Demo

SEABASS WITH CARROT AND AN ORANGE REDUCTION
ISSUE 16
Paul Hynes, LaCote
€3.80 £3.20


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WELCOME
What a whirlwind of a year! The island as a whole has seen a huge boost in the restaurant trade, something that has given great con dence to business across the board. YesChef is no exception and we continue to go from strength to strength. One example is the YesChef awards which was recently held in the four star Strand Hotel in Limerick. I would like to say a huge thank you to Chef Tom Flavin and his team in the kitchen for allowing the students of Limerick Institute of Technology, The Institute of Technology Athlone, Tralee Institute of Technology and Dublin Institute of Technology into his kitchens to prepare a six course menu for our guests. Co-ordinated by Head Chef – Jack Duffy, this was an amazing undertaking, one which totally wowed our guests, all four hundred and fty of them - our biggest year to date!
From our canapes, featuring Ballinwillin Farm venison and wild boar to the amuse bouche with Silverhill Duck, the amazing Burren hot smoked salmon on our sh course to Causeway Prime beef as the star of the show! An amazing meal served with such perfection by the waiting staff of The Strand, cloches at the ready, amazing. We nished off with a selection of cheeses from The Traditional Cheese Company and a wonderful Bailey’s mousse.
When I was rst introduced to the notion of involving students in the preparation of the YesChef Awards dinner, I will admit I was hesitant. I wanted perfection, and guess what? I am so glad I listened to others. The skill and dedication that these young chefs put into the event is staggering. Although the industry is indeed struggling to attract new blood, there is some amazing talent in the making. Thanks must go to the lecturers from colleges across the island, the dedication that these guys deliver is testament to the results - the students.
This of course leads me in to the next subject, the ever rising standards. As each discerning diner makes his or her visit to a restaurant, chefs are continuing to up their game, to be one step ahead of the next guy. It’s imperative within such a competitive industry to stay at the top of your game, let it be ne dining or producing the nest breakfast available. Choosing your supplier, the quality of the produce, seasonality and of course who backs you up in your kitchen. I can tell you about four such people who ride shotgun to their chef day in day out, our young chefs.
Young Chef of the Year - the most dif cult sector to judge in this year’s YesChef Awards. A huge congratulations to Clodagh Teahan who took the title of “Best Young Chef 2018”. Hot on her heels were Daniel Walsh from Belleek Castle, Daniella Rusu from the Boxty House and Daniel Mullarkey from Daithi’s on the Green. Our judges went through a nail biting couple of days wondering if their young chef would make the grade and I am delighted to say the standards were mind blowing. If this is what is in the wings, the culinary industry in Ireland has special times ahead.
Now, sit back and enjoy what lies ahead in this latest issue of YesChef Ireland...
Bon appetit
SHANE SMITH
MANAGING DIRECTOR


INSIDE THIS ISSUE
FROM THE DRINKS CABINET
19 CLASSICdrinks
Abrie Bruwer winemaker at Spring eld Estate
19 Rock Rose Gin
Teams up with Berts Jazz Bar, Belfast
THE LATEST
4 In the news
The latest from the food industry
7 What’s on?
Things to do, places to go
22 Recipe Feature
Fearless Food from Lynda Booth
46 Meet the winner
of our Traditional Cheese recipe competition
FOOD FOCUS
24 Major International 31 Gourmet Classic 36 Mooncoin Beetroot 38 Cavanagh Eggs
40 Gourmet Pure
44 Nashville Food Group


Whilst NI Media takes every care to ensure that all the information printed in YesChef is accurate, please be advised that recipes are supplied from outside sources and we cannot be held responsible or liable for any errors or omissions. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the publisher.
CHEF PROFILES
50 Barry Ralph, House of Plates, Castlebar 52 Nicky Cullen, Mary Barry’s, Kilmore
54 Brian McMonagle, Dock 1, Galway
58 Steven Glover, Kay’s Kitchen, Dublin
62 Paul Hynes, La Cote, Wexford
64 Paul Cunningham, Brunel’s, Newcastle, Co Down
68 Noel Keane, Croi, Tralee
74 Shane Smith, Dungannon Golf Club
76 Marcin Szczodrowski, Eala Bhán, Sligo
78 Daniel Mullarkey, Malin Hotel, Malin Head
82 Barra Hurley, Tomahawk, Dublin
86 At the table with Dave Porter, Kilronan Castle
88 Seany McKenna & Nikita Mc Crory, Blasta Street Food 90 Anwar Khan, Eastern Tandoori, Galway
92 Golam Nabi, Sa ron, Cashel
94 Laurence Richards, Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Carlow 98 Patrick Calpin, Talbot Hotel, Belmullet
100 Gary McPeake, McGrory’s Hotel, Culda
102 Corick Country House Hotel, Tyrone
106 Ilirian Bega, Venice, Galway
108 Manoj Varavumkai, The Holy Grail, Wexford
110 Jonathan Clarke, The Holestone, Antrim
tf
Nicci Smith, Editorial Director
Bob MacDonald, Consultant Chef
Editor
Nicci Smith
[email protected]
Contributors
Paul Brady Eimear McGovern
Recipe Editor
Gary Gamble
Sales Director
Joanne Cameron
[email protected] Photography
Shane Smith
Design
Neill Shearer
[email protected] Printer
GPS Colour Graphics
YesChef are proud to work with Hugh Jordan, supplying YesChef with superb crockery.
Joanne Cameron, Sales Director
Gary Gamble, Consultant Chef
Publisher
NI Media Limited
33a Railway Street, Lisburn, BT28 1XP Northern Ireland
Tel: +44 (0)28 9268 8577
Email: [email protected] www.yeschef.ie
Managing Director
Shane Smith
Editorial Director
Nicci Smith


JACINTA DALTON APPOINTED HEAD OF GMIT DEPARTMENT OF CULINARY ARTS & SERVICES INDUSTRIES
GMIT has appointed Jacinta Dalton as Head of GMIT’s Department of Culinary Arts & Services Industries, succeeding
Jacinta has had direct operational experience at senior management level in the food and hospitality industry over the past 20 years. She is one of eight appointed food champions
for The Wild Atlantic Way, a role that is peer nominated and appointed by Fáilte Ireland. The role recognises “individuals who actively in uence and shape the future of food tourism in their regions” (Fáilte Ireland, 2013). Jacinta represents Galway and Ireland at overseas symposiums and takes every opportunity to promote Galway and the West of Ireland as a food destination.
In 2011 Jacinta co-founded The FoodieForum, an interactive, collaborative, educational showcase of Irish craft produce, designed to create a networking platform for food producers, chefs, restaurateurs and members of the public who have a strong interest in food education and the support and promotion of local food producers and food businesses. The FoodieForum has since developed into a forum for children’s food education at food festivals and events.
Jacinta continues to have close links with industry, is a member of Galway’s European Region of Gastronomy Steering committee, a mentor with the Local Enterprise Of ce, and she also consults with a number of regional food festivals and events.
Jacinta is a member of the Board of the Institute of Gastronomy, Culture Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) and a member of their International Panel of Experts.
Commenting on her appointment, Jacinta Dalton says: “I look forward to further engagement with industry stakeholders in
an effort to develop additional programmes in our Department of Culinary Arts & Service Industries that meet the needs of a growing industry and the demand for services that this creates.”
Jacinta
Gerry Talbot who retired earlier this year.
Welcoming Ms Dalton to the GMIT Management Group, GMIT President Dr
Fergal Barry, says: “Jacinta’s wealth of management experience in the
food and hospitality industry, her lecturing role in GMIT and
her international role as a Fáilte Ireland Food Champion will enhance GMIT graduates’ career prospects and the Institute’s engagement with stakeholders
in Ireland and abroad”.
Ms Dalton joined the Institute in 2010 as a lecturer in Marketing and Hospitality Management.
Prior to joining GMIT, she worked as a freelance
mentor to the food and hospitality sectors
and has developed and delivered a
number of training programmes for
Fáilte Ireland.


