Category: Uncategorized

st. tola goats cheese and beet risotto

risotto gs&beets

one of the most popular starters this weekend at the restaurant

1.2 ltr hot vegetable stock, made with 1 vegetable stock cube

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 300 g beetroot dipped in malt vinegar, grated
  • 7.5 g fresh thyme, leaves washed, picked and roughly chopped, reserving a few sprigs to garnish
  • 250 g arborio risotto rice
  • 100 g goats’ cheese, crumbled
  • 70 g wild rocket
  1. Put the stock in a small saucepan over a low heat to keep it hot. In a large saucepan, heat the oil, then add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the grated beetroot, along with the chopped thyme and risotto rice.
  2.  Cook over a low to medium heat for a further 2 minutes, then start adding the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, making sure the liquid is absorbed before adding more – this will take about 20-25 minutes. Test a few grains of rice – it should be firm, but cooked through.

    3 Whizz the remaining beetroot until you have a smooth purée, then stir into the risotto with the last ladleful of stock, cooking until the liquid is almost all absorbed and the risotto is a creamy consistency.

    4

    Stir in half the goats’ cheese until it melts into the risotto, then stir in most of the rocket. Spoon onto plates, scatter with the remaining goats’ cheese and garnish with the thyme sprigs and the remaining rocket leaves.

     

    Cook’s tip: if you eat fish, you could stir through flakes of smoked mackerel or trout.

#cupcakehour baking tips

My top tips for ice cream

1 freeze your bowl for at least 24hrs before churn

2 put your ice cream batter in the fridge for 24hrs before churring

3 only fill hour your 3/4 ways leave room for it to aerate

4 when tempering your eggs add little and often hot milk

5 easy on the alcohol little goes a long way when freezing

6 add extracts when your batter is cold for better effect

7 add flavours like chocolate, nuts for the last minute or two of churring

8 shallow flat containers are best fir freezing in

9 to prevent ice crystals lay cling film on top 10 ice cream (homemade) starts to loose flavour after a week so eat it all

#cupcakehour baking tips

The humble egg 1 brown or white which is better?? There is no difference bar shell colour

2 Eggs should be stored in the carton they come in

3 always store eggs in the back of a fridge

4 eggs yolks should be covered in water to lrevent drying out

5 freeze eggs without shells for upto 3 weeks

6 if freezing only egg yolks whisk in some sugar 1/4 teaspoon 4 yolks

7 egg whites can be frozen for up to a year

8 when folding whipped egg whites a rubber spatula is best

9 let egg white stand for 30 minutes before whisking for maximum volume

A visit to St tola goats farm

Myself (chef noel) and fellow chef paul cotter headed up to St tola goat farm for a visit and some tasty bits of course.

The first thing you see is the awards of which there is alot (more inside) no surpise to me im a big fan and use it in the restaurant all the time

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Inside we were given a brillant talk about goats/goats cheese the history of it and the farm itself and meet some goats of course

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Then oh yes the best bit…….. the tasting .it was fantastic as the leasson contuined while we tasted the differant cheeses

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I almost licked the board but we were in company and paul told me it wouldnt be polite …..

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Visit the web site http://www.st-tola.ie to see when the farm visits are on a great way to spend a few hours

 

uses for wild leek

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Some uses for wild leek here i have some ready for saute (black tub)

Pickled wild leek flowers in a simple pickle i use 3/2/1 with a teaspoon of mustard seeds (vinager/sugar/water)

Wild leek pesto equal amounts of wild leek & parsley with toasted walnuts, salt and pepper(no need to add garlic) blended with rapeseed oil

And a wild leek & mint butter just chop the leek and blanch in salted boiling water for 10 seconds and refresh in ice water. Dry and mix with the mint and mix both through softened butter the butter also frezzes well