Coddle, a Traditional Dublin supper Dish.

Coddle, a Traditional Dublin  supper Dish

 Coddle is by and large unappealing in sense; boiled streaky bacon, sausages, potatoes and onion with a sprinkle of parsley from the butchers counter thrown in is a brief description of a dish beloved by the Dubs, add comments from a recipe search and you'll find some add carrots others add a packet of Oxtail soup, you'll also hear distaste at the thought of eating a boiled sausage and recommendations of frying the sausage first to make them more appetising looking - don't try that at home it's disgusting.
My main problem with the recipe brief is the use of streaky bacon, I'd rather have a thick chunk of belly bacon used in mine that softens out with a slow cook out before the rest of the ingredients are added.
 My preferred recipe though uses Bacon Ribs allowing two per person, there's always something nice about eating meat off the bone and the bones add extra depth and richness to the broth.
The French have a a variation on this dish in their regional speciality ' Potée Savoyarde' slightly more complex and using a sausage with a ham base as opposed to the Dub's pure pork sausage version and with the addition of cabbage in the recipe and usually calling for smoked belly bacon, both hit the spot though on a cold winters eve and taste all the better the next day or late at night after a few sups'. The sausage used is of importance in the overall balance of the dish, I like to use one with a high meat content approx 70% that is well seasoned with white pepper so it's still tasty when cool.

'Just add Liffey water'.

Coddle, a Traditional Dublin supper Dish.
Ingredients.for 4 portions
1 1/2lb Bacon ribs (allow 2 rib bones per person).
3/4 lb 350g  Butcher Sausages (70% plus meat content).
4lb 2.2kg Potatoes- a floury potato is best, I've used Roosters.
1 medium sized onion- about 10oz 280g
Sprig of parsley, finely chopped.
white and black pepper for seasoning.
Method.
Portion the ribs this is easy to do and either pre-soak the bacon ribs over night in cold water to remove some of the salt or place them in a large pot cover with cold water and bring to the boil then discard the water and replace with fresh water. Place back onto the heat and bring to the boil again reducing the heat and simmer for approx 1. 5 hours.keep the water topped up,season lightly with some cracked black pepper and a pinch of ground white pepper.
Meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients;
Peel the potatoes and cut in halves or quarters depending on their size, wash and keep covered in cold water to stop them discolouring.
Twist the sausages in the middle so they are half their size (resembling cocktail sausages)  and cut them all separate, they are easier to manage on the spoon like this for eating.
Peel the onion and cut in half and slice very thinly.

Once the bacon has cooked add the prepared potatoes, onion and sausages cover with cold water,bring back to the boil check the seasoning then simmer approx 30 mins or until the potatoes are cooked and starting to break up around the edges and the starches soak up the flavours, thickening up the broth.

Divide into 4 bowls spuds and meats first, ladle broth into each sprinkle with parsley and serve piping hot.



Irish Produce.

Cookies for christmas

Cookies for Christmas.

Create a little magic with time honoured tradition, cookies of all shapes with warming spices, sugar toppings and sprinkles always go down well. Here are a couple of simple recipes, with a little help from some cutters to magic up your table this year.
Clear a shelf in your fridge for chilling down the dough’s where necessary.
Pre-heat your oven to 150°C - 160°C.


Basic biscuit mix.
Recipe 
150g softened butter
100g caster sugar
250g Self-raising flour
Method
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until white then stir in the flour, mix well and form in to a ball.
Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a flat work surface place the ball of dough onto this press into a flattened rectangular shape place another sheet of parchment on top and roll with a rolling pin until 3mm thick, place on a tray and place in the refrigerator and allow the dough to chill. Once chilled remove the dough and cut into required shapes. Transfer on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, re roll the excess dough and repeat the process.
Bake for 8-12mins depending on the size of your shapes.
To make flavoured biscuits simply divide the dough once made into 3 Add ½ teaspoon ginger to one lot for ginger biscuits, add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder  for chocolate biscuits to another lot, either leave the last lot plain or add some lemon or orange zest.


Short bread biscuits
Recipe
125g Soft butter
55g Icing sugar
180g Plain flour
Method
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until, stir in the flour and knead lightly forming into a ball.
Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a flat work surface place the ball of dough onto this press into a flattened rectangular shape place another sheet of parchment on top and roll with a rolling pin until 3mm thick, place on a tray and place in the refrigerator and allow the dough to chill. Once chilled remove the dough and cut into required shapes. Transfer on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, re roll the excess dough and repeat the process.
Bake for 8-12mins at 150°c depending on the size of your shapes.



