A St Patrick's Day supper

It’s a tribute to the sheer joie-de-vivre of the Irish that we regard St Patrick’s Day with much more enthusiasm than St George’s, St Andrew’s or St David’s Days (the patron saints for England, Scotland and Wales for those of you who aren’t into your saints). So your friends are going to be more than pleased to be invited to celebrate it with you.

This is another of my low maintenance menus with only the main course - an adaptation of the famous American Ham and Coke - needing last minute attention. If anyone in the party doesn’t like oysters (check beforehand) you can serve them some Irish smoked salmon instead. (Ummera and Frank Hederman are top smokers.)

Freshly shucked oysters and soda bread

Don't open the oysters too far in advance of eating them. In fact you could wait until your guests arrive - it'll give the men something to do!

Serves 6

36 oysters
Lemons, shallot vinegar and Tabasco to taste.

To open the oysters, protect your hand with a teatowel. Hold each oyster with the pointed end towards you and the flatter side uppermost. Find a point where the two sides of the shell join where you can insert the point of the knife and wiggle the blade around till you’ve got it firmly in. Work the blade round the edge of the oyster until the two sides come apart. Carefully holding the lower part of the shell so the juices don’t spill out, work away the flesh from the sides leaving the oyster meat in the base of the shell. Place the shell carefully on a bed of crushed ice or rock salt so that it can’t rock about. Repeat until all the oysters are open. Personally I would eat them without anything but soda bread and a cool glass of Guinness but you can lay on lemon wedges, shallot vinegar (mix 100ml red wine vinegar with 2-3 very finely chopped shallots) and Tabasco for those that want them

Irish soda bread

If you’ve never made bread in your life you could make Irish soda bread. It requires no kneading or rising time - you can make it from start to finish inside an hour. Everyone’s version differs slightly. This is based on the recipe the marvellous

Dan Lepard gives in Baking with Passion.

284 ml carton buttermilk or very low fat bio yoghurt
1 level tbsp black treacle
225g (8 oz) self raising flour
225g (8 oz) plain wholemeal flour (not bread flour) + extra for dusting
1 tbsp wheatgerm
1/2 level tsp cream of tartar
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 rounded tsp fine seasalt

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
Warm the buttermilk very gently in a pan with the treacle until the treacle melts, stir well then take it off the heat. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the milk and treacle mixture and mix with a wooden spoon then pull the mixture together with your hands, trickling in a little water as needed. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball about 18 cm (7 in) wide and place on a floured baking tray. Cut a deep cross in the centre of the loaf, dust with a little more flour and bake for about 35-40 minutes until the bread is well browned and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it. Transfer onto a wire rack, cover with a clean teatowel to stop the crust getting too hard and cool for about 20-30 minutes. Serve while still warm with unsalted butter.

Coke and Guinness-glazed ham with Colcannon

It occurred to me that if you could cook ham in Coca Cola it might be even (itals) better cooked in Coke and stout. And it is!

Serves 4

About 1.5kg (3lb 5 oz) smoked gammon or bacon joint
2 x 330ml cans Guinness or Murphy’s stout
2 x 330ml cans Coca Cola
1 onion, peeled and halved
3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
6-8 cloves

Soak the gammon in cold water for several hours or overnight. Put the joint in a deep saucepan that fits it snugly and pour in the Guinness and Coke which should just about cover the ham. Add a little water if it doesn’t. Add the onion and bring the liquid gradually to the boil. Turn the heat down to a slow simmer and cook for about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours, turning the joint once during the cooking period and topping up with boiling water as necessary. (The timing will depend how slowly you manage to keep the liquid simmering. If it barely trembles - as it should - go for the longer cooking time.) Remove the joint from the pan and reserve the stock (it makes a fantastic base for a black bean soup!). When the joint is cool enough to handle cut away any rind and score the fat with a diamond pattern. Preheat the oven to 225°C/425°F/Gas 8. Mix the sugar and mustard powder together, breaking down any lumps and rub into the fat. Stud the intersections between the diamonds with the cloves. Put the gammon joint on a sheet of foil and wrap the foil around the meat leaving the fat exposed. Put the joint in a roasting dish or tin and add a cup of the cooking liquid to the dish to stop the glaze burning. Roast the joint for 15 minutes until the fat is nicely caramelised. Carve the meat into thick slices and spoon a spoonful of the juices in the roasting tin over each portion. Serve with colcannon (below)

Colcannon

The classic Irish mix of cabbage and mashed potato.

