All posts tagged: chef

My Favourite Spring Recipe – By Chef Gary O’Hanlon

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My colleague from RTE ‘The Restaurant’ and friend Gary O’Hanlon, talented head chef of Viewmount House, Co Longford has chosen his favourite Spring recipe: ‘This is without doubt one of my favourite things to cook on a night off. It’s simple and absolutely packed with flavour. Happy cooking, Gary xx Friendly Farmer Chicken Picatta with Broccoli, Champ Potatoes and Flat Parsley Ingredients For Picatta 2 chicken breasts butterflied and batted out thin juice of 1 lemon 1 cup loose flat parsley roughly chopped 3 tbsp of mini capers and 2 tbsp of the caper juice 1/2 cup flour drizzle of rapeseed oil 1/2 pint of dry white wine 4/5 knobs of butter salt and pepper to taste For the Mash 4/5 medium to large potatoes splash of milk/cream salt and white pepper 4 scallions sliced finely on the bias Garnish 1 whole carrot peeled and halved 1 x 2 inch piece of courgette cut into quarter 1 purple potato parboiled or alternatively use a piece of butternut squash for colour 6 florets of broccoli Method …

There once was a trip to elBulli

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I was recently reminded of how lucky I was to get to dine  in elBulli restaurant. Although it was over three years ago, I can still taste every dish. It was one of the most spectacular nights of my life. Here are some words I wrote about it shortly after returning: elBulli Some people are so determined to eat in Spain’s elBulli restaurant that they’ll book a table four years in advance – like a chap I met last year who planned a table for his wife’s 40th birthday. Others, like me, create 11 new email addresses and enter the annual lottery for reservations. Since there are around 400 applicants for each available cover, we usually don’t hear anything back. But there’s always the chance of a Christmas miracle. In late December 2008, my friend Ciarán called me, breathless. “Guess where we’re going next October 17th?” I had bullied (pardon) him into entering the lottery too; if either of us got in, we would take the other person. elBulli is housed in a plain, unassuming …

Falling for Food : Angeline Ball

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I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely actor and singer, Angeline Ball, when I worked with her on a recent series of RTE ‘The Restaurant. She deservedly took away the coveted five stars for her beautiful menu. She worked a tough day in the kitchen on the recipes, which drew on her own love of cooking and food from her travels, and the influence of her French husband’s cooking. I still remember the taste of her Tarte la Belle Mere with Armagnac and Mascarpone cream. It was sweet and decadent and mischevious and unforgettable. She is best known for her role as Imelda Quirke in ‘The Commitments’ and she also plays Gloria in the TV series ‘Shameless.’ She lives in London with her French husband Patrice and their two children. She is the kind of person who disarms you in her utter grace and sweet charm. She is wonderful to the core, and a tremendous cook. Here, in ‘Falling for Food’, she reveals some of her favourite food passions and memories………. Falling for Food …