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Recipe – Derry Clarke’s Chocolate fondant with Rum and Pecan Ice Cream

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There was a little girl, Who had a little curl, Right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, She was very good indeed, But when she was bad she was horrid. – Henry Wandsworth Longfellow Longfellow’s description of the little girl and her curl also reminds me of chocolate fondants. A tricky, temperamental creation that can be glorious or utterly horrendous.  This is my favourite chocolate dessert and certainly is hard work to pull off, getting the gooey, rich, decadent centre just right, not too soft, firm on top but not overcooked, not too sweet and not too bitter.  This recipe from Derry Clarke, owner of Dublin’s Michelin star restaurant l’Ecrivain is a stunning dessert and paired with the boozy Rum and crunchy pecan ice-cream a total knockout for any dinner party. Very good, indeed. Ingredients: 1 lb dark chocolate ½ lb butter ½ cup cream flour 1 cup sugar 5 eggs Ice cream ingredients: 50g of ground pecans 50ml dark rum 4 egg yolks 250ml milk 250ml double cream 100g castor sugar …

Recipe – Derry Clarke – Roast spicy, sweet and sour chicken

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There’s nothing like roast chicken to soothe the soul. Chef Derry Clarke, owner of Dublin’s Michelin Star l’Ecrivain, has kindly shared this lip-smacking recipe for spicy, sweet and sour roast chicken to warm up your Sunday lunch. He suggests serving it with roasted vegetables seasoned with spices and it is also delicious with a Mediterranean cous cous. Ingredients 1 whole chicken (not too big: about 1.3 – 1.8 kg or 3-4lb) For the paste: 2 red chillies (- and chopped) 2 tablespoons of curry powder or any spice mix 50g ginger chopped 6 cloves garlic chopped 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons chopped thyme 1 tablespoon chopped sage 1 tablespoon sea salt 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Method Preheat oven to 190C Mix all the paste ingredients together except the oil and vinegar. Rub the chicken with the olive oil and vinegar and sprinkle the dry mixture over the chicken. Season with some freshly ground black pepper. Roast the chicken for about two hours (30- 35 minutes per 500g/ 25 – …

Florrie-Jane’s Vintage – Donegal woman’s online vintage store success

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Laura Doherty returned home to Ireland in 2014 after a few years in Australia and New Zealand, and like many others, she had no plan for what was next. All she did know was that her collection of vintage clothing had grown so big, even her boyfriend was concerned. ‘I’ve always loved vintage clothing and would have sold bits and pieces over the years on eBay. While I was travelling in Australia and New Zealand I collected so many bits and pieces of vintage I had to ship a lot of it home.’ Laura (28) started her online vintage store ‘Florrie-Janes’ Vintage’ just over a year ago and she is now listed as a boutique with one of the world’s biggest online stores Asos.com and cannot keep up with the demand for her vintage pieces. She operates her store from her home in Dunfanaghy in north west Donegal. Surprisingly, the majority of her clothing goes to the UK and she’s only sold around 10 pieces in Ireland so far. She trained as a hairdresser initially and then worked for a …

Recipe – Rack of lamb with sweet potatoes by Sunil Ghai

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This delicious lamb recipe by Ananda’s Sunil Ghai is a lovely Friday supper or an extra special Sunday lunch. The warm sweetness of the spices brings a delicious dimension to the dish. Happy weekend cooking! Rack of lamb with sweet potatoes and chickpeas by Sunil Ghai Serves 4 Preparation time: 20 Cooking time: 30 minutes    Ingredients 4 lamb racks 2 tbsp mustard oil 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder ½ tsp garam masala Salt to taste 150g chickpeas, soaked in water overnight 1 bay leaf 1 black cardamom 1 clove 1 tsp salt 100ml vegetable or mustard oil 6 cloves 2 bay leaves 3 black cardamoms 200g onions, sliced 15g ginger-garlic paste 1tsp coriander powder 1tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 sp salt 200g tomatoes, chopped 2tbsp coriander leaves, chopped ½ tsp garam masala (Bengali) 500g sweet potatoes 50g tbsp honey Salt   Method Soak chickpeas in water and salt overnight. Drain the water and start with fresh water and spices and boil the chickpeas until cooked. Set …

Recipe – Earl Grey Tea Cured Salmon by Stephen McAllister

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This elegant starter recipe is a signature dish in Stephen McAllister’s restaurant ‘The Pig’s Ear’ in Dublin. He has kindly shared the secret to getting the beautifully delicate balance of the tea infusion just right in this recipe. Stephen said: ‘This salmon recipe has been on The Pig’s Ear menu in some way, shape or form ever since we opened in 2008 and has always been a big hit with our guests. It’s also a great dinner party starter as all the work is done ahead of time leaving you free to mingle with your guests.’ Earl Grey Tea Cured Salmon, Apple, Cucumber, Yogurt & Dill Ingredients : (serves 4) 500g organic Irish salmon, skin off & pin boned Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon 70g sea salt 90g sugar 30g dill or fennel Tea from 2 Earl Grey tea bags 100g yoghurt strained in a muslin cloth over night 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced into crescent shapes 1 cucumber, one half sliced thinly length ways, seasoned with salt to soften The other peeled and …