Maple Pecan Upside-Down Cake

I was recently asked why I set up this blog.

The answer is very simple. I love food. I love cooking it, eating it and I love writing about it. I believe that food brings people together in a world where we seem to spend so much time rushing and racing around before moving on to the next best thing. I also passionately believe that Ireland has some of the best produce available anywhere in the world and that this should be celebrated. When you feel so enthusiastic and genuinely interested in a subject, writing about it is hugely enjoyable. I get the chance to do that here on my blog.

Many of my early posts were recipes but more recently I have started writing restaurant reviews. This is great fun but also something that I take terribly seriously. I firmly believe that my reviews should be about the food that I have eaten and the restaurants that I have dined in. The reviews should not be about me or used as a vehicle to massage my own ego.  Inevitably, my personality comes through in my writing but this is ancillary to the reviews themselves and, in my opinion, rightly so. As an aside, writing reviews is actually far more difficult than it seems but this doesn’t take away from the pleasure that I get from doing it.

It may sound disingenuous but I still feel humbled when someone says that they have liked something that I have written or that they have tried one of my recipes. I love writing and will continue doing it; the fact that others may enjoy reading my ramblings is a total bonus.

It is in this context that I was thrilled to learn that I was one of the finalists in the Foodie of the Year category for the 2015 AA Ireland Hospitality Awards to be held in a couple of days’ time in Dublin’s Westbury Hotel. I am really looking forward to the evening and to catching up with many of the great people that I have met over the past couple of years. I will be delighted with whoever wins the award as all the nominees are people who I respect greatly and whose writing I enjoy reading.

Anyway, the truth is I have a load of writing to catch up on and plan on doing that this week but yesterday I felt the urge to do a spot baking. I find baking very therapeutic and feel that it helps to re-focus me if I have a lot on. I happily lose myself in measuring out flour, butter, sugar and eggs and everything that baking entails!

This is my latest creation, made because I had all the ingredients to hand and because I fancied something a little nutty. My version is based on a recipe that appeared in Woman and Home magazine but I have tweaked and adapted it to suit my own tastes. Like so many of the cakes that I bake, this one can be served on its own or as a dessert. Either way, it tastes fabulous. If you like you can substitute walnuts for the pecans used but I love the classic pairing of pecans with maple syrup.

Ingredients:

Topping:

75g butter

50ml pure maple syrup

3tblsp light brown muscovado sugar

125g shelled pecans left whole

Cake:

2 large eggs, separated

175g butter, softened

225g caster sugar

225g self-raising flour, sieved

115ml milk

3tblsp strong coffee

1tsp vanilla extract

75g pecans, finely chopped

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170C/Fan Oven 150C/Gas Mark 3. Grease and base-line a 23cm round cake tin with some non-stick baking parchment and set aside.

Topping:

2. Place the butter, maple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan and place over a moderate heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has melted and the mixture is just beginning to bubble.

3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before pouring into the base of the prepared cake tin.

4. Place the whole pecans, rounded side down in the syrup mixture, arranging them in concentric circles.

Cake:

5. Firstly, place the egg whites in a clean bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer fitter with spotlessly clean whisks attached, beat the egg whites to the firm peak stage. Set aside.

6. Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer, beat together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and mix these through until they are totally incorporated.

7. Gradually add the flour; alternating it with the milk until everything is just combined but do not over-beat the mixture. Fold in the egg whites, making sure that they are well mixed in. Add the coffee, vanilla extract and chopped pecans and fold through.

8. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin on top of the arranged pecans and smooth out using a spatula of the back of a metal spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before upturning onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Serves 10-12.

 

Plum & Blueberry Crumble

I always loved Sundays when I was a child as this was the day that we would all sit down together as a family and have dinner in my grandmother’s house. Her meals were legendary and always tasted delicious. Although we rarely ate desserts during the week, we always knew that there would be a tasty treat to follow the main course on a Sunday.
 

I loved the pavlovas, mousses and chilled baked custards she made during the summer months but really looked forward to autumn when she would start to serve comforting hot puddings. Top of the list were crumbles. I loved her apple crumble and used to go weak at the knees with each spoonful of her rhubarb crumble… with a large dollop of freshly whipped cream, they couldn’t be improved on! I vividly remember so many of those family meals and the wonderful food that we ate.

 

The great thing about crumbles is that they are incredible easy to make and you can use a whole range of fruits to take advantage of whatever is in season. Although both apple and rhubarb crumbles will always hold a special place in my heart because they were the variations my grandmother made most often, I also like to include other fruits. This recipe uses plums and blueberries but feel free to experiment and use your favourite fruits.

