The Good Mood Food Blog- Donal Skehan

:: Mushroom Hunting Pics!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, myself and the lovely Aoife decided to head to Powerscourt waterfall to take part in Slow Food Ireland's mushroom hunt. It was my very first mushroom hunt and to be honest I didn't really know what to expect.

The whole thing kicked off in the middle of a quiet field where all the participants had parked the cars. We were given a brief talk by a mushroom expert about what to look for, edible and poisonous. After being warned that mushroom hunting was even more dangerous than most extreme sports, we left in groups quite ominously not knowing who would return!

We paired up with some lovely ladies who were fairly new to the slow food movement like ourselves, and our hunt quickly became less about extreme sports and deadly ingredients and more about getting to know each other. After lots of chatting we realised we hadn't actually found ANY mushrooms! Then there was talk about heading down to the local shop to pick up a few if we were stuck as we couldn't return empty handed!

Luckily we didn't have to resort to that and the competitive streak really came out when we met fellow hunters who had baskets full of strange and interesting mushrooms! We began to look a little harder and it was a case of once you saw one you saw hundreds. After a lot of talk over which varieties we should pick, we decided to pick them all and let the expert decide!

It was quite funny to notice passer by's reaction to us bending down and inspecting these little mushrooms. Almost everyone we passed wanted to take a peak into the baskets and look very worried when we told them we were planning to eat them!

We headed back to the field where the organisers had setup a little picnic and were serving mushrooms soup and cooking up some of the mushrooms which had been picked. Everyone had brought there own dish for a cold buffet and there was a great selection of different dishes, someone even brought along a basket of delicious apples picked from their garden!

Overall it was a lovely experience, but after eating the mushrooms that were cooked after we had picked them I felt slightly unnerved with the knowledge that had any mistakes been made, I could be making a swift visit to the hospital! Hope you enjoy the photos!

:: Crispy Hasselback Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Today is the day I am going to share one of my ultimate favourite recipes from the book! I started writing my first food column in the Irish Independent Weekend magazine last weekend and got the opportunity to share some of my personal favs from the book, including Kerstin's bursting berries with white chocolate, Chicken Thigh Supper, Lime and Mint Mohito Chicken and Hasselback potatoes. However as I know there are a lot of readers beyond Ireland that might be interested in these recipes I thought it would be worth posting here too! Let me know if you want any of the other recipes included in the article posted here!

Crispy Hasselback Potatoes

I came across the recipe for Hasselback potatoes when I was younger and they are so visually appealing that I had to make them. The traditional recipe, originally from Stockholm, calls for breadcrumbs and cheese, but I have tried to make it as simple as possible for this recipe. The potatoes go nicely alongside most dishes. If your potato slices don’t separate while cooking, increase your heat and you should get better results.

Serves 4
Approximately 20 baby potatoes
2 tablespoons of melted butter
A generous pinch of sea salt

These potatoes are a little bit daunting at first, but once you get the knack of it you’ll have no trouble! The idea is to cut slices about 3mm in thickness right across the potato, but to keep them attached at the bottom.
If that all sounds a bit too much, there is a quick trick you can use: place the potatoes on a wooden spoon and slice down: the dip in the spoon will prevent you from slicing all the way through.
When you’re finished, place all the potatoes sliced side up in a roasting tray and brush each one with the melted butter and give a good sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
Roast at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for approximately 45 minutes or until the slices of the potatoes fan out and turn golden brown.
Serve straightaway and dig in!

:: Everyday Harumi Japanese Cookbook Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Harumi Kurihara is one of Japan's most popular cookery writer, you may not have heard of her but she is already being dubbed the Japanese Martha Stewart! Her new book "Everyday Harumi" focuses on Japenese homecooking with simple recipes which are easy to read and even easier to prepare!

