Recipes

As I stroll the country laneways of West Cork I cannot help but notice the prevalence of the colour purple in the flora of our Irish hedgerows. I stroll in freedom. The summer is a time when work quietens down and I chose to sit close to the sea as much as possible. It is tranquil and peaceful.

Yet every day I am reminded of my brothers and sisters worldwide who do not have this freedom, this peace.

I think of those who are helping and I wonder what I can do. I do not want to shout into the void.

I have gathered 7 Irish wildflowers and 7 Irish recipes. I give these to you with dochás – hope.

I hope that you will join me in supporting those who are putting their lives on the line, worldwide but particularly in Gaza. I have included a link to MSF but of course donate to whoever is your preferred aid provider.

Can you please give 7 euro or whatever your want.

Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine – literally translates as people live in each others shadows, meaning that it is in the shelter of each other that we survive.

Please Note – in order that all of your money can go directly to Médecins Sans Frontieres – Doctors without Borders – I am providing ‘Seven Wildflowers’ in pdf file format, this should open on your device and you can read on any pdf reader or add to kindle (the kindle app is free).

Click here to go straight to Download ‘Seven Wildflowers’

You can donate from the link on the first page or from this link

Click here to donate to Doctors without Borders (MSF)

x Sheila

Uncategorized

Remembrance

Posted on February 14, 2025February 17, 2025 by sheila kiely

My lovely Dad, Conor, got to sample a cinnamon swirl at The Garden Cafe in Mallow on the 23rd of January 2025 and thoroughly enjoyed it. He was usually a coffee man when we were out but that day he had tea. It was the morning of the day before the big storm Éowyn was to hit Ireland and cause chaos into the following days. Sadly he passed away a week later and we did not get to return there together again. The Garden cafe has a very special place for me at the moment as it was our last outing together.

Interestingly the history of cinnamon in Europe began 2000 years ago in Rome when Roman traders had brought it back from Sri Lanka via the silk road. My father was christened Cornelius who in the bible was the first Roman soldier / centurion to be baptised. We can find connections in everything – the spice, the origin, the name – if we look and at times of loss we look harder than ever and it brings comfort, creates a tapestry of sorts for us.

My dad’s coffee of choice was usually a cappuccino or as he used to say to me ‘I’ll have a small monk please.’ Dad had a quirky sense of humour and loved a pun and a joke. I always thought the name cappuccino was because of the colouring of the capuchin monks robes however on looking it up online just now I’m seeing…… ‘the name “cappuccino” comes from the Italian word “cappuccio,” literally the hood or hat. Why this name? According to the legend, the first to “invent” this beverage was a friar of the Capuchin order, Marco da Aviano, sent in 1683 by the Pope in Vienna.’

So there you go, a little bit of trivia to accompany your next coffee. Dad would have liked that and most likely already knew it.

‘Til next time, x Sheila.

Restaurants

The Garden

Posted on February 14, 2025February 14, 2025 by sheila kiely

The Garden Cafe, Mallow, Co.Cork

There is an ethereal quality to the ambience on entering The Garden cafe in Mallow town. A tranquil oasis or paradise found. Look one way and a wall is softly adorned with flowers, in another direction a tree stands bonsai like looking delicate yet statuesque. It is a cherry blossom with Japanese leanings I think and branches entwined with twinkling lights. A feathered owl wisely watches over all. Themes of Ancient Rome with goddess and Roman emperor busts bring a touch of history. Tables are enhanced with flowers, wreaths, candles or perhaps another Greek goddess.

The background music has been a mixture of old classics and jazz when I’ve been in. No jarring tunes, this is a quiet serene place where coffee machines whir from time to time. It is a cafe that serves hot & cold drinks, pastries and cakes, the epitome of keeping it simple.

I wish Morgan every success with her new venture. I’ve been in at least 6 times now and the coffee has been faultless. I do hope you get a chance to go there and try for yourself.

‘Til next time, x Sheila

Recipes

Caesar Salmon Tacos – on repeat all summer long

Posted on June 19, 2024June 19, 2024 by sheila kiely

There is something quintessentially summery about the crisp bite into a taco shell followed by a lusciously tangy mouthful of whatever you have chosen to stuff it with. Perhaps it is the fact that the best accompaniments are a hot day and a cold refreshing beer – preferably one drank straight from the bottle, the neck of which has been jammed with a wedge of lime.

A lusciously stuffed crisp taco shell, this shows large chunks of baked seasoned salmon, topped with pickled red onion slices and generous dollops of a caesar salad inspired tangy sauce — Caesar Salmon Taco by Sheila Kiely – the close up!

This image shows fingers gently closing in on a crisp taco shell stuffed with large chunks of baked seasoned salmon, topped with pickled red onion slices and generous dollops of a caesar salad inspired tangy sauce — Caesar Salmon Taco by Sheila Kiely – delicate handling in motion!

Caesar Salmon Tacos Recipe – HONESTLY one of the tastiest things I have EVER made!
You will need:
Salmon Darnes
A little oil
Bag of ready to assemble Caesar Salad (or chopped ice-berg lettuce and caeser salad dressing)
A few cherry tomatoes halved
Greek yogurt
Crunch Taco Shells – ready to heat
Pickled red onions (or make a quick batch yourself , slice red onions, v generous sprinkling of sugar & white wine vinegar to cover – 20 mins+)
Method:
Roast the salmon darnes drizzled with a little oil for 20 mins (hot oven)
Meanwhile mix 3 tbsp Greek yogurt with the sachet of Caesar salad dressing to create a sauce
Heat the tacos in the oven until warm – 3 mins
Fill the tacos – layer up some sauce, iceberg lettuce, chopped cherry tomatoes, chunks of salmon, pickled red onion & top with some more sauce.
Delicious! enjoy!
x Sheila

Recipes

Because you also need a good Spicy Beef & some sneaky extra protein recipe – aka ‘Mom, eat more protein.’

Posted on October 4, 2023October 4, 2023 by sheila kiely

Yes, I’m being given nutritional advice by my grown up children. To be fair they are muscle bound and fit so I will gladly take it.

This beef recipe will have the protein of the lean minced beef to begin with but I do always like to stretch and ‘healthify’ fried beef by adding tinned legumes – in this case black beans and lentils. The sneaky extra protein in this recipe is to be found when serving it. I like to serve this on a toasted wholemeal flatbread spread thickly with hummus (BONUS protein points) and a good dollop of Greek yogurt (again, kerching!!)

NB – take it easy on the chilli flakes and jalepenos, let you be the judge of how much your audience can tolerate!

Spicy Beef Recipe

You will need:
A little oil
Lean beef mince (5% fat)
2 onions
3 to 4 fat cloves garlic
Tin black beans
Tin lentils
Spices – cumin, coriander, chilli flakes
Tin tomatoes
Tomato puree (i use from tube)
Jalepenos
To Serve:
Wholemeat flatbreads
Hummus (i used red pepper flavour)
Greek yogurt
Fresh Coriander (optional)
Method:
Heat the oil and fry the minced beef in a large frying pan until beginning to brown – approx 8/10 minutes.
Add chopped onions and garlic to centre of pan and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the drained black beans and lentils, mix well and heat through.
Add the spices next and mix well, allow to cook for a minute or two and then add in tin of tomatoes and a good dollop of tomato puree plus a handful of chopped jalepenos.
Add some water – depending on how saucy you like it – mix well and cook until bubbling, then reduce the heat to keep warm while you toast the flatbreads (pittas or any wraps good too).
Serve on a heated flatbread topped with thickly spread hummus then the mince topped with Greek yogurt and coriander.
Wholegrain rice would make a good alternative to the flatbread.