Wild Mushroom Focaccia

Putting Girolles to good use, Wild Mushroom Focaccia with Porcini dust, Thyme, Treacle, Pumpkin Seeds and a drizzle of Donegal Rapeseed Oil.

Recipe makes two standard size 2lb loafs or two trays of Focaccia as in the pictures

Ingredients:

1 kg strong white flour and some extra for dusting
200g treacle
550ml tepid water
3(21g) sachets yeast
30ml rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil
100g pumpkin seeds
30g dry wild mushrooms powdered (use a spice grinder for this)
20g thyme leaves picked
20g salt
50g fresh wild mushrooms
A few young thyme Sprigs
Some more rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil for the top of the focaccia
Some Maldon sea salt

Method:

• In a measuring jug combine the water, treacle, yeast and mix well. 
• Pour the mixture in a very large bowl, add the flour, pumpkin seeds and oil. 
• With your hands bring all the ingredients together, tip the mixture on a large clean surface which has been dusted with flour. 
• Knead the dough for about 4 minutes return to the bowl and proof in a warm area of your kitchen covered with a clean kitchen towel until doubled in size 
• Knock back the dough, cover the bowl with Clingfilm and proof in the fridge over night 
• The next day the dough should have doubled again. 
• Remove the bowl from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 2 hours 
• After this time knock back the dough again and add the thyme leaves and the mushroom dust 
• Tip out the dough on a large clean surface which has been dusted with flour. 
• Knead the dough with the added ingredients for about 5 minutes. 
• Brush two small size deep roasting trays with oil and dust with a little flour 
• Shape the dough to fit the trays and place in the same 
• Place little dents in the dough at equal intervals with your fingers 
• Into the dents place the fresh mushrooms and thyme sprigs alternating both 
• Proof the dough again in a warm place of your kitchen covered with a clean kitchen towel until doubled in size 
• In the meantime preheat a fan assisted oven to 200°C 
• Drizzle the dough with some oil and sprinkle with the sea salt 
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes 

Turn the loafs out of the tins onto a wire rack and tap for that hollow sound and allow cooling if you are able to resist.

Enjoy with any savoury topping of your liking.

Happy Baking...............

Mushrooms en Croute -

The wild mushroom season has been of to a slow start, but for this recipe a little will go a long way.
Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a starter. 

Ingredients:

8 slices toasted baguette
20 g butter, melted
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ small onion, finely chopped
100g wild mushrooms,finely sliced
20g sour cream or crème fraich
¼ tsp cornflour
¼ tbsp finely chopped herbs
¼ tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
20g Parmesan, grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to moderate 180°. Brush both sides of the bread with the butter. Bake on a baking tray until golden and crisp.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan; add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, over low heat until the onion is soft. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Blend the sour cream and corn flour, add to the mushrooms and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs. Allow to cool.

Spread the mushroom mixture onto each croutons and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Place on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Serve decorated with small sprigs of fresh herbs.

Duo of Hake with green pea mousseline , red pepper purée, prawn caramel and samphire.

This Recipe is a little bit tricky due to the many components, but most can be prepared in advance.
(serves 4)

For the Red Pepper Purée

Ingredients:

40g     extra virgin olive oil 

1        small diced shallot 

1        tablespoon of white wine
5        strands of saffron
5        red peppers

Method:

Wash the red Peppers, dry and coat with a little oil. Roast in oven until soft and limp.

Place in a plastic bag and blast chill. Once cooled remove the skin and seeds.

Heat 10g of the olive oil in a saucepan and gently sauté the shallots for about two minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Add the white wine and saffron and reduce again.

Place all ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth, add the rest of the olive oil and season with salt and cayenne pepper.

For the Hake Spring Roll

Ingredients:

1        tablespoon of Olive oil
50g    carrots
50g    potato
1        teaspoon of honey
3        tablespoon of cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, Chinese Five Spice
1        bunch of fresh dill chopped very fine
100g  Hake trimmings diced into small cubes
5        Sheets of spring roll pastry

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently sauté the carrots and potato for about two minutes.

Add the cream and honey and reduce until thickened. Season with salt,  pepper. Cool the mix, add the dill and hake and check seasoning again. Cook one test roll to check consistency and seasoning prior to rolling the rest.

