Despite being around food all day, I never tire of cooking, and I cook for my family every day. Like everyone else, I find it useful to have a repertoire of dishes that I know really well and, importantly, that I know my children love eating. These are dishes that are easy to put together but never compromise on flavour. Many of these dishes are one-pot meals, such as the Kale and Bean Stew and the Pork and Mushroom Pie. One-pot meals aren’t only easier to cook, they really save on the clearing up!
This chapter includes a recipe for our beloved Irish Stew. It is a deeply flavoured dish made with lamb or mutton, and each county and even each family has its own version.
I love the deep nourishment that a bean and vegetable stew can provide in winter. Stews such as this warm and hearty one are perfect after a bracing walk in the wind and rain. Kale grows well in Ireland, and it is one of my favourite vegetables. There are a few different varieties. Curly kale is the most popular, but there is also red Russian kale and the fabulous Italian variety known as Tuscan kale, cavolo nero or sometimes dinosaur kale due to its unusual bobbled appearance.
Vegetarian (if using vegetable stock)
Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped
4 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250ml (9fl oz) dry white wine
2 × 400g (14oz) cans white beans, such as cannellini, butter or haricot, drained and rinsed
800ml–1 litre (29fl oz–1¾ pints) Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
3 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
500g (1lb 2oz) shredded kale leaves (stems and centre ribs discarded)
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes, until completely soft and lightly browned.
Add the white wine, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly reduced. Add the beans, 800ml (29fl oz) of the stock, the thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Add the kale and allow the stew to simmer for 3–5 minutes, until the kale is tender. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. If you would like a thinner stew, add a little more stock at this stage. Stir in the sherry vinegar, then taste for seasoning and serve in bowls with a sprinkling of parsley.
Small, sweet summer beetroot make for a perfect simple salad. Their earthy sweetness works well when balanced with the creamy, salty taste of Cashel Blue cheese. This salad has a much-needed crunch from toasted hazelnuts. If you desire, serve it with Cucumber Pickle.
Vegetarian
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30–45 minutes
4 small beetroot (about 150g/5oz in total)
40g (1½oz) hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
4 handfuls of salad leaves
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
About 20 slices Cucumber Pickle (optional)
FOR THE DRESSING
125ml (4fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp honey
75g (3oz) roughly crumbled Cashel Blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
First cook the beetroot. Wash the roots carefully under a cold tap. Do not scrub them – simply rub off any dirt with your fingers. You don’t want to damage the skin or to cut off the tops or tails, otherwise the beetroot will ‘bleed’ while cooking. Put the beetroot in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and continue to simmer for 30–45 minutes, depending on the size and age of your beetroot. They are cooked when their skins rub off easily, and a knife can be inserted easily into the centres. Peel the beetroot by rubbing off and discarding the skins. Then cut each beetroot into eight wedges.
To make the dressing, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice and honey in a bowl or jar, then add the blue cheese and taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Combine the beetroot and hazelnuts in a bowl, drizzle with three-quarters of the dressing, season and toss.
Place the salad leaves on one big serving plate or divide among individual plates and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Scatter the beetroot and the hazelnuts over the leaves. Sprinkle over the grated lemon zest. If you desire, you can add four or five slices of cucumber pickle per person.
This is a particularly good fish cake recipe, great for using up leftovers, but I rarely make the same fish cakes twice. I use whatever fish I can get and vary the other ingredients, too. Sometimes I like to add chillies, or use different cooked vegetables or different herbs. In summer we love to eat these outside with a tomato and basil salad and some flavoured mayonnaise Dublin Bay Prawns. In winter I prefer them with an herb butter melting over the top.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
600g (1lb 5oz) floury potatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g (14oz) skinned white fish, such as cod, haddock or hake
150g (5oz) butter, diced
4 tbsp white wine
Juice of ¼ lemon
150g (5oz) button mushrooms, sliced
200g (7oz) cooked and peeled shrimp or small prawns (chop large ones)
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, dill or chives (either one herb or a mixture)
3–4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salad leaves and lemon wedges, to serve
Scrub the potatoes, but do not peel them. Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and add a good pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes. Then pour out all but about 3cm (1in) of the water and continue to cook the potatoes over very low heat. Don’t be tempted to stick a knife into them at any stage to see if they are cooked – the skins will split and the potatoes will just break up and become soggy if you do. About 20 minutes later, when you think the potatoes might be cooked, test them with a skewer; if they are soft, take them off the heat and drain them.
