Back To Basics
Four recipes from Michelin chef Derry Clarke’s latest book
Honey- glazed ham hock with green cabbage
This is an adaptation of the classic Irish dish of bacon and cabbage; it´s a great low- cost main course that would satisfy a family of four. Braising the ham slowly makes the meat beautifully tender. Honey and mustard together are fabulous.
Ingredients:
4 ham hocks
1 carrot ( peeled and chopped)
2 sticks calery ( chopped)
1 onion ( chopped)
4 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
50 g English mustard
150 ml honey
50g brown sugar
1tbsp cloves
1 large head green cabbage ( shredded)
2tbsp grain mustard
100 ml cream.
To Cook
1 Soak the ham hocks overnigth in water to remove excess salt.
2 Srain, cover with water and bring to the boil.
3 Strain again and add enough fresh water to cover the hocks.
4.Add the carrot, celery, onion , bay leaves, thyme and rosemary and simmer very gently for 1 ½ hours.
5. To check whether the ham hock is cooked, look for the little bone at the end of the hock: if you can remove this bone easily, the hock is cooked.
6. Remove the ham from the cooking broth , strain the broth and retain.
7. Remove the outer skin from the ham
8. Brush with the mustard, honey and sugar and stud with cloves.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 º C for 10 minutes until golden ( baste once or twice while cooking).
10. Using some of the cooking broth, boil the cabbage until tender.
11. In a small pot, simmer a little of the cooking liquid with the grain mustard and cream. Season lightly and serve with the ham hock and cabbage .
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Seared Dover sole with hazelnut dressing
Dover sole /black sole is very expensive, so this dish is best saved for a special occasion. Belive it or not, sole is one of the very few fish that is better if left for two or three days after it is caught before cooking: this this allows the fish to mature. A nutty dressing is a classsic accompaniment to sole.
For the Dover sole
4 tablespoons vegetable oil 50g butter
4 Dover sole, about 350- 400g
150g sieved flour
For the hazelnut dressing
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar pinch of caster sugar pinch of salt.
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoon chopped, roasted and skinnned hazelnuts.
METHOD
For the Dover sole
1.Heat a large pan over a high heat.( I f you do not have a pan big enough to take all the fish at once, you can cook it in batches.)
2.Add the oil and the butter, taking care not to burn the butter.
3.Toss the sole in the flour ( coating both sides ) and place on the pan
4.Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 4- 5 minutes, turning the fish when it is golden brown.
5.Cook for a further 3- 5 minutes on the other side and remove from the pan.
For the hazelnut dressing
1.Place the vinegar in a screw- topped jar. Add the sugar and a good pinch of salt and shake the jar until the salt has dissolved.
2.dd the oilr to the jar. Add the oil to the jar with the mustard and shake again until a thick emulsion forms.
3.Season to taste and stir in the hazelnuts.
4.Chill until required.
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Rhubarb and ginger crumble
Everybody loves crumble. Rhubarb and ginger is a real wow combination. I feel it must be served warm. It´s nice to serve with ice cream to enjoy the hot and cold taste sensation .
Ingredients:
10 rhubard stalks
8 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp water
1 knob of fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)
100g butter (softened)
100g Demerara sugar
180-200g plain flour ice cream ( to serve)
To Cook
1. Preheat to oven to 180 ºC
2. Cut the rhubarb into 8cm slices, discarding any leaves. Place on an oven tray.
3. Spinkle the sugar and water over the rhubarb.
4. Add the ginger to the mixture.
5. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes . Transfer the rhubarb to an ovenproof dish.
6. In a bowl, mix the butter and Demerara sugar together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
7. Add the flour to make the crumble topping.
8. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the rhubarb.
9. Bake in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until golden brown
10. Serve warm , with ice cream.
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Bread and butter pudding
Bread and butter pudding is a great way to use up bread that has gone slightly past its best. For a twist, you could use brioche or croissants in place of bread. The combination of sultanas and nutmeg (or cinnamon ) make this pudding very tasty. Always serve this warm, with custard. A dash of Baileys will give the custard a bit of a kick .
Ingredients
8 slices white bread
50 g butter ( more if required)
50 g sultanas ground nutmeg or cinnamon
2 eggs
450 ml full- fat milk
50 g granulated sugar custard ( to served)
To Cook
- Remove the crusts from the bread.
- Butter each slice on one side only and cut into triangles.
- Use some of the butter to grease an ovenproof dish.
- Cover the base of the dish with one layer of bread triangles, laying the buttered side down.
- Sprinkle some of the sultanas on the bread with a littel nutmeg or cinnamon
- Repeat with another layer of bread, sultanas and spice, finishing with a layer of bread with the buttered side up.
- Beat the eggs with the milk and sugar and pour over the bread layers.
- Let the pudding sit for 30 minutes so that the bread soaks up the liquid.
- Bake at 180º C for about 30 minutes or until golden and puffy
- Serve warm with custard.
From Keeping It Simple by Derry Clarke, published by Gill & Macmillan at €19.99
Copyright ©2012, Senior Times.
