Joan Callaghan

I debated whether or not to write a post on the passing of my mother, I suppose some things should be kept in... but then on the other hand she was a huge supporter of my blog, of what I do and about how open I can be through this and she always told me to pray to the holy spirit for guidance and to follow with what I felt was right. Going by that basis I feel it is fitting to mark the saddening event but at the same time celebrate my mothers life.

In my book, in the thank you section I wrote to mum... "Being youngest of nine I always say in jest that you kept going until you reached perfection, where in reality, the truth is, you had nine of us because your heart was big enough to love us all unconditionally". That statement couldn't be more true! As the youngest of nine, most people say to me "oh, you're the baby, you must have been spoiled?!" and I would always think... No, definitely not... I would always get the 'hand-me-down clothes, the hand-me-down toys etc but when I think about it, I was spoiled. I would not have wanted anyone else's childhood, anyone else's upbringing, I was spoiled, we all where, we had more love, caring, affection and comfort than you could ever wish for. My parents dedicated their lives to loving us. There was times where we didn't have a lot, but never wanted for anything.

My mother was the worrier in the family, whether it be about bills coming in or siblings going out, she would have worried and stressed hugely... my father would always keep a strong head on him and ease her worry even if there was just cause for it. He would always somehow find a way or a solution. I remember years ago we had one of our last holidays in Donegal before my father took sick, we where staying in the usual chalets on the beach (we went there annually mo matter what else was going on) money had started to run dry for them a few days early and we where told we would have to go home 2 days early. on the eve of or new home date we went into the local town Dungloe, filled the car with petrol for the trip home, dad who was not a gambler by any means went into the bookies and put the last of his change on a total outsider on the last race of the day and won enough money to stay the planned duration... as I say, he always found a way!

So when my father passed in October 1997 we where all very concerned as to how mum-the worrier- would deal with it all, but he must have left her his strength because she was amazing... it was heart breaking for her to lose her husband and best friend but she found strength from where there was no strength before. And it was fitting because they shared everything before, so why not his strength! (she got his strength, I got his dodgy back).

When my mother and father met, they had only started courting when my mother had to go to Cambridge in England to get work, my father patiently waited her return for 2 years, writing her everyday and phoning her once a week from the local post office... he waited 2 years then and now since his passing in '97 he waited nearly 17 years, and an hour into what would have been his 80th birthday he was reunited with her after a very hard fought battle of 11 weeks in ICU in both Craigavon hospital and The Royal Hospital in Belfast.

My mother was my biggest supporter and encouraged me to keep pushing my dreams no matter what, she will be sorely missed and there will be forever a void left in my heart for her, but I do know she and my dad will always be with me and always guide me on my path through life. Nothing will ever be the same again without her, I won't get to call her and she can tell me she seen my cakes and loved them, I wont get to visit home to her and for her to make me an awful cup of tea (God love her but it was the only thing she didnt do well) I will forever miss her xx

My garden

I guess I have had recently lost my way, I allowed narrow minded people put me down, hold me back and keep me there.. I allowed some 'bullies' try to get the better off me by sending me abuse etc. it is easy to let them win, knock your confidence and distance your dreams from your sights. But this past week I have been coming back and it is only now that I am able to put this into words, I am no longer letting that happen, no longer worrying and stressing about what people, who don't matter, think about what I put up or say. There are always gonna be small minded people and bullies who will be waiting to pounce on any small thing we say or do, people who will just be waiting to belittle us or knock us... but that says a lot more about them than it does us!! Anyway, I won't give the fools anymore airtime...

In other news I have been in talks with a very well know and famous national food product provider and will be a huge part of their new re-launch later in the summer so I am well excited about that.
I have also joined the team at Decobake which is an Irish family run cake decorating supplier and is a huge success... I have joined the new Limerick branch as a part-time sales assistant but will also be teaching classes and doing demonstrations very soon.

