feast: a dinner journal | spring/summer 2013

F E A S TF E A S TF E A S T

s p r i n g / s u m m e r 2 0 1 3

a d i n n e r j o u r n a l

W e l c o m e

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Welcome to the spring issue of

FEAST. A delicious celebration of

this spring’s seasonal produce and

a show-case of some of Ireland’s

finest food producers. The

opening features in this dinner

journal take us on a journey across Ireland through

our FEAST spring menu. Each ingredient feature

brings you closer to a dramatic spring meal in the

Glade, a stunning old church surrounded by forest in

Kinnegad, Co. Kildare.

On our way to the great FEAST we travelled to the

wild and rolling hills of Connemara for spring lamb

for our main course of braised lamb shanks. This

was extra special as the lamb is not just unique to

Ireland but unique to the Connemara Hills. In the

lush countryside surrounding Ballyvolane House in

Co. Cork we found cool rivers teeming with fish and

were inspired to create our gravadlax starter. In a

converted railway station in Carnaross, Co. Meath we

explored Sheridans Cheesemongers’ headquarters

where mountains of cheese act as taste-snapshots of

Ireland’s many terroir.

It’s hard not to be inspired by the raw and beautiful

scenery which produces so much of Ireland’s

finest food. But townies in Ireland are not without

their foodie credentials. New voices in food like

Oisin Davis of Dublin’s Damson Diner gave us a

foraged cocktail masterclass showing us how to

make a hedgerow cocktail with elderberry gin, all his

foraging takes place in urban Dublin.

From the romance of an island bakery off the west

Cork coast Patrick Ryan’s Heir Island Firehouse

Bakery shared his recipe with us. Over in Drogheda

Jeni Glasgow shares the much lusted after secrets

of her wild and wonderful Brown Hound Bakery,

with the recipe for her sweet torched lemon temples

making a dramatic end to our FEAST.

The importance of every element of our FEAST is

highlighted by a visit to Rosemarie Durr’s pottery

studio in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny who kindly

allowed us to use her beautiful hand crafted bowls

for our wild garlic soup. A morning spent with

Mark Grehan in his beautiful Dublin city flower

shop located on the steps of the Powerscourt Town

House ensured we had unique floral displays on our

table setting.

Turn the pages and follow our spring 2013 journey

through Ireland as we gathered the ingredients for a

Spring FEAST.

Enjoy,

Donal

w E l c o m E

2 0 1 3

a f e a s t o f s p r i n g / s u m m e r

w E l c o m Ew E l c o m E

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c o n t r i b u to r s

Ross Golden-BannonEditor

Ross has been eating for Ireland as

restaurant critic for The Sunday Business

Post since 2001 and he’s been the editor

of FOOD&WINE Magazine since 2008.

He was elected to membership of the Irish

Food Writers’ Guild in 2006. As the author

of the ebook How to Write About Food

he’s happiest when he’s a good meal in

front of him along with some fresh copy

and a big red pen.

Jane MatthewsdEsignEr

Having previously designed some of

Ireland’s leading magazines we knew that

Jane’s elegant designs would help make

sense of the wild idea of FEAST. She

was immediately enthusiastic when we

first mentioned it to her. She has chosen

some of the best images from a pile of

thousands and tied them down with

sweet and simple designs.

Sharon Hearne SmithFood stylist

Sharon’s job has taken her around the world

working with names like Ina Garten, Lorraine

Pascale and Jamie Oliver. We’re head over

heels in love with her styling and she made the

soup on our cover look as good as it tastes.

Alongside her fabulous assistants Emma

Nelson and Julie Ann Miller she cooked

through our FEAST recipes making each and

every one look particularly special.

Sofie LarssonProP stylist

Sofie, originally from Sweden now works

with Donal Skehan on his TV series and

cook books and has the rather exciting job

of collecting beautiful things from far and

wide to feature in his food photography.

Sofie’s extra touches made the table setting

for our final FEAST something truly special

with vintage plates and napkins all the way

from Sweden.

Donal SkehanPhotograPhEr

Donal is a food writer and photographer

with three cookbooks under his belt and

presents TV show, Kitchen Hero, on

RTÉ One in Ireland. Donal shot all the

features for FEAST and enjoyed every

minute. FEAST was a dream he has had

since he first started writing about food

and his guiding principle was to celebrate

the stories of the people

behind the food.

Text copyright

© 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon

& Donal Skehan

Photography copyright

© 2013 Donal Skehan

Cover copyright

© 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon

& Donal Skehan.

All rights reserved.

Published by

Donal Skehan

trading as

Donal Skehan

& RGB Consulting.

x x x x

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t H e m e n u

m E N Us p r i n g / s u m m e r 2 0 1 3

m E N Um E N U

BrEadRoSEmARy &

olivE oil SoURdoUgh

CoCKtailhEdgERow cockTAil

souPwild gARlic SoUp

wiTh A poAchEd Egg

startErbAllyvolANE gRAvAdlAx

& cUcUmbER picklE

Main CoursEbRAiSEd coNNEmARA

hill lAmb ShANkS

ChEEsEShERidANS chEESEmoNgERS

chEESE boARd

dEssErtbRowN hoUNd bAkERy

lEmoN TEmplES

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t H e m e n u

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f i r e H o u s e b a k e r y

b R E A d

H e i r i s l a n dC o . C o r k


b R E A db R E A d

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an obsession with detail has got a bit of a bad rap in recent years,

yet it is the deep knowledge of the details of a craft which ensure

the very best quality. That’s what you’ll find at the Firehouse

Bakery on Heir Island where Patrick Ryan and partner Laura

Moore have created a bakery school of unparalleled excellence.

