Confit pork belly

Confit Irish pork belly with spiced cauliflower roast carrot and parsnip purée

Ingredients
2 kilo pork belly
Coarse Irish Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1 bunch Rosemary
In a plastic container scatter some sea salt pepper and rosemary and place the belly down on this then repeat process on top of the meat then seal the container and place in the fridge for 24 hours this renders and flavours  the meat and removes excess water.
When 24 hours have passed brush off excess salt pepper and thyme and dry the meat

In a pot that will fit your belly of pork place
2 litres of of melted duck fat
4 Apples
1 tablespoon of juniper berries
4 bay leaves
Lay a cartouche on top then seal with cling film and run foil and finally a heavy lid place on a very low heat for 4 1/2 hours
Alternatively at 120c in the oven

Once cooked cool and set in a lined tray and weight down and press over night

Parsnip purée
4 parsnips
700ml chicken stock
4 shallots
100g butter
Seasoning
Method
Sweat shallots and parsnip on a medium heat with the butter then add chicken stock and cook until soft purée in a blender and season to taste

Roast cauliflower
Trim your florets toss in olive oil sea salt and a blend of spices we use green saffron eastern confit spice blend roast at 180c for 5 to 8 minutes

To serve
Bring a pan to high heat and place your portioned  pork belly service side down first for 3 minutes then add the carrot and place in the oven for 8 minutes then add the cauliflower for a further 2 then plate with drizzle of high bank orchard syrup 

Going back to basics

From time to time I get notions to go back to Recipies I haven't tried since I first trained in collage or even when I returned to college for my degree it is good to refresh ones mind of the classics and adapt them to more modern uses the latest trial was pommes dauphine a savoury choux pastry combined with pomme purée cayenne pepper and crushed new potatoes and a success it was

Something zesty

Lemon curd adds a bit of zest to your life use it in desserts on toast or even folded through yogurt 

Ingredients 

2 eggs 

2 lemons juice and zest 

160g castor sugar 

70g butter 

Place all ingredients in a heat proof bowl and place on a pot if simmering water whisk until ingredients have combined and beging to thicken 

Plates a go-go

Following some of my fellow chef and cureing salmon in beetroot also smoked with Earl Grey tea

Monkfish with spiced walnuts carrot Jerusalem artichokes & Ballyhoura mushrooms

Collar of bacon

Fresh

There is nothing like cooking with and eating fresh, seasonal, local ingredients. What is your favourite right now?

Green with Envy

Lovely and fresh lemon sole with crab & spinach velouté made our specials menu one night. It was very popular and you can see why. It'll make you want to eat your greens!

Citrusy zing with your breakfast

Lemon curd is a zesty zingy curd which is quite simple to make and wonderful on toast. I use a recipe from the first cookbook from the cliff house hotel in Ardmore Co. Waterford many curd recipies are very similar using 2 eggs, 2 lemon juiced , 190g sugar and 90g butter.
In the cliff to make it that bit more luxurious as the hotels surroundings they use the addition of saffron.
I omit the saffron as it is as expensive as gold per weight .

Whilst cooking the curd in my metal bowl on a pot at simmering water whisking the above mentioned ingredients flavours began to go through my mind, the addition of flavours such as elderflower , lavender, rosemary to name but a few would wonderfully enhance the curd.

What flavours do you think can enhance the curd ?

Eggs Benidict the Fenn's Quay way

We have made the eggs bendict our own by using our home made soda bread.
What is special about our soda bread is we use Feirm Úr buttermilk from local farmers John & Mary Cronin from Belgooly it has transformed our soda to something quite unique.

How would you make this traditional dish your own ?

Majorcan wine well worth trying when you visit the island

For several years I have been taking a weeks holidays to Majorca with family to an area north of the island called C'an Pica Fort in the bay of Alcudia , a very relaxed area and a fantastic beach, over the years we have tried to stay with the local style restaurants & discover the Majorcan wines . They are light and fruity but tend to be high in alcohol due to the hot climate but vary from year depending on rain fall etc. in the white wines they use moll, chardonnay and macabeo. The reds are made with calley cabernet and merlot generally. Here are a few snap shots of wines I tried this year all I would recommend.

Majorca also has a tradition of producing vinegars such as balsamic , olive oils, capers (that have healing properties), peppers, aubergienes, tomatoes & almonds are a main crop on the island.

A 2 hour flight from Cork and many places to visit on the island that are tranquil & beautiful. I find this time of the year best to go as it not to hot but still you get your dose of vitamin D for the winter months.

Tip if your in a local restaurant they may have their own brew herbas a liquer made with Lemon grass, camomile, rosemary, lemon balm and fennel truely an experience