Watch our Simply Better brand ambassador @nevenmaguire prepare this delicious Irish Strawberry & Lemon Tart using our new Simply Better Irish King Strawberries from Clarke’s Fresh Fruit. Find the full recipe below:
Ingredients (Serves 8) 500ml Simply Better Single Source Irish Jersey Cream 1 Jar Simply Better Sicilian Lemon Curd 250g Simply Better Irish King Strawberries, sliced 50g Pistachios For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry 175g Plain Flour 100g Butter, diced and chilled 50g Caster Sugar Pinch of Salt 1 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Egg ½ Tbsp. Simply Better Organic Irish Jersey Milk Zest of ½ Lemon
Method 1. To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, sugar and salt into a food processor and blend for 20 seconds. Add the egg, milk and lemon zest and blend again just until the pastry comes together – do not overwork the dough or the pastry will be tough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour. 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). 3. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer the pastry to a 23cm (9in) fluted loose bottomed flat tin ensuring the pastry is pushed into the edges of the tin. Transfer to the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. 4. Remove the tart tin from the freezer. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the pastry is firm, then remove the beans or rice and cook for about 5 minutes more, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. 5. Whip the jersey cream in a bowl until you achieve soft peaks then fold in the lemon curd. Pour the lemon cream into the cooled pastry case. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top and scatter over the pistachio nuts. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Of course this recipe is great with just parsley but experiment with a combination of soft fragrant herbs sauce as parsley, chives, tarragon or chervil depending on what’s available.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 x 175g hake fillets, skin on and boned
1 tablesp. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
50g butter
½ lemon, pips removed
1 tablesp. chopped mixed herbs (parsley, chives and tarragon)
To Cook
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the seasoned hake fillets, skin side down. Cook for a couple of minutes until the skin is just beginning to crisp, then add little knobs of butter to the pan around each hake fillet and cook for another couple of minutes until the skin is crisp.
Turn the hake fillets over and cook for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. This will depend on the thickness of the fillets. Transfer to warmed plates while you make the sauce.
Add the rest of the butter to the frying pan and allow it to gently melt over a moderate heat. When it has melted, add a squeeze of lemon juice and the herbs, swirling to combine. Season to taste. Spoon this sauce over the hake fillets and serve with steamed broccoli and some sautéed new potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Steamed broccoli and sauté new potatoes
Tips
Above all be careful not to overcook the fish. To check, gently prod the thickest part of the fish with a small knife. If it is cooked, the flesh will look opaque and the flakes will separate easily. If it isn’t done yet, it will still have the translucent look for raw fish.
Other fish you could use: Whiting, haddock or trout fillets
My brother, Kenneth, loves Asian food and he is in no doubt that he is far better than me at cooking it! I don’t disagree. He is proud of this chicken satay dish and often makes it for the family. This dipping sauce also works well with pork, prawns, beef strips or turkey. And remember, kids just love anything on sticks!
SERVES 4
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp clear honey
2 tsp medium curry powder
450g (1lb) skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into long strips
FOR THE PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD:
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
½ small cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light brown sugar
juice of ½ lime
1 x 160ml (5½fl oz) tin of coconut milk (Thai Gold, if possible)
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 To make the dipping sauce, place the peanut butter in a small pan and stir in the soy sauce, light brown sugar and lime juice. Gradually whisk in the coconut milk and heat gently until you have achieved a smooth sauce. Stir in the chilli and coriander, then leave to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
2 Soak 8 x 15cm (6in) bamboo skewers in a shallow dish of cold water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat a griddle pan until it’s smoking hot or light a barbecue.
3 Whisk together the soy sauce, honey and curry powder. Season with pepper and stir in the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate for 2 minutes, then thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked bamboo skewers and arrange on the barbecue. Cook the chicken skewers over medium-hot coals for 4–6 minutes, turning once or twice, until completely tender and cooked through. If using a griddle pan, reduce the heat to medium as soon as you’ve put the skewers on.
4 Meanwhile, to prepare the pickled cucumber salad, place the vinegar in a bowl and stir in the sugar and a good pinch of salt until both have dissolved. Tip in the cucumber, stirring to combine, and set aside to allow the flavours to develop. 5 To serve, arrange 2 chicken satay skewers on each warmed plate. Divide the dipping sauce among individual bowls and place to the side of the skewers. Add the pickled cucumber salad, leaving behind any excess liquid, to serve.
Butter Chicken
Swap your usual takeaway curry for this homemade chicken makhana, which combines marinated chicken with a rich, buttery sauce. This is an authentic Indian curry with its origins in Delhi, where it was first made to use up pieces of leftover tandoori chicken.
Serves 4–6
500g skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs
juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon
3 tbsp mild curry seasoning
4 tbsp natural yogurt
3 tbsp sunflower oil
30g butter
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red chilli, seeded
3cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
20g fresh coriander
400ml passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)
120ml cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Trim the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Put in a bowl and stir in half the lemon juice with a good pinch of salt. Add 2 tablespoons of the curry seasoning, the yogurt and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mix to combine, then season generously with pepper. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days in the fridge.
Heat the rest of the oil and a knob of the butter in a wok or skillet over a high heat, and quickly sear the marinated chicken in batches until golden brown, transferring with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl as you go. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 4–5 minutes until they start to caramelise.
Tip in the garlic, chilli and ginger, then add another knob of the butter and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Chop the stalks from the coriander and add them to the pan with the rest of the curry seasoning and another knob of the butter. Toast for a few minutes until very fragrant. Pour the passata into the pan and bring to a simmer, then add the cream and the rest of the lemon juice.
Transfer to a blender and blend until you have a very smooth sauce. Return to the pan and add the chicken with any juices and reheat gently for about 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Season to taste, then fold in the lemon rind with the rest of the butter and the coriander leaves, reserving a few sprigs to garnish. Transfer to bowls and garnish with the coriander sprigs.
SERVE WITH … This mild and creamy curry is sure to please all tastes. Make some Homemade Flatbreads, perhaps brushing them with a little melted butter and sprinkling with black onion seeds. A bowl of Pilau Rice completes the meal, alongside some spiced mango chutney, mint raita and lime pickle.
Located just outside the village of Milltown, County Cavan on a beautiful site overlooking Garfinny Lough, the intriguing monastic site of Drumlane includes an abbey, a monastery and a remarkably intact round tower constructed in the year 555AD.
Although the monastery is closely affiliated to St. Mogue, it is believed the site was constructed some time before his arrival and most likely by St. Colmcille. The circular round tower, which stands next to the Abbey at Drumlane is remarkably intact and is recognised as the only surviving round tower of its kind in the dioceses of Kilmore. Round towers were built throughout Ireland between the 5th and 13th centuries. Interpretation and parking are available on site.
macnean_house_restaurant As one of the most versatile foods, there is no end to the different ways to enjoy eggs. In this week’s @irishcountryliving, @nevenmaguire has the most delicious eggy bread BLT and a classic scrambled eggs with avocado and tomatoes
Foodaware 