Presents of mind
This year I'm determined to start earlier but there are a few special people for whom I can't seem to find something appropriate. So for this column I'll focus on presents for foodie friends.
The number of escapees from the city looking for the good life in the country is really gathering momentum. It's now hip to grow your own vegetables, have a few hens or keep a few pigs.
For these born-again rural dwellers, a pair of rare poultry Ancona, Buff Orpington, Hebden Black, Speckledys will generate some terrific excitement on Christmas Day. It's a practical present which will provide a few eggs and maybe a clutch of chickens later in the year.
For the aspiring gardener, give them a little hamper of vegetable seeds say, a few early potatoes, a mixture of lettuces and salad leaves, a packet of carrot seed, a few radishes, some beetroot and my favourite broad beans. You could add a beginner's guide to vegetable gardening.
A selection of little pots of fresh herbs, and maybe a window box, will also delight a green-fingered cook.
Parsley, thyme, chives, mint, marjoram and tarragon would make a good starter pack. A cook will also always welcome a rosemary bush.
The aromatic spears can be plucked in every season to flavour lamb, chicken, pork, roast vegetables, jellies and sorbets.
You could also choose a favourite farmhouse cheese, arranging for one to be sent by mail or courier once every two to three months. Alternatively, choose a little hamper of Irish Farmhouse Cheese from Iago or On the Pig's Back in the English Market in Cork, Sheridans in Galway or Dublin, or Peter Ward from Country Choice in Nenagh.
A gift token for the Midleton Farmers' Market or tempting food and wine shops like Urru in Bandon or The Butlers Pantry in Dublin, or one of the Avoca Shops is bound to be a hit.
A side of smoked wild Irish salmon from Ummera, Belvelly, Dunn's or Woodcock Smokery will remind your friends of how smoked salmon used to taste. We also love Bill Casey's smoked salmon from Shanagarry.
Native Irish oysters are in their prime at present only in season when there is an R in the month. A couple of dozen oysters packed in a split timber box are a really special present for shellfish lovers and don't forget to include an oyster knife.
If you want to taste ham like it used to be, try Fingal Ferguson's ham from The Gubbeen Smokehouse.
A brace of pheasant, well hung, with a little pot of bread sauce and some redcurrant jelly would be a treat, and imagine getting a really large joint of beef, a wing rib, dry aged and well hung, wrapped in greaseproof and brown paper and tied with butchers string.
An exciting new cookbook is always a bonus for a foodie friend, as is a food guide. Try Georgina Campbell's Ireland, The Guide, John and Sally McKenna's Bridgestone Guides.
¼ lb (110g) chocolate
24-30 sweet paper cases
¼ lb (110g) best quality dark chocolate
¼ pint (150ml) cream
¼ ½ tbsp rum or orange liqueur
Garnish: Crushed praline or crystallized violets or unsweetened cocoa powder.
First make the chocolate cases. Melt the chocolate until smooth in a very low oven, or in a bowl over simmering water. Put 2 paper cases together and spread melted chocolate evenly over the inside of the paper case with the back of a teaspoon. Check that there are no 'see through' patches when you hold them up to the light; if there are, spread a little more chocolate in that area, stand the paper cases in deep bun tins to keep the sides upright. Chill until they set hard, carefully peel the paper off the cases (it is a good idea to do a few extra cases to allow for accidents!).
Put the cream in a heavy-bottomed, preferably stainless steel saucepan and bring it almost to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. With a wooden spoon, stir the chocolate into the cream until it is completely melted. Transfer the chocolate cream to the bowl of a food mixer and allow it to cool to room temperature. Add the liqueur and whisk until it is just stiff enough to pipe.
To Assemble: Using a piping bag and a three-eights inch star nozzle pipe a rosette of the mixture into peeled chocolate cases. Decorate each one with a little crushed praline or a crystallized violet leaf or a dusting of unsweetened coca powder.
Place one toasted hazelnut in each of the chocolate cases. Pipe a rosette of ganache on top. Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Serve with cold ham, turkey, chicken, guinea fowl, game or rough pâtés.
1 orange
1 lemon
225g (8oz) red currant jelly
3-4 tablespoons port
A pinch of cayenne pepper
A pinch of ground ginger
With a swivel-top peeler, remove the peel very thinly from the orange and half of the lemon (make sure there is no white pith). Shred into thin julienne strips, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Strain off the water and discard it, then refresh the peel under cold water. Strain and keep it aside.
