Lean But Not Mean November Dinners

The run up to Christmas can be a very lean time, every spare bit of cash being saved for  Christmas  Dining & Christmas presents.  However lean doesn’t mean family meals needn’t be delicious.  With a little bit of planning and with the right foods in the kitchen, home cooks can cook up some very tasty dishes from scratch for very little as supported by the  three foodie issues which made the local Donegal  headlines this past week – local sausages, cheesy  democracy and organic seemingly isn’t everything we think it is.

Putting all these thoughts into a big melting pot& stirring it a few times memories came flooding back. These were the same issues we faced in the 50s and what did we eat then? – Delicious Toad in the Hole and Glamorgan Sausages and by the way we don’t need to catch a toad and there isn’t any meat in the Glamorgan sausages. Organic was everything in the 50’s as everyone grew their own without chemicals..

Toad in the Hole

My Mum’s Batter

Ingredients for the batter is measured in volume not weight.

Place 4 eggs into a mug.

Use the same volume of Plain flour and also for milk

Filling

Lard for cooking

8 Award winning Mc Gettigans or Walsh’s Sausages  (any flavour)

Method

1. Place a few slips of lard in an oblong pie dish, add sausages .  Place  the dish in a hot oven 200c.  In the mean time:
2. Whisk eggs, flour and milk together until it becomes a smooth batter.
3. When the sausages are sizzling and light brown in colour. Pour over batter.
4. Return to hot oven and cook for 15 -20 minutes or until batter has risen and is a good brown colour.

Yorkshire Puddings

Use batter recipe as above and  cook in 12 individual muffin tin.  Serve with Roast Beef or on their own.

Glamorgan Sausages

150g wholewheat or gluten free breadcrumbs

150g cheddar or local hard cheese (grated)

6 spring onions, finely sliced,

2 tblsps chopped fresh parsley

1 tblsp chopped fresh sage (or use up to 1 tsp dried sage)

1 tsp mustard powder

½ tsp paprika

Pinch of black pepper

2 eggs

Semolina or breadcrumbs for coating the sausages

Method

1.      Place breadcrumbs, cheese, spring onions, parsley, sage, mustard, paprika, black pepper in a bowl or preferably use food processor.

2.      Add 1egg and mix well. The consistency should be soft but not sticky.

3.      Divide into 8

4.      Roll the pieces into sausage shapes.

5.      Beat the 2^nd egg and dip the sausages in egg and then roll them in semolina or breadcrumbs

6.      Shallow fry in oil until crisp and golden.

I like to use semolina when coating these sausages as they don’t absorb too much oil when frying.  Don’t forget to use gluten free breadcrumbs if you have an intolerance to wheat   NB Semolina is also a wheat based product.

Serve Toad in the Hole and Glamorgan Sausages with  creamy mashed potatoes and green vegetables or a crisp salad  (organic if you prefer, local better still.)

 

Donegal Cookery School will be running a series of Christmas Cookery Lessons leading up to Christmas. For more information contact Sian or Anthony on 0749725222 or view www.donegalmanor.com

Who Dunnit Christmas Dinner Special  10^th or 11^th December.  A novel way to Celebrate Christmas with your colleagues & friends.  €30 includes 4 Course Gourmet Dinner  and Live Drama – Lots of prizes.

Order your Christmas Hamper  of Home made Donegal Manor Goodies  –  €50

 

Halloween

As a child in Wales ,  Halloween  was not a a day we celebrated as a family, much preferring  Guy Fawkes Night 5^th November simply because this was the night communities got together to showcase  their  wonderful fireworks display and huddle around the hog roasts.  Even today as I write this article visitors with us staying from England were curious as to why in Ireland we celebrate 31^st October

It didn’t take long for me to do some research, not having to go any further than   www.ireland-information.com.   The following are extracts  (Full permission granted) from the above website:

The Celts celebrated Halloween as Samhain, ‘All Hallowtide’ – the ‘Feast of the Dead’, when the dead revisited the mortal world. The celebration marked the end of Summer and the start of the Winter months.  During the eighth century the Catholic Church designated the first day of November as ‘All Saints Day (‘All Hallows’) – a day of commemoration for those Saints that did not have a specific day of remembrance. The night before was known as ‘All Hallows Eve’ which, over time, became known as Halloween.  The Pumpkin: Carving Pumpkins dates back to the eighteenth century and to an Irish blacksmith named Jack who colluded with the Devil and was denied entry to Heaven. He was condemned to wander the earth but asked the Devil for some light. He was given a burning coal ember which he placed inside a turnip that he had carved out.

To celebrate Halloween this year  Chef Anthony has designed an appropriate menu to accompany the Manor’s ‘Who Dunnit ‘ Evening of  Gourmet Dining  & Drama.  One of the dessert’s on the menu Death by Chocolate is a chocolate lovers paradise –  and there’s no better way to enter the Winter Season with a taste of paradise in your soul.

Death By Chocolate.

This recipe is easy to make but will need good quality dark chocolate and careful preparation of the tin before baking.  Chilling to mature its flavour is also necessary so don’t use this recipe if you need a quick fix dessert.  For a richer smoother texture exchange 4 eggs for 250mls double cream

Ingredients

250grms  butter

500 grms  chocolate,  (70% Chocolate solids) finely chopped

1level tblsp coffee granules

8  large eggs, lightly beaten

Covering

160 grms   milk chocolate, chopped

6  tblsps  double cream

Method

1.       Make cake: Preheat oven to150c.

2.       Butter an 8-inch spring form cake tin and line with foil

3.       Melt butter , coffee and chocolate in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave.

4.       Remove bowl, stir well to combine and let cool to lukewarm.

5.       Whisk eggs into chocolate mixture until well-combined.

6.       Scrape batter into prepared pan.

7.       Place spring form cake tin in a roasting pan; pour hot water to 1 inch deep into roasting pan.

8.        Bake until cake is set around edges but wobbly in centre, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove foil and let cool in the tin on a rack. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.

