The New Irish Table: Recipes from Ireland's Top Chefs

by Leslie Conron Carola (Compiler), Itsco (Contribution by), Darina Allen (Contribution by), Kevin Dundon (Contribution by), Catherine Fulvio (Contribution by)

Overview

Set your holiday table with tradition and warmth. Ten award-winning chefs dismantle the stereotype of Irish cuisine being a boil, a fry, or soda bread. Highlighting fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients from provinces across the Emerald Isle, this beautiful, photo-illustrated collection offers inspirational Irish recipes.

An Irish meal must nourish the soul as well as the body, teasing each of the senses. Home cooks are invited into each featured chef's restaurant and/ or home to experience recipes that utilize fresh fish, lamb, beef, pork, fruits, and vegetables, and of course, Ireland's renowned cheeses.

Starred-studded contributors include Kevin Dundon (host of PBS's Kevin Dundon's Modern Irish Table), Darina Allen (founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School), and Neven Maguire (celebrity chef and TV personality).

Celebrating the new Irish food culture, this compilation emphasizes local resources, simple fare, and the highest standards, proving that Ireland is a modern food destination.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623545246
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	02/07/2017
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Leslie Conron Carola, owner and director of Arena Books Associates, LLC, has produced many illustrated books, including Ireland: A Luminous Beauty; Spectacular Ireland, and Ireland's Treasures with Peter Harbison. She lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Read an Excerpt

The New Irish Table

Recipes from Ireland's Top Chefs

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By Darina Allen, Martin Bealin, Derry Clarke, Ultan Cooke, Kevin Dundon, Catherine Fulvio, Neven Maguire, Noel McMeel, Ian Orr, Tim O'Sullivan, Leslie Conron Carola

Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc

Copyright © 2017 Arena Books Associates, LLC
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62354-524-6

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CHAPTER 1

Leinster

Counties: Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, KIlkenny, Laois, Longofrd, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

The province of Leinster, with a comparatively sunny climate and a population of over two million, occupies the midlands and south-eastern part of Ireland, and contains more counties than any other — Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth (the smallest of them), Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. It is largely bounded by hills from Carlingford in the north to the Blackstairs in the south, with considerable mountain ranges between them in Dublin and Wicklow. More than any of the other provinces, Leinster has large flat areas beside the sea which facilitated access to the country for some of its earliest inhabitants ten thousand years ago. That low-lying terrain continues throughout the western part of the province as far as the river Shannon which divides it from Connacht, interrupted by the Slieve Bloom hills which provide a contrast in relief. The two major rivers entirely within the province, once rich in salmon, fall gently to the sea — the Boyne of historical significance and the Liffey which flows through Dublin to the coast. The fertile land of Leinster allows for plenty of tillage, encouraging the growth of wheat and barley which help the brewing and distilling industries. These are no longer concentrated solely in Dublin, however, with craft breweries now springing up all over the country. Dublin and Wicklow in particular could lay claim to the title of "The Garden of Ireland," as they are among the largest providers of vegetables and, to a lesser extent, fruit.

Being bordered on the east by the Irish Sea, the province was easy prey to invaders down the centuries, from the Nordic Vikings to their collateral descendants, the Normans, who made Dublin the center of English power in Ireland for seven hundred years, and which is now the capital of the Republic of Ireland. During the last few decades, Leinster in general and Dublin in particular have welcomed immigrants speaking many languages and bringing about changes, including a much greater variety of international cuisine.

— Peter Harbison

CHAPTER 2

L'Ecrivain Co. Dublin

Chef: Derry Clarke

Derry Clarke and his wife Sallyanne opened l'Ecrivain Restaurant in 1989. Derry and l'Ecrivain have received many awards over the years, such as Best Restaurant and Best Chef. L'Ecrivain is the proud holder of a Michelin Star, which was first awarded in 2003.

Derry Clarke reached international acclaim being inducted into Food & Wine magazine's "Hall of Fame" and granted a five-star review by The New York Times describing l'Ecrivain as "superb."

Derry promotes the use of organic food and non-genetically modified foods (non GMO). His food ethos is simple. He uses the finest of local, fresh produce, supporting small farmers and artisan producers.

