Before I met the lovely Sofie from Sweden, meatballs for me were always associated with Italy. Combined with a thick tomato sauce and soft melt in the mouth pasta, they make a dish which is a staple of the classic Italian mama's recipe repertoire. If I was to name one recipe that is ideal for food therapy its this, there is something strangely yet extremely relaxing about rolling the meat into satisfying little balls and plopping them into boiling hot creamy tomato sauce. Relying solely on the heat of the sauce to cook and infuse the little balls to perfection.
The recipe itself is pretty fool proof, and will give you results making you feel like the perfect Italian mama or papa!
Mood Food Meat Balls
500g of Minced Meat (Pork or Beef)
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
2 tsp of Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup
1 tbsp of Oregano
Good pinch of salt and pepper
For the Tomato Sauce:
1 Garlic clove chopped finely
1 Onion chopped finely
2 tins of chopped tomato's
1 tsp of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 cup of red wine (optional you can use water but the wine gives a richer flavour when the sauce reduces)
1/4 cup of milk
Good pinch of salt and pepper
In a large bowl mix the meat and the ingredients with a fork making sure to mix well. Take about a teaspoon full of the mixture and roll with your hands into a small ball. It's better to make the balls smaller as they cook quicker and are a lot easier eat. Work your way through the mixture and set the balls on a large baking tray. Place the balls in the fridge allowing them time to firm.
Now for the tomato sauce, it's a fairly standard affair, heat a large saucepan and add a drop of olive oil, fry the garlic for a minute and then add the onion. Fry the two till golden and soft and then add the tinned tomato's. Bring the mixture to the boil and then stir in the Tabasco sauce, dried oregano, and red wine. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced.
Add the meatballs to the sauce pan, making sure they are covered by the sauce, I know your thinking raw meat in my sauce surely I'll be poisoned! But no believe me it works and keeps the meat lovely and tender. Bring the sauce pan back to the boil and simmer for another 15 mins.
Serve with some good quality tagliatelle and there'll be clean plates all around!
Another recipe from Catherine's cookbook today and it's a damn good one, you seriously can't go wrong with homemade spaghetti and meatballs, especially on a day like today! Can you believe it's already the 1st of September? This dish would make a perfect little warming supper dish so enjoy!
Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce Meatballs form the secondi or meat course at the Italian table, while pasta is the primi, so they would not traditionally be served together. That said, they work well together, so if this takes your fancy, allow 400–450g of dried spaghetti to serve four. I also sometimes add 50g freshly grated Parmesan to the meatballs and reduce the salt, yum! Have a bowl of cold water beside you when forming the meatballs to dip your hands into, as keeping your hands moist prevents the meat from sticking when forming the balls.
Serves 6 for the meatballs: 50g fresh breadcrumbs 100ml milk 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 225g minced pork 225g lean minced beef 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp salt 1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 egg, beaten extra virgin olive oil
for the spicy tomato sauce: 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 175ml vegetable stock 500g tinned chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato puree salt and freshly ground black pepper pasta, to serve freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
To make the meatballs, first soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Mix the chopped onion and garlic with the pork and beef. Add the breadcrumbs, oregano, salt and pepper to the meat mixture and mix well. Add in the beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into small balls. Heat some oil in a frying pan and add in the meatballs. Fry for approximately 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chilli and onion and cook on a low heat for 7–10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and leave to simmer for 10 minutes to heat through. Serve with your favourite pasta and sprinkle grated Parmesan on top.
Getting homemade pizza right is a real art, I used to make it a lot when I was a kid and slowly perfected it over the years! One of my favourite things to do was to try different topping combinations from Asparagus and Spinach, to Feta and Rocket. One of the great things about pizza is that it's just so customisable. I also recommend experimenting with the tomato sauce as it can really enhance the overall flavour. The main thing I find when mixing is always to make sure your dough is not too moist as this creates a really unpleasant doughy taste when cooked. Here is my standard recipe for a great pizza dough, I'm not sure where the original came from as I know it by heart!
Basic Pizza Base Dough
1 sachet of active dry yeast
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 cup of warm water
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 and 1/2 cups of Strong all purpose flour
Combine the yeast with the sugar and warm water in a separate container and leave stand for 15 minutes or until foamy. Then stir in the olive oil and salt.
Put the flour in a large bowl and create a small well, pour the yeast mixture in and slowly combine incorporating the flour from the sides. This bit generally the most worrying as it looks like it will never come together, but it will just keep mixing! When the dough begins to come together put it on a work top and knead the crap out of it for about 7 minutes.
When all your frustration has been taken out shape into a ball and place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place. The warmth activates the yeast and will allow the dough to rise quickly. Leave it stand for about an hour or until it doubles in size. This is normally when I start making the tomato sauce and preparing the toppings, effective time management you see!
When the dough has risen punch it down to remove the air. Then place it on a worktop and depending whether you like your dough thin split into two or four. Form the separated pieces into a circle and keep pushing until you have the right shape. The base is now ready for toppings!