Viennese Whirls
It’s traditional to pipe these, using  piping bag and a large star nozzle, don’t stress about it if you don’t have these, you can spoon some on to the baking sheet instead. We don’t chill this dough before baking and keep it soft as it is a slightly stiff mix and hard enough to pipe.
Recipe 
125g Softened Butter
25g Caster sugar
125g Plain flour
25g Corn-flour/starch
Method
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until white light and fluffy then stir in the flour and corn-flour, mixing until the flour is well incorporated.  Transfer to your piping bag or spoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, chose your style and or toppings and bake at 150°c for 15-20 mins.
To pipe there’s three traditional shapes, finger length, star or nest. 
They are usually ½ dipped in melted chocolate when cooled.
You can however top them with dried or glacé fruit pieces or nuts before baking. Use whatever you have handy

Decorations for your biscuits.
Water icing, 2 tablespoons Icing sugar and  1/2 tbspn hot water mixed until smooth, spoon a little onto your chosen biscuits either use some shop bought sprinkles or make some of your own, allow time for drying.
Orange or lemon sugar, the zest of 1 orange or lemon with 55g caster sugar dried in the oven at 50°c, about 35-40mins is usually enough.
Fruit sugar, Use a tablespoon of strained juice from freshly pressed berries to 55g caster sugar  mix well and dry in the oven  at 50°c.
Cinnamon and Espresso sugar, just add a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of espresso or diluted coffee granules to 55g caster sugar and dry in the oven at 50°c.

Gluten Free Sunflower seed Biscuits

These go well with a soft Camembert/Brie style cheese and Damson/Plum jam

Gluten Free Sunflower seed Biscuits.
56gms/2oz Butter.
56gms/2oz Caster sugar.
85gms/3oz Sunflower seeds.
140gms/5oz Self-raising Gluten free four, ( we use Tritimyl ).
80ml/3fl oz butter milk.

Method
Roughly crush or chop the sunflower seeds.
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl.
Then add the Gluten free flour and kneading it well before adding the Sunflower Seeds, lastly add the buttermilk working the mix well together.
Roll the mix into a 4cm log wrap in cling film and chill well before use.
To bake, preheat your oven to 160°c/325°f/gas mk3.
Line a baking,sheet with parchment/greaseproof paper.
Slice the Biscuit mix into 1/2cm - 1/4" roundels and bake approx 20-25mins.

Christmas Cake RICH

 Baking the Christmas cake was always a big event,though it's probably less so nowadays in many ways with processors and fan assisted ovens to lessen the strain. My mother wrapped her baking tin in brown paper to help protect the cake from the vagaries of the gas oven, would have been a shame to produce a cake with burnt edges and all steps were taken to protect it.
Christmas cakes aren't cheap, the dried fruits,nuts, brandy,sugar, spices, butter, eggs and flour all add up to an expensive outlay, but one from which a huge amount of satisfaction can be derived.
Once safely in the oven the aroma of baking can be savoured, while I write mine is in the oven and smells good and I'm confident it'll be good, I enjoyed making it happy in the knowledge it's not actually costing me a lot this year, I got lucky in the supermarket, last years 'All you need Christmas cake package' was on price reduction (with a convenient marketing best before date of Oct 19 2012) , 970gms of mixed fruit peel and cherries were mine for  €1.50.
I just needed to get the rest of the stuff.

This recipe works, and requires overnight soaking of the fruit apart from that it's quick.
Ingredients

400gms  Sultanas
400gms Fruit Mix (includes sultanas,currants, raisins and mixed peel)
3.5 oz/100gms Glacé Cherries
150ml Pale Sherry or Brandy
Rind and Juice of one Orange


225g/8oz  Plain Flour (sieved)
225g/8oz  Softened butter    
225g/8oz Dark Brown Sugar
5 Eggs (at room temperature)

3.5oz100gms  Chopped walnuts
3.5oz/100gms  Ground Almonds
3.5oz100gms  Flaked Almonds
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice
1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Method
 Gather your ingredients together and  soak the fruit with the orange juice,grated rind of orange and sherry overnight.
Prepare a deep cake tin  8"20cm, line with grease proof paper bottom and sides with a 1"2.5cm overlap, also make a greaseproof paper disc (roughly 9"22.5cm) that will cover the top of the cake while baking to protect it. I actually use a saucepan to bake my cake in, the dimensions are the same and it's oven proof.

