Darina Allen: a taste of the sweet life in California

Plus - a trio of new recipes from the American food frontier

Darina Allen in the gardens of the Ballymaloe Cookery School with her 20th book How To Cook. Picture Dan Linehan

Ever since I started the cooking school with my brother Rory O’Connell in September 1983, I’ve tried to go to California at least every second year to check out what’s happening on the food scene and to get an idea of the trends that are coming our way.

Originally it would take four to five years before things became mainstream over here. Nowadays with social media, ideas travel much faster. Nonetheless, a visit to the Gold Coast can keep you ahead of the curve for at least a year or two.

The main raison d’etre for the trip was to attend several events to celebrate the launch of The Ballymaloe Desserts book, written by JR Ryall, head pastry chef at Ballymaloe House, who worked alongside Myrtle Allen for many years and carefully carries on the tradition of a sweet trolley piled high with the irresistible sweet treats that guests always look forward to at the end of their meal. It is a tradition that has been ongoing for 60 years.

The first event was in Los Angeles at Lulu in the Hammer Museum. JR, collaborated with former Chez Panisse chef, David Tanis, and his wonderful team to recreate a selection of Ballymaloe deserts. The second event was at Caldo Verde in the Proper Hotel downtown.

I visited four different farmer’s markets in LA, Santa Monica, and South Pasadena.

I visited several other restaurants including Great White owned by past student, Juan Ferriero and his wife Liza, who met and became engaged at the Cookery School in 2019.

Despite its vibrant food scene, sadly, San Francisco feels like a busted flush, very much a victim of its own success. Property has become so crazily expensive that restaurant staff simply cannot afford to live in the city. In the midst of it all, there is a beyond-appalling homeless problem. I spoke to a dog walker who told me he was earning $150,000 a year, but still could not afford to live in San Francisco.

It feels like San Francisco is no longer leading the way, although I did have several delicious meals there, including one at Zuni, where there was yet another launch for the Ballymaloe Deserts Book (which might be the most-launched book that ever was!).

Everything I ate at Rintaro, the Japanese restaurant on 14th Street was memorable, I also loved several cafe bakeries and salon du thé. Don’t miss the flaky buttery Kouign-Amann at b. patisserie on California St and superb baking in The French Spot on Larkin St, a rundown part of town where you get a full-on glimpse of the other side of San Francisco.

I’ve run out of space, but I want to share a few recipes for some of the delicious things, both sweet and savoury, that I enjoyed on my recent visit to California.

David Tanis's Chickpea Salad with Green Chutney

This salad is also delicious topped with roasted small potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin, cauliflower or any other seasonal vegetables.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 45 mins

Cooking Time

 14 mins

Total Time

 59 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 375g (13oz) dry chickpeas, soak overnight, or 850g cooked chickpeas

• For the green chutney

• 50g (2oz) coriander leaves and tender stems

• 10g (scans 1/2oz) mint leaves

• 50g (2oz) Baby Spinach Leaves

• 1 Serrano or jalapeño chilli (add more chilli if you like it hotter)

• good pinch of salt

• 2 teaspoon sugar

• 1-2 tablespoons water to bind

• Salt

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

• Pinch of Cayenne

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• To garnish

• 4-6 radishes, thinly sliced

• 2-3 'Jammy' Soft-Boiled Eggs, Halved

• fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

1. If cooking dried chickpeas, after soaking, cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and simmer for approximately 45 minutes until cooked. Alternatively, use 850g (1lb 14oz) cooked chickpeas.

2. To make the green chutney

3. Purée all the ingredients in a blender – add the water if necessary. This makes a bright Green medium spicy green chutney. Best used on the day it is made.

4. Drain the chickpeas and place in a deep wide bowl. Season generously with salt and a drizzle with the olive oil. Add the Toasted ground cumin, garam masala and a pinch of cayenne. Add a Good squeeze of lime. Toss well, taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Just before serving, add 2-3 tablespoons green chutney and toss again. Serve the remaining green chutney in a separate bowl.

