Support Local Food Producers While Cooking at Home
Let’s face it, we all had to brush up our cooking skills this year as we are all definitely cooking more at home. Whether it is a healthy breakfast to start off the day, a quick lunch in your home office or a delicious dinner to unwind in the evening, sometimes it is easy to get stuck for ideas.
For this #TasteThursday, we have prepared the ultimate shopping list to easily get you through the week and allow you to support your local food producers at the same time, while also giving you a meal idea for each product. We would recommend shopping through Neighbourfood Wexford for a quick and easy experience.
But don’t worry if you don’t fancy cooking on any specific day. There are a number of local restaurants offering a takeaway service at the moment and you can find a list of them >here< if you feel like enjoying a takeaway meal from your favourite restaurant either at home or out in the fresh air. Or why not enjoy one of our delicious Taste Wexford Hampers, full of local goodies? Choose from our 4 exclusive hampers:
The After Dinner Box
The Christmas Cracker Box
The Wild & Sweet Box
The Honey Pot Box
Fancy Fungi
In Fancy Fungi they have been growing mushrooms in Wexford from 1988. They grow the best tasting and best-looking varieties of exotic mushrooms available. Exotic Mushroom They are an excellent source of vitamin B and C complex and are the only vegetable with a good source of vitamin D, so they are a great
When it comes to cooking, nothing could be more versatile than the mushroom. As a starter, part of the main course, soup, risotto, pâté, sauce or as a great meat substitute for vegetarians – mushrooms are magic! Try this recipe and you will want to eat mushrooms every day.
Recipe idea
Walkers’ Wild Mushroom, O’Neills Bacon & Barley Broth
Ingredients
200g pack O’Neills bacon lardons or rashers
2 onions
4 medium carrots
3 celery sticks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig rosemary and thyme
30g pack dried porcini or dried mixed wild mushrooms
1 glass white wine
11⁄2 l chicken stock
175g pearl barley, well rinsed
1 small head spring greens or chunk of Savoy cabbage parmesan or any strong hard cheese, grated, to serve.
Method
1. Put a large saucepan over medium heat. Sizzle the O’Neills lardons or bacon for 10 mins until golden, stirring now and then. While they cook, chop the onions, carrots and celery into smallish pieces. When the bacon is ready, stir in the veg, garlic and herbs, cover and gently cook for 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, put the mushrooms into a jug, then fill up to the 600ml mark with boiling water. Leave to soak for 10 mins.
3. Lift the mushrooms out of their juice with a slotted spoon and roughly chop. Turn up the heat under the pan, add the mushrooms, fry for 1 min, then pour in the wine. Let it evaporate right down, then pour the liquid from the mushroom jug into the pan, avoiding the last drops, as they can be gritty. Add the stock and barley. Simmer for 40 mins until the barley is tender. Lift out the thyme and rosemary stalks. Can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month. If you make ahead, the soup will need loosening with a little more stock as the barley will thicken it over time.
4. When ready to serve, finely shred the greens and simmer in the soup for 5 mins until tender. Season to taste, then serve with cheese for sprinkling over the top, crusty bread and butter.
Macamore Buffalo
Liam Byrne, a 4th generation farmer and his wife Sinead started their water buffalo farm in January 2016, with a view to bringing something unique and natural to the Irish market. Liam and Sinead’s herd of water buffalo, are raised on their family farm, 9 miles south of Gorey town, in Ballygarrett, Co. Wexford.
Available products include Strip loin Steaks, Rib Eye Steaks, Fillets, 100% burgers (Gluten-Free), Buffalo dinner sausages, Top Rib Roast, Sirloin Roas, Chuck Steak/Brisket, Lean Mince and Premium Steak Pieces.
Recipe idea
You need to try the BUFFALO BURGER
Ingredients
6 oz buffalo burger patties from Macramore Buffalo
O’Neills bacon rashers
Wexford’s cheddar slices
Lettuce, tomato & Onion from Regan Organic
Wild about Spice of Life relish
Now you just need to cook your buffalo burger rare, medium or well-done to your preference and assemble the best burger you have tasted in a long time.
O’Neills Bacon
O’Neill’s Dry Cured Bacon Co. in Wexford has won numerous prestigious awards including the Food Writers Guild award, numerous Great Taste Awards, is highly acclaimed by food critics and is the chosen bacon of many of the top chefs in Ireland. The range includes dry-cured rashers, streaky rashers, ham fillets, bacon steaks, sausages, black pudding, bacon jam and bacon loins.