DIT BRINGS HOME THE GOLD IN GLOBAL AQUACULTURE ALLIANCE, YOUNG STUDENT COMPETITION!
In the early hours of Saturday the 30th of September three culinary students fought it out for gold in in DIT, Cathal Brugha Street. Finalists in a competition run by Global Aquaculture Alliance in order to promote the aquaculture industry to young student chefs, all took partina nalcookoff. Thecompetitionwasoverseenandjudgedby world class culinary judges George Smith, Tony Campbell and Sean Owens.
Recipes and menus, along with an extensive presentation of aquaculture research were received from over 90 culinary students from all over Ireland. The brief given to the students was to create a menu based on any farmed sh of their choosing. Students were encouraged to choose locally sourced ingredients and to be as creative as possible in their ideas.
The winner of the competition was announced at the GAOL conferenceinCrokeParkon6thOctober. SarahMcCabeofDITtook rst place followed closely in second place by Emma Pearse, also of DIT and in third place was Kevin Murphy of GMIT.
All three contestants had an incredible experience being immersed in the aquaculture industry rst hand, as well as going home with three fabulous prizes including two Michelin star stages in London and rst prize an all-inclusive invitation the 2018 conference in Brazil.
George Smith said, “We would like to take this opportunity to thank GAA for running such a professional competition and for including the young culinary students of Ireland in their work, as well as congratulating the three nalists on their fabulous achievements!”
EXCELLENCE IN IRISH FARMHOUSE CHEESE
Presented by Cáis, the Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers, the prestigious biennial ceremony recognises and celebrates the plentiful, diverse and exquisite range of Irish Farmhouse cheeses produced right here in Ireland.
Speaking about this year’s stiff competition, Eddie O’Neill of Teagasc said: “It was extremely dif cult in certain categories to pick an outright winner as the standard was through the roof. We are all aware of the talent that exists all over Ireland within the food sector, but to see the extent of amazing produce that the numerous producers involved in this year’s awards are putting forward is both mind-blowing and hugely exciting.”
The evening was lled with whoops of celebration from the various winners across all 15 categories, but it was the Supreme Champion Award announcement that was met with the biggest drumroll of the evening. The coveted award was presented to delighted winner Tom Burgess of Coolattin Cheese for his Mount Leinster Cloth Bound Cheese
For more information on Cáis and the Irish Cheese Awards 2017, visit www.irishcheese.ie.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 5


Gi s
GADGETS
In this his sixteenth cookbook, Neven Maguire - Ireland’s most trusted chef has all the recipes and advice to help you deliver the perfect Christmas.
Packed with all the classics you need for the big day, like Neven’s famous buttermilk turkey, perfect roast potatoes and traditional
Christmas desserts, you’ll also nd lots of inspiration for the whole festive season: from a Snowman Cake to make with the kids
and St Stephen’s Day leftovers, right through to a festive New Year’s Eve dinner. In addition, you’ll nd lots of fun
ideas for edible gifts, party food and all the little extras that help make Christmas as special as it can be.
Cook Well, Eat Well By Rory O’Connell
Rory O’Connell is back with his second cookbook, which contains the recipes from his popular RTE TV show, How to Cook Well, and focuses on seasonal, balanced three-course meals for elegant eating and entertaining.
Recipes are divided by season and include Beetroot and Autumn Raspberries with Honey, Mint and Labna; Sashimi of Mackerel with Crisped Radishes and Scallions; Roast Hazelnut Panna Cotta with Chocolate and Caramel Sauce and Duck Leg Curry with Cider Vinegar.
Complete meals can be replicated for elegant entertaining, or individual dishes can be tried for simple and pleasing lunches or dinners. An absolute delight of a cookbook offering a very modern way to eat.
Gill Books - €24.99


WHAT’S
Visit our Celtic Cousins
At Cardiff Christmas market, home to over 80 beautifully decorated wooden stalls. Over 200 talented artists, crafts people and food and alcohol producers from across Wales offer an array of gifts such as Welsh slate, crafted candles, tasty cheeses, fruit wines and liqueurs, avoured vodkas and gins, silver and enamel jewellery, pottery and original artwork.
www.cardiffchristmasmarket.com
Belfast Christmas Market
Opening on the 18th of November and running up to the 23 December, Belfast’s iconic City Hall provides the stunning backdrop for Belfast Christmas Market. Situated in the heart of the city and close to travel links, the continental village is open every day for visitors to explore. For a family day bring the kids along to visit Santa or if you fancy an evening out - local and international craft beers and food.
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events
The Cork Chocolate Festival
25 & 26 November 2017
The Cork Chocolate Festival is an opportunity to meet some of the best chocolatiers in Ireland and beyond as chocoholics descend on The Cork International Hotel for a weekend of workshops, showcases, and, of course, moreish tastings. It’s the rst year of this event, and anyone who loves to bake, or simply enjoy the products of the culinary arts in general shouldn’t miss it. Held just before Christmas, there will be plenty of festive inspiration for your own winter table.
Enjoy the Baking World, where you can nd special ingredients, kitchen aides and literature that will help you add something special to your domestic culinary adventures.
www.corkchocolatefestival.ie
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 7
Three courses. Three beers. Three cheers.
The Tavern Murrisk, near Westport offers a neat twist on the Christmas party with the Mescan Menu – a delicious seasonal menu perfectly paired with Mescan craft beers. It’s happening on two nights in November (Saturday 11th and 25th) and two in December (Saturday 9th and 23rd). It’s ideal for a Christmas night out – or just a night out.
Executive Chef Myles O’Brien has paired each dish with a complementary beer. In true Tavern style, local suppliers feature strongly on the menu – like Kelly’s Black Pudding, Andarl Farm Pork, Killary Mussels and Dozio cheese.
Mescan is The Tavern’s local craft beer brewed in the shadow of the holy mountain, Croagh Patrick by two erstwhile veterinary surgeons. The suite of Belgian style beers ranges from Blond and White through Saison and Kriek (cherry) to the more challenging Tripel and Extra which pack quite a punch.
Bookings on +353 (0) 98 64060. www.tavernmurrisk.com


