Caitríona Redmond: Get ready for St Patrick's Day with these Irish fry-up faves

Name: Air Fryer French Toast
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 medium eggs; 30ml milk; Stale bread crusts (chips) cut to equal size. About 6 per portion; Salt and Pepper to taste

Plus - the longer-term adjustment to getting out and doing things after the winter - and the importance of sowing seeds now, to reap later...

Caitríona Redmond: Get ready for St Patrick's Day with these Irish fry-up faves — A post-Paddy's Day fry-up - for your air fryer!

Thu, 09 Mar, 2023 - 02:00

Caitriona Redmond

Consumer Watch

I’ve been struggling mentally with staying on budget this spring. During the dark days of winter I found it easier to stay at home. Hibernation had the nifty side benefit of meaning I spent less money. Now that the days are longer I want to go out and do ‘stuff’.

‘Stuff’ has a funny way of costing money, even if it feels I’ve been confining myself to the house for far too long now.

Instead of going out and about, I’m trying to invest in the future and have returned to the allotment. The feeling of accomplishment when I have sown seeds and planned my growing for the year is priceless.

Last weekend I started the tomatoes and I noticed a big increase in the cost of seeds since 2021. Eight F1 seeds this year cost €5.69. F1 seeds can’t be saved and I rarely buy them unless it’s a plant we particularly like; in this case it’s sungold, a golden-toned cherry tomato with a wonderful balance of sweet and tart. The last time I bought them a pack of 16 cost €3.59 – some price hike, combined with shrinkflation!

Now's the time to sow your tomatoes for the coming year.

Growing your own food could help many families deal with the cost of living crisis. I also recommend easier-to-grow items such as peas, onions, garlic, and potatoes for novice growers, requiring far less attention and even the occasional healthy dose of benign neglect.

Since Sunday, my windowsills are crammed with propagators for all the things we like to eat and that I can preserve. The real excitement starts when we see the little seedlings gather true leaves. Last year’s crop of tomatoes are still going strong in the form of my roasted tomato sauce. I batch-cooked trays of the stuff last summer and autumn, enough to last until the tomatoes are ripe and ready for picking again and I rarely buy tomatoes.

All of this growing activity still hasn’t taken away that feeling of struggle but I’m determined not to wallow and heading to the allotment gives my head space. I get out into the fresh air and physically tire myself out everyday, making less inclined to spend money. I’m more likely to seek out a hot shower and a cup of tea if I’m honest.

Then I look at the countdown timer I have for our imminent trip away and I know it’ll be worth it. To have a reward to look forward to makes a huge difference.

You'll find lots of elements of the full Irish breakfast on special offer this week.

Special Offers

In advance of next Friday (St Patrick’s Day), all of the supermarkets will have Irish-themed special offers, with a particular emphasis on the breakfast fry and alcohol. At the time of writing not all of the special offers were published, but I can guarantee it’s a great idea to stock up on sausages, rashers, and eggs this week.

I’ll be freezing the meat for recipes on another day, and will use the eggs in the course of my weekly meal plan.

Money Saving Tips

Did you know that a standalone white fridge or freezer is the perfect whiteboard? I use a whiteboard marker to write a list of the contents on the front of my freezer so I don’t have to rummage inside to check what I have. This saves me so much time and helps with meal planning. Not forgetting saving energy because now I only open the freezer when I need to.

This week I’ve lined the inside of my food cupboards with an adhesive whiteboard sheet. It’s like a giant sticker. I’ve drawn a line down the middle of sticker on my press door; one side is a list of what I have, and the other is a list of what I need. Before going shopping I just open the door and take a picture to bring along with me.

When cooking a mixture of leafy and root vegetables consider using one pot rather than several. Simply time your cooking based upon the root vegetables and add the leafy variety towards the end of the cooking time. Using one pot reduces your energy use in the kitchen and saves on the washing up, which is always a win for me.

Many recipes call for preheating an oven before cooking and this is especially important when baking. However, for general roasting you can actually add your trays to the oven while cold and then turn it on. Add an extra 10-15 minutes to your cooking time instead. Many people tend to turn the oven on and then get absorbed in food preparation.

Air Fryer French Toast

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond

Baked French toast chips are quick and easy to make in the air fryer and because you bake them you won't need any oil in the cooking process, so it's healthier too!

Servings

Preparation Time

10 mins

Cooking Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Course

Side

Cuisine

French

Ingredients

3 medium eggs
30ml milk
Stale bread crusts (chips) cut to equal size. About 6 per portion
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Grease or line your air fryer bowl before baking.
Take a large shallow bowl and mix the eggs, milk and some salt and pepper together with a fork until they are combined. Dip the crusts into the batter and roll around until they are fully coated. Lift up and hold over the bowl to allow any extra batter to drip off before placing each crust onto the baking tray.
Make sure that there is a little bit of space around each crust.
Bake in the air fryer at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. They should become golden brown.
Serve with a side of tomato relish and a salad if eating for brunch or lunch.

Irish Home Fries

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond

Home fries are cubed or chunks of potatoes that are cooked on the frying pan until crispy and brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Potatoes, or spuds, are the perfect match for Irish sausages, making this dish suitable for enjoying anytime.