Carpaccio Of Beef With Roast Aubergine And Balsamic Vinegar

Its summer, its hot - sometimes, but the past few weeks have been nice so why not try something different?This dish is great a starter or a main course, the only thing is as its raw beef it has to be really high in quality!!! Do not buy it from a supermarket, get it from a butchers.

150ml Balsamic Vinegar  

½ Aubergine        

Parmesan Cheese, For Garnish        

300g Beef Fillet   

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper   

Crusty Bread To Serve      

Method:

1. Cut Aubergine length ways and crush garlic in its skin. In olive oil sauté the Aubergine and garlic and allow to cool.
2. Thinly slice the fillet of beef and pound between oiled cling film and arrange on plate.
3. To serve sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
4. Arrange Aubergine and garlic on top with some salad leaves. Shave Parmesan over the top and serve with crusty bread.

Passion-fruit Sorbet

I know I haven't written on a while, I started my new job as a pastry chef in a hotel and that has been keeping me so busy. Between that and being without internet for 6 weeks didn't help either.

This recipe is great for the heatwave that we are having and I saw on Groupon this week that they had ice cream makers so if anyone picked one up or if you have one at home already this is great for something refreshing.  You can make ot without an ice cream machine but it will take a little longer but the end result is worth it.

Passion fruit is a favourite of mine it is sweet and tart and the colour is just amazing, this sorbet is great even just by itself!

500ml Water

150g Granulated Sugar

500g Passion-fruit Puree

1 Egg White

Method:

1. Combine the sugar and water and make stock syrup (heated until the sugar is dissolved and the mix has a slight syrup consistency)
2. Add the puree
3. Churn and add the egg whites at 0 degrees and churn to -6 degrees

Different Beef Cuts (Irish)

Living down the country, as of this weekend and seeing the cows in the fields around me, taking it for granted living in the city, you really get to see where your meat comes from. Most people go to the butchers and order the well known cuts; steaks, rib eye, housekeepers cut. But do you really know where the cuts are from? I have here the diagram of the Irish cuts of beef, and this could be good for you internationals as Ireland exports most of its beef!

Rib: Back Ribs, Rib Eye Steak, Rib Roast

Shank: Shank Cross Cut

Short Loin: Porterhouse Steak, T-Bone Steak

Sirloin: Sirloin Steak, Tenderloin Steak

Bottom Sirloin: Bottom Sirloin Roast

Top Sirloin: Top Sirloin Steak

Chuck: Mock Tender Roast, Boneless Top Blade Roast

Brisket: Whole Brisket

Round: Round Steak, Round Rump Roast

Flank: Flank Steak

Plate: Skirt Steak

Baileys Bread and Butter Pudding

This is just....mmmmm.... it can't be described using words just sounds, you can make this without the Baileys but you would be really missing out.

Baileys Custard

3 Tbsp Baileys
2 Egg Yolks
75g Castor Sugar
200ml Cream

Pudding

Bread
Butter
Chocolate Chips

Method:

Butter the bread, I cut off the crusts first for aesthetic purposes but if you would like a more rustic look leave the crust on. Once you have a layer done sprinkle with chocolate chips and repeat the process.

For the Custard: 

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar
2. Bring the cream to the boil
3. Cool gently 
4. Add the cream to the egg yolks and sugar and whisk vigorously
5. Return to the pot and cook until thickened
6. Strain.

Then pour the custard over the bread until covered and bake at gas mark 4/180 degrees for 30-40 minutes. If you sprinkle some brown sugar on the top before putting it in the oven it adds a light caramel flavour to the pudding.

Serve then with remaining custard and some whipped creamy - Lovely! 

Chocolate Sorbet

I haven't posted a recipe in a while, I was finishing up my thesis but now that it is done and dusted how about a treat? With the sudden weather change the sales of ice-cream are starting to rise so why not try out this recipe, perfect for an ice-cream fix. This is a combination sorbet and ice-cream and yet neither, as this recipe has milk which sorbet doesn't have but there are no egg yolks which and ice cream usually has, so it’s almost like a frozen chocolate sauce. But it is really good!

200g Cocoa Powder

500g Dark Chocolate

500g Sugar

2 Litres of Milk

Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients
2. Bring to the boil
3. Cool and churn in and Ice Cream Maker
4. Enjoy!!

Praline

Praline is great in ice cream, parfaits even chocolates or to garnish a dessert. It is quite simple to make and you can just store in in an airtight box in a dry area.