Spicy Tomato Pizza Sauce
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Drop of olive oil
Two Tins (400g) of chopped tomatoes
Pinch of Sea Salt and Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon of dried Oregano
1 teaspoon of tobasco sauce
Sauté the garlic in the olive oil till brown then add the tomotoes and bring to a steady simmer. Then stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, and tobasco sauce. If you have a drop of red wine available to you it adds a richness to the sauce and by all means add it! Leave at a steady simmer to reduce for about 25 mins. Leave to cool until it's room temperature and then it's ready to add to the pizza base.
- I generally use mozzarella cheese for the topping, but any cheese can be used really! ENJOY!
My Grandparents Heading On Their Honeymoon To Wicklow In 1950
It's definitely a sign you had a fairly packed weekend when you only start to relax on a Monday morning! I was working on Friday, Saturday and Sunday but Saturday night was the big occasion, 25 family members, young and old packed into my parents front room to eat their way through a three course meal and celebrate my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary.
They are my grandparents on my moms side of the family, they married in 1950 and made a living as sculptors, all the while raising my mom and her 3 brothers and 3 sisters. My grandmother has a fantastic knowledge of food and I can talk with her for hours about her delicious rich recipes (if we can steal a moment away from my granddad's well trained 3rd degree questioning skills!) which always seem to transform some extremely unique off cut of meat into a melt in your mouth, one pot wonder. I love how she can tell me she had nothing in the house, yet then go into intricate detail of how she whipped up an old French recipe so delicious it would put the great Elizabeth David to shame. Needless to say that love of food has been passed down the line, so the food at gathering such as this are normally of a certain standard! Anything less of course and you can expect a full critique by the time the coffee and teas are served!
On the menu was a delicious crab salad with lemon zest, for mains we had hefty portions of slow roasted lamb shanks in red wine with a tomato and white bean stew, and to wrap things up we had the delicious mocha meringues with whiskey cream, chocolate sauce and toasted hazelnuts which we cooked for the event in Paris during the spring. All this was followed by an amazing cheeseboard from Sheridans Cheesemongers which despite the big helpings for dinner was devoured! So things are back to normality this week thankfully so here's today's recipe, enjoy!
Whoohaa Chorizo Bean Pasta! Pasta is definitely a super-cheap store cupboard ingredient which can easily be transformed into hundreds of delicious dishes. This is one of my favourite ways of making the most of it. When making a tomato sauce, the key to getting the best flavour out of it is to cook it slowly. I love to add a good glug of red wine while it reduces to bring out a really great richness. The chorizo gives the dish a kick of heat and will leave you feeling full.
Serves four 150g chorizo, sliced in thick discs 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 red onion, finely chopped 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp dried oregano Sea salt and ground black pepper to season 400g tin cannellini beans 250g penne pasta Parmesan cheese, to serve
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and throw in the sliced chorizo. Fry on both sides until roaring red and sizzling. Remove from the pan and set aside. You should be left with a rich red oil in the pan. Place the pan back over the heat, add the garlic and onions and fry for two to three minutes until the onions are soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and dried oregano, then half fill the empty chopped tomatoes tin with warm water and stir into the pan (if you have red wine it would be great here instead of the water). Bring the sauce to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until it has reduced a little. While the sauce is reducing, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, drain and set aside. Stir the chorizo and cannellini beans into the tomato sauce until everything is warmed through. Add the sauce to the cooked pasta and stir through. Serve with a good grating of Parmesan cheese.
Now I am not going to profess a love for aubergines but I ate this dish on a holiday recently in Rome, and was pleasantly surprised with the fresh full flavoured taste! I immediately wanted to know how to recreate it, so when I came home I looked through some Italian cookbooks and unfortunately what I came up with were deep fried or cheese laden version's.
So just the other day I experimented with what I thought was the closest to the recipe I had eaten. I fried the aubergine slices in olive oil but I think it would be easier to grill them in future! So here goes:
Aubergine Parmigiana
2 Large Aubergine slice length ways
A good splash of Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Red Onion
2 400g Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
2 Teaspoons of dried Oregano
2 Teaspoons of fresh parsley finely chopped
1/3 of a cup of grated Parmesan cheese
I read about preparing Aubergine's and there seems to be some sort of argument over whether or not to soak them in salted water before cooking. But I decided to soak them not wanting to go against tradition!
Soak the aubergine slices in salted water for 20 minutes, then remove from the water and pat dry. As I said already I fried the slices but I think it would be far more healthier and less time consuming to grill them till soft. Put the cooked slices to the side.
While the Aubergine slices are soaking, in a saucepan fry the garlic and red onion till soft. Then add the two tins of tomatoes, Oregano and Parsley. Bring the sauce to the boil and leave to simmer for about 15 Min's or until reduced. When the sauce has cooked stir in some salt and pepper to taste and leave to cool.
In a large roasting tin, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce and place the aubergine slices on top, add more tomato sauce, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese, and repeat the process until you run out.
Bake in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 Min's.
This is one of the recipes I have been waiting to try forever and I really have no excuse as it is so simple! I had hoped to feature this in my book (which shows just how long I have been to getting around to making it!) but unfortunately I left it too late! I have adapted this recipe from Lor who writes one of my favourite Irish food blogs italianfoodies.ie, who runs La Cucina in Limerick and is an absolute genius when it comes to proper Italian comfort food.
