A Family Favourite of ours…

We have received a lot of requests lately for one of my favourite family dishes….hope you all enjoy as much as we do!

Lamb Meatballs in Almond Sauce
Makes 30 meatballs (small)

Meatballs
35ml white wine
60g breadcrumbs
500g minced leg of Wicklow lamb
1 egg
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper for seasoning

Almond Sauce
2 onions, finely diced
½ chilli finely chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
100ml dry white wine
600ml chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Pinch saffron
¼ tsp paprika
1 carrot, grated
100g ground almonds
Salt & Pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Flat Leaf Parsley (optional)

To make the sauce:
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and chilli. Cook until soft – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and boil until reduced by one quarter – about 2 minutes. Add the stock, bay leaf, saffron and paprika.
Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and almonds and simmer for 10 minutes.
Season with the salt to taste.
Set aside.

To make the meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a bowl, add the breadcrumbs, pour in the white wine and let soak for 2 minutes. Pound the garlic and salt to a paste. Then add the lamb, eggs, pepper and garlic paste to the breadcrumb mix. Mix well. Using your hands, form meatballs about 2 ½ cm in diameter and place on the lined baking tray, about 1 cm apart. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes approximately. If you prefer a bit of colour on the lamb, pan fry them first on a high heat for a few minutes and finish in the oven.

Add the meatballs to the almond sauce, return to the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Add some chopped Flat Leaf Parsley to garnish.

 

Check out our new cookery classes on our http://www.ballyknocken.com or call us on 0404 44627

Perfect on a Friday afternoon

Caramel Latte with Fudge Brownie Bars
When my daughter has friends over for a play date, the girls like to feel special and a little grown up, so I allow them to have a latte – not with coffee, though; the milk is good for them! I also like to serve this at brunch instead of a strong coffee.
Makes 2 lattes and 12-14 brownie bars
for the fudge brownie bars:
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
100g butter
100g self-raising flour, sieved
60g mini fudge pieces
for the caramel latte:
300ml milk
100ml boiling water
2 tbsp caramel-flavoured syrup

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment.
2 To make the brownie bars, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a hand whisk until creamy and frothy. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bain marie) until smooth, taking care not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and fudge pieces and stir again. Pour into the baking tin, spreading evenly. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until just set. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Peel back the parchment from the edges and cut the brownies into thin 3cm bars.
3 To make the lattes, heat the milk in a small pot and add the boiling water. Using a small hand-held milk frother, froth the hot milk. Pour the caramel-flavoured syrup into glasses or mugs. Pour the hot milk into the glasses and serve with the brownie bars.

Recipe from The Weekend Chef – Easy Food for Lazy Days

Published by Gill & Macmillan

Photography by Joanne Murphy

 

 

Going Potty for Planting

Check out this beautiful Pineapple Mint outside the Cookery School – the colour and the smell are just incredible.

The garden is looking and smelling better than ever, the vegetable garden is just brimming with delicious fruits and vegetables.

We have a variety of lettuce :

Naverre (red oak leaf), Veredes (green oak leaf), Lollo biondi, Lattughino Italian Finger Lettuce, Red Fire and Spotty Butter Gem – that are served with our weekend dinners.  The Mange tout and sugar snap peas are bursting with greenness.

The celery lead, scallions, perilla, wild rocket and Fresh Sorrel are ready to be picked and the giant globe artichokes are just the King of the vegetable garden, simply stunning.

The edible flowers; Boarage, violas, marigold, shingiku and pinks are a great way to dress up salads and even cakes.

Our Alpine strawberries are flourishing bedside our rhubarb. We have some lovely loganberries ripening in the herb garden, jostaberries and gooseberries too.

We are watching our broad beans, beetroot, swiss chard and courgettes coming along nicely.

We just planted a red cabbage and a Table Queen Pumpkin – so looking forward to seeing how well they take.

We have some lemon balm and chamomile for fresh herbal teas – nothing quite like it.

My passion for the garden stems directly into my passion for food. For me, the freshness of the ingredients is key to making the tastiest, most flavoursome food.

Check out this week’s RTE Guide for some of my true ‘Salt of the Earth’ recipes.

We have some new classes added to our Autumn/ Winter Schedule – check out the below link or call Sharon for more details on 0404 44627.

http://www.thecookeryschool.ie/calender.php

 

 

 

World Cup Fever – at Fever Pitch….

It will be all eyes on the match this evening in our house with Italy-v-Costa Rica on at 5pm.
Been married to a Sicilian and spending so much time over in Italy with family and friends, I know all too well the passion that the Italians have for their football…and for their food.

I will be making one of my favourite match day dishes that you might like to try yourselves at home over the weekend.
In my most recent book, The Weekend Chef, Easy Food for Lazy Days – I have dedicated a whole chapter for
‘Food for the Match’ – this is one of my favourite dishes, I just love the sweet and sticky texture of the sauce – goes down a treat in our house.

Pork Ribs with Orange and Pomegranate Salsa
Serves 4

1.5kg pork spare ribs
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 litre pomegranate juice

For the sauce:
60g dark brown sugar
1 x 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
75ml pomegranate molasses
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp ground cumin

For the salsa:
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 pomegranate, deseeded
1 large orange, peeled and segmented
small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lime

Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3.