I have been busy out in the garden lately, I had let the garden get away from me last year but am well on top of things this year so far and a grand spell of weather always helps!
I will have 2 large beds to double dig soon as they haven't been dug well in a few years now... not exactly cherishing the thoughts of it but such is the life of a kitchen gardener.

Here are some recent shots from the garden:

Onion sets sprouting

Strawberry plants starting to flourish

Raspberries spreading

An old water tank from my loft provides the perfect carrot/parsnip bed

Chives starting to flower

Lemon Thyme

my rustic Herb sign

Rosemary bush

My Kitchen Garden

My gate needs a clean up

Cabbage plants

Carrot seedlings

Pear blossom

cutting the grass makes a world of difference

Tenants Required... apply within

I will have a brand new recipe next week... bye :)

Beef and Guinness Pie

Keeping it short and sweet... Happy St Patrick's Day to one and all.

Beef and Guinness Pie

There is a deep richness in flavour that comes from the Guinness and enriches everything else without overpowering it.

Serves 4

500g steak pieces

2 heaped tablespoons plain flour

Sea salt

Black pepper

1 large onion

2 carrots

2 parsnips

3 sticks celery

Rapeseed oil

1 500ml can of Guinness

1 pack of puff pastry

1 egg beaten

Method

Pat-dry the steak pieces with kitchen paper. On a side plate add the flour and season it with a generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper, roll the steak pieces in the seasoned flour until fully covered in a good coating, shake of any access flour.

Peel and chop the onion, carrots and parsnips and wash and chop the celery, set aside.

In a large saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over a high heat, add the steak pieces in small batches to brown them all over before removing with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper. When all the neat is browned carefully give the saucepan a wipe down with kitchen paper and return to a medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and add the onion. Fry the onion until softened but not coloured then add in the carrots, parsnips and celery. Fry these off for 8-10 mins then add the beef back in along with all the Guinness.

Bring the saucepan to the boil then reduce down to a steady simmer for 45 mins.

Preheat the oven to 180°c. Carefully pour the contents of the saucepan into an oven proof dish. Roll out the puff pastry and cover the dish with it, pressing around the edges and trimming off the access. Pierce a few times with a sharp knife and brush over the beaten egg to give it colour.

Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 mins until the pastry is golden and delicious.

Serve with some mashed potatoes of your choice for a warm hearty meal.

Cookery Demonstration and more

I know I'm always saying it but it has been very busy times...
I managed to get out into the garden yesterday after 2 days of dry weather. I was very sad to do it but the greenhouse... well what was left of it... had to be dismantled. It got destroyed in the last storm with only one pane of glass surviving. I gathered up all the broken glass, took apart the frame and tidied what was to be tidied, the beds where shoveled into the wheelbarrow and used to top up my raised beds at the bottom of the garden. I am left now with a concrete slab which, for this year anyway, will be used for my bench to have my morning coffee (in better weather) and I will build some basic timber boxes and grow some  salad veg in them. This year my front porch will host my tomato, chilli and cucumber growing out of grow bags... It is a fine suntrap for the first half of the day and accumulates a lot of heat, so it will be a decent substitute for the growing season ahead. I'm very sad to see the greenhouse go but replacing the glass alone would have cost the guts of a brand new one and neither of what I can afford at the moment.

Dismantling the greenhouse

Concrete slab which will be cleaned up

Last Saturday the 1st March I done a cookery demonstration in The Ennis Book Shop. I really enjoyed it, as daunting as it first seemed when I started, the place filled up with people and I was in my element. I cooked up 5.... yes 5 recipes from the book all within 1 hour 20 mins. And was pleased to say that everyone got a taster of everything going.

A huge thank you to Brendan Mc Enery for fab photos again

Recipes I cooked:

Beetroot, black pudding and pomegranate salad

Sugar crusted lamb cutlets and red wine jus

Pan fried potatoes with rosemary and garlic

Chicken Kashmiri

After eight cheesecake

Links to all recipes above, just click onto each one... and I have the only one without a link down below.