Peel the potatoes while they are still hot, holding them in a clean tea towel to avoid scalding your hands. Mash them immediately and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, place the fish in a wide, shallow saucepan and add 100g (3½oz) of the butter, the wine and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and gently poach over low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Carefully remove the fish from the pan and set aside to cool a little. Turn up the heat to high and boil the poaching liquid until it has reduced by half.
In the meantime, melt 25g (1oz) of the remaining butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 8–10 minutes, until soft and golden, seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside and allow to cool a little.
Add the fish, reduced poaching liquid and cooked mushrooms to the mashed potatoes along with the shrimp, egg yolks, mustard and herbs. Gently mix everything together, breaking the fish up as you go but being careful not to mash it up too much. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Shape the mixture into eight patties, each about 8cm (3in) wide and 2cm (¾in) thick, and arrange on a baking tray or large plate. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for about 1 hour to firm up. (The fish cakes can be prepared up to this stage in advance and either frozen or kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours.)
Combine the olive oil and remaining butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat and very gently fry the fish cakes for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and warmed through, adding a little more oil or butter to the pan during cooking if necessary.
Divide the fish cakes among the serving plates, add some salad leaves to each plate, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and flavoured mayonnaise or Herb Butters.
Herb butter is easy to make, using whatever herbs are on hand. To store, spoon it onto some greaseproof paper, roll into a sausage shape, securing the ends, and pop in the fridge or freezer. Slice the butter as you need it.
Vegetarian
Each recipe Makes about 85g (3½oz)
Preparation time: 5 minutes
FOR THE DILL BUTTER
75g (3oz) butter, softened
1 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE GARLIC AND HERB BUTTER
75g (3oz) butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 heaped tbsp finely chopped mixed fresh herbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mash the butter with a fork in a small bowl to soften. Stir in the dill, along with a good squeeze of lemon juice and a little salt and pepper. Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Mash the butter with a fork in a small bowl to soften. Stir in the garlic, herbs and a little salt and pepper. Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
This is a lovely light fish stew that just cries out for crusty bread to mop up all the delicious juices. Use whatever seafood is at its freshest – a combination of contrasting tastes and textures is what you’re aiming for. Serve with Brown Soda Bread or Ballymaloe Brown Yeast Bread.
Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
450g (1lb) mussels
4 large tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
200g (7oz) leeks, trimmed and cut into 7mm (⅜in) thick slices
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 1–2cm (½–¾in) dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
300ml (11fl oz) Chicken Stock or fish stock
Good pinch of caster or granulated sugar
12 raw, peeled king prawns, langoustines or tiger prawns (about 225g/8oz in total)
300g (11oz) skinless white fish fillets, such as cod or haddock, cut into 2cm (¾in) chunks
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to serve
First prepare the mussels. Rinse the shells in cold running water a couple of times to wash away any sand or grit. Give them a scrub to dislodge any barnacles or bits of weed, then remove the ‘beard’ with a tug or a sharp knife. Discard any that are open and won’t close when tapped against a hard surface.
Peel the tomatoes by scoring a cross at the top of each tomato with a sharp knife, then placing in a bowl and covering with boiling water. Leave in the water for 15–20 seconds, then drain, rinse in cold water and peel the skin from each tomato. Chop the peeled tomatoes into small pieces and set aside.
Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan on medium heat, add the leeks and red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until a little softened, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 7–8 minutes more or until the tomatoes are soft.
Tip in the mussels, prawns and fish, bring back up to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover with the lid and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes or until the fish and seafood are cooked. (The fish and prawns should be opaque and the mussels opened – discard any that remain closed.)
Season to taste, sprinkle over the parsley and serve with chunks of crusty bread.
This is the fish pie that my husband Isaac makes, and it’s a wonderful family supper. The rich creamy fish filling is offset by the lemon juice and Dijon mustard. This fish pie can be made in advance, not cooked, and kept in the freezer for up to three months.
Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
800g (1¾lb) skinless fish fillets, either one type or a mixture, such as salmon, cod, whiting, hake or haddock
150ml (5fl oz) white wine
Juice of ½ lemon
125g (4½oz) butter, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g (5oz) mushrooms, sliced
225ml (8fl oz) double or whipping cream
1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, tarragon, thyme or dill
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Put the onion in the bottom of a large saucepan and lay the fish on top in an even layer (cutting to fit, if necessary). Pour in the wine, add the lemon juice (the liquid is unlikely to cover the fish, but that’s fine), scatter three-quarters of the butter over the top and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the fish is cooked.
In the meantime, melt the remaining butter in a small frying pan over low heat and sauté the mushrooms for 5–6 minutes, until softened. Season well with salt and pepper.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the fish from the saucepan (leaving the onions and cooking liquid in the pan) to a 22cm (8in) square ovenproof dish or divide among four to six individual gratin dishes. While there is no need to flake the fish, you needn’t worry if the fish breaks up as you move it.
Add the cream to the onions and cooking liquid in the pan and continue to simmer, with the lid off, for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the mustard, herbs and sautéed mushrooms and check the seasoning.
Pour the sauce over the fish in the dish (or dishes) and then spoon over the mashed potato, spreading with the back of a spoon or fork. Alternatively, pipe the mashed potato over the fish with a pastry bag and nozzle for a more professional-looking finish. (The fish pie can be prepared to this stage, left to cool, and then placed in the fridge overnight until you are ready to bake, if wished.)
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top. Add about 10 minutes if the pie has been chilled. Serve immediately.
This is such a perfect family meal: a steaming pot for the centre of the table, just the kind of food I want on a blustery day. It’s really easy to make and the dumplings are a fantastic alternative to potatoes or bread. I like to serve this dish with a green salad.
Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
1 whole chicken (1.8kg/4lb)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
350g (12oz) thick-cut or unsliced bacon, cut into 1–2cm (½–¾in) chunks
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, sliced 2cm (¾in) thick on the diagonal
700ml (1¼ pints) Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
Few sprigs of thyme
FOR THE CHEESY HERB DUMPLINGS
350g (12oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, tarragon or chives
300ml (11fl oz) buttermilk or soured milk
4 tbsp finely grated Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Remove the breasts from the chicken and cut them in half. Remove the leg portions and divide them into thighs and drumsticks. This will make eight chicken pieces in total. Season them well with salt and pepper.
Pour the olive oil into a large flameproof casserole dish over high heat, add the bacon and fry for 1–2 minutes, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chicken in batches and sear on each side until golden, then remove. Add the onion and carrots and fry for 2–3 minutes, until golden.
Return the bacon and chicken to the casserole dish, pour in the stock, add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring slowly to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the dumplings. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and stir in the herbs. Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the buttermilk (leaving about 50ml/2fl oz in the measuring jug). Using one hand with your fingers outstretched like a claw, bring the flour and liquid together, adding a little more buttermilk if necessary. Don’t knead the mixture or it will become too heavy. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky.
Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and bring together, forming it into a round. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a thickness of about 2cm (¾in). With a 5cm (2in) biscuit cutter, stamp out 10–12 dumplings, or divide the dough into 10–12 pieces and roll each one between your hands into a small ball.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven and turn the heat up to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8. Arrange the dumplings on top, leaving slight gaps to allow for spreading. Sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the dumplings are crisp and golden and the chicken is cooked through.
This is a pie we tend to make after Christmas Day, when we have both leftover turkey and ham. We also call it St. Stephen’s Day Pie, and it’s always incredibly popular in our house, even with the disappointment of Christmas being over! You can use chicken or another bird if you don’t have leftover turkey. Try serving with Buttered Leeks or Creamed Kale.
Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
50g (2oz) butter
1 onion, finely chopped
450g (1lb) mushrooms, sliced
350ml (12fl oz) double cream
100ml (3½fl oz) turkey or Chicken Stock
675g (1½lb) mixed leftover cooked turkey and ham, cut into 1cm (½in) chunks
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or marjoram
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Melt half of the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and fry gently for 8–10 minutes, until completely soft but not browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Increase the heat and add the remaining butter to the pan. Tip the mushrooms into the pan and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until they are soft and golden brown (you may need to do this in two batches).
