DARINA ALLEN RECIPES

Asparagus and Spring Onion Tart In Ireland asparagus is only in season during the month of May – you may be fortunate enough to get a few early spears towards the end of April, and a few stragglers in early June, but it’s best to stop cutting it then to allow the remaining spears to flower and the fern to feed the plant for the following year. This tart is therefore a seasonal luxury and simply not worth making with asparagus that has been flown halfway across the world. The pastry case needs to be well cooked before the filling is added, cook it on a lower rack, rather than too high in the oven.

Serves 6

For the shortcrust pastry 110g (4oz) plain flour 50g (2oz) salted butter water or a small organic, free-range egg (you will not need all of the egg)

For the filling 15g (generous 1/2oz) salted butter 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 250g (9oz) onions, finely chopped (I use about half spring onion complete with green tops and half white onion) 150g (5oz) asparagus, trimmed and with ends peeled 3 organic, free-range eggs 110ml (4fl oz) cream 110g (4oz) Cheddar cheese, grated sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 x 18cm (7 inch) quiche tin with a pop-up base

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

First make the shortcrust pastry. Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Mix in enough water or a mixture of beaten egg and water to bind the pastry, be careful not to make the pastry too sticky. Chill for 15 minutes.

Roll out the pastry into a circle large enough to line an 18cm (7 inch) quiche tin, not more than 3mm (1/8 inch) thick. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill to the top with dried beans. Bake blind for about 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, egg wash the base and return to the oven for 3–4 minutes. This seals the pastry and helps to avoid a ‘soggy bottom’.

Next make the filling. Melt the butter, add the olive oil and chopped onions; sweat with a good pinch of salt until soft but not coloured.

Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water for 3–4 minutes until al dente, then drain. Refresh in cold water and then drain again. When it is cool enough to handle, cut into 1cm pieces. Whisk the eggs in a bowl; add the cream, sweated onion, almost all of the cheese and the cooked asparagus. (You may want to save a few of the tips to arrange on top.) Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour into the pastry case, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre just comes out clean. Serve warm, with a good green salad.

Recipe from Simply Delicious Classic Collection by Darina Allen published by Kyle Books

Shaved Radish and Beetroot Salad This is such a beautiful salad and is made in minutes – it also makes the growing number of raw food aficionados happy and is a super way to show off your beetroot crop.

Serves 4 as a starter

8 French breakfast radishes 1 red beetroot, such as Boltardy 1 yellow beetroot, such as Golden Globe 1 Chioggia beetroot a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked rocket leaves, golden marjoram and chervil, to serve

For the dressing 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Forum Chardonnay white vinegar or white balsamic vinegar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Season to taste and set aside.

Just before serving, wash the radishes and beets. Shave each one into thin rounds on a mandolin. Toss the lot with the parsley leaves and dress lightly with most of the dressing.

Arrange the slices of beetroot and radish on white plates, overlapping haphazardly. Drizzle some of the remaining dressing over the top, add a few rocket leaves, golden marjoram and chervil to serve. (You may not need all the dressing depending on the size of the beets.)

Recipe from Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

Beetroot - Three delicious vegetables in one. The new seasons beets are just ready to harvest. The beets are swelling everyday but one can eat them from when they are the size of a table tennis ball. We love them served hot as a vegetable when they are young and sweet but we use the stalks and leaves too. The leaves are delicious served fresh in a salad or wilted down like spinach. The stalks and leaves can be served together as in the Beetroot Tops recipe or the stalks can be blanched, refreshed and drained, then tossed in a little extra virgin olive oil and some freshly snipped herbs and serve warm or cold.

How to cook Beetroot Leave 5cm (2 inch) of leaf stalks on top and the whole root on the beet. Hold it under a running tap and wash off the mud with the palms of your hands, so that you don't damage the skin; otherwise the beetroot will bleed during cooking. Cover with cold water and add a little salt and sugar. Cover the pot, bring to the boil and simmer on top, or in an oven, for 15-20 minutes (in May/June when they are young) depending on size (they can take 1-2 hours in late Autumn and Winter when they are tough). Beetroot are usually cooked if the skin rubs off easily and if they dent when pressed with a finger. If in doubt test with a skewer or the tip of a knife. Use in chosen recipe.

