An Irish Themed Menu - Report Example

Irish Themed Menu Contents Menu page 1 Choices Made, page 2 Bacon, page 2 Irish Whiskey page 4 Baileys Liqueur, page 5 Recipes, page 7 The theme of the menu and the gastronomic implications, page 10 References, page 11 Irish Themed Menu Starter A warm salad the finest quality smoked bacon sourced locally from Gloucester Old Spot Pigs. A bed of crisp, freshly picked salad leaves surmounted by crispy bacon lardoons with a freshly poached organic egg, a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, herbs and Caesar dressing. A delicious combination of traditional ingredients with a modern twist. Main Course Steak with Irish Whiskey Sauce Tender 8oz sirloin steak cooked to perfection with a sauce made from the finest 10 year Bushmills Whiskey and organic cream , served with chestnut mushrooms , crisp oven roast parsnips, melted leeks and smooth Colcannon – a traditional Irish mix of mashed potatoes, butter and finely chopped kale. Dessert Ballymaloe Seville orange marmalade ice-cream with Baileys orange flavoured liqueur Hand made ice cream using the finest organic cream, with chunky marmalade pieces served with fresh, juicy mandarin orange segments and drizzled with Baileys Orange Cream Liqueur to complete this delicious treat for the taste buds. Choices Made I have chosen an Irish themed menu as this would fit easily into a commercial situation either as a special night such as on St Patrick’s Day, or as part of the regular menu in an Irish themed restaurant or pub. All recipes are genuinely Irish, being taken from the Ballymaloe Cookery Course by Darina Allen, founder of the first modern day Farmer’s Market in Ireland, and celebrate all that is best about Irish cooking and drinks. I Bacon Pigs were bred from the earliest days of human habitation in Ireland. They are mentioned in the earliest Old Irish texts. The type were known as greyhound pigs and were bred in wooded area. The Irish Grazer is considered to have descended directly from the wild boar as described on the web page ‘Stone Age Farm’. Bacon is the cured meat of the pig , usually using mea t from the back, sides or the belly of the animal as described by Wisegeek on the web page ‘How is bacon made?’. Bacon in the 21st century varies considerably in its quality. The best bacon does not have huge injections of brine, but is dry cured. This means it will cook crisply as is usually preferred and not produce large quantities of white fluid when cooked. Generally speaking the very best bacon is produced in small quantities by specialist skilled artisans. Gourmets consider that the best bacon comes from particular breeds e.g. the British Gloucester Old Spot or the rare Essex which has links back to Iron Age pigs. Others mention little ginger Tamworths or the various woolly breeds from the old Austro – Hungarian empire and now being revived as breeds in Western Europe. Tamworths are listed among rare breeds available in Australia by the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia. They have some Irish input in their ancestry and Gloucester Old Spots are also bred in a few place, but any really good quality bacon could be used. Dry cured bacon consists of meat cut into slabs which are rubbed in a salt and spice mixture. It is much lower in nitrates than if wet cured. In modern times the bacon is then usually left under refrigeration or in a cool room, placing the meat on a slatted table so that excess fluids can drain away. The meat is washed after a week and then hung in a smoke house to dry out. Smoking takes about a day and a half. If a wet cure is used the meat is brined but otherwise the process is the same. It may be left in slab form or sliced into rashers at a desired thickness, ready for consumption. It is available in various cuts e.g. streaky, collar and back bacon. Bacon, ham and smallgoods i.e. processed products such as sausages are widely available in Australia. There is also interest in wild hog hunting as evidenced by the magazine ‘Bacon Busters’. Australia has an annual Bacon Week in March, a national competition sponsored by Australian Pork to discover the best bacon in the country. In 2010 the winners were Schultes Meat Tavern of Plainsland in Queensland, but entries from other parts of the country also did very well. Bacon contains a relatively high number of calories – 200 calories in 34 grams. Historically pigs were killed off in the late autumn after they had filled themselves for weeks on such things as crab apples and beech mast. Their preserved meat would keep through the dark winter days and the pigs cost almost nothing to feed as they rooted around in the woods. In more modern times they are often farmed in a much more intensive way, but there is a revival in traditional methods as at Jimmy’s rare breeds farm in Suffolk ( Jimmy’s Farm) and customers are willing to pay a little more for a quality product. Bacon is used in a number of ways - In Northern Ireland it is used as part of breakfast in a concoction known as Ulster Fry which also has eggs, sausages, white or black pudding, fired or grilled tomatoes and potato bread or brown soda bread. Liver may also be included, liver and bacon being a classic combination. Other variations are to scramble the eggs and add kidneys and perhaps mushrooms. It can also be used in sandwiches – the blt i.e. bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Boiled bacon can be used as the central part of a main meal as can the same meat in the form of gammon. It is a useful meat for a party as it is so easily carved. Bacon can also be used as a garnish. In Italian cuisine the equivalent of bacon is pancetta. Darina Allen in the Ballymaloe Cookery Course ( 2007, page 318) uses it together with whiskey in ‘Ballymaloe Bacon Chop with Irish Whiskey Sauce The meat