Squeeze the juice from the fruit and put it into a stainless steel saucepan with the jelly and spices; allow it to melt down. Then add the peel and port to the sauce. Boil it rapidly for 5-10 minutes.
Test by putting a little blob on a cold saucer. When it cools it should wrinkle slightly. Cumberland Sauce may be served in a bowl right away or it may be potted up and kept until needed, like jam.
The following sauces, as well as making great presents, will be a wonderful standby in your own Christmas supplies.
Red currant jelly is a very delicious and versatile product to have in your larder. It has a myriad of uses. It can be used like a jam on bread or scones, or served as an accompaniment to roast lamb, bacon or ham. It is also good with some rough pâtés and game, and is invaluable as a glaze for red fruit tarts.
This recipe is a particular favourite of mine, not only because it's fast to make and results in delicious intensely flavoured jelly, but because one can use the left over pulp to make a fruit tart.
Unlike most other fruit jelly, no water is needed in this recipe.
We've used frozen fruits for this recipe also, stir over the heat until the sugar dissolves, proceeds as below.
Makes 3 x 1 lb (450g) jars
2 lbs (900g/8 cups) red currants
2 lbs (900g/8 cups) granulated sugar
Remove the strings from the red currants either by hand or with a fork.
Put the red currants and sugar into a wide stainless steel saucepan and stir continuously until they come to the boil. Boil for exactly 8 minutes, stirring only if they appear to be sticking to the bottom. Skim carefully. Turn into a nylon sieve and allow to drip through, do not push the pulp through or the jelly will be cloudy. You can stir it gently once or twice to free the bottom of the sieve of pulp. Pour the jelly into sterilised pots immediately. Red currants are very high in pectin so the jelly will begin to set just as soon as it begins to cool.
Emmiline Weeks is a student on our current 12-week certificate course. She demonstrated this delicious peanut brittle for us. At home in Maryland, she packs it into little cellophane bags tied with raffia as presents for her friends.
675g (1½lb) caster sugar
350g (12oz) golden syrup or light corn syrup
495g (18oz) peanuts (fresh roasted and salted)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
vegetable oil
2 large baking sheets
candy thermometer
large pot
metal spoon
Oil two baking sheets (if they are small you will need three).
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, golden syrup and 125ml (4 fl oz/half cup) of water.
Dissolve the sugar over a high heat. Once the sugar is dissolved reduce the heat to medium, insert the candy thermometer and bring to 120C/230F. At this stage, add the peanuts. You must stir constantly with a metal spoon, stir until it reaches 150C/300F this will take around 30 minutes.
Once it reaches 150C/300F, remove immediately from the heat and add the vanilla, baking soda and butter. Pour into prepared baking sheets and smooth out. Allow to cool for at least an hour. The brittle should lift easily from the pan, break into desired size.
Store in an airtight container in a cool place. It will keep for at least a week if not two.
They keep for several weeks in an airtight tin and also freeze well. These biscuits can be cut into squares, diamonds, or even star shapes for Christmas. You could give them with a present of some Irish farmhouse cheese.
Makes 25-30 biscuits
4ozs (110g) brown wholemeal flour
4ozs (110g) white flour, preferably unbleached
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 oz (30g) butter
1 tbsp cream
Water as needed, 5 tbsp approx
Mix the brown and white flour together and add the salt and baking powder. Rub in the butter and moisten with cream and enough water to make a firm dough.
Roll out very thinly to one-sixteenth inch thick approx. Prick with a fork. Cut with 2½-3 inch (6.5-7.5cm) round cutter. Bake at 150C/300F/regulo 2 for 45 minutes approx. or until lightly browned and quite crisp. Cool on a wire rack.
Use 8ozs (225g) plain white flour instead of the brown and white: adjust liquid as needed.
Good Things in Durrus will hold an Open Weekend on December 11/12 from 2pm-6pm with stalls selling cakes and other goodies, and some local art. Tel: Carmel Somers at 027-62896.
Smoked Salmon: Woodcock Smokery, (Sally Barnes) Castletownsend Tel 028-36232; Shanagarry Smokehouse, Tel 021-4646955; Ummera Smoked Products, Timoleague, Tel 023-46644; Dunns of Dublin, 01-8643100; Kinvara Smoked Salmon, 091-637489; Belvelly Smokehouse, 021-4811089 Gubbeen Smokehouse, 028-28231.
Irish Society of Poultry Fanciers Tel: 045 432325 the preservation and survival of pure breeds including duck, geese and all fowl.
Hidden Ireland Guide 2005 is now available. Tel 01-6627166.