6. To Serve

7. Garnish each serving with the soft egg half, some thinly sliced radishes and coriander.

Zuni Café Roast Chicken

You don't need a brick oven for this perfect roast chicken from the legendary chef Judy Rodgers — but you do need a hot one, and a day or so to dry-brine the bird before using it. Serve with salad.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 45 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 45 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 1 small chicken, 1.2-1.6kg (2 3/4 - 3 1/2lbs)

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, marjoram, rosemary or sage

• sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Sprinkle the chicken all over with salt 1-2 days before Serving. Remove the lump of fat inside the chicken (render for roast potatoes). Pat the chicken very dry (a wet chicken won't brown).

2. Slide a finger under the skin of each of the chicken breasts, making 2 little pockets, then use a fingertip to gently loosen a pocket of skin on the outside of the thickest section of each thigh. Push an herb sprig into each of the 4 pockets.

3. Using about 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per 450g (1lb) of chicken and pepper to taste, season the chicken liberally all over with salt and the pepper. Sprinkle a little of the salt just inside the cavity and on the backbone. Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Cover loosely and Refrigerate.

4. When you're ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/Gas Mark 9.

5. Depending on your oven and the size of your bird, you may need to adjust the heat to as high as 250°C/500°F/Gas Mark 10 or as low as 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8 during roasting to brown the chicken properly.

6. Choose a shallow roasting tin or dish barely larger than the chicken or use a 25cm (10 inch) saucepan with a metal handle. Preheat the tin over a medium heat. Wipe the chicken dry and set it breast side up in the tin - it should sizzle.

7. Place in the centre of the oven and watch for it to start sizzling and browning within 20 minutes. If it doesn't, raise the temperature progressively until it does. The skin should blister, but if the chicken begins to char, or the fat is smoking, reduce the temperature slightly. After about 30 minutes, turn the bird over (drying the bird and preheating the tin should keep the skin from sticking). Roast for another 10-20 minutes, depending on size, then flip back over to re-crisp the breast skin, another 5-10 minutes. Total oven time will be 45-60 minutes.

8. Remove the chicken from the roasting tin and put on a Plate. Pour the clear fat from the tin, leaving the drippings. Add about 1 tablespoon of water to the hot tin and swirl. Slash the stretched skin between the thighs and breasts of the chicken, then tilt the bird and plate over the roasting tin to drain the juice into the drippings. As the chicken rests, tilt the roasting tin and skim the last of the fat. Place over a medium-low heat, add any juice that has collected under the chicken, and bring to a simmer. Stir and scrape.

9. Cut the chicken into 8 pieces and pour the tin drippings over the chicken.

Lulu in LA Bay Leaf Ice Cream

Special thanks to David Tanis for sharing this Exquisite Ice Cream Recipe.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 1 hours 50 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 55 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 900ml (1 1/2 pints) of milk

• 450ml (16fl oz) cream

• 15 fresh bay leaves

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 Cinnamon Stick, break in half

• 260g (scans 9 1/2oz) caster sugar

• peel of 1 organic lemon

• 12 egg yolks

Method

1. Put all the ingredients except the egg yolks in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring slowly to the shivery stage, turn off the heat and allow the flavours to macerate for at least an hour.

2. Whisk 12 egg yolks until light and fluffy gradually pour on the flavoured liquid whisking all the time.

3. Return to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly backwards and forwards with a straight-end wooden spoon until the light crème anglaise coats the back of the spoon. Pour into a stainless-steel bowl and chill over ice, stirring regularly.

4. Churn in an ice cream machine.

5. Serve a ball of ice cream in chilled bowls on top of a blob of softly whipped cream (yes, that's not a misprint)

6. Sprinkle with bay leaf dust and serve as soon as possible.

7. Bay leaf dust:

8. Dry the fresh bay leaves in a dehydrator until crisp, about 24 hours at 46°C/115°F (alternatively, hang up somewhere to dry at room temperature for a couple of days). Whizz in a clean spice grinder, sieve, and store in a dark sealed glass .jar.

Hot Tips

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Michelin Stars for Two Cork Restaurants

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