For the Green Pea Mousseline 

Ingredients:
20 g   butter
1       shallot, finely chopped
1       tbsp dry white wine
50ml vegetable stock
100g shelled peas, fresh or frozen
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lemon, juice only
2 tbsp double cream

Method:
To make the mousseline, heat the butter in a saucepan and gently sauté the shallots for about two minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Add the white wine and cook for a minute or two until almost evaporated.
Pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then add the green peas and simmer for two minutes.
Blitz in a blender and strain through a sieve. Check the seasoning and add the lemon juice.

For the Prawn Caramel

Ingredients:

200g    Sugar
125ml  Prawn Stock
1         Cardamom Pod
1         Pinch Chinese Five Spice

Method: 

Caramelise the sugar in a saucepan. When it turns a deep amber, carefully add the prawn stock. Now add the spices and reduce to a syrupy consistency. Pass through a fine sieve.

To Finish the dish  

Ingredients:
400g  Hake cut into 4 Long pieces
8        Dublin Bay prawns large (tail meat only)

8        sprigs of Samphire 

Method: 

Start deep frying the spring rolls, in the meantime pan fry the hake until just about done and heat the other components of the dish simultaneously. Quickly sauté the prawn tails and the samphire in a little butter.

Arrange to your liking or as demonstrated in the picture.

Elderflower syrup.

Elderflower syrup can be produced very easily.  It tastes fantastic in champagne, and can be transformed into delicious soft drinks and desserts. As the flowers should not be washed , I advise you to pick them a few hours after a rain shower. Ensure the blossoms are free of insects. For about 4 liters of syrup you need:

Ingredients:

• 30 large elderflower's
• 2 liters of water
• 3 kg of sugar
• 100 g of citric acid (available in pharmacies) 

Method:

1. In a large sized pot bring the 2 liters of water to a boil and dissolve the 3 kilo of sugar in it. Allow the resulting stock syrup to cool completely
2. In the meantime cut the thick stems off the elderflowers
3. Place the elderflower's in a very clean, large non reactive bowl
4. Sprinkle the flowers with the citric acid
5. Pour the cold stock syrup over the flowers ensuring all are submerged.
6. Cover the bowl with clingfilm
7. Place the bowl in a refrigerator and allow to mature for 4 to 5 days, stirring once half the way.
8. Now strain the syrup through a very clean cloth and fill into empty spirit bottles.
9. Cap the bottle and store the syrup in a dark cold place, ideally in a fridge where it should last up to a year.  

                                                                                                                                     Enjoy!

Galway Bay’s Smoked Peppered Mackerel and Cream Cheese Pate accompanied by a Sweet Cucumber and Red Pepper Pickle

This dish is very simple to prepare and the sweet sour pickle compliments the smoky - saltines of the mackerel beautifully. The recipe makes 8 good size starter portions.

For the Pickle: 

The pickle should be made one day in advance and placed in a tightly covered container in a refrigerator.

Ingredients:
400g      cucumber not peeled cut into very thin strips
300g      roast red pepper from a jar cut into very thin strips   
100g      shallots peeled and cut into very thin strips

Method:

Place the above ingredients in a bowl 

Combine the ingredients below in a separate bowl and pour over the mix from above.

300g      sugar
1            level teaspoon of salt
200 ml   of white wine vinegar

For the Pate:

Ingredients:

500g    smocked peppered mackerel - skin and bones removed
150g    cream cheese
            lemon juice to taste
1          Small bunch of fresh herbs such as dill, chervil, chive finely chopped

Method:

With two forks brake up the mackerel and combine with the cheese into a smooth pate like consistency with  the fibre of the mackerel still showing. Add lemon juice to your liking. At last add the herbs and mix gently again until evenly distributed.

Serve as shown in the picture or place the pate in small ramekins with the pickle and some lettuce on the side. Home made soda bread or toasted sour-dough bread works very well with this dish. 

