Pigs in Blankets

Makes 24


Pre-heat oven to 180oc


Ingredients:

• 24 cooked cocktail sausages
• 5oo g shortcrust of puff pastry
• Dijon mustard
• 1 beaten egg for sealing and glazing
Method:

Roll out pastry thinly on a floured surface.
Using a scone size cutter cut out 24 discs. You may have to re-roll the pastry to get the full amount.
Brush a little mustard on each one the place the little sausage in the middle of each disc.
Egg wash one side of the pastry and bring the two sides together.
So the end and the top of the sausage are peeping out each end thus pigs in blankets.
Bake on a flour or oiled baking sheet @180c for 15-20 or unt golden brown.
Serve with my tomato and chilli jam or relish.

Bellini

The ultimate fizzy cocktail.

You can have the peach purée ready and frozen weeks before Christmas Day. Take it out Christmas Eve to defrost.

For one glass you will need.

250mls of champagne,cava or prosecco
1 medium ripe peach or nectarine.
Buy a few days in advance to assure its ripe.

Stone and peel peach, setting aside a slice for decoration and them purée in a blender.
Poir the peach purée into each glass and slowly add the champagne.
Stir gently and garnish with a peach slice

Serve in: champagne flute

Parma Grissini

Parma Grissini

Perfect with drinks and very easy to throw together at the last minute

Ingredients:

•1 box Shop bought Grissini sticks
•1packet Parma ham


Method:

Wrap half slices of parma ham around the bread sticks
Serve on a platter with some of your favourite dips

Smoke Salmon Pâté

Makes a large bowl

Ingredients :

• 5oog Smoked Salmon Frank Henderman smoke salmon is my favourite.
• 375g soft butter
• Pepper to taste. No salt as the butter and salmon are salty enough.
• Lemon juice
• Fresh dill or parsley
• Pernod splash (optional)


Method:

1. Mix all ingredients in a food processor (don't over whizz as it may split).
2. Set in a tin and slice to serve with cucumber pickle salad and melba toast
3. As party food add small spoons of pate on to cucumber slices or on sliced toasted baguette like a crustini perfect for pre dinner drinks.
4. Garnish with tiny pieces of lemon and freshly chopped herbs

Melba toast is any bread toasted in slices then each slice is cut through the middle and cut into smaller pieces again then place under a grill until the little pieces curl up at the sides

Party Season

The jolly season is almost here ,
Ill be posting hints, tips and recipes over the next few days and weeks leading up to the big day to make sure all your gatherings and parties go ahead stress free.

Seasons - supper club at Fenns Quay

As all foodies know pop up restaurants are the new trendy thing to do at the moment.
Richard Speedie and Conal Markey from Masterchef Ireland 2011 have set up a wonderful dining club in which they set up a restaurant for one night only in different places/restaurants.
It was our turn in Cork to enjoy this exciting evening and they didn't disappoint. Along for the ride was restaurateur and chef Kate Lawlor and my own head chef Pamela Kelly of Nash 19.
The menu was as follows:

Amuse Bouche

By

Pamela Kelly

Gravlax of O'Connell's Salmon with Waterfall Farm pickled Rainbow Beetroot

Seasons Supper Club


Ryefield Goats cheese Parfait, Quince, Beetroot and apple


Wicklow Pigeon, Almond, Blackberry


Crowes Farm Pork Fillet, pulled Pork Faggot, Pumpkin and Pomme Fondant



Autumn Chestnuts, Tea and Chocolate


Petit Four

By

Kate Lawlor

Beetroot Fudge, Bitter Chocolate Mouse Cones

The food was amazing, the atmosphere was buzzing and the evening was a huge success well done to all involved.

Ricotta,Lemon and Thyme Fritters

Ricotta comes from the Italian word re-cook. It's more of a creamy curd than an actual cheese. The whey is cooked and then re-heated it forms the ricotta hence the name. It's very versatile can be used savory and sweet. They say ricotta is the worlds first cheese. Just don't tell the French!!
These fritters and so easy to make and taste divine.
I served them with a warm cherry tomato sauce,they go lovely with just salad and relish or anything you fancy.
Go on give them a go!


Serves 2

Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 4-5 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

250g tub of ricotta cheese
1large free-range egg
1 sprig of thyme
Zest of 1 lemon
50g Parmesan cheese or any other hard strong cheese
1 tbsn plain flour
Salt and pepper (season well they need it)
Oil to fry.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients together

Heat the frying pan with the oil

Spoon in a few blobs and pat down so they evenly cook when brown turn over over and cook the other side.

Enjoy!