4 sherry recipes for special occasions
I am hazarding a guess that there is an illicit bottle of sherry standing in a cupboard in many Irish households, left there from a Christmas long past or a gift that was not quite appreciated.
The old-fashioned reputation of sherry as “Granny’s tipple” is being erased and replaced with images of sleek restaurant interiors and serving bowls of smoked almonds and green olives.
Over the past few years, sherry, in its various forms, has enjoyed a revival.
The dry almost savoury flavours of a fino are a great start to an evening of eating and the sweet, dark, and sticky notes of a Pedro Ximénez are one of the finest ways to end any meal.
A glass of Pedro Ximénez sherry every now and then makes the world that little bit sweeter.
It is made by drying the grapes under the hot Spanish sun, which concentrates the sugars, these grapes are then used to create a dark liquid with a strong taste of raisins and molasses.
I like to drink it slightly chilled, but room temperature is also good. A dash of Pedro Ximénez poured over a good vanilla ice cream is a simple dessert in itself. It also works very well in an espresso martini.
Sherries of all kinds are synonymous with the Jerez Region of Spain, which is known as the Sherry Triangle.
Its first mention in history is by the ancient Greek geographer Strabo in the first century BC. The same people who founded the ancient town of Gades, or Cádiz, brought with them the art of cultivating the vine and wine making
There are many ways to use up this sweet liquid in cooking as well as baking. It perks up savoury cooking quite well with a dash adding depth and sweetness to a stew or sauce.
A sherry trifle is still one of my favourite desserts.
Our next door neighbour, Carol, has perfected this time-consuming dish and drops an extra bowl of trifle to our house when she is making one for her family.
She knows what an excited reception she will receive.
The rich egg yolk custard tops the homemade sponge soaked in a dry sherry and is layered with berries and cream.
Day to day, assembling such a trifle from scratch is a little too much, it is definitely for a special occasion.
- a dash of rapeseed oil
- 8 chicken thighs on the bone
- 4 shallots, peeled and sliced
- 6 smoked streaky rashers, sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 100 mls of dry sherry
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp of milk chilli powder
- 2 tsp of honey
- 150 mls of stock
- 2 tins of chickpeas, drained
- rice for four
- slivered almond, toasted
Heat the oil in an oven proof dish that can also be used on the hob. Brown the chicken pieces and then remove and set aside.
Fry the shallots until they are soft in the same pan, add the bacon and garlic and fry until they are golden.
Add the tomatoes, sherry, chilli powder, honey and stock. Allow to warm up and add the chicken and chickpeas. Place into an oven heated to 180 degrees and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes.
While it is cooking boil the rice in lightly salted water and drain when cooked.
Serve the chicken spooned onto the rice with the toasted almonds sprinkled on top.
- rice for four
- a dash of rapeseed oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 200g of mushrooms, sliced
- a handful of rosemary, removed from the stalk
- 150 mls of dry sherry
- 150 mls of stock
- 2 tbs of creme fraiche
- 1 tsp of wholegrain mustard
- 8 boneless pork chops, sliced
Put the rice on to boil in lightly salted water and drain when cooked.
Heat the oil and fry the garlic until it is about to change colour, add the mushrooms and sauté until they have softened. Add the rosemary, sherry and stock and allow to simmer gently over a low heat for five minutes.
I like to tenderise pork when I buy it off the bone. I use a meat tenderiser or mallet and flatten the pork with it a few times before cooking. This is optional but it gives a more succulent and result as it breaks down the fibres.
Rub some oil into the pork and season well. Place under a medium grill and cook for ten minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
Add the creme fraiche and mustard to the sauce. Serve the sauce poured over the pork with the rice on the side.
- 1 tbs of harissa paste
- 1 tbs of honey
- 1 tbs of sherry
- 1 kg of chicken wings
These sticky sweet and spicy wings area great weekend snack or as nibbles at a party.
Mix together the harissa, sherry and honey. Toss the wings in the mixture and season well.
Spread the wings on a baking tray and bake in an oven at 180 degrees for twenty minutes.
Toss the wings and place back into the oven until the chicken is fully cooked.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating as the sauce will stick to your fingers.
- 300g of blueberries
- 2 tsp of honey
- 2 tsp of brandy
- 90mls of sherry
- 250 mls of cream
- 4 tbs of icing sugar
Put most of the blueberries into a saucepan with the honey and brandy and a tablespoon of water. Set the rest aside until the end.
Simmer the blueberries for five minutes with the lid off, until the berries are soft and then set them aside to cool.
Whisk the cream and icing sugar together until it form stiff peaks. Fold in the sherry, then fold in a few spoons of the blueberry compote.
Place a spoon of compote at the bottom of a glass and them swirl the cream mixture on top. Sprinkle the blueberries, that you had set aside, over the top.
