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Festive Cranberry and Orange Curd..

Posted on by Becks
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Every year, around this time I get tired of the shops – I’ve seen enough of them – so I decide that now is the time to turn to foodie presents, and today I’m giving you first go of my own Orange and Cranberry Curd.

(It’s like Lemon curd, except, you know, with cranberries and orange :) )

I looked on line, as I always do, but wasn’t particularly inspired, so I’ve adapted my Lemon Curd recipe for you. I know that this recipe works because there are three darling little jars are sitting, cooling, beside me as I type :)

That’s all you’ll get, by the way, is 3 little jars, or two slightly larger ones. Feel free to double up the recipe if you need more, or if you have a large number of foodie friends.

I made a batch of Cranberry and Orange, plus some Lemon Curd this afternoon, so I’m feeling ridiculously proud of myself! I was so relaxed making the lemon Curd that I was able to carry on a telephone conversation with my sister-in-law in Australia at the same time – how’s that for multi-tasking? Thanks for the chats Dorothy :) ..

Here’s a short version of the Cranberry and Orange recipe – the equipment and method is exactly the same as for the Lemon Curd already on the website https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/home-made-lemon-curd/

For instructions on sterilizing jam jars, see the Lemon Curd recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 300g fresh cranberries – washed and sorted – discard any squishy ones.
  • the juice and zest of 2-3 unwaxed oranges. (I got 200ml today from 3 oranges)
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 120g unsalted butter.
  • 3 eggs and one extra egg yolk, lightly beaten together.

METHOD:

  • Put the cranberries and the orange juice into a small saucepan and cook until the cranberries burst, and the whole thing turns a glorious deep red colour.

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  • Then put a sieve over a bowl and push as much of the cranberry through as you can – (I got 225 ml)

 

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  • Add the cranberry/orange juice to the butter, sugar etc., and mix with a whisk until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
  • Add the beaten eggs through a sieve and combine well.
  • Now you just have to stir it fairly regularly until it starts to thicken.

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  • When it reaches the consistency of pouring custard it’s ready for potting up.
  • Transfer it all into a jug.
  • Remove your  jam jars from the oven, and pour the curd in, scrapping down the sides of the bowl and the jug, to get every last bit.
  • Cover and seal immediately.
  • Allow to cool at room temperature, then transfer and store in the fridge until it’s time for the lucky recipient to receive their delicious gift.
  • This should last 3-4 weeks in a cold fridge.
  • Be sure to dress it up (I like Christmassy bags and ribbon) before you hand it over with the pomp and circumstance it deserves :)

 

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Homemade Cranberry Compote

Posted on by Becks
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When we were young, the only cranberry we knew was the sickly-sweet sticky jam that was available in the supermarkets at Christmas. I never liked it. As a kid, I always thought it was weird putting jam on your Christmas dinner!

Then along came Delia, the advent (pardon the pun) of fresh or frozen cranberries, and suddenly everything changed. My Cranberry Compote is only very distantly related to Delia’s, as I really like the tartness contrasting with all the sweet stuff available at Christmas time.

It’s a really versatile little pot of glorious crimson goodness. If you prefer it a little sweeter, just add more sugar to this recipe.

EQUIPMENT:

  • A large saucepan
  • A wooden spoon that you don’t mind staining red!
  • Some sterilised jam jars or pretty pots
  • a jam funnel, if you have one (I’m a messy cook, so I find it saves me a lot of tidying up)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 bags of fresh Cranberries (my bags held 300g, so two of them)
  • The juice and zest of a large orange
  • 25mls Port
  • 50mls red wine
  • 50g soft brown sugar

METHOD:

  • Wash and pick over the cranberries to remove any damaged ones
  • Put them into the saucepan on a medium heat
  • Add the sugar, orange zest and juice, wine and port.
  • Bring to a gentle boil,(I love listening to the berries popping gently!) then turn down immediately to a low heat, the let it bubble gently away until it becomes soft and sticky. This should take no more than 20-30 minutes.
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The Compote needs to thicken up a little from this picture..

