Posted in What's for Dinner Mom?

Spicy Pitta Crisps, Coriander Pesto & Creamy Guacamole

I spent a couple of leisurely hours in Bantry on Saturday and indulged myself in visits to my favourite shops there – Roost, The Cookware Company, Gazelle & The Stuffed Olive.  (For the unitiated Gazelle is a shoe shop for the well heeled. I go there to covet and someday may buy but for now my readies get spent on all things kitchen and food related).  As you can see I picked up the most gorgeous ramekins and pie dish, a practical don’t grate your hand tower grater and a spatula with a stainless steel handle (the last plastic one snapped mid cookie mixing).  These were all from The Cookware Company for the grand sum of 40 euro which I think was amazing value.  At my last stop – The Stuffed Olive – I closed my eyes with each dreamy mouthful of gluten free chocolate brownie.  Yummilicious.  I picked up a couple of salads from their amazing deli – carrot with mixed seeds and quinoa with pomegranate along with a bottle of piri piri sauce and a jar of Dijon Mustard which is just screaming Quiche at me.

As it was a warm summer’s evening we snacked outside later on very quickly rustled up dips and pitta crisps.

Spicy Pitta Crisps:
Use a kitchen scissors to cut pitta into triangles.
Toss in olive oil, mild chilli powder & paprika
Cook in a hot oven for 8 to 10 minutes until crisping up and golden.
Creamy guacamole:
2 avocadoes
half red onion
juice 1 lime
2 tbsp greek yoghurt
Finely chop the onion and mash together with all the other ingredients
Coriander Pesto
Dry fry some hazlenuts and pinenuts on a hot frying pan until browning, then roughly bash with rolling pin.
Roughly chop bunch coriander
Crush 2 cloves garlic
Grate parmesan
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz with enough olive oil to achieve desired consistency.

I’ve been lazy here in the recipe writing and if you would like exact measurements please let me know.
Enjoy.
Til next time, Sheila

Posted in Events & Adventures in Food

Burst of fruity raindrop

That was the sensation as it popped in my mouth – a burst of fruity raindrop.  It splashed with a short-lived squelch and then it was gone.  The pomegranate seed.

For me this is an exotic entity.  Pomegranate never featured in my childhood so it was a fruit that I had never investigated until this weekend.  On Easter Saturday I oogled the salad bar of The Stuffed Olive in Bantry, Co. Cork.  My favourite ever deli.  I have never seen salad made to look more inviting.  I planned to cook morrocan lamb meatballs for dinner that evening and wanted to buy some richly enhanced couscous but this other salad with the pomegranate seeds peeking through couldn’t be resisted.  The grain was quinoa (pronounced keenwah apparently) and along with the pomegranate seeds they had also used pomegranate molasses.  It was perfect with the lamb and I savoured each pop of the seed in my mouth.

Perhaps less exotic but equally tasty at the market in Schull on Sunday we bought some Gubeen smoked cheese and salami, some almond stuffed olives and a jar of our favourite red onion relish – Breheny’s Belish.  Some recent meals have included morrocan lamb meatballs, roast pork with apple sauce, bacon and leek quiche and mexican fajitas spiced up with Rebel Chilli relish and calmed down with a dollop of sour cream.

I’m off to watch The Delicious Ms Dahl – the first episode last week was depressingly beautiful in every way.  After that I’m watching Master Chef as it’s finals week.  Until next time, Sheila