Sugar Crusted Lamb Cutlets with a Red Wine Jus

I just love lamb cutlets and the caramelised fatty bits from grilling these bad boys are just to die for. Meat on the bone is always tastier and these cutlets with the richness from the jus leave you wanting more and more. Serve with some steamed baby potatoes or a simple side salad.

Serves 2

4 lamb cutlets

2 tablespoons of soft brown sugar

1 tablespoon of English mustard powder

For the Jus

1 full glass of red wine

1 sprig of rosemary

1 garlic clove peeled

A splash of soy sauce

A splash of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of honey

Method

Pat dry the cutlets with kitchen paper (this helps the other ingredients to stick) and set aside. On a plate or board sprinkle the soft brown sugar and mustard powder now roll the chops in it, pushing down and getting a good even layer all the way around.

Place the coated cutlets under a preheated grill on a high heat; grill them for 5-7 mins on either side.

In the meantime pour the glass of wine in a small pan and add the rosemary and garlic; place it on a high heat and reduce the wine by half. Then add the soy, balsamic and the honey and stir threw. Reduce another bit until it coats the back of a spoon; remove the rosemary and garlic before serving.

Flaky Pastry

Going by the hits on YouTube, this is my most sought after recipe that I have made a video for. It was one of the first video recipes I made and certainly not the best of quality, but it has proved popular with almost 30,000 hits. As I have often said I have not had a life long passion for cooking but this is something I was making from an early age as it is my mothers recipe. I just love this pastry, its perfect for both sweet and savory dishes.

The video is down at the bottom of this post, check out the quick hand action half way through... no special effects, honest ;)

If you would like to see new videos, leave me a comment down at the bottom.

Gorgeous homemade flaky pastry

This recipe has a very strict set of instructions but if you follow them carefully you will never buy again!! Yes, it’s that good!

*The secret of this recipe is to only do the bare minimum.*

 Makes about 500g of pastry:

240g plain flour

180g margarine

30g lard

Pinch of salt

Cold water to mix

Method

The margarine and lard should be at room temperature.

Put flour in mixing bowl, add pinch of salt. Cut off 120g of margarine and cut off into small pieces into bowl. Now get in with clean hands and lightly mix the margarine through the flour.

Add the water by degrees while mixing with a knife until it just about forms dough. Empty the mixing bowl out onto a dusted work surface, form the shape of a square and roll out into a rectangle; one roll should suffice.  

Cut off small pieces of the remaining margarine and the lard and butter in small clumps. Roll up the pastry, turn the pastry 90° and roll it out again repeating the process until the margarine and lard has been used.

*Note how the pastry is barely worked...

Fold up the last time and wrap in Clingfilm or foil and put in fridge for at least an hour before using.

The pastry can be frozen at this point.

Thai Style Turkey Burgers

I had better put this recipe up as I spoke about it on Clare FM last Thursday and have had a few people ask again for the recipe. The recipe also appears in the book under the 'Lunch' section. 

It has been busy times of late but finally getting my mojo back and getting into the kitchen experimenting, perfecting and snapping again. There are more things in the 'pipeline'.... if this pipeline gets any longer the county council will be looking me to get planning permission!!! But, it is a good complaint that people, businesses and corporations are interested in me and what I am doing. Bring it all on, the more the merrier!!

Thai-Style Turkey Burgers

Turkey is the leanest of meats, so using turkey mince can wipe some of the guilt free of having a very tasty succulent burgers for lunch.

Makes 4 large burgers:

4 spring onions

1 red chilli

A thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger

400g turkey mince

A small bunch of coriander leaves

50ml of rapeseed oil

Crusty bread baps

Fresh salad leaves

Sweet chilli sauce to serve

Method

Thinly slice the spring onions, de-seed and slice the chilli and grate the ginger.