Return the onion to the pan and pour in the cream and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a little. Add the turkey, ham and tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow 3 litre (5 pint) gratin dish set on a baking tray and spread evenly. Top with the mashed potato, spooning it on in dollops and spreading with a fork.
Bake for 25–30 minutes in the oven, until golden brown on top and bubbling hot.
Rather than making one large pie, divide the ingredients among six to eight individual pie dishes. This is also particularly handy if you choose to freeze them (fully made with the mashed potato on top). Then you can take them out as you need them.
For me there is nothing quite so comforting as bangers and mash, and these homemade sausages are ever so tasty and easy to make. Colcannon is perfect winter food.
Serves 4 (makes about 12 sausages)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
450g (1lb) fatty minced pork
50g (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or marjoram
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil or sunflower oil
FOR THE COLCANNON
1.5kg (3lb) floury potatoes, scrubbed
100g (3½oz) butter
500g (1lb 2oz) green cabbage, outer leaves removed
2 tbsp water
250ml (9fl oz) milk, heated
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE APPLESAUCE
1 large cooking apple (350g/12oz), peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 tbsp water
25–50g (1–2oz) caster sugar
To make the sausages, mix together the pork, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Fry a tiny bit of the mixture in a pan with a little olive or sunflower oil to see if the seasoning is good.
Divide the mixture into twelve portions and shape each one into a sausage. Place on a baking tray or plate and set aside until you want to cook them. (Chilling them for a day in the fridge is fine, or you can freeze them.)
To make the colcannon, cook the potatoes, covered, in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Then drain three-quarters of the water and continue to cook over low heat with the lid on for another 20–30 minutes until cooked. Test using a skewer or feel with your fingers; avoid stabbing the potatoes with a knife because this will make them break up. When cooked, drain all the remaining water, peel and mash with 50g (2oz) of the butter while hot. I usually hold the potato on a fork and peel with a knife if they are hot.
Meanwhile, cook the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters, then cut out the core. Thinly slice the cabbage across the grain. Heat a saucepan, add the remaining butter, water and the sliced cabbage. Toss over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until just cooked. Add to the potatoes, then add most of the hot milk and the parsley, keeping some of the milk back in case you do not need it all.
Season to taste and beat until creamy and smooth, adding more milk if necessary.
While the potatoes are cooking, make the apple sauce and cook the sausages. To make the apple sauce, put the apple in a small saucepan with the water. Cover and cook over gentle heat (stir every now and then) until the apple has broken down to a mush. Add sugar to taste.
To cook the sausages, heat a frying pan over low-medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and gently fry the sausages for 12–15 minutes, until golden on all sides and cooked on the inside. Serve with the colcannon and apple sauce.
Coddle is a simple Irish dish long associated with Dublin and spoken of in rapturous tones by many of us from the city. It is a mixture of potato, bacon, onion and sausage all cooked in a flavourful broth. This is a recipe from my husband Isaac, which he made one Monday using leftover bacon and the cooking water from the previous evening’s boiled bacon. The use of the cooking water gives this coddle recipe real depth of flavour, but it’s incredibly simple to put together. If you don’t have leftover boiled bacon, you can make this dish using fried rashers or lardons of bacon and chicken stock or even water.
Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
350g (12oz) potato, peeled and cut into 2cm (¾in) cubes (more or less)
200g (7oz) finely chopped onion
225g (8oz) breakfast sausages, each cut into 4 pieces
600ml (1 pint) leftover bacon cooking liquid, Chicken Stock or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g (3½oz) leftover boiled or fried bacon, torn or cut into 1–2cm (½–¾in) chunks (more or less)
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Put the potato, onion and sausages in a large saucepan and add the bacon cooking water. Add a little salt and pepper (but not too much if you’re using bacon cooking water). Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. Add the cooked bacon and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the parsley, season to taste and serve immediately.
This is a lovely, old-fashioned picnic pie. You can serve it for lunch, but it travels well for a picnic. This is the sort of thing people used to make to bring to work with them; in fact, you could do the same! If you have any left over, it makes a handsome breakfast. Try serving with Tomato Relish and a green salad.
Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
15g (½oz) butter
1 onion, chopped
6 eggs
75ml (3fl oz) double cream
150g (5oz) cooked ham or bacon, sliced into 1 × 2cm (½ × ¾in) pieces
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Roll out the pastry and line a 25cm (10in) pie dish. Trim the pastry so that it is a bit bigger than the dish, then fold up the edges slightly so that you have a little lip all the way around. This will prevent the cream from running out when you put the pie in the oven. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
For the filling, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add the onions and cook until soft, 5–8 minutes. Whisk two of the eggs in a bowl, add the cream, the cooked onions, chopped ham and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Pour this into the pastry case. Carefully break the remaining eggs onto the pie, trying to keep the egg yolks intact.
Bake for 25–35 minutes, until the custard is set in the centre and the eggs on top are just cooked. Serve warm or allow to cool and pack for a picnic. Cut slices of the pie straight from the dish.
This makes enough to line one (28cm/11in) square or one (25cm/10in) round tin (with a little left over) or two (20cm/8in) square tins (it is best if they have removable bases). Uncooked pastry freezes perfectly, so it is handy to have some in the freezer. It will also keep in the fridge for a couple of days.
Vegetarian
Makes 450g (1lb)
Preparation time: 55 minutes (including cooling)
Cooking time: 17–22 minutes
250g (9oz) plain flour
125g (4½oz) butter, diced and softened
½–1 egg, beaten
Combine the flour and butter in a food processor. Whiz for a few seconds, then add half the beaten egg and continue whizzing. You might need to add a little more egg, but don’t add too much – the pastry should just come together. (If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour, then use your hands to bring it together with the egg.) Flatten out the ball of dough to a thickness of about 3cm (1¼in), wrap or cover with cling film, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
When you are ready to roll the pastry, remove from the fridge. Place the pastry between two sheets of cling film, which should be bigger than your tart tin. Using a rolling pin, roll it out until it is no thicker than 3mm (⅛in). Make sure to keep it round, if the tin is round, and large enough to line the bottom and sides of the tin.
Remove the top layer of cling film and place the pastry upside-down (cling film side facing up) in the tart tin. Press into the edges, cling film still attached and, using your thumbnail, cut the pastry on the edge of the tin to give a neat finish. Remove the cling film and pop the pastry in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
Blind baking is a way of partially cooking a pastry case before adding its filling. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper when cold (leaving plenty to come up the sides), fill with ceramic baking beans or dried beans (you can use these over and over) and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the pastry feels dry. Remove the paper and beans, brush with a little leftover beaten egg and return to the oven for 2 minutes. Take out of the oven and put to one side while you prepare the filling. This can be made a day in advance.
Sweet pastry: Use the recipe for shortcrust pastry above, but add 25g (1oz) icing sugar to the flour and butter in the food processor at the start of the recipe.
Sage and apple are the autumnal flavours of Ireland. Sweet apples are the perfect partner for pork. Smooth apple sauce, of course, goes well with roast pork, but here there are apple slices, which retain their bite. I think it’s especially fitting that this recipe then uses cider to finish everything off. If you can, use our delicious dry Irish cider. You could serve this with Sautéed Potatoes with Caramelised Onions, Roast Garlic Colcannon, Root Vegetable Mash or Buttered Cabbage.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
25g (1oz) butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 pork loin chops (each about 1.5cm/¾in thick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 apples, peeled and cut into 5mm (¼in) slices
200ml (7fl oz) cider
4 tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream
4 tsp chopped fresh sage
Combine the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When the butter starts to foam, place the chops in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook on one side for 2–3 minutes, until golden underneath, then turn over and season again.
Add the apple slices to the pan, nestling them in among the pork. Cook for about 5 minutes, tossing the slices regularly, until the apples are golden and softened and the chops are cooked through.
Pour in the cider and stir in the crème fraîche and sage. Bring to a simmer and allow to bubble for a couple of minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Cumin and coriander seem to be the two spices I reach for the most and run out of most often, they both go well with pork. The filling for the pie can be made a day in advance and left in the fridge, giving the spices time to infuse the meat. Then cover with mashed potato or buttery pastry.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1¾ hours
25g (1oz) butter
2 onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
680g (1½lb) pork (shoulder or leg, fat removed), cut into 1–2cm (½–¾in) cubes
250ml (9fl oz) Chicken Stock
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
300g (11oz) button mushrooms, sliced, left whole or quartered
250ml (9fl oz) single cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
FOR THE ROUX
25g (1oz) butter
20g (¾oz) plain flour
FOR THE TOPPING
300g (11oz) puff or shortcrust (flaky) pastry, rolled 5mm (¼in) thick
1 egg, beaten
OR
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium-size flameproof casserole dish, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cover and sweat over low heat for 5 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the cumin, coriander and pork. Toss for a few minutes until the pork changes colour, then add the stock. Cover and bake in the oven for 45–60 minutes, until the pork is tender.