Patrick is the star of BBC2’s the Big Bread Experiment, which

charted a social experiment in reuniting a community through bread. He is also

the co author of Bread Revolution. He wrote this book with Duncan Glendinning

who hails from Bath, where Patrick spent four years as head baker at Duncan’s

Thoughtful Bread Company, an award wining artisan bakery.

The Firehouse Bakery is located on a picturesque island off the West Cork coast.

A ferry takes you across the sea to their world of baking, where all aspects of

their craft are taught from bread and scones to sour dough. Once you’ve finished

pummelling and proving, the baking is done in the wood burning clay oven, the

only oven they use. Time spent at the school is an opportunity not just to learn

bread making but to gain a life skill that was previously such an important part

of daily Irish life. The work at Firehouse Bakery acts as an ark of ancient skills

where hands are still intimately involved in the bread making process. Machines

that make soulless bread have no place at Firehouse Bakery where the human

touch has been woven back into this most ancient of foods.

Alongside Patrick you’ll find his ever supportive partner Laura Moore. They have

quickly developed a highly successful business, and are kept busy with bookings

which already stretch into the summer. The pair have also just launched a bakery

in Delgany, Co. Wicklow, which is now up and running.

In an age of mass bread production this thriving artisan business is a lesson in the

fine art of integrity and quality. They’ve shared with us their rosemary and olive

oil sourdough bread as well as a bit of a masterclass in giving life to your very own

sourdough starter. Bread revolution, here we come. Firehouse Bakery, Heir Island,

Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Ireland, Tel: +353 85 1561984. www.thefirehouse.ie

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Patrick and his partner Laura run the bakery together on Heir island; Boatman Richie Pyburn in oilskins at the helm as he drives the ferry on the short trip from the mainland to Heir Island; Patrick sprinkles his toasted seed bread with sesame seeds before they bake off in a wood fired oven; Bread bubbling with air being punched down to create Patrick’s classic sourdough loaves.

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Set like a tiny jewel in the many gem-like islands of Roaringwater Bay, Heir Island has a tranquility and peacefulness to match

the easy-going folk on the island.

Heir Island is located South West of County Cork and boasts over 200 species of wildflower, making it a unique and dramatic setting for the Firehouse Bakery. The island, home now to only thirty people can be accessed by a short ferry

trip departing from Cunnamore Pier. It was once inhabited by over 400 people evidenced by the ruins of a schoolmaster’s house on the main road through the island.

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Heir Island casts its spell on all who visit and all that’s made there, there’s

surely alchemy in the bread that’s made in the great outdoors.

Patrick’s wood fired oven is located at the back of the Firehouse Bakery and he bakes his bread there rain or shine. Patrick’s infectious passion for bread is clear and he takes time to explain in detail every step of bread

making from the dough to the baking process.

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500g strong

unbleached white

bread flour

300g sourdough

starter

210ml water

75ml olive oil

1/2 bulb of roasted

garlic

2 sprigs of fresh

rosemary

10g salt

lET ThERE bE SoURdoUgh

Giving life to your very own

sourdough starter The use of

natural yoghurt gives your starter

a helping hand by introducing a

little friendly bacteria

dAy 1

75 ml natural yoghurt

150ml skimmed milk

Heat the milk gently, place the

yoghurt into a bowl and stir in

the milk. Cover and leave in a

warm place for 12-24 hours until

thickened. Stir in any liquids that

may have separated.

dAy 2

120g white flour

Stir the flour into the yoghurt,

incorporating evenly.

Cover and leave in a warm place

for 2 days. The mixture should be

full of bubbles and smell pleasant-

ly sour.

dAy 5

150 ml water

150 g white flour

Add the flour to the starter, and

mix in the water. Cover and leave

in a warm place for 12 – 24 hours.

dAy 6

The starter should be quiet active

now and be full of little bubbles.

If by the end of Day 6 your start-

er is not as active as hoped, do not

worry simply repeat the feeding

process of Day 5.

Mix together the flour, starter and water in a bowl. Add the salt and

olive oil along with the roasted garlic and roughly chopped rosemary.

Turn out on to a clean kitchen surface and knead for 10 minutes.

Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let it

prove for 2 ½ hours to 3 hours. You won’t notice anywhere near as

much of a rise in the dough as you would with a normal, yeasted

bread and it will take a lot longer.

Turn out the dough on to a clean kitchen surface and knock back.

Portion the dough into two and shape into two rugby ball shaped

loaves. Flour generously, and place each loaf seam side up in a bowl,

lined with a couche cloth, a heavily floured tea towel will work fine.

