what’s in season? local food

To serve: really enjoyed it. The smokiness is Smoked “tartare” Melba toast or sliced, toasted baguette really accentuated in this product, as Serves 2 Lemon wedges EAT Ireland we add some turf to the oak smoking Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle heads to the for a richer flavour.” 300g Burren Smokehouse Organic Cold I love to see a quality Irish product , finely chopped 1 In a bowl, combine the salmon, herbs and Burren in search of salmon going from strength to strength, and 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped red onion. Stir to combine well. that’s certainly the case here. Having 1 tbsp fresh chives, snipped 2 Add the oil, lemon juice, orange juice red onion, very finely chopped started out as just their husband and ¼ and a generous crack of black pepper. 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or cold pressed wife team, the Burren Smokehouse Mix together well and divide between two Irish rapeseed oil now employs 18 full-time staff working serving plates. Juice from ½ a lemon all year round. Luckily, times have 3 Serve immediately with Melba toast and Juice from ¼ of an orange Inspired by a tiny smokehouse near salmon is also highly regulated due changed too, meaning that Birgitta Black pepper lemon wedges. her childhood home on the east coast to overfishing in the past. As Birgitta — working in a predominantly male of Sweden, she and her husband says, “It is amazing salmon but very industry — is no longer asked, “so Per Serving 377kcals, 27.8g fat (4.5g saturated), 4.2g carbs, 1.6g Flip to p.130 for sugars, 28.4g protein, 0.8g fibre, 3.01g sodium began smoking fish in Co. Clare limited in quantity.” She is particularly where is the boss?” easy instructions on in 1989. As she tells it, “Peter and I proud of having had the opportunity These days, the Burren Smokehouse making your own x wanted to produce something locally to feed one special guest: “Thanks to exports across Europe, particularly Melba toast! sourced and smoked in the Burren, Ross Lewis from Chapter One, we got to France and Germany, as well as and to provide tourists passing on to provide Burren Smoked Irish Wild shipping to places as far-flung as their way to the Cliffs of Moher with Salmon to the Queen of England for North America, Singapore and Hong the opportunity to taste and purchase her State Dinner in Dublin Castle.” Kong. Having just won the Green a local artisan food product, so For the remainder of the year, Business Award sponsored that they could enjoy the amazing Birgitta uses organic salmon from the by Bord Iascaigh Mhara in February, landscapes of the Burren and the Cliffs west coast. Interestingly, she tells us Birgitta is delighted but shows no signs while also tasting the food produced that 99% of the production of smoked of slowing down; her latest venture almon has long played a role in the area. We believe smoking is salmon in this country is organically is a planned extension to the visitor in our heritage, both as a both an art and a craft.” certified, meaning that any non- centre, which will tell the story of Irish Svaluable source of food and I’ve long felt that foods made organic smoked salmon you might salmon. “We’re very excited about as a cultural symbol. A wild salmon in a particular region embody see in the shops is likely to hail from this,” she says, keeping her cards will go back to its own birthplace characteristics unique to that Scotland or Norway and have been close to her chest, “and we’ll have to spawn; for the Ancient Irish, the area, and that eating those foods smoked here. “Irish organic salmon more information for you soon.” She’s salmon’s long memory was seen as a is a tangible way to experience a is fed fish from sustainable sources also involved in the Burren Slow Food sign of wisdom. One of the best-known place. I love the idea of tourists — (what is left after filleting a fish) and Festival taking place in Lisdoonvarna tales from the Fenian cycle of Irish especially those from foreign shores marine sourced oil. This results in this May, of which the theme is “Taste mythology is that of Fionn and the — ingesting this very real component levels of omega-3 oils 10 times as high the Atlantic — A Seafood Journey,” , in which the of Irish place and culture. Birgitta as those in conventionally-farmed reflecting on the local Seafood Trail salmon’s spots were said to arise from views the Smokehouse as not only salmon.” Salmon swim extensively, created by BIM and Fáilte Ireland. its consumption of the hazelnuts fallen a food producer, but a food tourism covering around 23,000km during And now for the fun part: the eating. from the nine hazel trees of wisdom. operator too, and says that being their lives at sea, through turbulent This salmon truly doesn’t need much So important was the annual return situated in the Burren, near the Wild waters; this, combined with their feed, to shine, and is stunning served of the salmon that the name of Leixlip Atlantic Way and the Cliffs of Moher, results in a very firm texture. simply on brown bread with some in County Kildare is derived from has been essential for its survival in As Birgitta says, texture is very good Irish butter, a crack of black leax hlaup, meaning “salmon leap,” this capacity. The team is very much significant to a taste experience. Her pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. in the Old Norse of Viking settlers, a rooted in the locality, and many of the Burren Cold Smoked Salmon has However, I couldn’t resist having a reference to the fishes’ yearly journey marketing efforts of the Smokehouse a more “fishy” texture, moist and little fun with it and, if you’re looking up the Liffey. have a significant focus on the area, delicate. This tends to be a draw for for a different way to serve smoked Smoking is an ancient method of rather than just the company. the “real fish lover,” with just a touch salmon, I recommend you try this take preserving food, dating back to the Birgitta is a determined advocate of light oak smoke to bring out the full on salmon tartare. Made with cold Stone Age and, with salmon such an of the quality of Irish salmon. The flavour of the fish. Meanwhile, the Hot smoked salmon instead of the usual intrinsic part of Irish culture, it’s little Burren Smokehouse uses both Irish Smoked Salmon has a slightly drier, raw fish, it’s a more accessible way wonder that we’ve been smoking wild salmon and Irish organically fully cooked and meaty texture that to enjoy the beautiful freshness of a fish here for millennia. Birgitta certified salmon from the west coast. appeals to those who are not natural tartare, and the citrus, fresh herbs and Hedin-Curtin originally hails from Wild salmon is in short supply as its fish lovers. “I have converted non-fish red onion perfectly complement this Sweden and, as such, is the product season runs only from mid-May to, eaters with the Hot Smoked Salmon, outstanding fish. I feel wiser already. of an equally seafood-heavy history. at best, early August; fishing of wild and they’ve been surprised to have

38 Easy Food APRIL 2018 www.easyfood.ie Easy Food 39