While the pork is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over high heat and toss in the mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes until they are pale golden. Add to the pork after it has baked for 30 minutes.
When the pork is tender, remove the pork and mushrooms from their cooking liquid and set aside in a dish in a warm place. Add the cream to the juices in the casserole dish and boil with the lid off for a few minutes until the flavour intensifies.
To thicken the sauce, first make the roux. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring, and allow it to cook for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Slowly stir the roux into the boiling cooking liquid. Add the chopped parsley and return the pork and mushrooms. Season to taste and spoon into individual gratin dishes or a large pie dish.
For a pastry topping, preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.
For a mashed potato topping, preheat it to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
For a pastry top, cut the pastry to the same size as the top of the pie dish and arrange over the filling. Make a hole in the centre for steam to escape. Brush with the beaten egg to glaze. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn down the oven temperature to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 and bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
For a mashed potato top, arrange the mashed potato on top of the filling and lightly score the surface. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling hot.
A parsley and mint sauce is an easy way of adding flavour to lamb chops. The anchovies give the sauce a wonderful depth that works particularly well with lamb and doesn’t taste at all fishy. The mint and parsley bring freshness while the capers give the sauce their own particular punchy flavour. You can make the sauce ahead and it will keep in a jar for up to two weeks in the fridge. Do take it out of the fridge about half an hour or so before serving, to give the flavours a chance to wake up.
The sauce would also be an excellent accompaniment to grilled steak, roast chicken or pan-fried mackerel. You could also serve with Pea and Spring Onion Champ.
Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
8–12 lamb loin chops
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE PARSLEY AND MINT SAUCE
Handful of mint leaves
2 handfuls of parsley leaves
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
8 tinned anchovies
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2–4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the sauce, combine the herbs, capers, anchovies, olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a food processor. Whiz for a minute, then add salt and pepper or more lemon juice to taste. If you don’t have a food processor you can chop everything finely by hand and mix together.
Place a frying pan or griddle pan over high heat. While it is heating, drizzle the lamb chops with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the hot pan and cook for 2–4 minutes on each side, until just pink in the centre. Serve immediately with a drizzling of the sauce.
The definitive recipe for Irish stew simply doesn’t exist because each household has its own family recipe. It is said, however, that people in the south of Ireland always add carrots, but people north of County Tipperary do not. Many people make their stew by placing alternate layers of meat, onions, carrots and potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper, in a pot, covering with water, and stewing gently for a couple of hours. If you sear the meat and vegetables before stewing, as we do at Ballymaloe, it seals in the delicious sweet flavours.
Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1½–2 hours
1.5kg (3lb 4oz) mutton or lamb chops from the neck or shoulder, still on the bone, cut about 1.5cm (¾in) thick
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots, cut into thick slices at an angle, or 12 small baby carrots, scrubbed and left whole
12 baby onions, or 3–4 medium onions, cut into quarters through the root, which should keep the wedges intact
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400ml (14fl oz) lamb stock, Chicken Stock or water
8–12 potatoes, peeled, and halved if very large
1 sprig of thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Cut the chops in half, but keep the bones intact as they will give great flavour. Heat the olive oil in a medium to large flameproof casserole dish. Toss in the meat and cook for a minute on both sides, until nice and brown. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the carrots and onions to the hot oil and cook for a couple of minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Return the meat to the casserole dish. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Put the potatoes in, season again with salt and pepper and place a sprig of thyme on top.
Cover and bake in the oven for 1½–2 hours, until the meat is very tender. When it is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid and allow it to sit for a minute until the fat floats to the top; adding a cube of ice will help speed this up. Spoon off the fat and pour the juices back over the stew. Add the chopped herbs and serve.
If the potatoes are quite small, add them 20–30 minutes after the stew starts cooking to avoid them breaking up.