 

Even though I have made a very basic crumble mixture here using just flour, butter and sugar, this can also be adapted to include spices for extra flavour. You can also include some finely chopped nuts or oats in the crumble mixture to create something a little different.

Ingredients:

Filling:
12 plums, halved, stoned and sliced
150g blueberries, fresh or frozen

75g sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

1tblsp flour

Crumble mixture:

200g plain flour

120g butter, cubed

75g caster sugar
 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan Oven 160C/Gas mark 4.

Filling:

2. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and then tumble into 6 individual ramekins (about 200ml capacity) or a 1.5litre oven-proof baking dish. Place on a baking tray and set aside.

Crumble:

3. Place the flour into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the caster sugar and mix through until it is evenly distributed. Pile the crumble on top of the fruit in the ramekins (or baking dish) and bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes (allow an extra 10 minutes if baking in one dish) until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling up around the edges.

Serves 6.

 

Restaurant Review: RAW - Sushi in the Sky at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway

There is something very modest and unassuming about RAW which is located on the top floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Galway. There is nothing flashy or gimmicky about the restaurant and my worries that it might have a conference or hotel room feel were quickly dispelled on entering through its doors. The dining room is spacious and airy with wonderful views of Lough Atalia which on the rainy, wind-swept evening I visited provided a brooding backdrop to my meal.

Deep Fried Mixed White Fish

Praise is due to the Radisson Blu for introducing something new to the Galway dining scene as it would have been easy to just open another fine dining restaurant in the hotel. In RAW, under chef Hishashi Kumagai, those in search of something  different  now have the chance to sample an exciting selection of authentic sushi and sashimi which are made, where possible, using the finest quality Irish fish and seafood. A small selection of sakes and whiskies is also available to complete the Japanese dining experience.

There is something about Japanese food that intrigues and enthrals me. I love the contradictions that it presents and especially how it takes such great skill to produce food that looks so simple. Key to the success or failure of many Japanese dishes is the careful juxtaposition of flavours to create food that is harmoniously balanced but which still surprises the taste buds.

Edamame Beans

Many people mistakenly believe that sushi is all about raw fish but in fact, the term ‘sushi’ refers specifically to the slightly sticky vinegared rice that is used to make it. Sushi can include nigiri (where fish is draped over hand-formed balls of rice), maki (rolls usually made using nori or toasted seaweed sheets) or temaki (hand-rolled cones of sushi rice wrapped in seaweed). Although fish is commonly paired with the rice to make sushi, vegetables and even meats can also be used. Sashimi refers to raw fish usually thinly sliced, often served with soy sauce and wasabi on the side.

The first thing that strikes you about the menu in RAW is that you need to cast aside any pre-conceptions regarding the 3-course meal format that we are more familiar with in this country. Many of the dishes in RAW are made up of several bite-sized offerings and are designed to be shared and, as such, you may end up ordering a number of them. However, if you are unsure about what to choose, the knowledgeable and attentive waiting staff will be more than happy to advise you. On the night that I dined there, I was feeling adventurous, so asked whether Chef Kuma would prepare a selection of dishes for me that he felt best represented and showcased the food on offer in RAW.

Maki; California Roll

The first dish to arrive was Deep Fried Mixed White Fish. Here, a trio of white fish which included John Dory, halibut and monkfish had been fried in the crispiest of light-as-air tempura batters. Served with thin ribbons of very lightly pickled cucumber and a restrained amount of a wasabi mayonnaise, this was a very clever dish.

A small bowl of Salted Edamame Beans was next up which I enjoyed with a hot Akashi Jai Hanjozo Sake. The beans were steamed whole, still encased in their pods and seasoned with just the right amount of salt. I enjoyed the ritual of podding them myself so that the beans popped directly into my mouth. There was something about the combination of hot sake with the beans that was so satisfying to eat and induced a deep sense of well-being within me.

Salmon Belly Maki

California Rolls generously filled with crabmeat, avocado, mustard and mayonnaise were then served along with some Vegetable Maki. The California Rolls had been formed with a thin layer of nori in their centre which really accentuated the sweetness of the crabmeat that had been used. They were rolled in toasted sesame seeds just before serving. The eight pieces of Vegetable Maki were perfectly constructed using nori to encase a layer of rice around a core of cucumber, avocado and marinated onion which was delicious. I loved the inclusion of the onion which imparted a wonderful sweetness which played well against the feint taste of vinegar in the rice. Both were served with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi.
 

Rice is obviously the fundamental element in sushi and it cannot be overstated how important it is to get right. Cook it for too long and it becomes claggy. Ideally, each grain should cling to its neighbour in a slightly stand-offish way so that they ‘embrace’ like tentative lovers but are not glued together. The sushi in RAW was made using rice that was absolutely perfect. It was served at room temperature so that the flavours were not dulled from having been chilled.