Recipe idea
Why not try the O’Neills Mushroom and Ham Risotto, a quick tasty meal.
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
500g Fancy Fungi wild mushrooms, halved or sliced if large
50g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g risotto rice
2 sprigs thyme
150ml white wine
1-litre hot chicken stock
200g leftover O’Neills Ham, shredded or use O’Neills Dry Cure Lardons
50g parmesan, finely grated
200g frozen peas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium to high heat, toss the Fancy Fungi mushrooms in this for 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked. Set aside.
Add half the butter to the pan along with the remaining tablespoon of oil and once the butter has melted add the onion and garlic, cook until softened but not browned.
Stir the rice into the onions to coat, along with the thyme.
Pour the wine into the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it has all been absorbed. Add a cup of chicken stock at a time until fully absorbed and repeat until all the stock has been used up. This will take about 15-20 minutes over a gentle heat. You don’t want it to simmer to rapidly or the stock will evaporate before it gets a chance to be soaked up.
Remove the thyme from the pan. Fold half the mushrooms and parmesan into the rice along with the remaining butter and peas. Allow the peas and mushrooms to heat through.
Taste and check seasoning. You may need to add more stock to adjust the texture of the risotto just before you serve.
Divide between the serving bowls, top with the leftover ham, remaining mushrooms and parmesan.
Stable Diet
Stable Diet’s delicious products are based on traditional recipes and ingredients. All their products are wheat-free and offer a wide range of breakfast cereals and Flapjacks, and their Granola toasted breakfast cereal has been awarded several times.
Recipe idea
Stable Diet Granola with Cranberry Pecan and Pumpkin Seed and yoghurt Bowl.
Ingredients
1/4 cup Stable Diet Granola with Cranberry Pecan and Pumpkin Seed
1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup fresh fruit of your choice
Instructions
1. Place the yoghurt in a bowl.
2. Add the Stable Diet Granola with Cranberry Pecan and Pumpkin Seed
3. Add the washed fruit
4. Serve and enjoy!
Tasty Parlour
Tasty Parlour, founded in July 2011 by professional chef Mary O’Hanlon, produces and delivers tasty gluten & wheat free bread, slices, muffins, scones & tray bakes daily using only the finest ingredients available.
Recipe idea
Gluten-free avocado toast on Taste Parlour White soda bread.
Ingredients
2 slices Taste Parlour White soda bread
1 ripe avocado
Chia seed or another topping of your choice
Good drizzle Wild About Wild Garlic Oil
Method
1. Toast the Taste Parlour White soda slices
2. Cut the avocado in half and smashed it on the toasts
3. Drizzle with Wild About Wild Garlic Oil, add salt and pepper
4. Add the chia seed
5. Enjoy!
WILD About
Wild about is a multi award-winning environmentally sustainable artisan producer and Local Food Hero creating a range of low carbon, low sugar, sustainable foods made fresh from seasonal produce sourced locally and grown on our sustainable permaculture farm here in Co. Wexford. Ranges change with the seasonal harvests, and we specialize in native wild ingredients, Ireland own superfood.
Recipe idea
Best Dressed Chicken And Green Been Salad.
Ingredients
4 fillets Regan Organic chicken
500g green or French beans
A healthy splash of Wild About BEST DRESSED Salad Dressing
Some sesame seeds or sliced almonds
Method
1. Cut chicken breast into strips, coat in Wild About Best Dressed Salad
2. Dressing and chargrill. Better still, if time allows, marinate for a few hours beforehand in Wild About Best Dressed Salad Dressing.
3. Steam green or French beans for 5 mins.
4. Plunge into iced water to stop them cooking.
5. Put the chicken and beans in a bowl and mix with a healthy splash of BEST DRESSED Salad Dressing. Sprinkle some sesame seeds or sliced almonds on top.
6. Grab your fork and enjoy a delicious, healthy and quick lunch!
Regan Organic
The Regan Sisters grow organic meat, poultry and pork reared with compassion in beautiful County Wexford. Their entire farm is certified organic so no pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, hormones or Genetically Modified products are used. All the animals are reared naturally free-range. Organic vegetables are also available.
Recipe idea
Roasted Organic Chicken
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan)
2. In a small bowl, mix together butter, lemon zest, garlic and some seasoning.
3. Pat clean the chicken; halve the lemon, squeeze the juice into the chicken cavity then tuck the lemon halves inside the bird along with the thyme.
