Easy Cooking

Hake has become an exceedingly popular fish on this island over the 2-3 years. Personally, it is one of my favourite types of fish, and today we are going to show you an excellent recipe using a excellent quality piece of fish from Kirwans Fish Shop in Drogheda. The Kirwan family sold fish from a stall just across from the present shop, hence the name ‘Kirwan’s Fish Cart’; now operated by Patrick Kirwan, it offers a wide range of fresh whitefish and shellfish, mainly sourced directly from the local trawlers in Clogherhead. Any time I walk by there is always a que to get into the store and with the quality of fish they have on display you can see why. In this recipe we are going to cook this beautiful hake in the oven with some simple Italian flavours and I can assure you, they will be going back for a second helping.

Ingredients

• 4x175g (6oz) hake fillets, skin on and pin bones removed
• 12 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
• Small handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
• 120g (41/2oz) ball of buffalo mozzarella, sliced
• 2 tblsp basil pesto (shop-bought or homemade)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lightly dressed green salad, to serve
• Buttered baby boiled potatoes tossed in snipped fresh chives, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
2. Place the hake on a baking sheet, skin side down, and season the flesh.
3. Arrange the tomato slices on top and tuck in the basil leaves.
4. Cover with the mozzarella and drizzle over the pesto.
5. Place the hake in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the hake is cooked through and the mozzarella is bubbling and lightly golden.

Transfer the hake with cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzarella to warmed plates and have bowls of green salad and buttered baby boiled potatoes to hand around separately.

Probably the most popular thing any restaurant can offer is of course chicken wings. You know you hit the jackpot when you get to the bottom of the bowl and that last piece is submerged in all that sauce ;). Today I’m going to show you how to simply make your own at home. It’s pretty simple and doesn’t take long and then you wont have to head out to get some delicious wings.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds party style chicken wings or whole chicken wings that have been halved crosswise
• 1 tablespoon baking powder do NOT use baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 tablespoon honey
• celery sticks

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and place a non stick oven safe rack on top of the pan.
• Place the chicken wings in a bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
• Toss to coat the chicken evenly with the baking powder and spices.
• Place the wings on the rack in a single layer.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until wings are light golden brown and crispy.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, butter and honey. 
• Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat evenly.
• Serve with celery sticks and ranch dressing

Pistachio nuts are one of my favourite snacks to have so adding them white chocolate is a bonus. Now for this recipe I picked one type of nut and fruit but really you can use as many as you like dried mango works really well. If you have a nut allergy of course leave it out and you can add some marshmallows or chocolate chips. We going to use the tempering technique for the chocolate (do not panic). Tempering chocolate is an essential step for making smooth, glossy, evenly coloured coating for your dipped chocolates. Tempering prevents the dull grayish colour and waxy texture that happens when the cocoa fat separates out. Tempered chocolate produces a crisp, satisfying snap when you bite into it. We are going to do this microwave believe it or not. Get the kids involved also putting the toppings on. Enjoy

Ingredients
• 8 ounces premium white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped and divided
• 1/3 cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped and divided
• 1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt
Method

1. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 20% power for 15 seconds; remove bowl from microwave and stir. Repeat process until most of the chocolate has melted and is smooth. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until all of the chocolate melts and is smooth.
2. Set aside 1 tablespoon each cranberries and pistachios.
3. Stir remaining cranberries and remaining pistachios into chocolate. Spread mixture onto parchment paper in an even (1/4-inch-thick) layer. Top evenly with reserved cranberries and pistachios, and sprinkle evenly with salt, pressing gently to adhere. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Break into bite-size pieces.

The list of things that can be done is endless and with only 4 ingredients to make that’s even better. Delicious over ice cream or fruit salad. One of my favourites is with some fresh berries and meringue it’s the small things in life. You have no excuses not to give this a go. It will last in the fridge for 5 days or you can freeze it. Enjoy

Ingredients

• 450g raspberries
• ½ small lemon, juiced
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 1/2 cup of water

Method

1. In a pot over medium heat, add raspberries,sugar, lemon juice and water. Bring to boil leave to cool.
2. Set a sieve over a jug. Tip the mixture into the sieve and push through the liquid using a spatula. Discard the seeds.