Thanks to the lovely folks over at Octopus Books I have a copy of "Everyday Harumi" to give away on the blog! To be in with a chance of winning, enter your details below and submit your answer to the following question:

What is Harumi's surname?
A: Kurihara
B: Takahashi
C: Suzuki

A winner will be chosen at random from all the entries, one entry per person, and the competition closes 13th of November at 12pm! Best of luck! :)

:: Radio Interviews: Ryan Tubridy, Ian Dempsey, Beat 102-103

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:01:00 +0000

:: Chocolate Pumpkin and Pecan Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:55:00 +0000

I promise no more pumpkin recipes up on the blog for while after today's recipe! But I did save the best till last! These pumpkin brownies are so delicious, you just have to try them. I didn't manage to get my hands on pumpkin puree so I made my own. I slowly roasted the pumpkin until it was soft, scraped out the flesh, then I puréed the mixture and passed it through a sieve. Unfortunately my homemade purée didn't have that authentic neon orange colour that you see in American food photo's so you will have to allow me a little artistic creativity, as I did play around a little with the colours in the photos.

Chocolate, pumpkin and pecan brownies

Recipe from The Daily Mail

Makes about 20 squares
For the pumpkin mixture:
25g butter
75g cream cheese
100g caster sugar
1 egg
100ml pumpkin purée
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp ground ginger
75g plain flour

For the chocolate mixture:
200g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate, chopped
3 large eggs
300g granulated sugar
2tsp vanilla extract
125g plain flour
Pinch of salt
100g pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Grease and line a rectangular baking tin, approximately 20cm x 30cm (8-12in) and 3-4cm (1 1/4-1 1/2in) deep, with greaseproof or parchment paper.
To make the pumpkin mixture, beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Keep to one side.
For the chocolate mixture, melt the butter and chocolate together, either in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or gently in the microwave.
In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract with an electric hand whisk until thick and creamy.
Mix in the melted chocolate and butter. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and pecans.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the lined baking tin and level off the surface.
Using a tablespoon, drop dollops of the pumpkin mixture all over the top, and then, using the back of a table knife, loosely swirl it into the chocolate mixture.
Place in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes, until the top is cracking and the centre is just set.
Leave to cool in the tin for 40-45 minutes before cutting into bite-sized squares.

:: Winner of the signed copy of Good Mood Food!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:35:00 +0000

Big Congrats to Mary Donnelly who won the signed copy of Good Mood Food! The competition had a huge 264 entries so thanks a million if you entered. Due to the success of this competition I may just have to put another one up for grabs next month, so if you weren't successful make sure to check back to try again!

If you just can't wait to get your hands on a copy, the book is in all good Irish bookshops and for international readers you can purchase online via Mercier Press, Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Play.com Europe.

:: Harumi's Green Beans With A Sesame Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

I have recently been introduced to the amazing Harumi Kurihara, who is Japan's answer to the UK's Delia Smith or America's Martha Stewart. The lovely folks over at Octopus Books sent me a copy of her latest book "Everyday Harumi" to review and I can safely say I'm already hooked. If your a regular reader of the blog you'll know that I have a thing for Asian recipes so it's no suprise I am in love with this woman! Pssst....Don't tell my girlfriend :)

From the sounds of things she is all set to make waves in the UK and Ireland and bring an authentic look at real Japanese homecooking. I think the beauty of the book is its simplicity and of course the brilliant recipes which inspire rather than alienate. Check out this delicious recipe from the book. Also stay tuned to the blog, there may be a new book competition coming your way this week! :)

Green Beans With A Sesame Dressing

I love using both white and black sesame seeds in my recipes, they add texture, aroma, taste and colour. I use a lot of sesame when cooking, and preparing vegetables with a sesame dressing is very common in Japan. I always prepare the dressing in advance and keep some in the refridgerator ready for use. Sesame seeds should always be toasted before use, taking care not to burn them. It gives them an extra special flavour and makes them easier to make into a paste. If you cannot find sesame seeds or paste, you can use peanut butter or tahini as a substitute. Please experiment with this dressing, try combining it with other ingrediens such as rice vinegar, miso paste or dashi stock to make new sauces and dressings.

Serves 4
200g green beans

For the sesame dressing
50g toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of caster sugar
1/2 tablespoon of mirin
1/2-1 tablespoon of soy sauce
salt- to season

Prepare the green beans, lightly cook in a pan of boiling water with a little salt, then drain and rinse under cold running water and pat dry.
To make the seame dressing: Put the sesame seeds into a mortar preferably a Japanese mortar with a grooved interior. Grind the seeds until they are almost a paste then add the sugar, mirin and soy sauce and mix well. Add a little salt if needed.
Mix the sesame dressing in with the freen beans and serve.
The paste can also be made in a food processor but care should be taken not to overprocess.

:: Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:41:00 +0000

I'm in Sweden until Monday and I had planned a few more Halloween recipes to stick up on the blog, unfortunately the combination of loosing my power adaptor and lots of travelling meant that I didn't get round to actually posting them. Sweden doesn't really celebrate Halloween and it is seen mainly as an American holiday but seeing as I grew up with the tradition of carving pumpkins, I thought it was high time my Swedish friends got their carve on!

Sofie and I spent the day yesterday searching for the perfect pumpkins to bring over to her little cousins who were very excited at the idea of gutting the pumpkins! In fairness to Sweden they have a great selection of pumpkins on offer and it's not all the generic ones we get in the supermarket in Ireland.

After a lot of searching and mini breakdown from Sofie, we finally found two big fat orange pumpkins! It was lots of fun carving the pumpkins with Niklas and Jonas but my favourite part of the whole process is making these delicious toasted seeds!

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

These seeds are my perfect little alloween snack and they are far more healthy than your average Halloween treats! Try experimenting with flavours, I have yet to make a sweet version of these but I'm pretty sure they would work good too.

Serves about 4 people as a snack
The seeds of 2 pumpkins
3 tablespoons of melted butter
2 teaspoons of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons of sea salt

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, place in a colander and rinse with water until they are clean.
Shake off any excess water and place the seeds on a dry tea towel and pat dry.
Place the seeds in a large roasting tray and pour over the melted butter.
Sprinkle the seeds with the chilli powder, cayenne pepper and sea salt.
Toss the seeds until they are all thoroughly coated.
Place in the oven to toast for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool, though to be honest sometimes they taste the best straight out of the oven! Just watch out for burned fingers!

:: Pumpkin and Crispy Pancetta Risotto

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:02:00 +0000

Last month we stayed at Grouse Lodge, (the recording studios Michael Jackson used while he stayed in Ireland, don't you know!) to record Industry's new material which will be released in the UK. Now, when I'm "on the road" with the band I am usually fairly starved for foodie delights, however the lovely folks who own Grouse prepare the most amazing homecooked food! Not only that but they also have their own apple orchard, vegetable garden, and even a giant pumpkin patch. Not to mention the ducks and chickens which roam around keeping an eye on everything!

As you can imagine, I was fairly excited and spent every opportunity out taking pictures of the amazing garden! We had breakfast, lunch and dinner all freshly prepared, but one of my favourite meals was the delicious risotto which made a really tasty lunch. This is my version of it!

Pumpkin and Crispy Pancetta Risotto

I absolutely love this recipe, it is a real cosy dish, which leaves you full, satisfied and warm. Risotto may seem a little tricky, but it's just a case of giving it your full attention and slowly incorporating the liquid, so give it a go! If you can't get your hands on pancetta slices, use smoked streaky bacon.

Serves 4
850g pumpkin, cut into slices
A few fresh sage leaves
3 garlic cloves, roughly sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices of pancetta
1 litre of chicken stock
150g butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
300g risotto rice
75ml white wine
150g parmesan freshly grated
A good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220oC/425oF/Gas Mark 7.
Peel and gut the pumpkin and cut into slices. Make sure to save the seeds they are super tasty roasted with a little butter and sea salt.
Place the pumpkin on a roasting tray with the garlic, sage, salt and pepper, toss together.
Cover with tin foil and bake until soft for about 50 minutes.
10 minutes before the pumpkin is ready remove from the oven, lay the pancetta over the pumpkin and place bake in the oven till crisp.
Melt 75g of the butter and the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the onion until soft for about 15 minutes.
Add the rice and off the heat stir through until it is totally coated with the onion mix.
Return to the heat, add enough stock to cover the rice and simmer stirring until the rice has absorbed nearly all the liquid.
Continue to add a little more stock at a time until it is all absorbed. This should take about 15 minutes, until the rice has a creamy coating.
Add the remaining butter, roast pumpkin, white wine, garlic and parmesan. Gently stir though.
Serve immediately.

