Apple Crumble and Crumbles
Many inevitably have to settle for their second or third choice but how many are actually embarking on THEIR chosen career?
Few enough seem to be free to follow their own dream, instead of following someone elseâs advice based on a set of values not necessarily their own.
Consequently 16% of university students drop out after the first year or so, causing much angst and family turmoil.
Weâre all wired differently and there are a million ways to earn a living, yet the main emphasis is on an academic career and the strong inference that unless one goes to university one isnât properly educated.
Peter Sutherland quite rightly emphasized the importance of maths and science in our educational system. Both are crucially important but what kind of educational system allows our young people to leave our homes and schools without the basic life skills to feed themselves properly? Hence a huge percentage of our population is overweight and obese. Whether one chooses to be an astronaut or nuclear scientist, a shopkeeper or a dentist, we all need to eat and without nourishing food we wonât have energy, vitality or indeed the ability to concentrate properly.
If we canât cook ourselves, we are at the mercy of other people for our basic sustenance â ready meals, takeaways from a garage forecourt and hot counters, restaurants â but the offering is rarely as delicious or nutritious as a simple risotto, a bowl of stew and colcannon, or even the quintessential fast food, a super fast omelette oozing with melted cheese and a few fresh herbs.
Weâre not the only country that needs to rearrange its priorities. Our neighbours in the UK where 20% of children leaving primary school are clinically obese, recognise that kitchen skills are the key to good health. Itâs good news for them then, that Domestic Science is back â although it is now called Cooking and Nutrition.
Following recommendations by the government backed School Food Plan, a report was drawn up by a panel of food experts and nutritionists including Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, of the Leon restaurant group in London and Jeannette Orrey, the Dinner Lady who inspired Jamie Oliverâs school dinners campaign. The new curriculum encourages children to learn to cook as well as to understand nutrition.
According to Henry Dimbleby every child will be able to cook at least 20 savoury dishes by the time they leave school. He says: âOur vision is that every 16 year old should be able to cook and feed themselves and their family.â
I donât know of any parent who would disagree with that basic aspiration. We must start in the kindergarten and national schools; we know from our East Cork Slow Food Educational Project how much the children, parents and teachers love the âGrow and Cookâ concept.
If you feel strongly about the need for mandatory hands-on cooking classes to be incorporated into the school curriculum pick up your pen or ipad and contact our Minister for Education today.
Crumbles are the ultimate comfort food, vary the fruit according to the season. You might like to add a few wild blackberries and maybe a rose geranium leavesâ plums, damsons are all in season at present.
Peel the apples, cut into quarters, remove the core and cut into large cubes. Turn into a pie dish. Sprinkle with sugar.
Rub the butter into the flour just until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs, add the sugar and cinnamon and chopped nuts if using. Sprinkle this mixture over the apple in the pie dish. Bake in a preheated moderate oven 180°C/350°F/regulo 4, for 30-45 minutes or until the topping is cooked and golden. Serve with whipped cream and soft brown sugar.
Use three-quarters apple to one-quarter fresh or frozen blackberries and proceed as above. Mix 2 chopped sweet geranium leaves to the above (optional).
Sprinkle 700g (1 1/2lbs) rhubarb with 110g (4ozs/1/2 cup) of granulated sugar and proceed as above.
Stew two-thirds rhubarb with sugar (4-6ozs/1/2 â 3/4 cup), stir in one-third strawberries, proceed as above.
Stew green gooseberries with brown sugar and proceed as above.
Stew green gooseberries with white sugar, add 2 elderflowers tied in muslin while stewing, remove elderflowers and proceed as above.
Stew the stoned plums or apricots as above.
Sprinkle with sugar, no need to stew.
Spread 1/3 to 1/2 pot of mincemeat on the base of the pie dish, top with apples and proceed as above.
1 oz (30g) oatflakes or sliced hazelnuts or nibbed almonds could also be added to the crumble; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or mixed spice is also a delicious addition.
