Now you’re cooking
The Corkman is a Michelin-star chef whose Chapter One restaurant has won Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) ‘best Irish restaurant’ for four years running (seven times altogether). Mr Lewis was head chef for last year’s State banquet for Queen Elizabeth II.
“When making avocado purée, scrape the inside of the skins after pulping and add to the purée. This will give it a darker green and keep it green longer. If you want to keep it green for a long time, add some vitamin C powder.”
Irish chef and food writer, founder of the internationally renowned Ballymaloe cookery school in Shanagarry, Co Cork. Special guest at the Irish Examiner food festival.
Faced with frozen butter when making pastry? “Simply grate it into the bowl — it makes it very easy to work with and yet it is still nice and cold.”
Multiple award-winning chef/proprietor at The Tannery restaurant and cookery school, in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, and one half of RTÉ’s Surf ’n’ Turf duo, with Martin Shanahan.
“When cooking pasta, always leave three or four tablespoons of the cooking water in the pasta to lighten it up. It makes it much more palatable — the Italians would never dream of doing anything else.”
Shanahan’s Fishy Fishy in Kinsale is one of the country’s most successful restaurants and he has appeared on many TV series, and is co-starring along with Paul Flynn in RTÉ’s Surf ’n’ Turf show.
“If you have to peel prawns, tail them and soak them in ice water for about an hour — what happens is the flesh comes away from the skin, so they’re a lot easier to peel.”
TV chef, cook and author, special guest at Irish Examiner food festival.
“When rolling out shortcrust pastry, rather than dusting my work surface with flour, I roll the pastry out between two sheets of cling film. Place one sheet of cling film underneath and one on top of the pastry. Then, place your rolling pin on top and roll out until the pastry is the thickness you want. Then, you can lift the pastry using the cling film and just peel it off when you’re ready to bake.”
Chef/proprietor at Kilkenny’s Campagne restaurant, and current RAI Irish ‘chef of the year.’
“When deep-frying anything, we coat it in panko or kasu breadcrumbs (try Asian food retailers) to give a much crisper exterior to whatever you’re frying. They’re very dry and don’t colour too quickly.”
Award-winning food writer, TV chef and proprietor of Ballyknocken house and cookery school, Co Wicklow.
“When I’m making carpaccio of beef or fish, I always roll it tightly in clingfilm and put it into the freezer for an hour — it makes it much easier to slice after that.”
Chef at Galway’s Aniar restaurant, currently Bridgestone Guide Irish Chef of the Year.
“Before roasting a chicken, next time consider brining the bird in a 7% brine solution (70g salt to one litre of water), soak for an hour or two and then roast as usual. The result is an extremely moist bird.”
Chef/proprietor at Les Gourmandises in Cork City, double-winner at 2012 Munster RAI awards, best chef in Cork, best restaurant in Cork.
“To cook a perfectly tender fillet of beef (8-10oz), do it in two stages. First, seal all over, then cook in oven at 170 degrees for six minutes. Take out, rest for five minutes, then back into the hot oven for another four minutes at 170. The resting period helps the meat to relax, so it won’t be tough.”
TV chef and proprietor of Andrew Rudd cookery school and private dining venue, Drury St, Dublin. Special guest at the Irish Examiner food festival.
“Your freezer can save you wasting a lot of food. Lemons and limes don’t last long in a domestic fridge or kitchen — squeeze the juice and grate the zest, and freeze them separately. Freeze leftover egg whites in small zip-lock bags, writing the quantity on the side. Blitz leftover veg in a blender and freeze that for stocks and soup bases.”
* The Irish Examiner food festival runs Thursday to Sunday at Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork. Tickets €12; kids under 12 are free; www.irishexaminerfoodfestival.ie
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