Recipe from Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

Hot Beetroot with Cream and Parsley

Serves 4-6 675g (1 1/2lbs) beetroot, cooked 15g (1/2oz) butter salt and freshly ground pepper a sprinkling of sugar 150-175ml (5-6fl oz) cream 2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped parsley Rub the skins off the freshly cooked beetroot. Use rubber gloves for this operation if you are vain! Slice or chop the beetroot flesh into cubes. Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the beetroot toss, add the cream, allow to bubble for a few minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sugar. Taste and add a little lemon juice if necessary. Scatter with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe from Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

Beet Stalks with Extra Virgin Oil and Mint Young beetroot tops are full of flavour and are often unnecessarily discarded; but if you grow your own beetroots, remember to cook the stalks as well. When the leaves are tiny they make a really worthwhile addition to the salad bowl, both in terms of nutrition and flavour. This isn’t worth doing unless you have lovely young leaves. When they become old and slightly wilted, feed them to the hens or add them to the compost.

Serves 4

450g (1lb) fresh beetroot tops salt and freshly ground pepper butter or extra virgin olive oil fresh mint, shredded (optional)

Trim the leaves off the stalks (keep the leaves aside and cook separately – see below). Keeping them separate, cut the beetroot stalks into 5cm (2in) pieces. Cook in boiling salted water (1.8 litres/3 pints water to 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt) for 2-4 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly chopped spearmint. A simple but truly delicious combination. Otherwise just some freshly chopped parsley would be delicious.

Fresh Beet Tops, Stalks and Leaves 450g (1lb) fresh beetroot tops salt and freshly ground pepper butter or extra virgin olive oil 50-75ml (2-3fl oz) cream

Keeping them separate, cut the beetroot stalks and leaves into rough 5cm (2in) pieces. First cook the stalks in boiling salted water (1.8 litres/3 pints water to 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt) for 2- 4 minutes or until tender. Then add the leaves and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Drain, season and toss in a little butter or olive oil. Drain well, season and toss in a little butter, extra virgin olive oil or add 50-75ml (2-3fl oz) of cream and allow to bubble up – taste and correct the seasoning. Serve immediately.

How to Cook Beet Leaves

Serves 4-6

In season: In May-early June when the beets are young, the fresh leaves are delicious in salads or cooked exactly like spinach.

Here are three different basic methods of cooking beet greens.

900g (2lb) fresh beetroot leaves, with stalks removed (cook stalks separately) salt, freshly ground pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg 50-110g (2-4oz) butter

For preparation Method 1 (Wilted Method) Wash the prepared beetroot leaves and drain. Melt a scrap of butter in a wide frying pan, toss in as many beetroot leaves as will fit easily, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. As soon as it wilts and becomes tender, strain off all the liquid, increase the heat and add some butter and freshly grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Method 2 (Buttered Beet Greens) Wash the prepared beetroot leaves and drain. Put into a heavy saucepan on a very low heat, season and cover tightly. After a few minutes, stir and replace the lid. As soon as the leaves are cooked, about 5-8 minutes approx., strain off the copious amount of liquid that beetroot releases and press between two plates until almost dry. Chop or puree in a food processor if you like a smooth texture. Increase the heat, add butter, correct the seasoning and add a little freshly grated nutmeg to taste.

Method 3 (Buttered Beet Greens) Cook the beet greens uncovered in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until soft, 4-5 minutes approx. Drain and press out all the water. Continue as in method 2. Method 3 produces fresher coloured leaves.

Beet Greens with Cream Cook the beet greens by method 2 or 3, drain very well. Add 225-340ml (8-12fl oz) cream to the beetroot and bring to the boil, stir well and thicken with a little roux if desired, otherwise stir over the heat until the beetroot has absorbed most of the cream. Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Creamed beet greens may be cooked ahead of time and reheated.

