Calling all cooks in Ireland

Donegal Cookery School is holding the 1st Best Tasting Brown Soda Bread Competition in association with the Taste of Donegal Food Festival on the 28th August  11.00am at the Pier Marquee Donegal Town.

Let the World know what you have known all along  – Your Brown Soda Bread is the best in Ireland and therefore best in the World!

You don’t have to enter before hand -just turn up between 9.30 – 10.45.  Leave  your bread and your contact details, collect your number and wait for the announcement by Neven Mc Guire at 2.00am.

Further information to  be posted on http://www.donegalmanor.com in the coming weeks.

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.

Master’s Apprentice

I’m getting a 2nd chance of my  5 minutes of fame as RTE  1 is repeating the Master’s Apprentice on Friday 2nd July at 8.30pm.  Before you attend the Donegal Town Summer Festival (that is if you are in the vicinty of Donegal!), have a watch, its only on for 25minutes even though the programme took 5 days to film.

The Cookery School is open and operates from September – May.  Lots of stories to tell when you attend a  class.  Send me an e.mail and i will let you know what classes we have to offer.

Our Chef Anthony is in a culinary competition tommorrow.  Wish him well. I’ll let you know how he gets on