Kale...Queen among greens

"If the vegetable kingdom had supermodels, the girl of the moment would be Kale ". I am pleased to see this amazing green finally getting some recognition as I have always loved Kale. It is good for you and it's delicious, in fact it is trending as Thee Super food of the moment, from Kale Chips to detoxifying Kale juices, hence it came as no surprise that this super green is rapidly gaining in popularity and is being recognised for it's exceptional health benefits and flavour.

Belonging to the Brassica family( cabbage, broccoli,Brussels sprouts) with plain or curly leaves, ranging in colour from green,dark green to purplish red( Leaf & Spear, Curly kale, Cavolo Nero,Rape kale). It is rich in antioxidant, vitamins A,C &K as well as Calcium and is known to lower cholesterol.

In Ireland, we are mostly familiar with kale when mixed with mashed potatoes to make the traditional Colcannon. In Italy, Cavolo Nero is used in the Tuscan soup Ribollita,In China commonly used in stir-fry with beef or poultry,found in Portugal in Caldo Verde Soup and a firm favourite at Christmas with the festive ham in Scandinavia.

Kale is extremely versatile and makes a tasty addition to Soups, Casseroles or simply sautéed and even raw in a salad.

Look for firm, deeply coloured leaves and hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavour hence ideals for raw salads. It is delicious when braised with smoked sausage or bacon.Very thinly sliced in a salad with pomegranate seeds, pear, avocado & nuts. Sautéed with olive oil, lemon and sumac, baked into a flan with nutmeg or herbs or blitz into a sauce to coat Farfalle or Conchiglie pasta.

 Remove limp, damaged leaves and thick coarse ribs and store kale unwashed,in a plastic bag in the fridge but it also freezes really well.

Here are a few easy ways in working this super green into your diet

Creamy Chicken, Gnocchi & Asparagus

 

This is a great mid week meal in mins , when time is short and you don't want to compromise on taste and flavour. So long as  you can boil water, chop a shallot and switch on your cooker, This will be child's play for any novice or aspiring cooks.
Come on , let's get cooking !!!!

Discover the Flavours of Knorr Flavour Pots & Enter the Competition to win a Hamper

If you want to serve delicious, nutritious home-cooked food everyday but don't have much time to do it, then here's a new way of cooking that can help you out and perfect for when time is short but you don't want to compromise on either taste or flavour.
With the new Knorr Flavour Pots, creating fabulous meals infused with the delicious flavour of fresh herbs and spices is now extremely easy. Whether you are whipping up a quick mid-week meal or a culinary masterpiece, this innovative five pot range is set to help you in introducing flavour to your every day meals.
You will find it in the Herbs & Spices aisle of your  local supermarket and comes in five carefully chosen variants. Mixed Herbs, 3 Peppercorns, Curry, Garlic and Mixed Chillies.
Each selected combinations, carefully capture all the fresh flavour, natural aroma and colour of each herb and spices. It is a must for your store cupboard.

With this in mind, I have chosen two of the flavours and prepared a dish. For you to win a Knorr Flavour Pot Hamper, choose any one of the other three flavours and submit  your recipe and a photo of the Dish.
There are 3 Hampers to give away. The winning recipes will also be featured on this site with full accreditation. Competition closes on the 31st August. 

e-mail your recipe to jacobrobert9@gmail.com
This competition is open to anyone in the world, Should you be a winner , your prize will be posted by registered post to you.

Sea-bass en papillotte with lemongrass & star anise

Cooking fish couldn't be simpler and doesn't get any better than this recipe. There is no call to go tarting up good fresh fish. The best way is to keep it simple and with simple flavours. People are forever saying that it is tricky to cook fish but take it from me that it's dead easy to cook fish. The trick is not to overcook it ,Once it's starts to turn from opaque to white, it's cooked and slightly undercooked is a hell of a lot better than overcooked to cotton wool consistency.
Here I am using some delicate Thai flavours which makes this dish very very tasty.
Cooking " en papillotte " is literally cooking in a sealed parcel made out of parchment paper and if you're in an Al Fresco mood, wrap in tin foil and cook over the BBQ.

