LIVING on an island, we are never far from some truly superb fish and shellfish. I'm both a huge fan of the choice available but also of supporting the local businesses that keep our markets and kitchens supplied with delicious seafood.
For that reason, I always make sure to have plenty of seafood options on all my menus, whether a classic fish and chips or the ever-popular squid dish in our Belfast Cathedral Quarter restaurant Hadskis. I'm always drawn to these dishes on any menu and there are few things that beat a delicious fish dish being enjoyed on a terrace with the sound of waves crashing nearby and a sea view.
Yes, you’ve guessed it, I am just back from my holidays and, as ever, it was the simplest food using the freshest ingredients in beautiful surroundings that made the most lasting impression – which is where the inspiration for this week’s clam risotto came from.
A light and delicious way to finish a meal is with a baked cheesecake, which is also really simple and something the whole family can help with.
This week the Fermanagh County Show will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Enniskillen and continues to provide one of the best showcases in Northern Ireland of cattle, sheep, craft and dog competitions.
Helping support and celebrate Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink, the Artisan Foodhall should not be missed and will have celebrity chefs and craft butcher demonstrations in addition to more than 200 trade stands on display.
:: See www.fermanaghcountyshow.com
CLAM RISOTTO
200g clams
2 shallots
1 garlic clove
150g Arborio rice
750ml litres of vegetable stock
1 glass white wine
25g butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Firstly, remove any grit from the clams. For this recipe I am using vegetable stock; however, chicken stock can be used. Finely chop the shallots and heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a pan; add the shallot and sweat down until transparent and soft. Then add the garlic, followed by the rice and cook for five minutes.
Add all the rice and cook for a further two minutes,stirring continuously to coat all the grains. Add the glass of wine until it has evaporated, then start by ladling in the stock two ladles at a time; keep stirring. Once all the stock has been ladled in and the rice is soft but with a bite to it, stir in the butter.
Separately, put a little of the stock into a pot with a lid and heat until hot; add the clams, put the lid on and steam until all the clams have opened. This should take a couple of minutes. Discard any that have not opened.
Place the clams on top of the risotto, shell and all. Be careful when eating and ensure that you remove any clams from the shell when eating.
BAKED CHEESECAKE
1.3kg soft cheese
300g caster sugar
3 tblsp plain flour
1 vanilla pod, halved and deseeded
1 lemon, grated
2 tblsp lemon juice
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
the base
250g digestive biscuits, blended
120g unsalted butter
1 tblsp Demerara sugar
Start by making the base. Preheat your oven to 180C. Melt your butter in a pan and add the sugar to dissolve; stir and, once dissolved, add to your digestive biscuits and mix.
Grease the tin with an oil spray or butter. Place the mix in a cake tin 10cm deep and 25cm wide (I find it is much handier to use the ones which clip away). Pat the mix down and bake in oven for 7 minutes, remove and allow to cool.
With the cheesecake mix, place your cream cheese into a mixing bowl and soften to a cream. Add your sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and zest and stir. Then add the flour and keep stirring until smooth.
Crack and stir the whole eggs into the mix one at a time, stirring thoroughly. When you have finished the whole eggs, add the yolks and mix thoroughly. The mix should be totally smooth, you can whisk but it should be just as easy by hand.
Pour the cheesecake mix on top of the biscuit base and place into the oven for seven minutes, then reduce temperature to 100C and cook for a further 10 minutes. This should be gently brown on the outside, but still a little wobbly in the middle is OK. Leave to cool.