  • The more unripe berries will mostly hold their shape, while the others will break down. There should still be a little liquid left in the saucepan, don’t let it get too dry.
  • Taste it for sweetness (Careful now! it will be hot!) then stir in some more sugar to taste, if required.
  • Decant into your chosen containers.
  • Put the lids on immediately, and allow to cool.
  • Then label and decorate if you’re giving some away as gifts.

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NOTES:

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Lorna’s melt-in-the-mouth Shortbread

Posted on by Becks
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I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but at work we have a serious habit of throwing a Bun Party at the drop of a hat. All birthdays are celebrated, with cakes, nibbles and jolly singing. Sometimes however, on the occasion of someone going off to get married, have a baby, have an extra-large birthday (mine, for example ;)); or  – God forbid – actually leaving, we tend to push the boat out with a rather grander event.  Everyone has their speciality – I’m usually asked to bring one of my Plum cakes https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/up-side-down-plum-cake/ but that’s small beer compared to some of the creations that have been presented over the years..

It was at one such event, that I came across Lorna’s Shortbread; or rather, her sister’s shortbread. As soon as I’d had my 3rd piece (nothing like a good bit of research, I always say 😉 ) I asked her for the recipe.

The recipe has proper butter, but also that old baking ingredient – Stork margarine. I’ve tried this recipe both with and without the Stork, and it’s better with it. It’s not an ingredient that you’ll often see on this site, but these dreamy little biscuits are worth it. The pictures here show some rather Christmassy decorations, but of course you can do some that are more season-appropriate.

Have a go – they’re easy and delicious. This is a rather large recipe, but it can easily be halved. Having said that, they’re very more-ish – you have been warned!

EQUIPMENT:

  • Mixer with a dough attachment – (you could of course do this by hand, but it might be rather hard work)
  • large baking tray
  • baking parchment
  • Selection of decorative stampers – totally optional.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 12oz Plain flour, sifted.
  • 6oz unsalted butter, cubed
  • 4oz Stork Margarine, cubed
  • 3oz caster sugar.

METHOD:

  • Heat the oven to 180 fan
  • Put all the ingredients into the mixer and mix until it forms a stiff dough

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  • Line the baking tray with the baking parchment, and cut yourself another piece about 10cms wide.
  • Take a spoonful of the dough, and roll it into a smallish ball. If it’s any help, mine were about the size of a Ferrero Rocher sweet, and weighed somewhere between 10 and 15g
  • Continue until you’ve filled the baking tray. They do spread, so give them space. Keep any extra chilled until you’re ready to cook them.

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  • Using the second piece of parchment, and the back of a spoon, squash the balls down a little until they have a flat surface.

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  • If you fancy decorating them, now’s your chance. Don’t forget you could just use a fork, or a small pastry cutter, like my star one
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Don’t ask me where I got these cutters – I have no idea!

  • Put the tray into the oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. I would definitely check them after 10-12 minutes – you may need to turn the tray around to bake them evenly.
  • Remove the tray and allow the biscuits to cool for at least 10 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack.
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They are so beautifully crumbly..

  • When fully cold, put them into an air-tight container, divided by layers of baking parchment.

NOTES:

  • If you want the designs to last (some of mine didn’t) the stamp has to be pushed quite deeply into the dough before cooking
  • I imagine these, properly wrapped, would freeze very well
  • I’d like to try drizzling a fine line of melted chocolate over some undecorated ones, and of course they’d be ideal for icing.
  • Try to keep the dough as cool as possible – if it heats up, it can become rather sticky and hard-to-deal with.
  • I think that these would be a very acceptable gift at almost any time of year.
  • I have a notion that a little fresh lemon or orange zest would be great in these too. I’ll try that next time, and post the results here :)
  • Chilling the dough really helps with handing, but the dough doesn’t keep, so you must use it all up on the day you make it.
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Hot Port, a la The Merrion Hotel..

Posted on by Becks
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We visited the Merrion in Dublin for a couple of days last weekend. It was dry and sunny but absolutely freezing outdoors. Imagine our delight when a waiter there suggested that my daughter and I have a Hot Port each to help thaw us out.

