This quick and delicious recipe can be adapted to make a larger tart, and topped with any fruit you like.
Ingredients
Makes 24 mini almond tartlets or 2 x 18cm tarts
110g butter
110g caster sugar
110g ground almond
Method
Preheat the oven to 180’C/160’Fan/350’F/Gas mark 4.
Place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft and light. Add in the sugar and the ground almonds and mix to combine.
Place generous teaspoonful blobs of the mixture in each ‘cup’ of a shallow bun tray (a mince pie tray), you should get 24 altogether so if it’s a 12 hole tray then cook it in 2 batches.
Or you could make 12 mini tartlets and 1 x 18cm tin.
Bake in the preheat oven for 8-10 minutes until a rich golden brown then take out of the oven and leave to sit for 3 minutes, then remove each little tartlet base and cool on a wire rack.
The larger tart will take 16-18 minutes to cook.
After removing from the oven, allow to sit for 3 minutes then turn out onto a plate and allow to cool before decorating.
Top with raspberries or sliced strawberries and whipped cream or whatever delicious fruit you have.
Rachel Allen’s pan-fried fish with herb butter, asparagus, new potatoes.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
For the herb butter:
50g soft butter
1 tablespoon chopped herbs such as dill, fennel, chives, parsley
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and pepper
For the pan-fried fish:
4 fillets of flat fish, such as John Dory, plaice, sole, brill or turbot, or part of a round fish fillet, like salmon, cod, grey mullet, etc. (allow 175g for a main course and 75g for a starter)
Approximately 4 tablespoons flour
Extra virgin olive oil or soft butter
A pinch of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Dry the fish fillets on kitchen paper.
Season on both sides with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a cast iron or non-stick frying pan on a high heat until smoking. Add a dash of olive oil and put in the fish fillets.
OR you can dust the fillets with seasoned flour then spread some soft butter over one side.
Place buttered side in the pan first. Turn when golden on one side, then cook again until golden on the other side.
Place a couple of slices of herb butter over each fillet and serve immediately with asparagus and boiled new potatoes.
Neven Maguire’s mushroom & leek strudel with madeira wine sauce
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
For the strudel
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
225g mixed wild mushrooms roughly chopped
1 small leek, washed and finely sliced
2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp Madeira Wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
4-5 sheets filo pastry, thawed if frozen (about 100g/4oz in total)
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves, to serve
For the madeira wine sauce
700ml beef stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
3 tbsp Madeira Wine
3 tbsp cream
Method
For the strudel
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ gas mark 5.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook over a medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until almost tender.
Reduce the heat, add the cream and Madeira to the pan and cook for another minute.
Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté for another minute until the spring onions are just tender and the liquid has almost completely reduced.
Allow to cool completely.
Unroll the sheets of filo pastry and place them all, one on top of the other, on a work surface.
Brush the top sheet of pastry with beaten egg and then spread over the mushroom mixture to within 4cm (1½in) of the edges.
Fold the short ends inwards a little to meet the mushroom mixture and then, starting with a long edge, roll up the pastry fairly tightly like you would a Swiss roll, keeping the mushrooms in place as you roll.
Place the strudel seam-side down on the parchment paper and brush it all over with the remaining beaten egg.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before carefully placing on a chopping board.
Cut the strudel into thick slices and arrange on warmed plates. Drizzle some sauce beside it and serve with some mixed salad leaves.
For the madeira wine sauce
Heat a heavy based saucepan, add the Madeira Wine and reduce by half.
Gradually whisk in the beef stock until smooth, followed by the tomato purée.
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Whisk in the cream, bring to the boil, season to taste and thicken with some diluted cornflower.
Neven Maguire is shortlisted for the Bookselling Ireland Food and Drink Book of the Year in the An Post Irish Book Awards. You can vote at irishbookawards.ie.
Ingredients
Give this classic Italian dessert a twist with a delicate creamy vanilla flavour and a fresh strawberry topping. It’s the perfect dessert for a chilled summer gathering. If you want to make it less rich, simply replace 200ml of the cream with milk.
Serves 4
1 vanilla pod
3 sheets gelatine 600ml cream 100g caster sugar
300g large strawberries (preferably Pat Clarke’s)
½ lemon
2–3 tsp icing sugar, to taste
Method
To make the panna cotta, split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds . Put the gelatine sheets into a bowl of cold water and leave them to soak for 5 minutes . Put the cream, caster sugar and vanilla seeds into a pan, and slowly bring up to the boil, whisking continuously . Take the pan off the heat . Take
the gelatine out of the water, gently squeeze out the excess water and add to the cream mixture, whisking continuously until it has dissolved . Strain the mixture through a sieve into a measuring jug .
Divide the mixture equally between 4 x 200ml dariole moulds or ramekins, place them on a baking tray and leave them to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days .
