When we were in America we picked up a rather large bottle of Woodford Reserve Bourbon…..which can only mean one thing, ‘Old Fashioned’ time. This cocktail is probably one of the oldest in the book, but definitely one of my favourites. More …
Pecan, Cranberry + White Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’ve had Georgia on my mind since visiting family in Atlanta for Thanksgiving. We took a road trip to Savannah and Charleston and discovered beautiful cotton fields, pecan trees and some amazing countryside. It couldn’t have been a more relaxing and enjoyable break. The food from the Low Country was for the most part great. It certainly was plentiful. The delicious seafood in Charleston and Savannah, my sister’s home-cooking in Atlanta (still dreaming about that squash and chipotle soup) and good old fashioned Southern cooking. More …
Po’boy
When I came home from the bread making course, I was literally laden down with homemade fresh baguettes. I wanted to make something special with them, as I had put so much work into making them. I also had a pot of homemade mustard mayonnaise in the fridge. So it was clear, it would have to be some sort of a sandwich…some sort of gourmet sandwich. The first thing that came to mind was a po’boy, which is funny as a po’boy is considered a poor man’s (poor boy) sandwich, originally created in Louisiana. But for me, the po’boy is one of the scrummiest, most wonderful sandwiches you can get. It is traditionally comprised of French baguette, mayonnaise, deep fried shrimp/ oysters and lettuce. More …
Christmas Panna Cotta with Cranberry and Orange Compote
The one thing that I always make sure of at Christmas is to have lots of cream. It’s the perfect time to treat myself and indulge in some delicious Avonmore Irish cream. I have it with mince pies, add it to soups, use it in sauces….cream and Christmas go hand in hand. Panna cotta is one of my favourite desserts so I decided to practice a nice festive version that I can make for Christmas day. This is a slightly different version to my usual panna cotta and I took some inspiration from both Jamie Oliver and The Hairy Bikers. It is a very lightly spiced panna cotta with all the flavours of the festive season, cinnamon, all spice and ginger. I complimented this with a cranberry, brandy and orange compote. This dish looks great served in little espresso cups and is a lighter alternative to Christmas pudding but just as decadent for the holiday season. More …
Apple and Custard Meringue Pies
Growing up, we always had apple tress. I would eat so many apples that I would end up covered in hives. I never cared at all though as I loved coming home from school and going up to pick apples. My Mum used to make great use of the big Bramleys. They were used for tarts, apple sauces, apple snow – the list goes on. We never had any need to buy apples at home in the autumn, they were so versatile and tasty. Now we have all flown the nest but the apple trees continue to provide a bountiful crop. The last weekend I was home. I took a huge bag of juicy Bramleys back to Dublin. There had been a slight frost, which my Dad said would make them even tastier. These apples wouldn’t have passed any EU inspection as they were all misshapen with a few brown spots and each one with their own distinctive character. I really wanted to do these beauties justice. Stewed apple and homemade custard was the first thing that came to mind. I used to love this dessert as a kid. The super hot stewed apple and creamy custard straight from the stove was a favourite of mine after school on a cold winters day. More …
S’Mayo
Home-made mayo is ridiculously simple to make and so much creamier and tastier than anything you will ever buy from a jar. It does have a shorter shelf life than most processed mayos, but you will find endless excuses to use up this yummy mayonnaise. I usually make ranch dressings, Marie rose and the tastiest cheesy toasties with mine. You can also make variations of this mayo by adding fresh garlic to create a great garlic mayo or a few gherkins, capers and oilves to make a tartare sauce. All you need is a few simple ingredients and the best quality free range eggs you can get your hands on. Give it a try and I promise, you’ll never look back. More …