and use a little cream cheese to stick on an almond fingernail. 5 Once the cauliflower has cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut a hollow, creating
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a bowl in the top. Fill this with the green hummus, then mix the ketchup with a little warm water and drizzles over the sides of the cauliflower to look like blood. 6 Serve the cauliflower brain with the dead man’s fingers on the side for dipping. Per Serving 571kcals, 33.1g fat (8.2g saturated), 54g carbs, 9.1g sugars, 19.9g protein, 13.8g fibre, 0.549g sodium
cious all y deli For equ tl y less but sligh cipes e re gruesom ng tu fea ri ss, visit te a w rcre ss.co.uk re rc te www.wa
Easy Food 31
Top tip:
t be as Why no as you e creativ cutting y tr d n like a hosts g e out som from the or trees raps as w tortilla well!
Spooky tortilla graveyard with guacamole dip Serves 8-10 4 ripe avocadoes 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice Salt and black pepper 4 tbsp coriander, finely chopped 1 small red onion, finely diced 2-3 large tortilla wraps 250ml vegetable oil 85g watercress 1 To make the guacamole, add the avocado and lemon juice to a blender or food processor with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then stir in the coriander and red onion. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 2 Use a small, sharp knife to cut out gravestone shapes from the wraps. 3 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. After a few minutes, check the temperature of the oil by dropping in a small piece of tortilla wrap. If the wrap sinks to the bottom, the oil is not hot enough. Once the oil is the correct temperature, the tortilla should stay on the surface and create bubbles. 4 Add a few tortilla shapes at a time to the oil, frying for less than one minute on each side or until lightly golden. Drain the shapes on kitchen paper and allow to cool. 5 Once the shapes have cooled, take a large ceramic oven dish and spread the guacamole evenly over the base. Scatter over the watercress to represent grass, then arrange the gravestones and other shapes in any way you like. 6 If not serving immediately, keep the guacamole in the fridge and store the tortilla shapes in an airtight container at room temperature. Per Serving 438kcals, 40g fat (7.8g saturated), 19.1g carbs, 0.5g sugars, 3.3g protein, 6g fibre, 0.011g sodium
x 32 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
Soup Maker
€99.95 Simply prepare your ingredients, pop them in the Soup Maker and enjoy fresh, delicious soup in 20 minutes.
Really quick and easy
Pea, Ham and Mint Soup • 600g frozen peas • 20gm fresh mint • 225g chopped cooked ham • 100g diced potatoes
• 800ml hot stock • Salt and ground black pepper • 2tbsp olive oil • 3 heaped tbsp crème fraiche
The Soup Maker is now available from Morphy Richards stockists nationwide. For more information like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit www.glendimplexireland.com Morphy Richards is Irish owned and part of the Glen Dimplex Group.
MR Soupmaker FP Easy Food.indd 1
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It’s the fennel
COUNTDOWN
If you’ve never cooked with fennel before, this is a good time to start 34 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s in season? fennel
Fennel has a subtle, savoury aniseed flavour and a texture similar to celery. Raw fennel is cool and crunchy but, when cooked, it is tender with a more mellow flavour.
Buying: Fennel has a fat, white bulb like an onion, with a feathery top of green stalks and dill-like fronds. Fennel bulbs should be firm, heavy for their size and greenish-white with no soft or brown spots. The fronds should be bright green with no signs of wilting.
Storing: Wrap the fennel in a paper bag and store in the fridge. Preparing: Cut the stalks from the top of the bulb, then remove any tough outer layers. Some recipes call for the removal of the triangular core, which can be done with a paring knife.
Crispy twice-cooked fennel and potatoes Serves 4 as a side
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut lengthwise into 3cm-wide wedges 1 bay leaf ¼ tsp fennel seeds 150ml milk 350ml cream Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped 50g Parmesan, grated Olive oil, for drizzling 1 In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, fennel, bay leaf and fennel seeds. Add the milk, then pour in enough cream to completely cover the vegetables. Season generously with salt and black pepper. 2 Place the pan over a medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft and tender. Remove from the heat. 3 In a small bowl, combine the thyme, rosemary and Parmesan. 4 Turn the grill on to a medium-high heat and place the rack about 15cm from the heat source. Grease a baking dish with olive oil. 5 Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes and fennel from the cream mixture and transfer them to the prepared baking dish. www.easyfood.ie
Top tip:
card the re! Don’t dis am mixtu fused cre ieve, then in le n n s fe a through to add Strain it e. Use it g id fr e th your in to re r u to s um flavo im x — try a e m c to ed sau am-bas om fr s g in next cre e dripp th g ttle in li d a ad with chicken a d n a a roast e , thym mustard n juice. of lemo e z e e squ
FUN FACT 6 Drizzle with olive oil, season with extra black pepper and sprinkle over the herb and Parmesan mixture. Spread the potatoes and fennel wedges out in a single layer. 7 Place the baking dish under the grill for 4-5 minutes, or until crispy around the edges. Per Serving 367kcals, 11.6g fat (5.3g saturated), 57.6g carbs, 6.4g sugars, 12.1g protein, 10.8g fibre, 0.236g sodium
Fennel was called marathon in Ancient Greek. The Greek town of Marathon was so named because of an abundance of fennel plants in the area, and later gave its name to the athletic long-distance endurance race when a Greek soldier was sent running from Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon.
Easy Food 35
Tip:
Top y your row awa th ’t Don s! The g immin h fennel tr t garnis a re g ake a fronds m salads or pasta s, for soup s can be hile stalk s w , s dishe de stock a homem to y it d v e a d ad ec d into th or stuffe before n e k ic h of a c . roasting
36 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s in season? fresh herbs
Chicken thighs with fennel and leeks Serves 4
150g plain flour 6 tbsp olive oil 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs Salt and black pepper 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced 1 leek, washed, trimmed and sliced 6 garlic cloves, crushed 120ml white wine 270ml chicken stock Zest and juice of 1 lemon To serve: Mashed potatoes or rice 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium heat. 3 Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour. Add them, skin side down, to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate. Pour off most of the fat from the pan, reserving about four tablespoons in the pan. 4 Add the fennel and leek to the pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes longer. 5 Pour in the white wine and allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, scraping any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. 6 Add the stock, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season to taste and cook for one minute longer. 7 Return the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side-up; the liquid should come up about halfway up the sides of the chicken. Cover the pan with a lid and place in the oven for 15 minutes. 8 Remove the lid and spoon the sauce over the chicken thighs. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes until the skin is golden and the chicken is completely cooked throughout. 9 Serve the chicken with mashed potato or rice, spooning the sauce over the top.
Per Serving 550kcals, 27.2g fat (4.5g saturated), 39.6g carbs, 2.9g sugars, 32.6g protein, 3.4g fibre, 0.375g sodium
x www.easyfood.ie
Handy recipes
FENNEL AND ORANGE CRISPY COOKIE THINS
Makes 24 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5 and line two baking trays with parchment paper. In a food processor, whizz 55g blanched flaked almonds with ½ tsp fennel seeds until coarsely ground. Transfer to a small saucepan. Add 60g butter, 25g sugar, 3 tbsp honey and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring to combine as the butter melts. Boil for one minute, then remove from the heat. Stir in 4 tbsp plain flour and the zest of 1 orange. Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter on the prepared baking trays, spacing them 5-6cm apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown, rotating the trays halfway through. Place the trays on wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely.
BAKED PARMESAN FENNEL Serves 6 as a side Preheat the oven to 230˚C/210˚C fan/gas mark 8 and lightly grease a baking dish with oil or butter. Trim 3 fennel bulbs and split them lengthwise. Bring a pot of salted water to a
boil and cook the fennel for 10 minutes. Place the fennel on kitchen paper, cut side down, and allow to drain for five minutes. Place the fennel into the prepared baking dish, cut side up. Brush the cut sides with melted butter. Season with salt and black pepper, then top with grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. Bake for 20 minutes until the fennel is tender and the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
SICILIAN WINTER SALAD Serves 4 Squeeze the juice from 1 orange into a bowl. Thinly slice 1 red onion and soak the slices in the juice for 20 minutes, then drain. Peel 2 oranges and divide into segments, cutting away any pith. In a large bowl, toss the orange segments together with the red onion, 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb, a handful of fresh basil, about 20 black olives and 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.
TOP TIP: Use blood oranges if available. Easy Food 37
GOING
bananas! Simple recipes using this fruity favourite
Banana butter chicken Serves 4 227g butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 500ml tomato passata
38 Easy Food
2 ripe Fyffes bananas, sliced 500ml cream 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp cayenne pepper Pinch of salt 750g chicken fillets, cubed 2 tbsp tandoori masala
1 tbsp olive oil 2 under-ripe Fyffes bananas 1 Heat a pat of the butter in a deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelised. Remove from the pan. 2 Add the remaining butter, passata, ripe bananas, cream, garam masala, cayenne and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and add the onion and garlic. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ËšC/160ËšC fan/gas mark 4. Toss chicken in the tandoori masala and oil until coated. Place on a small baking tray and bake in oven for 15 minutes until cooked through. 4 Add the chicken to the sauce with the slices of under-ripe banana five minutes before serving. Per Serving 663kcals, 44.1g fat (24.4g saturated), 28.6g carbs, 14.9g sugars, 38.3g protein, 4.1g fibre, 0.930g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck bananas
Carved Halloween pineapples and fruit skewers Serves 6 1 pineapple 4 wooden skewers 3 Fyffes bananas, thickly sliced 12 marshmallows Dark or milk chocolate, melted 1 Lay the pineapple on its side on a chopping board. Use a sharp knife to slice off the top and the base. 2 Sit the pineapple upright and dig out the centre of the pineapple with a long sharp knife (a bread knife works well). Make sure to leave about a 1cm border so you leave a sturdy shell to carve
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later. Once you’ve cut all the way around, lift the outer skin away from the centre. Alternatively, and very easily, use one of our handy pineapple corers! Set the pineapple flesh aside for later. 3 Lie the pineapple shell on side and use small, sharp knife to carefully cut out a face. Be careful not to press or cut too rigorously as the pineapple skin isn’t as sturdy as a pumpkin. Once you’ve cut out the eyes and mouth, place the shell on a board and add the top with the leaves. 4 Cut the pineapple flesh into chunks and thread onto skewers with the bananas and marshmallows. Drizzle with melted chocolate and enjoy! Per Serving 214kcals, 1.8g fat (1.1g saturated), 49.9g carbs, 30.2g sugars, 1.5g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.035g sodium
b t p
@FyffesIreland @fyffes @FreddyFyffesIreland
Easy Food 39
EAT Ireland Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle heads "up north" to discover why an Armagh apple a day is a real treat
I
n 1809, a girl named Mary Ann Brailsford planted some apple pips in her garden in Nottinghamshire, some years before a Matthew Bramley bought her cottage. In 1856, a local nurseryman, Henry Merryweather, asked Bramley’s permission to cultivate cuttings from the tree, and Bramley agreed on the rather self-serving condition that the apples be named after him. Almost 30 years later, a Mr. Nicholson of Crannagael House in Loughgall bought 60 Bramley seedlings from Merryweather and introduced them to County Armagh. The story of Armagh Bramleys took root at Crannagael and has grown stronger ever since, so it’s only fitting that our apple-inspired whirlwind tour of the county begins on the same soil. Crannagael House is a Georgian beauty nestled amongst woodlands, orchards and colourful greenhouses, still owned by the same Nicholson family who brought Ireland the Bramley. During the Armagh Food and Cider Festival, visitors were given an exclusive opportunity to dine in these orchards on a night filled with food, cider and music. When we arrive, a teepee stands on the lawn, a glimpse of the fire crackling within offering a welcome respite from the damp grey day. The inside of the tent is ringed with local producers eager to show off their foods, and we have time to wander around and meet all of them in between being gently plied with a selection of local breakfast treats. Everything we sample is full of flavour, from the range of exceptional Burren Balsamics to the familyrun, high-quality Hartnett’s Oils, but it’s the apple juices and ciders that cause the most excitement amongst the group. I’ve never been a cider drinker, having long been deterred by a market saturated with sickly-sweet, characterless options. As craft beers have exploded in popularity, bringing a range of new, interesting options into the
40 Easy Food
limelight and pushing bland lagers to one side, I’ve been keeping an eye out for the same effect in Irish ciders. It’s no surprise that Armagh is ahead of the game, with a history of apple growing stretching back to at least the 12th century and still known as Ireland’s Orchard County. Thanks to a unique microclimate, Armagh Bramley apples are distinctive from any others and noticeably more tart than those grown in the UK. In fact, they’re so special that they’ve earned PGI status within the EU, meaning that no other apples may legally be labelled as Armagh Bramleys. We sample several locally made apple products, including MacIvors Ciders, familymade for over 150 years; pure, refreshing juices from McCann in Loughgall; and the impressive range from Long Meadow. This is where I really begin to understand the versatility of cider. Think of the enormous variety contained within the word “wine,” and consider that the cider-making process is exactly the same — other than substituting apples for grapes — and it becomes clear that cider can be almost anything you want it to be. Within the Long Meadow catalogue, there’s the Blossom Burst (mellow and sweet), Mulled Cider (infused with natural spices) and the inspired Oak Aged Cider, taking its cue from the wine world and gaining an incredible depth of flavour as a result — not to mention both still and sparkling juices and unfiltered apple cider vinegar. For me, the star of the show is their brand spanking new Rhubarb and Honey Cider, which is immediately in danger of becoming my goto late summer beverage. We head to Armagh Cider Company to learn more about the cider-making process. Here, owners Philip and Helen Troughton are out to prove that cider is for everyone, with several lines of ciders ranging from crisp and bone-dry
to sweeter and fruit-flavoured versions. With everything “from blossom to bottle” coming together on one premises, it’s wonderful to see this business go from strength to strength. Next, we head for the award-winning Moody Boar, situated in the stunning grounds of The Palace Demesne. This family-run restaurant has a strong focus on fresh homemade food, with much of the produce coming straight from the gardens. The motto of the Moody Boar is “love food,” and Head Chef Sean Farnan makes this easy. He shows us to the beautiful Greenhouse, where the Festival hosted a wine, cider, tapas and chocolate evening under the stars. Sean and his team assemble a modern spin on a traditional apple dessert right before our eyes: a cloud of foamed custard, a toasted biscuit base, a fat round of sweet Armagh Bramley and a drizzle of blackberry coulis. With mugs of freshly-brewed coffee, it’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Buzzing on a food high, we hit Armagh City for a spot of history, taking in the wonderfully weird angels and gargoyles hiding in plain sight around the city centre on our way to St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral. The Cathedral is located on a hill from which the name of the city derives — Ard Macha, referring to a legendary pre-Christian tribal princess — and houses the burial place of Brian Boru. I’m just beginning to plan my own history-themed weekend in Armagh when we’re whisked into the Armagh Robinson Library and my nerdy soul is set alight. I adore books just as much as I do cheese — a lofty benchmark — and I’m in awe of this, the oldest library in Ulster, stacked floor to ceiling with ancient, leatherbound books waiting to be opened, inhaled and loved. Before I can move in permanently, we’re coaxed out of the library for dinner in 4Vicars restaurant, located a few doors down in a row of terraced houses once reserved for the widows of local clergymen. We’re treated to a fine feast of local foods, including Lough Neagh pollan — a unique, local fish I’ve never before come across — delectable, juicy Tynedale kid goat meatballs; meaty Kilkeel hake with Connemara air-dried pork; and a plum and almond tart made with ripe plums from the OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun local food
is also ple jam This ap usa ge a c in a s fantasti uffins m n o h, sandwic ed as es, serv or scon roast r fo t n e a condim ply spread sim pork or hot usly on ro e n e g s a d to t. buttere
Crannagael gardens, bringing us full circle. I’m told that, during the Festival, guests could avail of a harvest supper in 4Vicars after a lamplit concert in the Library, and I can think of few evenings more romantic. With so much to see and do (and, most importantly, so much to eat and drink), Armagh is certainly the apple of Ireland’s eye. It won’t be long before I’m back. www.armagh.co.uk/foodandcider www.easyfood.ie
Decadent Armagh apple and cheese toasties
For each toastie: 1 large croissant, split 100g Brie, sliced 1 slice honey-roasted ham ½ tsp Dijon mustard Black pepper To serve: Rocket 1 Place the apples into a large casserole dish with a lid. Place over a low heat. 2 Add the butter, sugar, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until you see the butter and sugar begin to melt and turn a deep brown colour, coating the apples. 3 Add the water and stir again, making sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom. 4 Cover with the lid and cook over a low heat for 4-6 hours, stirring about once an hour to break up the apples as they soften. 5 The apple butter is ready when it’s fully softened and resembles apple sauce. If you'd like it to be a little thicker, take the lid off and simmer over a very low heat until reduced, stirring occasionally. 6 Transfer the apple butter to a bowl and allow to cool. 7 For the toastie, gently slice a croissant in half. Place half of the Brie on the bottom and top with 1-2 tablespoons of apple butter and the ham. Spread the mustard sparingly over the ham and place the remaining Brie on top. Season with black pepper. Close over the top half of the croissant and press down gently. 8 Heat a knob of butter in a small pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sandwich and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the cheese has melted and the croissant is lightly crispy and golden brown. 9 Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then serve with a handful of rocket on the side.
