Warm Salad of Steamed Asparagus with Buttery Lemon Grass Sauce

Rack of Lamb with a Gremolata Crust and Lemon Gravy

Vanilla Mousse with Spring Rhubarb in its own Pink Syrup

Ingredients

Cook in Buttery Lemon Grass Sauce

• 1-2 stalks lemon grass – finely chopped
• 2 spring onions – finely chopped
• 1 tsp chives – finely chopped
• 125ml/4fl.oz dry white wine
• 4 tbsp double cream
• 150g/5oz butter
• 1 dsp chilled dry white wine

• 350g/12oz thin green asparagus stalks
• ¼ tsp salt

• Crusty bread and rocket leaves

Method

Place the lemon grass, spring onions and chives in a small saucepan with the white wine and heat gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream and bring to the boil. Simmer very gently and add the butter, a little at a time, and whisk well until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. If possible, serve immediately. Otherwise, remove from the heat but cover to keep warm. To stabilise the sauce and keep the consistency add 2 dsp of chilled white wine and stir.

To prepare the asparagus, wash the stalks (take care as the tips are very delicate), and snap off and discard the wood ends, so that you are left with the tender part of the stalk. Cook in the steam oven or aquassist oven. Cook uncovered for approximately 6 minutes, varying the cooking time depending on the length and thickness of the stalks. Be careful not to over cook or the colour will spoil. The best way to test the asparagus is to place a skewer through the thickest part of the stalk – if the skewer passes through easily, the asparagus is ready. Drain and place the asparagus on a platter.

Pour the warm sauce over the asparagus and serve with crusty bread and rocket leaves.

The great advantages of this lies in the fact that the oven heats up quickly with no need to pre-heat, and secondly the combination of fast flowing hot air plus natural evaporation, creates a uniquely moist heat, which gives you extra succulent Meat or Lamb, and caramelised vegetables.

Lamb is popular at any time of the year, but is traditionally served at Easter lunch. In this recipe I have combined it with some lemon, herbs, parsley, garlic and a little olive oil.

Ingredients

Gremolata Crust

• 4 dsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic – finely chopped
• Zest of 2 lemons – coarsely grated
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 dsp parsley or rosemary – finely chopped
• 110g/4oz white breadcrumbs
• 1 rack lamb (8-10 cutlets)
• 2 dsp Olive oil

Method

Allow 1-2 cutlets per person – rack approximately 10 cutlets.

Gently warm the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic, lemon zest, black pepper and parsley or rosemary. Mix lightly. Add the breadcrumbs and continue to cook until the mixture binds.

Ask your butcher to prepare a rack of lamb ensuring that all fat is scraped away from the bone leaving at least two of the bones bare of fat. Pat dry the flesh section of the lamb with kitchen paper and cover with the gremola crust, patting down carefully and firmly to ensure the crust will stay on during cooking.

Place in a roasting tin and put on the middle shelf. To cook with CircoTherm
Aquassist place in a hot oven with base heat on to give a good high temperature to seal in the flavour for 15-20 minutes depending on how well you like your lamb cooked. I like to serve mine slightly pink yet with a crusty coating on the outside.

Finish off the last few minutes cooking on circo therm roasting or intensive to give a wonderful appearance and flavour. If cooking vegetables alongside reduce temperature to approximately 180°C and cook until still al dente. This is a geat way to cook asparagus or sliced potatoes.

Lemon Gravy

• 275ml/½pt meat juices
• Zest of ½ lemon
• 2 dsp honey
• 10g/½oz plain flour
• 2-3 dsp water

Method

Strain the meat juices from the roasting dish into a saucepan and add the lemon zest and honey. Heat through for 2 minutes. If you need to thicken the gravy, mix the flour with the water and stir in. Bring the gravy to the boil and continue boiling for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

Vanilla Mousse

• 3 eggs
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 175g/6oz mascarpone
• 2dsp crème fraîche
• 150ml/¼pt whipping cream – stiffly beaten

Rhubarb Compote

• 450g/1lb pink rhubarb
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 150ml/¼pt water
• ¼tsp cardamom seeds – crushed

Method

Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl. Now place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and continue to whisk. This will cook the eggs gently and the mixture will lose the ‘eggy’ flavour.

Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and beat well until it doubles in volume. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Set to one side to cool.

When the mixture has cooled add the mascarpone, crème fraiche and whipped cream. Mix gently and transfer to lightly greased individual moulds. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for approximately 2-3 hours, until set. To serve the mousse, place the moulds in a basin of warm water for 30 seconds. Then turn them upside down onto your serving plate and the moulds should come away easily. Be gentle.

Method

Wash the rhubarb, dry and cut into lengths 3-4 cm/1¼ – 1½ inches long.

