the rebel kitchen

Dun Laoghaire Farmer’s Market

Entering The Dun Laoghaire People’s Park

So Many Stalls!

My favourite way to spend a Sunday in Dublin is to head out to the Dun Laoghaire Farmer’s Market. Located in the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire this market is jam packed with every food related stall you could wish for. I tend to go there at lunchtime on a Sunday and get a delicous box of pulled port and potatoes with onions and gravy from The Goode Life stall, or a falafal wrap from the Lebanese Food stall, always followed by a chocolate brownie and some fudge from the Truffle Fairy stall. It’s a winning combination and nothing gets me in a better mood! All the better is that you can afterwards go for a walk along the Dun Laoighre pier afterwards and admire the sea, boats, and everyone just happy chilling out! On a sunny day the place is unbeatable, people lie out on the grass eating and drinking treats bought from the stalls. In Summer there are often bands playing, and sometimes even a stage erected Last weekend when I was there a guy had set up a little DJ table and was spinning away tunes for everyone to enjoy.

It’s also a fantastic place to stock up on delicious food for the week. I always tend to leave with vegetables, cheese, preserves, tea and meat. You can also buy beautiful Colm de Ris pottery, home ware, craft and natural cosmetic products.

My favourite stalls and buys at the Dun Laoighre People’s Park Market are as follows:

The Goode Life- You can’t beat this stall for your Sunday roast fix! I tend to get the pulled pork, potatoes, onions and gravy. You can get pulled pork rolls too… delicious.

The Goode Life

Lebanese Food- These guys do seriously good falafel wraps and platters.

Lebanese Food Stall

Delicious Falafel Wrap

The Truffle Fairy- Where do I begin? My main motivation for going to this market is to get their 80% dark chocolate brownies and their fudge is so silky smooth, try the white chocolate, cranberry and walnut fudge, mint praline fudge and recently added orange and cocoa nib fudge. You literally cannot go to this market without trying these!

The Truffle Fairy Chocolate Stall

My Weakness

Drumeel Farm Muesli- The guy who runs this stall is an absolute gentleman, and even if he wasn’t his muesli and granola would still sell like hot cakes. The muesli and granolas come in different varieties and you can add in extra seeds, nuts and dried fruits to make your own custom bags. A perfect way to start your day.

Drumeel Farm Irish Muesli

The Real Olive Stall- These guys are at almost every market, and thank god they are. Even if you’re not an olive fan, fear not. Their basil hummus is delicious, but the main attraction has to be the mozzarella. They stock the Toonsbridge Mozzarella made in Macroom, Co.Cork. Toonsbridge imported a herd of buffalo to Ireland and started making the best mozzarella I have ever eaten. I guess it must be all our rain makes for greener grass and thus milkier mozzarella. I haven’t seen this cheese sold anywhere else in Dublin, so definitely buy a ball or two next time you see them.

The Real Olive Stall

Stocking Up On Olives

There are a fortune of other stalls to check out though, so many that I can’t fit them all in the blog. This market is definitely worth a visit though to try all the delights, stock up your fridge for the week, and for talking a lovely Sunday stroll along the pier.

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Categories Uncategorized

Warm Poached Egg and Bacon Salad

14 May

Warm Poached Egg and Bacon Salad

Best Eaten With Buttered Bread

This salad came into existence as I tried to finish up a few bits and pieces in my fridge and cupboard, and I was really happy with the results. Most of all because it’s super quick to make, tasty, and relatively healthy. Despite being a “salad”, this warm eggy salad is really comforting and indulgent, especially when eaten with warm, buttery,toasted bread.

Some people have a mental block with salads, dismissing them a boring, rabbit-food excuse for a meal that no-one really enjoys. However, salads really are just any old ingredients you want mixed together in a haphazard way (suits me fine), usually involving a few veggies too. You can be as creative as you want with them, and experiment with delicious sauces and flavours. So before you dismiss this as just another salad, give it a go and be pleasantly surprised with how indulgent it can be!

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 egg

50g smoked bacon lardons (I used Gubbeen)

1/2 ripe avocado

1 small handful cherry tomatoes

1 large handful rocket

2 tbsp parmesan cheese shavings to serve

1 glug balsamic vingear (I used Llewelyn’s Apple Balsamic vinegar)

cracked black pepper

2 slices good quality bread (I used rye)

1. Poach your egg. The best way to do this is add vinegar to a pot of boiled water over your hob on a medium heat, stir the water in a circular motion to make a well in the middle of the water, pop in your cracked egg (best to crack the egg into a glass, and then pour it into the well as the water is still moving in circles). This helps keep the egg in a nice ball and prevent it from shredding away into the water.

