How to Cook Well with Rory O'Connell airs on Wednesdays on RTÉ One at 8:00pm.
Ingredients
Carageen Moss is a seaweed which can be gathered off the south and west coasts of Ireland. It is rich in iodine and trace elements and is full of natural gelatine.
Serves 4-6
- 1 semi-closed fistful or 8g cleaned, well dried Carrageen Moss
- 900ml milk
- 1 tablespoon castor sugar
- 1 egg, preferably free range
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla essence or a vanilla pod
Method
- Soak the carrageen in tepid water for 10 minutes. Strain off the water and put the carageen into a saucepan with milk and vanilla pod if used.
- Bring to the boil and simmer very gently with the lid on for 20 minutes.
- At that point and not before
- separate the egg, put the yolk into a bowl, add the sugar and vanilla essence and whisk together for a few seconds, then pour the milk and carageen moss through a strainer onto the egg yolk mixture whisking all the time.
- The carrageen will now be swollen and exuding jelly. Rub all this jelly through the strainer and whisk this also into the milk with the sugar, egg yolk and vanilla essence if used.
- Test for a set in a saucer as one would with gelatine. Whisk the egg white stiffly and fold or fluff it in gently. It will rise to make a fluffy top. Place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Serve chilled with soft brown sugar and cream and or with a fruit compote such as a compote of blackberry, apple and geranium.