Place the sugar and water in a large shallow pan, bring to the boil and dissolve the sugar.

Add the rhubarb stalks and cardamom seeds. Poach gently for 3-4 minutes.
Do not overcook. Serve warm or cold.

Teachers will be able to try their hand at baking cakes and learn some different ways to make them using recipes selected for maximum kid appeal to help get them interested in cooking at school. Recipes have been chosen for the ease with which they can be produced in classrooms which have limited time for cooking.

The Inspire baking conference will give those teachers wishing to help their students learn how to cook some practical skills and handy tips; as well as providing information on nutrition, consumer trends, and resources to use in school. For those unable to attend the event, a video designed to teach bread baking in a one-hour class lesson is available on www.grainchain.com/videos. A video of Jenny’s baking session will also be available after the event.

Speaking about the event Jenny said, “I’m looking forward to being part of this inspiring event which will give Belfast teachers the chance to try their hand at the baking methods I’ll be sharing in my practical session. I hope that they will go back to their classrooms and get all the kids in their schools cooking too. Who knows, this could be the spark which inspires some of our young people to take up a career in baking.”

Alwood created the kitchen used in Jenny’s Masterclass events, a series of innovative cookery demonstrations that tour Ireland focusing on organic food, seasonal cooking, the environment, science and education.

The ultimate aim of the Masterclass series is to promote healthier food cooked with innovation that includes conveniences and in no way compromises on flavour. The kitchen has to cater for so many types of people with different needs so it had to be designed and equipped to deal with that, and stand up to scrutiny under the public spotlight. Alwood delivered a kitchen which has been able to stand up to the demanding needs of the Masterclasses.

Jenny Bristow will be cooking up a treat of Easter Fayre from low cost inspirational ides for Easter lunch, new twists with Lamb, stunning desserts, traditional Easter simnel cake and Alfresco Spring/Summer recipes for outdoor eating and picnics.

Joli Clothing and Bonita Shoes Ballyclare, and Kates and Code Red of Cookstown will celebrate the arrival of Spring with a variety of outfits from Sandwich, Joules, French Connection and many more.

The evening will raise funds for Charis, a Cookstown Chairity that supports men and women affected by cancer at every stage of their journey from diagnosis to one year post-treatment. Charis also assist and support the families and supporters of those living with cancer.

Tickets costing £12.50 are available from:

• JOLI Clothing, 5 Granges Street, Ballyclare BT39 9ZJ – 028 9334 5015
• Kates, Main Street, Cookstown
• Charis

Admission by ticket only.

You can find out more about Charis by downloading their brochure.

Perfect for the winter months when line drying is often impossible, Neff’s new free standing range is packed full of innovative features, including CircoCare, allowing you to take greater care of your clothes than ever before.

Special features include a Sensitive Wash which reduces exposure to allergens that cause skin irritations and highly efficient AirCondensation drying technology. Loading and unloading is easier too as the door size is a generous 32cm.

To enter simply go to Jenny’s competition page and fill in your details. Entries close at midnight GMT on the 29th February 2012.

Good luck!

The programmes see the amateur chefs taken out of the comfort zone of their own kitchens for a culinary cook off in the professional kitchen of Narrow Water Castle, Warrenpoint under the watchful eye of their mentors Jenny and fellow celebrity chef Kevin Dundon.

The show will be broadcast on Tuesdays at 7pm on BBC2 NI, with the first of four episodes showing on 7th February 2012.

Council is committed to improving the nutritional quality of the food they provide at all their venues and in December 2009 a Healthy Eating Policy was introduced. This policy aims to raise awareness and promote the benefits of healthy eating while improving the availability of healthier food choices for staff, visitors and users of all Council facilities.

As part of the Council’s Healthy Eating Policy a ‘Healthier Catering Resource Pack’ was developed which offers delicious recipes for healthy meals including main courses, soups, salads, snacks and desserts – including a number of mouth watering dishes created by Jenny.

This resource pack is now used by all catering staff to ensure that Council facilities always offer healthy options to their staff and visitors alike.

The official launch of this resource pack took place recently at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre with the Mayor of Craigavon, Councillor Alan Carson along with Dr Theresa Donaldson, Chief Executive of Craigavon Borough Council and Jenny Bristow.

“Food is an integral part of our everyday lives and never has the message of ‘healthy eating’ been so prominent”, commented the Mayor of Craigavon at the launch.

“The amount and types of food we consume plays a major role in determining our overall health and well being which is why it is vitally important that this Council ensures that it offers a wide range of tasty but healthy food options at our facilities. Our staff and of course our visitors are entitled to be offered a wide range of wholesome and nutritious choices that will have a positive impact on their health.”