Pan fried Scallops with Savoy cabbage & fennel. Food in a flash

Isn't it strange how we have amazing seafood in this island and yet we don't eat a lot of fish. Furthermore good fishmongers selling fresh fish are a rare breed and rather hard to find. Gone are the days when you could pop into Molloy's off Grafton street or Sawyer's on Baggot street and pick up some fresh catch. Recently on a trip to Howth , I purchased some mighty and very fresh Scallops and couldn't wait to get home and cook them. Scallops are highly regarded and expensive and should be eaten as soon as possible after buying. If they are still in their shells, open them by separating the shells with a knife or by putting in a hot oven. The edible part is the round white muscle and the orange roe, called coral.The frilly gills and mantle should be removed and can be used for soups and stock.
The best way to cook Scallops is on the pan, but they can also be steamed, grilled, poached or eaten raw in a Ceviche. Here I seared them  in a hot pan but cooking should always be brief so the Scallops stay sweet and juicy.
This delicious dish will be on the table in 15 mins and better still, it's all prepared in one pan, so there's hardly any washing up. And if you are not watching your intake of calories,this dish tastes delicious served with warm crusty bread.

Leek & Stilton tart .... Savoury for any time, from brunch to supper

With the holiday season upon us,when the kids are at home with their posse of friends all hanging around your kitchen,and without doubt working their way through your fridge,This is the time to draw boundaries and find some recipes that are just for your taste buds. Yes, time to be a little bit selfish, for let's face it, while we love them dearly, they tend to take over our lives. Hence, it is always nice to have something simple and light,at hand to fill that little peckish gap before moving on to yet another car ride to the cricket, football or rugby club or is it all three !!! more or less at the same time and in locations scattered across the city or God forbid , during this melee, unexpected guests or distant cousins & aunts turning up unannounced....with yet more Kids !!!!
Here is a quick ,easy yet delicious tart to prepare and it will take you from brunch to supper. As most kids don't like Stilton or blue cheese of any sort, you are perfectly safe that it will be all yours.
Ditch the apron, put your feet up, relax and enjoy.

Bon appetit... A Spring Dinner Party Menu ...

Easter;It's this time of the year once again and I cannot but wonder where does the time go !!! However, with the bank holiday weekend upon us, here is our chance to catch up with friends and family. And for those of us, who like to cook, there are few pleasures in life greater than having friends over for dinner.
Dinner parties these days can be as laid back as you like and involve nothing more formal than guests draping themselves over your furniture and enjoying the food that you have lovingly prepared and drinks that you have chosen yourself.
My only advice is, do try and prepare as much as possible in advance, to allow you more time to sit back , relax and enjoy the company of your guests. There is nothing worse and off putting than witnessing your host getting into a flap and literally having a panic attack in front of you.You cannot help but feel bad for them and I always secretly wish that my offer of help would be graciously declined but alas!!!.arrrrrghhh most often, I can hear the " Yes, please ". (joy of being a Chef)
So, my motto is Plan, plan, plan, plan..... Prep, prep, prep, prep.... In one word "Organise yourself". This is guaranteed to make the dining experience even more gratifying for all concerned and for you to enjoy the party too.

Here is a complete menu where most things can be prepared in advance and using seasonal ingredients.

Parsnip , A jewel among Vegetables

Parsnip, a creamy coloured, long and tapering in shape root vegetable is closely related to the carrot and while they can be used in similar ways, Parsnip has a much sweeter & earthy flavour, especially when cooked.It is a native of Eurasia and was widely cultivated by the Romans. It had pride of place then as it was widely used as a sweetener before the arrival of sugar cane in Europe.
Parsnips are very versatile, cheap and easy to prepare. It is usually served cooked but can also be eaten raw, try it grated into a salad or shredded into a slaw, it is extremely good boiled or steamed & puréed into a silky mash, alternatively try roasting it with herbs and Cumin, roasting will intensify the sugars in the vegetable, giving it a caramelised note or blitz it into a soup with a dash of Curry powder, baked into a cake or added to a soda bread, And, wait for it,  Yes , even blitzed into a creamy Hummus.
Winter is the perfect time to use parsnips as the cold temperature encourages the starch in the root to turn into sugars and are usually in season between September and late Spring. It is high in vitamins and minerals especially potassium, vitamin C & fibre. Like the Potato, Parsnip will turn dark when exposed to air, so store it in water with a drop of lemon juice.
Nowadays, Parsnips features on many Michelin* Restaurant menu , either as Purée or as garnishes in the form of crisps,crackers and powders but they are also extensively used in  mirepoix for braised meats and stocks.
Herbs that are complimentary to parsnips are Basil, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary,Thyme & Tarragon and so are Curry, Cumin,Coriander, Paprika, fennel, Caraway, Honey, Mustard, Madeira, Yoghurt and sour cream.
Apart from all the usual jazzed-up parsnip mash, chips or simply roasted with honey and herbs, here are a few of my favourite ways in serving this great vegetable.

