Roasted Irish Root Vegetables
Serves 4
Ingredients
200g Carrots
200g Mixed Beetroot (Golden, Yellow, Candy Cane, Red)
100g Turnip
200g Parsnips
100g Red Onion
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
50ml Rapeseed Oil
50g Local Honey
Pinch Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Method
Pre Heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Place a baking tray in the oven while you prepare the vegetables.
Lightly scrub off peel of the carrots, parsnips, beetroot & turnip
Cut each one in half and place in a bowl.
Peel the red onion and cut into wedges and also place in bowl.
Add the oil to the bowl and toss the vegetables with the oil.
Add the chopped fresh thyme and rosemary, Season with salt and pepper and give a good final toss in bowl.
Take a very hot tray out of oven and quickly spread the vegetables onto the hot tray and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove after 15 minutes and drizzle with the honey then give them a further 5 minutes in the oven before serving.
Brian's Tip
Add courgettes or peppers to the mix for sweetness and variety.
Steamed Baby Beetroot
Method
Wash, peel and trim.
Place whole beets in steamer for 18 minutes with lid
Serve with a pinch of sea salt and brush with melted butter.
Roasted Baby Beetroot
Method
Wash, peel and trim baby beets
Place whole beets in a bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius.
Place beets on tray and into the oven.
Cook for 30 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of honey.
Brian's Tip
Serve warm with goats cheese and mixed leaves for a delicious lunch, main meal or starter
Steamed turnips
Method
Wash, peel and trim.
Place whole baby turnips in the steamer and cook for 18 minutes with lid on.
Once cooked serve with a pinch of sea salt and brush with melted butter.
Boiled Turnip
Method
Wash, peel and trim each turnip. Place whole baby turnips in boiling salted water and cook for 18 minutes with a lid
Once cooked serve with a pinch of sea salt and brush with melted butter.
Fried Swede
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 Swede peeled and cut into cubes
60g Butter
1 Onion peeled and finely diced
Pinch Sea Salt
Ground White Pepper
Method
Place the diced swede into a large enough pot of boiling salted water and cook until swede is soft.
Drain the water and return pot to the heat. Mash the swede to a coarse texture.
Heat a frying pan and melt the butter in the pan and quickly add the onions and sweat on low heat until onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mashed swede and turn up the heat.
Continue to fry for 5 minutes stirring and rotating the swede throughout.
Serve with a couple knobs of butter on top so it melts from the heat of the swede.
Slow and Low Braised Pork with Cider & Parsnip
Serves 6
Ingredients
1Kg Diced Pork (Shoulder)
4 small Parsnips peeled and diced
1 Onion peeled and diced
1 litre Chicken Stock
250ml Cider
Drizzle of Olive Oil
40g Butter
1 Bay Leaf
2 Tbsp Flour
Handful Fresh Parsley
Fresh ground White Pepper
METHOD
Heat a casserole dish, add half the oil and brown the pork pieces.
Remove pork and set aside.
Add remaining oil and butter to the casserole pot, fry the onions, bayleaf, and parsnips for 8 minutes.
Add the flour and incorporate it into the vegetables. Add the pork back in and quickly add the cider. Stir the cider in and add the stock (warm)
Season with pepper. Transfer to a slow cooker for 4 hours or place a lid on casserole dish and transfer to a warm oven at 160° C for 2 hours.
To serve add freshly chopped parsley.
Brian's Tip
Great with mashed potato and green beans.
Carrot Cake
Makes One round 10' Cake
Ingredients
420g Plain Flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
500g Sugar
5 Free Range Eggs
420ml Rapeseed Oil
120g Walnuts chopped
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon
250g Carrots peeled and grated
3 Sweet Apples
Icing
220 Cream Cheese
140g Icing Sugar
100g Butter softened
1 Orange
Method
Preheat the oven to 170° C.
Line a round 10-inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Whisk in an electric mixer the eggs and sugar until light.
Sieve the flour and combine with the bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon all spice.
Fold gently the flour and spices into the egg and sugar mix. When combined add the oil and gently fold through the mix.
Add the grated carrots and walnuts and finely peel and dice the apple and combine with the carrots.
Spoon the cake mix into the tin and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool the cake before decorating.
To make the icing simply using a mixer combines the icing sugar, butter and cheese. When soft and spreadable add the zest of half the orange.
Spilt the cake in half lengthways and spread a thin layer of icing and place the top half of the cakes back on.
Spread the remaining icing on top of cake roughly.
Chop some walnuts and sprinkle on top of cake. Scatter the remaining zest of orange on top.
Brian's Tip
try making this recipe in individual muffin tin sizes for selfish little treats.
Turnip, Leek and Potato Soup
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
50 g butter
200 g small onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
200g leeks, trimmed and chopped
200g celery sticks, trimmed and
Chopped
200g turnips, peeled and diced
200g potatoes, peeled and diced
2 litres hot vegetable stock
Sprig of tarragon, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
150 ml cream
Method
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sweat the onions and garlic in it for a few minutes. Then add the leeks, celery, turnips and potatoes.
Sweat for a further 4–5 minutes, stirring all the time, and then add the stock, tarragon and pepper.
Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, then add the cream and remove from the heat.
Blend the soup in a blender and serve piping hot.
Brian's Tip
Try replacing turnip with celeriac for an earthier flavour and creamier