Sunday Brunch

I know today isn't Sunday but keep your plans open for a change. As last Sunday was mothers day (Sunday the 18th of March) my sister and I decided it would be nice to bring "the mother" out for a Sunday brunch in Howth, we went to the House which is just up the hill (towards the church on the same side of the street as centra).

It was kind of busy, I haven't been there before so I don't know if it was busy because it was mothers day or that's just how it is on a Sunday, anyway the service was great, anyone who knows me knows I love my coffee so we had that to start and it was fantastic!!, really good coffee not to strong not too weak - just right!

I was torn between the pancakes with either the crispy bacon and melon or with the fruits- so I decided neither, I had the chicken and apple sausages with mash and gravy, don't forget this is brunch by the time the food came it was almost half one and in my house on a Sunday that's the time the roast is out on the table.

The sausages were really nice I didn't really get a chicken flavour but the had this subtle sweetness which was really nice, the gravy tasted like it has caramelised onions in it but there were no onions just the sweet yet savoury flavour which was really nice, the mash was perfect no lumps - which is a pet hate if you can't mash potatoes properly there is something wrong!

We finished off the meal with some more coffee of course and with 5 people all having breakfast and tea/coffee it came to about 60 euro. So if your looking for a change, a treat some Sunday why not try the house?
http://www.thehouse-howth.ie

Passion-fruit Creme Brulee

This is a great dish, can be altered to contain different flavours. But today i'm doing passion-fruit. This recipe makes 6 decent sized creme brulees and to accompany these your could serve the shortbread from earlier, you don't have to is just a suggestion.

500ml Cream
250ml Milk
113g Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod/Vanilla essence will substitute about 1 tbsp

8 Egg Yolks
4 passion fruit

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150/gas mark 2
2. Prepare the ramekins (make sure they are clean and if possible all the same size)
3. Infuse the milk, cream and sugar with the vanilla in a pot/saucepan and allow to boil.
4. when the mixture has come to the boil, add to the egg yolks and whisk vigorously!
5. return the mixture to the saucepan and back on the heat, keep whisking until you feel the mix has thickened slightly too much and you will scramble it!
6. Pass through a strainer and into a clean container, you could retain the mix by cooling down completely in cold water and storing in the fridge. 
7. If using immediately, strain and ladle equal amounts into each ramekin, in each ramekin should be a teaspoon to a tablespoon of passionfruit then put in a deep tray and fill the tray up to 2/3 (in height of the ramekins) with water.
8. Cook for 18/20 mins, to check wobble the brulees and if it appears set around on top it is done if not return to the oven for a further 5 minutes than check again.
9. Put on a wire tray to cool, and leave in the fridge until your ready to serve.
10. To serve, sprinkle with brown sugar and caramelise with a blow torch, careful not to burn the sugar, *dust with some icing sugar, chop a strawberry in half and serve with the shortbread. 

*Optional

Pancakes

Pancakes are great for the weekend, Sunday breakfast or in my house anyway Sunday night tea! They are not your typical pancakes, they're thick and like the pancakes you buy in a supermarket not the thin crepe like ones. They don't take a lot of prep time, and there is no whipping of egg whites. But to get the best out of this mix it has to be room temperature, it can last up to a week in the fridge. This mix makes 2 litres of pancake batter which is equal to ... a lot of pancakes, if I am making this i might divide it in half or by three but you needed a recipe for a large number this is great. Hasn't failed me .....yet!

4 Eggs
1150ml Buttermilk
750g self-Raising Flour
50g Butter (Melted)

Method:

1. Put the butter and the flour in a mixer.
2. Add the milk and mix at a low speed
3. Turn up the speed
4. Add the eggs
5. Mix until the mixture is smooth.

You can serve this anyway you want; with berries and creme fraiche, with bacon and maple syrup (my favourite!) or with a squeeze of lemon and sugar. The possibilities are endless. 

Brownies

Chocolate brownies are great for parties as you can get a few portions out of the one mix. If you want you can add some lightly roasted hazelnuts for a crunchy texture.