200g Caster Sugar

60g Glucose

100ml Water

60g Almonds –Toasted

60g Pistachios – Toasted

60g Hazelnuts – Toasted

Method:

1. Boil the sugar, water and glucose to a caramel stage
2. Add all of the toasted nuts
3. Pour out onto a silicone matt and allow to cool
4. You can then either blitz the praline or break it up into pieces.

You could make popcorn praline by adding cooked popcorn to the praline as it is cooling down 

Guacamole

Seeing as today is St Patrick's Day, the recipe had to have some green in it, so here you go!

Guacamole is a great accompaniment to chili con carne it is also great with some tortilla chips and dip or even in a chicken wrap.

 Guacamole

2 Avocado

Fresh Coriander

3 Tomatoes

1 Chili

Juice of 4 Limes

Lime Zest

Seasoning

Method:

Chop the tomatoes and dice the chilies and chop the avocado I half and mash with a fork and add the tomatoes and the chilies with the remainder of the ingredients (for a quicker way remove the avocado from the skin and remove the seed and quarter the tomatoes and roughly chop the chili and place in a food mixer with the remainder if the ingredients.

Confit of duck, Lentils A La Crème with a Port Sauce

This recipe is FANTASTIC!, succulent duck with a rich sauce and creamy lentils, its definitely something different and i would recommend that you try it, its not that hard to make and would make ti appear as thought you have Gordon Ramsay-esque skills in the kitchen. This recipe serves 2.

Confit of Duck, Creamy lentils and a port sauce

2 Duck Legs 

Sliced Orange              

½ Tsp Of Nutmeg

3-4 Juniper Berries              

½ Tsp Of Clove

Piece Of Cinnamon            

2 Tsp Of Salt

Piece Of Star Anise             

1tsp Of White Pepper

Course Sea Salt   

Duck Or Goose Fat             

Small Mirepoix   

Piece Of Fresh Ginger

Method:

1. Trim duck legs (fat and knuckle bones).
2. If liked the thighbone may be completely removed.
3. Sprinkle with course sea and allow to sit, Prepare all other ingredients
4. Mix seasoning together and wash the salt from the duck legs and dry thoroughly.
5. Rub on seasoning and place mirepoix in braising pan and other ingredients.
6. Place duck on top and cover with melted duck fat.
7. Gently bring to the boil and place in a low oven for 2-2 ½ hours.
8. When cooked remove duck from the fat and crisp under hot grill or in hot oven.

Chocolate Beetroot Macaroons

Beetroot is great in salads, in risotto, soup, borscht it can be boiled, roasted, caramelized....it can do almost anything, I love doing sweet savoury, and beetroot has this sweetness to it. This is a classic sweet savoury combination, if you are looking to try something a little different. The only thing is when you are dealing with beetroot you must wear gloves or your hands will be purple for a day or 2.

150g Egg Whites
100g Caster Sugar
180g Ground Almonds
270g Icing Sugar
30g Cocoa Powder

200g Dark Chocolate
180g Whipping Cream
2 Drops of Ginger Extract
400g Unsalted Butter
100g Cooked Beetroot, Finely Grated/Pureed

Beetroot:

1. I would roast it, so preheat the oven to 200/ gas mark 5/6 depending on your oven, wrap the unpeeled beetroot in tin-foil and bake for 45 minutes, if you have a pair of rubber gloves - wear them, having pink/purple hands for the day or two is not fun at all. 
2. Take them out of the oven and when they are still warm, unwrap the tin-foil and peel the skin of the beetroot, then you can grate it and set it aside, if you want you could puree it to get a smoother texture. Then allow to cool.

Method:

1. Whip the egg whites to meringue and add the caster sugar.
2. Fold in the dry ingredients
3. For the filling: whipe the cream and fold in the beetroot puree - check for sweetness, add a pinch of suagr if you think it is necessary.
4. Bake at 120 degrees/gas mark 2-3 for 12 minutes

Marshmallows

I love marshmallows, perfect when there is a BBQ going but seeing as this is Ireland it is usually one day during the three months of Summer. Marshmallows are not just perfect for BBQ they complete a hot chocolate for those really cold nights, especially this time for the year.

250g Sugar

250g Glucose

85g Water

12g Leaf Gelatin – soaked in cold water

60g Egg Whites

Method:

1. Make an Italian meringue by bring the first three ingredients to 127’ and cool slightly before adding to the stiffly beaten egg whites.
2. Add the dissolved gelatin until the mix begins to set
3. Spread onto parchment paper lined tray with icing sugar on the bottom and the top and allow to set overnight, and then cut into squares, alternatively you could fill a piping bag and pipe into individual shapes.