:: Good Mood Food Cookbook Competition!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

To celebrate the official launch of my very first cookbook "Good Mood Food" last week, I have a signed copy up for grabs! The book is now available in all good Irish bookshops and online for international visitors, via Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Play.com EU.

Good Mood Food is a cookbook that I hope will change your attitude to food, offering over 100 delicious simple, healthy home-cooked recipes. Good Mood Food such as Broad Bean, Pancetta and Pea Shoot Salad, Cookies and Cream Chocolate Chip Oreo Cupcakes, Blueberry and Banana Muffins, and a tasty Aromatic Duck Salad.

In order to get your hands on an exclusive signed copy, simply fill in your details below and submit the answer to the following question:

What month did I first start posting on this blog?
A: January
B: June
C: July

A winner will be chosen at random from all the entries, one entry per person, and the competition closes 3rd of November at 12pm! Best of luck and remember you gotta be in to win! :)

:: Good Mood Food: The Big Book Launch!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Apologies for the delay in this post, I am still try to get over all the excitement. The launch of the cook book took place on Wednesday evening and it really got a great turnout, I was so thrilled! So now it's official the book is finally launched! I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along on the night, it was so lovely to meet regular readers of the blog, and of course all my fellow Twits who attended too!

With the help my lovely aunt, we provided the nibbles, inspired by recipes in the book. We had Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes, Swedish Cinnamon Buns, and Roast Vegetables and Feta Crostini!

Niamh Hatton from Mercier Press spoke briefly about the book and the other books they had coming up in the next few months, she was followed by Eoin Purcell who commissioned the book way back at the start of 2008 and spoke about working on the book! Normally I prefer to speak off the cuff at these sort of events but there was so many people I had to thank, that I knew I had to write it all down!
Thanks to everyone who turned up, hope you like the pics taken by the lovely Aoife Nathan!

:: Winner Of Confit De France Products!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:21:00 +0000

Big congrats to Ronan B who won a delicious tin of confit duck legs with thanks to Confit De France!

I have a competition which is very close to my heart coming up so stay tuned! :)

:: Hearty Minestrone Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:57:00 +0000

I have a few winter warming dishes coming up but this recipe is actually taken from the book and was featured on Georgina Campbell's Ireland Guide website. Plus I got a request in the comments section so I just couldn't resist!

Hearty Minestrone Soup
This is a perfect winter meal solution, full of tasty vegetables, and filling thanks to the
pasta. I use wholewheat spaghetti, but feel free to add other shapes like fusilli or pasta elbows instead. If you don’t have any paprika, you can get a bit of spice by adding a dash of tabasco sauce, or a good pinch of dried chilli flakes.

Serves 4
1 courgette, chopped into small chunks
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 410g tins cannellini beans
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped into small chunks
2 litres/4 pints homemade chicken stock
75g/3oz wholewheat spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
A good pinch of paprika
A good pinch of sea salt

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic cloves and onion for 2
minutes or until they become soft.
Stir in the celery, carrots and courgette and cook for five minutes. Add the
chopped tomatoes and chicken stock, and bring to the boil, then reduce the
heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the wholewheat spaghetti, paprika and cannellini beans. Give the
soup a good stir and cover. Cook gently for a further 10 minutes or until
the pasta is cooked.
Season with a little sea salt and serve straightaway with a good chunk of
wholemeal bread and enjoy!

:: Good Mood Food on Radio!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:33:00 +0000

The "Good Mood Food" book has been getting a great reaction so far, here are some of the interviews I did this week on Irish radio to promote it!

:: Good Mood Food Blackberry Mess

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

I thought I should really post this sooner rather than later, as I would imagine the remaining blackberries on the bushes have only a matter of days before they are all completely gone. So go out and get picking before it's too late! This is my recipe for this month's Irish Tatler magazine to which I now regularly contribute, this month's edition is out now, so check it out!

If you can't get your hands on blackberries you could just as easily use frozen mixed berries which are a great freezer stand by and just allow them to thaw before you add them. Boylans fruit farms have a great selection of frozen berries and you should be able to find them in most Irish supermarkets. They should work wonderfully in this recipe if your stuck!

