Steam-Baked Salmon, Fennel Puree, New Potatoes

Thumbnail image for Steam-Baked Salmon, Fennel Puree, New Potatoes February 11, 2013

My favourite way to cook salmon is a Michel Bras technique. It is so easy and perfectly cooks the fish to wobbly medium rare consistency. The salmon is so light and moist, it collapses on the fork. Simple and beautiful, this whole recipe takes no more than 15 minutes from start to finish. Pre-heat your oven to a [...]

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Roasted Carrots, Beetroot Juice

Thumbnail image for Roasted Carrots, Beetroot Juice February 10, 2013

I cook for taste, eat to suit myself, and if I’m not in the mood to cook – I’ll eat junk food. This recipe has all the trappings of a healthy dish – but ignore all the detoxifying claims of beetroot juice – this is all about flavour. Roast, at a very high heat, whole unpeeled [...]

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Cauliflower, Leek Ash

Thumbnail image for Cauliflower, Leek Ash February 9, 2013

Quick Saturday lunch. Smooth, creamy cauliflower puree with lightly cooked shavings of cauliflower covered with ashes of roasted blackened leeks. The taste of the leeks on their  own is strong, a salty balance with a sweet and bitter acidity. Though when mushed into and pulled through the puree, the leek shards crumble, seasoning the puree. [...]

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Pot Roasted Celeriac with Buttermilk

Thumbnail image for Pot Roasted Celeriac with Buttermilk February 8, 2013

I’ve never cooked celeriac in its skin before. Knobbly and tough, covered in warts with rooty tentacles, it holds onto dirt and looks unpalatable. A while back I stumbled across a Rene Redzepi recipe from Noma for pot roasted celeriac. Unfortunately it called for young celeriac roots, smaller than a fist, which you never see on the supermarket [...]

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Beetroot & Carrot Tarte Tatin

Thumbnail image for Beetroot & Carrot Tarte Tatin February 7, 2013

Roasted root vegetables with caramelised onions covered in a miso, balsamic glaze baked in a pan with a puff pastry lid. Technically this is very easy to make – looks hugely impressive – but the only effort is the time it takes. Peel and dice equal quantities of butternut squash and beetroot – about two cup fulls of each. [...]

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Black Pudding, Squash Puree, Pickled Carrot, Hazelnuts

Thumbnail image for Black Pudding, Squash Puree, Pickled Carrot, Hazelnuts February 6, 2013

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me personally with non-blog commitments but hopefully we can get back to normal now, starting with this little dish. Rounds of black pudding fried until crisp on the outside. Dry roast hazelnuts in the oven until golden.  Shaved carrot ribbons quick pickled for ten minutes with a teaspoon of [...]

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Cauliflower & Smoked Garlic Soup

Thumbnail image for Cauliflower & Smoked Garlic Soup December 9, 2012

Hot-smoked garlic bulbs. Packed with pungent smokey flavour and partially cooked, so the natural oils sweetly caramelise. The peeled cloves are mellow enough to be eaten raw, loosing their harsh garlicky rawness to a rich nutty smoked flavour. They carry the taste of the Barbecue into the kitchen through the Winter, and this is indeed a [...]

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Ham Hock Wellington

Thumbnail image for Ham Hock Wellington December 6, 2012

I was invited recently to the launch of the new winter menu  at The Library restaurant at the Dandelion in Dublin. The menu reads well, but my piggy eye was immediately drawn to their starter of a Ham Hock & Pistachio Wellington. I love clever chefs and good food, and this was such a simple [...]

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Pear, Beetroot, Chocolate, Chestnut Butter

Thumbnail image for Pear, Beetroot, Chocolate, Chestnut Butter November 11, 2012

This tastes amazing… soft caramelised pear, tarty beetroot covered in chocolate sauce that is sharp, sweet and savoury. A thick slice of pear, sprinkled with sugar and seared on one side in bubbling brown butter. Taken off the pan and kept warm. Raw beetroot, thinly sliced, salted and left overnight in a tablespoon of cider vinegar to [...]

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Slow Cooked Broccoli, Caramelised Onion Purée, Sultanas & Almonds

Thumbnail image for Slow Cooked Broccoli, Caramelised Onion Purée, Sultanas & Almonds November 10, 2012

What a unexpected surprise this lunch was. Seasonal in colour and comforting to eat. Extraordinarily melting broccoli – slowly confitted in olive oil, with anchovies, garlic and chilli. By confiting, the broccoli bursts with soaked up flavours. Caramelised onion purée, subtly both sweet and savoury. Black radish, thinly sliced and salted to draw out the pepperiness. Finished with a [...]

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