Bread Making at The Firehouse Bakery and Bread School

From the Pitta bread of the Middle East, Naan bread of India to the Rye breads of Scandinavia; Bread is found in all sorts of forms or shapes in most cultures. It is the staple diet of many. Even the word Bread has come to take on more significance than its nutritional values. It is used in religious rituals. " Breaking bread " to describe the gathering of souls, friends and family," Putting bread on the table " basic necessities, " Bread winner " living conditions and even value either in monetary or worth " Best thing since slice bread " or " lots of dough ".
But all in all, few types of cooking will offer you more rewards than Bread making. The actual hands-on process of mixing, kneading, folding, proofing, shaping and baking is immensely satisfying and you would be surprised how much fun it can be too.
The basic skills are really easy to learn and it requires no special equipments to produce great breads," just your hands "along with a little practice and guidance. This week, I went along to the Bread making class of Patrick Ryan from The Firehouse Bakery in Delgany, County Wicklow, just outside Dublin.
Patrick is the co-author of the " Bread Revolution " cookbook, which secured a 3rd place at the prestigious Gourmand World Cook Book Awards in Paris. His aim is to re-establish  bread as
 " King of the Table ".For him, Artisan bread making is a labour of love, in the old style with no preservatives and his passion was contagious.
We were warmly welcomed on arrival by Patrick himself. The group was kept small, with only 8 of us in total, it felt like a one to one lesson. We rolled up our sleeves and worked side by side with Patrick while he introduced us to the world of real bread and it's versatility. From the beautiful Rye bread, the Malt house to the Great white Sourdough. From fresh yeast, dry yeast to bread soda. It was very informative and broke down many myths that I had about bread making.

Eat like an Italian with Lidl's Italiamo range

The Cuisine of Italy is a reflection of this wonderful country of sapphire blue skies,land of the rolling hills, the ever winding roads with their tall elongated cypress trees,terraced vineyards,olives groves with their curiously twisted trees, glimpses of sienna red tiled roofs and above all, of warm,generous and hospitable people. The country's culinary tradition is as long as its history and an Italian meal is a leisurely, sociable affair, often taken in the open air.
Lidl's  Italiamo range is a vast array of Delicious Italian Delicacies that you will not be able to resist. Available in all stores as of Monday 24 th February .
Here are a few recipes and ideas for you to entertain without fuss or expense; Forget the cares of the day and linger, Italian style with your favourite people.
A typical Italian meal starts with An Antipasti platter, which usually includes an assortment of Cured Meats, Olives, Vegetables, Salads and Cheeses but it varies greatly according to regions.So for the most hassle-free, no-cook starter in the world, just take a trip to your local Lidl and pick up a selection of antipasti. Arrange on a large platter, with bowls of Olives and marinated vegetables and allow your guests to compose their own selection on their plates, leaving you with plenty of Chill-out time with friends and family as these recipes take 30 minutes or less to prepare as there is really very little cooking involved.
( Slates from Slated Ireland. www.slatedireland.ie )

Discovering Tastes of China and celebrating "The Year Of the Horse"

The Chinese New Year 2014 is  "The Year of the Horse." It usually starts on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth when the moon will be brightest. But this year it started on the 31 January, the last day of the month, so the celebrations are still in full swing. Those born in the horse years are cheerful,skillful with money, perceptive, witty, talented and good with their hands.

Last month , I collaborated  on " A Taste of China " demo with my good friend Julie O'Neill . And here are two of the Cuisine we covered and some of the dishes we cooked.

Sichuan Cuisine comes from the South Western province of China. It has bold flavours from the pungency of garlic, hot and numbing seasoning of Sichuan peppercorns and spiciness from liberal use of Chilli oil along with Chillies itself, which are often dried and other preserved ingredients.

Hunan Cuisine on the other hand, from the Western province of China, is often spicier as nothing can be served here without fistful of fresh or preserved chillies. However, it contains a larger variety of fresh ingredients and is known for it's bold and colourful dishes.