of the pig is forbidden in certain religions such as Islam and Judaism. Irish Whiskey If spelt without the ‘e’ then Scotch is being referred to, but in Ireland the word has an ‘e’. It is made by the process of distillation from malted grain which has been fermented. Much of the flavour comes from the peat which is used. There are a number of Irish whiskey manufacturers, and although not as well known as Scotch they are nevertheless excellent products. Their relative rarity can however make them very expensive. A bottle of Midleton Very Rare, a blended 40% whiskey from Jameson will cost $158 Australian. Bushmills is a popular brand. A single blend 10 years old will cost rather less at $42.89. Historically it is thought that it was Irish monks who carried the skills of distillation around the rest of Europe. according to the Whisky Guide which explains that Bushmills in Ulster is the oldest licensed distillery in the world, having been given its license by James VI. However Ireland was widely known to have a large number of illegal distilleries. By the late 18th century it is believed that the country had more than a 1000 distilleries, most of them illegal. Whiskey is used as a straight drink, but also in various combinations such as Whiskey Sour, Milk Punch and Scots Guard and in traditional Irish coffee. Darina Allen lists in her ‘Ballymaloe Cookery Course ( page 575) Irish Whiskey Punch, but also uses it in both savoury and sweet dishes such as Irish Whiskey and Banana Sauce ( page 318) It is also used as a cooking ingredient, being added to preserves as in whiskey marmalade. The web site ‘Cooking light’ includes a number of recipes such as Irish bread pudding, caramel whiskey sauce, whiskey pork chops and stir fried shrimp and noodles. In these cases only a small amount of the spirit is used, in the last recipe only a teaspoon of whiskey is listed among the ingredients. Baileys Irish Cream. Note the omission of the apostrophe. Usually referred to simply as Baileys it is a cream based and Irish whiskey based liqueur produced by Gilby’s of Country Wicklow, Ireland. Oddly the name was simply chosen because it sounds good. There was no Bailey. Although it can be compared to other cream based liqueurs such as Sangster’s, Columba Cream ( another Celtic product from the Scottish island of Iona, as is Merlyn, a Welsh version. ) or Amarula, it was the first of the cream based alcoholic drinks to be produced in a way that produces a stable product able to be distributed commercially as described on the web page ‘Whisky for everyone ‘ in 2009. The drink was launched in 1974 as a way of using excess cream from the dairy herd and is now available in several flavours – mint, coffee, orange and chocolate as well as the newest member of the family which is flavoured with hazelnuts - another Irish product. The brand has grown to take its present place as the 7th best selling spirit world wide according to the Baileys web page. For this recipe the coffee, the original, chocolate or the orange flavour would work very well. As a drink it might seem quite cloying, but it is often served as a long drink with lots of ice or stirred into hot coffee and it is the image as a long drink that is promoted on the Company’s web page. It can also be used as the base of a number of cocktails such as Abbot’s Dream and Baileys Grasshopper. The web page Bailey’s ( sic) Cocktail recipes lists 20 or more. Irish gourmet chefs use the drink to produce many different dishes, sweet and savoury. Perhaps this is because, as the Baileys web page states, the flavours released change and develop when the drink is heated. Aine McManus has even produced a bread recipe incorporating the drink. I t is easy to see how it can be incorporated into Tiramisu, chocolate truffles or cheese cake , but more unusually, despite its sweetness, it has been on occasions added to savoury sauces for such things as beef casseroles, in the same way that Irish whiskey can sometimes be added to gravy II Recipes These are all based upon one or inspired by one of the best Irish cookery books, Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course ( 2007). Warm Salad of Bacon with Poached Egg and Cheese. For 4 Caesar salad dressing i.e. 50 grams/ 2 oz tinned anchovies 2 egg yolks ( preferably organic free range) 1 clove of garlic crushed, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a generous pinch of strong English mustard powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ - 1 tablespoon of Tabasco sauce, ½ -1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 175 mls/ 6 fl oz sunflower oil 50 mls/2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil, 50 mls/ 2 fl oz cold water. These are simply mixed together. Olive or sunflower oil for frying. 4 organic, free range eggs, 175 grams/ 6 oz smoked bacon lardoons, preferably from a named breed and local supplier mix of salad leaves, Cooked asparagus ( optional) 25g/ 1oz of hard cheese such as a really good Parmesan, freshly grated. Parsley – either curled or flat, freshly chopped fairly small. Make the dressing – any spare can be stored in the fridge. Heat oil in pan and cook the bacon lardoons until they are crisp. Poach the eggs. Place a little dressing on each plate and arrange leaves on top together with the asparagus if being used. Sprinkle the cooked lardoons over this and top with a poached egg. Drizzle a little more of the Caesar dressing and then sprinkle with the cheese and parsley. Serve immediately. Steak with Irish Whiskey Sauce for 4 4 sirloin or fillet steaks from well hung beef, again beef from a known breed would be preferable. 