Place the ribs in a roasting tin. Sprinkle over the red chilli and coriander seeds and pour in the pomegranate juice. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour 45 minutes, turning the ribs from time to time, until tender.

Place all the ingredients for the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 minutes, until a thick syrup forms.

When the ribs are done, pour off the pomegranate juice and brush the ribs with the sticky sauce. Cover and marinate for least 1 hour, if not longer (12 hours is preferable). Allow the ribs to cool completely before placing them in the fridge.

To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients and set aside.

To finish the ribs, bring them to room temperature before cooking. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7.

Cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally and basting from time to time with the sauce, until the ribs are sticky on the outside. Serve with the salsa.

Sweet and sticky and oh so delicious – and even better when washed down with a good craft beer.

Recipe from The Weekend Chef – Easy Food for Lazy Days

Published by Gill & Macmillan

Photo credit to Joanne Murphy

All in one for your one n’ all – perfect for a Father’s Day treat!!

ALL IN ONE IRISH BREAKFAST BAKE
Choose good-quality sausages from your local butcher. It’s the easy way out, a one-pot breakfast that saves on the washing up, a definite crowd pleaser and it’s delicious.
Serves 4
rapeseed oil
2 medium potatoes, sliced into wedges
8 good-quality breakfast sausages
10–12 cherry tomatoes
8 large mushrooms, wiped clean
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
toast, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Brush an ovenproof shallow casserole or roasting skillet with oil.
2 Place the potato wedges into the casserole dish or skillet and roast in the oven for about 12 minutes.
3 Add the sausages and cook for a further 10 minutes, turning them over once or twice during the cooking time.
4 Add the cherry tomatoes and mushrooms to the casserole dish or skillet. Drizzle a little more oil over the vegetables and season. Cook until the potato wedges are crispy and the tomatoes are roasted.
5 Make 4 gaps in between the vegetables and carefully break an egg into each. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return to the oven and cook for a further 5–6 minutes, until the eggs are set. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately with toast.

From my Weekend Chef, Easy Food for Lazy Days.

Published by Gill & Macmillan

Photo credit, Joanne Murphy

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there!!

Catherine

 

 

Naughty but oh sooo nice…

 

 

No Bake Strawberry and Orange Tartlets
A ‘no bake’ dessert takes the pressure off in that last minute rush before guests arrive. The Greek yoghurt balances the sweetness here and soothes the sharpness of the passion fruit.
Makes 6 x 10cm tartlets or 1 x 24cm tart
For the biscuit base:
120g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
200g amaretti biscuits
for the filling:
600ml double cream
zest of 1 orange
pulp of 2 passion fruit
100g Greek yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g strawberries, washed and sliced into quarters
1 Brush 6 x 10cm loose-bottomed, fluted tartlet tins (or 1 x 24cm loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin) with a little of the melted butter.
2 Place the amaretti biscuits in a food processor and whizz until they’re fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse a few times to combine, then carefully press the crumbs into the base and sides of the tartlet tins. Place in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
3 To make the filling, whisk the cream and orange zest in a large mixing bowl with an electric beater until stiff peaks form. Add the passion fruit pulp and stir to combine. Fold in the yoghurt and vanilla extract until mixed through.
4 Spoon the filling into the set biscuit bases and chill again for 3 hours. When ready to serve, arrange the strawberries around the edge of the tartlets.

Recipe from the Weekend Chef – Easy Food for Lazy Days

Publisher Gill and Macmillan

Photo credit Joanne Murphy

 

We have a huge range of classes available over the Summer months – check out our website for more details:

http://www.thecookeryschool.ie/calender

If you have yet to buy a Father’s Day Gift – we are running a Head Chef Junior Chef class on Sunday 6th July

and again on 17th August at 230pm.

Adults are only €65.00ea and Kids under 12 are €45.00ea

 

Happy Weekend everyone!

 

A month in review

I cannot believe it is the end of May already and more importantly the June Bank Holiday!!

It is been a busy month for me – I have been working with Barilla as the Barilla Brand Ambassador, promoting their pasta range in Ireland  – it was always the one product I would bring home with me from my trips to Italy, so am thrilled that it is finally here!
The next Barilla demonstration that I will be doing is in Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt next Friday, 6th June – would love to see you there.

I will be also doing a Demonstration this Sunday in BLOOM, always love attending that show – my two greatest passions; food and gardening.

My new Bake Like an Italian cook book is coming out in September, so have spent the last few weeks finalising, proofing and adding the finishing touches with it with my publisher Gill & Macmillan.  After months of trying and testing recipes, it is great to see the finished product coming together.

Keep an eye out for one of my new recipes from my book in the coming weeks – a little teaser for what’s in store!!

I am also delighted to be the Leinster Mentor for new RTE TV Series, The Taste of Success:

Turn your Food Passion into an incredible €100k Prize!
For more information and to apply see www.rte.ie/food
Closing date – Wed 11th June

And on top of all that, I even got to go to the 1 Direction concert with my daughter – I don’t know who was more excited, but we both came back hoarse, what a show…what a month!!