Both Sichuan and Hunan Cuisine are part of The Eight Great Traditions of Chinese Cuisine .( Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan and Anhui ).

I never used to cook Chinese until I met Julie; Now I am unable to stop and  take -aways, are a distant memory of yester years. Julie regularly visits China and has gathered an amazing array of recipes from her various trips as well as from her Chinese daughter in law Shan.

Our " Taste of China "  demo was a great success but I was under pressure !!! as it so happened,we had the visiting O'Neill-Gao clan from China present that evening.

But help was there as I had invited another friend Marie McKenna to come and cook with me and we got the seal of approval from no other than Ching-He-Huang, the well known and very prettyTV Chef herself on Twitter.

	Ching-He Huang (@Chinghehuang)
01/02/2014 17:11 @jacobscrackers9 @MaudMonaghan @julieon great job chef!

"Warholise yourself " with these Cherry Gazpacho for the coming festive season

Fifty years after Andy Warhol presented his pop art series of 32 Campbell's Soup Cans to the world,Campbell's today is paying tribute to Warhol's iconic work by introducing a limited edition cans of Campbell's condensed tomato soup .Campbell Soup Company never commissioned Warhol to paint the original soup cans, he found his  own inspiration from the classic red & white Campbell's label, A soup , he consumed quite a lot, apparently.Andy Warhol first exhibited these 32 canvases in 1962, each one hung from the wall like paintings and rested on a shelf like groceries in a store. The number of canvases corresponds to the varieties of soup then sold by the Campbell Soup Company.

Quoting one of Warhol's famous rants "But I always say, one's company; two's a crowd; and three's a party ". Well, let's get the party season under way, with These Cherry Gazpacho , perfect as an appetiser for your party using Campbell's condensed soup and a few bit & bobs from Lidl .
Gazpacho is usually served cold, originating in the Southern Spanish region of Andalucia. Traditionally, gazpacho is made by pounding peeled and deseeded tomatoes in a pestle & mortar, as this method avoids the surplus of foam and discolouration created by blenders and food processors. In addition, to the puréed tomatoes, garlic, shallots,cucumber, olive oil,salt, vinegar and  soaked bread ( for a really thick consistency )and iced water.
Here is a smooth and elegant variation of this chilled soup. Serve it on it's own or garnish with a fine brunoise of vegetables/ cooked prawns/ crab meat /cray fish / lobster /crisp bacon strips / avocado, green chilli&tarragon along with some bread sticks  or crostinis. And my version also involves  chilled Vodka. Well , it is a party , after all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Persian Aubergine ....Nothing compares to Comfort Food, " Inexpensive & Low Calorie "

Everyone instinctively knows exactly what Comfort Food means, For me, it must be something fairly simple to make, satisfyingly tasty, maybe even wickedly indulgent . This Persian Aubergine dish is a take on the Vegetarian dish Imam Bayildi. It is warm, full of flavour & a substantial dish from the Eastern edge of the Mediterranean sea, where Europe meets Asia, not forgetting the influence of the Arab neighbours. These factors, all combined to give us a dish that offers the satisfaction which we all crave at some time, when we yearn for food that fills us with contentment. It cost nothing and taste like a million dollars.
With  "Value " in mind, I have sourced all ingredients from LIDL, and here is a Meal for Two,(or even four, depending how hungry you are !! ) all under €5.00 and under 300 calories per halves.

A Taste of Mexico.... Gastronomic & Cultural festival, Dublin. 12th - 17th November 2013 .& my " Chicken Tinga Quesadillas " Recipe

" A Taste Of Mexico " will be a celebration of Mexican food , drink and culture and takes place in Dublin next month, from Tuesday 12th to Sunday the 17th November around the capital.The festival is organised by the Embassy of Mexico in Ireland and will feature many of the growing number of Mexican Restaurants now delighting diners in Dublin .
At a recent lunch at the residence of the Mexican Ambassador, Carlos Garcia de Alba , we sampled some delicious cuisine from Mexican Chef Helma Honda, who will be sharing her expertise and love of this unique cuisine during a workshop at The Instituto Cervantes on the 13 th November . The festival will also include a wide range of workshops , tastings and events, among others a competition to find the Best Taco in Dublin , tasting of Tequila & Mezcal .
Further information and details of Events via Embassy of Mexico's website : www.embamex.ie

( Pictured at the " A Taste of Mexico " launch at the Mexican Ambassador's Residence were Chef Helma Honda & Mariachi Antonio Garcia Lopez )

"FORAGING & WILD FOOD ". Braised field & wild mushrooms , thyme butter , parmesan & truffle oil .