3 cloves of garlic, freshly ground pepper – a generous portion, olive oil, salt, 110 – 225grams/ 4-8 oz of mushrooms, 4 tablespoons of Irish malt whiskey, 125 mls/4 fl oz homemade beef stock, 25 mls/ 4 fl oz single cream, 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley. Cut the garlic in half and then use to rub the steaks before crushing the clove and keeping it to use in the sauce. Season the steaks with the pepper and drizzle the meat with a little olive oil. Sauté the mushrooms in a hot pan and season with salt and pepper. Keep these warm. Season the steaks with salt and cook for desired length i.e. rare, medium or well done. Remove the steaks to a plate and deglaze the pan with the whiskey, allowing it to flame. Add the reserved garlic, the cream, stock and parsley. Simmer for a few minutes and then add the mushrooms to heat through. Cook until the sauce will coat the back of a spoon. Pour over the steaks. This can be served with Colcannon ie. Mashed potatoes with butter, spring cabbage or kale and perhaps spring onions, and with pan roasted parsnips and melted leek s- all these recipes are in the book. Ballymaloe Seville orange marmalade ice-cream with Baileys orange flavoured liqueur for 6 to 8 people This is based upon a master recipe. Of course any good quality vanilla ice-cream would do, but the idea of it being home made adds a cache. 2 organic free range egg yolks, 50 grams / 2 oz sugar, 125 mls/ 4 fl oz water 225mls/1/2 lb chopped Seville Marmalade, ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract ( not vanilla essence) 600 mls/ 1 pint of whipped cream ( measured once whipped). The yolks are whisked until light, pale and fluffy. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved and then boil until the syrup reaches the ‘thread’ stage. ( 106-113 C/ 223-236F). Pour this syrup in a thin stream over the egg yolks while whisking. Add the extract and continue to beat until the mix is light and moussy. Fold in the whipped cream and place in freezer. When softly frozen add the marmalade and refreeze. This is served with mandarin orange slices minus their fine skins and Baileys orange flavoured liqueur. III The theme of the menu and the gastronomic implications There are large numbers of people of Irish descent in Australia, the first ones arriving as early as 1780, so such a menu should be popular , especially if there is a particular occasion such as St Patrick’s Night. The web site Little Shamrocks,com claims that as many as 40% of modern day Australians may be able to claim Irish ancestry – many of them having originally been transported against their will to the new colony in the18th and19th centuries. These Irish descendents are generally proud of the way their ancestors overcame great difficulties in order to succeed in the new land and are happy to celebrate their cultural roots which should mean wide acceptance of an Irish themed menu. Among those who enjoy good food, whether or not they have Celtic ancestry, Irish food and drink is well respected as being wholesome, delicious and well worth travelling the extra mile to appreciate. It is usually fairly simple and served in generous portions. As might be expected from an island sea food is important. Pork products are also included in every menu. Vegetarian foods are rare, although 7 vegetarian restaurants are listed in the Dublin directory ‘Happy Cow’. Irish cuisine is not as rich perhaps as French cooking with its many sauces , or as spicy as food from the various eastern nations, but the ingredients are familiar to most people and evoke positive memories in many. It therefore makes the perfect food for a special Irish night or as part of a regular menu, whether in an Irish themed situation or otherwise, sitting comfortably alongside other dishes from around the world. As regards the whiskey most people are familiar with Scottish or American whiskies, but they will soon come to appreciate the slightly different qualities and versatility of Irish whiskey brands. Irish recipes tend to uses good, wholesome, fresh food rather than over fancy preserved ones and this is part of its appeal as well as the call to old traditions. The recipes included are not difficult and the ingredients easily available therefore this menu easily translates into a commercial operation. The menu promotes the use of food from Australia – pork, beef, potatoes, onions etc but with a Gaelic twist. References ALLEN, D. ( 2007) Ballymaloe Cookery Course, London, Kyle Cathie Ltd. BACON BUSTERS, retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.isubscribe.com.au/title.cfm?ID=1105 BAILEYS, retrieved 25th October 2010 from http://www.baileys.com/press/ BAILEY’S COCKTAIL RECIPES, 2010, retrieved 25th October 2010 from http://www.lisashea.com/lisabase/cocktails/alcohols/baileys.html ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT - WHISKEY, Cooking Light, retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/essential-ingredients/essential-ingredient-whiskey-00400000002228/ HAPPY COW, retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.happycow.net/europe/ireland/dublin/ HOW IS BACON MADE? Wise Geek, retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.wisegeek.com/how-is-bacon-made.htm JIMMMY’S FARM, retrieved 25th October 2010 from http://www.jimmysfarm.com/ LITTLE SHAMROCKS.CO retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.littleshamrocks.com/Irish-in-Australia.html McMANUS,M, Diet Baileys Bread Recipe, retrieved 25th October 2010 from http://www.diet-recipes-to-go.co.uk/Baileys_Irish_Cream_Bread.htm STONE AGE FARM, retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.adopt-a-pig.com/index.php/buy-a-pig THE HISTORY OF IRISH WHISKEY, The Whiskey Guide retrieved 26th October 2010 from http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/Irish/Irish_Whiskey_history-new.html WHISKEY FOR EVERYONE, retrieved 25th October 2010 from http://whiskyforeveryone.blogspot.com/2009/12/have-just-tried-whisky-liqueurs-part-2.html Read More