Any Hot Port I’ve ever had consisted of Port, sugar, and a slice of lemon studded with cloves, so we were surprised when ours arrived with a thick slice of Orange and a Cinnamon stick for stirring. I have to say it was absolutely delicious, the orange and cinnamon really change the flavour.

Naturally, having pondered if we could feel our toes again, or whether we should have a second one for the sake of our health, I thought of passing this discovery on to Eating for Ireland readers. To those of you out there who may be ‘persuaded’ into the occasional Hot Port at this time of year, I’d definitely recommend that you try this method. Let me know how you find it..

I’m not going to insult you with ingredients, method etc., but here’s a picture.. and you can add a little sugar if you like 😉

Hot Port

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Buying Local..

Posted on by Becks
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I’m not much of a trend-setter, unless there’s  a club for people who only wear comfortable shoes! But in one aspect of life, I may actually have been ahead of the posse..

For many years now, I’ve been committed to buying food from local producers where possible, and hand-made gifts and cards for family and friends from local artisans.

My Facebook feed is filled with talented people who lovingly give their time to make beautiful, interesting and unique items. Hardly any of these crafters are going to end up rich, but I’ve met so many of them at various fairs and markets, and the one thing they all have in common is that they love what they do.

And that of course, is riches indeed.

Christmas cards, Arbee

Beautifully made local cards by Arbee Cards at St George’s market

There is a great tradition in Ireland of small, local markets – I remember one time in Ballyvaughan asking a lady if the potatoes she was selling were local, and she put me in my place by replying that she’d picked them herself yesterday evening, and was that local enough for me? Oops! They were delicious, btw..

My Mum was a great fan of a little Saturday morning farmer’s market in Balbriggan – it was in a small church hall, as far as I can remember, and you had to go early because virtually everything was sold by 10am. I often think that I got my market-going bug from her, and I also inherited her love of auctions, and vintage markets too!

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Freshly picked for us in Co. Armagh, and brought to St George’s market..

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Upperlands Coffee Company blend, roast and grind their coffee and bring it to the market in an electric car! Local, delicious, and sustainable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nowadays, many towns have an artisan market of some kind – it shows how much people have come to appreciate buying fresh or handmade goods in these days of mass-production. Have a look around, ask your neighbours – you’ll find all sorts of treasures are available!

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The Belfast Continental Market – once this opens, we all know that Christmas is coming :)

Another huge resource at this time of year is the Church fairs – virtually every church, school and community group has a fair, and there are many talented people out there, waiting for you to discover them! At this time of year I find my Saturdays determined by how many markets and fairs I can physically visit in one day!

This week some of the local producers have started a ‘buy local’ campaign and I’m hoping to do some damage to my Christmas list over the next week or so. My hand-made treasures so far this year include gorgeous little one-off purses with hand-made soap in them; some unique art cards, made by a favourite (and affordable) artist friend of mine – (Off-one Christine); a bespoke oak serving board, bought in the fabulous Indie Foods in Comber, and hand-felted fairies for the top of the Christmas tree from The Fine and Dandy Market.

Often I love the things I buy so much that it’s hard to part with them!

But hey, it’s almost Christmas..

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My gorgeous Christmas wreath, made by a local Florist, who also happened to be family! (Norah Mitchell, Holywood Rd Belfast)

 

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Back to School..

Posted on by Becks
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I think it was Agatha Christie who said that the best two days of a mother’s life were the first and last days of the School holidays – or maybe I made that up myself 😉

 

 

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Promenade at Newcastle, Co Down..

The long summer break, which in June seemed to stretch ahead forever, has finished and suddenly you’re back into the round of packed lunches, after-school activities and the need for a quick and tasty dinner which everyone, adults and children alike, can enjoy. A home-made dinner also gives you the opportunity to get extra healthy goodies into the family’s diet too.

 

I have been that person – the stressed, time-poor working parent with the tired and hungry family! Looking back, I’m amazed that I got through those difficult but happy years, and managed to feed the troops whilst keeping a load of balls in the air.

