Steak with Béarnaise Sauce
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 tsp white wine vinegar
½ shallot, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
120g butter, melted
Handful of fresh tarragon, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Method
Put the vinegar and shallots into a small saucepan and place over a medium heat. Simmer to reduce the liquid by half.
Place the egg yolks in a bowl over steaming water and whisk them slowly. Add the warm melted butter, whisking all the time until all the butter is added and you have a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency.
Add the reduced vinegar and shallots. Season with the freshly-chopped tarragon and plenty of black pepper, and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Steak
Ingredients
2 Irish sirloin or rib eye steaks
1 fresh rosemary stick
Drizzle of olive oil
25g Butter
Sea Salt & Pepper to season
Method
Heat a frying pan until it is hot.
Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and place the steaks in the pan. Leave them for two minutes and then turn each steak over.
Season the steaks with salt and black pepper. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
Add the butter and once melted using the fresh Rosemary stick as a brush rub the steaks with the butter.
Allow the steaks to rest for a few minutes off the heat, then serve with your luxurious Béarnaise Sauce.
Brian’s Tip:
Resist the urge to agitate the steaks while cooking! Poking them will pierce the seal created by the hot pan and you’ll lose all your lovely meat juices in the pan.
Garlic & Herb Roasted Chicken
For the Roast Chicken:
1 Whole Chicken
1 Onion peeled and halved
1 carrot peeled and halved
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Sprigs of fresh thyme
1 Lemon
Garlic & Herb Butter:
100g Butter
3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
Handful of fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Method:
To roast the Chicken - Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Place the onion and carrot on the base of a roasting dish. Place chicken resting on the vegetables. Drizzle with oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the fresh thyme inside the cavity. Slice the lemon and arrange some slices in the tray and on the chicken. Transfer to the oven. Roast for 20 minutes to the lb weight of the whole chicken. Once allocated time is up remove from the oven and brush on the butter (see below) then return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.
Butter: Chop up the herbs and mince the garlic. Combine with softened butter and mix together.
Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Great served with boiled potatoes and broccoli
Classic Pesto
Ingredients:
100g Basil
40g Parmesan Grated
150ml Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic
Pinch Salt
Method:
Heat a frying pan and toast the pine nuts in the pan.
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Some Tips:
Spread on toasted sour dough
Add to cooked and cooled pasta for salad
Pan fry chicken breast and spoon on some pesto
Serve with new boiled potatoes
Salsa Verde
A bold sauce that is punchy and exciting with its Salty, Zingy & Sharp flavours.
15g Fresh Basil
15g Fresh Parsley
2 Cloves Garlic
75g Olive Oil
Zest & Juice of half a lemon
Half a teaspoon Chili Flakes
15g Capers
2 Anchovies (Optional)
2 Gherkins
Method:
Put all ingredients in a blender and blitz to a smooth texture like a pesto. Store in glass jar and place in fridge.
Sticky Pork Ribs
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Drizzle Rapeseed Oil
2 Sprigs Rosemary
1 Rack of Ribs Approx. 1kg
Fresh ground Black Pepper
MARINADE
Half fresh red chili
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
3 cloves of garlic chopped
75 ml apple juice
100 ml white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
60ml soy sauce
50g soft brown sugar
50g Honey
8 Fresh Basil Leaves
Method:
Preheat Oven to 200°c
For the marinade, place all the ingredients into a pot and mix. Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer for approx. 15 mins. Stirring occasionally. The sauce will have thickened when it’s ready.
Place the ribs in a large roasting dish. Drizzle with Rapeseed oil, season with black pepper and sprinkle with the fresh rosemary. Spread the marinade/sauce over the ribs and place a lid on the roasting dish. Roast in oven for 1 hour then baste the ribs with the sauce from the dish and cook for a further 20 minutes.
Ribs are ready to eat but if you wish transfer to a BBQ for a few minutes for extra flavour then please do.
Serve with ripped basil leaves.
Seafood Chowder
Serves 6/8
Ingredients
200g Smoked Whiting or Haddock (boneless)
200g Haddock Fillets (boneless)
200g Salmon Fillets (boneless)
500ml Milk Full Fat
50g Butter
50g Plain Flour
Sprinkle of Dill (dried)
150g carrots peeled & diced
130g or 2 Sticks of Celery Peeled & Diced
160g or 1 Medium Onion Diced
100g Leek thinly sliced
Half a bulb of Fennel diced (optional)
2 Bay Leaf
3 Sprigs Thyme
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Potatoes peeled & diced
Pinch Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Fresh Chives or parsley to sprinkle when serving
Method
In a pot, place the boneless fish fillets and cover with milk and 1 bay leaf. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and poach for 8 minutes. Turn off and leave aside.
In a separate pot, melt the butter and sweat the diced onion and crushed garlic for 3-4 minutes then add the carrots, celery, leeks and bay leaf. Sweat for a further 5 minutes then add the sprigs of fresh thyme.
Add the flour and mix in thoroughly. Add the chopped dill.
Set aside while you drain the milk from the fish pot and add the milk straight into the vegetables. Put back on low heat, add the diced potatoes and stir occasionally.
Season with fresh ground pepper and cook for 15/20 minutes on a low heat occasionally stirring. The chowder will thicken to a rich and tasty seafood treat.
Add some chopped parsley last minute and before serving. Add some broken fish pieces to a bowl and serve the chowder piping hot straight on top of the fish.