Crispy Duck Breast with Glazed Butternut Squash and Star Anise Jus

FOR THE GLAZED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
4 large shallots (peeled and halved)
Approximately 8 slices/200 g cured bacon, cut, blanched, and cubed
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp chopped fresh sage
4 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

FOR THE DUCK

4 duck breasts
1 tbsp honey
Sea salt and pepper

FOR THE STAR ANISE JUS

½ cup/100 g brown sugar
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml red-wine vinegar
2 oranges (juice and zest)
4 star anise, lightly crushed
8 fl oz/250 ml demi-glace or beef stock

Preheat oven to 350 °F/180 °C/Gas Mark 4.

Put butternut squash, shallots, and bacon in a bowl. Add orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, butter, sage, and thyme; season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Toss all ingredients together and spread onto a roasting pan and bake in the preheated oven until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Put the duck breast skin side down on a cold heavy frying pan. Place on high heat and cook until the skin is crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn the duck breast over and put it in the oven. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes further. This will cook the duck rare (pink). Cook longer for medium and well done. Remove from the oven and let cool. Brush the duck with the honey as it is resting.

To make the star anise jus, heat the sugar and vinegar in a sauce pan over a medium heat until it forms a brown caramel (do not overcook or the sauce will be bitter). Add the orange juice, star anise, and demi-glace or beef stock.

Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Strain, check the seasoning, and add the zest.

Allow the duck breast to rest for about 15 minutes, then carve lengthways. Spoon the vegetables onto four serving plates. Place duck on top and serve sauce on the side.

Serves 4

Lemon Curd with Meringue and Raspberries

FOR THE LEMON CURD

3 eggs
¾ cup/150 g sugar
Juice of 3 lemons (keep the rind)
8 tbsp butter
1 tbsp zest from the lemon rind

FOR THE MERINGUE

4 egg whites at room temperature
1 cup/220 g superfine sugar
Raspberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 °F/170 °C/Gas Mark 3.

Whisk eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in a bain marie until mixture becomes thick (200 °F/71 °C). Remove from the heat and push through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the butter bit by bit and add the zest. Cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator.

Place egg whites into a clean, dry mixing bowl. Whisk until you have soft peaks. Add sugar slowly and whisk to stiff peaks. Place in a piping bag. Pipe the meringues onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated low oven for 35 minutes. Brown the meringues if you wish by putting them under the broiler for a few seconds until they are a light golden color. Watch carefully. Remove from the oven and let the meringues cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Or brown the meringues, if you wish, with a culinary torch.

Remove the lemon curd from the refrigerator. Cut into individual servings or spoon into individual ramekins or glasses. Decorate with the piped swirls of meringue.

Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Serves 4

Vodka-Cured Irish Salmon with Avocado Cream, Pickled Vegetables, and Horseradish Mayonnaise

SALMON

2 ¼ lb/1 kg salmon fillet
4 tbsp sea salt
4 tbsp sugar
1 orange, juice and rind
3 fl oz vodka
4 tbsp fresh dill
1 tbsp white peppercorns

Place salmon in a deep dish. Mix the salt and sugar together and sprinkle over the salmon, with the orange rind. Add the vodka and orange juice. Remove the dill leaves from the stalks and add the stalks to the salmon. Chop the dill and set aside. Cover the salmon with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Before serving rinse off the marinade in cold water and cover the salmon with the chopped dill. Slice the salmon and serve with brown bread and the iced Grey Goose.

AVOCADO CREAM

1 ripe avocado, skinned, halved, pit retained
2 tbsp crème fraîche
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Blend the avocado, crème fraîche, and lemon juice together in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a bowl and place the avocado pit into the middle (this stops the avocado from turning brown). Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

PICKLED VEGETABLES

½ cup/100 g brown sugar
½ cup/120 ml white wine
1 cup good quality white-wine vinegar
1 tbsp whole star anise
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp fennel seeds
8 peeled baby carrots
8 pearl or baby onions
4 baby fennel or 1 large fennel cut into 4 pieces
½ cucumber, seeded and diced

In a pot, add sugar, wine, vinegar, star anise, bay leaves, and fennel seeds. Bring to a simmer and season (if it is too tart, add more sugar or if too sweet, add more vinegar). Add carrots, onions, and fennel, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cucumber and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Allow the vegetables to cool in the liquid before removing.

HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

Mix 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of horseradish (freshly grated or jar).