2. Fry your lardons until golden, and set aside. Half the cherry tomatoes lengthways and fry gently until softened and cooked through.

3. Coat your rocket in your balsamic vinegar and mix in your cherry tomatoes, avocado chopped into little bitesize pieces, bacon and spinkle your parmesan cheese shaving on top. Place the poached egg on top and crack some black pepper over the top.

4. Serve with toasted, buttered bread.

Gubbeen Smoked Bacon Lardons

Waiting For It’s Yummy Egg!

Now All You Have To Do Is….

… Crack Into Your Egg and Eat The Gooey Yolk!!

Tags: gubbeen smoked bacon, indulgent salad, Llewellyn Apple Balsamic Vinegar, poached egg, poached egg and bacon salad, warm salad

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Categories Healthy Recipes, Lunch

Ballymaloe Literary Festival

8 May

Ballymaloe House

Entering the Magical Big Shed

Amazing Crepe and Galette Stall

Ballyhoura Mushrooms

Food Graffiti

What a great May Bank Holiday it has been, but what a busy one too. Despite having lots of plans last weekend, most of which were in West Cork, I took a detour on Saturday morning down to the Ballymaloe Literary Festival as I really didn’t want to miss it. I only had an hour as I had to be in Schull that afternoon, so I decided to make an hour’s pit stop for lunch. I unfortunately didn’t fit in any talks, which is a shame as I wanted to see Michelle Darmody’s talk on self-publishing among others, but it was still a great spot for an hours lunch.

Ballymaloe converted a big old shed of their’s into a space filled with farmer’s market style stalls, but it was obvious how high Ballymaloe set the standard for what the stalls should look like. Walking into The Big Shed was like walking into a foodie fairytale! All the stalls were dressed in ivy and flower garlands, there was a magical play area for kids, a book stall selling favourite cookbooks, and a graffiti artist spraying out images of much loved Irish food culture.

I ended up going for a savoury galette with smoked salmon, cream cheese, herbs and beautiful unusual dressings, but I also helped my Dad finish off his BBQ from Gubbeen smokehouse… obviously! I also stocked up on treats for the weekend: king oyster and shiitake mushrooms from Ballyhoura farm, Porcini dust and a delicious salad from the Rocket Man. It was such a beautiful sunny day, that I wished I could have stayed longer. Alas, next year I’ll keep a full day free to come down and enjoy the festival. It was visually stunning and the programme of events was world class. Trust Darina Allen to pull off the best food festival in Ireland, with world class chefs, speakers, demos and events while staying true to her ethos of supporting local and artisan Irish food producers!

Inside The Big Shed

Children’s Play Area

The Greedy Pig Stall

Rocket Man – The Best Salads in Cork

Gubbeen Smokehouse – My Favourite

Gubbeen Smokehouse BBQ

I Picked My Lunch Quickly When I Saw This

My Smoked Salmon Buckwheat Galette

I Ended My Day With A Quick Shopping Trip

Tags: Ballymaloe House, Ballymaloe Literary Festival, Cork, Farmer's Market, Food Festival

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Categories Food Adventures

Cake Cafe Supper Club

3 May

The Cake Cafe Supper Club

Cake Cafe Supper Club Menu

Too Pretty To Eat!

Chilling Out With A Glass of Wine

On Wednesday night I went along to Cake Cafe’s supper club organised by the head chef in the Cake Cafe, Ray O’Neill. While I have a borderline obsession with Cake Cafe, I unfortunately missed the first supper club he ran last month (I was down in Arbutus learning to make bread!) but when I heard about this one, I put my name down straight away and invited my two lovely house mates. The food, while keeping the ethos of using local and artisan food suppliers that Cake Cafe is renowned for, definitely had a different twist for the evening and you could tell a lot of love went into making this menu. The dishes were so beautifully but unpretentiously presented… really imaginative.

Enjoying My Basil and Elderflower Fizz Cocktail!

We arrived in the Cake Cafe and were greeted with a cocktail of prosecco and elderflower cordial that they had infused with basil for over a week. After a busy day in work there was nothing better than sitting down outside in the sun and sipping away on some fruity bubbles to fully switch off. That’s one of the many nice things about Cake Cafe, despite being located in Dublin city centre, you really feel switched off from everything when you get there. It’s like a little zen hideaway! Thankfully we weren’t waiting long before being called in to take our seats and get started on our four course meal. We started with a complimentary course of blinis with Goatsbridge caviar and dill creme fraiche, which were delicious.

Goatsbridge Caviar and Dill Creme Fraiche Blinis

We then moved on to our starter of a little fig, Durrus cheese, bacon and rocket pesto tart. That was definitely my favourite course, in fact just writing about it is making my crave another! I’m a big fan of all the West Cork cheeses, but this combination of all four ingredients was completely mouth watering. Throughout the whole night we had some delicious new flavour combinations that worked really well together, and you can tell a lot of thought went into the menu.