KILRONAN CASTLE ESTATE & SPA’S
NEWEST ADDITION
THE CASTLE TOWER SUITE
In a secluded corner of the famous West of Ireland, through a set of magni cent medieval gates, at the top of a meandering driveway lies something taken straight from a fairytale.
Ireland is a country famous for its incredible castles and Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa is one of its nest examples of the vision, splendour and elegance of the era when these homes graced our lush green landscape.
is magni cent Gothic Castle is unique in that its history can be traced right back through the royal family who resided there. For more than 300 years, this 50-acre estate remained in the Tenison family, before falling into disrepair in their absence. In 2006, it was lovingly brought back to life by passionate Irish father and son, Alan and Albert Hanly. ey endeavoured to restore it to its former glory by maintaining the homely feel and medieval soul but with a modern touch of luxury, technology and the best food that the surrounding lands still produce.
Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa now has 85 superbly appointed bedrooms with luxurious and decadent furnishings capturing the original ambiance of the castle from Classic King rooms to Family rooms and for that extra special occasion you can upgrade into a Lake View room or a for poster Authentic Castle Suite.
e latest addition to the rooms at Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa is the luxurious Castle Tower Suite which is quite
simply the crème de la crème of rooms at the castle. On the top oor of the castle, inside its iconic central tower and situated over two oors, lies a magni cent suite, the stu of which dreams are made.
From the vintage furniture to the stunning skylight, the downstairs living room you are greeted by is tastefully decked out with a mix of the old and the new. Antique touches sit side by side with modern technology. en, when it comes to retiring upstairs, the beautiful bedroom has breath-taking panoramic views of the beautiful estate from the comfort of the majestic four-poster bed. to top it all o , you can relax in your own Jacuzzi in your large en-suite bathroom complete with his and hers sinks and separate shower.
When you have nished relaxing, the discreet service and luxurious furnishings of the Douglas Hyde Restaurant o er a perfect setting in which to enjoy the traditional art of elegant dining accompanied with wines that have been carefully selected from vineyards across France, Italy, Spain and the New World. Executive Head Chef David Porter and his team have created delightful culinary sensations with mouth-watering a la carte and table d’hôte seasonal menus.
For further detail call 07196 18000, email [email protected] or visit www.kilronancastle.ie
GO FULL IRISH FOR CHARITY
Enjoy 5 Star Breakfast while supporting Cork Simon Community and share the joy of Christmas with those who need it the most is December, the team at Hay eld Manor wish to spread some festive cheer and hope to give a little something each day to help those in need. Midweek throughout the month of December the hotel will donate 50% of the price of every non resident’s breakfast to Cork Simon Community. So why not do something di erent this festive season and gather a group of customers, colleagues or friends to enjoy Hay eld Manor’s famous full Irish breakfast, safe in the knowledge that you are also supporting the outstanding work of Cork Simon Community.
Cork Simon Community works hard each day to make someone’s life better and works in solidarity with men and women who are homeless in Cork, o ering housing and support in their journey back to independent living. e team at Hay eld Manor is pleased to do what little they can this Christmas to help Cork Simon Community to continue improving people’s lives.
Should you wish to support this initiative, Hay eld Manor’s breakfast is available from Monday to Friday between 7 and 10 am from the 1st to 23rd December 2017. e price for Full Irish Breakfast is €27.00 per person.
Advance reservations are required and are subject to availability.
For bookings please call 021 4845900 or alternatively email events@hay eldmanor.ie


Awards
Now in its fth year, the YesChef awards was held in The Limerick Strand on the 24th of October. With a full house of 450 guests, the evening was a celebration of the hospitality industry in Ireland, with a focus on recognising those in the front line of an ever changing and challenging culinary landscape.
Nicci Smith, Editor of YesChef Magazine said, “Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the evening was the gala dinner. The YesChef Awards is unique in that the menu is produced by students from colleges across the country. With support from their mentors, these young people who are the future of gastronomy in Ireland, delivered what can only be termed an outstanding dining experience for guests on the night. Our thanks go to:
• The Students of Limerick Institute of Technology with their Chef Mentor, Joe Mulcahy.
• The Students of Athlone Institute of Technology with their Chef Mentor, Kevin Ward.
• The Students of The Institute of Technology Tralee with their Chef Mentor Dan Browne.
• Magda Sliwarska, Dublin Institute of Technology
• Chef Jack Duffy, who headed up the kitchen and co-ordinated this massive undertaking.
“We were also privileged to work with some of the nest producers on the island – Bluebell Falls, The Burren Smokehouse, Traditional Cheese Company, Causeway Prime, Silverhill Duck, Sheridan’s Cheese, Ballinwillin House Farm, Crossogue Preserves. These producers are the face of Irish food and lead the way in promoting ‘Destination Ireland’ for foodies across the globe.”
This year there were 68 awards recognising and honouring chefs, hoteliers, restaurateurs and front of house teams. Shane Smith, YesChef Director, said “From its inception The YesChef Awards has been based on a research visit to each establishment, our judges face tough decisions every year, but this year one of the toughest was that of deciding Young Chef of the Year.
“The level of commitment, dedication and skill displayed by the entrants was simply breath-taking and whilst recognising that the industry is facing challenges in recruiting and retaining young chefs, there is no doubt that there are young people working across Ireland who have incredible talent. Our challenge is how we support these young people to build and develop their careers.”
The YesChef Awards is sponsored by Flogas, Lynas, CLASSICdrinks, Ready Chef, The Panel of Chefs of Ireland and Johnsons Coffee. Their support is invaluable to the growth and development of the programme.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 9