Brownies:

 

140g good quality chocolate

113g unsalted butter

15g cocoa powder

200g castor sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

95g plain flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

125g chocolate chips

Pre-Prep:

Combine the sugar and the cocoa powder

Combine the flour salt and the chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 177 degrees / gas mark 3/4 and place the rack in the centre of the oven.
2. Grease a square pan.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a large stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder and sugar.
4. Next, whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and chocolate chips.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with a little batter and a few moist clumps clinging to it.
7. Do not over bake.
8. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
9. Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream it’s so good!!!

Lime Cupcakes with Lemon Butter-cream, with a Philly, Lemon, Vanilla centre

This recipe I made up by going what was in the fridge and in the cupboard. I love citrus flavour and lemon and lime has to be a personal favourite. I was thinking of putting both flavours in the cupcake but I didn't want it to be too overpowering. This recipe makes 12

Vanilla Cupcake:

113g Unsalted Butter (Softened)

130g Castor Sugar

3 Large Eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla

Zest of 1 Lime

195g Plain Flour

1.5 Tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

60ml Milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees/ gas mark 4 
2. Line a 12 muffin/cupcake tray
3. In the bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. 
4. Add the eggs, slowly as to avoid splitting the mix.. 
5. Beat in the vanilla extract and the zest of 1 lime
6. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
7. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk.
8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
9. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the mix and bake for about 17 -20 minutes or just until set.
10. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 
11. They need to be cool before adding the Philadelphia centre and the butter-cream top.

Butter-cream:



230g Icing Sugar
113g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
1 Tsp Vanilla
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Milk/Light Cream
Food Colours (If Desired)

Method:

Place the butter in a bowl and cream until pale and smooth, add the sugar and continue beating add the vanilla and the zest.

Philadelphia Filling:

1 Tub of extra light Philadelphia
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Tbsp Vanilla
25g Icing Sugar

Method: 

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well, and set aside until the vanilla cupcakes are completely cooled. Then using a small nozzle, go through the centre of the cupcakes and fill with the Philadelphia filling,
Then using a star nozzle pipe the butter-cream and finish with some hundreds and thousands.

Breakfast!

What a lovely day in Dublin today - not!. So I decided why not make the most of a bad day and have a good start... with a good breakfast. I went with the rich option of Eggs Benedict. I made mine without the bacon, but with some homemade basil bread and some poached eggs and Hollandaise it makes the perfect breakfast, just finished off with some sea salt and cracked black pepper. - Yum!

Bread Recipe:

560g Strong Flour
10g Sea Salt
5g Dried Yeast
300ml Luke-Warm Water
20ml Oil
20g Pesto

Method:

1. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and using the dough hook mix in the combined yeast and water, the pesto. Mix until the dough forms a smooth appearance.
2. Leave to prove in a warm area for 40 minutes or until doubled in size, then form the dough into the desired shape and leave to prove again for 40 minutes or until doubled in size. then cook for 40 minutes in a preheated oven at gas mark 6/ 220 degrees. 

*To check the bread is thoroughly cooked, wen you take it from the oven, knock on the base of the bread and if it sounds hollow it is ready, leave to cool slightly before cutting.


Hollandaise:

This is the french classic accompaniment to most fish dishes, it can be tricky to make but to make it once is all it takes. It goes well with some egg dishes too.

Hollandaise Sauce

114g Unsalted Butter

2 Crushed White Peppercorns

20ml Vinegar

2 Egg Yolks

Method:

1. Place the butter in a heatproof bowl and gently melt in the microwave.
2. Add the eggs, vinegar and pepper to a mixing bowl and using a electric hand blander whiz the egg yolk mixture and slowly add the butter until all combined. 
3. Check the seasoning. Leave at room temperature until needed.

Eggs:

After watching Heston's new show "How to cook like Heston" he made poached eggs on the first episode and I thought yeah I'm gonna have to do something with this using his full proof never fail method. You need a large pot of water a thermometer some eggs. 

Method:

Add the eggs to the almost boiled water approx. 80 degrees and cook for 2 minutes. Then remove and set aside.