Serves 6

900g (2lb) King Edwards or other good boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into even sized pieces
250g (9oz) of sliced cabbage
50g (2 oz) butter at room temperature
75ml (3 fl oz) warm milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Skim off any froth, season with salt then cook for 20-25 minutes until done. Drain the potatoes thoroughly then return to the pan. Meanwhile toss the greens for 2-3 minutes in a little boiling, salted water until just cooked. Drain, return to the pan and season with salt, pepper and 10g of the butter. Mash
the potatoes thoroughly till smooth then beat in the remaining butter and warm milk. Season with salt and pepper then mix in the greens.

Bailey’s pannacotta

This has to be one of the easiest desserts in the world. You’re simply making a Bailey’s-flavoured milk - or, rather, cream jelly. You can serve it with almost any kind of fruit. Stewed or baked rhubarb or a plum compote would be the most seasonal or, for a slightly more spring-like but arguably less Irish accompaniment, you could serve it with fresh berries such as strawberries or raspberries (slightly sweetened at this time of year) or fresh mango. Or, forget the fruit, and simply serve it on its own with an espresso and a dash of Irish whiskey as a sort of deconstructed Irish coffee. (A few biscotti would be nice too) I’ve given quantities for up to 8 as someone is bound to want seconds.

How to throw a hot dog party

Given the runaway success of Big Apple Hot Dogs and Bubbledogs - London’s smash hit champagne and hot dog restaurant, it can only be a matter of time before you can pick up a dog on your local high street. But in the meantime you can throw your own hot dog party in if you follow these tips from my book Sausage and Mash

Throw in a bowl of homemade coleslaw and a batch of Tater Tots or hash browns and serve some kind of bubbly (which needn’t be champagne - see below) and you’re away.

Here are my some thoughts about the two all-important subjects, The Sausage and The Bun.

The Sausage
Must be a frankfurter. I’ve tried them with traditional English sausages and it’s just not the same. On cheap stalls they're heated through in simmering water but I like the smoky edge a barbecue gives them. A ridged grill pan creates a similar effect.

Pat them dry when you take them out of the packet and roll them lightly in sunflower oil. How long they’ll take depends on how fat they are. The standard supermarket frank will cook in about 3 minutes. A superior German-style frank (available from German owned discount stores like Aldi and Lidl and specialist delis) about 6-8 minutes.

The Bun
Should be soft but not soggy. Slightly crusty but not hard. The best place to find them is an independent baker. You want a long, deep roll about 12cm long and 7-8 cm deep (not that you’re obviously going to measure it). A supermarket finger roll is too soft.

There are two schools of thought about whether to toast it. Some like to open it up and give the inside a minute or so on the barbecue. Others prefer it just soft, split and filled. Either way don’t cut right through it but leave a hinge on the side.

If you feel really energetic you could make your own - there’s a recipe in my son Will's Hawksmoor at Home cookbook or top baker Dan Lepard has a great one here.

Five good fillings

The Classic
Two small or one large grilled or barbecued frank. A zig-zag of tomato ketchup. A zig-zag of French’s American mustard. If you feel like pushing the boat out you could add a sliced, sweet-and-sour pickled cucumber and some finely sliced raw onion

The Late Night Hot Dog Stand Special
Two franks as above with fried onions and French’s mustard. To avoid stinking out your kitchen use Eazy Fried onions (available in Tesco) with a few drops of balsamic vinegar mixed in. Otherwise just slice up a kilo of onions and cook them in loads of butter without colouring them for about 25-30 minutes.

The Chilli Dog
My favourite. Two franks as above plus a dollop of chilli (which should be made without beans - see here for an easy cheat's version), and a dollop of coleslaw or a slice of melting cheese (you don't want anything too classy)

The Copenhagen
Some of the best - and cheapest - dogs I've come across were in Copenhagen - a sausage, soft onions and crisp-fried onions (you could use those packs of dried ones you get in Asian supermarkets), celeri remoulade, sweet mustard and ketchup. Awesome.