Choose the 4 nicest strawberries for decoration, then cut them in half with the stems intact . Remove the stalks from the remainder, then add to a blender with a squeeze of lemon juice and icing sugar to taste – the amount will depend on how sweet the strawberries are . Blitz to a smooth purée, then pass through a sieve into a jug .
To serve, leave at room temperature for 15 minutes, then turn each panna cotta upside down on to a serving plate . If it won’t drop out, carefully dip the mould briefly into a bowl of warm water to loosen it . Serve with a drizzle of the strawberry compote and the sliced fresh strawberries .
Serve after … Panna cotta is a brilliant stand-by dessert because it’s quick and simple enough to make in the morning . I leave it to set in the fridge and serve after Fragrant Butterflied Lamb (p .69) with a large bowl of the best strawberries in Ireland . Pat Clarke has been delivering me strawberries for years, and their flavour is sensational.
This quick and delicious recipe can be adapted to make a larger tart, and topped with any fruit you like.
Ingredients
Makes 24 mini almond tartlets or 2 x 18cm tarts
110g butter
110g caster sugar
110g ground almond
Method
Preheat the oven to 180’C/160’Fan/350’F/Gas mark 4.
Place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft and light. Add in the sugar and the ground almonds and mix to combine.
Place generous teaspoonful blobs of the mixture in each ‘cup’ of a shallow bun tray (a mince pie tray), you should get 24 altogether so if it’s a 12 hole tray then cook it in 2 batches.
Or you could make 12 mini tartlets and 1 x 18cm tin.
Bake in the preheat oven for 8-10 minutes until a rich golden brown then take out of the oven and leave to sit for 3 minutes, then remove each little tartlet base and cool on a wire rack.
The larger tart will take 16-18 minutes to cook.
After removing from the oven, allow to sit for 3 minutes then turn out onto a plate and allow to cool before decorating.
Top with raspberries or sliced strawberries and whipped cream or whatever delicious fruit you have.
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.
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.
Neven Maguire’s mushroom & leek strudel with madeira wine sauce
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
For the strudel
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
225g mixed wild mushrooms roughly chopped
1 small leek, washed and finely sliced
2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp Madeira Wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
4-5 sheets filo pastry, thawed if frozen (about 100g/4oz in total)
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves, to serve
For the madeira wine sauce
700ml beef stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
3 tbsp Madeira Wine
3 tbsp cream
Method
For the strudel
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ gas mark 5.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook over a medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until almost tender.
Reduce the heat, add the cream and Madeira to the pan and cook for another minute.
Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté for another minute until the spring onions are just tender and the liquid has almost completely reduced.
Allow to cool completely.
Unroll the sheets of filo pastry and place them all, one on top of the other, on a work surface.
Brush the top sheet of pastry with beaten egg and then spread over the mushroom mixture to within 4cm (1½in) of the edges.
Fold the short ends inwards a little to meet the mushroom mixture and then, starting with a long edge, roll up the pastry fairly tightly like you would a Swiss roll, keeping the mushrooms in place as you roll.
Place the strudel seam-side down on the parchment paper and brush it all over with the remaining beaten egg.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before carefully placing on a chopping board.
Cut the strudel into thick slices and arrange on warmed plates. Drizzle some sauce beside it and serve with some mixed salad leaves.
For the madeira wine sauce
Heat a heavy based saucepan, add the Madeira Wine and reduce by half.
Gradually whisk in the beef stock until smooth, followed by the tomato purée.
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Whisk in the cream, bring to the boil, season to taste and thicken with some diluted cornflower.
550g (1¼lb) salmon fillet, skinned and boned (well chilled)
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Wasabi paste
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tblsp seasoned flour
4 slices sourdough bread
4 Little Gem lettuce leaves
Handful of fresh coriander sprigs
Lime wedges, to serve
For the Roasted Red Pepper Salsa:
2 roasted red peppers, finely diced (from a jar is fine)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tblsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tblsp rapeseed oil
1 tblsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tblsp shredded fresh basil sea salt and freshly ground
Black pepper
Method
Using a sharp knife cut away any brown bits from the salmon fillet, then finely chop.
Place in a bowl, then stir in the spring onions, mustard and sesame seeds. Season to taste.
Divide into 4 portions, then using slightly wetted hands, shape into patties. Dust the patties in the flour, shaking off any excess. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
Meanwhile, make the roasted red pepper salsa. Place the red peppers in a bowl and stir in the tomatoes, lemon rind, sweet chilli sauce, oil and herbs. Season to taste and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavours to develop.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil to the frying pan and then add the salmon burgers. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly golden but still slightly pink in the centre. Be careful not to overcook them or they will quickly become dry. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until smoking hot. Add the slices of sourdough bread and chargrill for 1-2 minutes on each side, until nicely marked.
Arrange on warmed plates and top with Little Gem lettuce leaves and the burgers. Spoon over the roasted red pepper salsa, then scatter over the coriander sprigs and serve with lime wedges.
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.
Foodaware 