Fig and Durrus Cheese Tart with Bacon and Rocket Pesto

Goatsbridge Smoked Trout, Pickled Golden Beetroot, Organic Salad with Shaved Fennel and Herb Yoghurt

Our second course was Goatsbridge Smoked Trout with pickled golden beetroot, salad and herb yoghurt. I really must find out where to get the Goatsbridge smoked trout, I’ve heard a lot about them but haven’t seen their stuff sold anywhere. This was delicious and light and bursting with smoky goodness! Despite being already well fed by the time our main course came, we all had a few slices of their soft and crusty bread for good measure. Even the butter was handmade and scattered with some salt flakes. It was all the little touches during the night that made it such a special experience.

For main we had rabbit and pancetta hotpot which was delicious. I love rabbit, but you often don’t see it served in many places, so it was a nice surprise on the menu. To finish off we had a slice of mango and lime sponge with cream which we ate in happy, sleepy silence! The whole experience was great, and the three of us have already decided we will go to the next one, when it’s announced. It was a fantastic night, and I would recommend checking out the next one. I’m already excitedly imagining what will be on the next menu!

Homemade Carraway Seed Bread Bun

Rabbit and Pancetta Hotpot

Mango and Lime Slice with Chantilly Cream

Tags: artisan food, Cake Cafe Dublin, Cake Cafe Supper Club, Irish food, local food, michelle darmody, Ray O'Neill, supper club

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Categories Food Adventures

Butternut Squash & Chorizo Risotto

30 Apr

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Risotto

Since starting to cook risotto a few months I have been descending down a slippery slope of carbohydrate overload, but some evenings when it’s cold and wet outside, this is just the only dish you want to eat when you’re rugged up on the couch.

This one works really nicely are I think squash is so hearty and warming, and the chorizo flavour really packs a punch. I used Gubbeen chorizo and I highly recommend you to seek it out, their artisan smokehouse in West Cork produces the mosts flavoursome meats and they are quiet reasonably priced also. I usually stock up my fridge with a lot of their products in one go, as smoked products don’t go off for a long time. This dish is so colourful, comforting and delicious that it’s perfect for a nice night in.

Here Comes The Aeroplane…

Ingredients (Serves Two):

130g Arborio Rice

2 shallots finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1/2 glass white wine

1/2 litre good quality chicken stock (keep this simmering in a saucepan while you cook)

1 handful grated parmesan cheese

Chorizo chopped (about 2 thumb lengths of chorizo)

1 small butternut squash chopped (in equal sizes so it cooks evenly)

1 large knob of butter

Salt & Pepper

1. Put the chopped squash in a heavy bottomed pot with the knob of butter and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, put the lid on and let it cook away on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. (This will take about 30 mins or so).

2. Lightly sauté the chorizo for a minute or two. If any oil comes out of the chorizo when cooking then reserve a tablespoon or two in a side dish for later. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pot the chorizo is cooking in and add the garlic and shallots and sauté for two minutes. Add the rice and sauté for another minute or two.

3. Add the wine to the pot and stir until is has been absorbed. Then start adding the chicken stock, one ladle at a time. Don’t add in a new ladle of stock until the previous ladle has been absorbed. Stir continuously.

4. When the squash is cooked mash two thirds of it, and leave the remaining third in their chunks. Stir all the squash into the risotto once all the chicken stock has been absorbed and the risotto it ready to serve. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve.

5. If you had any reserved chorizo oil then this is nice drizzled on top of the risotto, alternatively served with a grating of Parmesan on top and a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper.

Chop Squash into Equal Sized Cubes

Cook Squash in a Heavy Bottomed Pot with Some Butter and Seasoning

Gubbeen Chorizo Packs a Punch

Saute Chorizo and Add Garlic and Shallots

Add Rice and Start Ladling in Stock

Stir in Parmesan Before Serving

Stir in All Squash

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Risotto

Delicious

Tags: butternut squash, Butternut Squash and Chorizo Risotto, chorizo, comforting, easy, gubbeen chorizo, Risotto

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Categories Dinner

Beetroot and Camembert Salad

26 Apr

Beetroot and Camembert Salad

Healthy and Delicious

Salads don’t need to be boring, limp and tasteless! You can put anything you want into a salad, and this one I love as it has some of my favourite things in it. I made this for a party not too long ago and it was really popular. I’ve been using my training for the Cork half marathon as an excuse to indulge in carb heavy dishes, but after a few weeks of hamming it up with pasta dishes, toasties, risottos and home made pizzas I think it’s time to get back into the swing of fitting in a few salads a week!