The Wisconsin Brat
I admit I included this because I was so taken with the name. It should be made with a bratwurst but you can make it with two franks (as above) plus some soft fried onions, sauerkraut, a couple of rashers of crisp-fried bacon and a good squirt of French’s honey mustard. And a slice of Emmental if you really want to be gross (between the franks and the onions so it melts)

In each case the filling should be lukewarm rather than piping hot so that you can eat it straight away and the roll doesn’t go soggy.

It goes without saying that kids love to create their own. If you want to keep everyone happy at a weekend lunchtime this is the way to do it. You can get suggestions for other fillings from these websites

Bubbledogs
Bark Hot Dogs NY
Hot Dog City, the website of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (true. I kid you not)

The drink
Unless you’ve got money to burn I wouldn’t serve champagne: any champagne style sparkling wine based on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will do the trick. Or, cheaper still, Cava (but not prosecco which is too light)

Other options would be:
An American IPA or, nowadays, a British one, so many brewers are brewing in this style. A ‘craft beer’ in other words. You may want to lay on a lager.

Dry German riesling
When I say dry I don’t mean totally dry but you want that fresh crisp, flowery style rather than the limey style of an Aussie riesling

A soft fruity red
Merlot would be ideal. Pinot Noir not so good.

Photo - not from the book - by Valentina_G at shutterstock.com

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with this delicious seafood supper

The Chinese New Year, which starts on February 1st, is one of those annual events that really captures the imagination. It is celebrated in such a colourful and joyous way and Chinese food is so delicious, quick and simple to make that I hope you won't be able to resist having a go at it, inauthentic though it absolutely is.

Buy in the dim sum and make the ice cream ahead and all you need make on the night is the stir-fry.

Menu:
A selection of dim sum
Luxury seafood stir fry, steamed pak choi
Stem ginger and almond ice cream, mandarin oranges and fortune cookies

A selection of dim sum

Frankly I think life is too short to make your own dim sum so unless you’re already an expert at rolling miniature spring rolls and making featherlight steamed dumplings I would order them in from your local takeaway or buy them ready made. The exception are these simple sesame prawn toasts which are easier to handle than the classic Chinese deep fried ones and can be prepared ahead and baked at the last minute

Sesame Prawn Toasts

Makes about 30 toasts

350g cooked, peeled prawns

2-3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger or ginger paste

1 tsp finely grated fresh garlic or garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce

2 tsp light soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 medium egg white

1 tbsp ground rice

Salt, pepper and a pinch of caster sugar

About 5 thin slices white bread, preferably 2-3 days old

60-75g sesame seeds

Put the prawns in a food processor or blender along with all the other ingredients except the bread and sesame seeds and whizz until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two for the flavours to amalgamate.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8. Cut the crusts off the bread and toast lightly. Cool then spread each slice thickly with the prawn paste. Cut each slice into six. Put the sesame seeds into a shallow bowl. Press the prawn toasts upper side down lightly into the sesame seeds then lay them on baking trays. Bake for about 5-6 minutes until the toasts are warm and the sesame seeds lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes then serve.

Luxury seafood stir fry

This recipe may look long and complicated but it’s simply a matter of assembling the ingredients and throwing them together at the last minute in a wok.

Serves 6

400g large prawns, thawed if frozen

200g fresh queen (small) scallops

1 level tbsp cornflour

200g broccoli florets (about two medium heads of broccoli) cut into smaller florets3 tbsp sunflower or light olive oil

4-6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

125g shitake mushrooms, wiped and finely sliced

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 knob of ginger about 2.5 cm square, peeled and grated

1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper or crushed chillies (optional)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the sauce

225 ml light vegetable stock made with 1/2 an organic stock cube or 1 rounded tsp vegetable bouillon powder

Sieved juice of 1 large lemon (about 3-4 tbsp)

