Darina Allen's Butter Sponge...

Darina Allen's Great-Grandmother's Butter Sponge

Ingredients:


125g Butter
175g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
175g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp Milk


Raspberry Jam
Whipped Cream 200mls
Fresh Raspberries 
Two 7" cake tins.


                                                                                    
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. 
Grease with the cakes tins with butter, dust with flour & line the base with greaseproof paper. 

Coco's looking hopeful...

Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar, whisking until soft and pale. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well in between. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Mix together lightly and add the milk. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins & make a slight hollow it in the centre of each.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. When done, the cake will have shrunk away from the tin a little and the centre should feel the same texture as the edge. For some reason, one half of my cake ended up skinnier than the other, so I must try to get both halves more even the next time. 
Turn the cake halves out of the tins immediately & cool on a wire tray. Peel the greaseproof paper away from the base of the cake. 
When cool, spread some raspberry jam on top of one piece (You can use any flavour jam really-I used a gorgeous mixed-berry jam made my very talented mum-in-law) I then spread a generous amount of raspberries on top of the jam & topped it all off with 200mls of whipped cream.... Place the other half of the cake on top & lightly sandwich together!
Great with a nice cup of Barry's Tea :)

Taken from Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen.

Oh I do like to be beside the Seaside...

What are the perks of living in a seaside town, in the wilds of West Cork I hear you ask... Fresh fish on demand that's what... And obviously the beautiful scenery & friendly folk :)
Today, to cook for the luncheon, himself presented me with Lemon Sole & Squid just off the boat! Happy Happy Joy Joy!
Tobi is far better at cooking fish than me, but he is very generously passing on his words of wisdom and I am learning as I go... although I still have difficulty telling the difference between a Haddock & a John Dory! :)


What you will need... (serves 2-3)
Lemon Sole (1kg) on the bone, gutted & beheaded.

Plain Flour, a couple of handfuls
Salt
Pepper
Squid, washed
Paprika
Cooking Oil, 5-6 tablespoons


To Serve:
Lemon
Salad
Rice


The Lemon Sole was a fine, big fella and I cut it into pieces so it would cook a bit quicker. Tobi kindly had trimmed, gutted & beheaded him for me. (He's a great husband) And Minus all its bits & bobs, the fish weighed about 1 kilo in total. Simple is best for fish I think, so while some cooking oil was heating in a pan, I floured the Lemon Sole & seasoned it with a small bit of salt & pepper. Once the oil got nice & hot, I placed the fish in the pan and fried it for about 6 minutes in total, turning regularly until both sides were golden & crispy and until the fish comes away from the bone easily.
My lovely hubby, cooks the best calamari - EVER! I am yet to find it as good in any restaurant! So obviously, I let him to it. He tells me it's easy...
Wash & trim the squid. Then cut it into rings. Heat the cooking oil in a fry pan. Add about a teaspoon of  paprika to some plain flour, coat the squid in the flour, and when the oil is extremely hot, place the calamari in it. Cook for no more than 2 minutes! Squeeze some lemon juice over it & serve!
I just cooked some Basmati Rice & made a green salad to go with it. 


Not fancy, but damn good!

Pub Grub Done Right!

The name "The Seven Hogs" doesn't exactly conjure up images of all things tasty really does it?! But a name isn't everything thankfully & this pub between Castlegregory & Camp, in Co.Kerry has nailed it when it comes to feeding the masses.

It is located approx. 3 miles from Castlegregory village, with stunning views over Tralee Bay.

We stopped in for a quick bite yesterday, after himself had (and I quote) "The worst surf ever"! :)

The menu isn't huge, but it does differ from your typical 'pub-grub' menu... Not an Irish stew or a Chicken goujon in sight! Hurray! 
Starter prices begin at €5 & main courses at €10. 
I went for 2 starters - Quesadillas packed with monteray jack cheese, corriander, spring onion & chilli, and served with salad & sour cream.  I also had a Chicken spring roll which came with a pineapple & roast pepper salsa & chilli jam. The flavours in the spring roll were gorgeous...a hint of soy & star anise. 
The disappointed surfer wasn't long cheering up! He opted for a mighty 8oz handmade, steak mince burger with cheese and a sweet tomato relish, all served with lovely chunky homemade chips & a side salad. 
We hadn't any room for dessert to be honest... so the designated driver (moi) had a hot chocolate & the nearly silver surfer had a creamy pint of Guinness. 
Other Kerry pubs take note... do your bar food this way! On a rainy Tuesday evening in April, The Seven Hogs had a nice crowd in for food - locals & visitors alike. 
Great food, reasonably priced & a view of the Atlantic! Nice!