Poached Eggs with Beet Greens A classic dish and one of the most delicious combinations. Serve freshly poached free-range organic eggs on top of creamed beet greens - one of our favourite lunch or supper dishes.

Radish Leaf Soup with Chervil Cream Many people have never tasted a radish leaf, but when you grow your own, the fresh leaves can be used in salads and this soup. The leaves are slightly peppery when fresh but become milder when cooked and a teency bit prickly.

Serves 4

45g (scant 2oz) butter 140g (scant 5oz) potatoes, peeled and chopped 110g (4oz) onions, chopped 900ml (1 1/2 pints) water or homemade chicken or vegetable stock 300ml (10fl oz) full-fat milk 150g (5oz) radish leaves, chopped sea salt and freshly ground black pepper sliced radishes, to serve

For the chervil cream 250ml (9fl oz) full-fat crème fraîche large bunch of chervil

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and when it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and sweat over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the chervil cream. Place the crème fraîche into a bowl. Simply chop the chervil very finely and mix with the crème fraîche. Season to taste.

When the vegetables are almost soft but not coloured, add the water or stock and milk, bring to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the radish leaves and boil with the lid off for 4–5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Purée the soup in a liquidiser or food processor. Season to taste. Garnish with thinly sliced radishes and put a blob of chervil cream on top of each bowl.

Recipe from Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

Irish Nettle Soup This is a particularly good version of nettle soup.

Stinging nettles grow in great profusion throughout the countryside in temperature regions all round the world, particularly on nitrate-rich soil. Gather them in spring when they are young and tender and not too strongly flavoured.

You’ll need gloves to protect your hands. If you do get stung, rub with a dock leaf to relieve the pain – happily, they usually grow side by side. With their high iron and vitamin C content, nettles were prominent in folk medicine and, like many other wild foods, they helped in some small measure to alleviate hunger during the Irish famine. Among the older generation, the tradition of eating nettles four times during the month of May to clear the blood still persists. In fact, herbalists confirm that nettles contain iron, formic acid, histamine, ammonia, silica acid and potassium. These minerals are known to help rheumatism, sciatica and other pains. They lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels to increase the haemoglobin in the blood, improve circulation and purify the system, so our ancestors weren’t far wrong.

Serves 6

45g (1 1⁄2 oz) butter 110g (4oz) onions, chopped 150g (5oz) potatoes, peeled and chopped salt and freshly ground pepper 1 litre (1 3⁄4 pints) chicken stock (see recipe) 150g (5oz) young nettles tips, washed and chopped 150ml (5fl oz) full-cream milk

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the chopped onion and potato, toss them in the butter until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover with a paper lid (to trap the steam) and the saucepan lid, and sweat over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured. Discard the paper lid, add the stock and boil until the vegetables are just cooked. Add the nettle leaves and simmer uncovered for just a few minutes. Do not overcook or the vegetables will lose their flavour. Add the milk and liquidise. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary. Serve hot.

Recipe from Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

Autumn Tart This is definitely my ‘go-to’ recipe for a super quick and delicious comfort pud. Even though I call this version with plums Autumn Tart, I make it throughout the year with different fruits, including rhubarb, gooseberries, greengages, peaches, nectarines, apples and pears, and add a few juicy fresh berries when I have them. The sponge base is quick to make in a food processor and you can ring the changes by experimenting with different flavours, such as freshly chopped lemon verbena, rose geranium or rosemary.

Serves 10-12

For the fruit base 175g (6oz) granulated sugar 110ml (4fl oz) water 450g (1lb) plums, halved and stoned, or dessert apples, such as Egremont Russet, Cox’s Orange Pippin or Charles Ross, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths, depending on size

For the sponge topping 150g (5oz) softened butter 150g (5oz) granulated sugar 200g (7oz) self-raising flour 3 organic, free-range eggs

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/Gas Mark 3.

Put the sugar and water into a 25cm (10 inch) ovenproof sauté pan or cast-iron frying pan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the sugar caramelises to a rich golden brown (if the caramel is not dark enough, the tart will be too sweet).