9.       To make the covering: bring to boil the cream, add the chocolate , stir together until well mixed. Beat for 2 to 3  minutes to get a sheen.  Leave to set for 7 – 10 mins and pour thick topping onto base,  allowing  to run to cover sides. Leave to set – not in a fridge.

10.   Decorate with chocolate shapes or  strawberries cut in half.

Note : it is very important to line the cake tin with the foil as the mixture can leak through the base. Anthony often add a wee drop of baileys or liqueur before whisking in eggs.

Welsh Rarebit – Donegal Times

They say everyone will experience 5 minutes of fame in their lives.  Well I am proud to say that I have had no less than two 5 minutes of fame.  Very recently Master’s Apprentice was repeated on RTE1, luckily it was prime time television and many more saw it second time around or at least I received  lots more telephone calls, e.mails, calls to the Manor and chats on the street.

The programme  – a reality/documentary following me as an  apprentice wanting to open a cookery school.  Celebrity Chef Catherine Fulvio takes me through the stages before setting me a challenge. The programme was shot two years ago between Donegal Town & Wicklow and for those who saw the programme I honestly did not recognise Derry Clarke.  Nerves nearly got the better of me, however I survived to tell the tale and to open my own Cookery School.  The Cookery School will reopen in September with courses to suit everyone.   Look out for our stand at the Donegal Food Festival 27^th – 29^th August.

I have been asked for the recipes I used during the programme.  Hope you try out my favourite – Welsh Rarebit on Brown Soda Bread.

I run Donegal Manor Restaurant with Chef Anthony Armstrong. Open Tuesday – Saturday 10.30 – 4pm.  Open for private parties Friday & Saturday Evening 6pm – 9pm.  Open Sunday Lunch 12 -4pm (Booking Essential)  Closed Monday

Welsh Rarebit (Rabbit) Serves 4

Try It Tonight

Originally called Welsh Rabbit, several theories exist for this name but only one word can describe its taste – delicious.

25g (1 oz or 2 tablespoons) butter
25g (1 oz or 1/4 cup of plain flour)
300ml (1/2 pint) of milk
a pinch of paprika

1tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Pinch of Salt and a pinch of white pepper

75grms Cheddar Cheese (grated)

1 Egg

Method

1. Gently melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan
2. Add the flour, salt, and white pepper
3. Stir, over gentle heat, with a wooden spoon for a few minutes to let the flour cook If you don’t cook it long enough at this stage, the sauce will taste floury.
4. Take off the heat
5. Add a little milk to the flour and butter mix  (roux ) and stir well. Only when it is thoroughly mixed do you add a little more milk.  Continue, little by little, until you have a thickish creamy sauce.  I find a small whisk will make a very smooth sauce.
6. Add the paprika, Worcestershire sauce, cheese and taste before seasoning.
7. For a richer sauce or to add nutrients, add a little hot sauce to a raw egg yolk in a cup, mix really well, and then reintroduce into the main sauce.
8. Pour on Brown Toast or Homemade Brown Soda Bread.
9. Place under a hot grill as this will set the surface and make a glossy finish, if you prefer a brown finish leave it under the  hot grill for a little longer.
10. Serve with grilled peppered tomatoes.  Delicious served as a snack, starter or as a main meal when accompanied with a salad.

Variation

Replace cheddar with any blue cheese, careful with the seasoning later on in the recipe.

Buck Rarebit

Poach an egg per serving, place between bread and sauce. finish as above.

Week 2 Testing Recipes

Just had 2 says off from testing recipes with Anthony.  Last week was hectic as we gave ourselves a target of 8 dishes per day to cook and test.  But then what do you do with 8 x 4 portions of delicious food 4  days a week.  Anyway someone had this ‘big’  idea (that was me), to help pay for the ingredients etc that we should invite people we knew and people we didn’t to come to dine at our place.  The local council offices were targeted aswell as the girls we know from the local insurance office. We contacted the local school, although school is now out a few of the staff  came out before their well deserved Summer Holidays. I was once a teacher in the school so i know how rewarding but challenging teaching is.

Anthony spent all morning preparing the dishes, i spent most of the time typing up templates to record recipes, getting the cameras ready etc.  I much prefer cooking, but these jobs also have to be done.  We briefly anticipated what we would do if nobody turned up – but lots did.

New Concept in Lunchtime Dining

Reading Brendan Bites in the Irish Independent and couldnt agree with him more. Dismal food experiences and over priced designer food doesnt have to be the norm.  In every town in Ireland and all around the world – there is someone passionate about food and good value.  A clever chef can do both, getting the word out there is harder.

Donegal Manor is offering a new concept in lunchtime dining.  tasting plates at €5.00 per plate, sides @€2.50 and Home Made Desserts @ €5.00. 1 tasting plate is big enough for most diners, complete your lunch with a delicious dessert and you will be delightfully full for €10.  Best thing is, you  make the sandwich for supper and not the dinner.

That’s the easy way round.

Are you on our menu e.mail list – know whats on our menu before you come out.

Let me know if you have dined or own a restaurant that offers good value  – anywhere in the world.