Per Serving 626kcals, 36.5g fat (22.1g saturated), 43g carbs, 26.1g sugars, 33.2g protein, 2.9g fibre, 1.361g sodium
Makes 1.3kg apple butter and 1 sandwich
For the apple butter: 8 Armagh Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 3cm chunks 50g unsalted butter 400g light muscovado sugar Pinch of sea salt 1 tsp allspice 3 tbsp ground cinnamon 600ml water
MAKE IT YOURS: Change up the cheese and bread to your own preference — this is fantastic with Gruyère, blue cheese or a strong, mature white Cheddar, while ciabatta, focaccia, sourdough or an onion bagel would work well. Easy Food 41
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larder luck TURN TO YOUR STORECUPBOARD TO MAKE MEALS IN MINUTES
44-52 IN THIS SECTION
EASY ELEGANCE P44 Add a touch of luxury to your day with these simple recipes
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These simple sushi rolls are a delicious treat to make at home
Easy Food 43
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44 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck easy elegance
Warm duck salad with beetroot and pomegranate Serves 4 4 medium beetroots 1 pomegranate, halved 1 tbsp Deluxe Linseed Oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Salt and black pepper 1 pack Deluxe Garlic and Pepper Duck Breasts 50g walnuts 100g green beans, trimmed 1 pack Deluxe Mixed Leaves 1 pack of goat’s or Feta cheese, crumbled 1 orange, to serve 1 Cook the beetroots in boiling water for 20 minutes or until tender. When the beetroots are cool enough to handle, peel and quarter them. 2 Gently press each pomegranate half over a juicer to extract juice and loosen seeds. Place the juice in a bowl, then use a teaspoon to remove the seeds and add to the bowl. 3 Place the oil, vinegar, mustard and two tablespoons of pomegranate juice in a bowl. Season with ½ tsp pepper and a sprinkle of salt, then set aside. 4 Preheat the oven to 190°C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. Heat an ovenproof non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat. 5 Add the duck and cook for 6-8 minutes, skinside down, until most of the fat has rendered and skin is crisp. Turn, cook for 30 seconds, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further five minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest. 6 In the same pan over a medium heat, gently toss the walnuts until they sizzle and release their oils, then remove from the heat. 7 Place the beetroots, beans, leaves and cheese in a bowl. Toss gently with three tablespoons of the dressing. Pile onto plates. Thinly slice the duck and add to the salads. 8 Drizzle with the remaining dressing and one teaspoon of squeezed orange juice. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and garnish with slices of orange. Per Serving 417kcals, 23.1g fat (7.5g saturated), 27.2g carbs, 19.8g sugars, 28g protein, 5.3g fibre, 0.597g sodium
1 large butternut squash, deseeded, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped 8 sprigs of fresh thyme 170g Deluxe Chorizo, chopped 90g roasted pecan pieces 100g Deluxe Tipperary Blue Cheese, crumbled 4 thin slices of Deluxe Cooleeney Camembert ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
Serves 4
For the brown sugar vinaigrette: 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp dark brown sugar 1 tsp mustard 2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped Pinch of salt and pepper
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium
Roasted butternut squash and chorizo with blue cheese and brown sugar dressing
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heat and add the butternut squash and onion. Pick the leaves from half of the thyme sprigs and add to the pan. 2 Cook for 8-10 minutes until the cubes of squash are browned and tender and the onion is translucent, tossing gently every few minutes. 3 While the squash is cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small saucepan and heat gently for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. 4 Once cooked, remove the squash, onion and chorizo to a bowl and scatter over the pecans. Crumble over the blue cheese and toss everything together gently. 5 To serve, place a strip of Camembert on top of the warm squash and chorizo to melt. Garnish with the remaining sprigs of thyme and sprinkle with chilli flakes to taste. Per Serving 777kcals, 66.1g fat (19.5g saturated), 23.3g carbs, 12.3g sugars, 25g protein, 5.1g fibre, 1.121g sodium
Easy Food 45
Smoked salmon and asparagus linguine with lemon cream Serves 4 300g Deluxe Linguine 1 tbsp olive oil 10-12 asparagus spears 150ml cream 1 x 95g pack Deluxe Smoked Salmon Zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 spring onions, finely chopped Handful of chives, chopped 1 Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. 2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan on high heat and briefly fry
the asparagus to soften it. Add the cream and allow to come to the boil. Boil for three minutes, then remove from heat. 3 Drain the linguine, reserving a little of the water, then tip into the wok and, using two wooden spoons, toss in the cream mixture until well mixed. Add the salmon, lemon zest and spring onions, then toss again. Add a little of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce, if necessary. Season and add lemon juice to taste. 4 Garnish with chives and lemon slices, with a generous sprinkle of cracked black pepper. Per Serving 307kcals, 8.2g fat (2.2g saturated), 45.5g carbs, 4.3g sugars, 15g protein, 3.3g fibre, 0.322g sodium
MORE FOR YOU 46 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck potatoes
You say POTATO‌
Elevate the humble spud with these mouth-watering dishes
and Recipes rtesy of u o c s image han o : M re T Potatoes e. id S The A Bit On t this u o b a For more n, visit campaig tato.ie. www.po
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Easy Food 47
Lamb-stuffed squash Serves 2 2 x 400g round squash (or the bottom of butternut squashes, reserving the tops for lids) Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tbsp garam masala 250g boneless lamb chops, fat trimmed, sliced 4 spring onions, chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped ½ x 400g tin of light coconut milk 250g waxy potatoes, cooked, cooled and mashed 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped To serve: Steamed broccoli 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Slice the top of the squashes off and scoop out the seeds. Season the insides, then replace the lids and roast on a baking tray for 25 minutes. 2 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic and garam masala for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the lamb chops, spring onion and red pepper. Season and cook for a few minutes. 3 Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the cooked potato and simmer for a few minutes. Keep warm. 4 When the squash is cooked, scoop out a little of the flesh and mix it into the lamb filling. 5 Stir in the herbs and adjust the seasoning. Fill each squash with the mixture and scatter any remaining mixture around on the tray. Cook for five more minutes and serve with broccoli. Per Serving 810kcals, 46g fat (22.6g saturated), 66.9g carbs, 9g sugars, 30.3g protein, 10.1g fibre, 0.099g sodium
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Potato farl steak sandwiches with caramelised red onion and cheese sauce
For the steak filling: Cooking spray 2 red onions, finely sliced 2x 150g rib-eye or sirloin steaks 100g Cheddar For the sauce: Large handful of mature half fat Cheddar, grated. 2 tbsp low-fat cream cheese 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp mustard powder 150ml hot semi-skimmed milk To serve: Rocket
Serves 4 For the farls: 225g rooster potatoes, peeled and chopped 25g butter 30g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out ½ tsp baking powder Salt and black pepper
48 Easy Food
1 Heat some cooking spray in a pan over a medium heat and slowly cook the red onions with a pinch of salt for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden. Set aside. 2 Make the farls by cooking the potatoes in salted boiling water until soft. Drain well and allow to steam dry for five minutes, then
mash until smooth. Melt the butter and mix into the potato. 3 Stir in the flour, baking powder and season with salt and black pepper. Mix together to form a dough. 4 Roll out into a square about 1cm thick and cut into quarters. 5 Fry in low calorie cooking spray over a medium-high heat until golden on each side. 6 Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Season and cook the steaks for four minutes per side, then leave to rest while you make the sauce. 7 In a saucepan, gently heat all of the ingredients for the sauce until the cheese has melted. Blitz together with a stick blender until smooth. 8 Serve each potato farl topped with sliced steak, onions and cheese sauce, with plenty of napkins! A little rocket in each farl for some peppery green is a nice touch. Per Serving 384kcals, 14.9g fat (8g saturated), 25.5g carbs, 4.5g sugars, 36.1g protein, 2/4g fibre, 0.282g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck potatoes
Buffalo-style slow cooked potato and chicken with slaw, wedge salad and ranch dressing Serves 2 For the chicken: 200g new potatoes, halved lengthwise (or Rooster potatoes, quartered) 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 fresh bay leaf 75g butter 75ml Tabasco or hot pepper sauce 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp cayenne pepper Salt and black pepper ½ tsp garlic powder 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed 1 tsp cornflour For the slaw: ½ red cabbage, shredded 1 carrot, julienned 1 cucumber, deseeded and julienned 2 spring onions, sliced 200ml white wine vinegar 2 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise For the salad: 2 Little Gem lettuces, quartered lengthways 1 tbsp lean bacon or pancetta, cooked, cubed and fat removed For the dressing: 1 garlic clove, grated 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 2 tbsp chives, sliced 2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise 2 tbsp low-fat sour cream 2 tbsp buttermilk 1 Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the onion, celery and bay leaf for 4-5 minutes, then add the chicken thighs and brown all over. 2 Place the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker and add all of the remaining ingredients for the chicken except for the cornflour. Add the contents of the pan. Cook on high for two hours or low for four hours. 3 Remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the cornflour. Bring to a boil to thicken and reduce the sauce a little. 4 Make the slaw by mixing the cabbage,
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cucumber, carrot and spring onions with the vinegar and sugar. Leave to pickle for at least 30 minutes or up to one hour. 5 Drain and mix in the mayonnaise. Season and leave to rest for 30 minutes if possible. 6 In a bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Set aside until ready to serve. 7 When the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken and potatoes from the slow cooker.
Use a stick blender to blitz the sauce until smooth, then serve poured over the chicken and potatoes. 8 Combine the lettuce and bacon, drizzle with the dressing and serve with the chicken, potatoes and slaw. Per Serving 1401kcals, 103.7g fat (38.1g saturated), 62.9g carbs, 29.2g sugars, 60.3g protein, 12.7g fibre, 1.080g sodium
Easy Food 49
50 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck potatoes
Potato beef moussaka Serves 6 400g Maris Piper potatoes, sliced thinly, lengthwise 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion 1 garlic clove 500g minced beef Salt and black pepper 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 120g button mushrooms, sliced 1 tbsp cinnamon 2 tsp allspice 1 tbsp tomato purée For the béchamel: 50g butter 50g flour 400ml skimmed milk 1 bay leaf Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg To serve: Garlic green beans or salad 1 Blanch the potato slices in boiling water for two minutes, then drain. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 2 Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes until soft. 3 Add the beef and cook until completely browned with no pink parts remaining, seasoning with salt and pepper. 4 Add the tinned tomatoes, mushrooms, cinnamon, allspice and tomato purée and simmer for 10 minutes. 5 Make the béchamel by melting the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and whisking in the flour. 6 Slowly add the milk, whisking all the time. Season well, add the bay leaf and nutmeg and cook for a couple of minutes until thickening. 7 Layer the bottom of a 25 x 16cm baking dish with some of the sliced potatoes and add some of the beef mixture. Spoon over some of the béchamel and top with another layer of potatoes. Repeat and finish with the béchamel sauce and some freshly ground black pepper. 8 Cook in the oven for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with garlic green beans or salad. Per Serving 621kcals, 20.9g fat (7.5g saturated), 58.8g carbs, 9g sugars, 48.4g protein, 4.5g fibre, 0.386g sodium
Potato and ham broth topped with a poached egg Serves 4 Knob of butter 1 onion, sliced 1½l chicken stock 300g Rooster potatoes, cubed 100g split red lentils Salt and black pepper 4 eggs 200g spring greens, chopped 200g ham hock, shredded
season a little. Add the stock, potatoes and lentils and bring to the boil. 2 Simmer for 15 minutes, then check and adjust the seasoning. Add more water to loosen if necessary. 3 Poach the eggs for three minutes. 4 Add the greens to the hot soup and return to the boil. Stir well, then remove from the heat. Stir in the ham hock. 5 Serve each soup with a poached egg on top and a good twist of black pepper. Per Serving 378kcals, 13.9g fat (4.9g saturated), 33.5g carbs, 4.5g sugars, 30.3g protein, 11g fibre, 1.432g sodium
1 Gently cook the onion in the butter and
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Easy Food 51
Teriyaki chicken sushi rolls Serves 4-6
Roll on!
200g sushi rice 3 tbsp sushi vinegar 1 tbsp sesame oil 400g chicken fillets, sliced into strips 3 tbsp Obento Teriyaki Marinade 1 pack nori sheets 1 cucumber, sliced into thin strips 1 ripe but firm avocado, peeled and sliced into strips To serve: Soy sauce Obento Wasabi Paste Obento Pickled Ginger 1 Wash and cook the sushi rice according to the package instructions. Drain well and place in a bowl. Season with the sushi vinegar, then cover with cling film and allow to cool. 2 Heat the sesame oil in a pan over a medium heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Add the Obento Teriyaki Marinade and cook for a further five minutes, stirring, until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is dark brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 3 Working one at a time, place a sheet of nori shiny side-down on a bamboo sushi mat. Spread a thin even layer of sushi rice over the nori, leaving 1-2cm clear at the side furthest from you. 4 Place the teriyaki chicken, cucumber and avocado in slightly separated lines, starting at the edge nearest you. 5 Wet the bare end of the nori. Hold the edge of the mat closest to you and carefully roll up over the filling, removing the mat as you roll the sushi into a tight log. Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll into eight pieces. Arrange on a serving plate. 6 Repeat until all of the rice is used up. 7 Cover the sushi rolls with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled with soy sauce, Obento Wasabi Paste and Obento Pickled Ginger. Per Serving 471kcals, 14.2g fat (3.2g saturated), 59g carbs, 1.8g sugars, 25.4g protein, 3.4g fibre, 0.163g sodium
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Easy Food RECOMMENDS These simple sushi rolls are a delicious treat to make at home
52 Easy Food
Obento's range of Japanese ingredients gives you all the tools you need to produce perfectly authentic cuisine at home. With the addition of a few fresh ingredients, you will soon be enjoying restaurant-quality Japanese food in the comfort of your own kitchen. Obento products can be found in SuperValu, Tesco and Dunnes Stores throughout Ireland!
OCTOBER 2017
what 's for dinner? FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, MADE EASY!