Good Mood Food Blackberry Mess

This is my take on the classic English recipe "Eton Mess" which originally uses strawberries. You can really use any fruit here and just adapt on the cream and meringue mixture. The recipe takes minutes to throw together and is a super last mintue dessert.

Serves 4
200g of blackberries
6-8 tablespoons of blackberry coulis
4-5 meringues
250ml of cream
4 glasses for individual servings

In a bowl, whip the cream until it becomes thick.
Crumble the meringues into the cream and stir to combine.
Gently fold half the blackberry coulis into the cream and meringue mix until you get a nice marbled effect.
Place a few blackberries in each glass and layer with the cream and meringue mixture. Repeat the process.
Serve with an extra drizzle of coulis and a few more blackberries on top of each. Delicious!

:: Good Mood Food: THE BIG BOOK LAUNCH!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:59:00 +0000

I would personally like to invite all readers of this blog to the launch of my very first cookbook, "Good Mood Food: Simple Healthy Homecooking". Myself and the blog have come a long way since my very first post here way back in 2007 and I would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has emailed, commented and called about the recipes on the blog and in the book! I really hope you will join me next Wednesday the 21st of October to support the launch of the book in Dubray Books on Grafton St., Dublin! See you there for a great night!

:: Win a Confit De France tin of Confit Duck!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:41:00 +0000

If the last recipe had drooling, well then I have a special treat for all you Duck Confit fans! The lovely Laurent from Confit De France has provided me with a tin of 4 Confit Duck Legs to giveaway here on the blog.

The duck legs come in a tin and are stored in duck fat which is perfect for roasting crispy potatoes! I decanted all the fat into a big jar which will last me at least 4 roasts! Brilliant!

The duck itself is so easy to prepare, just stick it on a baking sheet and shove in the oven. For such a little amount of work in the kitchen the results are absolutely amazing, the duck meat practically falls off the bone and is so delicious!

If you want to get your hands on your very own tin of these gourmet delights all you have to do is leave a comment telling me about your favourite French food!

The competition will close Tuesday 20th of October and is open to residents of Ireland. A winner will be selected at random from the comments!

Best of luck!

:: Duck Confit and A Tasty Bean Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:03:00 +0000

I remember first tasting duck confit on a family holiday in the south of France, which is where my love for this deliciously tender dish first sprang from. The dish is prepared in an age old traditional method by salting the duck meat and then poaching it in its own fat. By salting the meat the duck is preserved, before it is cooked extremely slowly at a low temperature for up to 10 hours. The duck is cooled and then transferred to jars or cans. It is then topped up with duck fat and some jars and cans can be stored for up to several years!

Duck Confit and A Tasty Bean Stew

I absolutely love duck confit and this little dish is a perfect compliment. If you don't order online you should be able to pick up some in most gourmet food stores, but beware they can be pricey so do shop around.

Serves 4
1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans
4 Confit Duck Legs at room temperature
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
1 litre of chicken stock
1 x 250g tin of chopped tomatoes
1/2 glass of white wine
A handful of freshly chopped parsley

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and cloves, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are soft and tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, white wine and tomatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the stew has reduced a little. Stir every few minutes and spoon off any froth that bubbles to the top. 5 minutes before you serve add the beans and stir through.

Place the duck confit legs on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes at 200˚C/Gas Mark 6 or until the skin is sizzling.

Serve the duck confit on top of the bean stew and sprinkle with a little parsley! Serve straightaway!

:: Which Winter Warmer Dish Would You Like To See On The Blog?

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

I'm planning a cook up of some of my favourite winter warming dishes this week and wanted to get your opinions! Cast your vote on the poll below and if you have any other suggestions leave a comment! :)

:: Blueberry and Banana Breakfast Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:13:00 +0000

All this week I will be out and about promoting the book, and this morning I am on Limerick's Live95FM. They asked me to pick out my favourite breakfast recipe from the book for their breakfast show so I had to go with my all time favourtie breakfast muffins! But these aren't any regular light and empty muffins, these babies packed full of chunky oats, bursting blueberries and bananas to keep you on the move!

Blueberry and Banana Breakfast Muffins

Healthy muffins are perfect for a quick breakfast on the go. These blueberry and banana muffins are packed
with healthy ingredients, which will keep you going for any busy morning. I normally make them the night before I have them and grab one or two just before I leave the house.