Once the caramel darkens to a golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and arrange the prepared fruit, cut-side down, in a single layer over the caramel.

To make the sponge topping, combine the butter, sugar and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Whizz for a second or two, then add the eggs and stop as soon as the mixture comes together. Spoon the cake mixture over the plums and spread gently to create an even layer.

Bake for about 1 hour. The centre should be firm to the touch and the edges slightly shrunk from the sides of the pan.

Remove from the oven and set aside to rest in the pan for 4–5 minutes before turning out. Serve with crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.

Recipe from One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen published by Kyle Books Roast Rhubarb A dish of roasted fruit couldn’t be simpler – rhubarb, plums, greengages, apricots, peaches, apples or pears. I love to add some freshly chopped herbs, such as rose geranium or lemon verbena to the sugar or the accompanying cream. I’ve become a huge fan of the sweet and intense flavour of roast rhubarb.

Serves 6

1kg (2 1/4lb) red rhubarb 200–250g (7-9oz) granulated sugar 2-3 teaspoons freshly chopped herbs, such as rose geranium or lemon verbena (optional) ice-cream, labneh or thick Jersey cream, to serve

Trim the rhubarb stalks if necessary. Slice the rhubarb into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces and arrange in a single layer in a 45 x 30cm (18 x 12 inch) non-reactive ovenproof dish. Scatter the sugar over the rhubarb and leave to macerate for 1 hour or more, until the juices start to run.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Cover the rhubarb with a sheet of parchment paper and roast in the oven for 10–20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks, until the rhubarb is just tender. Keep a close eye on the rhubarb as it can disintegrate very quickly

Serve hot or cold with ice cream, labneh or thick Jersey cream.

Recipe from One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen published by Kyle Books

Pear with Lemon Juice, Sugar and Mint

4 ripe Conference pears 2-3 tablespoons caster sugar 1 lemon, juiced 1-2 tablespoons of freshly shredded Mint

Peel and core the pears. Cut them into quarters or sixths depending on size of pears. Transfer the pears to a serving bowl, sprinkle with caster sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Toss gently and leave to macerate for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded mint, toss gently, taste.

Add more sugar or lemon juice if necessary

Lemon Posset with Rose or Sweet Scented Geranium

This lemon posset recipe has done the rounds (was it Jane Grigson originally?), always lip- smackingly good, but it was Skye Gyngell who introduced us to this version scented with sweet geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) leaves. She, in turn, attributed it to Jeremy Lee, so on it goes…. Anyway it’s sublime, so thank you all.

Serves 4

400ml (14fl oz) double cream 90g (scant 3 1/2oz) caster sugar 5 sweet geranium leaves, plus tiny sweet geranium leaves, to garnish 50ml (2fl oz) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put the cream, sugar and geranium leaves in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the lemon juice, then strain into your serving dishes of choice. Cover and chill until set. Garnish each with a tiny geranium leaf to serve – frosted geranium leaves are even prettier.

Did you know? Scented geraniums are a large family that originated in South Africa. They were brought to England in the mid-seventeenth century, where the Victorians embraced them to scent their rooms, but it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that the French perfume industry recognised their potential. Sometimes known as ‘the poor man’s rose’, sweet geranium oil is used occasionally instead of the more expensive rose oil.

Recipe from Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

JP McMahon Recipes below from The Irish Cookbook © Phaidon Available to purchase from www.aniarrestaurant.ie

Pollock with Hazelnut Crumb

Preparation and cooking: 15 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients  500 g/1 lb 2 oz pollock fillet, cut into 4 pieces  50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter, melted  dill vinegar (see below)  25 g/1 oz (. cup) fresh breadcrumbs  25 g/1 oz (. cup) hazelnuts, ground  2 teaspoons chopped dill  sea salt

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6. 2. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (wax) paper and place the 4 pieces of fish on the sheet. Brush the fish with a little of the melted butter and season with salt and a little of the vinegar, if using. 3. Combine the breadcrumbs, ground hazelnuts and dill in a bowl. 4. Cover the fish with the crumb. Drizzle the remaining butter over the top. 5. Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.