Without the cloth, your loaf will stick in the bowl and you won’t be

able to turn it out. Leave to prove for a further 2 ½ hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 230°C /Gas 7 and place a baking stone on the

middle shelf. Turn the loaves out on to a baking tray or hot baking

stone. Score with a sharp blade and place in the oven. Throw a hand-

ful of ice cubes into the bottom of the oven to create steam in the

oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a good crust has formed and

the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base.

rosEMary and olivE oil sourdough

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d a m s o n d i n e r

c o c k T A i l

s o u t H W i l l i a ms t r e e t

d u b l i n 2


c o c k T A i lc o c k T A i l

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Hipster New Yorkers probably come to Damson Diner for

inspiration. Located on South William Street in Dublin 2, the space

is a modern style American diner with neon lights, exposed pipes

and high ceilings. They’ve the low-down on what’s happening in the

food world too. Run by Oisin Davis, formerly of The Sugar Club,

and the guys behind Coppinger Row the diner serves up dishes

like Vietnamese bánh mi, a sort of light baguette along with other Thai street

food favourites. You’ll also find Louisiana crowd pleasers like po’ boys and Indian

inspired nibbles like courgettes and fennel bhaji.

We love the food but we’re in love with the cocktails. Damson have their cocktail

shakers right on the ancient and modern zietgeist by celebrating old infusion

traditions. Foraged wild foods like sloes and elderflowers are combined with gin,

vodka and whiskey helping to revive old glories like elderflower gin but creating

exciting new mixes too. These are then combined into the latest cocktails, one of

which they’ve kindly shared with us for our feast. 52 South William St, Dublin 2;

Tel: + 353 1 677 7007.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT With tables right on Dublin’s popular South William Street diners can soak up the atmosphere of this busy area; Quirky and modern interiors with exposed pipes and filament light bulbs set the tone for this fresh diner; Strong colours and neon lights are the back drop for the restaurants extensive bar; Pickled baby apples make an interesting garnish for Oisin’s hedgerow cocktail.

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THIS PAGE Oisin Davis

OPPOSITE Futuristic interiors and neon lights give this modern diner the perfect backdrop for it’s unique cocktails and eclectic menu of Asian and American ingredients.

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Dublin city is filled with passionate foodies who also know an artisan cocktail

when they see one – foraged fruit drinks are the latest celebration of all things Irish.

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70ml elderberry infused

cork dry gin

50ml crinnaughtan

Apple Juice

20ml green Tea Syrup

a dash of lemon juice

500g elderberries, ripe

100g sugar

700ml cork dry gin gin

Chill a tumbler with ice and water and set aside. Place all ingredients

in the shaker with ice, shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Empty your tumbler

and strain the shaker into the glass. Garnish with a preserved baby apple

or slices of apple dipped in lemon. The Damson Diner’s gin was infused

for 5 months with wild Irish elderberries, though we have a 2 month

version below.

When gathering the elderberries make sure to just pick the ripe ones. Be

a responsible forager too, always leave plenty behind for the birds. To

prepare the berries use a fork to strip them from the stalks. Pick through

removing any unripe berries and stalks.

Put the berries in a microwave proof bowl and pop in the microwave

for about 2 minutes. Stir half way through. The berries are ready for the

next stage when they have started to split and juice is coming out. They

should be hot but not collapsing into a mash. A more traditional method

is to piece each berry with a darning needle instead of heating in the

microwave.

Once the berries are ready place in a sterilised jar, add the sugar and finally

the gin. Seal tightly and shake vigorously. Shake two or three times a day

for for 2-3 days ensuring all the sugar has dissolved. Store in a dark press

or shed for one month.

Strain the berry and gin mix through a fine muslin. Taste for sweetness

and add sugar if necessary. Bin the berry mush and store the liquid for

another month before decanting into individual bottles.

hEdgErow CoCKtail

EldErBErry gin

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Oisin Davis

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r o s e m a r y d u r r p ot t e r y

C a s t l e C o m e rC o . k i l k e n n y

S o U pr o s e m a r i e d u r r p o t t e r y

S o U pS o U p

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irish craftsmanship has become famous the world over with names like

Nicholas Mosse, Steven Pierce and even Orla Kiely setting the bench mark.

There is a wealth of handcrafted ceramics to be found throughout Ireland and

when it cames to choosing some bowls for our wild garlic soup, Rosemarie

Durr’s striking free form colourful pottery was an obvious choice. The

distinctive powder blue glazed ceramics are hand thrown in her studio and

shop at the Castlecomer design yard. A graduate of the esteemed Craft Council

of Ireland’s pottery course, Rosemarie has worked in some of Ireland’s leading

pottery studios. In 2006, alongside her husband and designer Andrew Ludwick,

she set up the Rosemarie Durr Pottery shop. Her range includes scalloped bowls,

cups and saucers, plates and tea pots, all are made on site and delightfully displayed

in her studio. What we love about them is that although they are exceptional pieces

of art, they are also functional everyday kitchen items which are comforting to

hold and eat from. The contrast from her eyecatching blue bowl was perfect for

the seasonal wild garlic soup, drizzled with a zingy wild garlic oil, flowers, Durrus

cheese toasts and poached egg. Rosemarie Durr Pottery, Castlecomer Estate Yard,

Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)56 4440007. www.rosedurr.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rosemarie throws one of her classic bowls in her Castlecomer workshop; Rosemarie’s studio takes pride of place in the Castlecomer design yard; Powder blue plates, bowls and cups displayed in Rosemarie’s gift shop; Rosemarie chats to a custom-er about her beautiful blue teapot.

