Darina Allen: Recipes inspired by the gastronomic revolution in County Laois
RECENTLY I was invited back to my home county, Laois to an event to raise awareness of the burgeoning food scene.
The day-long conference was entitled Connect 2 Laois Food Futures. The idea — to nurture start-ups and further support established food businesses in the county.
For the past year local food and drink producers have been availing of specialist training, mentoring and encouragement. Speakers including James Bourke,
Domini Kemp, Colin Jepson, and Paddy O’Connell shared their expertise brilliantly but what blew me away was the variety and quality of producers and artisan foods produced within the county.
Kevin Scully of The Merry Mill told me he is Ireland’s first producer of organic gluten-free oats, all grown, harvested and milled on his farm in Vicarstown.
I found beautiful salad greens on Rachel Hardiman’s Seven Acres stall, all grown from organic seed without any harmful chemicals and in ways that actively promote soil fertility and respect the environment. This entrepreneurial family also do vegetables boxes, sauces and condiments and sell seedlings ready to transplant.
Hazel Refal and Heather Vaughan have spent months developing vegetarian products for their company Run On Pulses. They make a lentil pie, a chickpea spinach stew and three type of burgers all made from a variety of pulses. I’m very wary of this type of product having tasted some less then appetising examples but each of these were deliciously spiced and really good.
Jimmy Mulhall of Coolanaule farm, well known and hugely respected on the organic food scene, tells me he is the only certified organic producer selling organic meat in the Dublin farmers markets.
Michael Onalimi inspired sauces from The Jungle Food Co also impressed me greatly as did the Invis — a Veg, who have created a mixture of grated vegetables to entice children to try and enjoy a greater variety of vegetables.
Castlewood Organic Farm and Shop was another pioneer on the Laois food scene as was Helen Gee who established Gee’s jams in 1998 in Abbeyleix and is now supported by her son Clive. Several chocolatiers tempted me with their handmade chocolates, Apoena, Coco Couture...
Home bakers, Agaboe Farm Foods and Kelly Loves Cakes had many temptations.
There was Rossmore ice-cream made from milk from their own herd of Friesian cows.
Pigs On The Green had free-range pork from outdoor pigs reared on their own farm. They too do a range of sausages and dry cure rashers, so no excuse not to have a brilliant real Irish breakfast in any hotel, café or B&B in County Laois.
Free-range eggs from Grantstown Family Farm in Ballacolla. Irish Pietmontese beef also has quite a following for their Bord Bia approved beef.
Paddy O’Connell’s range of Paddy O’s granolas and breakfast cereals made with Irish oats are sold countrywide as is their flax seed, the only certified organic flax seed company in Ireland.
There were lots of drinks too, a variety of milks from The Village Dairy, artisan beers from 12 Acres Brewing Company, in Ballykilcavan and Cream liqueur and gin from Sean Teach Ltd.
I loved the elderflower cordials and elderberry from Richmont Cordial Company.
The Skinny Chef from Portlaoise was justifiably proud of his range of pesto sauces and chutney. Can you imagine all of that and more products in development all proudly displayed in the ballroom at the Heritage Killenard Hotel near Portarlington, Co Laois.
Now a few recipes inspired by the gastronomic revolution in County Laois, Cork watch out…
Spatchcock Chicken
A brilliant way to serve chicken — faster to cook and the basis for a myriad of different flavours
Insert a heavy chopping knife into the cavity of the chicken from the back end to the neck. Press down sharply to cut through the backbone. Alternatively place the chicken breast side down on the chopping board, using poultry shears cut along the entire length of the backbone as close to the centre as possible.
Open the bird out as much as possible. Slash each chicken leg two or three times with a sharp knife. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, sprinkle with chopped rosemary or thyme and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a roasting tin. Turn skin side upwards and tuck the whole garlic cloves underneath. Roast on the barbeque or in a preheated oven 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 40 minutes approximately.
