Tag: Ballymaloe

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Rachel’s Smoked Mackerel, Apple and Fennel Salad

rachel-rocket-recipes_2

Serves 4-6.

You will need:

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut lengthways into 3-4mm (¼in) slices

2 apples (unpeeled), quartered, cored and cut into wedges 5mm (¼in-½in) thick

4 smoked mackerel fillets, skin removed and flesh torn into bite-sized chunks

4 handfuls of rocket leaves

First, add the extra-virgin olive oil and the lemon juice to a large bowl. Season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper, then whisk everything together. Next, add in the sliced fennel, the wedges of apple and the chunks of mackerel. Mix together well, then add the rocket leaves and gently toss everything together to dress the leaves. 
Divide between plates and serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

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Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell’s Christmas Mincemeat recipe passed down in Myrtle Allen’s family for generations #Ballymaloe

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.

Ingredients

  • 2 cooking apples, e.g. Bramley Seedling
  • 2 organic lemons
  • 450g (1lb) beef suet (see P.00)
  • pinch of salt
  • 110g (4oz) candied citrus peel (preferably homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons Seville orange marmalade
  • 225g (8oz) currants
  • 450g (1lb) sultanas
  • 900g (2lbs) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown)
  • 62ml (2 1/2fl oz) Irish whiskey

Method

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

A Simply Delicious Christmas with Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell is on RTÉ Player now. Recipe taken from ‘A Simply Delicious Christmas’ published by Gill Books.

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Rory O’Connell’s Grilled Fish with Herb Relish @Bordbia #ballymaloe

bbia grilled fish 211516

This way of cooking fish is perceived as being rather old fashioned, but if you have a really fresh fish, it can be fabulous and quite contemporary in its simplicity. Hake, cod, ling and mackerel are all delicious cooked in this way. The relish served here is classic, and when properly prepared, it will remind you why herbs, butter and lemon will always have a place at the table when fresh fish is being served.

Serves 4

  • 4 x 120- 150g pieces of your fish of choice
  • 2 tablespoons of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper optional
  • 25 g butter at room temperature
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 wedges of lemon
    • Herb Relish
    • 50g butter
    • 2 tablespoons of very finely chopped herbs such as parsley, chives, fennel and a few thyme leaves
    • black pepper

To cook the fish, place the grill pan on a medium heat and allow to become quite hot. You don’t want it smoking madly, but should see a light haze, almost like vapour, arising from the pan. Dry the fish fillets with paper towel and dip in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. You can skip this flouring stage if you wish. With a knife, lightly butter the flesh side of the fish fillets. Place the fish, buttered sides down on the hot grill. The fish should sizzle immediately it hits the pan, if it doesn’t, the pan wasn’t hot enough and you need to crank up the heat immediately. If you have difficulty determining if the pan is hot enough, take one of the pieces of fish and holding it above the pan, just place a corner of the buttered side onto the grill. If it sizzles, it is fine to proceed, if it doesn’t then allow the pan to get hotter. Let the fish cook, still on a high heat until the fish is well coloured. There should be a bit of smoke coming from the pan, but not great clouds of it, so adjust the heat accordingly. Lift the fish at one corner to check if it is golden and getting crisp. When you are confident this stage has been reached, turn the heat down a little and with the help of a fish or egg slice, turn the fish over on to the skin side. Let it continue to cook until the skin is crispy and the fish is cooked through. You will know the fish is cooked when the flesh appears to be white and creamy in colour and no longer looks translucent.

While the fish is cooking, melt the butter for the relish. Allow the butter to cool a little before stirring in the chopped herbs.

Remove the cooked fish to hot serving plates, placing them with the golden flesh side up. Place a wedge of lemon on each plate and drizzle the herb relish over.

If you wish garnish with a spring of parsley and serve immediately.

http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes/roryoconnell/pages/grilledfishwithherbrelish.aspx

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Rachel Allen’s Broccoli Soup with Dubliner Cheese Toasts @KerrygoldUSA #ballymaloe

video-broccoli

I adore this delicious and nutritious soup. It’s great either for family suppers or for a dinner party. The soup can be frozen and the Dubliner toasts prepared in advance, then grilled at the last moment. Ideal if you need a meal in an instant. Rachel Allen

Ingredients:
  • THE SOUP:
  • 2 tbsp Kerrygold Salted Butter
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 head of broccoli, with stalk
  • 3 1/2–4 1/4 cup hot vegetable (or chicken) stock
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • THE DUBLINER TOASTS:
  • 8 slices good-quality white bread
  • 3 oz Dubliner Cheese, finely grated
Directions:

 

Melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan, and add the potatoes and onion, salt and pepper. Cover with a piece of wax paper and sweat over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli florets from the stalk. Using a small knife, remove the outer layer of skin from the stalk and discard, then chop the stalk into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the onion and potato, cover and sweat for a further 5 minutes.  Add the hot stock to the potatoes, onion and broccoli stalk, bring up to a boil, then add the chopped broccoli florets. Boil without the lid over a high heat for 4–5 minutes until soft, then add the cream. Remove from the heat, puree in a blender and season to taste.To make the Dubliner toasts, toast the bread on both sides, sprinkle with grated Dubliner Cheese and pop under a hot grill or into a hot oven for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Cut the toast into fingers and serve on the side with the soup.

 http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/broccoli-soup-with-dubliner-toasts/