54-78 IN THIS SECTION
WEEKLY MENU PLANNER P54
Keep it simple, keep it quick with a whole week's worth of easy family meals
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IT'S A GO-SLOW P66
Let your slow cooker do the work for you with these full-offlavour dinner options
STORECUPBOARD STARS P70 Maximise your storecupboard potential with these tasty meals
15 WAYS WITH FREEZER AISLE FOODS P76 Handy ways to use frozen spinach, fish and hash browns
Easy Food 53
Weekly
MENU PLANNER
Keep it simple, keep it quick with our tasty midweek meals
54 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Monday Cheesy roasted vegetable pasta Serves 4 2 peppers, any colour, deseeded and chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 red chillies, chopped 4 garlic cloves, whole 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp dried oregano ¼ tsp dried basil Salt and black pepper 200ml tomato passata Juice of ½ a lemon
320g penne or other short pasta 120g Mozzarella, grated To serve: Parmesan, grated Garlic bread Salad 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Place the peppers, onion, chillies and garlic on a large rimmed baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the oregano, basil and some salt and black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft. 2 Transfer the vegetables to a blender along with all of their juices. Add the passata and
lemon juice. Blend together until smooth. 3 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to the package instructions. Drain well, then return to the pan. Add the roasted vegetable sauce and the Mozzarella and stir until the sauce is heated through and the cheese has melted. 4 Divide between bowls and top with grated Parmesan. Serve with garlic bread and salad.
Per Serving 354kcals, 10.7g fat (2.2g saturated), 51.9g carbs, 1.9g sugars, 12.9g protein, 1g fibre, 0.082g sodium
free Meat- ! y Monda
Top tip:
not If you’re picy s a fan of d the e e s e d food, fore e chillies b g. n ti s a ro
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Easy Food 55
Tuesday Quick chicken chow mein Serves 2 For the sauce: 2 tsp cornflour 1½ tbsp soy sauce 1½ tbsp oyster sauce 1½ tbsp Chinese cooking wine or sherry 2 tsp sugar ½ tsp sesame oil White pepper For the chow mein: 200g chicken fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
56 Easy Food
200g chow mein noodles or medium egg noodles 1½ tbsp peanut oil 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 300g Savoy cabbage, shredded 1 carrot, chopped into matchsticks 3 spring onions, chopped, white and green parts separated 4 tbsp water 100g beansprouts 200g water chestnuts (optional) 1 For the sauce, combine the cornflour and soy sauce in a small bowl, then stir in the remaining ingredients. 2 Place the chicken in a sealable bag and pour over one tablespoon of the chow mein sauce. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. 3 Bring a large pot of water to the boil over a high heat and cook the noodles according to
the package instructions. 4 Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add the chicken, shaking off any excess marinade. Cook for about one minute until just browned on all sides. Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds, stirring. 5 Add the cabbage, carrot and the white parts of the spring onions. Cook for 1-2 mintes until the cabbage is just starting to wilt and the chicken is cooked through. 6 Add the noodles, sauce and water. Cook for just one minute, tossing well to coat everything in the sauce. 7 Stir through the bean sprouts, water chestnuts and the green parts of the spring onions. Remove from the heat and serve. Per Serving 554kcals, 21g fat (4.4g saturated), 47.7g carbs, 12.9g sugars, 38.1g protein, 7g fibre, 1.025g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Wednesday Huevos rancheros chorizo quesadillas Serves 4 For the guacamole: 2 ripe avocados Juice from 1 lime Zest from ½ a lime 4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped Pinch of cayenne pepper Salt and black pepper For the quesadilla: 120g spicy chorizo, chopped 4 flour tortillas
120g Cheddar, grated Vegetable oil, for cooking 1 x 400g tin of refried beans 4 eggs Fresh coriander, chopped 120g tomato salsa 1 Place all of the ingredients for the guacamole into a bowl, then mash together and season to taste. Set aside. 2 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until the chorizo is slightly crispy and has released its oils. 3 Place a quarter of the cooked chorizo on one side of each flour tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chorizo, then fold the tortillas in half. 4 Return the same pan to a medium heat and add a little oil. Working in batches so as
not to crowd the pan and adding more oil when needed, cook the quesadillas for three minutes per side until the outsides are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Cut each quesadilla into wedges. 5 Place a dollop of refried beans on each of four serving plates, then pile the quesadilla wedges on top. 6 Fry the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Top each plate with an egg, garnish with coriander and serve with salsa, guacamole and beans on the side. Per Serving 633kcals, 40.7g fat (11.9g saturated), 40.6g carbs, 2.7g sugars, 29g protein, 13.7g fibre, 1.102g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: sy Save time on bu shoping us weeknights by . ole am ac gu bought
t es a grea k a m s i h T brunch weekend recipe!
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Easy Food 57
Thursday Crunchy popcorn chicken with honey mustard dip Serves 4 For the popcorn chicken: 600g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3cm chunks
500ml low-fat buttermilk 3 garlic cloves, smashed 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried thyme Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) Salt and black pepper 120g sour cream and onion crisps, crushed 60g butter, melted For the honey mustard diip: 4 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp honey 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp lemon juice To serve: Oven-baked chips
1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Coat a wire rack with cooking spray and place on a baking tray. 2 In a large bowl, combine the chicken, buttermilk, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, cayenne (if using) and some salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the dip in a small bowl. Set aside. 4 Drain the chicken pieces well, then dredge in the crushed crisps, pressing them on to coat. Place onto the prepared baking tray. Drizzle with the melted butter. 5 Place in the oven and bake for 2025 minutes or until completely cooked throughout, turning halfway through. 6 Serve immediately with potato wedges. Per Serving 691kcals, 39.5g fat (13.2g saturated), 34.7g carbs, 17.9g sugars, 49.3g protein, 1.4g fibre, 0.676g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Friday
Smoked fish pancake parcels Serves 4 30g butter 1 large leek, trimmed and sliced 500g undyed smoked haddock, cut into chunks 200g cream cheese, at room temperature 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped Black pepper 8 crèpes, homemade or shop-bought, warmed 60g mature Cheddar, grated 20g Parmesan, grated To serve: Green salad
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1 Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the haddock and cook for another 5-6 minutes until just cooked. 2 Place the cream cheese in a bowl and add the lemon juice, capers and parsley. Season with black pepper. Add the leeks and fish as well as all of the juices from the pan. Stir gently to combine. 3 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and lightly grease a large baking dish with butter. 4 Divide the filling mixture among the crèpes, and roll each one up like a burrito. 5 Pack the parcels into the prepared baking dish and cover with the grated cheeses. 6 Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes until everything is heated through and the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Serve with a simple green side salad. Per Serving 466kcals, 28g fat (16.3g saturated), 21.4g carbs, 9.2g sugars, 32.9 protein, 0.6g fibre, 1.130g sodium
Easy Food 59
Saturday Breaded pork chops with roasted apples and sprouts Serves 4 For the apples and sprouts: 400g Brussels sprouts, halved 1 apple, cut into 1cm wedges 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp dried rosemary ¼ tsp dried sage For the breaded pork chops: 4 pork chops, bone-in, about 2cm thick Salt and black pepper 2 large eggs, beaten 60ml milk 150g breadcrumbs ½ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp dried oregano ¼ tsp dried basil ¼ tsp dried thyme
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½ tsp dried parsley ¼ tsp smoked paprika 60ml vegetable oil 1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Lightly grease a baking tray with oil or coat with cooking spray. 2 In a large bowl, combine the sprouts, apple, olive oil, brown sugar, rosemary and sage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 3 Season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. 4 In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, paprika, vegetable oil and some salt and pepper. 5 Working one at a time, dip pork chops into the egg mixture, shaking off any excess, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs on to coat.
Anna Gajewska “This recipe is really easy to make. I’ve made pork chops using various recipes, but this is the first time I’ve baked them like this. Beautiful mix of seasoning used in the breadcrumbs filled my kitchen with fragrant aromas. I love apples, especially in autumn, so I think it’s always worth to choose the right type for this recipe. Juicy, slightly sour and easy to cook apples are my pick. Overall the dish was very tasty and smelled amazing! It was easy and quick to make so I'd definitely recommend it if you’re on the clock.”
6 Place the breaded chops onto the prepared baking tray. Surround with the sprouts and apple mixture. 7 Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip the chops over and toss the sprouts and apple. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the pork is completely cooked throughout. Leave to rest for five minutes, then serve. Per Serving 752kcals, 49.5g fat (13.2g saturated), 49.8g carbs, 15.7g sugars, 30.3g protein, 7.1g fibre, 0.400g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Dessert
Chocolate hazelnut mousse pots Serves 8 12 chocolate Digestive biscuits, crushed 30g butter, melted 320ml cream 4 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder 225g cream cheese, at room temperature 320g chocolate hazelnut spread ½ tsp vanilla extract
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1 In a bowl, mix together the crushed chocolate Digestives and the melted butter. 2 Divide between eight glasses and gently press into an even layer. Place in the fridge while you make the filling. 3 For the filling, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add three tablespoons of the sugar and the cocoa powder, then whip again until stiff peaks form. 4 In a separate mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese with the remaining sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread and the vanilla extract. Whip until well blended and fluffy.
5 Fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture until slightly combined, then add the remaining mixture and fold just until no streaks remain. 6 Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag (or use a large sealable bag with one bottom corner snipped off). 7 Pipe the mousse over the crust in each glass, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for one hour before serving. Per Serving 485kcals, 32.9g fat (12.8g saturated), 44g carbs, 27.9g sugars, 6.2g protein, 1.8g fibre, 0.138g sodium
Easy Food 61
Sunday
Beef short rib pies Serves 4 1 x 320g sheet of shortcrust pastry, thawed 3kg boneless beef short ribs, cut into 4cm pieces Salt and black pepper 4 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tbsp olive oil 8 shallots, halved 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 tbsp tomato purée 240ml red wine 750ml beef stock 1 bouquet garni (fresh sprigs of thyme, parsley and bay leaves tied together) 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water 1 Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and toss with the flour.
62 Easy Food
2 Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Shake any excess flour from the ribs and brown on all sides for 8-10 minutes, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ribs to a large bowl. 3 Cook the shallots in the same pot for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, add the garlic and thyme and cook for one minute longer. Transfer to a small bowl using a slotted spoon. 4 Add the tomato purée and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until slightly darkened, stirring often. 5 Add the wine. Bring to a boil and allow to bubble for 8-10 minutes or until reduced by about half, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pot. 6 Add the stock and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Return the short ribs to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 2½ hours, uncovered, until the short ribs are falling apart and the liquid has thickened. 7 Remove the bouquet garni. Return the
shallots and thyme to the pot and stir to break up the short ribs, removing the bones. Season with salt and pepper, then divide between four individual baking dishes. 8 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into quarters. 9 Place one piece of pastry over each baking dish and trim, leaving an overhang. Tuck the edges under and crimp with the tines of a fork. Use the tip of a sharp knife to pierce a few slits in the pastry. 10 Brush the pies with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sea salt. 11 Place the dishes on a large rimmed baking tray. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Per Serving 1082kcals, 47.1g fat (8.2g saturated), 48.7g carbs, 1.1g sugars, 100.3g protein, 1.7g fibre, 0.844g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: You can make one family-sized pie, instead of four individual ones; simply assemble in a large baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes.
OCTOBER 2017
what's for dinner? weeknight meals
Dessert
Honeyed Greek yoghurt with warm blueberry compote Serves 4 400g blueberries Zest of ½ a lemon 2 tbsp sugar 500g plain Greek yoghurt 2 tbsp honey Pinch of salt
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1 Combine the blueberries, lemon zest and sugar in a pan over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the berries have softened and released their juices. 2 In a bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt with the honey and a pinch of salt. 3 Divide the honeyed yoghurt between four bowls and top with the blueberry compote.
Lighter dessert!
Per Serving 252kcals, 12.9g fat (9.9g saturated), 27.1g carbs, 18.6g sugars, 9.3g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.04g sodium
Easy Food 63
Loose ends • Use leftovers to make a three-cheese mac ‘n’ cheese! Make a béchamel sauce with butter, flour and milk, then stir in grated Mozzarella and Cheddar. Add cooked penne and any leftover vegetables you like. Transfer to a baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan, then bake at 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6 until golden and bubbling.
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• Make a double batch of the beef short rib pies and freeze half of them for an easy dinner in the future. • Shred extra cabbage, carrots and spring onions to make a slaw. For the dressing, combine mayonnaise with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, some Dijon mustard, a generous squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and black pepper, tasting as you go and working towards the flavour and texture you want.
• It’s easy to snack on leftover crisps, but there are plenty of culinary uses for them, too! Use them to coat fish or onion rings; crush them into mashed potatoes for added texture; use them in place of potatoes or breadcrumbs to top pasta bakes or pies; substitute them for sliced spuds when making a Spanish tortilla; or simply indulge in a good ol’ crisp sandwich. • Use leftover buttermilk to make soda bread, scones, fluffy American-style pancakes, creamy salad dressings or the perfect coating for fried chicken.
OCTOBER 2017
IT’S A Let your slow cooker do the work for you with these full-of-flavour dinner options
66 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? slow-cooker meals
LOW ‘N’ SLOW MEXICAN CHICKEN Serves 8 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins of black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained 450ml chicken stock 2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped ½ an onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped Juice of ½ a lime 1 tsp ground cumin 6 chicken fillets Salt and black pepper To serve: Chopped spring onions, grated Cheddar, chopped avocado, chopped coriander, sour cream, salsa, guacamole and/or hot sauce
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1 In a slow cooker, combine the tinned tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, chillies, onion, garlic, coriander, lime juice and cumin. Add the chicken fillets. 2 Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 3 Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Place on a chopping board and shred with two forks. 4 Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper and add an extra squeeze of lime juice, if desired. 5 Cook for an additional 30 minutes to thicken, then serve with rice and your preferred toppings.
Per Serving 218kcals, 2.2g fat (0.2g saturated), 30.3g carbs, 2.7g sugars, 19.3g protein, 5.5g fibre, 0.827g sodium
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Easy Food 67
SLOW-COOKER BOEUF BOURGUIGNON Serves 6 6 thick-cut streaky bacon rashers, chopped 1.4kg beef chuck roast, cut into 3cm cubes 250ml red wine 2 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, thinly sliced Salt and black pepper 3 carrots, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp tomato purée 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 250ml beef stock, plus extra if necessary 450g button mushrooms, sliced
To serve: Mashed potato, pasta or crusty bread Fresh parsley, chopped 1 Heat a heavy-based pan over a mediumhigh heat. Add the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan. 2 Return the pan to a medium-high heat. Pat the beef cubes dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. 3 Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the beef cubes on all sides, adding more bacon fat or olive oil as necessary. As each batch browns, transfer to the slow cooker. 4 Keep the pan over a medium-high heat and add 60ml of the wine. Allow to bubble for 4-5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the wine over the meat in the slow cooker.
5 Add half of the olive oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 7-8 minutes until soft and browned. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 3-4 minutes until softened. 6 Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for two minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. 7 Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the mushrooms to a clean bowl and set aside. 8 Stir the beef cubes and vegetables together in the slow cooker with some black pepper. Tuck the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf into the mixture. Pour the stock and the remaining wine over the beef and vegetables — the liquid should come about three-quarters of the way to the top of the ingredients. Add extra stock if necessary. 9 Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the beef is extremely tender. 10 Stir in the reserved bacon and mushrooms. Cook with the slow cooker on high for 10 minutes until everything is warmed through. 11 Serve with mashed potatoes and a sprinkling of parsley. Per Serving 813kcals, 45.4g fat (15.6g saturated), 14g carbs, 6.4g sugars, 76.6g protein, 3.3g fibre, 1.266g sodium
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68 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? slow-cooker meals
CURRIED VEGETABLE AND CHICKPEA STEW Serves 8-10 1 tsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp curry powder 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 x 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 3 garlic cloves, crushed 500ml vegetable stock 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 green and 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
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2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 250g baby spinach 250ml coconut milk To serve: Couscous, rice or naan bread 1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion with one teaspoon of salt for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes and another pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until just translucent around the edges. 2 Stir in the curry powder, sugar, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add 60ml of stock and allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. 3 Transfer the mixture into the bowl of a slow cooker.
