22/02/2015

Annaghmore Mushrooms on Toast

Mushrooms are moreish. This somewhat unnameable taste has robustness and meatiness that savoury alone can't cover. Japanese biochemist Kikunae Ikeda isolated this flavour and named it Unami. On his mission to recreate it he gave the world MSG. Mushrooms make their own glutamate hit. Annaghmore baby portobellos are almost sweet, a treat if you are able to get them. Dry frying heightens the mushroom taste, it also gives them a lovely nutty colour, some salt, a little oil and you'll be eating in less than 5 minutes. 


What you need? (for 2)
5-6 mushrooms thinly sliced
Rapeseed oil
Handful of fresh parsley
Crusty bread sliced.

Put griddle pan on highest heat and allow to get hot. Slice and toast bread. Add mushrooms to pan. They will steam and spit a little. Turn them. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add salt and drizzle of oil. Butter toast, add mushrooms and parsley.

12/02/2015

Poached Eggs, Hollandaise Sauce & Cripy Proscuitto

Somewhere along the way eggs got a bad rep. Cholesterol and heart disease with their yolk association had led to the eggsclusion of them from diets or rec-egg-mendations of only one or two a week.  More recent research suggests that you can actually eat up to 2 or 3 a day. They are nutrient dense and perfect with hollandaise sauce. Delia's Hollandaise is my go to, it's creamy and blender friendly. Add an extra squeeze of lemon juice to make it a little sharper. (Breakfast for 1)



What do you need?

2 eggs 
1 English muffin (toasted)
2 slices of proscuitto (pan fried for 2 minutes)

Hollandaise (adapted from Delia)
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp lemon juice (+extra squeeze during blending)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
100g butter

Boil salted water. Crack eggs into 2 ramekins. Add eggs to boiling water, reduce to simmer and cover with lid, poach for 4 minutes. Lay paper towels on work surface (to drain eggs on when cooked). For sauce; blends eggs w/ salt and pepper. In a saucepan heat lemon juice and vinegar to simmer. Add to eggs. In saucepan heat butter until it foams. Turn blender on, slowly add butter in gentle trickle. Drain poached eggs and plate up.

10/02/2015

Unforgettable Meatballs (Polpette al Pomodoro)

Rosemary's esoteric link to memory has been going on for some time (from Hamlet to more recent investigations) scientists are finding that rosemary aroma can aid memory. Whether or not the amount used here is enough to enhance your recall, these polpette aren't easily forgotten. The milk soaked bread is generally accepted as an essential, this keeps the meatballs juicy. Browning them first intensifies the meat taste. Serve with crusty bread or pasta.



What you need? Makes 36 meatballs

Meatballs
500g beef mince 
4 slices of white bread (toasted and crumbled then soaked in milk)
2 handfuls of parsley
4-5 sprigs of chopped rosemary
2 egg yolks

Pomadoro
1 medium white onion (sliced)
3-4 basil stalks (leaves removed and sprinkled in sauce at end)
sprigs of Rosemary (chopped)
1 clove of garlic
6 tomatoes on the vine + 2 tins plum tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar

What to do?

Combine all ingredients for meatballs. Roll into balls and place on oiled baking tray. Allow to firm up in fridge for 30mins. Heat oil in pan, add onion. Cook for 5 mins. Add the basil stalks, rosemary, garlic. Cook for 1 min. Add the fresh tomatoes, cook for 5 mins. Add the tinned tomatoes and sugar. Cook for 15mins. Season. Pan dry meatballs in oil. Add browned meatballs to sauce and poach in sauce for 5 mins. 

06/02/2015

Avocado & Parma Toast

February has been bright but cold. In keeping, so is this toast. Lime juice keeps it fresh and Ciabatta keeps it's light. Creamy avocado has more potassium than a banana and way less sugar making it a good breakfast shout. It also tastes great with crisped up parma ham.



What you need?

1/2 avocado
2 slices of parma ham (dry fried for 1 minute in hot pan to make crispy)
2 slices of ciabatta
sprinkle of pomegranate seeds (I had some in the fridge!)
sprinkle of fresh coriander
squeeze of lime
season with salt and pepper 

What to do?

Slice ciabbatta. Slice avocado into half moons, squeeze juice of half a lime (also stops the avocado discolouring), season. Roll parma ham and top. Sprinkle with pom seeds and coriander. 

05/02/2015

Sweet Parsnip Soup with Pomegranate and Cumin

From Souping (the new juicing) to bright and beautiful spring offerings Nettle soup with flowers. Soups and reasons to soup are all around. Although it's still a little early for nettle and flower soup, parsnips are peaking. The frost helps change some of their starch to sugar, so all that snow made them sweeter. Parsnip soup with cumin to bring out the natural spiciness brightened up with a little pomegranate is just what February is calling out for.




What do you need?

600 Parsnips (I used Heritage baby parsnips - peeled and diced)
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1 large onion
1 lit. chicken stock
175ml Greek yogurt
1-2tblsp cumin seeds (dry fry seeds for 1-2mins; then grind)
handful of pomegranate seeds
squeeze of lemon juice
Homemade croutons (cube bread, fry in oi, add salt & pepper & sumac)

What to do?

In a pan heat 2 tblsp of butter when foaming add the onion, cook for 5'. Add the garlic. Add the cumin. Add the parsnips. Add stock. Salt/Pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Blend. Stir in the yogurt and heat again. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, squeeze lemon, season. Top w/ croutons and pom seeds.