Awards
THE WINNERS
CHEF OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Alan Fitzmaurice Leinster - Peter Cli ord
Munster - Wade Murphy
Ulster - Paul Cunningham WINNER - PAUL CUNNINGHAM
YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Daniel Walsh, Belleek Castle
Leinster - Daniella Rusa, The Boxty House
Munster - Clodagh Teahan, Panorama Restaurant
Ulster - Daniel Mullarkey, Daithi’s on the Green
WINNER - CLODAGH TEAHAN, PANORAMA RESTAURANT
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018 THE KITCHEN, GLASSHOUSE HOTEL
WORLD FOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Sol Rio Leinster - Pimento Munster - Sol y Sombra Ulster - La Bastille WINNER - SOL Y SOMBRA
GASTRO PUB OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Paddy Coyne’s Leinster - Hartes of Kildare Munster - Kieran’s Kitchen Ulster - McGrory’s
WINNER - HARTES OF KILDARE
HOTEL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - The Kitchen, Glasshouse Hotel Leinster - Brabazon, Tankardstown Munster - The Munster Room,
Ulster - The Edge, Redcastle Hotel WINNER - THE KITCHEN
SEAFOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Dock 1
Leinster - Wild & Native
Munster - The Conservatory, The Butler Arms Ulster - The Lobster Pot
WINNER - WILD & NATIVE
INDIAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Eastern Tandoori Leinster - Veda
Munster - Iyer’s
Ulster - Chandpur
WINNER - CHANDPUR
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - The Dining Room Leinster - Goose
Munster - Croi
Ulster - Daithi’s on the Green WINNER - THE DINING ROOM
CASUAL DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Sage, Westport Leinster - Cistín Eile
Munster - The Smuggler’s Inn Ulster - Quay West
WINNER - SAGE
CAFÉ OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Nook
Munster - Iyer’s
Ulster - Hillstown Farm Cafe WINNER - IYER’S
GOLF CLUB RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - Galway Bay Golf Resort Leinster - Kilkea Castle
Munster - Dingle Links Clubhouse WINNER - KILKEA CASTLE
FINE DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - George V, Ashford Castle Leinster - L’Ecrivain
Munster - The Munster Room
Ulster - Brunel’s
WINNER - GEORGE V, ASHFORD CASTLE
FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR 2018
Connacht - The Glasshouse Leinster - Boardwalk Bistro Munster - The Mustard Seed Ulster - Brunel’s
WINNER - THE MUSTARD SEED
CONTEMPORARY IRISH DINING AWARD WARREN GILLEN – CISTIN EILE
STREET FOOD OF THE YEAR 2018 BLASTA
ITALIAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2018 RISTORANTE RINUCCINI
THE JUDGES AWARD 2018
Recognising a lifetime contribution to the industry
EUGENE MCSWEENEY


Blasta Street Food
Chandpur
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 11


Paul Cunningham, Brunel’s
Warren Gillen, Cistin Eile


Eugene McSweeney, Judges Award
George V
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 13


Hartes of Kildare
Kilkea Castle


Ristorante Rinuccini
Sage, Westport
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 15


Sol y Sombra
The Dining Room


The Glasshouse
The Mustard Seed
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 17


Wild & Native
Clodagh Teahan, Young Chef of the Year


WINE HEROS
Hugh Murray
Director Founder CLASSICdrinks.
One of my Wine Heroes is Abrie Bruwer winemaker at Spring eld Estate, Robertson Valley in South Africa. Instead of me talking about him I will let him speak for himself!
“Great wine is grown and not made” is probably one of the most used clichés in our industry, and also the least practiced.
We discovered long ago, it is no use talking about cooling breezes, altitude and old vines and all the jargon the consumer laps up; the hard and fast is the wine has to be good, otherwise this same consumer will not return. Cellar technology is a science and available to every cellar with salesmen offering the latest inventions, knocking at the door every day – few, if any, earn a living growing vines, studying, experimenting, failing, replanting, conquering the elements at your speci c site. As in astrology, the human life time is too short to fully understand a speci c terroir.
SOUTH AFRICA
Our climate is dry as we live in a rain shadow caused by mountains surrounding us. A meager 200ml of rain per annum, and a startling 2.5m evaporation rate in summer (32°C - 33°C) and cold at night (15°C - 17°C). It is a typical desert climate with one exception – we have all the water in the world. Water which is caught in a dam, the runoff from the mountains during the westerly gales in winter. Our grandfathers built this in 1908 with their own funds and the allotted amount of water we all receive has a lot to do with how much our forefathers invested in this dam. The Breede River that supplies this water runs from west to east, so the gradient to irrigate would be north-south. The trouble is, the sun sets in the west and the grapes on the Westerly side of the row are riper than on the morning (eastern) side. We discovered this 18 years ago and now plant vineyards oriented to where the sun sets the week prior to ripening. Thus the Sauvignon’s direction is quite different to that of the Cabernet which ripens 8 weeks later as the sun has moved quite far to the North by
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 19


that time. You probably will not taste the difference of a vineyard planted our way or the traditional north south way, but that is exactly what wine making is about – trying insigni cant things and all of them together makes ne or terrible wine. To replant a farm for this small difference, many will say is not worth it, but many also use the above cliché and never practice it.
I always had a desire to plant vines the width apart that I wanted and not that of the tractor, so some 10 years ago, we started plantings of high density 6000+ vines to a hector. They become opposition to one another if planted dense enough. Before, we used to slightly starve them of water to stop them from becoming too vegetal but often we overplayed our hand one way or another, with loss of PH and acidity in too dry a regime or lack of concentration with too much water.
So, the thought was to let them control one another. We have 6000 vines sharing the unseasonal 200 mm of thunder rain in January, compared with the 2500 the industry plants. The effect of the thunderstorm is far less as the vines are kept in check because of their density, like in a forest, wherein the denser saplings never become big trees.
Another advantage is the shade the adjacent vine gives as well as the percentage of shade cover on the soil. Also a fair crop/ha but a tiny load per vine adds to concentration.
The down side, is you have to buy machinery to straddle the rows and you can multiply your planting cost, labour and time x 2 but not the yield. Once again, a little insigni cant thing.
The dry climate has one very big advantage and that is no disease, it is quite possible to grow healthy grapes with just two sulphur dust applications for the entire season. Rot and downy mildew is virtually absent except in a freak year (2005). No need to break off
leaves, sucker or sorting tables, which is a huge saving. The absence of sprays makes wine making with natural yeast possible with added complexity as a bonus.
Harvesting is done at night from 2am, with machines, and the average temperature of grape, vary between 15°C to 17°C. I have on occasions seen it as low as 9°C. Each 2.5 ton load is in the cellar within 20 minutes of being picked. Destalking is done in the vineyard on the machine which does away with the de-stalker in the cellar which I believe is the biggest oxidation tool in any winery. The smoke and mirror jargon about hand harvesting being bene cial to quality is nonsense. I never want to pick a single bunch of grapes by hand – ever. Machine picked grapes are healthy, cold and in the cellar immediately, just grapes.
We found 20 odd years ago, that cordon royat pruning is problematic for mechanical harvesting as some clusters of old wood break off and damages machinery, as well as damages the vines. It is also slower and more time consuming. So, the whole farm is planted and pruned single – Guyot. This way of pruning needs a lot of cold in winter for uniform bud break which we have with the low rainfall. Frost is the norm in winter, rather than the exception. Unfortunately, late frost can be a problem for which we use a helicopter at night at a huge cost, but very effective. We found controlling the yield also easier with the guyot system as well as it is simpler to prune, with less decisions. The real bene t is that it is a joy to harvest with no foreign matter in the fruit.
Soil preparation is an immense task as most of our soil has a coarse fraction of 70% - meaning 70% rock and 30% soil. The rocks vary in size but a pickup truck size bolder is not uncommon. We have invented machines and built them on the farm to pick up these rocks mechanically. Preparing soil for new plantings has become such an operation
that it warranted us buying our own 500hp Bulldozer. We plant a new vineyard every year and uproot an old one, which I have never missed. To replant is a wonderful opportunity to improve the soil preparation, clone, material, row direction and overall quality. It is an important evaluation and a time that we can implement what we have discovered.
Irrigation has become a science in our valley and 4 years ago, we installed ozone generators on the pumps. These contraptions enrich the irrigation water with oxygen and nitrogen from the sky, which also makes it abrasive and thus dissolving fertilier and elements trapped in the soil, previously inaccessible, to the vines. Our fertilizer applications are more than halved by this technology.
I am often asked “what’s the trick?” to make decent wine as if the person is seeking a messiah to his winemaking, a quick and easy way to instantly, by one thing, improve his wine. There is no trick (that’s just the trick). It is the long dif cult and expensive road – lessons learnt, ngers burned, through observation and dedication and a love for what you are doing. What also helps is the integrity not to sell your mistakes
Abrie Bruwer
Winemaker, Spring eld Estate
COMPETITION
YesChef has teamed up with CLASSICdrinks to bring you a chance to win a pair of wines from Spring eld Estate – a bottle of the Whole Berry Cabernet and the Life from Stone Sauvignon Blanc.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply email the answer to the following question to: [email protected] with CLASSICdrinks in the subject line.
How many vines per hectare does Abrie Bruwer plant?
T&Cs apply, Closing Date is December 14th 2017. Only one entry per person. Entrants must be over 18.




FEARLESS FOOD
This month we are delighted to feature two recipes from Linda Booth’s latest publication ‘Fearless Food’. Linda, who runs the renowned Dublin Cookery School, is keen to support us to ‘get back to cooking without fear’. In her introduction she considers the numerous factors in our modern lives that impact on our perception of food - in particular the rise of allergists, diet fanatics and celebrities promoting a particular kind of ‘healthy lifestyle’.
She advocates that we get back to enjoying cooking and eating our food without fear, to savour the sights, aromas and tastes of fearless food!
We chose two dishes that feature in the brunch section but could just as easily be enjoyed for any meal of the day - give them a try!!


Makes about 12 pancakes, about 10cm in diameter
VANILLA YOGHURT
1 vanilla pod
300g Greek yoghurt 40g honey
FOR THE PANCAKES
120g plain our
1 tsp baking powder a pinch of salt 2 tbsp caster sugar
4 eggs, separated 250g ricotta
200ml milk
Mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, to serve Maple syrup or agave syrup,
for drizzling
Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the little black seeds and add them to the yoghurt along with the honey. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Place the our, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Using a hand whisk, beat together the egg yolks, ricotta and milk and pour into the bowl with the our. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter just until mixed through.
Heat a non-stick frying pan and add a drizzle of sun ower oil. Spoon a small ladle of mixture per pancake into the pan. Cook until the underside is golden, turn over and repeat on the other side. The pancakes may be wrapped in tinfoil and held in a warm oven if necessary. Serve them with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple or agave syrup. Top with some vanilla yoghurt.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 23
AVOCADO SMASH ON BRUSCHETTA CHILLI & MINT OIL POACHED EGG & FETA
RICOTTA PANCAKES MIXED BERRIES
Serves 4
CHILLI & MINT OIL
1 green chilli
a sliver of crushed garlic 20 mint leaves
4 tbsp olive oil
AVOCADO SMASH
4 ripe avocados
2 spring onions, nely chopped
pinch of chilli akes
1 tbsp lime juice
salt
4 slices ciabatta or sourdough bread
a clove of garlic olive oil, for the bruschetta 40g-60g feta cheese
4 large eggs
METHOD
CHILLI & MINT OIL
Chop the green chilli roughly, leaving the seeds in if preferred. Whizz the chilli, garlic and mint leaves to a paste in a small spice grinder (or chop the chilli and mint as nely as you can). Add the olive oil, season with salt and transfer to a small container.
AVOCADO SMASH
Cut the avocados in half and remove the stone. With a large spoon, scoop out the esh into a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado roughly, but still leaving some fairly big chunks. Add the spring onions, chilli akes, lime juice and 2 tablespoons of chilli and mint oil. Mix and season with salt. If not using immediately, press cling lm directly on the surface to prevent oxidisation and refrigerate.
Heat a griddle pan and char the bread lightly on both sides. Alternatively, toast under
the grill. Rub a cut clove garlic lightly, once or twice, over the bread and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Scoop the avocado smash on top, spoon over some chilli and mint oil, and crumble over some feta.
POACHING EGGS
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Using a hand whisk, swirl the water and turn down to a gentle simmer. Break the eggs one by one into a ramekin or small bowl and gently tip them into the water. Up to 4 eggs can be cooked at the same time. As soon as they have been added to the pot, turn off the heat and cover with a lid. For runny yolks, the eggs will need 3-4 minutes, depending on their size. No peeking until 3 minutes have passed. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper or a tea cloth. Place the egg on top of the avocado and serve immediately.




YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 25




YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 27






10% ABV SPIRITUEUX CUISINE GAMME 3L
Cette gamme de spiritueux culinaire populaires a été produit spécialement pour la cuisine consciente des coûts. Bien que créé à seulement 10 % ABV pour la valeur maximale, ils tirent des esprits de pleine
puissance avec des saveurs concentrées. Cela signifie qu’ils conservent un profil
de saveur défini qui peut accentuer ou le contraste des ingrédients existants au sein de tous les plats sucrés ou salés.
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IN THE BEST OF SPIRITS
At this time of year with winter closing in and the festive season approaching, kitchens and chefs will be gearing up for what is a festival of food and drink. With many dishes using traditional ingredients – brandy remains the spirit that is most likely to be used when creating menus at this time of year.
Gourmet Classic Cooking Brandy is derived from full strength spirits with complex and concentrated avours. Using tried and tested techniques, the team at Gourmet Classic have created a 10% ABV blend of brandy and water which is lightly seasoned with salt and produced speci cally for the cost conscious kitchen.
Retaining a de ned avour pro le and with no compromise on the traditional characteristics of the true brandy spirit – Gourmet Classic Brandy has complex and layered avours that accentuate or contrast with ingredients in both sweet and savoury dishes.
In this issue we have teamed up with Alison Crothers from the renowned Bucks Head in Dundrum Co. Down, to create three dishes using Gourmet Classic Brandy
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 31




SLOW COOKED DUCK LEG WITH BRAISED BRANDY RED CABBAGE
INGREDIENTS
For the duck legs
6 duck legs
200g coarse sea salt 750ml duck fat
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
2 cloves
1 star anise
METHOD
For the duck legs
Sprinkle the duck legs with sea salt and marinate in the fridge overnight. Next day rinse the legs under cold water. Place in a deep oven tray, cover with duck fat and add the cinnamon, garlic, thyme, cloves and star anise. Place in oven 140°C for 2 to 3 hours until meat falls off the bone.
For the red cabbage
Half a red cabbage (thinly sliced) 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
3 tsp of mustard seeds
1 Granny Smith apple
100g caster sugar
1 knob of fresh ginger grated
100ml Gourmet Classic Cooking Brandy 100ml red wine vinegar
200g fresh orange juice
Method
Slowly cook all the ingredients together in a saucepan with a lid. Stir regularly watching the cabbage doesn’t dry out. This takes approx 1hr.
Serve the duck con t on top of red cabbage.
All recipes created by:
Chef Alison Crothers at The Bucks Head
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 33


CHICKEN LIVER AND FOIE GRAS PARFAIT
INGREDIENTS
200g foie gras
200g chicken liver
100ml Gourmet Classic Cooking Brandy 100ml Madeira
50ml port
150g shallots
2 cloves of garlic
4 eggs
400g melted butter
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 120°C and line a terrine mould with cling lm. Reduce the brandy, port, Madeira, chopped shallots and garlic.
Blitz the chicken livers and foie gras until smooth then add the reduced brandy mix and blitz until smooth, then add the eggs and melted butter.
Pass the mixture through a ne chinois, keeping it at room temperature. If it cools too much it will split.
Pour into the lined terrine mould and place in a bain marie. Place in the oven and cook for an hour, remove from the oven and cool, store in the fridge.