4 Add the remaining vegetable stock along with the chickpeas, peppers, cauliflower and tinned tomatoes. Add some black pepper and stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the bowl; add extra stock if necessary. Cover and cook for four hours on high. 5 Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover with the lid and cook for 10 minutes longer until heated through. Season to taste. 6 Serve with couscous, rice or naan bread. Per Serving 255kcals, 9.2g fat (6.7g saturated), 38.6g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 8.1g protein, 8.3g fibre, 0.478g sodium
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Easy Food 69
STORECUPBOARD
stars
Maximise your storecupboard potential with these tasty meals
70 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? cupboard staples
Eggs and sweet potatoes in parchment Serves 2 (easily doubled) 1 sweet potato, cut into 1cm cubes 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp dried thyme Salt and black pepper 4 eggs 4 tbsp Mozzarella, grated 2 spring onions, chopped To serve: Hot sauce (optional)
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1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Fold two large sheets of parchment paper in half and cut each one into a rough heart shape. 2 Unfold the parchment hearts and place on a rimmed baking tray. Place the sweet potato in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, smoked paprika and dried thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between the parchment hearts, pushing the sweet potato cubes over to one half of each heart. 3 Make two small wells in each bed of sweet potatoes and gently crack one egg into each well. Season the eggs with a little
more salt and black pepper and sprinkle the Mozzarella over the top. 4 Seal the parchment paper by folding over the top and crimping along the edges. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. 5 Carefully unfold the parchment, sprinkle with spring onions and serve with hot sauce, if desired.
Per Serving 466kcals, 33g fat (10.8g saturated), 16.4g carbs, 4.8g sugars, 28.7g protein, 2.8g fibre, 0.487g sodium
Easy Food 71
Curried chicken legs with lemon rice and broccoli Serves 4 4 whole chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs together) 1 tbsp curry powder Salt and black pepper 1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets Juice of 1 lemon 180g basmati rice
1 Preheat the oven to 240˚C/220˚C fan/gas mark 9. Pat the chicken legs dry with kitchen paper and place in a large baking dish. Season with the curry powder and some salt and black pepper. 2 Roast for 40-45 minutes, occasionally brushing the chicken with the pan drippings, until completely cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. 3 Place the broccoli florets in the baking dish and toss to coat in the chicken juices. Season with salt and pepper, then place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until just beginning to turn brown. Squeeze over the juice from one half of the lemon. 4 Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package instructions, then drain well. Squeeze in the juice from the remaining lemon half and fluff with a fork. 5 Divide the rice and broccoli between serving plates and add a chicken leg to each. Per Serving 571kcals, 25.7g fat (0.1g saturated), 39.5g carbs, 1.9g sugars, 42.1g protein, 1.8g fibre, 0.171g sodium
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Liz Healy “The few ingredients for this recipe weren’t hard to find and I found the whole dinner so easy to prep and cook. We aren’t big rice eaters here, so we would serve the chicken and broccoli with potatoes in the future, but we really loved the broccoli done this way and will definitely be cooking it like this from now on. The lemon gave it a lovely kick. This would not be a typical dinner for us, so I wasn’t sure how it would be received, but it went down a treat. My daughter and son tucked into the dish with me and we really enjoyed it. I had this cooked before I collected them and had it dished out before they had time to raid the kitchen!”
72 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? cupboard staples
Croque monsieurs Serves 4 160g unsalted butter, divided 2 tbsp flour 250ml milk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional) 1 bay leaf 320g Gruyère, grated 8 thick-cut slices of sourdough bread 4 slices of good-quality ham Salt and black pepper To serve: Mixed leaves
1 Preheat the grill to a high heat. 2 In a small saucepan, melt 30g of the butter over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. 3 Whisk in the milk a little at a time until incorporated. Stir in the mustard, if using, add the bay leaf and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick. Remove the bay leaf and transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in half of the grated Gruyère. 4 Arrange four slices of the bread on a board and top each with a slice of ham. Spread a little of the cooled sauce on top of the ham, season with black pepper and top each with another slice of bread. 5 Heat a large cast iron pan over a medium-
high heat. Add half of the remaining butter and allow to melt. Brown two of the sandwiches for two minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a baking tray and repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Spread the remaining sauce over the tops of the sandwiches and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère. Place under the grill for two minutes until golden and bubbling. 6 Season with a little salt and black pepper and serve immediately with mixed leaves.
Per Serving 1095kcals, 64.5g fat (40g saturated), 80.1g carbs, 6.3g sugars, 45.6g protein, 3.8g fibre, 1.429g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: Top each sandwich with a fried egg to turn these into croque madames – we highly recommend runny yolks!
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Easy Food 73
Roasted pork with pears, parsnips and shallots Serves 4 3 tbsp olive oil 3 parsnips, peeled and chopped into fingersized chunks 1 x 500g pork tenderloin, trimmed 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves Salt and black pepper 4 ripe but firm pears, cored and quartered 1 Preheat the oven to 240˚C/220˚C fan/gas mark 9. Pour one tablespoon of the olive oil onto a rimmed baking tray and place in the oven while it preheats. 2 When the oven is preheated, remove the baking tray from the oven and toss the parsnips in the hot oil. Season with salt
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and pepper, then place the tray back in the oven to roast for around 40-45 minutes until golden brown. 3 In a small bowl, combine the garlic and thyme with one tablespoon of the oil. Transfer half of the garlic and thyme oil to a separate bowl, add the shallots and pears and toss to combine. 4 Season both sides of the pork with salt and pepper, then rub the remaining garlic and thyme oil all over the meat. 5 Heat a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer the pears to a large baking dish. 6 Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the
same pan over a medium-high heat. Add the pork and shallots and brown on all sides. Transfer the shallots to a plate and set aside. 7 Transfer the pork to the baking dish with the pears and roast for 12-15 minutes until completely cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with tin foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. 8 Slice the pork and divide between serving plates. Add the pears, shallots and parsnips. Drizzle everything with the juices from the baking dish and the resting plate. Per Serving 409kcals, 15.3g fat (3.2g saturated), 47.4g carbs, 24.2g sugars, 22.9g protein, 10.5g fibre, 0.457g sodium
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MAKE IT YOURS: Make a simple gravy for this by retur ning the pan to a mediumhigh heat and adding a generous splas h of white wine, chicken stock or apple juice. Bubble for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom with a woo den spoon. In a small cup, stir together 1 tbsp cornflour with 1 tbsp water. Add this slurry to the pan with 1 tbsp thyme leaves and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in the juices from the baking dish and the resting plate.
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? five-ingredient meals what’s for dinner? cupboard staples
Tuscan baked fish Serves 4 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes with garlic and herbs 4 fillets of hake (or any other white fish), skin and bones removed and chopped into rough chunks 2 tbsp capers, drained Salt and black pepper To serve: Crusty bread 1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas
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mark 5. Season the fish on both sides with salt and black pepper. 2 Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 7-8 minutes until softened. 3 Add the tinned tomatoes and capers. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes until the mixture is slightly reduced. 4 Add the fish to the pan and spoon some of the tomato mixture over the top of the fillets. 5 Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. 6 Serve the fish with the sauce and some crusty bread for dipping. Per Serving 188kcals, 5.1g fat (0.6g saturated), 10.6g carbs, 4.4g sugars, 27.1g protein, 2.4g fibre, 0.386g sodium
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Easy Food 75
5
15 WAYS WITH FREEZER AISLE FOODS COLCANNON
ways with
FROZEN SPINACH
Serves 4 Peel 3 large potatoes and chop into 3cm cubes. Place in a saucepan, cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over a high heat and cook for 6-8 minutes until tender. Thaw and drain 250g frozen spinach, then finely chop. Melt 30g butter in a pan over a medium heat and cook the spinach for 2-3 minutes. Add 100ml milk and keep simmering until the milk bubbles. Remove from heat, and set aside. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return to the hot hob. Add a splash of milk and mash thoroughly. Stir in the spinach mixture, adding more milk or butter if needed. Season generously to taste. Serve topped with an extra knob of butter.
CREAM OF SPINACH SOUP
CREAMY SPINACH GRATIN
Serves 6-8 Melt 30g butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook 1 chopped onion for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add 450g peeled, chopped potatoes and 750ml vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add 300g frozen spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes longer until spinach is tender. Remove from the heat and purée with a stick blender. Whisk in 500ml cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. This soup can be served hot or chilled. Garnish with chopped chives and/or a dollop of sour cream, to serve.
Serves 8-10 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Thaw and squeeze the liquid from 1.2kg frozen spinach. Melt 30g butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add 2 sliced onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened but not browned. Add 3 tbsp plain flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Gradually stir in 720ml hot milk and cook for another 3-4 minutes until thickened. Add a pinch each of nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Turn off the heat. Stir in 180g grated Gruyère and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach. Transfer into a baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
SPINACH, EGG AND TALEGGIO PIZZA SPINACH DIP Serves 8 Heat 30g butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and cook for 7-8 minutes until soft. Beat in 250g soft cream cheese and allow to melt. Fold in 500g thawed and squeezed-out frozen spinach until evenly combined. Add 1-2 tbsp water if the mixture seems too dry. Stir in the zest and juice of a lemon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
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Serves 2 Preheat the oven to 240˚C/220˚C fan/gas mark 9 and place a pizza stone or baking tray in the oven to heat for 20 minutes. Spread 2-3 tsp olive oil over 1 prepared pizza base. Scatter with 2 crushed garlic cloves. Top with 150g Taleggio cheese. Thaw and squeeze out 120g frozen spinach in a large bowl, adding a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Transfer the pizza onto the hot pizza stone or baking tray. Place the spinach over the top, leaving a gap in the centre. Gently crack an egg into the gap and grate over some Parmesan. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the egg is cooked to your liking and the spinach has wilted.
OCTOBER 2017
5
15 ways with frozen foods
POSH FISH BURGERS Serves 4 Cook 4 breaded fish fillets according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together 120g mayonnaise, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, ½ tbsp sugar, ½ tsp caraway seeds and some salt and black pepper. Shred ½ a head of cabbage and add to the bowl. Add 1 grated carrot, 1 grated apple and 4 sliced spring onions. Stir to combine into a slaw. When the fish is ready, place into 4 brioche buns and top with a generous spoonful of the slaw. Add hot sauce and/or pickled jalapeños to serve.
FISH WITH MINTED PEA PURÉE AND SWEET POTATOES Serves 4 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas mark 6. Cut 2 large sweet potatoes into 3cm cubes, place on a plate and microwave for 4-5 minutes until just slightly tender. Place on a large baking tray, drizzle with 1½ tbsp oil and season well. Toss to coat, then cook for around 30 minutes until just beginning to caramelise around the edges. Meanwhile, cook 4 battered fish fillets according to package instructions. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and add 450g frozen peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender, then drain. Roughly mash the peas using a potato masher, then stir in 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, a knob of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Serve the fish with the sweet potatoes, the pea purée, a dollop of tartare sauce and a lemon wedge.
EASY JAMBALAYA Serves 4 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a shallow pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 chopped onion, 2 deseeded and chopped red peppers, 60g chorizo, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 chopped green chilli. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add ½ tsp turmeric and 250g long grain rice. Stir to coat. Add 500ml hot chicken stock, then cover and cook for 12-14 minutes until the rice is tender. Meanwhile, cook 250g frozen breaded prawns according to package instructions. Stir the prawns and 120g frozen peas into the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the zest and juice of ½ a lemon and some salt and black pepper, then divide amongst bowls and serve.
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TOMATO AND GARLIC PRAWN SKEWERS Serves 4 In a blender, combine 2½ tbsp tomato purée, 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 roughly chopped shallot, 5 crushed garlic cloves, 4 tbsp chopped fresh basil, ½ tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and a pinch of dried chilli flakes. Whizz into a smooth paste. Combine the marinade with 900g thawed frozen prawns and stir to coat. Set aside for 45 minutes. Thread the prawns onto skewers. Brush a griddle pan with oil and cook the prawns for two minutes per side or until completely cooked throughout. Serve with salad and crusty bread.
QUICK PRAWN AND PESTO LINGUINE Serves 4 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook 320g linguine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat 300ml fresh basil pesto in a saucepan over a medium-high heat and stir in a large handful of spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted, then stir the drained pasta into the pesto. Cook 500g frozen breaded prawns according to package instructions. Divide the pesto linguine amongst four serving plates. Top with the prawns and add a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
ways with
FROZEN FISH
Easy Food 77
CRUNCHY BREAKFAST WRAPS Serves 4 Cook 4 frozen hash browns according to package instructions. Cook 4 streaky bacon rashers until crispy. In a large bowl, beat together 5 eggs and 1 tbsp milk until frothy. Melt a knob of butter in a pan over a medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently scramble the eggs with a wooden spoon to create large, soft curds. When the eggs are almost cooked to your liking, season with salt and pepper. Fold in 2 tbsp chopped chives, then remove from the heat. In the middle of 1 large tortilla wrap, place a cooked hash brown and press slightly to flatten. Top with one quarter of the scrambled eggs, 1 crumbled rasher, 1 tbsp grated Cheddar and 1 chopped spring onion. Repeat with the remaining wraps and ingredients. Fold tortillas around the centre, creating pleats. Turn each one over so that they stay together. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. One at a time, cook the wraps seam-side down for 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Serve with ketchup or hot sauce.
SMOKED SALMON RÖSTI Serves 4 Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Add 10 frozen hash browns and use a rubber spatula to break them up and form one circular patty. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the potatoes stick together and the bottom is golden brown and crispy. Flip over and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the second side is golden brown. Slice into four wedges and top each with crème fraîche, smoked salmon, capers, sliced red onion and fresh dill.
minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
HASH BROWN FRITTATA Serves 6-8 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes. Add 1 deseeded and chopped red pepper and 12 thawed hash browns. Cook for 4-5 minutes until heated through. Remove the pan from the heat. In a large bowl, combine 8 eggs, 120ml cream, 30g grated Parmesan, 1 tsp dried thyme and some salt and black pepper. Beat to combine well. Grease a 23 x 33cm baking dish with butter. Add the vegetable mixture, then pour the egg mixture over everything. Bake for 30 minutes or until the frittata is just barely set. Top with 120g grated Cheddar and bake for 10-12 minutes longer or until the cheese is beginning to brown. Allow to stand for 3-4 minutes, then cut into squares.
AVOCADO AND POACHED EGG HASH BROWN Serves 4 In a bowl, smash 2 ripe avocados with a
drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Add 10 frozen hash browns and use a rubber spatula to break them up and form one circular patty. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the potatoes stick together and the bottom is golden brown and crispy. Flip over and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the second side is golden brown. Meanwhile, poach 4 eggs in gentlysimmering water. Spread the smashed avocado over the hash brown patty and slice into four wedges. Top each with a handful of rocket and a poached egg.
5 ways with
FROZEN HASH BROWNS
HASH BROWN BREAKFAST CUPS Makes 12 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7 and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter. Press 12 hash browns into the bottom and up the sides of the cups, two in each. Bake for 14-15 minutes until the hash browns are lightly golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Sprinkle a little grated Cheddar into each cup, then gently crack a small egg into each one and season with salt and pepper. Bake for another 10-12
78 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun
GET CREATIVE IN THE KITCHEN WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE TIME TO SPARE
80-97 IN THIS SECTION
TIME FOR TAPAS P80 Take your tastebuds to sunny Spain with these mix-and-match tapas recipes
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CHALLENGE YOURSELF P86
This cheesy, eggy bread is the perfect treat for lovers of savoury foods
BACK TO (COOKING) SCHOOL! P88
These recipes from Donnybrook Fair's new cookbook are perfect for your repertoire
SUGAR AND SPICE P92 Dive into these luscious baked treats with hints of autumnal spices
Easy Food 79
TIME FOR Take your tastebuds to sunny Spain with these mix-and-match tapas recipes
80 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun tapas
Gambas al ajillo (prawns in garlic oil) Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter 12 garlic cloves 450g large prawns, peeled, shells reserved 120ml extra-virgin olive oil Pinch of salt Ÿ tsp bicarbonate of soda Pinch of dried chilli flakes 1½ tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped To serve: Toasted sourdough bread 1 Crush four of the garlic cloves and place in a large bowl. Smash four cloves under the flat side of a knife and place in a large pan.
