Caitríona Redmond: Summertime dreams and my Just Keep Swimming fish cakes
Halibut Fish Cakes with Lemon and Tartar Sauce
It’s midsummer’s day. How did that happen? It feels like all of the darkness of the winter months has passed and the sunny weather definitely helps to lift my mood.
As the schools wind up and the annual award ceremonies and celebrations for diligent students are handed out, take some time for a pat on the back for making it this far in the school year. We got there.
In the week ahead, when the primary schools close, I have a vital message for you - empty all the schoolbags!
Set a reminder on your phone for the last day of school to investigate every single nook and cranny of those school bags. I was caught out a few years ago by a banana that had escaped the clutches of a firm lunchbox and meandered to the bottom of the bag. Said bag was wiped clean (or so I thought) then stuffed into the bottom of the wardrobe.
Did you know that fermenting bananas have a distinctive aroma? It smells like acetone and would remind you of nail polish. I remember asking my youngest whether he had helped himself to my nail polish in the middle of August and he was very puzzled at the suggestion.
The day before school recommenced I pulled out the offending bag and it was not pretty. Take it from me and learn from my mistakes, check those school bags this week. You’ll thank me in two months time.
I’m mindful that the summertime, and certainly school holidays, can be stressful for families. When money is in short supply many of the insta-friendly activities are firmly on the ‘lottery win’ list.
Our food adventures over the upcoming school holidays are already planned. The kids know what they want to do and their plans are budget-friendly. Maybe our list will inspire you to cast off the money worries and enjoy moments in the weeks ahead.
The 11-year-old has a pizza obsession, particularly pepperoni. He wants a pillow fort and pizza/movie party. The bigger debate surrounds the movie choice; we all know it’s going to be pepperoni to keep him happy.
The 14-year-old is dreaming of a bag of chips on the beach. He wants them dowsed in salt and vinegar and will eat them watching the sunset.
I’ve decided that this summer is the one where I relinquish control of the kitchen to the kids and set them loose with cookbooks. Providing they eat what they make and clean up after themselves I am onto a winner. The teen has a head start on this already and made a very acceptable steak with rice and beans for dinner this week. I might be out of a job yet.
So roll on Friday morning, when I gleefully turn off the morning alarms and reminders for a blissful 9 weeks. That’s my celebratory moment.
Give us this day our fresh bread. At least that’s the line that runs through my mind when I open the bread bin in the mornings in warm weather. When the bread is fresh it’s a cause for celebration but it doesn’t last long at all and can sometimes have telltale signs of mould.
If your bread has any signs of mould then you need to turf the loaf. Straight into the compost bin. It’s just not worth it. If you are keeping your loaves in a bread bin you need to clean it thoroughly because the spores might still be hanging around even after getting rid of the offending bread.
Prolonging the life of your loaf is easier than you’d think.
If you buy a sliced pan, freeze the entire package. Once frozen solid just remove as many slices as you need. Take the slices of bread out of the freezer about an hour before use or it’s fine to toast from frozen. If you find that your sliced pan compacts together to a single block in the freezer, tap the pan sharply against a hard surface and the slices will separate. I use my countertop for this.
For bread bin users, make sure that your bread bin is completely dry and kept in a very cool area. A decent airtight seal is important and basic hygiene is important. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling bread.
As always, wasted food is wasted money in my book. If you can keep your loaf for longer then that’s a good thing!
In the movie ‘Finding Nemo’ the character Dory has a wonderful determination to just keep swimming no matter what life throws at her. That’s what I’m thinking about when I take out a tin of tuna. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients 200g stale breadcrumbs 70ml milk 200g tinned tuna (drained) 1 red pepper 3 spring onions/scallions 1 handful of coriander (stalks and all) 2 tablespoons sunflower oil Salt & pepper Method Put half the breadcrumbs into a large bowl and pour over the milk. Allow to soak for about 5 minutes. Add the tuna to the breadcrumbs and mash with a fork. If you have a mini-blender or stick blender, blend the pepper, onions and coriander into a loose paste, otherwise chop them as finely as you can. Mash this into the fish and breadcrumb mixture. Heat the sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Take the remaining half of the dry breadcrumbs and put them on a flat plate. Use your hands to shape the fish mixture into small rounds, then pat into the breadcrumbs on either side to get a crumb coating. Fry in the hot oil until golden on each side. Serve with as many fresh vegetables as you can muster from the fridge or garden. I like to fill a soft wrap with the fish cakes and a little bit of lemony mayonnaise then top with garden leaves and scallions. Yum!Just Keep Swimming Fish Cakes
Perfect warm or cold, this salad is best enjoyed as a central platter for a vegetarian feast. You could also add it to your barbecue spreads and serve the salad with skewers of grilled chicken or lamb. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients 100g frozen peas 100g frozen sweetcorn 200g dried couscous 3 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp each of ground cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon and paprika 1 tin drained chickpeas Salt and pepper 1 handful sultanas or raisins 1 handful dried apricots Fresh vegetables, diced, e.g. peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes (optional) Method Put the kettle on to boil. Weigh out the frozen vegetables and put to a large bowl. Pour hot water over the vegetables until they are covered with water, cover the bowl, then cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure they cook evenly. If not piping hot after this time, return to the microwave for another 1-2 minutes. Put the couscous in a large cereal bowl, as it will expand to at least double its volume. Pour hot water over the couscous until it is just about 2cm above the dried couscous. Stir with a fork, cover with a plate and leave it to soak. Place the oil in a frying pan on a low heat. Pour in the ground spices and move around in the oil until their aroma is released. Stir the chickpeas and dried fruit into the spice mixture in the frying pan. Toss until heated through. Uncover the couscous and stir the contents into the large serving bowl with the cooked vegetables and any other fresh vegetables you like. Serve the chickpeas and sultanas over the couscous in a large serving dish in the middle of the table. You might like to dress this further with fresh green leaves and a vinegar salad dressing but it’s equally nice as it is!Fruity Couscous Salad
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