Big Brunch Tomato Eggs Are you ready to meet your new Saturday morning breakfast cure? These eggs are going to change your weekends forever! If you are on the lookout for the perfect little throw together late breakfast this super easy dish hits all the right buttons. If you manage to stumble out of bed, serve these tasty eggs with some toasted crusty bread and you'll be laughin'! They also work if you are wide awake too!
Serves 2 generous portions 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 400g tin of chopped tomatoes A good handful of spinach, roughly chopped A small handful of basil, roughly chopped 4 large free range eggs A little grated Parmesan cheese to serve A generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper
In a large frying pan heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic slowly for 7-10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir through the basil and spinach until it has wilted. With the back of a spoon make four wells in the sauce and then crack the eggs in. Cook the eggs in the sauce until the white is cooked through and the yolk is still soft. Season with sea salt and black pepper and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve the eggs in tomato sauce on top of some crispy crusty bread for a hearty brunch!
This one goes down really well when entertaining! It's an easy one to make ahead of time and stick in the fridge until you are ready to cook it.
Spinach and Riccotta Stuffed Pasta Shells This is a delicious pasta dish, which is packed with fresh ingredients. It is a little bit tricky but the tastes are great and well worth the effort!
Serves 3-4 portions. 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 3 cloves of garlic chopped finely. A good glug of red wine. 2 cans of chopped tomatoes. A handful of fresh herbs chopped coarsely (Oregano, Parsley, Basil) 250g of large pasta shells. 250g of Ricotta cheese. 250g of steamed spinach. A generous pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.
Fry the garlic in the olive oil in a large frying pan for 30-40 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and and the red wine. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and become thicker. Season with a little sea salt and black pepper and make sure to stir every few minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta until al denté. While the pasta is cooking, mix the ricotta, herbs, steamed spinach, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl until everything is combined. Spread a layer of half the tomato sauce in a medium baking dish. When the pasta is cooked drain and allow to cool in a colander. Spoon a heaped teaspoon amount of the ricotta mixture into each one of the pasta shells and place in the baking tray. When you have added all the stuffed pasta shells to the baking tray, cover with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle over a handful of parmesan cheese and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese gets a nice colour. Serve straight away with a crispy green salad.
I finally sent off the manuscript of text for the book to Mercier press last week, so things have finally calmed down a little here in the Good Mood Kitchen! I have to say the whole process has been a major learning process and has been totally enjoyable. The most exciting part of the entire project had to be spending the two days working hell for leather in September with Jocasta the lovely food photographer and Erica my lovely food stylist/sous chef/psychiatrist/ and Auntie!! I picked up so many great little tips, so I'll have to do an extra special post detailing them all. For now here's a great quick dinner, which I made the other night, it's super tasty and so easy to make.
Mushy Roast Garlic and Cherry Tomato Pasta
This is an absolutely delicious dish which is so easy to prepare and is perfect for entertaining. I roast all the ingredients in a large roasting tray and when they are cooked using a fork mash them altogether to create a super tasty thick tomato sauce. Don’t be put off my roasting the whole garlic bulb, it produces a really rich, deep and faintly sweet flavour and makes it a lot more palatable than in its raw state.
250g of Wholewheat Penne Pasta. 1 large bulb of garlic. 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes. 1 large red onion. 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. 3 tablespoons of olive oil. A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. An extra glug of olive oil. A large handful of grated parmesan cheese.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 4. Slice the top off the bulb of garlic so that almost all the cloves are exposed. Place the garlic in a large roasting tray. Prepare the cherry tomatoes by slicing them in half. A quick tip I picked up recently is that in order to always get an open faced halved tomato, look for the small dimple at the top of the tomato. Always slice across this bump and you will end up with perfectly sliced tomato faces! Place the tomatoes in the roasting tray. Prepare the red onion by peeling and slicing into rough quarters, place alongside the tomatoes and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and using a pastry brush, brush the mix over the tomatoes, the red onion, and the garlic bulb. Sprinkle the tomatoes, garlic, and onion with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roast the tray in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the tomatoes have reduced to half their size. While the garlic, tomatoes, and onion are roasting, bring a medium sized pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
When the tomatoes, garlic and onion are cooked remove from the oven and using a fork, mash all the ingredients together until you have a thick mushy sauce. Tumble the cooked pasta into the roasting tray and add the Parmesan cheese and an extra glug of olive oil. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve in a large bowl and enjoy!
Thankfully work is that little bit less busy this week, which has given us time not only to play in the snow, but also to spend some more time in our new little house. It's not there just yet, but it's really starting to take shape and after numerous trips to IKEA we finally have enough furniture to fill the place! I wasn't feeling very at home in the house, mainly because the last three weeks had been so jam packed, dinner was eaten out and breakfast was bought on the way. I know I know, not exactly the perfect routine, but there had been no time to set up the kitchen just the way I like it. So the last few days we've been making big breakfasts and enjoying really tasty dinners using up the ridiculous amount of food I've left over from all the cooking we've been doing. Ireland, for my foreign visitors, at the moment is experiencing probably the most snow that I can even remember, so I think it's definitely time for some comfort food. This recipe was from a piece I wrote on comfort food for the Irish Independent. I suggest using ready to go gnocchi, but if you are lucky enough to be snowed in, it's all the more comforting to make them yourself!