Makes 12 muffins
125g/4½oz blueberries
2 bananas, mashed
125g/4½oz plain flour
75g/3oz wholemeal flour
200g/7oz rolled oats
75g/3oz brown sugar
250ml/8½fl oz milk
2 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons of sunflower oil
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and sugar.
Create a well in the dry ingredients and add the banana, egg yolks, milk and oil.
Mix everything gently until a wet batter forms.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
Fold the egg whites and blueberries into the muffin batter until everything is mixed evenly.
Divide the muffin mix into individual paper cases and place in an oven for 25 minutes at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
The muffins should be fine to eat for 4–5 days and can easily be frozen in zip lock bags.

:: Mushroom hunting with Slow Food Ireland!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:06:00 +0000

Today I went on my very first mushroom hunt! It was organised by Slow Food Ireland and this is the introductory talk at powerscourt waterfalls just south of Dublin by mushroom expert, Bill O'Dea all about the different types of mushrooms edible and deadly! You'll have to excuse the focus pulling, I'm still getting to grips with the new camera- I'll post up lots of the photo's from the day when I finally get my head around it!

:: The Book Is Out In Irish Book Shops NOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:45:00 +0000

Just a quick note to say that the book has hit Irish bookshop shelves in the last few days so if you want to get a copy, it should be there!

There is a great feature in the Irish Examiner on the book today and it even gets a mention on the front page on the weekend supplement and the main paper. I'll post it soon!

I'm going to be doing a bit radio promo next week, so have a listen in to the following:

Monday- Live95fm @ 8.45am, TippFM @ 12.15pm, Spin South West on John and Muireann talk show between 12.30-2.45pm.

Wednesday- C103 @ 10.40am

Thursday- Q102 @ 5.45pm, Newstalk @ 3.30pm

Friday- Beat102-103 @ 11.00am, Spin 1038 @ 1.30pm

Monday 19th- U105 @ 12.40pm

I'll keep you posted on the schedule, hopefully more will be added soon! Plus details of the launch coming soon! :)

I'm not sure exactly what the situation is for foreign readers just yet, but in the next few weeks you should be able to order copies online! I'll keep you posted.

:: Chorizo and Mushroom Thin Crust Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:11:00 +0000

Pizza was one of the first things I learned to cook when I was a kid, I think it was because the preparation is fairly hands on so it's a perfect starter recipe for younger aspiring cooks! The great thing about homemade pizza is that you can cater for the taste of every person you make it for. This recipes topping is just a suggestion but the same day I made this I made a pizza's with parma ham, goats cheese and peppers, so you can really use whatever takes your fancy.

For the pizza baking session, I had the help of my cousin Harry, who had decided to miss out on his Sunday morning rugby practice to make pizza. I don't know about you but I would obviously have made the same decision! His favourite part was getting to punch down the dough!

Chorizo and Mushroom Thin Crust Pizza

This dough creates a wonderfully, thin, crisp yet still chewy dough which ticks all the boxes for me! You can easily freeze the dough after it has finished rising, punch down, and pop in a freezer bag. Take it out the day before you plan to use it and allow to it to defrost in the fridge.

Makes 3-4 thin bases
255g of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
175ml of very warm water
1 x 7.5g sachet of active dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the topping
About 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce per pizza
175g of mozzarella
100g of chorizo, sliced thinly
1 large mushroom per pizza, sliced thinly

Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in a measuring jug. Set aside in a warm place in the kitchen for about 10-15 minutes or until it becomes frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
When the yeast and water mixture has become frothy stir through the olive oil.
Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast and water mixture, using your fingers slowly combine the flour in from the sides and continue to mix until a rough dough forms.
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky add a little extra flour until it becomes smooth. Form the dough into a ball and turn in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and set in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Punch the dough down, knead again for a minute and place back in the bowl to rise for an additional 10 minutes.
Split the dough into 3-4 pieces and roll out as thin as possible. Flour a baking sheet and transfer the pizza base to it. Spread the base with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, chorizo slices and mushroom pieces.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 200C/Gas Mark 6 or until the cheese turns golden and the crust becomes crisp.
Serve straightaway!

:: Winner of Lily's Eco Clean Products!