GOURMET CLASSIC BRANDY AND PRUNE CRÈME BRULEE
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6
6 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
500ml cream
1 vanilla pod
12 California prunes soaked in Gourmet Classic Cooking Brandy
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 120°C
Whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar, put the cream into a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and pour onto the egg mixture continuing to whisk.
Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to the mixture. Place back on a low heat and cook until the custard thickens.
Pass through ne chinois into a pouring jug and leave to one side. Drain the prunes and place into ramekins. Pour the brulee mix over the prunes. Place in bain marie and cook in low oven until set, usually for about 20 minutes. If it wobbles it’s ready!
Cool in the fridge and when ready to serve, sprinkle with demerara sugar and blow torch until the sugar has caramelised.


MARK AND HELEN MURPHY ARE FLYING THEIR FLAG WITH PRIDE, WHAT STARTED AS A LEFTOVER PATCH IN A RAISED BED IN THEIR GARDEN AT HOME HAS TURNED INTO A SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS. ON THE MORNING I SPOKE TO MARK THEY WERE SENDING OUT THEIR PRECIOUS MIXED BABY BEETS TO LAROUSSE FOODS FOR DISTRIBUTION – TO SOME OF IRELAND’S FINEST HOTEL AND RESTAURANTS NORTH AND SOUTH.
Back in 2012 they harvested their rst crop of beetroot and decided to pickle it. Mark is a chef and was interested in testing some of his pickling recipes. “Those jars (only eight of them) went in to the back of the press and we forgot about them until Christmastime,” says
Mark “Helen took
them out and gave them to family as Christmas treats and the feedback we had was amazing.”
“The next year we grew a little bit more and the guys in Ardkeen Quality Food Stores took a few jars from us, within days, they were back on looking for 200 jars – they may as well have asked us for 2,000. But we knew then that we had something special.” Helen brought their product to Supervalu who suggested that she join the Food Academy. She went through the programme and Mooncoin Beetroot and Relish is now stocked in over forty branches.
Mark is thoughtful when asked about the secret to their success – “There is no secret, it’s hard work, I work full-time as a chef, Helen with the beetroot. We have great support and mentoring from family, Helen’s brother - Eddie
Doyle (Doyle Produce) is a farmer. He has fantastic
knowledge of growing root vegetables – you can’t buy that support.” Mark is also clear that support from local chefs was important. “Keith Boyle from the Bay Tree Bistro and Michael Thomas from Waterford Castle tried our beetroot and loved it, the feedback in the last few months has been phenomenal.”
This has given them the encouragement to further develop their facilities and extend the acreage to be planted next year. Mooncoin Beetroot is a perfect example of the tenacity and passion that Ireland’s artisan food producers have in bucketfuls!!


Chef’s tip:
use a pair of gloves when peeling the beets – they will stain!
BEETROOT AND RICOTTA FILO TARTS
INGREDIENTS
4 sheets lo pastry
6/8 assorted Mooncoin beets 3 tbsp of ricotta cheese
A pinch chives, nely chopped 50g grated parmesan
1 egg
20g butter (melted)
sea salt
black pepper
rapeseed oil
METHOD
For the beets
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lay each beet on a sheet of tinfoil, drizzle with a little rapeseed oil, season with sea salt, wrap and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and peel, top, tail and dice, you should nd that they peel quite easily.
For the lling
Mix together the beetroot, ricotta, egg, chives, and half the Parmesan, season to taste.
Butter 4 ramekins and set aside. Flatten the lo sheets and brush each one with melted butter.
Fold in half and brush with butter again, then line the ramekins to make little lo cups.
Fill each lo cup with the mixture, sprinkle with parmesan and cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve.
Mooncoin Beetroot
Luffany, Mooncoin, Kilkenny t: +353 (0) 87 240 6858
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 37


CAVANAGH
FREE RANGE EGGS
Happy hens make for healthy and great quality eggs!
When Eileen Hall talks about her hens, she smiles! It is clear that they are important to her, that she takes care of them and nurtures them as she would any member of her family. A very important part of her family, for these hens are tasked with producing 285,000 eggs a week. After a recent increase in production this amounts to nearly 15 million eggs a year for the farm.
But these are no ordinary hens, these are free range ‘happy hens’ in every sense of the word. Free to roam the countryside on the Fermanagh farm, they nd natural shelter from the trees that dot the landscape of the farm. Fed seven times a day, on a high corn ratio feed and foraging fruit from the
orchards on the farm, these hens produce an egg in a beautiful brown shell, which has rich, yellow yolk.
And it’s clear that the Hall family’s dedication to their ocks is paying off, they won Gold at the Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards in the egg category of the Chef’s Larder and have won several Great Taste Awards since 2014. Using Cavanagh Free Range Eggs, in this issue the kitchen team at YesChef produced scrambled egg recipes that are versatile and healthy. Use small toasts or crostini and you have the perfect canapé or starter, or scale up the portion and choose your favourite loaf and toast for a healthy lunchtime dish.
Cavanagh Free Range Eggs
58 Clonkee Road, Cavanagh, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, BT92 8FH t: + 44 (0) 28 6773 7889 | e: [email protected] www.cavanaghfreerangeeggs.co.uk
ASPARAGUS SCRAMBLED EGGS
Recipe available from: [email protected]


SPANISH EGGS INGREDIENTS Serves 4
2tbsp olive oil
1 onion nely chopped
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 large tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and chopped 55g chorizo sliced thinly 35g butter
8 large eggs lightly beaten Salt and pepper
4 slices of your favourite bread, toasted
METHOD
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onion and peppers and cook until tender, but with no colour. Add the tomatoes mix through and cook until warmed through.
Put the mixture in a warm bowl and keep warm in low oven. Add a tbsp of oil to the pan, then add the chorizo, cook for a minute or so to warm through and release the avours into the oil.
Remove the chorizo from the pan and reserve with the cooked pepper and onion.
Melt the butter in the pan, season the beaten eggs to taste, add to the pan and scramble. Stir through the chorizo, peppers and onions and serve on the toast.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 39


Totally Innovative Food Limited
Unit 4, Red Lane, Blessington, Co Wicklow
t: +353 (0) 45 851 450 | e: [email protected] www.innovativefoods.ie
At the height of the recession in 2009 the Irish Foodservice Sector had to evolve to meet new challenges which were potentially detrimental to most culinary establishments. Soaring rents, legacy high wage bills, lower footfall and spiralling food costs were but a few of the factors impacting on the industry at that time. To survive in this challenging climate both chefs and foodservice had to adapt to stay in business. To that end the market changed beyond belief. Chefs needed high quality food products but signi cant savings were needed to achieve and maintain working margins.