This is a really delicious salad though, and you definitely don’t feel cheated of an indulgent meal! The beetroot and cranberries add some lovely colour, the Camembert cheese adds a lovely silky soft texture and taste, and the walnuts give a nice little bite.

This literally takes 5 minutes to prepare, all that’s involved is a little chopping and tossing and it’s done. This makes a lovely lunch or a side dish for a party.

Ingredients:

4 cooked beetroots (You can buy them in all supermarkets cooked and vacuum packed)

1 wheel of Camembert cheese

1 large handful of walnuts

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1 large bag of salad leaves (dark leaves such as spinach and rocket work best, avoid iceberg lettuce)

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1. Chop the beetroot into bite sized chunks, let any excess water from the beetroot drain away.

2. Chop up the Camembert into small chunks.

3. Mix together the beetroot, salad leaves, walnuts, cranberries and Camembert into a bowl and loosen it with a little olive oil.

4. Sprinkle a little remaining walnut and cranberry on top and season lightly with salt and pepper. Done!

Chop Up Beetroot and Camembert

It’s That Quick To Make!

Tags: beetroot, Beetroot and Camembert Salad, camembert, cranberry, Delicious Salad, healthy, walnut

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Categories Healthy Recipes, Lunch, Salad

Sausage, Fennel & Mascarpone Pizza

23 Apr

Sausage, Fennel and Mascarpone Pizza

A Tasty Slice

I know this one sounds weird, I know. It isn’t though, it’s the nicest pizza I’ve had in ages! Fennel and pork always go well together anyway, and the mascarpone cheese adds a nice creamy sauciness if you, like me, don’t always want your pizza drowned in tomato sauce. Last Sunday, instead of the usual Sunday Roast, I had this bad boy and it really hit the spot. It was the perfect indulgence for an evening on the couch watching TV. I’m in the midst of a bit of a pizza fad at the moment, so I’m experimenting a lot.

To make this pizza work well, you need to buy the best quality sausages possible, as cheap supermarket sausages won’t cut the mustard here. I bought some Wild Boar sausages in my local butchers, Lawlors, and they worked a treat. They cost €5.40 for 500g, but I only needed half the pack (so €2.70). I had some pizza dough from Iago’s in the English Market which only cost €1.80 which I think is really good value and I made two pizzas out of the one ball of dough on two consecutive nights, (so really 90c per pizza base). I also used some leftover mascarpone cheese, some fennel (70c) and some dried herbs from my cupboard. It worked out cheaper than a shop bought pizza, it certainly was much cheaper than ordering a pizza takeaway on-line (about half the price), yet I can assure you it tasted much better, supported local food producers, and was much better for my health than either a processed supermarket or a take-away pizza. It’s an interesting thought as most people automatically assume supporting local, quality food producers will always end up more expensive, but when you’re crafty with leftovers and store cupboard products, you can be surprised how inexpensive a good quality meal can be! So why not give this one a go the next time you get pizza cravings?

Delicious Flavour Combination

Ingredients:

1 ball of pizza dough or one plain pizza base

1 bulb of fresh fennel finely sliced

2 large gourmet pork sausages (at least 80% meat content)

4 tbsp mascarpone cheese

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

tbsp oil

1. Fry the sliced fennel bulb lightly until soft, be careful not to brown them.

2. In a separate pan fry the sausages gently until cooked through. Then chop them into discs and add to the pan of chopped fennel for a few minutes with the chopped fennel seeds, black pepper and chilli.

3. Roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface until it’s nice and thin. Smear a tablespoon of olive oil over the rolled out dough, and layer on the sliced cooked fennel and the sausage and herb mix. Pop it into an oven preheated to 200C for about 10 to 15 minutes (be careful to keep an eye on these, as they can brown very quickly).

4. When it’s just about done, dollop on the mascarpone and pop back into the oven to allow it to melt nicely on top of the pizza.

5. Slice up and enjoy!

Just A Few Ingredients Needed

Once Cooked Slice Sausages Into Discs

Return To The Pan With Fennel Seeds, Garlic, Chilli and Black Pepper

Top The Pizza Base and Pop in Oven

Add The Mascarpone A Minute Before Taking Out Of The Oven To Serve

Ready To Serve

Tags: buy local, Fennel, homemade pizza, Iago Deli, mascarpone cheese, Pizza, quick and easy, sausage pizza, wild boar sausage

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Categories Dinner

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the rebel kitchen

Dun Laoghaire Farmer’s Market

Warm Poached Egg and Bacon Salad

Ballymaloe Literary Festival

Cake Cafe Supper Club

Butternut Squash & Chorizo Risotto

Beetroot and Camembert Salad

Sausage, Fennel & Mascarpone Pizza

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