This is a healthy snack for crisp lovers like me, and it takes minutes to cook. They are quite handy for busy week at work you make a batch and place them into a zip lock bag or lunch box, and you can take them whenever you want them. This is also an excellent way of getting cheese into the children they can be really funny when it comes to cheese but this can become really popular with them, all the better it’s a healthy snack 😊

Ingredients
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (100 g)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
Method

1. Preheat the oven to (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the Parmesan cheese by the tablespoonful in small piles on the baking sheet. Flatten the piles out evenly and sprinkle dried basil over the cheese.
3. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown and the edges start to crisp up.
4. Enjoy!

You can not have tapas with out some sort of chorizo that is just my humble opinion , however there is so many things you can do with it, the list is endless so this not so much a recipe it’s a few tips on how to use and incorporate them into your dishes 5 different ways to be exact., Chorizo or chouriço is a type of pork sausage. Traditionally, it uses natural casings made from intestines, a method used since Roman antiquity. In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked sausage, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or added as an ingredient to add flavour to other dishes.

1. Slice in the chorizo quite thick, fry it on in the pan with a small bit of oil. Add some lemon juice and garlic and you have an excellent tapas side dish, serve it with some salsa and enjoy.
2. If you like spice again in a pan with a small bit of oil, cut the chorizo into chunks this time and fry it off with some mushrooms 1 tsp of paprika , 1 tsp of chilli powder they will both flavour the oil and you have another side dish, if you really wanted to go over the top spice add some fresh red chilli.
3. Some Ciabatta Bread and grill on a grill pan for 3 minutes, take some chorizo, tomato and red onion into a bowl and mix with some garlic and oil. Serve onto the bread and you have chorizo bruschetta.
4. Roast Broccoli in the oven with some crushed garlic, salt, pepper and oil (40 minutes @ 200 degrees) , add some chorizo onto the plate and you have another excellent side dish that goes with chicken, lamb or even fish ,
5. Finally its excellent in most salads we done recently we sweet potato is lovely, chorizo and roast potatoes work really together with some spicey sauce of your choice, its also excellent with rice and salmon and wine 😊.

These tasty, deep-fried bites can be made ahead and frozen, perfect for no-fuss entertaining as part of a party buffet spread.

Ingredients

• 25g butter
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 50g plain flour
• 250ml milk
• 140g sliced smoked ham, diced
• 50g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
• 50g gruyère, finely grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp double cream

For the coating

• 2 large eggs
• 50g plain flour
• 140g fine dried breadcrumbs
• sunflower oil, for deep frying

Method

1. To make the croquetas, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and gently fry the onion for 3 mins or until lightly coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 secs. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook over a low heat for 5 mins until thick and glossy. Stir in the ham, cheese, mustard and cream, and season to taste. Cook for 1 min more until the cheese melts, stirring constantly.
2. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool, then chill for 4 hrs or overnight – the mixture needs to be very stiff to form the croquetas. Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and, with wet hands, roll into 24 small oval shapes and put on a tray. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, put the flour on a plate and half of the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
3. Roll each of the croquetas lightly in flour, then in egg before coating in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Use the remaining breadcrumbs to top up the bowl halfway through the coating process. Chill for 30 mins (or to freeze, see tip, below left).
4. Meanwhile, make the tomato chilli jam. Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely with a lit and cook for 50 mins – 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy. Leave to cool before serving.
5. Fill a large saucepan one-third full with the sunflower oil and heat to 180C (or heat the oil in an electric deep-fat fryer). Do not overheat and do not leave hot oil unattended. Using a metal slotted spoon, lower 6 croquets into the oil and cook for 1.5 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil, and continue cooking the rest.

One of my favourite fruits, yet not many people would pick up a mango in their shopping every week. This is basic smoothie with that lovely mango taste. Excellent for the children also.

Ingredients

• 1 cup non-fat milk
• 1 cup greek yogurt (plain, vanilla or honey will work)
• 1 ½ cups ice cubes
• 1 banana (if frozen, leave out some of the ice)
• 1 mango (about 1 cup chopped)
• ⅛ cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon honey
• chia seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Serve with chia seeds, additional coconut, and chopped mango if desired.

