Lennox Cafe

Hidden away in Dublin's Portobello is the delicious Lennox Cafe which kindly played nurse to my Sunday morning hangover brunch. A haven for foodies and a delight to passer-bys this cafe and bistro showcases the best in modern international cuisine sourced from local ethical providers. I opted for the french toast with wild berries and ice-cream which served as a comforting embrace from a sweet stack of carbohydates with a hint of sharp berry zing.


The bistro is off the main road offering a sense of peace and serenity away from the city hustle. Despite it's almost invisible appearance Lennox Cafe boasts a reputation of excellance which is relfected in its wide range of electic customers. I would advise you to book ahead as crowds are known to gather in line outside the establishment. A must on your next visit to Dublin that's well worth a detour off Camden Street.

Baileys Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base
300g Packet Chocolate Digestive Biscuits (crushed)
125g/4oz Butter
Topping
50g/2oz Toblerone Chocolate (or plain or milk chocolate)
200ml Fresh Cream
450g/1lb Philadelphia Cream Cheese
125g/4oz Icing Sugar
1 Measure of Bailey’s Irish Cream

Method
1.Lightly butter a 23cms/9” springform or loose bottomed cake tin.
2.Melt the butter. Add the biscuits and mix until butter is absorbed.
3.While warm, spread mixture into the base of the prepared tin using the back of a spoon. Press down well. Leave in fridge for about an hour until 'set'.
4.Meanwhile, grate the chocolate, using coarse side of grater.
5.Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is soft. Beat in the icing sugar and the Bailey's.
6.Fold in the cream and chocolate until the mixture is smooth, spread evenly over the biscuit base.
7.Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
8.Decorate according to taste e.g. whipped cream, grated chocolate, fruit etc.

Recipe via Odlums,
Blau x

Making Moussaka

I don't know what it is about the weekend that makes my mouth water, oh yes having the time to cook! Tonight I'll be working from this Antony Worrall Thompson recipe for a marvellous moussaka.

Ingredients

• 75ml/6fl oz olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 675g/1½lb lamb mince
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.25ml/¼tsp cinnamon
• 1.25ml/¼tsp allspice
• 2 x 400g/14oz tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fresh, soft thyme leaves
• 175ml/6fl oz white wine
• 4 medium aubergines, cut into 1cm/½in slices
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Plain flour, for dusting

For the topping.

 

• 85g/3oz unsalted butter
• 85g/3oz plain flour
• 900ml/1½pt milk
• 85g/3oz parmesan, grated
• 115g/4oz gruyère, grated
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 free-range egg

Preparation method

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole dish. Add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft, but not coloured. Brown half the lamb in a frying pan and add to the onion. Add the garlic and break up the meat with a wooden fork until it has a loose texture. Brown the remaining lamb.
2. Stir the cinnamon, allspice, chopped tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and thyme into the casserole. Add the rest of the browned lamb and de-glaze the pan with white wine. Pour straight into the casserole dish, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 1 hour.
3. Place the aubergines in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. This draws out any bitter juices.
4. Meanwhile make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan and stir in the flour. Take off the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return the pan to the heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Simmer over a gentle heat for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 55g/2oz of the parmesan and 55g/2oz of the gruyère cheese and season with salt and pepper.
5. Rinse the aubergines and pat dry. Dust the aubergines with flour and fry in batches in the remaining olive oil until golden on both sides, about 8 - 10 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper. Set aside until ready to construct the moussaka.
6. The white sauce should now have cooled enough to whisk in the egg and egg yolks.
7. Cover the base of an ovenproof dish (30 x 20cm/12 x 8in) with a third of the mince then cover with half the aubergine slices. Repeat the layers, ending in the last of the mince, then pour over the cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and gruyère. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas4 for 50-60 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Allow the moussaka to settle for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
8. Serve the moussaka with a chunky tomato, cucumber, parsley and mint salad and crusty bread.

Blau x

Pretty Pretty Pavlova

It's not a dessert I'd ever order from a menu but I just love to make and eat a summer fruit Pavlova. 
A meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The above was my hangover cure the other morning. With its with a crisp crust and soft, light inner texture it also makes for a delicious treat.So here's the recipe I like to use;


Ingredients:

• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1 cup of Castor sugar, also known as "Berry sugar"
• 1 tsp of white vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cups of whipping cream
• Fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit, passionfruit, bananas, blueberries
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 275F (140C) and place the rack in middle of the oven. Line a baking tray with foil and draw a 7 inch circle on the foil with the blunt edge of a knife (don't tear the foil). Set aside.
2. In a clean, medium-sized metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until the whites form soft peaks.
3. Gently sprinkle the sugar into the egg whites, one teaspoon at a time. Don't just lump the sugar in the bowl and never stop beating the eggs until you finish the sugar. Your egg whites should now be glossy stiff peaks.
4. Sprinkle the cornstarch and vinegar on the meringue and fold in gently with a plastic spatula. Add the vanilla and gently fold the mixture again.
5. Now gently spread the meringue in the circle on the foil to make a circular base. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher then the center so you have a very slight well in the middle.
6. Bake the meringue for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it goes a very pale, pinkish egg shell color.
7. Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar to let the meringue cool completely. As the meringue cools, it will crack slightly.
8. Just before serving, take the meringue out of the oven and remove it gently from the foil and place on a plate.
9. Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms peaks. Prepare the fruit by washing and slicing.
10. Gently spread the cream to the top of the meringue with a spatula and arrange the fruit on top.