4. Put the chicken on a board and lift the neck flap. Use your fingers to ease the skin gently away from the flesh along the length of the breast. Spread half of the butter mixture under the skin, making sure to work it over the breast. Rub remaining butter all over the bird. Tie the legs together with string and transfer to a roasting tin just big enough to hold the chicken.
5. Roast in the oven for about 1hr 30min, covering halfway through with tin foil. Cook until the juices run clear from the breast and legs. Carefully remove from the tin and set aside somewhere warm.
6. Spoon off most of the fat from the tin and discard. Put in on hob over medium heat and stir in flour. Return to heat and cook for 1min, then remove from heat and gradually stir in wine and stock. Cook for 3-5min, stirring constantly until thickened. Leave to bubble for a few min, season to taste and sieve into a gravy jug. Serve gravy alongside the chicken, with roast potatoes and vegetables, if you like.
7. Strip the carcass at the end of the meal for sandwiches, curry or whatever you fancy making with the leftovers and simmer up the bones, skin and anything else with an onion, carrot, peppercorns, bay leaf for stock.
Ballyhack Smokehouse
Ballyhack Smokehouse is an award-winning purveyor of Artisan Beech Smoked Salmon, Smoked Irish Organic Salmon and Wild Irish Smoked Salmon.
Recipe idea
Smoked Salmon with lemon scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
1 slice of Taste Parlour Brown Bread
Ballyhack Smokehouse smoked salmon
Two large Regan Organic eggs
6 tbsp. single cream
Knob of butter
Black pepper and a wedge of lemon to serve
Method
1. Lightly whisk 2 Regan Organic large eggs, 6 TBS single cream or full cream milk and a pinch of salt together until the mixture has just one consistency.
2. Heat a small non-stick frying pan for a minute or so, then add a knob of butter and let it melt. Don’t allow the butter to brown or it will discolour the eggs.
3. Pour in the egg mixture and let it sit, without stirring, for 20 seconds. • Stir with a wooden spoon, lifting and folding it over from the bottom of the pan.
4. Let it sit for another 10 seconds then stir and fold again.
5. Repeat until the eggs are softly set and slightly runny in places. Remove from the heat and leave for a moment to finish cooking.
6. Toast and butter few slices of Tasty Parlour bread. Drape a slice of smoked salmon on each slice and spoon over the scrambled egg. Grind over black pepper and serve with a wedge of lemon on the side
Ballycross Apple Farm
Whether you’ve visited Ballycross Apple Farm to go pumpkin picking, apple picking or a trip to see the pets on the farm, there’s no doubt you didn’t leave empty-handed. With an abundance of juices, from apple, pear, blackcurrant, elderflower and pink lemonade, there’s sure to be a fruit for every type of taste bud.
Recipe idea
Trish Deseine’s Braised Red Cabbage with Apples, Red Onion and Ballycross Apple & Blackcurrant Juice
Ingredients
75g Butter
1 Small Red Cabbage (1kg or so) (Thorpe’s Organic Cabbage)
3 or 4 Onions, peeled, chopped finely
3 or 4 Apples, peeled, chopped finely
1 or 2 tsp. of mixed spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, as you like)
2 or 3 Juniper berries
2 or 3 Whole cloves
3 tbsp. golden muscovado sugar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (Clashganny Cider Vinegar)
200ml Ballycross Apple Juice
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150C
2. Remove the tough leaves and base of the cabbage and shred it finely
3. Layer it with the apples, onions and spices in a large casserole dish
4. Finally, pour in the vinegar and apple juice
5. Put the lid on the pot and leave it to braise in the oven for 2 or 2 ½ hours, until tender and soft
6. Season, and serve hot or warm
Mr Jeffares Blackcurrants
Home grown in County Wexford since 1955, Mr Jeffares Blackcurrents are one of the many top fruit growers that take a place in the sunny south-east’s reputation for its famous and inviting fruits. The cold pressed pure fruits are significant to the success of Mr Jeffares Blackcurrant Cordials, and make up a generation of stories.