Slice the salmon and serve with a dollop of Avocado Cream and

Pickled Vegetables on the side. Garnish with the horseradish mayonaise.

Serves 4

Beef Fillet and Brisket with Morels and Mushroom Purée

Derry Clarke with Tom Doyle

FOR THE BRISKET

2–3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 ¼ lb/1kg beef brisket
1 onion, diced
1 stick celery
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small leek, diced
5 fl oz/150 ml red wine
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml balsamic or
red-wine vinegar
15 fl oz/450 ml beef or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE FILLET

12 oz/250 g beef fillet
2 tbsp vegetable oil

FOR THE MORELS AND MUSHROOMS

8 morels
Scant ½ lb/200 g button mushrooms
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml cream
½ tsp truffle oil

Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a pan large enough to hold the brisket. Add the brisket and sear on both sides. Season with salt and pepper and add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and leek. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, vinegar, and stock. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 3 hours until tender.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over high heat. Season the fillet with salt and pepper on both sides and brown on each side for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to rest.

Fry the morels and mushrooms in ½ tbsp oil in a pan until golden brown. Remove the morels and set aside. Strain out the liquid and put the mushrooms back in the pot. Add the cream and reduce over low heat until it has almost evaporated. Purée in a food processor, season with salt and pepper, and add ½ teaspoon truffle oil.

Serve the beef brisket and fillet with mushroom purée. Garnish with the morels.

Serves 4

Pear Mille Feuille

PEAR PURÉE

½ cup/100 g sugar
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
4 pears, peeled and chopped into small squares
1 vanilla pod

Place sugar in a pot and heat gently until it turns a golden caramel color. Add the juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, stir and add the chopped pears and vanilla pod. Leave to cool and drain excess liquid.

PASTRY

1 package of puff pastry
1 cup/100 g confectioners' sugar to dust and roll
1 ¼ cups/200 g hazelnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 °F/180 °C/Gas Mark 4.

Roll out one sheet of puff pastry with confectioners' sugar until quite thin, then cut to 3 x 1 ½ in/8 x 4 cm pieces. Cook between two flat trays with parchment on either side for 9 minutes.

For the top layer, place a whole sheet (the size of a baking pan) of puff pastry on a baking pan and cover with a wire rack so it does not puff up too much. Cook for about 18 minutes or until golden. When cool, cut to 2 x 1 ¼ in/7 x 3 cm (the individual ones would have shrunk to this size). Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CUSTARD

8 fl oz/250 ml pear purée
1/3 cup/75 g sugar
5 large egg yolks, 3 oz/80 g egg yolk,
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 leaves gelatin or 1 ¼ tsp gelatin powder
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml whipped cream

In a medium bowl, mix the egg yolk and sugar, then whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.

Soak gelatin leaves in a bowl of cold water until soft. Or, if using powdered gelatin, sprinkle the powder on ¼ cup of cold water and set aside to set.

Bring the pear purée to a boil. Pour half into the egg mixture while whisking, then pour the pear and egg mixture back into the pot, whisking until it boils. Remove from the heat. Squeeze excess water from the gelatin leaves and add the leaves to the pear mixture (or add the set powdered gelatin), stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Place the mixture in a bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. Remove from the refrigerator, whisk gently to loosen, and fold in lightly whipped cream. Place in a piping bag.

To serve, place the cooked puff pastry on the plate and pipe the custard on top of the pastry. Add the second layer in the same way. Dust the top of the pastry with confectioners' sugar. Dress the plate with dollops of custard and chopped hazelnuts.

Serves 4

Cod, Octopus, Purple Broccoli, Broccoli Purée, and Horseradish Mayonnaise

FOR THE OCTOPUS

2 qts/2 L court bouillon
1 octopus (2 lb/1 kg)
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp chopped parsley (or dill)
Salt and pepper

FOR THE HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

1 egg yolk
1 tsp mustard
1 lemon
2/3 cup/150 ml vegetable oil plus more to sauté the cod
3 tbsp/40 g horseradish, grated

FOR THE BROCCOLI PURÉE

2 medium size heads of broccoli, shaved and cleaned

FOR THE COD

4 cod fillets

FOR THE PURPLE BROCCOLI

¼ lb/100 g purple sprouting broccoli

In a deep pot, add the court bouillon and the octopus and simmer for 1 ½ hours until tender. Remove and chill. Portion octopus into 1 ½ in /4 cm pieces.