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Thinly slice the remaining four garlic cloves and set aside. 2 Place the prawns in the bowl with the crushed garlic. Add three tablespoons of the olive oil along with the salt and bicarbonate of soda. Toss to combine thoroughly and set aside at room temperature. 3 Add the prawn shells to the pan with the smashed garlic and add the remaining olive oil and the chilli flakes. Place over a low heat and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is a light golden brown and the shells have darkened. Strain the oil into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the shells to extract as much oil as possible. Discard the shells and garlic. 4 Return the flavoured oil to the pan
and place over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced garlic and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. 5 Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the prawns are just cooked through. 6 Stir in the sherry vinegar and parsley and toss to combine. Season to taste and serve immediately with some toasted sourdough. Per Serving 671kcals, 58.5g fat (8.8g saturated), 8.1g carbs, 0.3g sugars, 33.4g protein, 1.6g fibre, 0.243g sodium
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Chicken and chorizo paella Serves 4 700ml chicken stock 120ml white wine Pinch of saffron threads 150g chorizo, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 4 chicken thighs, bones and skin removed, cut into 2cm pieces 1 onion, finely chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked) 220g paella rice or Arborio rice 150g frozen peas, thawed Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
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1 Combine the chicken stock with the wine and saffron in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside. 2 Heat a large frying pan or paella pan over a high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden, turning occasionally. Transfer to a plate. 3 Heat the oil in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Working in two batches, brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Transfer to the plate with the chorizo. 4 Add the onion and pepper to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the onion softens. 5 Add the tomatoes and paprika and cook, stirring, for one minute. Return the chorizo
and chicken to the pan and stir to combine. 6 Stir in the rice and pour over the chicken stock mixture. Bring to the boil. 7 Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. 8 Stir in the peas and cook, covered, for five minutes longer or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. 9 Remove from the heat, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Per Serving 748kcals, 26.4g fat (8.6g saturated), 60.3g carbs, 6.9g sugars, 58.9g protein, 5.8g fibre, 1.193g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun tapas
Croquetas de jamón (ham and cheese croquettes) Makes about 18 2 tbsp olive oil 60g unsalted butter ½ a small leek, finely chopped 100g cured Spanish ham (such as Serrano ham or jamon Iberico), finely chopped 60g plain flour 500ml whole milk, warm 40g Manchego cheese, finely grated White pepper Small grating of nutmeg (optional) 2 eggs, beaten 150g breadcrumbs Vegetable oil, for frying 1 Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the leek for one minute, then add three-quarters of the ham. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until
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the leek has softened and the fat from the ham has begun to melt. 2 Turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir in the flour and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring. 3 Gradually stir in the warm milk, beating it in well until it forms a smooth paste. 4 Cook for another 15 minutes until the sauce has the consistency of smooth mashed potato. Stir in the rest of the ham along with the Manchego. Season with white pepper, adding a small grating of nutmeg if desired. 5 Transfer the béchamel sauce to a bowl and allow to cool, then cover with cling film, pressing it on to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge for at least two hours. 6 Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Using floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the béchamel into cylinders. Dredge these in the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
7 Pour the oil into a large pan to a depth of 5cm and heat to 160˚C or until it begins to shimmer. Line a plate with several layers of kitchen paper. 8 Working in small batches, fry the croquetas for 2-3 minutes until golden all over. Use a slotted spoon to transfer onto the kitchen paper to drain. Serve immediately.
Per Serving (1 croquette) 135kcals, 8.3g fat (3.8g saturated), 9.9g carbs, 2.1g sugars, 5.2g protein, 0.5g fibre, 0.236g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: For a veggie version, ditch the ham and add extra Manchego or gently fried, well-drained mushrooms.
Easy Food 83
Mini churros Serves 4 For the cinnamon sugar: 100g granulated sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon For the churros: 120ml milk 120ml water 50g butter, cut into cubes 2 tsp granulated sugar Salt ½ tsp vanilla extract 125g plain flour Vegetable oil, for frying
1 In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. 2 Heat 5cm of oil in a heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat to 160˚C. If you don’t have a thermometer, insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil to check: if bubbles form around the handle, the oil is hot enough. 3 In a saucepan, combine the milk, water, butter, sugar and a pinch of salt and bring just to a boil. 4 Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and flour. Stir until mixture comes together and is smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. 5 Carefully pipe about 3cm of dough out over
oil and use clean scissors to cut the dough at the top, allowing it to drop into the hot oil. Continue to add dough to the oil, working in small batches and being careful not to overcrowd the pan. 6 Cook the churros until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with several layers of kitchen paper. 7 Toss the warm, drained churros into the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve immediately with chocolate sauce, if desired.
Per Serving 334kcals, 12.2g fat (6.9g saturated), 53.4g carbs, 28.6g sugars, 4.4g protein, 1.5g fibre, 0.127g sodium
To serve: Chocolate sauce (optional)
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Chicharónnes (fried pork belly bites) Serves 2-4 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp salt 450g pork belly, skin on For the spice mixture: 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp salt 1 Rub the bicarbonate of soda and salt evenly all over the surface of the pork skin. Set on a rack and place in the fridge, uncovered, for at least two hours but preferably overnight. 2 Rinse the belly in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut into 2cm chunks and place into a large wok. Add enough water to cover the meat.
Toasted paprika almonds Serves 4-6 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Spread 350g almonds out on an ungreased baking tray and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and have a toasted aroma. (Watch them carefully after 6-7 minutes because they can burn quite quickly.) In a pestle and mortar, grind 1 tbsp sea salt and ½ tsp smoked paprika into a powder. Drizzle the almonds with 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt and paprika mixture and stir again. Transfer to serving bowl and serve at room temperature.
Patatas bravas Serves 4-6 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Put a roasting tray with 2 tbsp olive oil into the oven and allow to heat up with the oven. Peel 500g potatoes and cut into rough 2cm chunks. Remove the hot roasting tray from the oven and add the potato cubes, tossing them to coat in the hot oil. Return the tray to the oven and roast for 45-50 minutes until crisp and golden. For the spicy tomato sauce, place 2 tbsp oil in
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A bit on the side a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Cook the 1 chopped small onion for 6-7 minutes until golden and soft. Add 1 finely chopped red chilli and 1 crushed garlic clove and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp smoked paprika and stir well. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until thick and dark. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 tbsp sherry vinegar and season to taste. Top with dollops of garlic aioli (recipe below) to serve.
Garlic aioli Makes about 350g Place 2 eggs, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 crushed garlic cloves and ½ tsp Dijon mustard in a blender. With the blender running on a low speed, add 140ml olive oil very slowly, 1-2 drops at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate into the mixture before adding more. As more oil is added, you can begin to add the oil more quickly, working up to a slow stream. When the mixture has come together and thickened, season to taste. Add more lemon juice if you would like it thinner. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to two days.
3 Turn the heat to low. Over the next 2-3 hours, the fat will slowly render out from the pork belly. Toss the meat every half hour or so, keeping the heat on low. Over time the water will cook off, leaving only pork fat in the wok; watch closely towards the end as the last of the water will evaporate quickly. 4 In a cup, combine the ingredients for the spice mixture. 5 When only liquid fat remains in the wok, turn the heat to high and fry the pork pieces in the fat for 2-4 minutes until deep golden. 6 Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicharrones to a plate lined with several layers of kitchen paper to drain. 7 Toss the chicharónnes with the spice mixture, then serve.
Per Serving 490kcals, 35g fat (18g saturated), 1.7g carbs, 1.1g sugars, 42.2g protein, 0.4g fibre, 1.616g sodium
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Spanish tortilla Serves 4-6 Heat 5 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan over a low heat. Cook 1 sliced onion slowly for 10-12 minutes until soft but not brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add 400g peeled, quartered and finely sliced potatoes, cover the pan and cook for a further 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a jug, beat 8 eggs together with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the potatoes are soft, pour in the beaten eggs. Put the lid back on the pan and leave the tortilla to cook gently for 20 minutes until the top is set but the middle is still a little wobbly. Carefully slide the tortilla onto a plate. Put another plate on top and swiftly turn the whole thing over, then slide the tortilla back into the pan. Cook the other side for 5-6 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a board and allow to rest for five minutes, Top tip: s are tortilla then slice into Spanish arm either w s u wedges and delicio erature, p m te m or at roo overs perfect scatter with ing left k a m day’s chopped llowing for the fo r o t s parsley to breakfa lunch. serve.
Easy Food 85
4 eggs, plus 1 extra for egg wash Butter To serve: Chives, snipped
Challenge
YOURSELF
This cheesy, eggy bread is the perfect treat for lovers of savoury foods Khachapuri Serves 8 For the dough: 1 tsp salt 1 tsp yeast 1 tbsp sugar 440g strong flour, plus extra for dusting
86 Easy Food
240ml water 120ml milk 1 tbsp oil, plus extra for greasing For the filling: 350g Ricotta 170g Mozzarella, grated 170g Feta, crumbled
1 In a large bowl, combine the salt, yeast, sugar and flour. 2 Stir to mix thoroughly. In a jug, combine the water and milk and heat until warm. Pour into the dry ingredients. Knead the dough until it has come together and is close to being smooth and elastic. 3 Make a well in the centre of the dough and add the oil. Knead for another minute. 4 Rub a little olive oil all over the inside of a deep bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl and cover with cling flim. Set aside in a warm place for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size. 5 Remove the cling film and press into the dough a few times with your hands. Cover once more and let it sit in a warm place for another 30 minutes. 6 Preheat the oven to 230ËšC/210ËšC fan/gas mark 8. Add the Ricotta, Feta and Mozzarella to the dough. 7 Stir in the cheeses to combine. 8 Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Divide it into four equal pieces. 9 Spread one piece of the dough into a circle about 23cm in diameter. Roll two opposite sides of the circle towards the centre, then pinch the corners together so it forms a boat like shape. 10 Repeat with the remaining dough. 11 Transfer the khachapuri onto a large baking tray lined with greased parchment paper. Fill each khachapuri with the cheese mixture. Beat one egg together with a splash of water, then brush the dough with egg wash. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust becomes golden brown. 12 Make a well in the centre of each khachapuri with the back of a spoon and drop one egg into each well. Dot a few small knobs of butter on top of the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for another 6-8 minutes or until the egg is almost set but still quite runny (it will keep cooking further as it sits in the hot cheese). 13 Briefly mix the egg into the cheese with a fork, top with some chopped chives and serve immediately. Per Serving 387kcals, 14.6g fat (7.4g saturated), 43.8g carbs, 4.2g sugars, 20.5g protein, 1.8g fibre, 0.666g sodium
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Easy Food 87
Back to
(cooking)
school! These recipes from new Donnybrook Fair ’s ect for cookbook are perf your repertoire
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cooking for fun cooking school
Recipes and images from The Cookery School, Donnybrook Fair By Niall Murphy Published by Mercier Press €22.99/£21
The Cookery School — Donnybrook Fair reflects chef and author Niall Murphy’s personal journey with food and the cuisines he has explored throughout his travels. It explains and demonstrates the skills Niall believes are critical to creating great food, showing the reader how these skills translate to the home kitchen to save time and take the pressure and hassle out of cooking to perfection. Read on for some of his top tips for perfect cooking:
Top tips for successful cooking
✓ Simple food, brilliantly done, is unbeatable. Often we get very ambitious and this can cause stress when we cook for others, which, in turn can cause things to go wrong. Cooking should be a very relaxed and fun activity. If you are having friends round it is a good idea to practise the dish first. ✓ Plan ahead. Make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment before you start cooking. ✓ Read the recipe and methods carefully before you begin so you are familiar with the recipe and what you have to do. ✓ Follow the recipe exactly. Only when you have mastered the recipe can you experiment with it and change it to your own tastes.
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✓ Be focused and block out any distractions going on around you, e.g. mobile phones, TV, people trying to chat to you. ✓ Always use the best-quality ingredients that you can, as this has a dramatic effect on the final result. ✓ Be very organised. Gather all your ingredients, weigh and measure them, prepare and chop everything before you start to mix and cook. You will often hear the phrase ‘mise en place’ on cookery programmes, which translates as everything in its place before you start. Have all of your prepared ingredients laid out in front of you. ✓ Invest in good kitchen equipment. Look after your equipment and it will last for a very long time. ✓ Clean as you go, keeping your work surfaces clean, as cluttered spaces create stress when you can’t find an ingredient or somewhere to place a hot tray coming out of the oven. ✓ Keep a very close eye on food as it cooks; home ovens vary quite a bit so dishes may take a longer or shorter time than the recipe states. Where a recipe just gives you a temperature and makes no reference to a fan oven, then the instructions are for a non-fan oven. If you have a fan oven, adjust the temperature down by 20°C. ✓ Write on your cookbooks. Make small notes of things that strike you so that you can remember it next time you make the recipe. I often have students at the school telling me they made an amazing adaptation to one of our recipes but were not able to recreate the dish as they had forgotten what they had done. ✓ When adding herbs to a dish at the end of cooking, or to garnish, it is important that you only use the leaves as the stalks can be bitter. Also, only chop the herbs at the last minute as otherwise they will deteriorate on the board very quickly. ✓ Always rest your meat after cooking for at least half the time that it was cooked. The meat should be rested on a wooden board, covered in a layer of baking parchment, tin foil and then a clean tea towel. Leave to rest in a warm place; I use my top oven for this. Resting allows all the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and ensure a tender result. ✓ Many of us do not have the time to make our own stocks. Remember to buy only the best quality stock cubes or stock pots. Keep a close eye on the labelling as some
of them have a very high salt content. ✓ Store your ingredients in the same conditions as you purchased them. If you change the storage conditions they will deteriorate much faster.