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:37:00 +0000

Big congratulations to the Jelly Monster, you have won the super cleaning pack from the lovely people at Lilly's!

Not only that but for all you lovely people who entered with your worst stains, the folks at Lilly's have decided to suggest the best ways to get rid of them! Check out the answers below!

Ian Healy said...
Curry on white clothes is a fecker :( Oh, Jagermeister on a white shirt! That's messy. Spaghetti bolognese on white. Actually, I should stop wearing white...

Lilly's Eco Clean - Curry is a dye stain and quite tough. Main thing is to act quickly and flush away as much as possible with cold water to avoid the dye to set. Then presoak in detergent (Lilly's Eco Clean Laundry Liquid) and wash in the hottest possible water that the label of the cloth allows. Good natural method for Curry is mixing 1/4 cup of borax with 1/2 cup of water. Add this solution to bucket of water and then wash normally in as hot wash as possible. Spaghetti bolognese another complicated stain as it includes dye and oil. Scrape away as much as possible of oily protein stain, you might have to use methylated spirit (plant based) to get it off. Once you get rid off that soak the cloth in cool water with detergent (Lilly's Eco Clean Laundry Liquid for example) and finish with washing in hottest allowed wash.

The Secret Gardener said..
Red wine on a cream plush carpet in a rented house that I attempted to remove with washing up liquid so adding a nice green tinge. Added some salt and a bit of water and hey presto an almighty bloody mess and my deposit gone in an instant.

Lilly's Eco Clean - Gosh, Wine is a tannin stain and one rule is not to use soap on tannins (washing up liquid is soap also) as this makes them more difficult to remove. As general rule if red wine spills on carpet which you cant put in the washing machine, One way is to add load of salt on it right away, just table salt. This will soak a lot of wine to start with. Then remove the salt, hoover the rest and use cold water or soda water only to flush as much of the stain as possible. Other first aid is to pore white wine over the red wine and mop it off, then cleaning with soda water again.

Dazzledust25 said...
My husband always gives out to me about being so clumsy. One afternoon there we were having a coffee and I rested mine on the arm of the sofa. He warned me to be careful and then in an instant knocked his own cup flying and destroyed out new cream fabric couch! Nothing got rid of the massive stain. Now when it gets warm our couch has a lovely coffee aroma haha so wrong!

Lilly's Eco Clean - Yes, we all love our cream sofas and a lot depends of the actual fabric that it is as there are so many types upholstery fabrics that react differently. Many times if it is soft cotton or canvas type, the material absorbs quite quickly anything that spills on it when for example natural Wool - even if cream - has natural stain resistant abilities already so lets say, you will have more time to act quickly when accident happens. How ever we love cream colour and we also love our coffees and teas and wines. So to start with, Coffee like wine are tannin stains so if possible get rid off the stain quickly with some cold water. If you cover is removable soak it then in detergent (for example Lilly's Eco Clean Laundry Liquid) and wash it in the hottest water possible. Other solution is to make a paste with Borax and water and rub it in the the stain and then wash with cold water and clean towels.

Kristin said...
When my husband and I were on our honeymoon, we let his parents, who had come over from the US for our wedding, stay in our apartment while we were gone. His mom left an uncapped ballpoint pen on the couch that somehow bled all over it. It wasn't the best way to start a relationship with my new in-laws!

Lilly's Eco Clean - Speed helps again with ballpoint pen. Dab with and absorbent white cloth and methylated spirit (plant based). Other option, using cloth in mixture of equal amounts of milk and white vinegar, keep dabbing until the ink disappears.

The Jelly Monster said...
Oh there's been sooo many ha ha ha I'd have to say black mascara on new lilac sheets, I scrubbed and scrubbed!

Or shoe polish on himself's new fancy white shirt.... I got in sooooooooo much trouble ha ha ha

Oh I so hope I win I love cleaning products and have been wanting to try more eco friendly stuff!