Pad Thai

We had this delicious Pad Thai for dinner tonight. I cannot take all the credit - I had plenty help from Mum, & Tobi (who was the chief prawn peeler.)
The preparation takes a bit of time, but the cooking is really quite quick; even if it does sound a tad complicated (you will see what I mean) 
The final product is full of delicious flavours, & once you have tasted it, I imagine you'll agree, that it is well worth the effort. 
It is a good idea to have absolutely everything ready, chopped, & prepped before you start cooking to save yourself a little stress.
As with the Prawn & Chilli Linguine from a couple blogs back - use Irish prawns!!! :) 
The recipe below serves 4 & is from Gordon Ramsay's World Kitchen.


Ingredients:
250g thin dried Rice Noodles
3 Tbsp Caster Sugar
4 Tbsp Fish Sauce
4 Tbsp Tamarind Paste
8 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Shallots, chopped
4 large cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Red Chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
200g raw Prawns, peeled & deveined
4 medium Eggs
100g Beansprouts
4 Spring Onions, trimmed, green part only, cut into finger lengths
6 Tbsp Roasted Peanuts
1 Lime, quartered


Method:
Cook the Rice Noodles according to the pack instructions. 
Meanwhile, combine the Sugar, Fish Sauce & Tamarind Paste in a small bowl & stir well. 
Heat half the Oil in a wok. Add the Shallots, Garlic & Chilli and stir over a medium heat until fragrant. Add the Prawns, & stir fry for a couple of minutes until they turn a pinky-orange colour & opaque. When this happens, remove the prawns to a plate & set aside. 
Add the cooked rice noodles, and a little splash of water, to the sauce in the wok. Stir fry for a few minutes.
Push the ingredients in the wok to one side, and add the rest of the oil to the other side. Crack the Eggs over  the oil & scramble lightly until they are almost cooked, & the fold in the noodles.
Return the prawns to the wok, and add the Beansprouts & Spring Onions. Stir briefly over the heat. 
Serve immediately, sprinkled with peanuts & with a lime wedge on the side.

Pavlova Anyone?

My Aunty Anne, is without doubt, the queen of Pavlova making! For years she wowed me with her ability to get the meringue just right... ever so slightly crisp on the outside & just a little bit chewy on the inside.
A few months ago, I decided to tackle my fear of meringue head on, and get whisking! Practice makes perfect & I think I have it mastered at this stage... although I doubt I'll ever manage to reach the dizzy heights of Anne's perfect Pavlova.
Some recipes I've tried have cornflour & vinegar & all sorts, but I prefer to just go with the basic Eggs & Sugar. The recipe below serves 8 people.


Ingredients: 
230g Caster Sugar
4 Egg Whites


Topping:
250mls Cream - Whipped
Selection of Fresh Fruit (strawberries, grapes, kiwis, bananas, peaches, passion fruit...)


Method:
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees celsius. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper & set aside.
Put the egg whites in a spotlessly clean stainless steel or glass bowl. Whisk until light & fluffy, and until soft white peaks are formed. Then, gradually add the caster sugar, whisking continuously until all the sugar has dissolved. The mixture should look stiff & shiny.
Gently scoop out the mixture onto the lined baking tray.
Place in the oven for approximately 1 & half hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven while the oven cools down for another 30 minutes or so. Remove from the oven & leave to cool fully.
Before serving, place the whipped cream on top of the meringue & finally top with the fruit!