Wild Garlic Recipes

Wild Garlic Pesto

Ingredients:
200 g     Wild garlic (leaves 300-350 depending on size)
50 g       Pine nuts
50 g       Sunflower seeds
50 g       Pumpkin seeds
500 ml   Organic canola seed oil or a mildly flavoured extra virgin olive oil
100 g     Fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese very finely grated (if possible use a Microplane)
3            Garlic cloves
Freshly ground black pepper
Ground Sea salt,

Method:

1. Roast the nuts and seeds in a moderate oven until golden, than leave to cool completely. 
2. In the mean time wash the wild garlic leaves thoroughly and place in a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible. 
3. Now coarsely chop the leaves and the garlic cloves. 
4. Mix all the ingredients from stage 1 and 2 in a food processor or with a hand blender while adding the oil. 
5. Add the grated cheese and incorporate.
6. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking. 
7. Stored in dark preserving jars and kept in a refrigerator the pesto should last for one month.

Wild Garlic Soup

Ingredients:
1 small onion, peeled and diced
20 g butter
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
750 ml chicken stock 

100 ml dry white wine
200ml cream
150 g crème fraîche
200 g wild garlic, finely chopped
100g parsley, finely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
sugar


Method:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the diced onion and potatoes and sauté over a low heat for 2 minutes. 
2. Increase the heat, pour in the stock and the wine bringing everything to a light simmer. Continue on a low heat for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done. 
3. Stir in the cream, crème fraîche, wild garlic and the parsley and purée the soup with a hand blender. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar
4. Serve in warm soup bowls and garnished with croutons and/or crispy bacon lardons.

“Black Pudding and Smoked Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese Boudin served with an Apple and Tomato Chutney” 

(10 Portion)

This recipe is inspired by two Artisan products.

The Black Pudding comes form Mc Geoughs award winning butcher in Oughterard, Co. Galway and the Smoked Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese is a gold medal winner of the International Cheese Awards in 2007 with a pungent flavor.

The boudin another name for sausage is served with some lettuce and a chutney adapted from Darina Allen.

For the Chutney:

Ingredients:

• 125ml malt vinegar
• 110g brown sugar
• 75g sultanas
• 500g ripe red tomatoes, peeled and cut into 6 or 8 pieces
• 125g Bramley apples, peeled and chopped
• 100g onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 10g of peeled root ginger, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1.  Place the vinegar and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for three to four minutes   until the sugar has melted
2. Add the sultanas and cook until just reduce
3. Add all the other ingredients, bring to a simmer and continue cooking on a low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring gently and frequently
4. Leave the chutney with a chunky texture and not too cooked as that will cause it to be a puree. Cool the chutney and if you are able to wait, allow maturing for two to three weeks in the fridge

For the Boudin:

Ingredients:

• 250g artisan black pudding without casing, cubed and chilled
• 100g chicken fillet boneless, skinless, cubed and chilled
• 75 g artisan smoked pork sausage skinned, chopped and chilled
• 10g chopped thyme 
• 100ml Cream chilled
• Salt and pepper
• 75g Smoked Knockanore Cheese diced

Method:

1. Place the black pudding, chicken, smoked sausage and thyme in a chilled food processor.
2. Process the ingredients until they are smooth
3. Add the cream and blend again for a few seconds
4. Place the mixture in the stainless bowl and incorporate the diced cheese with your hand
5. Cut the bottom of a piping bag so you can shape the mixture to the desired width approximately 5.5cm and pipe onto cling film
6. Roll into a sausage, tightening both ends to achieve a perfect round shape closing the ends off by making a knot into the cling film
7. Now roll the same into tin foil tightening both ends again
8. Place the roll in a water bath at 80°C for 30 to 40 minutes until you achieve a core temperature of 76°C
9. Place the roll in an ice bath which will help keeping the round shape until fully chilled and refrigerate until needed

 To Assemble the Dish:

• Slice the boudin into 4cm high cylinders. 
• Heat a non-stick pan and fry the boudin cylinders in a little oil on all sides until golden brown and place in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes to thoroughly heat them.
• During this time toss some well washed lettuce or organic baby leafs in the French dressing and arrange the same on a lukewarm plate.
• Remove the boudin from the oven and place the cylinders on kitchen paper to remove excess grease before placing one on each plate.
• Serve with the chutney.                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                              Enjoy!