I have a good friend who knew exactly what she and her family were eating for dinner a week in advance. She had a list on the fridge, so that whoever got home first knew what to do. I’d love to be like that, but sadly I’m not. Perhaps you are, if so, it’s a great plan.

For the rather less organised amongst us, here’s my grand plan for getting through term time. Ok, it’s not exactly a grand plan, but it got me through what was no doubt the busiest time of my life. So let me offer you some suggestions for forward planning and school-night dinners which I hope, will make things a little easier..

THE BIG SHOP:

I still do a big shop about once a month. And a smaller, perishable (meat, fruit, veg, dairy) shop once a week, with the occasional spontaneous food purchase if the opportunity arises (specialist bakery, local markets etc.)

The monthly shop should have all your long-life items –

Food:  Cereals, Flour, cooking ingredients, spices; tinned, dried (pasta, rice, grains) and frozen food; –  these may well be the basis for many of your school-night dinners.

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Household: – pet food, toilet rolls, washing powder, cleaning products, plus anything that may be required for school – extra pencils, copy-books etc.

If you get into the habit of making sure that you’re well stocked with the essentials, it takes a huge pressure off. It’s worth writing your own list, and sending it to your phone or whatever for easy access when your brain’s in a fog..

THE FREEZER:

The working parent’s best friend.. if you have the space and can afford one, it’s well worth having. Even a small one at the top of a fridge can be invaluable.

If you have ever checked out any of my recipes, you’ll see that I quite often make reference to batch-cooking for future days. I call them my can’t cook/won’t cook days. Days when I have neither the time or the inclination to cook from scratch. Those are the days that I give a profound sigh of thanks to whoever invented domestic freezers!

In my freezer you’ll find:

  • Frozen petit pois, ice-cream, ready-made Yorkshire puddings (God bless Aunt Bessie, eh?), flatbread, frozen puff pastry and stuff like that. Also frozen fruit, such as frozen mixed berries (so handy for dessert emergencies!) and of course my own blueberries, ready for Christmas morning pancakes!

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  • Then there are the labelled containers of previously-prepared dinners  –

Chilli chicken: https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/my-chilli-and-mascarpone-chicken-pasta/,

Beef chilli: https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/my-chilli-con-carne/,

Bolognaise sauce :https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/bolonaise-sauce/

Bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken breasts: https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/stuffed-chicken-and-bacon-parcels/

and many more.

  • NB: Can I just emphasise the need for labelling? You won’t remember what was in that tub – trust me, I’ve done it a hundred times. It ends up with me defrosting and hoping that I’ll be able to make whatever it is into a dinner..
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I usually wrap these individually for freezing, first in baking parchment, then in a freezer box.

  • There are also frozen meat portions – speciality sausages, joints of beef, chicken breast, minced beef, ready to be defrosted and turned quickly into something special.

WET SUNDAY AFTERNOONS:

A chance (if you can get the rest of the family entertained) to do a little prep for the week ahead. I usually just stick on the radio, check what I have in the fridge, and make a few dinners to ease me into the week. All well and good if I can add to my stash of frozen dinners too.

One of the things I also like to do on a wet Sunday (and there seem to be so many wet Sundays!) is make a cake for dessert – it’s a treat for everyone, not least yourself. My All-in-one Chocolate cake is the perfect recipe for this – quick, easy and delicious. https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/hilarys-all-in-one-chocolate-cake/

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At the end of the day, a little planning goes a long way in term-time.

For convenience, I’ve put a list below of links to a few my easiest family dinners, so that you can give them a go – please do check through the rest of the recipes though, as you may find something there that you can adapt for your family.

https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/family-favourite-pasta-bake/

https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/my-home-made-crispy-oven-chips/

https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/chicken-stir-fry-with-noodles/

https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/the-big-red-chicken-stew/

One other thing you’ll need, and how could I forget? Wine. You’ll need lots of wine.. 😉

Hot Port

Ok, this is a hot port, but it’s basically wine, right?

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Newcastle, Co Down – ‘where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea..’

Posted on by Becks
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This lovely sculpture is halfway along the promenade – it has all the words of Percy French’s famous song.