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The simple tools and implements used to create Rosemarie’s trademark ceramics.

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Hand crafted means each item is unique unto itself. Eschewing the mass-produced

and the mechanical gives objects and foods a poetry which the machine can never deliver.

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FoR ThE SoUp

25g butter

2 medium potatoes,

cut into 1cm cubes

1 medium onion, chopped roughly

1 litre vegetable stock

200g wild garlic leaves, chopped

8 large free range eggs

wild garlic flowers, to garnish

FoR ThE wild gARlic oil

500ml rapeseed oil

75g wild garlic

FoR ThE ToASTS

8 slices of sourdough bread

150g of durrus cheese, grated

Serves 8

FoR ThE SoUp

Poach the eggs first and then set aside, semi-cooked until ready to serve.

Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and

potatoes and fry gently for 2-3 minutes. Season with sea salt and ground

black pepper.

Lower the heat, cover with a lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes until

the potatoes are tender. You can check this by piercing them with a fork.

Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil over a high heat. Add

the wild garlic leaves and stir through. Cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted

and tender.

Blitz the soup with a hand blender and season to taste. Pass through a

sieve for a silky smooth finish. Place the poached eggs in warm water to

revive.

FoR ThE wild gARlic oil

In a food processor, blitz the wild garlic and 6 tablespoons of the oil until

completely smooth. You may need to add a little oil to loosen the mix.

Transfer to a bottle and top with the remaining rapeseed oil.

FoR ThE ToASTS

Toast the slices of sourdough bread under a hot grill and then add a little

cheese to each one and place under the heat until melted. Serve the soup

in deep bowls with a poached egg and a cheese toast. Drizzle with wild

garlic oil and sprinkle with wild garlic flowers.

wild garliC souP with a PoaChEd Egg and irish ChEEsE toasts

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b a l ly v o l a n e H o u s e

S T A R T E R

C a s t l e l y o n sF e r m o y, C o . C o r k

b a l l y v o l a n e H o u s e

S T A R T E RS T A R T E R

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Justin Green of Ballyvalane House

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the first view of Ballyvolane House by the weary traveller is a wel-

come one, framed as it is by shimmering trees, green lawns and

languishing mauve wisteria. It is a grand house, a Georgian county

retreat, but not overwhelming and the simple façade feels homely

and welcoming. No surprise really considering the welcome you’ll

get from Justin and Jenny Green, this unique and peaceful spot is

their place of work and their home so there’s a great family run atmosphere here.

Guests all sit around the family dinner table for breakfast and dinner. Attention to

detail is everything from the deep, cloud-like beds to the impeccably sourced food,

it is a place set apart.

Evenings start with rhubarb martinis from the Victorian walled garden, though

this obviously changes with the seasons, their hedgerow martini of autumn

fruits is something of a legend. They keep rare breed pigs including Saddlebacks,

Gloucester Old Spots and Durocs all of which appear on the menu in some form,

breakfast being the natural starting point. A meander around the estate is a chance

to see a country house which is truly embedded in the locality. Justin proudly

shows off their chickens, doves, donkey’s and a motley pack of dogs which add a

huge amount of personality to the setting. Guests can choose to go fishing in the

local river for salmon and trout, and then see the fish appear on their dinner menu.

Justin’s father Jeremy grows a huge amount of vegetables throughout the year

in Ballyvolane’s vast walled garden. Guests are lucky enough to see these appear

on the menu which often includes more exotic vegetables like sea kale, asparagus

and globe artichokes. Salad leaves of all hues and textures are grown along with

chard, spinach, courgettes, all sorts of cabbages, curly kale, beetroot, Jerusalem

artichokes and four varieties of potatoes. And that’s just the short list. Fruit such

as loganberries, figs, pears, apples and raspberries are served up in season and the

green house is used for growing cucumbers, chilies and tomatoes too. The menus

change daily and are dictated by what is ready to harvest, what’s seasonal and of

course the weather and fishing conditions also dictate what will appear on your

plate. Inspired by our fishing trip to Ballyvolane House we’ve come up with a

favourite salmon dish for our feast. Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

Tel + 353 (025) 36 349.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Beautifully kept antiques and family heirloomes in the drawing room of Ballyvolane House; Just one of the many friendly family dogs of Ballyvolane House; Freshly shaken rhubarb martinis made with rhubarb from the walled garden; The lavish dining table where guests enjoy breakfast and dinner.

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The Blackwater River flows from Kerry to the sea at Youghal stretching a mighty 150km from it’s source. The salmon season runs from the start of February up until the end of September.

Fishing in the cool clear waters of the Blackwater River.

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A uniquely warm family atmosphere can be felt throughout Ballyvolane.The impressive grounds boast a mixture of mature deciduous trees, formal, semi-formal, walled and woodland gardens, making them the ideal

home to a wide variety of wildlife.

The welcoming door of Ballyvolane House where you’ll find a sanctuary underpinned

by integrity.

