How to show your Valentine you really love him — get a Michelin-starred chef around to cook
When you’ve been with your partner so long, you used to make dates via pay phones and the very idea of an Ann Summers shop in Cork city was just too mad to contemplate, it can be difficult to come up with inventive Valentine’s Day gifts.
When you know the joint bank account is paying for that bouquet, you realise roses are highly overrated and a dozen is just so vulgar. A single carnation is so much more romantic, don’t you think? (Give me that Visa card, you tool, we haven’t paid the car tax yet).
Throw in marriage, a mortgage, two kids, one burgeoning bump, and it really is the thought that counts when it comes to presents.
What better way to show my devotion than to cook a romantic meal for two on February 14th? The thing is, cooking wouldn’t be my strong point.
I can make a mean toasted sanger, don’t get me wrong, and I haven’t poisoned a single soul with my pasta thingy with black pudding, but fine dining? Not so much.
Enter Mr Andy McFadden. He became Ireland’s youngest- ever Michelin-starred chef when he was only a pup of 25. Now the ripe old age of 29, he’s head chef at L’Autre Pied — the legendary Michelin-starred restaurant in London’s West End.
He was in Cork recently for a stint on the Today Show and my cunning plan took shape. Under the thinly-veiled excuse of wanting to see his expertise up close, I basically bullied him into making a masterpiece in my very own kitchen.
Shameless? Perhaps. Worth it? Most definitely. Will I be able to recreate tonight? Not a hope in hell.
Now my kitchen is far from the French fine dining on Blandford Street that Andy would be used to but that dude cooked up a storm.
I collected him from the Today Show studio around 5pm after he’d shown Daithi and Maura how to make a fancy Bacon and Cabbage dish and he had to be at Cork airport for 7pm so we didn’t have much time.
I had a bit of a stereotype in my head of a Gordon Ramsey shouty type who’d pick up my grandmother’s sieve with a sneer and perhaps declare my ramekins woefully wanting.
How wrong I was. A sweeter, more down-to-earth guy I could not have encountered. Meeting after his TV appearance, he was dressed in skinny jeans and a jumper, big brown eyes, beard and slightly mad hair, he was totally normal, as culinary geniuses go.
Even when I was breaking red lights on the Western Road, he chatted away, so open, so enthused about food, passionate about what he does and so humble about the heights that he’s got to, it was like chatting to an old buddy.
The only time he blanched was when I asked him if he had a partner and what their plans might be for Valentine’s.
“Yes, I have a girlfriend,” he answered so quickly, I think he might have thought I was making a move. The big pregnant scary lady was just being nosey, I swear. His partner is also a chef.
“I’ve never been a big fan of Valentines Day,” Andy said. “It’s virtually impossible to get off if you’re in the restaurant biz, so I will definitely be working. But I love to spoil her with flowers and we love eating out, so will probably go somewhere when we’re both off for sure.” No carnations there, I’ll bet.
The Dubliner’s mother (who he talks about with fierce devotion) and uncle are both chefs, so it’s in the family. As a teenager, he worked his way through some of the best restaurants in Ireland, he says this is where he really learnt his trade.
He’s worked in kitchens all around Europe, including a stint with the three-Michelin-starred Oud Sluis in Holland.
Andy was named a finalist in Gordon Ramsay’s Scholar Awards in 2007, he was a semi-finalist in 2006 and 2008. He cites Neven Maguire as a real source of help, a chef who encouraged and believed in him.
He landed in London in 2007, aged 21, he took up the position of Chef de Partie at L’Autre Pied’s big sister restaurant, Michelin-starred Pied à Terre, working there for three and a half years, when he was invited to take up the top position at L’Autre Pied.
He’s smart too, he has a business head on him that’s interesting to see, he talks about the restaurant industry with a depth of understanding that balances the creative side that’s so obvious as he cooks in my humble little cistin. Both restaurants are owned by Irish-born TV restaurateur David Moore.
