Baked Irish Potato Farls
Saturday, September 10, 2022A farl in Gaelic literally means "fourths". They are shaped into a circle of dough and then cut into quarters, and here refers to a quarter of a flatbread, which is more commonly pan-fried, made from mashed potatoes and spelt flour. Traditionally they were made with oatmeal, that would result a coaser substance and nuttier flavour, butter and potatoes – no flour, no leavening agents. The less flour and raising agent you use, the denser and moister the farl. Using more flour, and raising agents (baking powder and baking soda) and moistening the mixture with milk creates an wonderfully light and fluffy bread-like texture.
These baked quarters can be made with leftover mashed potatoes too. Potato farls are most often served as the breakfast or at teatime. But you can absolutely enjoy these with soups or salads as a lunch. Leave out the onions, rosemary and black pepper if you want to serve them with a dollop of homemade jam. Experiment with different herbs and spices, like chives, dills, spring onions, cumin, or caraway.
Coffee Glazed Chocolate Tomato Loaf Cake
Thursday, September 08, 2022Adding tomatoes to the sweet baked goods is nothing new. Think about zucchini, sweet potato and pumpkin in the baked goods that you have been seeing and enjoying. As you probably know, tomatoes are botanically a fruit and they are sweet and juicy. So using tomatoes in chocoalte cakes or muffins is just as naturally as using bananas and carrots in cakes. Bakers having been using tomatoes for at least the past 50 years to enrich the flavour of baked goods and help the texture stay soft for longer. This chocolate loaf cake is rich with melted chocolate, butter, olive oil, eggs and cocoa powder, using tomato paste and juice to enhance the flavour and texture. If a loaf doesn't feel like a cake to you, feel free to use a muffin pan, or a round cake pan. While the coffee glaze is not absolutely necessary, but the intense and robust flavour of coffee pairs perfectly with dark chocolate.
Tomato Carpaccio with Eggplants
Tuesday, September 06, 2022This simple and seasonally tomato carpaccio with eggplants is refreshing and deliciously healthy. Make use of different shapes, colours and sizes of those peak summer tomatoes from your local farmers market or your own garden. It's quick and shockingly easy to make, and will become a favorite if you enjoy tomatoes and eggplants. Despite taking only 20 minutes to prepare and cook, it looks super impressive when served.
Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
Sunday, September 04, 2022Soup isn't just for winter. For me, every season is soup season. This creamy, vitamins-loaded, simple tomato red pepper soup, adapted from olive magazine, makes a great light lunch with some homemade bread on a warm day or anyday and will use up the glut of tomatoes from your garden or farmer markets too. If you don't have roasted bell pepper, then use the fresh one or roast some yourself.
Sweet Potato Toast with Avocado and Cherry Tomato
Friday, September 02, 2022This savoury sweet potato toast with avocado, cherry tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs tastes equally good for breakfast, as a midday snack and for dinner. They make a surprisingly delicious and satisfying gluten-free substitute for toast. Sweet potato slices are toasted in your toaster or oven until tender, then top them with your favorite toppings and flavours (scrambled eggs and bacon bits, ricotta and honey or tahini and blueberries) to make each meal fun and interesting. Be creative and enjoy your food responsibly!
Coconut Panna Cotta and Blueberry Jelly Terrine
Wednesday, August 31, 2022Wow your guests with this fun and festive dessert, which features a layer of blueberry white wine jelly sitting atop the layer of creamy, rich coconut panna cotta with blueberries and fresh mint leaves. This decadent, dairy-free, grown-up dessert is perfectly delicious and elegant for special occasions, or an after dinner treat to end a summer menu. You can make this in individual glasses and don’t need to unmould and slice for serving.
Mirabelle Cake with Caramelised Almond Topping
Sunday, August 28, 2022A rich, buttery, moist mirabelle (or any fruit) cake, adapted from here and here, topped with a crisp caramel-almond Florentine-like topping, which was inspired by a popular German Bienenstich, is simply too good to miss in life - great for afternoon tea or morning coffee. I used mirabelles, but any other seasonal fruit would be fantastic too.
Spiced Plum Ketchup
Thursday, August 25, 2022A sweet, sour, and aromatic condiment made from foraged mriabelles and cherry plums. You can also use damsons or any other varieties. This is delicious served with cold meats, sausages, pork and cheese and will keep for up to 9 months outside of fridge in a cool, dry, dark place since it's water bath processed. You can skip the process, but the ketchup has to be stored in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.