In a large mixing bowl add the turkey mince, spring onions, ginger, chilli, coriander and oil. Now get in there with clean hands and start scrunching everything together until really well combined.

Divide the mix into 4 and using clean hands form 4 burgers. Place them on an oiled baking tray or plate, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour to ‘firm up’. This will ensure they keep shape and don’t fall apart when grilling.

Grill the burgers on just higher than medium heat for about 6-8 mins either side ensuring they are cooked through. Serve in some fresh crusty baps with in season salad leaves and a generous dollop of sweet chilli sauce.

Ireland AM debut

It's 11.32am and I'm sitting in a hotel room in Cork listening to the rain pounding the window and seeing pictures of the flooded city come up on my news feed on Facebook. I had endured a horrific drive from Dublin to Cork last night, keeping the car on the road was a challenge, but it was worth it to see Amy after my long day and to have a gorgeous steak and enjoy a few pints of Guinness.

My day yesterday started with my alarm going off at 4.37am (I can't set my alarm on an even number... It's my "thing"), 2 snoozes later and I was up just before 5am and hopped into the shower (in reality, crawled to the shower). I got dressed and went straight to the kitchen to make a risotto, not the conventional breakfast I know but this was because I was heading to Dublin to the TV3 studios to have my debut cookery slot on Ireland AM. I was making the risotto to have the final product at hand in case I was short for time before my slot in the studios. I knew my slot was going to be about 6 mins long and obviously wouldn't have a risotto made in that time so I had to plan out to show a few steps and then show the final product from 'Here's one I made earlier'!!

I packed up the car, put the dogs out in the run (much to their disgust... as usual) and headed for the studios in Dublin. I arrived at the studios bang on time and absolutely bursting to pee (the coffee and then a litre of water drank in the car on an empty stomach wasn't my brightest moment), so I got signed in, relieved, and then started to set up in their kitchen studio. I gotta say I was made very welcome by all members within TV3.

I have the video of the links and cookery slot below, kindly put together by Brendan (Amy's dad), so there is no need for me to drone on about it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and through it I know the type of recipes do do for future cookery slots... this is still all a learning exercise for me, but I am a fast learner!!!

Here is the recipe from the book and from the show:

Bacon, leek and Pea Risotto

This is quite a healthy risotto as I use low fat spray instead of butter and low fat soft cheese instead of Mascarpone which is quite heavy on the calories. But the main change is the rice… or lack of it. Instead of using the traditional Arborio rice, I’m using Pearl barley instead. Barley is a lot less carbs and a lot more fibre, per 100g the pearl barley is 230 calories less than the Arborio rice.

The sweetness of the leeks and peas really make this mouth-watering! Risottos have an air of intimidation about them but really all they take is some attention, but that attention will lead to a wonderful meal.

Tip: keep the stock warm in a separate saucepan on a low/medium heat. It cuts cooking time and makes the risotto come together better.

Serves 4:

100g bacon lardons

2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

3 medium leeks finely

Low fat spray

200g pearl barley

700ml chicken stock

A handful of frozen peas

1 tablespoon of low-fat soft cheese

Crushed black pepper

Method

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic, wash and finely slice the leeks.

Spray some low fat oil into a large saucepan and fry off the bacon lardons, crisping them up. Then add another spray of oil and gently fry off the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes, add the leeks and sweat for 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the barley and stir around for a minute to gently toast then add in a ladle and a half of the warm stock. Stir around frequently. When this has absorbed pour in another ladle of stock in and the peas continue adding the stock ladle by ladle, each time it’s fully absorbed, until all the stock is used up.

When all the stock is used up in the risotto remove it from the heat, add in the low-fat soft cheese and season with cracked black pepper and stir well. Serve immediately.

I am working on a host of new recipes, most will be healthy, low fat  but brimming with flavour... and of course there will be a few indulgent ones too. Stay tuned :)