Andy had sent me a list of ingredients — 2 King Scallops in the shell; 1 fresh horseradish; 1 cucumber; 100g cream; 100g milk; 1 lime; 1 lemon; 1 lamb fillet or 200g portion; 1 aubergine; the use of maldon sea salt, a pepper mill and olive oil.
Then he produced all these sauces and powders and magic potions he’d brought with him from London — he likes to make use of everything — for example that quare looking orange yoke on the scallop, he makes into a powder.
I messed up on the scallops — didn’t get them in the shell and I got the wrong cut of lamb and the horseradish looks fierce withered under the harsh kitchen light.
“This aubergine isn’t the freshest,” Andy said dolefully.
But as soon as he got his hands on the food, it was like a switch clicked on inside him, laid back Andy was gone. It was fascinating to watch. He was so animated, in control and a little bit bossy.
My job was to grate 20gr of horseradish into 20gr of cream and 100gr of milk. By the time I had that done, I turned around and he
pretty much everything else done.
Seriously. The lamb was in the pan, the aubergine was sizzling in another pan, the scallops (he served them raw) were sliced and basking in a mixture of lime juice, vegetable stock, sugar, salt, vinegar and olive oil, with all fancy plops of sauces around it… How the hell did that happen?
Then he boiled up my horseradish mixture — he said ideally you should let it infuse for a couple of hours, but since he was due on a plane, he’d just go ahead and aerate it. That means making it look all foamy.
Then he went into sonic speed and ta-da! two awesome-looking plates of food I’d have to taste later because it was time to dash to the airport.When I came home, the grub was gone. My darling Valentine was licking his chops.
“That was the nicest food I’ve ever tasted.” he said. “Good, cos you’ll never taste it again.”
Now what will we have in our toasties tonight?
Put the olives on a small roasting tray. Sprinkle with the sugar and place in a very low oven (80C/gas ¼) for a couple of hours or until dried.
For the miso-glazed aubergine Peel the aubergine and cut the flesh into 3-4 wedges. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan and fry the aubergine for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden-brown all over. Spoon the miso glaze evenly over the cooked aubergine and set aside.
Pat the lamb dry with kitchen paper and season with a little sea salt. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in an ovenproof pan and sear the lamb skin-side down for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown. Turn the lamb over and sear on the other sides for a further 2-3 minutes, or until brown all over.
Remove the lamb to a plate and leave to rest in a warm place.
For the lamb sauce Place the roasting tray over a high heat and add the water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the garlic oil and dried olives, then add a dash of balsamic vinegar to taste. Cook until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency, about 5-6 minutes. Preheat the grill to high.
To serve, place the aubergines under the grill for 4-5 minutes, or until the miso topping is golden-brown and bubbling.
Carve the lamb into long slices. Sit a piece of aubergine on the other side of the plate, Drizzle over some more balsamic vinegar and sprinkle the lamb with some dried olives. Spoon the lamb sauce over the meat and serve.
Ceviche is basically raw fish ‘cooked’ in citrus juice. It relies on the freshest of fish. You can also use salmon, pollock or sea bass for this recipe if you like.
Make the ceviche dressing by mixing the lime juice, vegetable stock, sugar, salt, vinegar and olive oil together. Adjust the sweet and sour balance, adding a little extra lime juice or sugar to taste.
Bring the horseradish, milk and cream to the boil and infuse for 2 hours. Strain off and aerate with hand blender.
To get neat, even slices the fish needs to be really cold, and you’ll need a sharp knife. Slice it as soon as it comes out of the fridge. Arrange each slice on the plate. Lightly season the fish with sea salt. Spoon the marinade over and arrange the other elements on top as you like.
It’s really important that it is served at room temperature so that you can appreciate the full flavour of the shellfish. Grate the lime over the dish. This gives a lovely perfume to the dish. Serve immediately - the dressing ‘cooks’ the fish so don’t dress more than five minutes before eating as it will turn the fish to mush.