Place the egg yolk into a small bowl and add the mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the vegetable oil until thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the grated horseradish.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add a little salt. Cut and blanch the 2 heads of broccoli in the salted water for 2 minutes. Remove and squeeze out the excess water with a kitchen cloth or towel. Discard the water. Place the broccoli in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season and chill to keep a bright green color.

Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper.

Heat a pan with a little oil on a high heat, and place the cod skin side down and turn heat to low. Cook for about 4 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden. Turn the fish over, add butter and lemon juice, and cook for 1 minute.

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the purple broccoli for 1 ½ minutes until tender. Season.

Heat broccoli purée in a pot until warm.

Heat a little butter in a pan and toss the octopus pieces in the butter until warm. Season with salt and pepper, and add a teaspoon of chopped parsley or dill.

To serve, place a few spoons of broccoli purée and some purple broccoli on a plate and arrange a cod fillet on top. Garnish with the octopus and horseradish mayonaise.

Serves 4

Venison with Puréed Celeriac and Spinach

1 head of celeriac
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml milk
8 tbsp butter
Salt and white pepper
½ lemon, juiced
Generous lb/500 g baby spinach
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml cream
Grated nutmeg
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml demi-glace
1 loin of venison
Bunch of watercress

Peel celeriac, dice into 1 ¼ in/3 cm cubes, and cook in a pan with the milk and butter on a low heat until cooked and tender. Once cooked, strain out the remaining milk/butter mix, crush the celeriac with a potato masher and add a little of the milk/butter mix back in until the celeriac is creamy but not too wet. Season with salt, white pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the baby spinach for 10 seconds, then remove the spinach and squeeze out the excess water with a towel. Place in a blender with the cream and grate some fresh nutmeg into it. Once smooth, season the purée with salt and pepper and pass through a sieve. Cool to keep the green color.

For the loin of venison, trim off any excess fat. Season with salt and pepper. Sear on a hot pan with oil and butter making sure to turn the loin over every 10 to 20 seconds for about 2 to 3 minutes. Leave the loin to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place and slice into 4 portions.

Warm the spinach purée and crushed celeriac in two separate pots.

To serve, form a quenelle (a smooth egg-shaped dollop) or place a simple dollop of the celeriac on a plate. Add the sliced venison and a swirl of spinach purée and demi-glace. Garnish with a sautéed nectarine (or any fruit), watercress, and a few spoonfuls of demi-glace.

Serves 4

Chocolate Mousse with Walnut Ganache

MOUSSE

3 egg yolks
3 ½ fl oz/100 ml stock syrup
1 cup/225 g melted milk chocolate
2 cups/450 ml lightly whipped cream

Whisk the egg yolks and stock syrup over a bain maire for 5 minutes (350 °F/180 °C) then continue to whisk in a blender until cool. Slowly add the melted chocolate and then fold in the whipped cream. Place in the refrigerator to set.

WALNUT GANACHE

¼ cup/50 g walnuts
5 oz/133 g white chocolate
10 fl oz/300 ml cream

Toast the walnuts and blend until you get a runny paste. Place the walnut paste and white chocolate in a bowl. Bring cream to boil and pour over the chocolate and walnut paste. Let this cool and then whisk to a whipped cream consistency.

CHOCOLATE CRUMB

4–5 chocolate cookies, crumbled with a rolling pin to desired consistency

TOASTED WALNUTS

1 ½ cups/300 g walnuts

Toast the walnuts on a cookie sheet in a 350ºF/180ºC/Gas Mark 4 oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Crush half and leave half whole as garnish.

Transfer the cooled mousse to a platter, and cover with chocolate crumb. Pipe several walnut and white chocolate ganache meringue-like dollops around the mousse. Garnish with the toasted walnuts, and more chocolate if you like.