We are back with another excellent cut to meat from Tuites Butchers and if you tried that last recipe, we did with them which was the Roasted Lamb you know we are in for a real treat. Pork Belly is up there with the best cuts of meat and when its cooked correctly it can just be just delicious. So, our aim in this recipe is again low and slow along with getting the crispy skin that we all love. I did debate with marinating the pork for the recipe however I really want this piece of meat to stand out on its own in all it is glory. We want to get as much flavour as possible into both the pork and the vegetables that are going to go with it. We have a few tips in this recipe to help you along do not worry this is nothing over complicated, following the right process you can master this recipe first time. You can use any vegetables you wish we have chosen some for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2kg of Pork Belly
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp of salt
• 3 onion quartered
• 1 blub of Garlic
• 4 Rosemary Sprigs
• 150g of Carrots
• 170g of Potatoes
• 1 tbsp of cornflower
• 1 cup of chicken or beef stock.

Method

1. Pre Heat your oven 225 degrees.
2. Scoring the Pork belly, your butcher will have no problem in doing it if you ask, however if you wish to do it yourself. With a sharp knife score the fat at angle by running lines down, turn the meat 180 degrees on your board and score in the opposite direction.
3. On the fat, rub in some oil into the flesh, using a pastry brush place some apple cider vinegar all over the meat. Then with the salt sprinkle over the entire pork belly and rub the salt into all the scores of fats.
4. Place you quartered onions in the middle of the roasting tray, place the pork belly on top skin side up. Place into the oven at 225 for 40 minutes to get the crispy fat started.
5. Take out of the oven and add your carrot, potatoes, rosemary, and garlic, turn down the heat to 150 degrees and cook low and slow is the key here for 2 hours 30 minutes.
6. For the gravy in the same roasting pan, place on low heat, leave all onions, garlic and herbs in , pour in the stock and whisk , then add the corn flower and allow to thicken.
7. Once that happens put through a sieve to and you will have a smooth rich gravy to enjoy.

• 

• 

• 

In recent years, a movement has begun. It’s a movement that takes consumers away from large, impersonal big-box retailers and introduces them to the people doing business in their very own cities. These are local farmers, craftsmen, antiques dealers, and other product providers, with items made locally and sold on a small scale.
When a consumer supports their local business owners, they enjoy benefits they can’t possibly get from shopping at national chains. Here are some top reasons to support your local entrepreneurs.

• 

• 

1. Improve your family’s health.
   Buying local foods has numerous health benefits to your family. When you buy from local farmers, you have access to fruits and vegetables that you know are chemical free, as well as grass-fed meats, fresh eggs, and dairy from cows that feast on local green grass each day. There are also benefits to eating raw local honeys, which are thought to help battle allergies.
2. Improve the local economy.
   When a consumer buys local, significantly more of that money stays in the community. In fact, one recent study round that for every €100 spent at a local business, €68 remained in the city while only €43 of each €100 spent at a chain retailer.
   Local business owners often have incentive to support other local businesses, patronizing local establishments for both business and personal reasons. Chain businesses, on the other hand, tend to get their supplies from corporate, as well as having store managers and employees that aren’t as personally invested in buying local.
3. Know the people behind the product.
   When you personally know the people behind the business where you’re buying local products and services, you enjoy a connection you would not otherwise have. Along with the rest of the community, you celebrate when a favourite local business succeeds and you mourn when it’s forced to shut its doors. This personal investment isn’t quite as present when a chain business closes, aside from feeling disappointment that you have fewer businesses within convenient driving distance.
4. Keep your community unique.
   Local businesses give a community its flavour. Towns across Ireland have similar chain restaurants, food and department stores but that shop down the street where you have you buy your newspaper or milk every morning is one-of-a-kind. The combined presence of your town’s many local businesses makes it different from every other city in the world. By supporting those businesses instead of chains, you ensure that uniqueness is preserved as a part of your community.
5. Better customer service.
   If you’ve ever dealt with a large corporation, you know getting help can be a nightmare. You’ll call a 1-800 number, only to be transferred seven times and put on hold. Even when you speak to a customer service representative, that person is so far removed from the decision-making process, there’s little concern that the company will lose you as a customer.
   When you shop local, the business owner is usually directly connected to every employee in the store. That leads to a personal approach that often means any problem you have is taken seriously.
6. More personalized service.
   Having the owner nearby also means that owner personally knows their customers. They know the products you buy or the services you request on a regular basis and can tailor services to make your experience even better. A local gardening shop owner may learn about a new product on the market that can help you with a pest control problem you mentioned on one of your visits, for instance, and can order that product as part of his selections.
   Buying local has benefits beyond mere convenience. When you support local business owners, you get a better level of service, as well as helping make your community a better place to live. This is in addition to the health benefits and access to unique products that you usually can’t find with chain locations