" FORAGING " is far from being a recent fad . It is a practise known to mankind since day one . Seeking out . picking and gathering from the wild are indigenous ways to appreciate and love the wonderful larder of the country side . Whether your bounty be Fruits , Berries , Nuts , Seaweed , Herbs , Wild leaves , Or Wild mushrooms , it is an  "Enjoyment of Nature " and a quest for " Taste and Quality Of Wild foods " and the bonus is , It is Free .
However since 2012 , the Food Safety Authority has expressed concern in an increase in food poisoning from Wild Mushrooms . So , be careful , you need to be able to tell your Boletus / Cep  / Porcini from your Amanitas or you might end up very sick or even worse ...

Cauliflower Rice with Singaporean Prawns , A take on Street Food , " Inexpensive and Low Calorie "

Cauliflower Rice  with Singaporean Prawns ,  A take on Street Food , suitable from light lunches to dinner . As well as being an excellent way to eat healthily and loose weight , this slightly sweet , hot and spicy dish is filling and delicious .
Chinese rice wine vinegar and fermented soya bean sauce  are used to enchance flavour and also imparts a very light earthy fragrance .
With Value in mind , all major ingredients are from LIDL , providing you with a meal for two , all under €5 and a bonus of under 300 Calories per serving .

Courgetti & Irish Haddock Fillets , A bistro - style Classic Revamped ....." Inexpensive and Low calorie "

COURGETTI  or better known as Courgette Linguine teamed here with BAKED IRISH HADDOCK, GINGER , SPRING ONION , LIME & SOY is an exciting and substantial dish , based on seasonally available produce and comparatively inexpensive ingredients .  This is everyday eating at it's best .
Value is always an overriding factor for many and sourcing of ingredients for Quality and Costs can be time consuming but it is an exercise that has to be done daily or weekly. So following this ethos , I took myself to LIDL .  And here is a meal for two  , all under €5 and to top it all under 300 calories per serving .

THE LAST SUPPER " A fiery and sublime Chilli "

In a recent interview for THE IRISH TIMES  , I was asked " But if you only had a tenner to go shopping with.....  I answered that I would get the ingredients for a fiery Chilli Con Carne and a Corona beer to wash it all down . And ever since , everyone have been asking me " Well , when are we getting the recipe ? So , finally here is my recipe to which I have made a couple of tweaks which I think elevates it from the delicious to the sublime with a perfect balance of heat , earthiness and sweetness . The joy of this recipe is, it takes half the time to prepare as most of the cooking is done in the oven or in a slow cooker , leaving you time to enjoy a cold beer or a cocktail
Originally from Texas not Mexico as is widely believed , the famous Chilli Con Carne  or Tex Mex Chilli has been an international favourite for ever .

" A Japanese feast ... A Simple Art "

Discovering the essence of Japanese Cuisine doesn't rely only with it's emphasis on simplicity , a balance of textures, flavours & colours or artful presentation , But most importantly, it's in tune with the seasons, so as when seasonal vegetables and condiments change, so does the dishes throughout the year . It's learning to live and cooking with the seasons and with what is growing and available all around you .
The Cooking methods used are very simple and quick, to ensure that the food is never overcooked, but that the flavour is sealed in and that it remains as close to it's natural state as possible . In fact , raw food plays an important role in Japanese Cuisine .  From Slicing ( sashimi ) , Grilling ( yakitori ) , Simmering ( miso soup , ramen or dishes cooked in a broth ), Steaming ( delicate egg dishes , tofu , fish & vegetables placed on kelp leaves ) , Hand rolling ( sushi ) , Frying ( tempura ) to Pickling ( vinegared salads & pickles ).

Sunshine on a plate..... Middle Eastern Chicken Tagine & Herb Couscous

"Middle Eastern Tagine & Herb Couscous"
A steaming plate of Couscous is always sure to evoke memories of holidays in Marrakesh or some other parts of North Africa .
Close your eyes ... Picture the rolling hills of Morocco ... Feel the heat on your face and allow your nostrils to quiver with the pungent smells of the spices, drifting from the souk... Instantly an aromatic Tagine , rich with herbs, spices and fruits & Fluffy, light and moist Couscous Spring to mind .