 

Thanks for following my Blog.

Happy Bank Holiday Friday everyone 🙂

Catherine

 

 

How does your garden grow?…

 

All the flowers, all the colours
All in a perfect row
First the seeds
And then the water
Keeping a little space
Daisies here, roses there
Each one has their place

A picture of our Florence Fennel taken first thing this morning.

Wendy and Orlaith are my green fingered friends who help me out with both the herb and the vegetable gardens here in Ballyknocken.

We have been very busy both planting and picking over the past few weeks and thought I’d share with you what’s been happening…

At the moment we have abundant spring onions, Lettuce Oriental salads, Spinach and Rhubarb – already picked and ready for this weekend’s cookery classes.

http://www.thecookeryschool.ie/calender

In herb garden we have Chervil, Coriander, Parsley, Thyme, Sage and Chives.

What will be available to eat very soon:

Winterkefe mange-tout peas Sugar snap peas Strawberries

What we are planting now:

Climbing French beans, purple, gold and borlotti Beetroot, yellow and red Sugar snap peas, Broad beans.

What we will be planting soon:

Courgettes, Red cabbage, Celery, and celery leaf, Broad beans, more lettuce and salads Squash Swiss chard

Potatoes are up well now. Main crop varieties so won’t be harvesting them until September.

Edible flowers in bloom:

Violas, pot marigold, shingiku chrysanthemums, nasturtiums, February orchid, pinks.

Very pleased with new perennial bed which has:

Lovage, Globe artichokes, Potato onions, Alpine strawberries, Scorzonera Edible flowers

 

I just love getting out into the garden, particularly at this time of the year..there is something truly satisfying with the whole process of planting, picking and eating your own home grown fruit, vegetables and herbs…and nothing quite as tasty either.

 

 

 

A taste of Summer

Summer is in the air, freshly cut grass and the faint smell of your neighbours BBQ!!
Well here is a lovely recipe from my Family Kitchen book that will have your neighbours looking over the fence for an invite…

Tandoori Lamb Burgers

 

Guests really appreciate lamb burgers because they’re not frequently available. These are not

technically tandoori, but I’ve called them so because of the wonderful Indian flavours. They are

really delicious and serving them in pittas makes a nice change from burger buns.

 

Makes 10 small burgers

1kg good-quality minced

lamb

1 small onion, finely

chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2.5cm fresh root ginger,

finely grated

2 tbsp mango chutney

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1⁄2 tsp garam masala

1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground

black pepper

sunflower oil

 

To serve:

10 mini pitta breads

1 red onion, sliced

1 cucumber, sliced

mango chutney

mint raita (Greek yoghurt

mixed with chopped fresh

mint)

 

1. Mix all the ingredients for the burgers except the oil in a

large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Break off a little

of the mixture and cook to check for seasoning. Adjust the

main mixture if necessary. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

2. To shape the burgers, wash your hands, leaving them wet.

Divide the mixture into 10 small burgers.

3. Heat the griddle pan or a BBQ to a hot heat. Brush the

burgers on both sides with oil and cook for 3–4 minutes on

each side, or until well browned and cooked through.

4. Warm the pittas on the barbeque. Slit open and slide in the

burger along with some sliced red onion, cucumber, mango

chutney and mint raita. Serve with Oven-roasted Chunky

 

Recipe from: Catherine’s Family Kitchen

Published by Gill & Macmillan

Photography by Joanne Murphy

 

We have BBQ & Outdoor Dining cookery classes available in the school over the coming months – check out our website for more details http://www.thecookeryschool.ie/calender

Happy grilling 🙂

Healthy, Hearty…and in Season

Roasted Stuffed Peppers

I particularly like stuffed peppers as a starter, for lunch or simply for my vegetarian day. The sweetness of the roasted red peppers works well with the savoury filling. Sometimes
I use feta instead of mozzarella – I admit it’s not Italian, but it’s delicious in the peppers.

2 red peppers
extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100g buffalo mozzarella, roughly chopped
150g breadcrumbs
3 anchovies, finely chopped (optional)
8 cherry tomatoes, diced
1 tsp chopped oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 black olives, sliced
2 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
green salad, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Halve the peppers, including the stalks. Remove the membrane and seeds. Brush a
baking tray with olive oil and place the peppers on it, cut side up.
3. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Cook the onion on a low heat for 7–10 minutes, until sweet in flavour. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
4. Transfer the onion and garlic to a bowl. Add the mozzarella, breadcrumbs, anchovies, cherry tomatoes and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little oil and mix well.
5. Spoon the breadcrumb mixture into the peppers. Add the olives on top. Sprinkle with parsley and some olive oil.
6. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the peppers are fully cooked through. Serve with a green salad.

If you aren’t partial to olives, replace them with some
freshly grated Parmesan.

FUN FACT: Red peppers are ripened green peppers and are distinctly sweeter.

 

Recipe from Catherine’s Italian Kitchen, Catherine Fulvio

Publisher: Gill & Macmillan