Serves 4

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The New Irish Table by Darina Allen, Martin Bealin, Derry Clarke, Ultan Cooke, Kevin Dundon, Catherine Fulvio, Neven Maguire, Noel McMeel, Ian Orr, Tim O'Sullivan, Leslie Conron Carola. Copyright © 2017 Arena Books Associates, LLC. Excerpted by permission of Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

FOREWORD Tourism Ireland, 6,
INTRODUCTION, 8,
MEET THE CHEFS, 10,
LEINSTER Essay by Peter Harbison, 12,
L'Ecrivain, Dublin — Derry Clarke, 18,
Ballyknocken Cookery School, Wicklow — Catherine Fulvio, 36,
Dunbrody House, Wexford — Kevin Dundon, 56,
MUNSTER Essay by Peter Harbison, 76,
Ballymaloe Cookery School, Cork — Darina Allen, 82,
Global Village, Kerry — Martin Bealin, 108,
CONNACHT Essay by Peter Harbison, 128,
Ballynahinch Castle, Galway — Ultan Cooke, 134,
Renvyle House, Galway — Tim O'Sullivan, 154,
ULSTER Essay by Peter Harbison, 172,
Browns, Derry — Ian Orr, 178,
Lough Erne Resort, Fermanagh — Noel McMeel, 196,
MacNean House, Cavan — Neven Maguire, 214,
RECIPES BY CHEF, 232,
INDEX, 234,
PHOTO CREDITS and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, 239,

Editorial Reviews

Irish cooking in the twenty-first century has grown from the homey, staid, insular, and hidebound into a recognized part of world fine cuisine, thanks in no small part to a handful of chefs who have taken lessons learned abroad and married them to superior native meats and vegetables. Organized by region and county, recipes from each chef offer several menus, from casual lunches to formal dinner fare. The book’s accessibility for home cooks is enhanced by both metric and American measurements; nevertheless, some ingredients that may lend authenticity, such as seashore greens and seaweed, may be daunting to duplicate this side of the Emerald Isle. Anyone searching for truth-in-cookery photographs will gratefully note that accompanying captions and comments detail how the pictured dishes may vary from the recipes’ ingredients. This sort of assiduousness raises this celebration of Irish food a bit beyond mere coffee-table decoration.
—Booklist

The New Irish Table is a luxuriant color photographic tour through the provinces and famous regions of Ireland, with celebratory side visits to Irish celebrity chefs' kitchens in Dublin, Wicklow, Cork, Kerry, Galway, Derry, Fermanagh, and Cavan. Some of the chefs featured include Derry Clarke, Catherine Fulvio, Kevin Dundon, Darina Allen, Martin Bealin, Ultan Cooke, Tim O'Sullivan, Ian Orr, Noel McMeel, and Neven Maguire. If you were able to visit some of the finest cookery schools, fine dining establishments, and chefs to be found in Ireland, you would perhaps taste a few of these sumptuous recipes which feature the best of local resources. Fantastically beautiful photographs of Irish scenes help to frame and place each set of treasured recipes. measurements are given in standard form, with metric weights and volumes added. Some of the featured dishes include Seared Lamb and Beetroot Salad, Smoked Salmon with Cucumber Pickle, Cod, octopus, Purple Broccoli, Broccoli Puree, and Horseradish Mayonnaise, Crispy Duck Breast with Glazed Butternut Squash and Star Anise Jus, Braised Lamb with pearl Barley Risotto (West Kerry Lamb), Whipped Goat cheese with Beet Slaw and Apple Syrup, and more. For desserts, there are recipes for Sheep Yogurt Mousse with Marinated Strawberries and Mint, Vanilla Panna Cotta with Honeycomb, Raspberry Cheesecake, Victoria Sponge with Strawberries, and a personal favorite, Guinness Chocolate cupcakes, also Lemon Curd with Meringue and Raspberries. For classic tea accompaniments, there are Ballyknocken Tea Scones and Ballymaloe Brown Yeast Bread. Some recipes call for uniquely Irish ingredients, but they are included to tempt the reader to further culinary and geographic explorations. All are freshly presented and imagined, such as Carpaccio of Scallops with Chili, Lemon, and Wood Sorrel, or Wood pigeon, Gooseberry, and Spinach/ A delight such as Renvyle House Berry Trifle is delicately introduced embellished with amaretti biscuits. Hearty traditional Irish fare is not neglected, including such recipes as Traditional Fish and Chips, and Smoked Irish Salmon, Cream Cheese, and Traditional Boxty. Each recipe is presented on one page opposite a beautiful photo portrait of the finished dish. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. For a beautiful cook book that is at least half stunning scenic Irish photo portraits, treat yourself to "The New Irish Table." It is surely the next best thing to a journey to that great green, sea- encircled land.
—Midwest Book Review

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