Miso Soup

A small selection of Salmon Belly Maki was next up and had been rolled with a little wasabi and some mustard cress. Topped with some tobiko (flying fish-roe), these maki had an almost cleansing effect in the mouth and I absolutely loved them.

The next dish a Miso Soup was stunning in its simplicity. Each spoonful of this soy bean paste soup which included scallions and wakame, another type of seaweed, was heavenly. Richly flavoured, the soup managed to feel light yet was also incredibly comforting to eat. The inclusion of cubes of tofu with their slightly springy texture gave the soup body.

Of all the sushi that I ate, the Spider Roll really stands out as it was unlike anything that I had eaten before. It possessed an astonishing depth of flavour for something that merely included rice, deep-fried soft-shell crab with avocado and a little mustard cress. I particularly liked the slightly crunchy texture of the crab which contrasted beautifully with the creamy avocado.

Salmon Nigiri

One word describes the Nigiri which were then served… outstanding! Here different pieces of fish were lovingly draped over hand-formed balls of rice. Whilst all were excellent, the Barbecued Eel was stunning and will remain in my memory for a long time. I could have eaten a whole plateful of them without hesitation.

A tasting plate of the desserts on offer in the restaurant looked beautiful and included Homemade Sweet Chocolate encased Sushi, Green Tea Ice-Cream and Red Adzuki Bean Jelly with Chestnut. Each was quite unusual. My favourite was the ice-cream which due to the inclusion of matcha green-tea powder had a slightly bitter taste which was mitigated somewhat by the sweet and intensely flavoured strawberry sauce it came served with.

Service was extremely attentive but never obtrusive and our waitress answered all our questions about the food we were eating with grace. From our table we could watch as Chef Kuma serenely prepared the sushi with great skill and purpose.

Barbecued Eel Nigiri

There was a steady stream of diners on the night that I dined in Raw who, in the main, appeared to be guests staying in the hotel. I was really impressed by the fresh yet complex flavours in the food that I ate and firmly believe that RAW deserves to be enjoyed by a wide audience. This is food that is prepared with an exquisite attention to detail, using ingredients of the finest quality. I loved every mouthful.

Dishes on the menu range in price depending on which and how many pieces of sushi you choose but there are options to suit all budgets. The restaurant also operates a take-away service.

Open: Tuesday – Saturday 6pm – 10pm
Website: www.sushiinthesky.ie

Email: raw@sushiinthesky.ie

Telephone: 091538212

 

This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie

 

Spider Roll

Restaurant Review: The Fatted Calf, Athlone, County Westmeath

I was saddened when the Fatted Calf, previously located in Glasson, County Westmeath, closed its doors early in the New Year and I have been eagerly waiting for it to re-open. I was a great fan of Head Chef Feargal O’Donnell’s food and regularly dined there as I only live a short distance away. I loved the easy informality of the Bar and Restaurant and over the years must have tried most of the dishes on the menu.

Now located on Church Street in the centre of the busy midlands town of Athlone, the reincarnated Fatted Calf is styled more as a formal restaurant rather than, as it was previously, a gastropub. The restaurant is light and spacious with a modern, contemporary feel which is welcoming even if it lacks the cosiness of a pub setting. As seems to be the fashion these days, there is an open kitchen where you can see your food being prepared and cooked.

Bread

I was pleased to see that there are many ‘old-favourites’ on the menu which is well-constructed and has something to suit everyone but cleverly manages to avoid being overly long and complicated. There is an obvious focus on the use of locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients which are used in an inventive way throughout the menu. The menu changes regularly to reflect the produce available and a ‘specials’ menu is also available.

 

I was dining with two old friends, so between us we were able to order a good cross-section of the food on offer. As we examined the menu and contemplated which dishes to choose we nibbled on the very tasty selection of breads that had been delivered to the table. The sourdough was wonderfully aerated with an open texture and was pleasantly chewy to eat whilst the soda bread was dark and damp and tasted heavenly when liberally spread with butter. Last but not least was a curry-flavoured bread which I absolutely loved and was something a little different. A flavoursome tapenade was served alongside the butter to accompany the breads and went particularly well with the sourdough.

 

Marrow Bones, Black Pudding

To start I ordered the Baked Beef Marrow Bones, Lisduff Black Pudding with Toasted Sourdough and Horseradish Aioli. Now be warned… this is a sizeable and very filling starter but every mouthful was pure joy. Rich and dark black pudding was crumbled and mixed with bone marrow before being stuffed back into the bones, baked and then served.  A small splodge of a subtly flavoured horseradish aioli topped each of the three stuffed marrow bones. The creaminess of the aioli was the perfect counterfoil to the richly flavoured black pudding. I love food where you can get stuck in and really enjoyed excavating the pudding out of the bones with the small spoon provided before spreading it on the toast and eating it. This was a top-notch dish.

