Caitríona Redmond: Shrewd investments add value - and my warming autumn soup recipe

By the very nature of being a food writer, I occasionally get messages about a recipe I’ve written, queries, or even people requesting a correction. 

This sort of feedback is so valuable and indeed I’ve had several emails and queries about my recipes in the past weeks.

Occasionally, comments and messages can be very personal. People share their stories with me, as I share my own with everybody in print and on social media. 

I share of myself what I am comfortable with, and keep an awful lot of my life as private as it can be.

Then there are the people who don’t like what I do. That’s okay, it’s perfectly alright not to be happy with my writing. 

I’ve often picked up a book and decided I wasn’t a fan and put it back down, or glossed over one column in favour of another. 

I confess I love the decadence and escapism of fashion even though I could never invest in a fashion piece, it’s like a work of art. This food writer on a budget will never skip a fashion article!

Social media bridges the gap between the reader and the creator, and makes writers more accessible to others. It’s a more informal space and some people feel free to say online what they would never say to an individual in person.

Some people believe that my writing should be free because it’s an important service for those with less money. 

All of what I create on social media is free, but buying the newspaper or taking out a paid subscription to irishexaminer.com still seems infuriating to some.

It sounds counterintuitive to have to pay money to save money. So think about it this way. If you spend €10 for an online subscription for the next 10 weeks and advice or recipes save you money every week, then it’s an investment. 

You could learn about special offers from our Bargain Hunter or glean money-saving advice from Consumer Corner and then the €10 outlay saves you an absolute fortune.

Likewise, I spend an extra €3-7 depending on the day of the week or time of day to organise a grocery shopping delivery. There is a pay-off here. I save the fuel from the car, sitting in traffic, and having to walk around a supermarket, and being tempted by off-list purchases.

Everything has a value, we just have to decide what we value most.

Home Economics

New packaging initiatives can make opening (and closing) food much more accessible.

Most loaves of bread are sold in light (mainly recyclable) bags which can be easily resealed. 

More traditional loaves are often sold in a waxed paper covering which, once open, is a pain to reseal and the bread inside can go stale very quickly.

Not all of this packaging innovation is budget-friendly.

Take the ring pull can for example. We now have less rummaging in the utensils drawer to find a tin opener, or struggling with dexterity or strength in our hands. 

On the other hand, the ring pull opener adds several cents onto the cost of every tin can. Over time, it’s actually cheaper to continue to buy the classic tin cans, even if you have to invest in a tin opener first.

When you’re in the shops or supermarket over the week ahead take a closer look at the parcels and packaging that your food is sold in. 

You will notice that the more premium-appearing products have more expensive packaging.

Save yourself the money and use what you have to hand at home to open or reseal your foodstuffs.

Autumn Warming Soup

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

Add the greens just before serving, then a decent squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The base of the warming soup will keep for a little bit longer that way and you keep the fresh, vibrant green colours in the broth.

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 55 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon harissa paste (I use Le Phar Du Cap Bon)

• 100g pearl barley

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rough chunks

• 1 small turnip (or half a large one), peeled and chopped into chunks

• 300ml hot water

• To serve:

• 1 handful of fresh greens such as spinach, sliced kale, or finely sliced dark green cabbage

• Fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan on a medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and stir for 1 minute, next add the garlic and stir again. Cook for 4 minutes. Squeeze in the harissa paste and step away from the saucepan so you don’t inhale the steam – otherwise you’ll get a lungful of spicy steam & make your eyes water!

2. Pour in the pearl barley and stir so that the barley is coated with the paste and begins to toast a little in the heat of the saucepan. Add the chopped carrot and turnip, then pour the water on top of the vegetables and pearl barley. Bring the saucepan to a simmer, then cover and simmer the contents of the saucepan for 20-30 minutes. Once the vegetables are still slightly firm (not mushy!) the soup is cooked.

3. To serve the warming soup, spoon a large ladle of soup into a big bowl, then stir in the fresh greens immediately into the hot liquid so that they wilt a little bit. Squeeze lemon juice on top and eat straight away. As there is pearl barley in the mixture there should be no need to add bread to the dish, although it is nice to dunk if you have some.

Raspberry Bakewell Tart

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

I prefer making a half-and-half frangipane filling for my Bakewell tarts. It makes the tart much lighter.

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 30 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 1 roll pre-made shortcrust pastry

• 125g butter

• 150g caster sugar

• 3 medium eggs

• 125g self raising flour

• 125g ground almonds

• 2-3 drops almond flavouring

• 200g raspberry jam

• 125g flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat the fan oven to 160°C/ gas mark 3.

2. Line a baking tin with the pastry. Patch up any holes. Prick the pastry, then line with some baking parchment. Pour some baking beans/dried beans/clean coins into the baking parchment. Spread evenly. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the oven and set the tray to one side while you prepare the filling.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until combined, then add the eggs. Beat again. Next add the flour and ground almonds, followed by the almond flavouring. You will be left with a stiff batter.

4. Spoon the raspberry jam into the par-baked pastry case, spread evenly. Gently spoon the cake batter on top, making sure there are no gaps in the tart for the jam to escape.

5. Smooth the top of the cake batter. Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top of the cake batter and gently press the almonds onto the top so that they stick to the batter.

6. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the cake area is cooked through. It should be golden on top and if you use a skewer or a cocktail stick to test, it should come out clean.

7. Remove the tart from the oven and leave it to sit to one side for at least 15 minutes before removing from the tin, slicing, and serving.

8. Enjoy with lashings of tea, maybe some cream on the side.