Next day.
Pre-heat your oven 140c/275f/Gas mk1

Cream the butter with the sugar in a mixing bowl or food processor, then add the eggs one by one.
Remove transfer contents in to large bowl and stir in the flour then add the rest of the ingredients mix well then spoon the mix into the cake tin/pot

Bake for 2 - 3 hours approx
. Nb.No two ovens are the same it's worth while buying an oven thermometer to get a true reading of your oven temperature.   
To check the cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre- if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.
remove from the oven and cover with a clean cloth, leaving the cake in the tin/pot to cool overnight.
Storing your cake wrap it very well in cling film if you have a cake tin spare or old biscuit tin well and good, if not wrap in tinfoil and store in a cool  dry place.

Enjoy your Festive Baking!

My filling for Sausage Rolls

Party season is on us now and this recipe always comes into play for me and someone always asks for the recipe so here it is.

Sausage Roll filling, No. 51.
Makes enough for 12
large sausage rolls or 36 party sized.
Ingredients.
1 lb/454 gms pork mince
1 lb/454 gms sausage meat, or good quality butchers sausages skinned
8 oz/227gms breadcrumbs
2 oz /56 gms onion finely diced
1 oz /28 gms butter
2 oz /56 gms apple grated
Pinch fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary chopped finely.
Large pinch white pepper
Large pinch sea-salt
Teaspoon cracked black peppercorns.
Method
Cook the onion with herbs and butter until the onions are softened- remove from heat and leave to cool.
In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, mix in the cooled onions and herbs.
 Test for taste by cooking a tablespoon of the mix on a warm pan, then adjust your seasoning,

For the pastry, either use a home-made flaky pastry, or  a packet of store bought pre-rolled puff pastry. 

When using store bought divide into three, flour a board and roll again to increase sheet size by 1/3 to maximize yield.

Infundibulicybe / clitocybe geotropa, Funnel cap, Monks head, Rickstones.

'fungi know no boundries'

The 'Clitocybe geotropa' is a magnificent mushroom to see trooping on the open edges of deciduous woodland. common names include Trooping funnel cap, Monks head, and in Scotland 'rickstones'. Generally making an appearance mid to late October and lasting until mid November and a welcome addition to the basket for drying. As you can see from the pictures they'll easily fill up  a basket, slice one to ensure they are in good condition and haven't be tunnelled by insects.

This one's good but damp,drying will take longer

The caps can grow quite large up to 25cm at times.

Troop of  young Clitocybe geotropa

 Clitocybe geotropa. 
Cap, Up to 25 cm, at first convex then maturing in to funnel shape, creamy off white.
Gills, Creamy white, deep, thin like blades.
Stem, Thick, strong when young, weaker with age slightly  bulbous at base.
Flesh, Thick,firm.
Smell, Mildly sweet- pleasant, non distinct.
Spores,White
Habitat, Broad leaf woods and margins.
Season, Mid October -mid November.

Cooking,unless used when young not a great stand alone mushroom, young button caps fried with garlic are nice, otherwise best dried for use in soups and sauces in combination with other mushrooms. Well worth collecting for quick bulking of the larder..

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CROSS REFERENCE WHEN TRYING TO I.D A MUSHROOM.
I find the site below is good and often check in for tips and references.
 https://sites.google.com/site/scottishfungi/eating-fungi/identifying-fungi-to-eat/edible-fungi

Winter Chanterelles, Yellow Legs

Craterellus tubaeformis, Winter chanterelle

Craterellus tubaeformis, formally known as 'Cantharellus' tubaeformis, reclassification in the fungi world happens, the common names stick 'Winter chanterelles' or 'Yellow legs' are what they are known as locally and across the sea on our neighbouring Island and work for everyday use.

They are a member of the Chanterelle family and there are a few variations in the species but unless pushed they all get picked under the one title. I picked two variants in one area, one basket and the winter chanterelle tag will do for both.
When you find them they are quite rewarding, usually in good numbers and in the right spot unless you've a good market for them you'll be leaving loads behind.
Pine and spruce stands on damp ground are good spots to start looking, my closest spot is under beech but they like the damp leaf litter, on the drier areas they don't appear. 

Up hill picking

Carefully washed and left to dry

Craterellus tubaeformis.
What to look for.
Cap, up 3-4 cm wides, wavy margins deeply funnelled, brownish/yellowish.
Gills, greyish/ yellowish, vein like.
Stem, yellow or brownish,up to 5- 6 cm long and hollow all the way.
Flesh, thin, fragile when old,  smell- indistinctly mushroom.
Spore print, white.
Habitat, Spruce, Pine forest and Beech leaf litter in moist conditions.
Season, late summer through to early Winter frost.

Cooking with them, for sauces cut the caps of keeping them intact, chop the legs up roughly before use as they can be slighty stringy and hang of your fork. Pickling, they look pretty in a jar and taste good.Drying, this intensifies the flavour making them a good addition to soups or stews just crunch them up in your hand before use.

'Craterellus tubaeformis'