Prawn & Chilli Linguine

This is one of my favourite dishes. It is really easy, really quick & really, really tasty!
I found the recipe a few years back in Bill Granger's 'Bills Sydney Food' - a great cook book packed with simple & delicious recipes. 
The recipe below serves 3-4 adults. 
A tip for those living in Ireland...it is really important to use Irish Prawns, in my opinion, for this dish. They are so much sweeter & juicer than the Tiger Prawns that are available in Ireland, which are generally farm-grown in Thailand. And of course, it goes without saying, you are helping sustain Irish jobs! :)
Sorry I have no picture of this one - my camera is being a tad temperamental today!


Ingredients:
500g Linguine or Spaghetti
8 tablespoons olive oil 
20 large Prawns, peeled & deveined
Sea salt
Freshly ground Black pepper
4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
3-4 Small Red Chillies, finely chopped
50g Butter
100g Rocket, washed & dried

Handful of Pinenuts (optional)

To Serve:
Grated Parmesan
Green Salad
Garlic Bread


Method:
Cook the spaghetti as per packet instructions. While it is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the prawns & season with salt & pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add the chillis & garlic. (Throw in the pine nuts at this stage too if you are using them) Cook for another 1 minute. Reduce to a low heat & then add the butter. Once all the butter has melted, add the rocket. Add the pasta to the mixture & toss until all the pasta has been coated. Sprinkle with parmesan before serving!


Yum!

Koko - New handmade Chocolate shop in Kinsale

Kinsale has it's very own handmade chocolate shop! Hurray! Koko opened it's doors recently, next door to Veda craft shop, on the Pier road.
We popped in earlier today - very naughty on Good Friday I know, seeing as we are all supposed to be fasting & miserable in general! :)
But, we just couldn't resist the lure of the gorgeous handmade Easter eggs in the window! Its a cute & quirky little shop, full of little handmade chocolates, chocolate figureens, chocolate bars etc... you get the idea I'm sure. The coffee there too is just yummy - strong & smooth, and the espresso's are served in really cute, little ceramic tumblers!
Definately pop in for your chocolate & coffee fix if you're in the area!
Good luck to all in Koko. We will all be a little fatter, but definitely happier because of your existence! :)


Major dilemma now though - do I give this to whom it was intended for or do I eat it myself....

Lemon Meringue Pie

Sinead is trying to steal my thunder again :) 
Today she made a fab Lemon Meringue Pie & the pressure is on again!!! Really yummy...no wonder she looks so pleased with herself!
The recipe was from the Odlum's website - www.odlums.ie - where they seem to have endless dessert recipes. Everything from Apple Pie to Mississippi Mud Pie...
Here is the recipe...


Pastry:
225g / 8oz Cream Plain Flour 
50g / 2oz Icing Sugar 150g / 5oz Margarine (room temperature) 1 Egg Yolk 1 Tablespoon Cold Water 
Few drops Lemon Juice

Filling:

50g / 2oz Cornflour 
125g / 4oz Caster Sugar 
300ml / 1/2pt Water 
Rind & Juice of 2 Lemons 
2 Egg Yolks


Meringue:
3 Egg Whites 
Pinch of salt 
125g / 4oz Caster Sugar


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Lightly grease a 20cms/8" flan ring or dish.
2. First, make the pastry. Sieve the flour & icing sugar together. Mix the egg yolk, water & lemon juice together. Place one third of the flour mixture in a bowl, add the margarine & the liquids. Cream with a fork until well blended. Add the remaining flour & sugar mixture and mix to a firm dough. Cover & refrigerate for about an hour.
3. Roll out pastry on a little flour and use to line the flan ring or dish. Prick the base well with a fork, then, cover with well crumpled tin foil. This prevents the pastry rising during baking! Bake in pre heated oven for 20 minutes until set, remove the tinfoil for the last 5 minutes baking. Remove from oven. Reduce oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2.
4. Meanwhile make the filling: Place the cornflour & sugar in a saucepan, gradually whisk in the water. Add the lemon rind & bring to the boil stirring until thick and transparent. Remove from heat & stir in the strained lemon juice. Beat in the egg yolks and pour into the flan case.
5. Finally, make the meringue - Beat the egg whites in a clean dry bowl with a pinch of salt until stiff. Beat in the sugar until glossy. Spoon meringue over filling, sprinkle with a little sugar and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Serve hot or cold, with whipped cream or as is! Enjoy!