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2 sides of salmon, with the skin on,

approximately 900g each

2 tablespoons Atlantic Sea Salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

(Note you will need to start this dish

5 days in advance)

FoR ThE cUcUmbER picklE

1 cucumber

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 tablespoons caster sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 small red chilli, chopped very finely

1 small shallot, very thinly sliced

3 tablespoons hot water

dill mUSTARd mAyoNNAiSE

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons of French mustard

1 tablespoon of white sugar

1/2 pint of sunflower oil

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of dill

salt and pepper

Serves 8-10

FoR ThE gRAvAd lAx

Mix the salt, sugar, pepper and dill together. Lay out one side of salmon

on clingfilm and spread on the mixture ensuring it is evenly coated. Cover

this prepared side with the other side of salmon. Wrap all the salmon well

in the clingfilm and refrigerate. Turn this every day for 4 days. It will be

ready on day 5.

FoR ThE cUcUmbER picklE

Cut the cucumber in half lengthways. Slice very thinly, preferably with the

thinnest setting of a mandolin, if you have one. In a bowl mix together

the sugar, salt, vinegar and hot water until combined and then add the cu-

cumber, shallot and red chilli. Transfer to individual serving jars and place

in the fridge overnight before serving.

FoR ThE dill mUSTARd mAyoNNAiSE

Whisk the yolk, mustard and sugar in a bowl, slowly until combined. Add

the oil drop by drop until the mixture has emulsified, then add the vinegar

and dill. Season with salt and pepper

To SERvE

Remove the salmon from the fridge just before you are ready to serve and

slice very thinly. Serve slices with the cucumber pickle jars, a dollop of dill

mustard mayonnaise and some lightly dressed salad leaves.

BallyvolanE gravadlax with CuCuMBEr PiCKlE and dill Mustard MayonnaisE

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c o n n e m a r a H i l l l a m b

m A i N

c o U R S E

C o r r n a m o n aC o n n e m a r a , C o . g a l W a y


m A i N

c o U R S E

m A i N

c o U R S E

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if ever the essence of terroir was expressed in an Irish product it is Connemara

Hill Lamb. We visited Martin Joe Kerrigan’s lamb farm at the edge of Lough

Corrib and in the heart of the Connemara Ghaeltacht region. He is part of a

group of farmers who have gathered together to promote and protect the lamb

which is indigenous to the Connemara region. The Connemara Blackfaced

Horned Ewe dates back to the 1800’s. The grand sweep of herbage, heathers

and grasses on the Connemara Hills are its feed which gives the lamb a natural,

succulent flavour with a very pronounced aroma. The carcass is lean and the meat

is rose red in colour with a solid deep, texture and a light covering of fat.

Like other heritage livestock it matures at a slower rate gaining the benefits of

their natural habitat in the taste. The result is a lamb of specialised quality which is

an expression of the heathers, herbs and grasses of Connemara, almost symbols

of Ireland in themselves. When Martin Joe was growing up, the lower lands were

saved for the dairy cows but now the lamb have become his main source of

income. Modernity is only allowed to peek in where it doesn’t interfere with the

traditions of the region. Martin Joe used to walk the land but he now uses a quad

bike, though the fences which divide the lands are all maintained by hand. While

we were up the mountain shooting, ten lambs were born and we watched them up

and walking within a few hours.

The lamb has won a number of important awards including one from the Guild

of Irish Food Writers. Most importantly has been their designation of EU wide

recognition through Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, a little like an

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC), on French wines and food. There are at

present only three others in Ireland.

Without the dedication and passion of these farmers this breed would no longer exist

and our feast would be sadly lacking in the taste of Connemara Hill Lamb. Corr Na

Mona, Connemara, Co. Galway, Tel +353 9495 48798; www.connemarahilllamb.ie

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Sheep wander the hills feasting on a diet of heathers, herbs and grass; The rolling view down to Lough Corrib from the hills above Martin Joe Kerrigan’s farmhouse; Martin Joe stands proudly with a newly born lamb; The winding road up the hills where the sheep graze.

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Connemara Hill lamb matures at a slower rate than commercial breeds and it feeds on the Connemara heathers, herbs and grasses, almost symbols of Ireland in themselves.

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8 connemara hill lamb shanks, about

475g each

50g plain flour

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

375ml dry white wine

750ml chicken stock

50g can anchovies, drained

1 lemon, the zest peeled into strips

1 tablespoon tomato puree

flat leaf parsley leaves, a small handful

2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary

2 bay leaves

FoR ThE gREmolATA

4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon zest, finely grated

FoR ThE wild gARlic mASh

1.2 kg floury potatoes, peeled and halved

or quartered if large

75g butter

100ml whole milk

50 wild garlic leaves, washed well and

roughly chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 8

lAmb ShANkS

Place a really large casserole pan on a high heat. Season the lamb shanks

and toss them in the flour to coat. Add the oil to the pan and working in

batches, sear the lamb shanks all over until golden brown, transferring

them to a large plate as you go.

Next, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, celery and carrots to

the pan. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until soft but not coloured, adding the gar-

lic at the last minute. Increase the heat and then add the wine, allowing it

to bubble down for a minute or two. Then add the stock, anchovies, lemon

zest, tomato puree, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves and season well. Return

the lamb shanks to the pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Bring to the

boil and then reduce to a very gentle simmer for about 3 hours. Turn the

shanks occasionally during this time.

gREmolATA

Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata. Simply toss the mint, garlic and lemon

zest together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

mASh

Half an hour before serving, prepare the mash. Cook the potatoes in a

large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Warm

the milk and butter in a small pan until just coming to the boil and remove.

