Whiskey Recipes, with or without the 'e' whatever!

Whiskey or Whisky take your pick, just be careful which one you use for cooking, they are complex.  

‘Hot Whiskey’ Chicken and Prawn Skewers

I’ve chosen to use Paddy whiskey for this recipe, the chicken and prawns are delicate flavour and the mellowness of ‘Paddy’ lends itself to the sweetness of the honey and  bite of lemon.

Ingredients

For the skewers

16 Tiger Prawns

2 Free-range chicken breasts approx 150gms each

¼ of a lemon juiced

Salt and cracked black peppercorns

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for cooking

8    6’’ skewers

For the glaze

1 measure of ‘Paddy’ whiskey

1 tablespoon of honey

Method

For the skewers

Defrost and devein the tiger prawns.

Slice the chicken breast into 24 thin strips.

Marinate the above in a small bowl with the lemon juice salt and pepper 10-15mins

Then thread onto the skewers alternate 3 pieces of chicken and two tiger prawns onto each skewer.

Place onto a lightly oiled grill tray and cook approx 6-8mins turning once

For the glaze

In a small saucepan add the whiskey and bring it the boil add the honey and remove from the heat.

Finishing the Skewers

Remove the skewers from the grill and glaze with the honey whiskey mix place the skewers back under the grill to glaze- the honey should just caramelize.

Place on a party plate and share, with a glass of whiskey of course.

 ‘Mint Julep’ Lamb chops, Sherry and Egg emulsion, Rocket Salad

Whiskey and Lamb, kind of partners, usually coming from the same terrain, in this dish it’s all about the finnish I’m flaming the chops with a Bourbon pepped with a hint of mint and marrying them up with peppery Rocket leaves using the sherry emulsion to smooth things out, taking notes from a popular way of aging whiskeys in barrels previously used for other spirits.

Ingredients

For the lamb

 8 lamb cutlets

1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint

1 measures Bourbon, Jim Beam’s good

Salt and cracked black pepper

A little oil for the pan

For the emulsion

2 free-range egg yolks

1 measure sweet sherry

½ teaspoon sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper

 Rocket leaves (approx 300gms) washed and dried.

Methods

The lamb

Marinate the cutlets with the mint and 10- 15mins.

To cook, rub of the mint and season with salt and cook on a hot pan approx 3mins each side.

The emulsion

While the lamb is cooking whisk the egg yolks with the sherry and sugar until white and frothy, season lightly with salt and pepper.

Flaming the chops

Once cooked dab any excess fat from the pan with piece of kitchen towel( you can use a pair of tongs to do this, to avoid burning yourself) add the whiskey to the pan return to the heat and light the  whiskeys alcohol vapour with a naked flame. Have a large lid handy to smoother the flame; your chops are now ready to serve.

Plating

Divide the rocket between four plates dress with the sherry and egg yolk emulsion, add two chops on each and enjoy.

Organic Irish Salmon, home-grown Beetroot and wild stuff.

'Glenarm' Atlantic Salmon, ‘Portavogie Prawns’, garden beetroot, horseradish, wild leaves and ‘Dulse’ seaweed salad, crunchy brown bread crumbs

 Famous for the quality of salmon Glenarm is a village on the spectacular scenic coastal drive that links the Nine Glens of Antrim connecting land and sea with pretty villages, waterfalls, tiny harbours and the glamour of castles in a natural beauty, little wonder the Giants Causeway is also situated on this stretch of coast. We used to spend a lot of summers on this with my aunt Kathleen who lived in Carnlough another one of the picturesque villages, time was spent swimming in its wonderful bay,digging bait for fishing from the habour walls-though we never did manage to catch one of the glistening salmon you see landed by the day boats for sale to the local hotels, and gathering 'dulse' on the rocky stretch towards Garron point, we'd dry it on a small outhouse roof, some for selling to local shops and some for eating on the go.Food always tastes good here, home baked and fresh local produce cooked with soul and a twist of 'dulse' that's pure  'umami'.

Portavogie on the Ards peninsula a fishing port famous for its prawns is situated on the north Down coast. I’m going combine the salmon and prawns with taste from land and sea, from the garden and wild, sweet earthy and spicy flavours that present a balance of flavour texture and colours.   

For four persons.                                                                                                    

1lb organic atlantic salmon fillet

8  portavogie prawns- langoustines, shelled and deveined

 2oz cooked beetroot, diced

 4oz  fresh raw beetroot juice

1/4oz fresh horseradish

Handful of wild leaves.ie wood sorrel washed and dried, 'ramps' wild garlic

Twist of dulse, or pepper-seaweed

 2oz brown sodabread, roughly crumbed and fried in a little butter until crunchy.

2oz heavy cream, lightly beaten

1/2 stick butter

2fl oz dry cider

2fl oz birch sap or fish stock

1 tspn cider vinegar

Salt and pepper.

Method

Place the beetroot juice in a tall narrow beaker and process with a stick blender until it foams, this foam will hold naturally 10-15 mins

Divide the salmon into four portions, season lightly with salt and pepper,

Pour the cider, vinegar and birch sap into a pot [just large enough to fit the salmon pieces] bring to the boil remove from the heat and place the salmon pieces into it flesh side down, put the lid on  the pot and return to a low heat for 2mins, remove from the heat take out the salmon and keep it warm.

Put the pot back onto the heat turn it up when the liquids boiling again add the horse radish and cream reduce the heat and leave to simmer

To cook the prawns wrap each in a little piece of seaweed and add to the sauce to and cook  for 1-2mins depending on size, or fry in the butter from the bread crumbs, crunchy seaweeds good too. Remove the prawns and keep warm with the salmon.

To warm the beetroot just set the pieces into the pot, don’t shake or stir and you keep a contrast of colour.

To present this dish set a piece of salmon skin side up just off centre on a warm plate set on the prawn’s spoon on the beetroot and horseradish cream. Then spoon a little beetroot foam unto each. Finally sprinkle on a few crumbs and wood sorrel.