Mozzarella, Tomato and Gnocchi Bake Gnocchi in Italian translates as ‘lumps’, and it goes way beyond pasta as my ultimate bowl of indulgence. You can make the gnocchi yourself, but you should be able to pick up packs of the ready-made stuff quite easily. This dish combines the classic Italian flavours of tomato, mozzarella and basil, all baked together for a fantastic comforting dinner.
Serves 4 500g fresh gnocchi 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2x400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 2x125g mozzarella balls, sliced 1 tsp sugar Handful of basil leaves Sea salt and black pepper, to season
Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet, then drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil over a high heat and sauté the garlic and onion until soft. Add in the chopped tomatoes and chilli flakes and bring the sauce to the boil. Lower the heat and cook at a steady simmer for 15 minutes until it has reduced. Add in the sugar and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Tumble the gnocchi into the pan and stir through with the tomato sauce until each piece is nicely coated. Pour into a highsided baking dish (9in x 9in) and top with the mozzarella slices and torn basil leaves. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and bubbling. Serve straight away in deep bowls with a little grated Parmesan.
I'm writing this on a dark train in the middle of a snow bound Sweden, this week we are visiting Sofie's folks in Gothenburg, so I have unwillingly been catapulted into the Christmas season whether I like it or not. As you all know of course snow equals Christmas and during the long dark days in Sweden they really go all out for the festive season. We are hoping to get in all the sights and sounds of a Swedish Christmas to bring home some Scandinavian inspiration to our home just in time for the seasonal period. While all that is going on let's not forget that on these cold dark days, serious fuel is needed to boost the immune system and keep you up and running! My mushy Roast Garlic and Cherry Tomato Pasta is one of those dishes I came up with hungry after work last winter. It has all those great punchy flavors of roast vegetables combined to make the most luscious thick juicy tomato sauce for the hot pasta you tumble in on top. Don't be afraid of using a whole bulb of garlic, the roasting process will take away the strong flavors you get from raw garlic and instead you will be left with a sweet intense mush which can be pushed out its skin using the back of a fork. Possibly one of THE BEST recipes from Good Mood Food, you will make this one again and again!
Mushy Roast Garlic and Cherry Tomato Pasta Serving this little supper hot to the table with a good handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is an absolute must! It brings the whole dish together and pumps up all those amazing roasted flavors.
Serves 4 people 250g/9oz wholewheat penne 1 large bulb of garlic 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes 1 large red onion 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons of olive oil A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper A large handful of grated parmesan cheese An extra glug of olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Slice the top off the bulb of garlic so that almost all the cloves are exposed. Place the garlic in a large roasting tray. Prepare the cherry tomatoes by slicing them in half. Place the tomatoes in the roasting tray. Prepare the red onion by peeling and slicing into rough quarters, place alongside the tomatoes and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and using a pastry brush, brush the mix over the tomatoes, the red onion and garlic bulb. Sprinkle the tomatoes, garlic and onion with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven for 30–35 minutes or until the tomatoes have reduced to half their size. While the garlic, tomatoes and onion are roasting, bring a medium-sized pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside. When the tomatoes, garlic and onion are cooked, remove from the oven and, using a fork, carefully push out the garlic cloves from their skins and mash all the ingredients together until you have a thick mushy sauce. Tumble the cooked pasta into the roasting tray and add the parmesan cheese and an extra glug of olive oil. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve in a large bowl and enjoy!
Pizza was one of the first things I learned to cook when I was a kid, I think it was because the preparation is fairly hands on so it's a perfect starter recipe for younger aspiring cooks! The great thing about homemade pizza is that you can cater for the taste of every person you make it for. This recipes topping is just a suggestion but the same day I made this I made a pizza's with parma ham, goats cheese and peppers, so you can really use whatever takes your fancy.
For the pizza baking session, I had the help of my cousin Harry, who had decided to miss out on his Sunday morning rugby practice to make pizza. I don't know about you but I would obviously have made the same decision! His favourite part was getting to punch down the dough!
Chorizo and Mushroom Thin Crust Pizza
This dough creates a wonderfully, thin, crisp yet still chewy dough which ticks all the boxes for me! You can easily freeze the dough after it has finished rising, punch down, and pop in a freezer bag. Take it out the day before you plan to use it and allow to it to defrost in the fridge.
Makes 3-4 thin bases 255g of flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 175ml of very warm water 1 x 7.5g sachet of active dried yeast 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the topping About 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce per pizza 175g of mozzarella 100g of chorizo, sliced thinly 1 large mushroom per pizza, sliced thinly
Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in a measuring jug. Set aside in a warm place in the kitchen for about 10-15 minutes or until it becomes frothy. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. When the yeast and water mixture has become frothy stir through the olive oil. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast and water mixture, using your fingers slowly combine the flour in from the sides and continue to mix until a rough dough forms. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky add a little extra flour until it becomes smooth. Form the dough into a ball and turn in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and set in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, knead again for a minute and place back in the bowl to rise for an additional 10 minutes. Split the dough into 3-4 pieces and roll out as thin as possible. Flour a baking sheet and transfer the pizza base to it. Spread the base with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, chorizo slices and mushroom pieces. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 200C/Gas Mark 6 or until the cheese turns golden and the crust becomes crisp. Serve straightaway!
Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano 6/10 Chatham House, Chatham Lane, Off Grafton Street, Dublin 2
We had visitors this weekend so things got very touristy! We visited The Boyne Valley, New grange, Malahide castle, Howth head, and even ended up going to river dance which was staged at the Gaiety theatre in Dublin which is a pretty small venue and I felt took away from the colossal event, the name river dance normally conjures.
After River dance we were stuck for a place to eat and everyone was in the mood for Italian so I remembered a little place nuzzled at the back of HMV off Grafton Street. I had been to Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano a few years ago and enjoyed the meal then. The restaurant itself has got a bit of charm if not a little grubby, but the staff are very friendly and there was lots of laughing and joking.
Our guest and I ordered a Pizza du chef (which the menu promised a blend of tomato sauce, salami, mozzarella, peppers and pepperoni sausage) and my girlfriend had Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino. Most Italian restaurants are traditionally owned and run by Italians and pizza stop is no exception. We were seated right beside the bar and while waiting for our food to be served, a fight broke out between what looked to be the owner and one of the chefs. From what I could overhear the chef had been filling in his time sheet wrong and the owner was shouting "You do not make the time, I do!" after which he threw down the time sheet.
The rest of the staff looked very uncomfortable as the owner then proceeded to viciously restock the wine, practically throwing the bottles in to their slots! Although highly unprofessional it was quite amusing to watch, and gave us a great source of conversation as we waited for the food.
When the food arrived I was not that impressed, the pasta was over cooked and the dish itself didn't seem to have any strong flavor. The pizzas were a lot more promising with a nice crispy classic Italian base, there was a bit too much cheese but overall quite tasty.
The meal was quite cheap at 43 Euro, so I guess it's priced correctly for what you get! Not to mention the entertainment!
It's a bit of a slow week this week- after our trip to Sweden, we're gently easing ourselves back into normality. The weather in Gothenberg was great when we arrived on Friday at 27oC and sunny, however the rest of the weekend was interrupted, regularly by big filthy rain clouds! But the weather didn't dampen spirits and a full schedule of activities were plowed through, rain or no rain!
We ate out twice in two really spectacular restaurants, they were very pricey but offered really amazing food and stunning seaside views. Sjömagasinet specialises in Fish and is located in Gothenberg harbour. To start I had a really elegant, "Classic lobster soup with carpaccio of scallops, served with crème of green peas and deep fried belly of pork" and for mains, "Fricassee of halibut, North Atlantic cod and flounder served with roasted shallot sauce, pan fried scallop and prawns" however this came served in what seemed like a pretty pointless dish, with the fish dotted around the sides, and a soup bowl center which the shallot sauce was poured in.
My favourite of the two was, Nya Langedrag Vardhus, which is part of the main Yacht Club in Goteberg. I had an amazing Tuna Carpaccio with Pea Shoot salad to start, and Lamb fillet with terrine of portabella mushroom and celeriac, browned red wine sauce and tomato roasted potato roll for the main course. So delicious! I seriously recommend both if your visiting Sweden!
I don't have any foodie pics but here's a bit of the Swedish scenery:
THE SENSUAL VEGETABLE THAT IS THE CARROT! Carrots have always been and will probably always be my favourite vegetable! Something I read recently pointed to the fact that carrots Beta-carotene levels were not reduced during the cooking process which is great news as roast carrot is one of my favourite dishes! Here's just 4 reasons to EAT CARROTS!
They contain lung-healing, immune boosting, beta carotene.
One carrot a day will increase the beta-carotene levels in the body.
Carrots can regulate blood sugar.
And if in fact YOU are a LADY Carrot's can help increase menstrual flow.
CABBAGE! CABBAGE! CABBAGE!
Now cabbage would have been a completely no go area when I was a kid and I would avoid it like the plague, partly due to I think the memories of the horrible smell coming from the boiled version! However now that I'm just that little bit older, wiser, and slightly more well read, I can say that Cabbage truly is one of the greatest super foods and here's why:
Cabbage has a nitrogenous compound known as indoles, and indoles can according to recent research lower the risk of cancer.
Cabbage has an extremely high level of Vitamin C, chlorophyll, and Vitamins A, E and B.
It speeds ulcer healing and improves digestive health.
It is rich in antibacterial sulphur compounds which fight infection.
And on top of all that It's soooo low in calories! So dig in!
Oregano The Super Herb! Ever since I visited Turkey on a family holiday a few years ago I have been in love with this herb! It's seems to be a staple part of the Turkish diet and most dishes came covered in it. Not that I'm complaining! The rich aromatic Mediterranean flavour can really enhance a tomato sauce or a meat marinade. Not only does it taste great it is one of the best herbs to use in terms of antioxidant properties. HERE ARE 3 REASONS TO ADD IT TO YOUR NEXT DISH!
In a recent study Oregano had 3 to 20 times higher antioxidant activity than the other herbs studied.
Oregano is a great source of fibre.
A balanced diet with herbs such as Oregano can have huge beneficial health effects.