Early on a sunny Sunday morning is our favourite time to take the road from Belfast to Newcastle. It’s a nice drive, in winter or summer, and the road can be fairly peaceful at that time of the day. In summer, you can be held up in Dundrum because there’s a huge car boot sale running, which is very well attended. Once you’re past that, it’s plain sailing to Newcastle..

In Winter, you need all your layers on, but it’s so well worth it to see the waves crashing, and a hint of snow on the tops of the mountains.

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A well-wrapped Mr Sat Night catching the light on the mountains

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Out to sea..

We usually drive down, take advantage of the free and ample parking, walk half-way along the Promenade and then stop for breakfast. We then finish our walk by taking the rest of the promenade, go down onto the beach if the tide’s out, or walk back up the main street checking out all the independent shops, most of which open for Sunday visitors such as ourselves.

Occasionally we take a walk through Donard Park, which is at the end of the Main street, and where you can walk up a well-worn path towards the mountain tops.  My husband’s parents met in Newcastle, so it always held a special magic for all the family. He has great memories of trips and caravan stays there in his childhood.

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A cold and bright March morning at Newcastle

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Winter waves..

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The view back to Dundrum Bay

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My Winter warming Mulled Cider..

Posted on by Becks
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I’ve had so many dodgy mulled wines in my time that when I was planning a family drop-in Afternoon Tea last year, I was determined that no one was going to be a) indecently inebriated by teatime, and b) doubled over and requiring an ambulance due to the addition of a bottle Cherry Brandy that Auntie Madge brought back from her honeymoon in Tenerife 15 years previously..

It’s taken me some work, but I know you’ll appreciate all that excessive amount of tasting that I had to do to perfect this recipe for you 😉

This is a decent-sized recipe, and you could always reduce it if you thought it necessary, but then there’d be no leftovers for you, so that would just be silly, wouldn’t it?

EQUIPMENT:

  • Your biggest saucepan
  • a grater

INGREDIENTS:

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  • 4 litres of Cider – this year I used Magners original, last year it was Olde English Vintage cider, which is paler in colour
  • 1 bottle (750ml) of Apple juice – I always use Barnhill apple juice from Co Armagh – this year the variety was Cox’s
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4-6 Star anise
  • 1/4 of a nutmeg, grated
  • 1 vanilla pod, split, or a couple of capfuls of Vanilla extract
  • 1 dessert spoon of Vanilla sugar (I only used this because I had some, ordinary caster sugar is fine)
  • Juice of a large orange
  • 2-3 sliced mandarins

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METHOD:

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  • Put all of the above into the saucepan, and bring gently – gently! – to the heat. Don’t let it boil.
  • Cover, and let it sit on a low heat for a little while to absorb all the flavours, stirring occasionally.
  • Taste for sweetness, and adjust to your taste.
  • It’s best to strain this before serving unless you want a random bit of cinnamon stick in your teeth; or even better, to bite into a clove.. so definitely strain it!
  • Pour it back into the cleaned pot, and add some fresh mandarin slices.
  • keep it warm on the hob, and serve as required.
  • Watch your guests become gently cheerier, and apparently not notice the state of your house or the fact that the decorations were obviously thrown up with gay abandon 30 minutes earlier!

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My Cranberry Compote – I make this in December :)

Posted on by Becks
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I woke up this morning feeling slightly panicked.  It took me a minute, but eventually the awful truth dawned – there was no escaping the big event at the end of the year. I was going have to up my game…

My first instinct was to put on a chicken costume and act headless, but I’m (allegedly) all grown up now, so I put the chicken costume away for another day and decided to face my responsibilities like, well a man. Or a woman. Or like a person who has done this whole Christmas thing before and can probably pull the rabbit out of a hat again.

Then, out of the blue, I remembered that I had bought fresh cranberries the other day; I had jam jars, red wine, a couple of oranges and a bottle of Port – Thunderbirds were a GO.

