BOTH of this week’s recipes are great to share, especially for a yummy brunch and could be perfectly complemented by some sausage, or some bacon, maybe some black pudding – you get the idea.
The mushroom dish uses Islander sea kelp which is a great new local ingredient from Rathlin which they have made into a delicious pesto sauce. It is a very tasty ingredient and we use it all the time at home and also in the restaurants. You can buy this online at islanderseafood.com.
I was at a chefs’ conference last week and one of the themes was that we need to be talking more about seaweed. It is one of those ingredients we are surrounded by and we do not utilise it enough. Historically, it was seen as a Halloween food when you got dried dulse with candy apples and pumpkins – that’s one for the pub quizzers out there. The health benefits of seaweed alone are enough for us all to start using it as a staple ingredient as it has high concentrations of protein, calcium, iron and it has more Vitamin C than oranges.
At our Cast and Crew restaurant in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, we are known for our excellent burgers and all-day breakfasts. Not wanting to be controversial but we have baked beans on our menus as a side order and I have included the recipe here. The smokey taste from the bacon adds all the flavour – a great dish with sausages for dinner at home.
My restaurant The Bar + Grill in the city’s Linen Quarter is celebrating its fifth birthday this weekend so keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook pages as we are running a couple of excellent competitions. Of course, it would be great if you could drop in for a meal or a drink at the bar and help us celebrate this milestone with us.
HOMEMADE BAKED BEANS
1 slice smoky bacon, finely dice
1 small onion, peeled and finely dice
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely dice
1 tblsp cider vinegar
1 tsp English mustard
1 tsp French Mustard
1 tblsp honey
8 tblsp tomato ketchup
2 tblsp soft brown sugar
400g cannellini beans
200g kidney beans
olive oil
sea salt
ground black pepper
Start by preheating your oven to 180C. Place a pan on the hob and add the bacon, onion, garlic and cook off until the onions are translucent and the bacon has browned.
Add in the vinegar, mustards, honey, ketchup and sugar and cook off for a further five minutes. If you are using tinned beans rinse off well in cold water. If you are cooking your beans from fresh make sure you do not add any salt to the water as they will not cook properly. Add in the beans and stir well.
Transfer to a roasting tin and place in oven for 20 minutes. Beans are now ready to serve.
KING OYSTER MUSHROOM, RICOTTA AND KELP PESTO
4 king oyster mushrooms
10g pine nuts
200g ricotta
15g seaweed kelp
sea salt
ground black pepper
Start by placing a griddle pan on the hob and turning up the heat. Add in half of the pine nuts and toast gently. Remove from pan once toasted. With the mushrooms, clean gently with a dry cloth or a small brush. Slice lengthways and place on the griddle pan and cook until you can see grid marks. Turn over and griddle on the other side. Place on a plate.
With the ricotta, place in a bowl and using a spoon stir until creamy. Spoon on top of the mushroom. Toss over the toasted pine nuts and add in the untoasted ones. Sprinkle over a little of the seaweed kelp.
Season with salt and pepper.