Blau x


Recipe via http://australianfood.about.com

Porridge

You might be thinking that it's far to sunny and hot for an oatmeal start to your day but I've been loving my fruity porridge these past few weeks. Oats are a great source of protein and contain vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E, Selenium, copper, magnesium and zinc. This breakfast will also lower your risk of developing heart disease by reducing the bad cholesterol (without lowering the good cholesterol) in your body and is proven to fight against IBS and even cancer.

So get your oats in the saucepan and add some milk! Serve into bowl, let cool slightly and then sprinkle a layer of ground cinnamon (which will help stabilise your blood sugar) and add a chopped banana. Add anti-oxidants via fist-sized portions of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, dried cranberries and a handful of goji berries. Repeat after me; 'mmmmmm'.

Blau x

Image via We Heart It

Sexy Mexican Maid

So we all have the default recipe that gets us through nights of entertainment and dining, this is mine. If you ever end up in an episode of Come Dine With Blau then this is what you'll be having courtesy of Delia Smith's How to Cook Book Two. Dinner to be served in the tipi.

Mexican Enchiladas with Cheese

Begin by making the salsa: first tip the tomatoes into a sieve over a bowl to let the excess liquid drain away. Next remove the stalk from the chilli, cut it in half, remove and discard the seeds, chop the flesh very finely and place it in a bowl. Then add half the chopped onion, the drained tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves and lime juice, and season well with salt and pepper.Now give everything a thorough mixing.

Meanwhile, mix the 2 cheeses together in a bowl. Next put the frying pan over a high flame to pre-heat and, when it's hot, dry-fry each of the tortillas for 6 seconds on each side. Place one tortilla on a flat surface and spread a tablespoon of salsa over it, but not quite to the edges, sprinkle over a heaped tablespoon of the cheese mixture, then follow this with a tablespoon of the crème fraîche.

Then roll the tortilla up and place it in the baking dish with the sealed-side down. Repeat this with the others, then spread the remaining crème fraîche on top of the tortillas in the dish and sprinkle the rest of the salsa over the top, followed by the remaining cheeses and red onion.

Now place the dish on a high shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes, garnish with the extra coriander and serve absolutely immediately – if you keep them waiting they can become a bit soggy.

Blau x

Soup's Up

So given that its January, time of all things clean and healthy, I've been souping it up at home. I've always been slightly intimidated by the idea of souping from scratch, but given the amount of time I've spent studying noodle soup in my local vientnamese, I realised its far simpler then meets the eye, and pretty much open to interpretation.

Try this one

Fry garlic, ginger and spices with oil, adding a little water to make a paste if they start to stick. Add stock, nam pla, lime juice, red chilli and coconut cream. Bring to a gentle boil.Add noodles to stock, cook for a further 4 minutes.Divide the prepared vegetables between two bowls. Top with broth and noodles. Add lime wedge to broth and serve.

Now, unfortunatly, in my house we are not ones for measureing things, prefering the 'pinch of this', 'splash of that' rule. But that way, you get to really personalise it for your own taste, and learn about what you're cooking.

They are usually low fat, packed with vitimins and easy to make. Plus you get to sing the Soup Crimp from The Mighty Boosh. Get involved.

Soup, Soup - a tasty soup, soup
A spicy carrot and coriander, chili chowder!
Crouton, crouton - crunchy bread in a liqid broth
I am gaspachio - uh! I am a summersoup - mm!
Miso, miso - fighting in the Dojo
Miso, miso - oriental prince in the land of soup!

Ezzie x

To Dot Your Heart

The name dim sum, literally means "to dot your heart" may refer to small dishes Chinese eat between meals, for snacks or tea time. These small portions, bite-size Chinese food consists of a variety of steamed, braised, baked and deep fried dishes, are not only pleasant to the eyes but delicious too. I'm finding it difficult to find dim sum in Cork and refusinf to that the Marks and Spencers option I might just attempt this myself.

Steamed Dumpling with Meat & Vegetable Filling

Ingredients:

Pastry:

* 1 ½ packages active dry yeast

* 2 ½ tsps sugar

* 3 tbsps lukewarm water

* 4 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 ¼ cups lukewarm milk

Filling:

* 1 lb pork tenderloin, diced

* 2-3 scallions, finely chopped

* 3 tbsps soy sauce

* 1 tbsp sesame oil

* 1 lb cabbage, cored and finely chopped

* 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in water. Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes until frothy.
2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Gradually pour in the yeast mixture and milk and mix to a smooth, firm dough.
3. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes. Leave in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Mix together the pork, scallions, soy sauce and sesame seed oil. Mix the cabbage with the salt and leave for 5 minutes, then squeeze dry, discarding the salty water. Add the cabbage to the pork and mix well.
5. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, then form into a long sausage shape, 2 inches in diameter. Slice the roll into about twenty-four 1 inch thick rounds. Flatten each round with the palm of the hand, then with a rolling pin, roll out each piece until it is 4 inches in diameter.
6. Place 2 tbsps of the pork filling in the centre of each round. Gather the sides over the filling to meet at the top, then twist the top to close tightly. Let the dumplings rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Place the dumplings on a damp cloth on the bottom of a steamer, leaving 1 inch space between each. Steam vigorously for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

 Blau x