Assembly:

Toast some of the bread you have made, (you could be toasting while poaching the eggs). Place the eggs on top then you put some of the hollandaise on top then garnish with some sea salt and cracked pepper, some fresh herbs couldn't hurt too.

What's For Dinner? - Dublin Coddle

Coddle, as its name probably gives it away originated in Dublin, its a really (really) old Irish dish mainly peasant food. Not usually seen outside of Dublin. there is no one recipe for it as many families would have customed it. You wont find it in any cookbook and some people have never heard of it. By looking at the ingredients your going to think - that's disgusting i don't blame you it doesn't sound too appealing but when made right its unbelievable! This recipe would serve 4. It uses up most of the ingredients you would have from your Sunday fry up.

450g Streaky Rashers        

450g Sausages

3 Large Onions, Peeled, And Chopped           

200g Floury Potatoes, Peeled

6 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, Chopped       

Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste

500ml Water/Milk              

Method:

1. Cut the potatoes into fairly large pieces (leave them whole if small).
2. Chop the fresh parsley.
3. Choose a heavy pot with a really tight-fitting lid.
4. Put a generous layer of chopped onions on the bottom and then layer the other ingredients, giving each layer a generous twist of pepper.
5. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a bare simmer.
6. Cover very tightly. Cook for 2–5 hours!
7. The longer and slower the cooking, the better this dish will be.
8. It cannot come to any harm providing the lid is really tight.
9. A very low oven is best, set at 120 degrees/ gas mark 1.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise (1 large jar/ 500g approx)

3 Egg Yolks

½ Teaspoon Of Salt

1 Teaspoon Of Dijon Mustard

1 Teaspoon of Wholegrain Mustard

3 Capfuls of White Wine Vinegar

600ml Oil (200ml Sunflower, 400ml Olive Oil)

Method:

1. Combine egg yolks, salt and mustard.
2. Add lemon juice or vinegar and mix well.
3. Slowly start adding the oil
4. When the sauce thickens, the oil may be added more quickly.
5. A word of warning, if, before the sauce begins to thicken, the oil is added more then a drop at a time, the mayonnaise may curdle.
6. The mix may be too thick so add a little water at the end to loosen the mix a bit and to whiten it 

Madeira

Who doesn't like a slice of Madeira cake with a nice cup of tea on a Sunday night, or in this case a Friday, Makes approx 2 1lb loafs.

Madeira Sponge

454g Margarine or Butter

454g Caster Sugar

8 Eggs

510g Self Raising Flour

56g Lemon Peel

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar together until a light a fluffy consistency is achieved.
2. Add eggs beating in gradually until fully absorbed.
3. Fold in the sifted flour (you can add the zest to the flour) and mix until a smooth creamy texture is formed, take care not to over mix.
4. Place equal quantities in two greased and floured loaf tins smooth the tops. 
5. Bake at 177ºC / gas mark 3/4 for approximately 15 – 20 minutes.
6. When cooked, de-mould onto wire racks, place in fridge to chill.
7. Slice with a clean knife, dust with fine icing sugar

Lemon Tart

This recipe can be done with individual mould or one large ring either way it makes this amazing lemon tart, it can be sharp so if you don't particularly like sharp flavours i would add a little extra sugar and the juice of 4 just to make it a bit sweeter in flavour. 

Lemon Tart 

1 lb of Sweet Pastry

9 Eggs

400g Sugar

5 Lemon (Zest of 2 and Juice of 5)

250ml Double Cream

Method:

1. Grate lemon zest, squeeze out juice, strain and reserve along with the zests. 
2. Break the eggs into a large bowl, add the sugar, whisk until smooth and blended, add the lemon.
3. Whisk the cream very lightly, add to the egg mixture, mixing lightly, leave to chill for 1 hour. Line an 8in. flan case with the pastry, proceed to bake blind for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove from the oven carefully remove the beans and paper, brush the inside of the flan case with egg yolks and sugar. 
5. Return to oven and cook for a further 5 minutes fill the flan case with the lemon filling, return to the oven and cook for 30 min at 120°C / gas mark 1 allow the tart to chill, prior to serving dust with icing sugar.