There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of interest in the food styling demonstration, but I'll be working with Erica for the photo's in the book, so maybe I can film a few bits and stick them up here.
Is it me or is the weather at the moment causing extreme drowsiness? Maybe not, maybe it's having to work when it feels like everyone else is on holidays- maybe it's a mix. Well I'll just have to put up with it, after all it's only a few more weeks and were heading back over to Sweden again. Sofie's dad arrived last night and is staying with us for the week, so we'll be doing some sight seeing this weekend and driving cross country to Galway. If you have any suggestions on where to bring a tourist in Galway please let me know!
I have been trawling the world wide web for international food blogs, and I wanted to share just a few of the ones that caught my eye:
Bitchin Camero- Mel is from Miami, and has some really great pictures, and the recipe's to match.
Kitchen Confit- Is written by three bloggers from Nashville, Tennassee, I love their post about "Fire Pit Roasted Oysters".
A Cat In The Kitchen- A great little Swedish blog- check out the cake buffet!
Dinner's For A Year- I love the idea of a BBQ turkey.
And via Mulley.net, Lidl Treats- How to get the best out of shopping at Lidl!
Inspired by my recent trip to the Chinese Supermarket, this is another one of the snacks I made for the party last weekend. It's kind of a mix between BBQ and sweet and sour sauce, but top it with finely sliced spring onions and sesame seeds, and you'll make your intentions clear!
Asian Chicken Wings
12 Chicken Wings.
1 Cup of Chinese Sweet Chili Sauce (looks like tomato paste)
The Juice Of One Lemon.
1 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce.
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced.
1 Thumb of Ginger Minced.
2 Tablespoons of Honey
1 Tsp of Chinese 5 Spice powder.
1 Tsp of Sesame Oil.
1 Tsp of Cornflour.
Spring Onions and Sesame Seeds.
In a large roasting tray combine the ingredients with the chicken wings. Cover with cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 oC/ 390 oF/ Gas Mark 6.
Bang the Chicken Wings into the oven on the top rack and cook for approx 45-60 mins, turning them halfway through. Serve straight away topped with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Although the Irish summer hasn't really been good to us so far- it does provide the odd worthwhile day of sunshine, when untanned arms and legs get out for the day and prove, they too can work a pair of shorts and a t-shirt! Yesterday was one of those days, and instead of missing the opportunity we jumped in head first to summer. We even kidnapped a dog!
Well almost, James, his owner was down at the Oxegen festival so we took pity on him and brought him with us. Sofie and I were joined by Michael and Senan on our little road trip which ended up at the hill of Tara. Now being the Swedish viking, my girlfriend is, she was highly unimpressed when we showed her the magic of one of Ireland's premier tourist attractions, a hill of mud. But she did set herself up for disappointment as we walked towards the hill, when she claimed she hadn't been that impressed with the Colosseum in Rome! I'm sorry to say that there is something fairly reminiscent to the hill of Tara and an episode of "Father Ted" when they all go to a funfair in "The Field" the whole place is even watched over by a flock of sheep...
For the picnic itself, I finally got to use my handy dandy food picnic carrying thing, which was one of the presents I got for my birthday. It was my mom's interpretation of the bento box I posted about back in Febuary, but the containers are way too big for just one person, so it's ideal for feeding about 4 people.
And after all that food what better activity to enjoy on a picnic than a spot of Kite Flying. Well the enjoyment only came after a long process of trying to get the bloody thing in the air, but when we finally got it up, it was great craic.
As for the food, I made some really quick and easy Mexican Quesadilla's (recipe below), tagliatelle with homemade tomato and basil sauce and the one desert recipe I can always put my faith in, Goeey Chocolate Puddings.
These Mexican Quesadilla's are not that healthy but they are a perfect party or snack food and even a simple little starter. You can spruce them up with whatever you like, a bit of chicken, sliced peppers but this is just the straight forward way of making them:
Mexican Quesidilla's
6 Wholemeal Flour Tortilla Wraps.
130g of Red Cheddar Cheese (Or enough to cover).
6 Tbsp of Homemade Spicy Salsa Sauce (Store bought works just fine here too).
1 Red Onion Sliced thinly.
This recipe is basically all preperation. Spread 3 of the tortilla wrap's with the salsa sauce, scatter the red onions and sprinkle the cheese. Cover them up with the other 3 tortilla wraps and heat a large frying pan. If you have a non stick pan you don't even need oil, if not add a drop of vegetable oil. Each Quesidilla will take about 2-3 minutes either side on a medium to high heat.
Serve straight away or save for later, either way they still taste great!
We got back from Turkey last night and are already feeling the cold! I'm going to be posting a little bit about each place we sailed through over the next two weeks and I have over 2000 photo's to sift through and edit so I'll be sticking them up too.
I also have some very exciting news about the book- tomorrow is the first official photoshoot complete with food stylist and photographer! We have spent most of the day preparing for tomorrow and all I can say is it's a stark contrast, going from tanning in 30 degree heat to prowling through boxes of peppers for the most photogenic, within hours of stepping off a plane! We have been cooking all day and the first shots will be taken tomorrow morning, so I'm hoping to feature a few behind the scenes pics later this week.
For now here is my travel log day 1 to 3! The pictures are more foodie related as the days progress so stay tuned and Enjoy!