Lilly's Eco Clean - Shoe Polish on white shirt - well dab first with a little bit of eucalyptus oil on clean cloth (its included already in our All Purpose Spray Cleaner but for this purpose it is required neat) and then wash, again good natural detergent (Lilly's Eco Clean Laundry Liquid) the hottest advised wash. Black Mascara - normally it should come off easily as it is meant to come off from much more sensitive area - our own eye lashes - easily enough. If the Mascara is water resistant normally you would need a special make-up remover to take it off. Dab that remover gently on the stain and work it off, The rest should come off in normal wash with detergent, and just in case, maybe work the detergent in the the stain prior washing it normally. If still having difficulties, try Eucalyptus oil.

Cora said...
Sudocream and toothpaste, the blue sticky kind, mixed together and ground into cream wool carpet in our bedroom by my 18month old daugher clodagh, my own fault, left the bathroom door open. have tried vanish, stain devils, bicarbonate of soda, salt etc, but still have a lovely minty, sudocreamy smelling white stain just in front of the bathoom door. To top it off, she points to it every time she sees it as if to say, aren't i the clever girl mammy!

Lilly's Eco Clean - Pass --- hehe. Oil based stains should do it with water and detergent. But it might be too late now. The thing is to dilute the staining matter and with oil based use some detergent also. Sometimes when adding all sort of stuff on the stain we might do more harm than benefit especially when not sure what works best for each stain.

Monica said...
Suodcrem all over the telly, floor, couch, rug, tv everwhere you could look. Never leave a toddler alone with this deadly stuff!

Lilly's Eco Clean - I have hears so many Sudocream stories combined with toddlers it is unbelievable. See above.

Gillian P. said..
Enjoying a good night in with friends, and in the same night, I managed to get steak sauce on my shirt, red wine on my carpet, nail polish on my shoes, and tea stains on my couch. Not my most shiny clean moment...Even now, My shirt still has a nice brown mark, my shoes a nice pink spot, my carpet a nice red splash but i managed to get my couch clean!!! ....well until next dinner party....

Lilly's Eco Clean - With all these speed is key. You must have tried everything by now but these might work still:
Steak Sauce - You could still try either working detergent directly on the stain and then wash in hottest wash the garment label advices. Or other option, mix some water in bicarbonate of soda to create a paste and rub it in the stain and leave for about half an hour, then wash with normal detergent.
Nail Polish - nail polish remover - try to find natural/ organic version.
Tea Stains - try some vinegar solution 1 part vinegar 2 parts water. Then remove with solution of cold water and detergent. Lilly's Eco Clean Degreaser is vinegar based also but mainly meant for hard surfaces so always patch try before using on garments.

Edwina said...
The worst stain I dealt ended up being so bad the clothing was dumped as no way stain would come out.

My daughter was playing on the green with friends. She got grass stain on her pants. Then she was on her bike and fell from her bike and cut one knee. Blood and grass stain mix does not remove!!! I tried everything!!!

Lilly's Eco Clean - First thing to do is to soak in cold water after blotting or scraping away the excess. Use cold or lukewarm water only on protein stains like blood and grass as hot water might actually fix the stain in more. Soaking in heavily salted cold water is good for blood and washing after might help. Grass might need extra help as it is dye, applying paste of borax and water will assist.

Thanks to all at Lilly's for answering the comments and I'm sure if you have any more stain related troubles they would be happy to help!

:: Blackberry Vanilla Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Donal) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Cupcakes cupcakes cupcakes! They just never fail to impress, no matter how many different types I make. These blackberry vanilla cupcakes were no different and only lasted a couple of hours in the house.

I had my little cousin Maisy (AKA the cupcake queen!) helping out, she totally enjoyed it and didn't complain once, despite me dragging her around the cliffs blackberry picking for 3 hours beforehand! I actually made the frosting a little too runny in an attempt to use up the coulis, but I kind of like the dramatic effect it gave the pics. Yup that was my sad attempt to cover up a mistake! But you'll let me away with it right?

Blackberry Vanilla Cupcakes

(Recipe adapted from Coconut & Lime)
This recipe makes delicious, light and moist cupcakes with a fruity taste.

Makes 12 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup blackberry coulis

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons blackberry coulis
Blackberries for decoration

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180c. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.

In another bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and blackberry coulis. Add half of the dry ingredients to the bowl of the mixer and mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in the blackberry coulis/milk mixture. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Do not over-mix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared paper liners. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and blackberry coulis in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired and garnish with fresh blackberries.

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