Drain the potatoes well and mash until smooth with the milk and butter

mixture. Stir the wild garlic through to wilt and season to taste. Cover and

keep warm.

To SERvE

Once cooked the meat from the lamb shanks should be really tender and

just falling off the bone. Carefully remove the lamb shanks to a large plate

and keep warm covered in foil. Discard the bay leaves from the sauce and

then blend the sauce using a stick blender until almost smooth. Check

seasoning and return the lamb shanks to the sauce.

To serve, spoon a large dollop of creamy mash into the centre of each

serving bowl or plate. Sit a lamb shank proudly on top, spoon the sauce

over and scatter generously with gremolata.

BraisEd ConnEMara hill laMB shanKs with grEMolata and wild garliC Mash

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Anchovies and gremolata are a natural match with lamb, the first adding richness the second cutting through the sweet tasting

meat and fat.

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s H e r i d a n s

c h E E S E

C a r n a r o s sC o . m e at H

s H e r i d a n s c H e e s e m o n g e r s

c h E E S Ec h E E S E

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the idea that there’s a central storage point for Sheridans

Cheesemongers seems like something of a foodie fairytale, like a pot

of gold at the end of a rainbow. Yet in the depths of lush County

Meath you’ll find their headquarters in an old converted railway

station brimming with every imaginable cheese. From enormous

cheese wheels, as big as tyres, to tiny single portions it is a cheese

lovers dream come true. The cheesemongers was established by brothers Seamus

and Kevin Sheridan in 1995. They started small, with a stall at the market in Galway

City, but from these small beginnings the business grew and has now become a

byword for quality cheeses in Ireland. They have shops in Dublin, Galway City

and Ardkeen in Waterford, you’ll also find them at many market stalls and in some

Ireland’s finer retailers.

The Carnacross headquarters also houses a shop run by Frenchman Franck

Le Moenner. The stock is made up of a personally selected range of artisan

ingredients from Ireland and further afield as well as a full selection of cheeses.

There’s also a cosy little cafe where they serve a stonking good coffee and tasty

nibbles from the small deli. Sheridans are tireless promoters of artisan produce,

making them an ideal addition to our feast. www.sheridanscheesemongers.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The beautiful original features provide the perfect backdrop for Sheridan’s dramatic cheese warehouse; Hand picked cheese on display in the warehouse shop; Warehouse manager Franck proudly presents freshly sliced cheese; Vintage railway sign hangs proudly beside the entrance.

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Warehouse manager Franck Le Moenner, a font of knowledge on all things cheese.

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The Sheridan brothers’ principles of being gentle with the earth are

writ large in the recycling of the old Virginia railway station into the

head quarters for the cheesemonger business.

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ST TolA ASh

killEEN’S

goAT’S chEESE

goRTNAmoNA

goAT’S chEESE

kNockdRiNNA

SNow

The first rule of a good cheese board is to offer some contrasts of textures and

flavours: a soft cheese, a hard cheese and maybe a blue one in between the two.

The second rule is not to get too caught up in the rules, pick a selection that you

love or even just showcase a single cheese. We’ve included some lesser known

cheeses along with the more famous ones and in our case we decided to stick

to goats’ cheese and take a flight through its flavours. By choosing just goats’

cheese we got to compare the glory of goats’ milk in its many different guises

and see how it changes from terroir to terroir and method to method.

St. Tola Ash was created by Meg and Derrick Gordon in that most unique of

places, the Burren. Starting in 1978 their cheeses grew and grew in popularity

and some twenty years later their neighbour, Siobhan Ni Gharbhaith, took over

the business and now produces the cheese from the McDonald’s family farm,

just a stone’s throw from the original birth place of the famed goats’ cheese.

Young St. Tola is mild, creamy and slightly crumbly, as it matures the flavour

deepens and the texture becomes softer. Even when it matures it has a lightness

of flavour with some citrus notes, so it makes for an ideal entry level for people

who might normally shy away from goats’ cheese.

Killeen’s goat’s cheese has been made by Marion Roeleweld in Killeen Millhouse

outside Balinasloe since 2005. It’s a gouda-style goats’ cheese that celebrates the

terroir and flavour of her own tribe of goats. The cheese is made in a classic

Dutch style and has a natural orange-beige rind which contrasts with the bright

white paste. It has a fresh, clean taste with a slightly lactic note on the wash.

Knockdrinna Snow is a Camembert style cheese with a soft bloomy rind, it

is aged for between 2 to 6 weeks. Made by the redoubtable Helen Finnegan,

Knockdrinna is one of the stars of the new generation of Irish farmhouse

cheeses. Knockdrinna Snow is matured and washed with organic white wine,

giving it a unique flavour. The rind develops a yellowish beige colour and the

ivory paste is firm and sometimes speckled with holes. The texture is smooth

and the initial mild palate gives way to a slight acidity with a touch of hazelnut

at the end.