Recipes created by Dave Earle
It was during this time that Taste of Gourmet was born, the challenge was to emulate acceptable taste pro les which were suitable for Irish chefs. In consultation with leading chefs and reinventing stock recipes we eventually created authentic stocks and culinary sauces which deliver every time. These recipes were inspired by chefs for chefs with a great emphasis on avour, higher yield, lactose, GMO, allergen and gluten free foodservice products.
In recent years there has been a greater emphasis on health and wellbeing, creating a range of different demands on food producers to create products which have clean label status with no hidden nasties. To meet this challenge, Totally Innovative Foods have created, in partnership with our chefs and in-house food scientist, a range of stocks, gravies and dessert jellies which are speci cally designed to infuse avours with great emphasis on health and wellbeing. These products will be launched in early 2018.
TASTE OF GOURMET PASTE BOUILLON
Is an authentic, clear stock with real natural avour and ingredients. M.S.G free with no arti cial preservatives, gluten free, lactose free, allergen free, G.M.O free and with a lower sodium content.
Taste of Gourmet Jellies
Is a “sweet revolution” are vegetarian jellies which are sugar free and use natural sweetener from the leaves of the stevia plant. Recommended for people on energy reduced diets, those with diabetes, vegetarians and children with specialist dietary needs.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 41


CHICKEN WRAPPED IN SERRANO HAM, WILD MUSHROOM DUXELLE, WILD MUSHROOM AND THYME PUREE, ROASTED FOREST MUSHROOM AND MARSALA JUS
METHOD
For the mushroom puree
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the chicken
4 chicken breast
2 packs of serrano ham
Salt and pepper
For the mushroom puree 250g wild mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
50g butter
5g thyme (fresh)
50g dried ceps
Salt and pepper
Gourmet Pure Mushroom Bouillon
For the mushroom duxelle
2 tbsp butter
300g wild mushrooms (pulsed in blender)
1 clove of garlic, grated
11⁄2 tbsp fresh thyme
11⁄2 tbsp sage
50 ml Gourmet Pure mushroom stock (10g to 50ml) Salt and/or pepper to taste
For the Beetroot Puree
250g beetroot 80ml cream 30g butter
Salt and pepper Thyme
For the Marsala jus
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
100g wild mushrooms
100ml Marsala
500ml stock (30 g demi glaze powder, 20g mushroom bouillon)
Salt and pepper
10g fresh thyme
Soak the ceps in 100 ml boiling water and 10g
of Gourmet Pure mushroom bouillon, cover with cling lm and leave for 30 minutes. Sauté the wild mushrooms and garlic until softened, add 100 ml of mushroom stock (from the soaked ceps) and the soaked ceps and reduce down by a half. Add the mixture to a blender and add butter bit by bit until a smooth consistency is achieved. Season to taste.
Sauté the shallot, garlic and mushrooms on a low heat until all the liquid has evaporated, add the butter and stock, season to taste and reduce by half.
Cook the beetroot in boiling water until soft, peel and chop then add to blender with the cream, butter and thyme, season to taste and blitz to a puree.
Sauté the onion, garlic, mushrooms and thyme, add the Marsala and deglaze the pan.
Add the stock mix and reduce by a quarter. Blend and pass through a sieve, season to taste.
Pierce each chicken breast lengthways with a sharp knife, making a cavity big enough to pipe in the duxelle. Fill a piping bag with the duxelle and pipe into each breast. Wrap in the Serrano ham and place in the fridge for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place a large ovenproof pan on a medium to high heat and seal each breast on both sides. Finish in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, remove and rest for 5/7 minutes.
For the mushroom duxelle
For the beetroot puree
For the Marsala Jus
For the chicken


STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE, OAT CRUMB, STRAWBERRY JELLY, STRAWBERRY PUREE, CHANTILLY CREAM, MACAROON
Serves 4
For the macaroons
INGREDIENTS For the oat crumb
10g Gourmet Pure strawberry jelly powder 100ml boiling water
Tip this meringue mixture into the almond paste mixture and stir gently until the mixture becomes stiff and shiny again. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe a little of the mixture under each corner of the baking paper to stop it sliding around. With the bag held vertically, pipe 4cm at circles onto the lined tray, about 2cm apart and twisting the bag after each one.
11⁄2 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp brown sugar
A pinch salt
Chantilly cream (for garnish and macaroon lling)
250 ml whipping cream 20g icing sugar
The mixture should be quite loose to give a smooth nish. the piping will leave a small ‘tip’ on each circle so, when they’re all piped, give the tray 2–3 slams on a at surface to atten them. Leave to stand for 30 minutes to form a skin then bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes with the door slightly ajar until rm. Remove from the oven, lift the paper off the baking tray and leave the macaroons to cool on the paper.
8 x oat biscuits (hobnobs work really well)
1⁄2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
For the cheesecake
11g un avoured gelatine (in 40ml water until dissolved) 500g cream cheese, softened
For the macaroons
125g icing sugar 125g ground almonds 90g of free-range egg whites
2 tbsp water
110g caster sugar Red food colouring
300g fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
75g sugar
1⁄2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
150g caster sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract 250 ml strawberry puree (from above recipe) 200ml whipping cream Fresh strawberries for garnish
Mint for garnish
Lime zest for garnish
For the strawberry puree
For the strawberry puree
For the strawberry jelly
For the strawberry jelly
Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Put the icing sugar, ground almonds and 40g of egg whites together in a large bowl and mix to a paste.
Put the water and caster sugar in a small pan and heat gently to melt the sugar, then turn up the heat and boil until the mixture starts to go syrupy and thickens. Whisk the remaining 50g of egg whites in a small bowl until medium-stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Then pour in the sugar syrup, whisking until the mixture becomes stiff and shiny. For coloured macaroons, add a few drops of food colouring at this stage.
METHOD
For the oat crumb
Crush the biscuits, add the butter, sugar and salt, mix together.
Puree the strawberries, sugar and vanilla seeds in blender and pass through ne sieve.
Stir the powder into the boiling water until dissolved, pour into a container and set in fridge. When set, cut to desired shape.
For the Chantilly cream
Add the sugar and vanilla seeds to the cream and whip until soft peaks form.
For the cheesecake
Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks then fold in the strawberry puree. Add the gelatine mix and stir through, making sure it is evenly distributed. Fold the mixture into the cream cheeseuntilsmoothandconsistent. Tasteandaddicingsugarif needed. Using containers/moulds of your choice, set in the fridge until rm.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 43


