If Roosters always rule at your dinner table, why not give Setantas a go? Named after the young Cú Chulainn, these floury new season potatoes have Rooster lineage – and speaking of Irish legends, they’re only fabulous with a dollop of Dairygold! If Setantas aren’t in season, Home Guards are just as good.
Ingredients
1 large Setanta potato
1 tbsp / 15g Dairygold
Cracked black pepper
Sea salt
Sprinkle of fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
Boil or steam a large Setanta potato until light and fluffy (this should take about 20 minutes).
While you’re waiting for the potato to cook, if any of the family want to know who the original Setanta was, now’s a good time to tell them. You can’t beat a good Irish myth.
Add a pinch of salt, a dash of cracked black pepper and (of course) a dollop of Dairygold.
If you have some to hand, add a little extra depth by topping with a sprinkle of fresh basil. This will really bring out the potato’s natural flavour.
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Frangipane Topped Mince Pies Ingredients (Makes 24) 1 Packet Simply Better All Butter Shortcrust Pastry, thawed Plain Flour, for dusting 1 Jar Simply Better Mincemeat Flaked almonds, to garnish
For the Frangipane 150g Butter 150g Caster Sugar 3 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs 150g Ground Almonds 1 Tbsp. Plain Flour 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract Zest of 1 Lemon
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F/Gas Mark 5). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to make a large rectangle, then stamp out 24 x 6cm discs (with a cutter or use a glass) and place in greased muffins tins (of course you can do this in batches).
2. To make the frangipane, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk for about one minute until you achieve a soft paste.
3. To assemble, add a large teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case then top with a tablespoon of the frangipane mixture. Sprinkle over some flaked almonds and transfer to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cold with brandy butter or custard.
You will have just as much fun making and dusting this cake as you will eating it. This deliciously simple recipe comes from Rachel Allen.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
100g (3½oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
350g (12oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
225ml (8fl oz) buttermilk or sour milk
For the Meringue:
3 egg whites
150g (5oz) caster sugar
275ml (9½fl oz) double or regular cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the bases of the cake tins with rounds of baking parchment, brush the sides with melted or soft butter and dust with flour.
To make the cake, place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and one of the eggs and beat again, then add the other egg and mix. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a separate bowl and set aside. Measure the buttermilk and set aside also.
Now, start the meringue. Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until frothy using an electric food mixer or hand-held electric beater. Add in half of the sugar and continue whisking until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Turn off the whisk and fold in the remaining sugar.
Next, go straight back to the cake. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk, then divide the mixture between the two cake tins, making sure they are level. Divide the meringue between the two cakes and spread out evenly over the cakes.
Cook in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Take out of the oven and allow to sit in the tin for 15-20 minutes before loosening around the sides with a small, sharp knife, removing the cakes from the tins and allowing to cool completely meringue side up.
When ready to assemble, whip the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then place one of the cakes (save the best cake for the top) on a cake stand. Spread the whipped cream over the top, then sit the second cake on top of the cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
450g (1lb, 31/2 cups) plain flour 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 300-600ml (1/2 – 1 pint, 1 1/4 – 2 1/2 cups) sour milk or buttermilk
METHOD
Sieve the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre.
Pour in all the milk at once. Using 1 hand, with your fingers stiff and outstretched like a claw, stir in a full circular movement from the centre to the outside of the bowl in ever increasing circles. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. Tidy it up and flip over gently. Pat the dough into a round, about 4cm deep.
Cut a deep cross on the loaf and prick in the four corners.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes then turn down to 200deg C for 30 minutes until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread, when it is cooked it will sound hollow. Cool on a wire rack.
Tip! Soda breads are best eaten on the day they are made, but are still good the next day.
Spotted Dog
Follow the recipe above adding: 1 dessert spoon of sugar, 100g sultanas, 1 egg.
Add the sugar and the sultanas with the flour and drop the egg in with the milk before missing. Spotted dog is also called railway cake in some parts of Ireland.
Stripy Cat
Follow the spotted dog recipe replacing the sultanas with 75g of roughly chopped best quality chocolate.
