Brian McDermott Recipes

Everyday Brown Bread

125g Plain Flour

Teaspoon Bread Soda

350g Whole Wheat Flour

50g Treacle

275ml Buttermilk

150g Natural Yoghurt

1 Egg

Preheat Oven to 180 degrees C

Use a bowl and wooden spoon, do not use an electric mixer.

Sieve the plain flour and bread soda into a bowl, add the whole wheat flour and mix thoroughly

Beat the egg, add the yoghurt, melted treacle and add the buttermilk . Mix together then add the liquid to the dry flour mix and mix to form a deliberate wet mix

Grease two 1 lb loaf tins and drop mix into the tin half filling each tin. Do not pat down the mix as this tightens the resulting bread. Scatter some porridge oats on top and bake for approx 40 minutes

Brian's Tips: Wrap bread in clean dry tea towel not cling film. Bread will freeze very well.

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Meringue Roulade

Makes: 1 Roulade Serves 10

Ingredients

Roulade:

5 Egg Whites at room temperature

275g Caster Sugar

20g Ground Almonds

Drop Vanilla Paste

Filling:

30g Icing Sugar

50g Raspberry Jam

250ml Cream or Crème Fraiche

Drop Vanilla Paste

Mint Leaves

Method

Preheat Oven to 200°C Line a Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle the ground almonds on the paper.

Using an electric mixer - whisk the egg whites with a pinch of the sugar together until stiff peak is reached. Then gradually add the sugar continually using the electric mixer. Add the vanilla paste. Spread the mix into the Swiss roll tin and place straight in hot oven and bake for 8 minutes then reduce the heat to 170°C and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn almond side down onto a sheet of grease proof and allow cooling for 10 minutes. Roll the meringue as Swiss Roll.

Whip the cream until stiff then add the vanilla paste. Open up the roulade again and spread a layer of the jam on the meringue roulade followed by a layer of the whipped cream. Roll back into shape.

Dust with icing sugar and decorate with fresh raspberries.

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Eggs Shakshuka

Serves 4/6

3 red Peppers deseeded and diced

3 Yellow Peppers deseeded and diced

1 Large Onion peeled & diced

4 Cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

Drizzle Oil (rapeseed or olive)

2g Cumin seeds

2g Cayenne pepper

Pinch Salt & Pepper

8 Eggs

To Serve

Fresh Parsley

Fresh coriander

Feta cheese

Method:

Using a large skillet pan heat on medium heat and add a drizzle of oil.

Add the onions, garlic and peppers and sweat until softened. Season with Salt & Pepper. Add the cumin seeds and cayenne pepper and stir through.

Add the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes then add the chopped tomatoes and a little water to loosen the mix. Simmer for 12 minutes stirring occasionally on low heat.

Add the chopped herbs.

Make 8 shapes in the mix with a spoon and crack a fresh egg into each shape. Continue to cook on the stove or transfer to an oven 160 degrees C for 6 minutes for a soft to medium egg.

Serve with sprinkle of feta cheese on top.

Serve in the middle of the table and allow everyone take there own from the serving dish.

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Fish & Chips from Scratch

Chips

600g Potatoes (Maris Piper or Rooster)

600ml Vegetable Oil in Deep Fat Fryer

Method:

My rule is heat the oil to 140C in fryer.

Peel and chop the chips into standard chip size.

Place chips in basket and blanch chips for approx 8 mins shaking the basket a couple times during blanching. Drain and place blanched chips on a tray until all chips are blanched.

Turn fryer temperature up to 180C

Fry the blanched chips until crispy and coloured on outside and cooked on inside. Drain and keep warm for serving on a tray in oven while you quickly cook the fish.

Batter

150 ml Sparkling Water

60g Cornflour

60g Self Raising Flour

1 Egg White

Pinch of Salt

Mix the flour, cornflour and salt together.

Whisk the egg white lightly until frothy.

Pour the water into the flour and whisk together.

Add the egg whites and whisk. Batter should be light and bubbly.

Fish:

Turn fryer up to 190C once all the chips are cooked.

600g Fresh haddock or hake fillets

50g Flour

1 Fresh Lemon

Portion the fish and pat each piece in the flour then dip in the batter and place in deep fat fryer. Cook for 6 minutes turning half-way through.

Drain after cooking and serve with a wedge of fresh lemon and the homemade chips.

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Irish Apple Pie & Custard

Serves 8/10

Ingredients:

Pastry:

250g Plain Flour

125g Butter Softened

70g Sugar

1 Egg

4 Cooking Apples

Sprinkle of Sugar

Sprinkle of Cinnamon

1 Egg to glaze

Icing Sugar to Dust

Method:

Sieve the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and mix together. Rub in the softened butter to a sandy like texture. Add 1 Whole Egg and combine to form a pastry. Knead and shape then chill for 20 minutes.

While pastry is chilling peel and slice the apples.

Roll pastry out thinly and place on 8-inch tray or plate. Add 2 sliced apples then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll out pastry lid and use an egg to seal lid to the edge of pastry base. Brush with egg and bake in preheated oven 170 ° C for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream if you wish

Brian’s Tip:

Add some blueberries or strawberries for an alternative combination. Try baking in square tin and cut as little squares for afternoon tea or supper

Home Made Luxury Custard

250ml Double Cream

500ml Milk

100g Caster Sugar

5 Egg Yolks

1 tsp Vanilla Paste

30g Cornflour

Method:

Place the milk and cream in a pot and bring to a warm temperature.

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar with the vanilla.

Pour the milk and cream into the egg mix and whisk together.

Clean the pot and return the mix to the pot. On a gentle heat using a spatula stir and the mixture will thicken coating the back of the spatula.

Ensure you stay with it while it is thickening.