Recipe idea
Mr Jeffares Blackcurrent and Raspberry Blondie recipe
Ingredients
75g Butter
150g Plain Flour
¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder
150g White Chocolate
¼ Teaspoon of Salt
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence
250g Soft Brown Sugar
20 Frozen Raspberries from Kearns Fruit Farm
For the batter
100g Plain Flour
150ml Mr Jeffares Irish Blackcurrant Cordial
Method
Preheat the oven at 180C. Line an 8” square tin with greaseproof paper
Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl, over a saucepan with boiling water on a hob
In a large separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar for around 3 minutes. Add the chocolate to the mixture and stir well
Using a sieve, add in the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract
Pour half of the batter into a separate bowl and add the cordial, to give the blackcurrant flavour to the blondies
Go back and forth, dolloping bits from each batter until you have used half of both of the batters
Place half of the Kearns Fruit Farm raspberries into the batter and dollop the rest of the batter into the tin, using the same method as before
With a fork, carefully mix the batters together and sprinkle the rest of the raspberries into the batter, pushing them gently down so they’re not exposed to the surface
Place the tin into the oven and allow it to bake for approximately 45 minutes
Leave in the tin to cool before you cut them, and enjoy!
Naturally Cordial
Mouth-watering whole fruit cordial business, Naturally Cordial, is one of the many local producers in County Wexford that has a strong place in Ireland’s local food and drinks industry. Using fresh fruits grown from the establishment’s neighbours and friends, Naturally Cordial is up there with some of the best leading Irish producers also collaborating with Dunnes Stores Simply Better range in stores.
Recipe idea
Naturally Cordial’s Strawberry & Cucumber Limeade
Ingredients
Naturally Cordial Strawberry, Cucumber & Lime
Soda or Sparkling Water
2 Limes sliced
250g Strawberries from The Village at Wheelocks, quartered
1/4 Cucumber sliced
Bunch of fresh mint and ice
Method
1. Dilute your Naturally Cordial to your preferred taste with the soda or sparkling water
2. Add the limes, strawberries from The Village at Wheelocks and cucumber to the mixture with lots of ice
3. Serve immediately in your favourite glassware with a sprig of mint!
Bean and Goose
What’s better than a slab of chocolate? A slab of chocolate made with love from the wilds of Wexford. Sisters Karen and Natalie set out to give the traditional chocolate making a go, and somewhere down the line, curated and asserted themselves and their business with a stronghold of luscious chocolate, enriched with a wealth of delicacy, single origin chocolate and ombre’s of complimenting flavours inspired by Ireland’s many seasons.
Recipe idea
Bean and Goose Hot Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
375ml Whole Milk
40ml Water
30g Sugar
2 x 80g Bars of Bean and Goose ‘Mexico’ 66% (chopped into chunks)
Method:
Pour Milk, Water & Sugar into a saucepan, gently heating it until the mixture is just below boiling point.
Lower the heat & add the chopped 66% Bean and Goose ‘Mexico’ chocolate.
Stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat & emulsify using a stick blender.
Bean and Goose suggest adding some spice variations to the recipe…
Cardamom hot chocolate with rose scented cream
Crush 4 Cardamom pods & add the seeds to the chopped chocolate
Whip up a batch of double cream & stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of rose water
Top hot chocolate with cream & a few dried rose petals
Spiced hot chocolate with nutmeg cream
Add 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder to the saucepan before heating the milk, water & sugar mixture
Try using different types of chilli – ancho or chipotle, are perfect with Mexico chocolate
Whip up a batch of double cream
Top hot chocolate with cream & a grating of nutmeg
Zaeire Artisan Chocolates
With a wealth of knowledge throughout her time in various countries, Leigh, owner of Zaeire Artisan Chocolates, settled in County Wexford and let her love for chocolate unravel as she set eye on an adventure from her kitchen in 2013, where her business grew. Now, the chocolate holding has developed and won Leigh a wealth of awards for the flavoursome artisan chocolates that are inspired by her past in South Africa, and her present in Ireland.
Recipe idea
Zaeire Artisan Chocolate’s mouth-watering truffle recipe
Ingredients
125ml Double Cream
200g Milk Chocolate
50g Dark Chocolate
115g Unsalted Butter
Method
Place cream in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Melt chocolate gently over a simmering bowl of water, add cream and whisk
Cut butter into small cubes, add to the mix. Whisk until smooth. You can add flavours at this stage if desired. Pour mixture into small bowl and refrigerate for a few hours
Once the mixture is set, spoon out and roll into balls on parchment paper
The truffles can be rolled in crushed nuts, coconut or dipped in melted chocolate.
Allow to set and then enjoy!