Gortnamona Goat’s Cheese is made by Breda and Pat Maher in Moyne, Thurles,

Co Tipperary. It is a hand-made, soft goats’ cheese and Gortnamona is some-

thing of the new kid on the block, but that hasn’t stopped them stacking up

some impressive awards. It won the Best New Cheese category at the British

Cheese Awards in 2003. Gortnamona is a smooth, soft white cheese with a

mushroom-like rind on the first taste, then giving way to almond notes, aromat-

ic flavours and obviously the subtle stamp of goats’ milk in the background.

ChEEsEy notEs

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Kevin Sheridan

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t H e g a r d e n

F l o w E R S

p o W e r s C o u r tt o W n H o u s e

s o u t H W i l l i a m s t r e e t, d u b l i n 2

t H e g a r d e n

F l o w E R SF l o w E R S

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the elements which make the perfect FEAST are not just delicious

food, great company, and inspiring surroundings, there’s also the

table setting and a final flourish of flowers lift an impressive table

to a table for a FEAST. There are few florist shops in Ireland as

breathtaking as Mark Grehan’s: The Garden in the dramatic setting

of Dublin’s Powerscourt Townhouse on South William Street. From

a market stall at Dublin’s busy Coppinger Row market, Mark’s rainbow of flowers

are now a popular and permanent fixture on the steps of the townhouse. Mark has

a background in landscape design and freelance floristry, skills used to stunning

effect in the display which elegantly drapes down the exterior steps and hallway

of the historic Georgian townhouse. In the shop itself the beautiful arrangements

are accentuated by crystal chandeliers, French armoire display cabinets and a large

gold mirror sitting atop the original Georgian fireplace. Mark’s fresh and exciting

hand tied bouquets have won him fans at home and abroad with tourists stopping

not just to smell the flowers but to take photos too. Having grown up in the wild

and rugged landscape of Connemara Mark has created a unique style which really

sets him apart. His gorgeous combinations of seasonal flowers, foliage and twigs

can be found not only in his shop but at some of the country’s finest weddings and

celebration events. For our elegant spring table setting Mark created special hand

tied bouquets to form a centrepiece for our FEAST. The Garden, Powerscourt Town-

house, South William Street, Dublin 2, Tel: +353 1 612 5260 www.thegardenpowerscourt.ie

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A selection of potted herbs on display on the steps of Powerscourt Townhouse; A restored french armoire makes the ideal display cabinet for the hand picked products for sale; Bright and vibrant floral displays are stacked on old wooden crates Mark creates his unique floral arrangements in front of the large Georgian fireplace.

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Mark meticulously hand ties his bouquets for his displays which line the steps of

Powerscourt Townhouse.

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b r o W n H o u n d b a k e r y

d r o g H e d aC o . l o u t H


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it’s hard not to feel like you’ve stepped through an enchanted door when you

enter the magical Brown Hound Bakery in Drogheda. A trio of talent includ-

ing Jeni Glasgow, with her Willy Wonka mystery smile, her partner Reuven

Diaz and New York City Baker Craig Thompson, all came together to create a

dark and quirky welcoming place. Here you’ll find all things sweet and savoury

sitting like precious exhibits under giant Victorian glass domes. The room is

dotted with vintage finds, bentwood chairs and indie-objects reflecting the own-

ers’ interests in roads less travelled. Next door you’ll find the Eastern Seaboard,

their restaurant which celebrates Irish suppliers and artisan ingredients with some

American chutzpah.

The cakes and pies in the Brown Hound Bakery initially look familiar. Then a clos-

er inspection of the exquisitely hand-written labels reveal clever twists which cast

the sort of spell that makes you want to buy double. Richly veneered wooden cab-

inets act as counter tops and display areas for mountains of chocolate cakes with

torched meringue, American style parmesan-chive scones, apple monkeybread,

pumpkin spiced doughnuts and chocolate banana bread. Precious take-away treats

are carefully wrapped and tied with dainty string, more of Jeni Glasgow’s just-so

stylish take on life. They shared their lemon temples recipe with us for our feast

and we’ve been worshipping these tangy treats ever since. Brown Hound Bakery,

Drogheda, Co. Louth. Tel: + 353 (0) 41 983 3792.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The biscuits and breads of Brown Hound Bakery hand tied with colourful bakers’ twine; Dark and stylish interiors highlight the sweet treats on display; Jeni’s handwritten menus and signs feature throughout the bakery; Jeni lays out the wide selection of Brown Hound classics like their torched maple meringue topped chocolate cupcakes and tooth achingly sweet trail bars.

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Precious time well spent eating cake and drinking tea in the stylish surroundings. Vintage finds like church pews, old school house stools and old tea pots set the tone.

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Aged cheddar and red onion American style biscuits, sweet and savoury and rich with Irish butter are piled high awaiting

hungry customers.

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FoR ThE

piE doUgh

500g plain flour

1 tablespoon

caster sugar

2 teaspoon salt

340g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon apple

cider vinegar

FoR ThE

lEmoN cURd

3 eggs

4 egg yolks

190g sugar

260g butter

30g cornflower

3 lemons

FoR ThE iTAliAN

mERiNgUE

150g egg whites

300g caster sugar

50ml water

FoR ThE piE doUgh

Sieve the flour. Add the salt and sugar. Lightly rub in the butter until

you have a rough bread crumb-like consistency. Make a well in the

centre. Combine the water, eggs and cider vinegar. Pour into the well and

gradually combine with the dry mix until it comes together to form a thick

dough and leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Wrap in parchment paper

and chill for at least 30 minutes

FoR ThE iTAliAN mERiNgUE

Lightly whisk the egg whites in a metal bowl with a hand mixer until

foamy. Set aside. Boil sugar to a temperature of 180˚Ct (soft ball). You

will need a proper sugar thermometer for this. Be careful as hot sugar is

very dangerous.