Caramelised fillet of beef Serves 6 “In the cookery school I find it much easier to teach students how to cook a fillet of beef correctly in one piece as opposed to individual steaks. Once the beef is cooked and rested, you can slice it to the thickness required.” 200g treacle or blackstrap molasses 100ml water 800g fillet of beef (even thickness along the length), trimmed 2 garlic cloves, skins left on and smashed Freshly ground black pepper 3-4 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil 1 Mix the treacle with the water, then pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the beef and garlic and rub to coat the beef. Place in the fridge to marinate for 24 hours. 2 Remove the beef from the bag and pat it dry with kitchen paper, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Set aside at room temperature for one hour. 3 Meanwhile, place the marinade in a pot and reduce to a sticky glaze. 4 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. 5 Lightly brush the beef with groundnut or vegetable oil. Place an ovenproof pan on a high heat until the pan is smoking hot, then quickly sear the beef on all sides. Transfer to the oven and roast until the beef is cooked to your liking. Test the meat by sticking an instant-read food thermometer into the centre of the thickest part of the fillet and make sure it has reached the desired temperature. If you don’t have a food thermometer, then roast for about 20 minutes for rare, 30 minutes for medium and 40 minutes for well done. 6 Remove from the oven and brush with the glaze. Allow to rest on a wooden board, loosely covered in tinfoil, for 15-20 minutes before carving. Per Serving 307kcals, 12.8g fat (3.7g saturated), 27.6g carbs, 20.9g sugars, 2.5g protein, 0g fibre, 0.608g sodium
Easy Food 89
Limoncello lemon tart with blueberry compote Serves 8 “I first discovered limoncello on a trip to the Amalfi coast in Italy. Since then, I always find an excuse to add a drop to any lemon dessert at the cookery school, as it really intensifies the lemon flavour.” 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 110g butter, chilled and cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing 75g icing sugar 3 free-range egg yolks 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten For the filling: 5 free-range eggs 160g caster sugar 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest 225ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons) 25ml limoncello liqueur 150ml double cream 1 tsp vanilla extract For the blueberry compote: 2 punnets of blueberries 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp limoncello liqueur 1 tbsp water 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Place the flour and butter in a food processor and blitz to fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and pulse to combine. 2 Add the egg yolks and pulse until it comes together. Do not overwork it as this makes the pastry tough. 3 Add a little ice-cold water if the pastry won’t come together — just enough so that it will form a ball if you press it together. 4 Turn the mix onto a work surface. Form a ball with the mix, flatten it into a disc shape and wrap it in cling film. Chill for 60 minutes. 5 Brush a 24cm loose-bottomed tin with melted butter and dust lightly with flour, knocking off any excess flour. 6 Remove the pastry from the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature. Roll out the pastry and line the tin with it, pressing gently into the corners. Leave a slight overhang. 7 Cover the tin loosely with cling film and chill for 30 minutes. 8 Remove the tin from the fridge, prick the pastry base lightly with a fork (make sure you do not pierce the pastry), then line with baking
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parchment and baking beans and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and remove the beans and parchment. Brush the pastry lightly with beaten egg and return to the oven for 25 minutes or until it is a light goldenbrown. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. When cool, trim off the edges neatly. 10 For the filling beat the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and limoncello in a bowl until well mixed. Add the cream and vanilla extract and mix well. Pour the mix into a measuring jug. 11 Reduce the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 12 Place the pastry case in its tin onto a baking tray and then place on the oven shelf. Carefully pour the filling into the pastry case until it comes to just below the top of the pastry shell. 13 Bake for about 25 minutes until set. The filling should have a slight wobble in the middle. 14 Remove and allow to cool completely before carefully removing from the tin. 15 To make the compote, place one punnet of blueberries in a small pot with the sugar, limoncello and water. Place on a high heat and bring to the boil. 16 Once boiling point is reached, reduce the heat to medium and allow the blueberries to gently cook until they begin to burst. 17 Remove from the heat, stir in the second punnet of blueberries and set aside to cool. 18 Slice the tart and serve with the compote. Per Serving 406kcals, 16.5g fat (8.7g saturated), 57.5g carbs, 32g sugars, 8.7g protein, 1.5g fibre, 0.129g sodium
Smoked haddock chowder Serves 4 “Every restaurant has its own version of chowder. Some include practically everything that swims in the sea, but this version is simplicity itself and places the flavour of the smoked haddock centre stage. We include this recipe in most of the classes we run for our visitors in the cookery school, particularly those from the United States.” 25g butter 225g leeks, finely sliced 100g onions, finely sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into a small dice 400ml full-fat milk 400ml fish stock 200g smoked haddock, skinned and cut into small chunks
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2 tbsp cream 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Melt the butter in a pan set over a low heat, then sweat the leeks and onions with some salt and pepper for 4–5 minutes, until soft. Cooking on a low heat will ensure the leeks and onions don’t take on any colour. 2 Add the potatoes, milk and stock to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the
potatoes are cooked. 3 Add the smoked haddock and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper, then stir in the chopped parsley. Serve in big, warmed bowls.
Per Serving 342kcals, 10.4g fat (5.9g saturated), 40.8g carbs, 10.3g sugars, 22.2g protein, 5.4g fibre, 0.649g sodium
Easy Food 91
SUGAR &
spice
Dive into these luscious baked treats with hints of autumnal spices
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cooking for fun baking
Apple cake with cinnamon cream icing Serves 8 100g butter 300g caster sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 250g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped For the icing: 220g cream cheese, at room temperature 40g butter, at room temperature 150g icing sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the stewed apple topping: 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1 tsp cinnamon 3 tbsp caramel sauce 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease two round 20cm cake tins and line with parchment paper. 2 Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla until blended. 3 Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir into the butter mixture until blended. 4 Place the apples in a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture resembles chunky apple sauce. Add a splash of water if needed. 5 Stir the apples into the rest of the ingredients. Divide the batter between the
tins and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 6 Leave to cool in the tins for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 7 Beat the cream cheese and butter for the icing until creamy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and cinnamon until blended. Beat in the vanilla extract. 8 Spread half of the icing over one of the cakes, then top with the other cake and spread the rest of the icing over the top. 9 For the topping, place the apples in a saucepan with the cinnamon. Cook over a medium heat for 12-15 minutes until the apples are soft. Stir in the caramel, then remove from the heat and allow to cool before topping the cake. Per Serving 629kcals, 25.6g fat (15.5g saturated), 96.9g carbs, 67.9g sugars, 7.4g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.651g sodium
Joanna Reilly “I made the apple cinnamon cake today and I have to say it was gorgeous. As a family, we’re not big into cream cheese frosting but the addition of the cinnamon and vanilla extract made it very tasty. The cake was very moist and had a lovely apple flavour. It was a very easy and enjoyable bake. I made it for my family and we all agreed it would be something I would make again, especially for a birthday cake.”
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Easy Food 93
Apple doughnuts Makes 12 500ml cloudy apple juice 560g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 60g wholemeal flour 100g brown sugar 2 tsp baking powder ¾ tsp salt ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp allspice 2 large eggs 90g butter, melted Vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the coating: 100g caster sugar 25g cinnamon 1 Bring the juice to a rapid boil in a small saucepan over a high heat. Cook for about 10-12 minutes until reduced by half, then leave to cool completely. 2 Whisk the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda and spices in a large bowl. 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter and cooled cider. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined; the dough will be sticky. 4 Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for one hour, or until firm. 5 Meanwhile, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a bowl. 6 Divide the dough in half. Roll each half out
on a floured surface until it is about 1cm thick. Use a floured doughnut cutter to stamp out round doughnuts; reserve the small holes from the centres to make doughnut holes. 7 Heat enough oil in a deep pot so that it comes halfway up the sides. When the oil is hot, lower a few doughnuts into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper. 8 Fry the small doughnut holes for about one minute on each side. 9 Roll the doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture while they are still warm.
Per Serving 493kcals, 25.7g fat (5.5g saturated), 59.9g carbs, 20.3g sugars, 6.5g protein, 2g fibre, 0.26g sodium
r e v o C
Cook the
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Ginger whoopie pies Makes 24 240g plain flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground cloves ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g light brown sugar 100g butter, melted 80g treacle 3 tbsp crystallised ginger, finely chopped 1 large egg 60ml buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla extract
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For the filling: 70g butter, at room temperature 150g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 180g cream cheese, at room temperature ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, salt, cloves and bicarbonate of soda in a medium bowl. 2 Whisk the brown sugar, butter, treacle and crystallised ginger in separate large bowl until combined. Whisk in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. 3 Gradually stir in the flour mixture until everything is just combined. 4 Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least one hour. 5 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4 and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
6 Roll tablespoon-sized amounts of dough into balls. Place, spaced well apart, on the baking trays and bake for 11-13 minutes until puffed and just set. Leave to cool slightly on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 7 Beat the butter and icing sugar for the filling with an electric mixer for two minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the cream cheese until combined. Beat in the vanilla. 8 Pipe or pipe the filling onto the flat side of half of the biscuits. Top with the remaining biscuits and dust with icing sugar to serve. Per Serving XXkcals, XXg fat (XXg saturated), XXg carbs, XXg sugars, XXg protein, XXg fibre, XXXg sodium Per Serving 186kcals, 8.7g fat (5.4g saturated), 25.6g carbs, 16.6g sugars, 2g protein, 0.4g fibre, x 0.161g sodium
Easy Food 95
Dark ginger loaf bread Serves 8 Oil or butter, for greasing 175g plain flour 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 tbsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp freshly-ground nutmeg ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tbsp milk 75g treacle 75g golden syrup 75g dark brown soft sugar 75g butter 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/ gas mark 3. Grease a standard 900g loaf tin and line with parchment paper.
96 Easy Food
2 Sift the flour and spices into a large bowl. Mix the bicarbonate of soda and milk together in a jug and set aside. 3 Combine the treacle, golden syrup, sugar and butter in a saucepan with 75ml of water. Heat and gently stir until thoroughly melted. Be sure not to let it boil. 4 Add the syrup to the flour mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in the milk mixture, then the beaten egg. 5 Transfer the mixture to the tin and bake on the lower shelf of the oven for 1¼-1½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely. Per Serving 267kcals, 10.4g fat (5.3g saturated), 41.3g carbs, 16.9g sugars, 3.3g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.164g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun baking
Speculoos biscuits Makes 24 430g plain flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¾ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp ground mace ¼ tsp white pepper Pinch of ground cloves 120g butter, at room temperature 200g dark brown sugar To serve: Icing sugar 1 Whisk together the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. 2 Beat the butter and brown sugar
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together in a separate mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in half of the flour mixture. Beat in 80ml of water, then the remaining flour mixture. 3 Shape the dough into three discs and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate for one hour. 4 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/ gas mark 3 and line two baking trays with parchment paper. 5 Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about ½cm thick. Use a biscuit cutter to stamp out biscuits, then transfer to the baking trays. Place the trays in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120˚C/100˚C fan/gas mark ½. Bake for 60-70 minutes until they are just light golden around the edges. Leave to cool on wire racks.
Per Serving 135kcals, 4.3g fat (2.6g saturated), 22.4g carbs, 8.2g sugars, 1.9g protein, 0.8g fibre, 0.109g sodium
Easy Food 97
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kids' kitchen A GO-TO GUIDE FOR BUDDING YOUNG COOKS
100-106 IN THIS SECTION
HALE AND HEARTY P100
Our Home Ec experts welcome comfort food back into the kitchen
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SPOOKY SNACKS P102
There's no trick to making these healthy Halloween treats!
EASY JUNIORS P105
This traditional barmbrack is the perfect treat to make for Halloween
Easy Food 99
HALE AND HEARTY Welcome comfort food back into your kitchen with these tasty recipes from two of Ireland’s Home Ec teachers
“SEASON OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS” — J. KEATS As the autumn evenings are well and truly closing in, it’s hard to believe winter is just around the corner. The season to get cosy with comfort food is upon us, bringing to mind foods such as cheeses, pork, wholesome homemade breads, soups, pies and our favourite one-pot wonders. Autumnal colours are also invited onto our plates, with seasonal fruits and vegetables including; beetroot, mushrooms, parsnips, carrots, apples and pumpkins. We all have our favourite comfort foods, be they
sweet, spicy, creamy or salty, but they appeal to us all in different ways. FEELING HOMELY Comfort food has a lot to do with our associations, be it the smell of a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings that reminds us of home, or fish and chips dredging up memories of a family holiday. Many of our favourite comfort foods are simple to rustle up without a plethora of culinary skills. A warm scone with jam and cream, a thick slab of chocolate cake, a soft cheese or home baked cookie dipped in hot tea are just some of the “comforting” foods we have at our disposal. KEEPING IT HEALTHY While a lot of the foods we associate with comfort can be laden with calories, it’s also possible to find healthy alternative versions to enjoy the comfort without the guilt. At this time of year in particular, it’s important to bear in mind the nutritional significance of our meals and snacks — including vital vitamins and minerals — to help fight off winter colds and flus.
thanks to Special allace organ W Jenny M uire, h M Scoil of Mean ead in S d n a Longford m Trinity fro Keegan hensive Compre , for Dublin 9 School, icle rt a is th g providin s e ip c re and the
the rainbow when it comes to fruits and vegetables, and get vital calcium and vitamin D from natural sources such as dairy products and green vegetables. When we are feeling exhausted and in need of instant comfort, fast fixes are the way to go. Rather than reaching for caffeinated drinks and high energy foods in the hope that they will have us bursting with energy, try mashed banana sandwiches or beans on toast to give you that energy hit. There are plenty of healthy and simple ideas to try that are full of nutritious ingredients, but also taste delicious. HALLOWEEN As the season of Halloween arrives, it’s always fun to get into the kitchen and make some fun treats especially for the kiddies. By including seasonal fruits and vegetables, we can ensure a healthy twist to our spooky treats. "Scary" fruit salads and pumpkin soups are a great way to encourage children to make the most of their creative side in a healthy manner.
TIREDNESS We tend to reach for comfort foods to help give us that zap of energy when we are feeling tired out. The dark mornings and evenings take their toll on our bodies. It is important that we are getting enough of vitamins C and D in our diets, so choosing comfort foods that tick all the right boxes is important. Eat
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OCTOBER 2017
kids’ kitchen home ec
STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH BRIE AND BACON Serves 4 4 Portobello mushrooms, stalks removed 1 tbsp olive oil 100g smoked bacon lardons 100g breadcrumbs 75g fresh chives, finely chopped 100g Brie, sliced Salt and black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas mark 6. 2 Place the Portobello mushrooms on a baking tray. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes. 3 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the bacon lardons and cook for five minutes or until crispy. 4 Spoon the bacon lardons into the mushrooms, place the sliced Brie on top and sprinkle breadcrumbs all over. Roast the mushrooms for a further six minutes or until the tops are golden. 5 Place the mushrooms on a serving plate, sprinkle over the chives and serve. Per Serving 296kcals, 17.8g fat (7.4g saturated), 20g carbs, 2g sugars, 13.7g protein, 1.6g fibre, 0.576g sodium
PORK ADOBO Serves 4-6 800g pork belly, cut into large cubes 1 large onion, sliced 1 tbsp olive oil 5 bay leaves 1 tsp ground ginger 2tbsp cider vinegar 100ml soy sauce 10 black peppercorns, whole 250g pineapple chunks 500ml pineapple juice Cooked rice, to serve Salt and black pepper 1 Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and brown the pork over a high heat for 5-8 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking for a further five minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork and onion from the pan. 2 Put the pork and onion in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves,
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peppercorns, ginger and some salt and pepper. Add the pineapple juice (make sure that there is enough juice added to cover all other ingredients in the slow cooker; extra juice may be added if needed. 3 Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 6-7 hours. 4 Transfer the pork from the slow cooker to a frying pan using a slotted spoon. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, pineapple and about threequarters of the liquid from the slow cooker. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and reduce to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. 5 Serve with boiled rice. Per Serving 875kcals, 46.3g fat (18.9g saturated), 26.4g carbs, 17.2g sugars, 76.4g protein, 2.3g fibre, 3.802g sodium
x Easy Food 101
GRAPEFRUIT JACK-O-LANTERNS Makes 4
SNACKS! There’s no trick to making these healthy Halloween treats!
102 Easy Food
4 large grapefruits 2 apples, chopped 2 small oranges, segmented A handful of grapes 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tbsp honey 60g pistachios, shelled 2 tbsp dried cranberries 2 tbsp raisins 1 Using a serrated knife, cut off the top of each grapefruit.
Use a spoon to scoop out the inside fruit. 2 Chop the fruit, place in a mixing bowl and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix gently to combine. 3 Use a small, sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into each grapefruit. Gently fill each grapefruit with the fruit mixture to serve. Per Serving 343kcals, 7.6g fat (0.8g saturated), 72.1g carbs, 57.8g sugars, 6.3g protein, 9.9g fibre, 0.083g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
kids’ kitchen healthy Halloween
MONSTER BITES Makes 8 2 green apples, quartered Peanut or other nut butter 32 sunflower seeds 2-3 strawberries, sliced Candy eyes 1 Cut the middle out of each quarter of the apple to create a mouth.
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2 Coat the inside of the gap with a filling of peanut butter. 3 Place four sunflower seeds on the top of each “mouth” so thay they look like teeth. Place one small strawberry slice inside each mouth for the tongue. 4 Stick the eyes to the top with a small dab of peanut butter.