How to Make Your Own Herb or Fruit Vinegar

There are two ways to make your own flavoured vinegar. First, by infusing ingredients into a base vinegar such as cider or white wine vinegar. I like to use fruit in season, such as blackberries and raspberries, or herbs such as tarragon, dill, sage and wild garlic. Simply infuse the herbs or fruit in warmed apple cider vinegar for about three weeks, giving the jar a shake each day. After maturation, you can strain the vinegar if desired. The other way takes slightly longer. Sprinkle some sugar over the herbs or fruit and mash slightly. Cover with a little water and leave at room temperature to ferment. When all bubbling has ceased, strain the contents and leave the liquid exposed to turn to vinegar. Then bottle and refrigerate.

Sea Trout with Mustard and Hazelnut Dressing

Preparation: 25 minutes Serves 1 Ingredients  100 g/3. oz sea trout fillet, skinned and pin-boned  25 g/1 oz small sea beet leaves (or baby spinach or chard), to serve For the dressing  100 ml/3. fl oz extra virgin rapeseed (canola) oil  tablespoons hazelnut oil  3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard  1 teaspoon honey  sea salt, to taste

Method 1. For the dressing, whisk the ingredients together to form an emulsion. 2. Slice the trout thinly. Season lightly with salt and leave for 15 minutes. 3. Dress the fish with the dressing and garnish with the sea beet leaves.

Cep and Hazelnut Salad with Sheep’s Cheese

Preparation: 10 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients

 300 g/11 oz fresh ceps (porcini)  100 ml/3. fl oz extra virgin rapeseed (canola) oil  2 tablespoons apple balsamic vinegar  100 g/3. oz hard sheep’s cheese, grated  50 g/2 oz hazelnuts, roasted and crushed  a small handful of chervil, leaves picked nicely  sea salt

Method 1. Slice the ceps (porcini) very thinly and arrange them in a circular shape on each of the plates. 2. Mix the oil and vinegar together and season with sea salt. Dress the ceps with the vinaigrette and season with more salt if needed. 3. Scatter the cheese and hazelnuts over the mushrooms. Garnish with the chervil and serve immediately.

Carrageen Moss Pudding

Preparation: 15 minutes, plus chilling time Cooking: 15 minutes Serves 8

Ingredients  15 g/. oz (3 tablespoons) fresh carrageen (or 2 teaspoons dried)  1 litre/34 fl oz (4. cups) milk  2 egg yolks  tablespoons honey, plus extra to serve  bee pollen, to serve (optional)

Method 1. Wash the carrageen if using fresh or rehydrate if using dried, following the package directions. Heat the milk with the carrageen in a medium pan over a medium–low heat. 2. Beat the egg yolks and honey together in a small bowl, then pour the egg mixture into the milk and stir for about 10 minutes until it thickens. 3. Pour into moulds or bowls and refrigerate for a few hours until set. 4. To serve, drizzle with a little extra honey and sprinkle over some bee pollen, if using.

My Great-Aunt Kay’s Fruit Crumble

This is a fruit crumble (crisp) from my great-aunt Kay Clinch, who was born in the 1920s. It doesn’t specify the fruit, so use whatever is in season. The only change I made was to use butter instead of margarine. My aunty Anne made this crumble many times and testifies to its deliciousness!

Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 35 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients  500 g/1 lb 2 oz prepared fruit (about 4 cups)  such as apple, rhubarb, plums or blackberries  100 g/3. oz (. cup) caster (superfine) sugar  150 g/5 oz self-raising flour (1. cups  all-purpose flour mixed with 1. Teaspoons baking powder)  75 g/2. oz (5. tablespoons) butter

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Coat the fruit with half the sugar and place in an ovenproof dish.

3. To make the crumble (crumb topping), rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Fold in the rest of the sugar.

4. Cover the fruit with the crumble and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until golden brown.