First Ode to Theodora Fitzgibbon - No.1

I finally put time aside to sit down and pick a recipe from Theodora Fitzgibbon's Irish Traditional Food. My sister bought me a copy for Christmas last year and I have been flicking through on and off but have not actually tested any recipes. The cold and snow last night was a very encouraging factor in picking the fish pie recipe below. Playing sous-chef to Claire, we followed the recipe word-for-word and it works very nicely! 

Our notes: 

We used a 12 month Swiss Gruyère, which was on the money.

Fish used was smoked haddock and fresh cod from Fallon & Byrne and a handful of Ikea's frozen prawns.

A few more drops of Tabasco would have helped.

Recipe says serves 4-6...in reality that's more 4 than 6!

The Recipe: Fish Pie - Pióg éisc 

This can be extremely good and it is a pity the title is not more attractive, although names such as 'Fisherman's pie' are now being used. The amount of seasoning depends on what fish is used. Smoked fish is excellent, but if a plain fish is used then more seasoning will be needed. Some grated cheese added to the sauce is a simple but good idea. A mixture of fish is pleasant and, when available, prawns, or other shellfish added will turn it into a very good meal. 

450g (1lb) smoked cod or haddock or any fish or fish combination

450ml (3/4 pint) milk

1 rounded tablespoon cornflour

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

few drops of Tabasco

200g (7oz) can tomatoes drained or equivalent amount of fresh tomatoes, chopped and drained

50g (2oz) grated cheese

450g (1lb cooked mashed potatoes

Poach the fish in milk to cover, then remove the fish and strain the liquid and put back in the pan. Remove any skin or bones from the fish. Cream the cornflour with a little of the milk. Add the rest to the pan. Bring to the boil, then add the creamed cornflour, stirring all the time to avoid any lumps.

Add the fish, the parsley, the Tabasco and tomatoes and mix well, then add half the cheese and put the mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with mashed potatoes, scatter the remaining cheese over the top and dot with butter. Bake at 200C, 400F, Mark 6 for about 35 minutes, or until the top is peaking brown. Serves 4-6.

New player on the Northside

Grabbed the opportunity of the day off to wander down to Moore street. I wanted to check in with the guys in the Paris Bakery, who finally got their doors open on Monday. Although it's very early days for Yannick and co. the baguette we just had with dinner is testament to his baking abilities.  It worked as the perfect mop for the juices from the pork belly. Wonderfully French! 

The Bread Basket

First off the Paris Bakery is...a bakery, with a collection of breads all made fresh on site overnight - baguettes, sour-dough, walnut & raisin, apricot & hazelnut - matched with some wonderful madeleine, chocolate & honey tarts, lemon meringue pies, brownies, and soon to be followed with a selection of pastries. After that the Bakery is a cafe, soon-to-be restaurant and eventually completed with a function room.  

When I first got wind of the project I was not convinced of the Moore street residency. However, the Bakery I think will be a great addition to food life on the street which includes the fruit & veg. market stalls, FX Buckley butchers and further down the street the underground maze of the Moore St Mall, which is a hive of food activity. I will be keeping an eye on them as they develop and grow, and plan on making myself one of their best regulars....it helps that it is on my route home!

Fish Friday

Taste of the Sea, Glasnevin

In the last couple of months there has been a great little addition to the northside of Dublin the guise of Taste of the Sea up in Glasnevin. I have been planning a visit for weeks and come hell, high water or car-clamps, I was not going to miss the chance to finally visit today.

Whitebait

Taste of the Sea offers a great selection of seafood and related items for both the budding chef and those whole live in fear of cleaning, filleting and cooking anything vaguely related to a fish. The variety of fish is very impressive - monkfish tails, swordfish steaks, frozen octopus (adult and baby), crab claws, scallops, whitebait - many of which have useful little suggestion recipes to go with them. The unique selling point for the shop however is that all this comes freshly frozen, which brings advantage to those who want to shop for the days ahead. It also allows the shop give such a wonderful variety where smaller fresh fish stores cannot due to a smaller demand for quirkier items.

Octopi!

In my extra lazy state today, I decided to give one of the pasta dishes a whirl - the fagottini with salmon - slow fried up in the pan. (Roughly) following the recipe suggestion I popped in a little chilli and ricotta at the end.  I fried off a single king scallop to sit on top.  It did the trick and I'll be going back for more!

Drive by photo shoot!

I couldn't fit all the pumpkins in the picture!

Last week foisted the reality of Christmas in retail on me again, although in fairness we have been talking about it since June or so!  Two of us from work got the opportunity to go check out our Christmas product and displays in London and to do a pretty extensive tour of our sister Caffe's.  Fortunately the 48 hours of food (oh the pain) was not all work.  We managed a twenty minute spin through Wholefoods in Kensington and another twenty through the Borough Market. Both are fantastic for the senses... from the freshly baked breads as you walk in the door of Wholefoods to the walls of cheese in the Neal's Yard Dairy shop  down in the Borough.  Wholefoods emphasise seasonality and it is impressive....they didn't hold back on the pumpkins!  Indeed they do not hold back on anything as minimalists they are not. Sure why would you bother? Check out this example  below of 'big is beautiful'  from Neal's Yard.

Neal's Yard Dairy, The Borough Market

Chicken Parmigiano... tonight's sustenance.

Chicken Parmigiano is one of my simplest and probably tastiest recipes, but is…difficult…..to photograph, so there isn't a pretty picture to go with it. I discovered a basic version of this in my teens in a book somewhere at home and have worked up different variations since. It's straight forward, quick and requires very little attention.

For 2 people, roughly slice three chicken breasts and fry them off in a deep pan.  As the chicken starts to brown, chop lots of mushrooms in around it.

Pour in a half a glass or so of Sherry.

Place a complete layer of parma, or bacon (this needs to be fried off first)... or, as successfully trialed tonight, thinly sliced Speck.

Lastly, pile on top lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and spread it evenly. Leave it to cook away.  Generally this takes around 10 minutes.....while you're making the salads. When the sherry starts caramelising on the bottom of the pan, it’s ready to go.

Tips: 

Brandy works as well if you don't have any Sherry

The cheese does not HAVE to be Parmigiano.  This works as well with a smoked mozzarella, gruyere, or basic cheddar if that's all that's in the fridge. 

My precious....

I found this cluster of mushrooms at the back of our gravelly car-park at Tenuta Centoporte the other week, underneath an olive tree.  They looked harmless enough but I chickened out of bringing them into the chef and asking him to throw them on the pan, with a little garlic! I must ask Antonio next time he's over!! 

Dib dib dib......it's all about being prepared!

Be prepared

It is incredible watching the baristas in action in the busy coffee houses in Italy. The preparation and work-rate put in to give Italy its espresso caffeine fix is very impressive. From the Autogrill (don't dis it till you've tried it) flyovers across the Autostrade from Rome to Naples, to the more traditional but very stylish Caffé Alvino in Lecce the coffee turnover is phenomenal. 
I haven't quite figured out is the en-masse desire for an espresso simply an addiction or something closer to religion with millions of Italians worshipping  at the great altar of the barista. 

The bar at Caffe Alvino

Caffe Alvino had thousands of extra incentives to keep you seated......arancini, calzone, fagottini (hot dogs and chips wrapped in pastry), rustico, crostata, dolci, biscotti.... I could go on! Yum!

Dolci at Caffe Alvino