 

Wontons

The Dublin Bay Prawn Wontons with Sweet Chilli and Ginger Jam which M chose were presented attractively piled up on top of each other along with some mixed salad leaves in a bowl. The wontons had been perfectly deep fried, without a hint of greasiness, to a very tempting light golden brown colour. The soft and sweet prawn filling was wonderful contrasted against the crispy exterior of the wontons and tasted delicious eaten with the simply dressed salad leaves. I particularly liked the Asian-inspired salad dressing which was sweet and exotically fragrant with just the right amount of chilli heat.

 

For her starter, C chose the Heir Island Scallops with Pulled Pork from the specials menu. Here two fantastically plump pan-fried scallops were served with a carrot puree and meltingly soft pulled pork. More unusually the dish also included warm, balsamic vinegar-macerated strawberries. Now in the interests of full-disclosure I should declare that I’m not really sure whether I’m a fan of macerated strawberries which I have eaten paired with meat in a couple of restaurants recently as I find their texture a little disconcerting. However, here they worked, mainly because they were served slightly warm and had been liberally seasoned with black pepper which cut through their acidity, giving them a savoury edge and served to accentuate the meatiness of the pulled pork. This was an unusual dish but we liked it.

Butter Roasted Chicken

Moving on to the main courses, I chose Butter Roasted Breast of Irish Farmhouse Chicken, Ardsallagh Goat’s Cheese Gnocchi, Crisp Pancetta with Pecan & Spinach Pesto. Chicken is something I rarely choose when dining out as, like many households around Ireland, we eat a lot of it at home.  However, I was tempted by the gnocchi and also the pesto which sounded intriguing so decided to order it. I was not disappointed. This dish was a perfect example of how wonderful chicken can taste when a quality bird is cooked properly so that it retains its succulence. The gnocchi were amongst the lightest I have ever eaten and were perfect with the other elements of the dish. I loved the depth of flavour of the pesto and the combination of pecans with spinach was a revelation.

 

The Pan-Fried Fillet of Cod, Honey Mustard Parmentier Potatoes & Prawn and Chive Butter which M chose was another outstanding dish, where all the elements and flavours worked seamlessly together. The generous portion of cod was faultlessly cooked with a wonderfully crisp skin and soft, milky white flesh which came away in beautiful large flakes. The prawn and chive butter was a clever addition because it added another flavour dimension without engulfing or detracting from the flavour of the cod.

 

Cod

C’s main of John Stone Rib-Eye Steak was again chosen from the specials menu. The steak duly arrived cooked just rare as she had asked and came with a generous portion of hand-cut chips which were lovely and crisp on the outside and revealed a fluffy potato interior when you bit into them. An onion jam and garlic aioli on the side completed this dish. The onion jam was a little on the sharp side and with my sweet tooth I would have preferred something a little less assertive, but this did not detract from the overall dish and the delicious steak which had been lovingly cooked to order.

 

Main courses come with a choice of sides and the Summer Greens, and Baby New Potatoes we ordered were lovely but in many ways unnecessary as the main course dishes were generous and complete in themselves.

 

Steak

For dessert I chose the Strawberry & Salted Caramel Eton Mess, C chose the Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oreo Tart with Boulabán Vanilla Ice-Cream whilst M decided to go for the Cheeseboard. The Eton mess was everything that it should be and was a lovely concoction of broken meringues, cloud-like whipped cream and strawberries whilst the chocolate tart with its crushed Oreo crust encasing a layer of creamy peanut butter and topped with a rich chocolate ganache was an indulgent treat.

 

The cheeseboard comprised a quartet of Irish cheeses including Bellingham Blue, Cooleeney, Milleens and Mossfield Organic and was accompanied by a good selection of crackers, fresh fruit and a lovely fig chutney.  At €9.50, I thought it was great value for something that would have easily fed the three of us even without the desserts that two of us had also chosen.

 

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Tart

It’s worth noting that all our food was cooked without recourse to sous vide water baths and the like. Each dish was prepared with a real understanding of the particular requirements of the seafood/meat used. Everything was seasoned perfectly and we really felt that a lot of care had gone into the presentation and serving of each dish. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and will definitely return soon.

 

Our meal cost €179 for three courses for each of us which included a large bottle of sparkling water and a very enjoyable organic Malbec reserve which was full of deep plum and blackberry fruit flavours. We also had teas and coffee.

 

The Fatted Calf

Church Street

Athlone

County Westmeath

 

Telephone: 0906433371

Email:  info@thefattedcalf.ie

Website: www.thefattedcalf.ie

This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie