Warmed Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
- 200 g smoked salmon sliced ( 2-3 roses per person )
- 50 g butter ( 25+25)
- 1 leeks thinly sliced
- 100 ml white wine
- 100 ml cream
- ½ lemon juice and zest
- Fresh herbs to serve
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the smoked salmon by rolling the slices into roses shapes and secure with a tooth pick.
- Next, In a saute pan, melt 25g butter over a medium heat, then add the chopped leek and sauté gently for approximately 20 seconds. Pour in the white wine , seson well and stir to combine. Bring to simmer and add the cream.
- Add the smoked salmon roses to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes until the salmon is heated on the sides.
- Remove from the heat and stir in some lemon juice, zest and butter to create a sauce.
- Place the leeks in the centre of the plate, then place the salmon on top. Remove the toothpick from the salmon.
- Drizzle some sauce and sprinkle herbs over the smoked salmon.
- Enjoy immediately.
Cauliflower & blue Cheese Soup
This is a classic combination of flavours. This is quite a filling soup recipe so a little goes a long way. For a varied flavour why not try adding in a little curry powder when cooking the soup for a mild curried alternative or go bolder and add some strong cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1 large onion chopped roughly
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 large head cauliflower chopped
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 200 ml cream
- 75 g Cashel blue cheese
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add in the chopped onion and garlic.
- Sweat the vegetables off for approximately 2 minutes over a gentle heat until they are softened down. Add in the cauliflower pieces, and continue to cook a further moment or two. Season the mixture lightly at this stage.
- Now pour in the warm chicken stock and the cream and allow the entire mixture to come to the boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
- Remove from the heat, stir in half of the cheese and blend the soup with a hand blender adding additional stock if you desire. Correct the seasoning of the soup and reheat it gently.
- Serve the soup garnished with some additional crumble of cheese on top.
Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg dry cured Irish Ham or gammon about 3pounds
- 1 onion studded with 3 cloves
- 1 carrot
- 1 bay leaf
glaze
- 4-5 tbsp. Whiskey Orange marmalade
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 4 tbsp. honey
Gremolata:
- 2 tbsp. parsley
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the ham in a large heavy based saucepan, add the studded onion, carrots, bay leaf. Add enough water to cover the ham completely. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 1hour approx. (20-25 min / 500g or pound) Remove from the heat and allow the ham to cool in the cooking liquor.
- In a bowl, combine the marmalade, brown sugar with honey.
- Preheat the oven to 160˚C/ 325˚C.
- Place the boiled ham on a roasting tray. Using a sharp knife carefully remove the skin from the ham, then gently score the fat.
- Spread the glaze over the ham with a spoon.
- Place into the oven for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown then remove from the oven. Using a pastry brush, brush any missing spot of the ham and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Next, prepare the gremolata. in a bowl, combine the parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Carve the ham and sprinkle the gremolata over. Serve immediately with vegetable and a side of colcannon mash.
Notes
The gremolata is added at the last minute and will bring a kick of spring freshness on the ham.
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 200 g Sausage meat
- 100 g Breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp sage chopped
- 2 tbsp. Parsley chopped
- 2 Onions chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 100 g smoked mature cheddar grated
- 16 pieces dry cured smoked streak bacon
- 1 turkey breast approx 1.2 kg
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter softened
For the gravy ( see next recipe)
- 1 carrot cut lenghtway
- 1 onion slcied
- 1 bulb garlic
- 300 g chicken wings
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- To make the Sausage meat stuffing, in a bowl, combine the sausage meat, breadcrumbs, herbs, onion, garlic, mature cheddar. Check the seasoning and set aside until needed.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a work surface. Line the pieces of streaky bacon side by sides so it should fit to cover the turkey breast and add a second layer of parchment of paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the bacon to flatten and spread them until it reach about a double in length.
- Add the butterflied turkey breast over and add the stuffing.
- Roll the bacon and turkey piece up to form a long roll. Tie every 2 inches with kitchen twine. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Tuck rosemary branches along the top of the roll under the twine.
- Weigh the joint and calculate the cooking time, allowing 15 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
- Place the turkey joint into a roasting tin with a carrot, garlic and sliced onion as a raft.
- Spread some softened butter over the bacon on the turkey and season well with salt and pepper.
- Place the turkey into the oven and roast it for about 1hour 40 minutes or until the juices run clear.
- Lift the turkey joint onto a board, cover with foil like a tent and leave it to rest for 10 minutes, before carving and serving! In the meantime prepare the gravy!
Homemade Turkey Gravy
A good gravy starts before roasting the meat. Always place a carrot, onion, and garlic at the bottom of a roasting tray and any bones available from the roast. This will be the base for the gravy when the roast in ready and resting! for a make-ahead gravy, use chicken wings.
Ingredients
- roasted bones and veg – from the roasting tray
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 1 bay leave
- ½ sprig rosemary
- 4 sprigs thymes
- 3-4 tbsp. of plain flour
- 150 ml Red Wine
- 50 g butter
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Bring to the boil the stock into a saucepan with the bay leaf, rosemary and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat to infuse the flavours. Keep aside until needed.
- Using the roasting tray from the roasted turkey ( see previous recipe).
- Pour any excess fat in a small container on the side. Place the roasting tray on the cooking hob. Sprinkle with the flour and colour for 1 minute on medium heat, stirring once to colour the flour and coat all the leftover meat and veg .
- Then, deglaze the pan with the red wine and warmed infused stock. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 3-5 minutes until coating consistency is achieved.
- Pass the gravy through a fine sieve into another saucepan and at last whisk in the cold butter cubes.
- Serve when ready!
MUM’S ROAST POTATOES
This is my Mum’s recipe and they’ve never failed me. There’s no doubt that the fat from the roast meat makes the best roast potatoes. Alternatively if you ever roast a goose or duck save every drop of the fat and freeze it down in ice cube trays, then bag it to use at your leisure – even a couple added to your oil will help the flavour.
Ingredients
- 675 g floury potatoes cut into large even-sized chunks (such as Rooster or Golden Wonder, preferably all similar in size)
- duck fat or vegetable oil, dripping, goose fat
- Salt to season
- 1 sprig rosemary or other fresh herbs
- 2 garlic cloves optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Place the potatoes, garlic, and herb in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the outsides have just softened. Drain and return to the pan for a minute or two to dry out.
- then, preheat a roasting tin with a 4 tbsps of oil, or dripping, duck or goose fat for a few minutes until just smoking. Put the lid back on the potatoes and shake vigorously to break up and soften the edges or roughly prod the outside of the potatoes with a fork. Carefully tip them into the hot oil, basting the tops.
- Place the roasting tin with the potatoes back in the oven and cook for 40 minutes, then pour off the majority of the fat before turning the potatoes over. Season to taste with the salt and cook for a further 20 minutes until crispy around the edges and golden brown.
Honey Glazed Carrots
This is my version of Vichy-style carrots. When cooking, make sure you shake the pan occasionally to prevent the bottom catching and the glaze caramelizing. I find that they reheat very well so can be made well in advance. Just popped in a pan until warmed through.
Ingredients
- 450 g baby carrots halves
- 25 g butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 300 ml vegetable stock or water Vichy water for the purist!
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the carrots in a single layer in a wide saucepan with the butter, honey, garlic clove, rosemary and enough stock or water to just cover the carrots. Season to taste.
- Cover with a cartouche or a lid and bring to the boil, then cook over a moderate to high heat for about 12 minutes until the carrots are tender and all of the liquid has evaporated, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to keep warm until needed. Alternatively, set aside to cool and keep refrigerated for 2 days in a tight container.
Brussels sprouts with Caramelised Chorizo
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100 g chorizo sausage diced into 2 cm chunks
- 2 shallots chopped
- 50 g day-old sourdough bread cut into 2cm pieces
- 80 g butter diced
- 50 g dried cranberries
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp Rivesci .ie cashew Chilli crush
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and shallots and cook shaking the pan frequently to colour and caramelise the chorizo. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bread croutons now and continue cooking for 1 minutes until the crouton absorb some of the cooking juices.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer Brussels sprouts to the wok and fry for 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the brussels sprouts until coated with the butter.
- Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a platter and serve immediately.
Mincemeat Palmier
Ingredients
- 1 Butter puff pastry 1 x 200g
- 3 tbsp. Mincemeat
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
- Roll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a long oblong shape.
- Spread the mincemeat over the puff pastry, then with the longest end facing you, roll towards to create mini roll. Place in the fridge to set for up to half an hour.
- Remove the rolls from the fridge and using a sharp knife slice into 2cm thick pieces. Lay each slice onto the baking tray.
- Place in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, until puffed up and golden.
- When baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Christmas Chocolate Biscuit Yule Log
Ingredients
- 80 g butter softened
- 1 tbsp honey
- 200 g dark chocolate broken into chunks
- 120 g digestive crushed to small pieces
- 80 g mini marshmallows
- 200 g chocolate bonbons
For the chocolate frosting
- 110 g butter very soft
- 250 g cream cheese at room temperature
- 220 g icing sugar
- 30 g strong cocoa powder
Instructions
- Line a 12cm wide deep small saucepan with a few layer of cling film. Alternatively, line a cake tin or a pudding bowl.
- Over a pan of simmering water, melt, in a bowl the butter, chocolate and honey until just melted. Stir to combine smoothly. Remove from the heat and keep at room temperature.
- In a large bowl, crush the digestive biscuits and add the marshmallows and chocolate bonbons.
- Pour over the melted chocolate and mix well until all coated.
- Pour the chocolate and biscuit mixture into the lined container or saucepan and flatten with a spoon. Set in the fridge or at room temperature overnight if needed.
- Store at room temperature for a few weeks tightly covered if needed.
- Once ready to serve, prepare the fudgy chocolate and cream cheese frosting.
- In a bowl, beat the butter until very soft and spreadable, slowly whip or beat if too heavy in the cream cheese until both are well combined. Using a whisk at this stage, slowly add the icing sugar and then the cocoa powder. Once smooth, transfer immediately 3 /4 of the mixture in a piping bag and let it settle in the fridge for 15 minutes. Keep the rest at room temperature.
- Place the biscuit cake on a platter, remove any cling film.
- Use the ¼ left in the bowl to cover the biscuit cake with a layer of frosting to smooth the biscuit cake on the top and edges.
- Then with the piping bag, pipe in a circular motion on the top then, shape a few roses around the edges (the knots of the bark ) then pipe from the base up randomly to represent the bark of a tree or create your own design. Decorate the cake with pine tree steam and holy and a few chocolates decoration if desired!
- Let it set for a while before serving. You can keep it for up to 2 days at room temperature in a cool area or keep it in the fridge a few or so.
Notes
I used a small deep saucepan of 900ml of countenance ! similar to a pudding bowl for matching size