Top tip:
If you don’t want es, to use candy ey simpl y add a or dollop of peanut p nut butter and to n. isi ra a th wi each
Per Serving 87kcals, 5.1g fat (0.6g saturated), 9.9g carbs, 6.4g sugars, 2.3g protein, 2.2g fibre, 0.002g sodium
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Easy Food 103
PRETZEL PUMPKINS Makes about 600g 500g pretzels 400g white chocolate, melted Red and yellow food colouring Green mini Smarties 1 Stir 1-2 drops of red and yellow food colouring into the melted white chocolate to turn it orange. 2 Coat the pretzels in the orange chocolate and stick a green mini Smartie at the top of each one to be the stalk. 3 Place on parchment paper to dry. Per Serving 69kcals, 2.4g fat (1.3g saturated), 10.7g carbs, 4.2g sugars, 1.3g protein, 0.3g fibre, 0.119g sodium
104 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
kids’ kitchen easy juniors
Easy Food juniors
This traditional barmbrack is the perfect treat to make at Halloween!
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Easy Food 105
Halloween barmbrack
1
2
3
4
5
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Easy Food juniors
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Serves 8
350g packet fruit mix 300ml tea Oil or butter, for greasing 125g golden caster sugar 1 egg, beaten 225g self-raising flour Good pinch of mixed spice 1 ring or coin, wrapped in a small bit of greaseproof paper 1 Place the fruit in a bowl, cover with the tea and leave to soak overnight. The tea should just about cover all the fruit. 2 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/gas mark 3. Grease a 900g loaf tin or a 16cm round cake tin and line with parchment paper. Weigh out your ingredients. 3 Add the sugar, egg, flour and mixed spice to the fruit. If the mixture is a little dry, add a little more tea. 4 Stir to combine everything thoroughly. 5 Pour into the prepared tin and insert the paper-wrapped ring or coin halfway down the batter — don’t let anyone see where it is! 5 Bake for around one hour and 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the brack comes out clean and the barmbrack is firm to the touch. 6 Allow to cool on a wire tray. When cooled, wrap in greaseproof paper. Per Serving 323kcals, 2.8g fat (0.4g saturated), 69.8g carbs, 45.9g sugars, 4.5g protein, 2.2g fibre, 0.009g sodium
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106 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy! GIVE YOUR BODY THE LOVE IT DESERVES
108-117 IN THIS SECTION
FROM THE BUTCHER'S BLOCK P108
Local butcher Michael Fleming discusses everpopular bacon
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GLUTEN BE GONE! P110
Stay gluten-free with ease with these delicious winter dinners
OH MY GOODNESS! P116 Food blogger Aoife Howard indulges her sweet tooth with these free-from cookies
Easy Food 107
108 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy! butcher advice
From the
BUTCHER'S BLOCK
Local butcher Michael Fleming discusses ever-popular bacon What makes bacon different to ham? Both bacon and ham are types of cured pork. Traditionally, ham is the meat from the leg of a pig, while bacon is cut from other parts of the pig, such as the loin or the belly. What’s the difference between streaky bacon and back rashers? The main difference here is the fat content. Back rashers come from the loin of pork, which is very lean. Streaky bacon comes from the pork belly and has streaks of flavoursome fat running through it. Where do bacon medallions come into that? Bacon medallions come from the eye of the loin and are fully trimmed, meaning that they’re extremely lean. They’re a popular choice for those looking to cut fat from their diets, but the trade-off for this is less flavour. What do “smoked” and “unsmoked” actually mean? Both types are cured, but for unsmoked bacon — sometimes known as ‘green’ bacon — this is where the process ends. Smoked bacon goes on to spend some time in a smokehouse, where woodchips are used to impart a smoky flavour. What does “dry cured” mean? Dry-cured bacon is rubbed with a mixture of salt and sugar. These flavours are then given time to permeate into the meat. It’s a slow and labour-intensive process, but it provides the bacon with a deep, rich flavour. This is the traditional way in which meat was cured before food
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production became industrialised. The opposite of this is wet curing, where the bacon is immersed in — or injected with — brine. This is a faster and cheaper method, but the flavour isn’t as good and the rashers will shrink during cooking as the moisture evaporates. Is it better to buy rashers from a butcher rather than the supermarket? In my opinion, yes. Butchers tend to know more about the meat they source so, in general, their shops should stock better quality bacon. How do you render fat from bacon? Firstly, make sure it’s not lean bacon, as this won’t have any fat to render; streaky bacon is perfect. Place it in a cold, dry pan over a high heat. As the pan heats up, the rashers will cook and the fat will render out. When the bacon is cooked, strain the fat through a sieve into a bowl. What can I do with the fat once I’ve rendered it? Bacon fat can be used for cooking in the same ways you would use various cooking oils, but it adds fantastic flavour. Sear steaks or fry potato cakes; use it as lard when making pastry; make your best-ever scrambled eggs; sauté onions in it as a base for your next soup, or even use it to make luxurious home-popped popcorn. Is there one “best” way to cook rashers? I like to cook my rashers in a pan, as described above, so that I can keep the fat for another meal. However, this is really a matter of preference: people who like keeping their fat intake to a minimum often cook it under the grill or in a sandwich press. What is turkey bacon, and is it better than regular bacon? Turkey bacon is made from the fillet of the
bird, so it’s very lean. Because it’s low in fat and very high in protein, it’s becoming increasingly popular and can now be found in most butchers’ shops. It’s not necessarily better than pork bacon, it just depends what you’re looking for. What’s your top tip for cooking with bacon? If you’re boiling a ham before roasting it, reserve the water, as it's full of flavour, and use it to boil your cabbage.
Bacon-fried leek and potato soup Serves 6 8 potatoes, peeled and cubed 900ml chicken stock 450g streaky bacon, chopped 3 leeks, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 200ml double cream Black pepper 1 In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock and potatoes and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cook for 1012 minutes until the potatoes are tender. 2 Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large pan over a medium-high heat until golden brown and crispy. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon, keeping the fat in the pan. 3 Reduce the heat in the pan to medium and cook the leeks in the bacon fat for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. 4 When the potatoes are tender, stir in the bacon-fried leeks and double cream. Use a stick blender to whizz until smooth. Season to taste with black pepper (you shouldn’t need to add salt). 5 Divide between bowls and garnish with the reserved crispy bacon. Per Serving 753kcals, 44.6g fat (18.3g saturated), 53.7g carbs, 5.5g sugars, 34.4g protein, 7.7g fibre, 2.256g sodium
Easy Food 109
BE GONE
Stay gluten-free with ease with these delicious, warming dinners
110 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy gluten-free dinners
Hot and sour noodles Serves 4-6 200g dried rice noodles 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp chilli oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 spring onions, finely chopped 200g mushrooms, sliced 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks 3 tbsp gluten-free tamari Juice of 2 limes Pinch of sugar 2 heads of baby pak choi, finely chopped Handful of peanuts, crushed
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1 Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain well, then drizzle over the sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together. 2 Meanwhile, heat the chilli oil in a large pan or wok over a high heat. Cook the garlic, onion, carrot and mushrooms for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add the pak choi and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. 3 Stir in the tamari, lime juice, sugar and the rice noodles. 4 Divide between serving bowls. Garnish with peanuts and serve immediately. Per Serving 256kcals, 8.3g fat (1.3g saturated), 37.2g carbs, 4.3g sugars, 10g protein, 3.6g fibre, 0.057g sodium
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Easy Food 111
Butter chicken curry Serves 4 1 tbsp peanut oil ½ an onion, chopped 40g butter 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 x 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp gluten-free chilli powder 1 tsp cumin 1 bay leaf 4 tbsp natural yoghurt 120ml milk 120ml double cream 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes Salt and black pepper For the chicken: 1 tbsp peanut oil
112 Easy Food
450g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 tsp garam masala Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tbsp cornflour 50ml water To serve: Rice Gluten-free naan or poppadoms (optional) 1 For the sauce, heat the peanut oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. 2 Stir in the butter, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chilli powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for one minute. 3 Stir in the tinned tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, cream and
yoghurt, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. 4 For the chicken, heat the peanut oil in a large heavy pan over a medium heat. Cook the chicken pieces for 8-20 minutes until lightly browned on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Season the chicken with the garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of the sauce, then simmer for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked throughout and the liquid has reduced. 5 Stir the cooked chicken into the sauce. 6 In a cup, stir together the cornflour and water. Stir this mixture into the sauce and cook for another 6-8 minutes until thickened. Serve with rice. Per Serving 610kcals, 55.3g fat (22.2g saturated), 11.7g carbs, 6.9g sugars, 17.6g protein, 2.2g fibre, 0.389g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy gluten-free dinners
One-pan Mexican beef and rice Serves 6 1 tbsp olive oil 450g beef mince 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped 1 green and 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 220g rice 400ml gluten-free beef stock 1 tsp gluten-free chilli powder ½ tsp cumin
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Salt and black pepper 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped 160g Cheddar, grated To serve: Black olives, sliced (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a mediumhigh heat. Add the beef, onion and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes or until no pink parts remain, stirring and breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. 2 Drain away any excess fat. Add the peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes. 3 Stir in the tomatoes, rice, beef stock, chilli powder and cumin. Season to taste. Bring
to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 16-18 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Stir in the fresh coriander. 4 Remove from the heat and top with the Cheddar. Cover for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately, topped with sliced olives if desired. Per Serving 425kcals, 10.1g fat (3.4g saturated), 44.5g carbs, 11.4g sugars, 35.6g protein, 4.8g fibre, 0.277g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: If you’re cutting down on red meat, use turkey mince instead of beef.
Easy Food 113
Creamy tomato fish stew Serves 4-6 60g butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 2 tbsp gluten-free plain flour or cornflour 2 tbsp tomato purĂŠe 1.4l gluten-free fish or chicken stock 2 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 200g soft cream cheese 1 tbsp white wine 600g white fish, chopped into bite-sized pieces
114 Easy Food
300g raw prawns, peeled and deveined 150g baby spinach, roughly chopped Salt and black pepper To serve: Fresh parsley, chopped Baby potatoes, boiled 1 In a large pot, melt the butter together with the olive oil over high heat. 2 Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, bay leaf and fresh thyme and cook for one minute longer. 3 Add the flour and tomato purĂŠe and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. 4 Stir in the tinned tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
5 Stir in the cream cheese and wine. Stir until the cream cheese dissolves, then simmer for another 8-10 minutes. 6 Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Use a stick blender to whizz the soup until smooth. 7 Return to a medium-high heat and add the fish, prawns and spinach. Simmer for a final 3-4 minutes or until the fish is completely cooked and the spinach has wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 8 Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with boiled baby potatoes. Per Serving 535kcals, 28.9g fat (16g saturated), 19.3g carbs, 9.1g sugars, 48.8g protein, 4.8g fibre, 0.499g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy gluten-free dinners
Creamy mustard pork medallions Serves 4 500g pork tenderloin, sliced 1cm thick 100g gluten-free plain flour or cornflour Salt and black pepper 50g butter 250g mushrooms 80ml white wine 240ml cream 3 tbsp gluten-free wholegrain mustard 1 Place the slices of pork between two sheets of cling film, pinching the edges together. Pound with a meat tenderiser or rolling pin until ½cm thick.
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2 In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Melt one third of the butter in a large heavy pan over a medium-high heat. 3 Dredge the pork in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Add one third of the pork to the pan and cook for two minutes per side until browned and cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat in two more batches using the remaining butter and pork. 4 Add the mushrooms to the same pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until browned. 5 Stir in the white wine and allow to bubble for 3-4 minutes until reduced, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the
pan using a wooden spoon. Stir in the cream and mustard and simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 6 Add any juices that have been released from the pork to the sauce. Divide the pork medallions between serving plates and pour over the sauce. 7 Serve immediately with mashed potato and peas.
Per Serving 420kcals, 18.4g fat (9.7g saturated), 23.4g carbs, 2.4g sugars, 36.9g protein, 2.5g fibre, 0.165g sodium
Easy Food 115
Goodness! OH MY
Blogger Aoife Howard indulges her sweet tooth with these free-from chocolate chip cookies
S
pending a day in the kitchen churning out baked delights has got to be one of my favourite ways to pass a rainy day. These gorgeous cookies are my go-to bad weather activity; they take minutes to prepare and promise to add a little taste of the tropics to even the greyest of days. As much as I love the processes of measuring, mixing and making, my favourite part is — of course — devouring the fruits of my labour. I'm a fan of recipes that deliver maximum flavour for minimum effort, and these heavenly cookies fit the bill just perfectly. Simply melt the maple syrup and coconut oil, pour over the dry ingredients, bake for 10 minutes and voilà! your hard work is over. One bowl, one saucepan, one spoon and, before long, the glorious smell of sweet coconut will be wafting out of your oven. Honestly, the hardest part is trying not to eat all the irresistibly delicious cookie dough, a prerequisite for any good cookie recipe. When it comes to cookies, there’s only one question that must be asked; chewy or crunchy? Without a shadow of a doubt, I fall firmly on the side of chewy. These little bites of heaven are unashamedly chewy, a tropical twist on the perennial favourite that is chocolate chip cookies. Inspired by popular chocolate bars, these combine a soft, chewy base with flakes of toasted coconut and generous chunks of creamy dark chocolate.
116 Easy Food
My not-so-secret ingredient to achieve the perfect cookie texture? Coconut flour! Although a relatively new addition to my store cupboard, I'm not sure how I survived without it for so long. While coconut flour has a reputation for being somewhat temperamental, it works so well in these cookies, lending a deliciously melt-in-the-mouth soft interior, a chewy exterior and a hint of natural sweetness. As these are paleo, vegan as well as gluten-, dairy- and refined sugar-free, they are suitable for all diets… although you might not want to mention that if you want to keep them all for yourself! Dip into hot coconut milk for a little taste of paradise.
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Vegan Paleo Gluten-free Dairy-free Refined-sugar-free
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
Coconut chocolate chip cookies Makes 7 50g ground almonds 30g coconut flour 2 tbsp coconut flakes, toasted 3 tbsp sugar-free dark chocolate, chopped into chunks 2 tbsp coconut oil 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk, if needed 1 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/ gas mark 3 and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 2 Place the ground almonds, coconut flour, coconut flakes and chocolate chunks in a large bowl. 3 Combine the maple syrup and coconut oil in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Heat until runny and smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. 4 Once the mixture has cooled, pour slowly into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine. Stir in the almond milk if the mixture seems dry. 5 Using your hands divide the mixture into seven balls. 6 Place the balls onto the tray and flatten each with the back of a tablespoon. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden. 7 Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully before devouring! Per Serving 194kcals, 13.6g fat (7.8g saturated), 22.2g carbs, 5.5g sugars, 3g protein, 4.6g fibre, 0.020g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy cookies
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Easy Food 117
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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
Tea
The art of drinking tea has been around for centuries, originating in India and China before spreading to our corner of the globe. While China is notably the largest consumer of tea by weight, the Irish are not far behind, representing the third biggest tea drinkers per-capita globally. There are four main varieties of tea: black, green, oolong and white, all derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Caffeine content varies, depending on both the fermentation process and the steeping time. Teas also vary in terms of their polyphenol content, which gives green tea its anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as providing benefits in terms of cardiovascular disease and oral health.
BLACK TEA
OOLONG TEA
GREEN TEA
WHITE TEA
By far the most popular type of tea in Ireland, many of us can’t go a day without a cuppa. A cup of black tea contains around 40 milligrams of caffeine, well within the recommended limits of 300 milligrams per day. Black tea is withered, before the leaves are fully fermented.
Oolong teas are often described as a mix between traditional black and green tea, which is reflected in its light, floral taste. Oolong tea also undergoes a fermentation process, which is halted as soon as the tea leaves begin to change their colour.
Green tea has lower caffeine content than either black and oolong teas at just 30mg per cup. The oxidation process is halted early on in the processing stage. Green tea can be consumed in the traditional form — where leaves are infused before being discarded — or as matcha. Matcha tea involves drinking the actual tea leaves, which have been ground into a powder. Consuming the actual leaves in the form of matcha releases higher quantities of the polyphenols that made green tea famous.