Simply put, a preserve is a mixture of fruit and sugar, boiled until it thickens. Originally a way of preserving soft fruit to last through the winter, now our breakfast table is incomplete without our favourite jam or marmalade on the table.
Seeing a gap in the market for a high fruit content, quality preserve portion, Yash Dhutia set up his company – Nashville Food Group just over two years ago. Their range of products includes jams, marmalade, peanut butter and honey por- tions.
Recipes are trialled, developed and tested in-house. These are high quality jams and preserves with no added colours or avourings and a minimum of 45% fruit content. Manufactured to the highest standards, the jam portions o er the caterer a competitive option to manage portion control and wastage.
Nashville Foods also supply their jams in 1kg tubs, o ering a range that includes; raspberry, strawberry, apricot and mixed fruits. Perfect for the busy kitchen, these resealable tubs are easy to store and o er multi- use options.
Having recently joined forces with Lynas the range of products from Nashville Food Group is now available for distribu- tion across Ireland.
t: +44 (0) 1164 03 0020 | e: [email protected] www.nashvillefg.com
PO Box 10429, Leicester, LE21 4DS


NASHVILLE BAKEWELL TART
INGREDIENTS
1 sheet of readymade sweet shortcrust pastry 150g Nashville raspberry jam
250g butter
250g caster sugar
250g ground almonds 3 free range eggs
25g aked almonds Icing sugar to dust
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Use the pastry to line a 22cm uted tart case. Blind bake the case in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes.
Whilst the case is baking, cream the butter and sugar until light and uffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down well to avoid the mixture curdling. Gently fold in the ground almonds.
When the case is baked evenly, spread over the jam. Top with the almond mixture, then scatter over the aked almonds. Return to the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, until golden brown and cooled through.
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 45


Unit 244 Holly Road, Western Industrial Estate, Dublin 12 t: +353 (0) 1 4090 400 | e: [email protected] www.traditionalcheese.ie
Traditional Cheese Company have been supplying premium cheeses to the Irish market for over thirty years.
As well as supplying Irish cheeses to both the retail and foodservice markets, they are also one of Ireland’s largest importers of European cheeses.
In our last issue we invited our readers to submit their favourite cheese recipe and be in with a chance of winning a delicious cheese and wine hamper from Traditional Cheese Company.
We are delighted to announce the winner – Nick Murphy, a student at Waterford Institute of Technology and currently on placement in Culloden Estate. Nick has created a simple goat’s cheese dish with a classic accompaniment of beetroot and textural additions of pecans and granola crumb.
A great recipe to use as a starter or for a light lunch, give it a go and tag us in your photos @yesche reland
OUR COMPETITION WINNER...
NICK MURPHY
Nick Murphy tells us about his inspiration for this recipe and what he loves about being a chef.
“This dish is inspired by a dessert I had last summer. It was a quenelle of fresh cream with poached rhubarb which leaned up against the quenelle almost like the cream was supporting the structure and with a shortbread crumble underneath as the foundation. The dish ate beautifully, fresh and simple produce carefully put together to create a wonderfully seasonal dish. Nothing fancy or posh just good honest food treated with the respect it deserved.
This is what I wanted to portray in my dish, beetroots picked and cooked at the peak of their ripeness, married together with silky smooth goat’s cheese that just melts in the mouth. I just try to be the best I can be and keep food simple and the way nature intended it to be, without taking too much away from the natural shape, avour and texture of the food and to use fresh seasonal and sustainable produce and let the food do the talking.
I always liked food as a kid, I was always in the kitchen stuf ng my face with anything I could get my hands on. Most of the time it was done behind my mother’s back, or so I thought. My father was a carpenter and spent most of his weekend xing things around the house. My brothers and I would try to help
him the best we could. However I was not blessed with the hands for carpentry, so the majority of the time I was the one who was sent in to make the lunch or dinner.
From there I became fascinated with cooking , watching cooking programs, reading cook books, trying new ingredients, herbs, spices and avour combinations. I got my rst job in a kitchen because college said it would be the best way to learn the skills needed in the culinary industry. I started in The Bailey in Enniscorthy, a few minutes away from my house, under a very good head chef - Paul McClelland, who mentored me and shaped me and allowed me to grow into the chef I am now.
I love being a chef because you have the freedom to experiment with different food, avours and create art on a plate. A plate is a chef’s canvas, it’s truly amazing what can be done with a few simple ingredients, especially in Ireland where we have an abundance of top quality produce such as beef, game, sh and vegetables at our front door.
You never stop learning new and exciting things in this industry. Chefs such as Massimo Bottura, Rene Redzepi and Simon Hulstone are all inspirational chefs with enormous talent who I look up to and try to take bits and pieces from their attitude on cooking and incorporate it into my own cooking style. I’d love to work in Michelin and have to cook that calibre of food every day, that’s what I strive for, that’s what I want for the future, that’s why I cook.”
HAVE A GO AT NICK’S RECIPE ON NEXT PAGE.


GOAT’S CHEESE, SCORCHED GOLDEN BEETROOT, PICKLED CANDY STRIPPED BEETROOT, PURPLE BEETROOT SPHERE, CANDIED PECANS AND GRANOLA CRUMB
INGREDIENTS
For the cheese
500g goat’s cheese
250ml whipping cream
For the beetroot
1 large golden beetroot
1 large candy stripped beetroot
1 large purple beetroot (for pickling) Lemon oil
Salt
For the pickling liquor
4 cups white wine vinegar 2 cups of water
5 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 star anise
1 bay leave
3 cloves
4 peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
For the candied pecans
50g pecans 10g icing sugar 50ml honey
For the granola crumb
50g oats
10g brown sugar
A pinch of cinnamon 20ml honey
METHOD
Crumble the goat’s cheese into a food processor, add the cream and season with salt, whip until silky and a smooth consistency is achieved.
Add a tablespoon of salt to a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Place the beets into the pot and allow to simmer gently an hour or until cooked through. Peel and place the beets into iced water to cool.
Slice the golden beets, season with lemon oil and salt and blowtorch until blackened evenly. For the purple beetroot using a Parisian scoop, make ve spheres and set aside.
Combine the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, star anise, bay leaf, clove, peppercorns and cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently. Once all avours are combined remove from the heat and allow to cool. Take the striped beetroot, portion and place in a vac pack bag and compress in the pickling liquor.
Salt the walnuts and dust with icing sugar and toast for 1 minute in a dry pan. Add the honey and place on a baking mat on a tray, cook in a medium oven for 3 minutes
Place the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into a mixing bowl add honey and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove and mix though then return to the oven for an extra 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool then blitz.
Serve as shown.
Nick is a student at Waterford IT. His lecturer Michael Quinn said:
YesChef Ireland | Issue 16 | Page 47
Nicholas Murphy
Mitre Restaurant Culloden Hotel & Spa


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