Softly whipped cream with chopped crystallised ginger.
An omelette is the ultimate instant food but many a travesty is served in its name. The secret is to have the pan hot enough and to use clarified butter if at all possible. Warm a plate in the oven. Heat the omelette pan over a high heat. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the water or milk in a bowl, until thoroughly mixed but not too fluffy. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put the warm plate beside the cooker.
Add the clarified butter to the pan, as soon as it sizzles, pour in the egg mixture. It will start to cook immediately so quickly pull the edges of the omelette towards the centre with a metal or plastic slice, tilting the pan so that the uncooked egg runs to the sides. Continue until most of the egg is set and will not run any more, the omelette may need to cook for a further 5 seconds to brown the bottom. The centre should still be soft and moist.
To fold the omelette: Flip the edge just below the handle of the pan into the centre, then hold the pan almost perpendicular over the plate so that the omelette will flip over again, then half roll half slide the omelette onto the plate so that it lands folded into three. (It should not take more than 30 seconds in all to make the omelette, perhaps 45 if you are adding a filling).
Serve immediately.
This basic technique may also be used with lamb or pork.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/regulo 6. Peel the potato, one thinly and the second in thick slices. Arrange a layer of thinly sliced potatoes in the base of the dish. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. A layer of thinly sliced onion comes next, then the carrot and bacon lardons. Season again.
Lay the chicken piece or pieces on top. Add another sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper and a sprig of thyme. Finally use an overlapping layer of thickly sliced potatoes. Pour boiling stock over the lot to come about half way up the side. Cover.
Put into the preheated oven and cook for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the potato is crisp and golden on top. Snip a little parsley over the top.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the salt. Sprinkle in the macaroni and stir to make sure it doesnât stick together.
Cook until just soft, 10-15 minutes approx, drain well.
Meanwhile melt the butter, add in the flour and cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk gradually; bring back to the boil, stirring all the time. Add the mustard, parsley if using and cheese, season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add the cooked macaroni, bring back to the boil, taste, correct seasoning and serve immediately.
Macaroni cheese reheats very successfully provided the pasta is not overcooked in the first place. Turn into a pie dish, sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
Reheat in a preheated moderate oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes. It is very good served with cold meat particularly ham.
Macaroni soaks up an enormous amount of sauce. Add more sauce if making ahead to reheat later.
Macaroni Cheese with Smoked Salmon or Smoked Mackerel
Add 8ozs (225g) of smoked salmon or smoked mackerel dice to the macaroni cheese.
Macaroni Cheese with Mushrooms and Courgettes
Add 8ozs (225g) sliced sautĂŠed mushrooms and 8ozs (225g) sliced courgettes cooked in olive oil with a little garlic and marjoram or basil and add to the Macaroni cheese. Toss gently, turn into a hot serving dish and scatter with grated cheese.
Add chopped parsley to the macaroni cheese as you put it into the dish.
Learn the almost forgotten skill of carving which seems simple enough to the casual observer, but is actually an art-form in its own right.
This half day course will give home cooks and professionals alike a solid introduction to the essentials of carving â from choosing the best knife and how to keep it sharp, to the anatomy of each of the cuts of meat. Friday October 10, 2pm-5.30pm. Booking essential. 021-4646785, www.cookingisfun.ie
Whytes Book shop on Schull Main Street has justifiably won Best Munster Bookshop. Thereâs a hidden cafĂŠ upstairs with great coffee. Donât miss the raspberry and coconut cake and lemon drizzle slice. www.whytebooks.com  or tel: 028-27606
Salt of the Earth Food (www.saltoftheearthfood.net) at Taste of Dublin was a major hit. Chef Johan van de Merwe is doing a special âpop-upâ weekend from October 2-4 at Coolbawn Quay in Lough Derg. For further information: info@saltoftheearthfood.net reservations@coolbawnquay.com
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