White teas are the most delicate of all teas, made from young leaves which are hand-processed to minimise oxidation. White tea contains minute quantities of caffeine, at between 2-5mg per cup.
120 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
KITCHEN SKILLS
EAT MORE…MUSHROOMS ONE SERVING (72 G) CONTAINS:
34%
RDA OF SELENIUM
ONE SERVING (72 G) CONTAINS:
9%
RDA OF POTASSIUM ONE SERVING (72 G) CONTAINS:
40%
RDA OF COPPER
MUSHROOMS CONTAIN VITAMINS B2, B3 AND B5, WHICH HELP TO PROVIDE ENERGY BY BREAKING DOWN PROTEIN, FATS AND CARBOHYDRATES
UNUSUAL INGREDIENT Manuka honey
Manuka honey is produced solely in New Zealand, by bees who pollinate the Manuka bush. The quality of manuka honey is rated using a scale called UMF, which stands for unique manuka factor. This is calculated according to the concentration of antibacterial compounds, which give manuka honey its antibiotic effect. Studies have found that applying manuka honey to burns and wounds can help to fight infection and promote healing. It is also marketed for use in reducing high cholesterol, reducing inflammation and treating gastrointestinal problems.
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“ Non
si vive di solo pane
”
— Italian proverb, translating as, "one does not live by bread alone."
The Halloween haul
What do the hidden treasures in your barmbrack really mean? Ring: You'll be wed within the year Pea: You won't be married this year Stick: An unhappy marriage Coin: Wealth Cloth: Poverty
Easy Food 121
HOW TO MAKE…
scones
1
2
Makes 8-12, depending on cutter size
225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting Pinch of salt 25g caster sugar 25g cold butter, cubed if prefered Approx. 150ml milk, plus extra for glazing 1 Measure all of your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 8. Dust a large baking tray with flour. 2 Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, then stir in the sugar. 3 Add the butter. 4 Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. 5 Add just enough milk to make a soft dough. 6 Turn onto a floured board and gently knead to remove any cracks. Roll out to 2cm in thickness. 7 Cut out scones of any shape using a pastry cutter dipped in flour. 8 Place the scones on the prepared baking tray. Brush the tops with milk. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on a wire tray. 9 Serve warm or at room temperature with butter and jam.
3
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8
Per Serving 117kcals, 2.6g fat (1.5g saturated), 20.4g carbs, 3.3g sugars, 2.8g protein, 0.6g fibre, 0.038g sodium
6
122 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
step-by-step
9
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Easy Food 123
Tips FROM THE
TEST K TCHEN Shannon Peare, one of Easy Food’s resident food stylists, shares some of Ireland’s traditional Halloween bakes and their history
as the ‘bread of the poor’. There are three main varients of boxty: pancake boxty is cooked in a hot pan and sliced into triangles; loaf boxty is baked in a loaf tin in the oven; and boiled boxty is shaped like a dumpling and is boiled to hold its shape. One of the most popular versions of the bread is made by grating raw potato and straining it to remove most of the starch. The potato is then combined with flour, milk, egg and baking powder and fried on a griddle pan.
For more of Shannon’s creations, follow Petite Poire Petite Poire Cakes @petite_poire_cakes
I
reland has many traditonal bakes; many
SOUL CAKES
originated in pagan times and were later
These small spiced cakes, tarts or biscuits are
influenced by the Catholic church to honour
baked in the shape of a cross and topped with
ancestors or to ward off evil spirits. Halloween
raisins or currants. These were often referred
dates back over 2,000 years; ancient druids
to as ‘souls’, as the poor or ‘soulers’ would go
recognised the end of the harvest season
from door to door reciting prayers and begging
by lighting bonfires and celebrating in
for these cakes, an early example of ‘trick or
costumes made from animal skins. ‘Samhain’,
treating’. These cakes were often made and
translated as ‘summer’s end’, was traditionally
left out as an offering to the spirits.
celebrated on 1st November and marked this time of feasting. Food was prepared for the celebration, while leftovers were set aside for ancestors. The tradition of feasting on treats is, of course, still very much alive today, and some of the ancient Irish bakes have become staple Halloween fare.
POTATO BREAD Made with a mixture of boiled potatoes, salt, melted butter and a little flour to bind, potato cakes are sometimes
Traidisún Taibhsiúil
referred to as ‘fadge’ in Northern Ireland.
Barmbrack, also
they were considered sacred during Celtic
BARMBRACK known as speckled
This is a type of griddle bread and would have traditionally been cooked by over the fire. Apples were sometimes added, as
The old saying went, “Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can’t make boxty, you’ll never get a man!” SODA BREAD Soda bread has been an Irish speciality since the late 19th century. It is made with a basic mixture of flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk, but most people have their own adaptation of the recipe. The bread is shaped into a high round, then a cross is traditionally cut into the top of the loaf to ward off evil spirts and protect the home — this explains why it was a common bake on All Hallows’ Eve! While these recipes have been adapted and modernised over the years, many of the traditions remain. Try one this year to have a real Irish treat, or get creative and make your own Halloween bake! Oíche Shamhna shona daoibh!
times and a symbol of the gods.
cake, is a fruit bread and perhaps the best-known Halloween bake.
OATEN CAKE
The word ‘barm’ comes from the English
This was
word, ‘beorma’, meaning a yeasty, fermented
traditionally made
liquor. Brack comes from the Irish word, ‘brac’
from a mix of
meaning speckled — this is due to the dried
ground oats, sugar,
fruit and candied peel inside the bake. This is
water or milk. Once the ingredients were
traditionally made by soaking dried fruit in tea,
combined, the dough was turned out onto a
then adding it to a mix of flour, yeast, sugar,
work surface and left to harden. It was then cut
eggs and spices. A variety of tokens were
into squares and cooked on a griddle pan. In
traditionally baked into the bread, which was
ancient times, it was tradition for people to eat
then evenly sliced and served. What you got
the oaten cakes and pray that their crops may
in your slice was a glimpse into your future:
be blessed.
a pea meant you wouldn’t marry over the next year; a matchstick warned of an unhappy
BOXTY
marriage; a ring meant you would marry within
This potato-based dish is commonly eaten in
the year; and a coin represented great wealth.
the north midlands of Ireland. The Irish word
Nowadays, a ring is still often baked into the
‘bacstai’ is from the word ‘bocht’, meaning poor;
brack to maintain the tradition.
this is why the boxty was sometimes refered to
124 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
Gooey graveyard cake Serves 16-20 For the chocolate cake: 3 tbsp cocoa powder 280ml boiling water 140ml chocolate stout 110g unsalted butter, at room temp. 170g caster sugar 170g soft light brown sugar 1tsp vanilla extract 3 large eggs, beaten 100g dark chocolate, melted 280g plain flour 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt For the fudgy buttercream: 255g dark chocolate 315ml cream 60g sour cream 1tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt For the decoration: 100g chocolate Oreos 4 marshmallows Mini smarties Black and red food colouring Variety of biscuits 20g white chocolate 1 Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas 4. Line three 8” round tins with parchment paper. 2 In a bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and boiling water together until the cocoa has dissolved. Whisk in the stout and set aside to cool. 3 In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate over a
simmering water, stirring occasionally until the
texture; sprinkle over the top layer and around
pot of simmering water. Once melted, set aside
chocolate has melted and the mix is smooth.
the bottom edge of the cake.
to cool.
9 Remove the bowl from the heat, whisk in the
14 For the zombies, paint different faces
4 In a bowl, beat the butter, vanilla and both
sour cream, vanilla and salt. Allow the mix to
using food colouring or edible pens onto
the sugars together until light and fluffy. Slowly
cool and whisk occasionally by hand (don’t whisk
the marshmallows. For the eyes, stick on
stream in the eggs little by little, beating after
too quickly or use an electric mixer). Place the
the smarties using some of the remaining
each addition to avoid the mix from splitting.
buttercream in the fridge for an hour to thicken.
buttercream and scatter them over the top of
5 Once all the eggs are added, spoon in the
10 To assemble the cake, place one of the
the cake.
cooled melted chocolate and mix to combine.
sponges on a cake board or cake stand and top
15 For the tombstones, melt the white chocolate
6 In a separate bowl, sieve the flour, bicarbonate
with a layer of buttercream. Repeat this step for
in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Dip a
and salt together. Alternate adding the flour and
the other two layers.
toothpick into the white chocolate to write RIP
stout mix to the butter in three stages, the mix
11 Using a spatula or palette knife, spread half
and different dates on a variety of biscuits. Allow
will be very runny.
the remaining icing all over the cake; there will
the chocolate to set, and then push the biscuits
7 Divide the mix between the prepared tins and
be small crumbs sticking to the icing. Refrigerate
down into the sponge to have them standing
bake for 25-30 minutes. Once baked allow the
the cake for 30 minutes to help the icing set.
upright like gravestones.
sponges to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then
12 Spread the other half of the remaining icing
transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
over the cake so it is smooth and covers any
8 For the buttercream, place the chocolate
rogue crumbs.
and cream in heatproof bowl set over a pot of
13 In a food processor, blitz the Oreos to a sandy
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Per Serving 371kcals, 16.9g fat (10.1g saturated), 49.5g carbs, 30.2g sugars, 5.1g protein, 3.3g fibre, 0.302g sodium
Easy Food 125
KITCHEN know-how
Natural cleaning hacks to make your kitchen sparkle! Many ailments in the kitchen can be solved using a few simple ingredients; namely bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, lemon juice and salt! These four household items can be combined in a myriad of ways to spruce up your kitchen.
Oven
The inside walls of an oven don't often take pride of place in any household. Splashes from bubbling pots of food, along with the constant condensation can lead to a build-up of grime over time, demanding a regular deep clean.
You’ll need:
bicarbonate of soda
126 Easy Food
water
white vinegar
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Remove all the shelves, oven racks and trays from the oven, leaving behind an empty chamber. In a small bowl, make a paste using bicarbonate of soda and a few spoonfuls of water. Using gloves spread this paste all over the interior surfaces of your oven, steering clear of the heating elements. Allow the bicarbonate of soda mixture to sit overnight, or for at least 12 hours. In the morning, wipe out the oven using a damp cloth, using a plastic/silicone spatula to scrape out the paste in those hard to reach corners. Put some white vinegar in a spray bottle, and spritz all over the oven to clear any residual bicarbonate of soda. The vinegar will react with the baking soda and gently foam. Wipe down any residue with a damp cloth, adding more of the vinegar mix as needed.
OCTOBER 2017
kitchen know-how
Pots and pans
When cooking goes awry, precious (and expensive) pots run the risk of getting burnt. Ensure you never throw out a burnt pot again with out simple, natural method.
1 2 3 4 5
Boil water in your burnt pan on the hob. Add a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes (or as long as you can).
You’ll need:
Scrape the burnt bits off the pan using a wooden spoon, before discarding the dirty water.
Rinse the pot with hot water for a final clean.
bicarbonate of soda
water
Wooden chopping boards Although it may be custom to give our chopping boards a quick wash after use, deep cleaning is also required from time to time. This method is surprisingly easy, using two common kitchen ingredients, coarse salt and lemon.
1 2 3 4
Sprinkle salt over the chopping board. Scrub the chopping board, using half a lemon, cut side down, as a sponge. Let it sit for five minutes, then scrape away the residue into a
You’ll need:
Lemon
bowl. Rinse the surface with a clean wet sponge.
salt
Microwave
Lemon juice and hot water combine to form a natural cleaning agent, so all you have to do is use a clean towel to wipe everything clean.
1 2 3 4 5
Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the water. Drop the lemon halves into the bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes on high power so the liquid comes to a boil.
You’ll need:
Let stand for five minutes, to allow the steam to work its magic, loosening gunk and dissolving food splatters.
Wipe off the dirty residue using a clean towel.
Lemon
water
Polishing wine glasses Sometimes wine glasses require a little extra sparkle, whether it's to be dinner party-ready, or if the dishwasher is lagging a little. To make your wine glasses glisten, simply dip them into a jug of hot water before quickly drying with a clean tea towel. Using your hand, begin with the stem of the glass before drying the outside. Then place your thumb inside the glass and dry around the edges, stuffing the tea towel into the glass for hard-to-reach spots. Store glasses upside-down to keep them dust- and drip-free.
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Easy Food 127
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IN THE NEXT ISSUE...
IT’S THE MOST DELICIOUS TIME OF YEAR WITH THE CHRISTMAS ANNUAL!
ON SALETH !
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INSIDE...
ant tips > Step-by-step fond ie gift guide > The ultimate food sserts > Show-stopping de as feast > The perfect Christm d starters > Fuss-free sides an > Toasty tipples rtaining > Ideas for easy ente as dinners > Meat-free Christm ts > Kiddie craft projec ideas > Handy decorating
TEAR-OUT SKILLS Our three-step homemade garlic ginger paste means you’ll never have to buy another jar! Ginger garlic paste is an essential ingredient in many Indian and Asian kitchens. A spoonful can be added to curries and stir fries, or used in a marinade for meat or fish.
Homemade ginger garlic paste Makes 1 small jar
80g fresh ginger, peeled 250g garlic, peeled 70ml white vinegar 1 tsp turmeric
1 Cut the ginger into even chunks. 2 Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric and vinegar to a food processer in batches, and blend into a fine paste. 3 Transfer the smooth paste to a clean, sterilised jar and store in the fridge. Preservation: • This paste has a short shelf life, as the crushed garlic is at risk of being contaminated by botulinum, a potentially fatal toxin. To destroy any potential toxins, be sure to cook the paste thoroughly for at least 10 minutes.
• Adding a spoon of turmeric not only improves the flavour and appearance of the paste, but also increases the shelf life. Turmeric possesses antimicrobial properties, which can delay contamination. • Sterilise glass jars for storage in a pot of boiling water before drying with clean kitchen paper to remove all moisture. • If you need the paste to last longer than 2-3 days, it will need to be frozen. Freeze the paste in freezer-suitable containers, leaving 2-5cm between the paste and the lid to allow for expansion.
Top Tip:
ginger h, young Use fres ’s fresh, it aste. If ed for this p e releas es will b ha it w root juic t roo king the er g in upon po g f o r pieces e ld s, O . u il na ore fibro r and m r u o are drie ey ould giv which w voury a s n u n paste a texture.
130 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
ADVERTORIAL
Easy and elegant!
Caramelised onion and Philly tartlets Serves 4
PREP TIME: 45 minutes [+20 minutes inactive] 30g butter 1 tbsp oil 400g onions, peeled and sliced 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves Salt and black pepper 1 x 320g sheet of puff pastry, thawed if frozen, rolled out and sliced into four equal rectangles 120g Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Garlic and Herbs, at room temperature
1 Melt the butter and oil together in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and thyme and reduce the heat to low. 2 Cook the onions slowly for 40 minutes until soft and sweet, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if the onions start to stick. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool. 3 Place a baking tray in the oven and preheat to 220ËšC/200ËšC fan/gas mark 7. 4 Place four puff pastry rectangles on a chopping board and use the tip of a knife to score a 1cm border around each one, being careful not to cut all the way through. Use a fork to prick holes all over the pastry inside the borders. 5 Spread the pastry with Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Garlic and Herbs, leaving the
borders empty. Top with the cooled, caramelised onions. 6 Remove the preheated baking tray from the oven and transfer the tartlets onto the tray. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy. Per Serving 653kcals, 48.6g fat, (17.3g saturated), 46.7g carbs, 4.9g sugars, 9.3g protein, 3.6g fibre, 0.36g sodium
For more delicious recipes, visit www.philadelphia.ie
Indulgence made easy.
€5.49 DELUXE® Irish Duck Breast Fillets with Garlic & Pepper
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