Cook the chicken on a wire rack over a roasting tin of roast potatoes or vegetables.
Carve and serve hot with a good salad of organic leaves and a herb mayonnaise.
Vedura mista and homemade mayonnaise and basil pesto; Roasted Fennell, Potatoes, Pickled Lemon, Saffron and Yoghurt; Rosemary Oil.
Jersey Milk Ice-Cream with Rose Cottage berries
There is the world of difference when one uses fresh vanilla bean pods to flavour the whole milk. Scrape out the seeds so the ice-cream is flecked with vanilla. Most processed foods use fake vanilla or vanilla essence – not at all the same thing. This is wonderfully rich ice-cream.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a heavy saucepan. Add the bean pod and the milk. Heat to just below the boiling point and remove from the heat. Cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove the bean pod and scrape again to release every bit of flavour. Add the scrapings to the milk and discard the pod.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Add warm milk gradually, stirring constantly until all the milk is added. Return to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (170º-175º).
Pour the cream into a large bowl. Strain the custard into the cream.
Mix well, then chill thoroughly and freeze.
Freeze according to the directions of your ice-cream machine.
Serve with Rose Cottage Summer berries in season or poached quamqkuats at the moment.
Spring Green Salad with Ballymaloe French Dressing
For this salad, use a selection of lettuces and salad leaves, eg, Butterhead, Iceberg, Raddichio, Endive, Chicory, Watercress, Buckler leaf, Sorrel, Rocket leaves and Purslane. Tips of purple sprouting broccoli are also delicious and if you feel like something more robust, use some finely-shredded Savoy cabbage and maybe a few shreds of red cabbage also.
First, make the dressing: Put all the ingredients into a blender and run at medium speed for 1 minute approximately or mix oil and vinegar in a bowl, add mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper and mashed garlic and honey. Chop the parsley, spring onion and watercress finely and add in. Whisk before serving.
Wash and dry the lettuces and other leaves very carefully in a large sink of cold water. If large tear into bite sized pieces and put into a deep salad bowl. Cover with cling film and refrigerate if not to be served immediately. Just before serving toss with a little dressing - just enough to make the leaves glisten. Serve immediately.
Green Salad must not be dressed until just before serving, otherwise it will be tired and unappetising.
Garbanzada (Chickpea Stew)
A fantastic one-pot chickpea dish for a party
Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight.
Next day, heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion, peppers, garlic and whole peppercorns. Cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the sherry and allow to boil. Put in the pork, bacon, chorizo and morcilla. Add the smoked paprika, tomato purée, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to mix. Strain the chickpeas and add to the pot.
Next add the 1.5 litres (2½ pints) chicken stock. Cover, bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the chickpeas are cooked.
When the chickpeas are tender, remove the meats. Take the rind off the bacon and pork, discard and cut the meat into chunks. Peel the chorizo and morcilla and cut into slices. Mix everything together and serve in little dishes with crusty bread.
Hot tips
A taste of Portugal: Super news to hear that Cork Airport will have flights direct to Lisbon from October next; I’m polishing my Portuguese recipes.
Homemade Butter, Yoghurt and Several Cheeses, Wednesday, May 2, at 1.45pm.
The idea has developed that it is difficult to make butter, cheese, yoghurt and other dairy products at home.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Sign up for this morning course (which includes a light lunch) and you will come away knowing how to make a long list of delicious dairy products including homemade butter, yoghurt, cottage cheese, coeur a la crème, labneh, paneer, and a simple farmhouse cheese.
You’ll also discover how added flavour can be achieved with fresh herbs and fruit.
Butter and cheese making is definitely one of those simple but deeply satisfying kitchen crafts not only that deserves to be resurrected but can also provide additional income or a vibrant business.
Students who would like to learn how to milk a cow can join us at 8.15am when we milk our Jersey cows and separate the milk and cream, fun but totally optional.