Orhaniye The whole holiday was booked through Sunsail an English based yacht charter company, and unlike previous visits to Gocek, we decided to explore the new base of Orhaniye. After a long day which started in the early hours at Dublin airport, and a fairly erratic drive from Dalaman airport we finally arrived at our destination of Marti Marina, Orhaniye, in one piece. I always find it a bit disorientating arriving somewhere in the dark, but even the dim light could not disguise the fact that Marti Marina looked very much like a boat yard, and the website featured a hotel overlooking the marina. However on closer inspection the hotel was still in the process of being built and the building site gave the impression that the builders had given up and left a long time ago! But this was not our problem, in little under a few hours of well needed sleep, we would be on the water sailing, the overlooking building site, a distant memory. We picked up our yacht, a Cyclades 42, which would be home for the next two weeks and gave it a quick once over before hitting the pillow. The marina itself is fully functional with Shower and Laundry facilites, a small supermarket, a salt water swimming pool, and two restaurants overlooking the bay. After a briefing at the sunsail office, picking up provisions in the supermarket, and a quick application of much needed suncream we were out sailing. Two of the best things about a sailing holiday, is that you are outdoors practically all the time, surrounded by fresh air and with the water being so warm and clear, you find yourself in and out quite regularly to cool off from the sun’s heat. The second, you get too see so much, travelling to a brand new destination everyday!
Dirsek Our first stop was Dirsek, a stunning little bay, surrounded by tall dry mountains, about an hour’s sail south from Orhaniye . There is a small restaurant in the bay which is run by the owners, who quite inconspicuously live in tents along the edge of the water, adding to the hands on feel of the place. Boats can anchor in the bay and tie a line ashore or the restauarant offers lazy lines along a jetty. We arrived at around lunchtime and got straight in for the first swim of the holiday, the water is so clear that you can see the bottom even at about 9 meters up, this makes great conditions for snorkelling, which quickly became my new favourite activity! We motored in to the restaurant with the small dighy which comes with the boat and arrived to a scene of what I would describe as controlled chaos. The regular chef had been rushed to the dentist with some major dental urgency and a happy go lucky waiter had been drafted in as the sorry individual who was set to take up the reigns. Guests are invited to go into the kitchen and choose from large table of meat and fish for their main course. On the opposite counter, large glass dishes full of cold starters are spread out in a large row for guests to choose from.
Roast Aubergine in Tomato Sauce, Cooked Green Beans with Yoghurt, Olive Oil and Garlic, Boiled Potatoes with a simple scattering of Parsley, Fried Corgettes, A sort of Onion, red Pepper, and Chilli Salsa, Cooked Spinach and Yoghurt topped with a sprinkle of Paprika, Cheese wrapped in Filo Pastry, and Tzatzichi were among the many dishes which made up the Turkish Mezze, a term coined to describe this massive selection of dishes. The restaurant charges a set price for the Mezze and you can choose whatever dishes you want in a buffet style, it’s a brilliant way to get a chance to try all the different flavours.
Now it’s not often that I feature sickly romantic moments between myself and Sofie, apart from the picture on the "About" page, but after dinner we lay up on deck and watched the stars. I know, I know, pass the bucket, but in our defence, with the only unnatural light coming from the restaurant in the distance, it was practically unmissable. I have never seen stars as amazing as on that night, and as we lay flat on our back it was as if we were wearing 3D goggles, with every last twinkling light jumping down at us. What a perfect way to end a great day.
Monastery of Panormitis, Simi Our next stop was a long sail to the Greek island Of Simi, just on the border of Turkish waters. It was an extremely strange little port, whose mystery was heightened further, when we discovered the pilot book had absolutely no information about it. It seemed to be less of a town and more of a church with surrounding accommodation, we only came across one restaurant, there could have been more. The change from Turkish to Greek waters was quite significant in terms of cuisine and for dinner we ate a pretty standard fare of Calamari, Moussaka, Souvlaki, with large side dishes of Tzatzichi. The large abbey sits right on the water front and is lit up quite impressively at night, the whole bay has a white painted walkway which goes from the abbey right the way around and up the hill to a large old windmill which overlooks the bay.
After a bit of googeling I discovered that the Monastry is Greek Orthadox and dates back to 450 AD. It is the largest on the island and is also considered one of the most important.
Apart from a few small shops, there was a bakery which sold fresh bread in the morning and had extremely tasty coconut macaroons topped with cherries. We left the following morning for a long and bumpy sail to the small Turkish town of Datca...
The funny thing about the food writing biz is that you end up preparing things way in advance of certain events and Christmas is one of the major ones which editors and researchers panic about and will have you cooking turkeys and hams even before Halloween has passed! However it was very refreshing yesterday to be shooting lots of leftover Christmas dinner recipes for RTÉ's 4Live in the middle of the Christmas season with snow on the ground outside. We thrashed through 6 great festive dishes including, cranberry and white chocolate muffins, leftover ham pies, and a Christmas cheesecake. A big thanks to the lads, Robin, Mark, Niall and Tony who left the house last night stuffed... or so they told me! I'll post some of the recipes from the day during the next weeks but for now just in case you have been suffering from Christmas overload, how about some real food?
