Neven Maguire, our favourite Cavan chef has been combing the coast for Ireland's best seafood on the latest installment of his Food Trails series.
So far he's sampled the very best of Mayo, Cork and Donegal, learning how artisanal practices meld with traditional fishing to create a cuisine that is both familiar and irresistibly modern.
This week, Neven cruises around Yeats Country in Co Sligo, the charming coastal city renowned for, among many things, thriving café culture and the acclaimed beachy haven that is Shells Café.
Neven's mission, however, is to crack the shell of seafood in Sligo, the very name of which in Irish - "Sligeach" - means "shelly place". The city is one of the pearls of Irish food, and while there Neven meets with Aisling Kelly of the Sligo Oyster Experience.
Together, they take a tour of regional cuisine, from Wild Atlantic Oysters, an oyster farm in Sligo Bay, to cooking up oysters in myriad delicious ways in Sligo Town.
In Eala Bahn, a bustling restaurant in Sligo Town, Neven meets Head Chef Anthony Gray, who further showcases the versatility of Sligo seafood, while in the picturesque village of Mullaghmore, chef Eithna O'Sullivan of Eithna's By The Sea explains why the small village is so famous for lobsters and crabs. Together they whip up Spiced Lobster with Sea Spaghetti, cooking outdoors.
In Strandhill, the vibrant seaside community further south, Neven links up with Neil Walton, owner of Voya Seaweed Baths where a once-forgotten Irish tradition is getting a new lease on life as a indulgent treatment. Next, Neil and Neven decamp to the breathtaking beach where they the harvest wild, organic seaweed that goes into the unique seaweed baths.
As his parting gift to the stunning communities of Sligo and its food culture, Neven cooks a moreishTrout and Crab Ravioli. Get the recipe here.
Watch Neven's Irish Seafood Trails on RTÉ One tonight, January 30th, at 8:30pm.