Carefully pour the hot sugar in a steady stream into the egg whites while

slowly whisking. Increase the speed until the egg whites have increased in

volume and have cooled.

FoR ThE lEmoN cURd

Melt the butter and add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to the

boil. In a separate bowl combine the egg yolks and cornflower to a smooth

paste. Pour some of the hot liquid onto egg mixture and whisk quickly to

ensure the eggs don’t scramble. Pour this mixture back into the pot and

cook very gently until smooth. Allow to cool.

To ASSEmblE

Roll out the pie dough and cut into discs measuring 10cm in diameter.

Place the discs in a mini pie tray and bake blind by placing a layer of

parchment paper filled with baking beans in the base. Bake at 180˚C, Gas

Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool. Pipe in the lemon curd then

pipe on the meringue. Gently torch until desired color is achieved. Serve

immediately or they can also be carefully stored in an airtight container in

the fridge a day in advance of serving.

lEMon tEMPlEs

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F i N A l

F E A S T

k i n n e g a dC o . W e s t m e at H

t H e g l a d e

F i N A l

F E A S T

F i N A l

F E A S T

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Having decided on the ingredients for our menu for our FEAST we set out

across Ireland to meet the people who make and grow the best of Irish

produce. The journey took us from Dublin to Galway to Cork and many

places in between. You could not help but be inspired by the stunning scenery

just coming into bloom. It never ceased to amaze us that after an hour or

two on the motorway we were driving through tree covered countryside and

rolling mountain roads, the grey buildings of Dublin far behind us though the sun didn’t

always shine. We broke bread with Patrick Ryan at the firehouse bakery on a wet and windy

day on Heir Island, as the rain poured down outside he shared the secrets to his rosemary and

roast garlic sour dough bread. Back in Dublin we found sunshine in some foraged cocktails.

One of the newest additions to Dublin’s food scene is Damson Diner where drinks guru

Oisin Davis treated us to a cocktail masterclass and demonstrated how to make his hedgerow

cocktail with foraged elderberry gin.

The sun was out for us when we headed off early one bright morning for Ballyvolane House

in Fermoy, Co. Cork for our starter of gravadlax, where Justin Greene gave us a tour of

the grounds, showed us some fly fishing techniques and we even got to feed the pigs and

collect freshly laid eggs. On the same day we visited Rosemarie Durr’s sweet little workshop

in Kilkenny where she showed us how to throw a pot on a pottery wheel and provided us

with the beautiful blue bowls we used for our Wild Garlic Soup. The star of the show was

our main course of braised lamb shanks; we’d travelled deep into the hills of Connemara to

get these from Martin Joe Kerrigan. There was lots of deep breaths as Martin took us up

the hills on his quad bike to take photos from the top, mountain climbing is not so easy for

city slickers like us. Dessert was provided by the Brown Hound Bakery and Jeni Glasgow

who we needed no excuse to visit. Jeni treated us to sweet and savoury baked goods before

revealing the epic lemon temples for our FEAST. You can’t talk cheese in Ireland without

referencing Sheridans Cheesemongers, and after a call to Elisabeth Ryan we were winging

our way to their headquarters in the converted Carnaross Railway station. We were treated

to homemade pizza’s in between taking images of Kevin Sheridan and Franck Le Moenner

who manages the warehouse.

One of the many highlights of shooting the images for FEAST was a visit to Mark Grehan’s

stunning Powerscourt Townhouse shop, The Garden, where he put together the incredible

bouquets which took pride of place on our FEAST table. We were on the lookout for a

beautiful location for our final FEAST for quite some time until the suggestion of The

Glade, a beautiful old Church of Ireland chapel was discovered. We drove down to meet

the owner Nida Collins, who showed us around and we instantly fell in love with it. Finally

everything was in place and all that was left to do was serve up our FEAST!

Laying the table for the perfect spring feast with hand tied flower bouquets from The Garden displayed in vintage pewter tankards.

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Wild garlic oil: a spring ingredient which can easily be made and stored for use in salads and soups.

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Gravadlax makes an easy starter which is prepared in advance and served with dressed leaves, cucumber pickle and a dill mayonnaise.

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Vibrant green wild garlic soup is topped with wild garlic flowers, a poached egg, Irish cheese toast and drizzled with wild garlic oil, an ideal spring celebration dish.

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Slow braised meat like lamb shanks make the ideal dinner party dish, they can be slowly bubbling away without the fear of overcooking.

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Beautiful lemon temples filled with creamy lemon curd and topped with torched meringue, a sweet accompaniment to a spring FEAST.

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A selection of Irish chees-es, served with Sheridan’s brown bread crackers and apple and plum chutney.

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feast: a dinner journal | spring/summer 2013

Documents

e rw e

s tf e

donalw e

spring feast

d i n n e r j o u r

s t o f s p r i n g

spring issue of feast

feast spring menu