Roast Garlic Shepherd's Pie I was never really a big fan of shepherd's pie growing up, mainly because it was churned out most weeks (sorry mom!) so we became far too used to it, which realistically is a terribly ungrateful complaint, but it's only in the last few years I have fallen in love with this classic little dish all over again. I make mine with a twist by stirring mashed roast garlic through the potato, to be honest I normally make it with two bulbs of garlic because I'm a bit of a garlic fiend, but if you are pushed for time skip the garlic and just make the mash, it will taste just a good. Another handy tip to remember is that once you have assembled the shepherd's pie to the point just before you put it in the oven you can actually freeze the pie and cook from frozen if you fancy prepping a few in advance!
Serves 4 1 garlic bulb 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 large onion , chopped 2-3 medium carrots , chopped 500g pack minced lamb 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce 400ml beef stock 800g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 75g butter 50ml milk Sea salt and ground black pepper to season
First things first, get the garlic in the oven! Preheat the oven to 200oC/Gas Mark 6. Slice the top off the garlic bulb just enough so that each of the cloves is exposed and place on a roasting tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with a some sea salt. Place in the oven to roast for 40 minutes or until soft and tender. When the garlic is cooked, remove the roast cloves from their skins and mash with the back of a fork. While garlic is roasting, add the potato chunks to a pot of cold water, cover, place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potato is tender when pierced with a fork. When the potatoes are cooked, remove from the heat, drain into a colander, then add back into the pot with the butter and milk. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy. You may want to add a little bit more or less milk and butter, it is up to you! Add in the mashed garlic and season with sea salt and ground black pepper, stirring to combine. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat and soften the onion and carrots for 5-6 minutes. Turn up the heat and allow the pan to get hot before you add the minced lamb. Using the a fork break up the meat and allow to brown and cook through for 3-4 minutes. Stir through the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce until combined and then pour over the beef stock. Bring to a steady simmer, then partially cover and cook for 45 mins. Preheat the oven to 180oC/Gas Mark 4. When the lamb is ready, season with sea salt and ground black pepper and transfer to an ovenproof baking dish and top with the roast garlic mash, using a fork to make a nice topping. Give the topping an extra sprinkle of ground black pepper and bake in the oven for 25 mins until the top is starting to brown and the mince is bubbling up around the edges. Serve straight away for a delicious and comforting supper!
I've been packing a fair bit of travel in this summer and I'm fairly sure with the amount of airmiles that have wracked up, I'm doing the environment no favours! This week is no different I'm back in Sweden for a bit of work and to fully soak up all the best a Swedish summer has to offer! One of my favourite things about Sweden in the summer is the beautiful still lakes with their picturesque jetties. This week I finally got my first swim of the summer in and despite always being slightly worried about what lurks at the bottom of those murky waters, I can report that the water was beautiful. All that swimming in lakes can make a cook like myself hungry, so we decided to sample what the Swedes do best, the Smorgasbord!
One of my favourite places to eat in Gothenburg is the Gunnebo Coffee House and Restaurant which is situated on the grounds of one of Sweden's most beautiful neoclassical estates, just south of the city. The buffet style lunch is made with all organic ingredients and always has something interesting and healthy to offer. During the summer months the kitchen uses fruit and vegetables from the huge gardens outside, which I find very exciting to walk through! The day we were there amongst the fantastic choice of dishes there was a cabbage salad, cucumber and fennel lentil salad, herbed pork fillet, boiled cumin potatoes, roast salmon with a creamy sauce, and Roast tomatoes with Goats cheese and red onion. We assembled our plates with fairly hefty portions, a handful of the chunky homemade bread and headed outdoors to pick our way through it. There is something fairly special about eating fresh and healthy food outdoors on a warm summer day that just makes everything taste all the better! For now, as the Swedes say "hej då"!
Roast Tomatoes with Goats cheese and Red Onion This is a super way to make the most of the last of the summer tomatoes! This method brings out the fantastic natural sweetness and is perfection in every bite. You can prepare these ahead of time and serve them at room temperature.
Serves 4 4 tomatoes, cut in half 1 goats cheese log, cut in slices 1 red onion, sliced in half moons A good glug of olive oil A generous pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200oC/Gas Mark 6. Arrange the tomato halves on a baking tray and top each on with a few slices of red onion and then place a slice of cheese on top. Drizzle each tomato with a little olive oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Place in the oven to cook for 35 minutes or until the the tomatoes are soft and tender. Serve warm or cold.
Cucumber and Fennel, Lentil Salad I think lentils are by far one of the most underused pulses. They are like the black sheep of the legume family, with many people having never even cooked them before. However that all has to change, they are full of health benefits, and just as quick as pasta to cook so no excuses! They go great with lots of different dishes but they go great here as a tasty little salad!
Serves 4 1 cucumber, cut in chunky diagonal slices 150g of green lentils A good handful of fennel fronds, roughly chopped Juice of 1/2 a lemon 2 tablespoons of olive oil A generous pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
Rinse the lentils in cold water drain and place in a pot. Cover them with plenty of water and bring to the boil, cooking for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. In a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Add in the fennel fronds, cucumber slices, and cooled lentils. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper and serve!