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Start yours and your baby’s day off right with these delicious and super nutritious breakfast muffins. Made using wholesome ingredients like carrots, apples, sunflower seeds, Greek yogurt and wholemeal flour, these muffins are the perfect breakfast finger food for your little one to enjoy in the morning.
To serve to babies – Ensure you are always sitting with your baby when they are eating. Serve a mini muffin with a side of fruit. I like to use sliced pear, mango or strawberries.
For older children serve 2 mini muffins or 1 large muffin in their lunchbox.
These muffins are perfect for school as they contain no sugar whatsoever!
The only sweetness comes from the delicious apple. You can make them even sweeter by adding a mashed banana to the mixture. @babyledfeeding
There are times when you want something tasty and delicious but just don’t feel like cooking a full meal. This is one of those dishes you’ll find yourself cooking again and again. If you want to make it even more substantial, try serving it with crisp, fat chips and watch how quickly the plates are cleared!
3 tbsp olive oil
2 large red onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 x 175g (6oz) thin-cut rump or sirloin steak
2 small ciabatta loaves
8 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
4 ripe tomatoes, sliced
50g (2oz) wild rocket
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and preheat the grill. Fry the onions for 10 minutes, until softened and golden, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and is slightly syrupy, stirring continuously. Keep warm.
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Rub the remaining tablespoon of oil into the steaks and then season them generously. Add them to the heated pan and cook over a high heat for 3–4 minutes on each side for well done, or according to taste.
Split the ciabatta loaves in half and arrange on the grill rack cut side up. Place under the grill until lightly toasted. Mix the mayonnaise in a small bowl with the two mustards.
Place a piece of the toasted ciabatta on each warmed serving plate. Add a good smear of the mustard mayonnaise and then arrange a layer of the tomato slices on it. Season to taste and add the rocket. Place the steak on top and add the reserved caramelised onions. Dollop over the rest of the mustard mayonnaise to serve.
Beef Stroganoff with Fluffy rice and dill pickle Shavings
Traditionally this was served with buttered noodles, not unlike tagliatelle, but it is so much nicer with fluffy rice. The soured cream is not strictly necessary and regular cream will work just as well.
Serves 4
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp sweet paprika, plus extra to garnish
450g (1lb) sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
25g (1oz) butter
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
150g (5oz) button mushrooms, halved
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
150ml (¼ pint) chicken stock
4 tbsp white wine
2 tsp tomato purée
1 tsp dijon mustard
150ml (¼ pint) soured cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
fluffy rice, to serve
dill pickle shavings, to serve
Toss the flour and paprika together in a shallow dish with seasoning and then use to coat the steak. Heat half the butter and oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the steak and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, until sealed and lightly browned. Tip onto a plate and set aside.
Reheat the pan over a medium heat. Add the rest of the butter and oil and then add the shallot. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Increase the heat to high and add the mushrooms to the pan with the garlic. Season to taste and continue to sauté for another 2–3 minutes, until tender.
Add the white wine vinegar and allow to bubble right down, then add the stock, wine, tomato purée and mustard, stirring to combine. Tip the sautéed beef with any juices back into the pan, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
Stir the soured cream into the pan and return to the boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer gently for a couple of minutes and cook until the sauce has thickened and slightly reduced. Divide the fluffy rice between warmed plates and spoon over the beef stroganoff. Add dill pickle shavings and serve at once.
Here are three delicious options, the first is the classic Mincemeat recipe passed down in Myrtle Allen’s family for several generations. Of course, it contains suet so it’s moist and juicy and best eaten hot. The second, Emer Fitzgerald’s Mincemeat is vegetarian, it doesn’t include suet or butter and is also gluten free. The third, Brandy Mincemeat, does not include suet either, but does have butter.
Core and bake the whole apples in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, for 30 minutes approx. Allow to cool. When they are soft, remove the skin and pips and mash the flesh into pulp.
Grate the rind from the lemons on the finest part of a stainless steel grater and squeeze out the juice and stir into the pulp. Add the other ingredients one by one, and as they are added, mix everything thoroughly.
Put into sterilized jars, cover and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using. This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool, airy place.
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