This is the easiest and most satisfying recipe – you do hardly anything, and you end up with several pots of glorious bitter/sweet red stuff for eating with hot turkey on the day; cold cuts, pates or terrines thereafter, and even as an ingredient in my famous Cheat’s Mince and Cranberry rolls https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/cheats-mince-and-cranberry-rolls/. Yes, I could do this – and so can you..

EQUIPMENT:

  • A medium/large saucepan – the one that you use for the potatoes is fine.
  • a wooden spoon
  • A jam funnel, if you have one
  •  about 6 smallish jam jars, (pretty ones if you’re going to give some away as presents). I got my gorgeous little ones in Lakeland; they’re a brand called Ball, they hold 240ml, and are made in America. They need to be sterilised and heated.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3x 300g bags of fresh cranberries                                      p1200949
  • 4oz granulated sugar
  • the grated zest and juice of two large oranges

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  • 300mls red wine ( I used Rioja this evening because that’s what was lying around)
  • 50mls Port
  • 2 dessert spoons of balsamic vinegar

 

 

 

METHOD: For experienced cooks only 😉

  • Put everything except the Port into the saucepan on a med/high heat

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  • Bring it to a gentle boil, stir regularly, and watch fascinated, as the cranberries pop
  • Reduce the heat a little
  • Add the Port.
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look at that – isn’t it just gorgeous!

  • Let the Compote bubble gently away for about 20-25 minutes until it has thickened up nicely to about the consistency of a pouring jam
  • remove a teaspoonful and allow it to cool, then taste and add more sugar if necessary – it’s meant to be tart, not bitter
  • When you’re happy, remove it from the heat and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes while you get the jam jars sorted.
  • Decant the compote into your chosen vessels and seal immediately.
  • Allow to cool completely, then label and decorate as you see fit

NOTES:

  • Because the cranberries we get are often all at different stages of ripeness, you tend to get some whole ones left sitting within the compote. To me, this adds variety, and is one of the delights of this recipe.
  • It will keep beautifully for a year or so in a cool place. I used the end of last-year’s batch the other day, and it was perfect.
  • It’s not meant to be like the overly-sweet (to me)  Cranberry jelly that you buy in supermarkets – it’s much more tart than that. That’s why it’s so good with so many things. It might be wasted on those who prefer a sweeter taste. Or, you know, you can just add more sugar..

 

Posted in Blog

The truth about Avocados..(according to me)

Posted on by Becks
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Avocado – friend or foe?   Hard, (pardon the pun) to tell sometimes..

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Truthfully, it’s been one of those things that has put me off using avocados for important occasions – I can never tell by looking and feeling whether they’re newly hatched/ripe/over-ripe/gone off;  I’d been caught out so many times that I became wary and tended to either avoid them altogether, or hope for the best and learned to have something else in reserve when my worst fears were realised.

The problem is that I absolutely love avocado pears, so the burden of disappointment over the years has been a big one. Also – am I the only one? – I called them ADvocados for years (only heard them talked about, never written down). And this is the woman who has her own website – be careful what you read on the internet 😉 – but let’s face it, the fact that Greengrocers corrupted the spelling of broccoli for so long didn’t bode well for avocados either …

I remember phoning up a major, high-end shop in a rage one time after I’d paid a huge amount of money for two seriously good-looking avocado pears, only to discover when I got them home that they were literally rotten to the core.  They blithely suggested I bring them back for a refund, but a) I’d dumped them into the bin in a fit of temper and b) I was too busy thinking up a replacement dish for the one I’d planned.

Nowadays however, I am a little more philosophical about these things: I no longer think, in respect of avocados, that ‘most expensive is best’. I rarely plan a dish where they are the only, or most important ingredient, without having a viable back-up readily available.

  • my suggestions for back-ups: Ripe nectarines or mango

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These days, I buy the cheapest packet-of-four in the supermarket, put them into the fruit drawer of the fridge, and leave them there for a minimum of 3 weeks and have discovered that, in most cases, they are perfectly acceptable when I go to use them. Today, I was throwing a salad together for lunch, and used two of the four that had been resting in my account for just over 2 weeks. They were almost perfect; in fact they could have done with another few days to be honest.

So there you have it – my last word on avocados; for the time being!

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