3-4 tbsp rice wine, sake or fino sherry

1 level tbsp caster sugar

1 level tbsp light soy sauce

1 rounded tsp cornflour

Reserve any liquid from the prawns and scallops. Pat them dry with kitchen towel and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the cornflour, season with 1 level tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper and toss thoroughly then set aside (in the fridge if you’re preparing the dish more than 30 minutes in advance) Microwave or blanch the broccoli in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To make the sauce combine the stock in a jug with the lemon juice and 3 tbsp of the rice wine, sake or sherry. Stir in the sugar and the light soy sauce and check seasoning, adding more rice wine or other ingredients to taste. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of water

When you’re ready to cook heat the wok, add 3 tbsp of oil and tip in the spring onions and sliced mushrooms. Stir fry for 2 minutes then add the broccoli, garlic and ginger. Stir fry another minute then season with sichuan pepper or crushed chillies if using. Tip in the seafood, the sauce and any liquid from the prawns and scallops and cook, stirring, until it comes to the boil (about 3 minutes) Add the cornflour and stir till thickened. Take off the heat and check the seasoning adding extra salt or pepper if needed. Serve with plain boiled rice and some steamed pak choi.

Stem ginger and almond ice cream

You can make this luxurious ice cream milder or stronger depending how much ginger you use. I’ve given quantities for 4 as it’ll fit into a standard ice cream machine. Just make the recipe twice to serve 6-8.

Serves 4

4-6 pieces of stem ginger + 3 tbsp of syrup from the jar

150ml Stone’s ginger wine

1 tbsp Cointreau or other orange liqueur + extra to serve

300g carton fresh custard

142ml carton whipping cream

A few drops of almond essence

Fortune cookies and mandarin oranges to serve

Chop the ginger very finely and place in a bowl. Put the syrup in a small saucepan with the ginger wine and Cointreau, bring to the boil and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half. Pour over the ginger and cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer the custard into a large bowl and stir in the ginger and syrup. Whip the cream lightly and fold it into the custard, then add a few drops of almond essence to taste. Pour the custard into an ice cream machine and churn until firm, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Or, if you don’t have a machine, pour the mixture into a shallow dish or plastic container and place in the freezer then remove after 1 1/2 hours and whisk with an electric hand whisk. Repeat this freezing and whisking process 2 more times then leave until thoroughly frozen.

Store the frozen ice cream in a sealed plastic box and freeze for 24 hours.Transfer the ice cream to the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop. Serve with fortune cookies or another light crisp biscuit and tinned mandarin oranges drained and marinated in 2 tablespoons of Cointreau or another orange liqueur. Do give each person 8 segments - 8 is a sacred number in China and considered to bring luck and prosperity!

What to drink:
There are two ways to go with the wines for this menu - an aromatic white such as Riesling (I would recommend a young dry Riesling from Germany or Alsace), or a fruity Bordeaux rosé which is surprisingly good with Chinese food. I’ve also discovered that a good cold gin and tonic is exceptionally refreshing with fried dim sum such as prawn toasts and spring rolls although you could equally well serve a glass of Champagne or sparkling wine. Finish with a cup of delicate jasmine or chrysanthemum tea.

What food to pair with alcohol-free cocktails

Advertising feature: If you or members of your family or friends don’t drink how does that affect the kind of food you serve at holiday get-togethers and parties? The answer, happily, is not at all if you opt for high quality alcohol-free spirits.

Abstinence’s award-winning range of gin-like spirits (which have won gold and silver medals at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition and UK Spirits Business Low and No Masters awards) are among the best I’ve tasted. They come from South Africa and are infused with different Cape botanicals to give each a distinctive character - without any added sugar, artificial sweeteners or colourants. You simply add tonic and an appropriate garnish and serve

They asked me to work with them to come up with the ideal food pairing for each product (which you can order through Amazon in the UK) and, believe me, I had fun with it! Why don’t you give them a try?

Cape Citrus

The Western Cape is one of the world’s largest exporters of citrus fruits which make their appearance in this deliciously citrussy non-alcoholic spirit

Botanicals

Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Buchu, Cassia, Pepper, Fennel, Ginger.

Serve with: premium tonic water, a grapefruit slice and fresh rosemary

Food pairing suggestions

The citrussy notes of this refreshing drink make it ideal for salads and seafood dishes, especially shellfish like prawns and crab

Think light fish patés, smoked salmon, prawn or crayfish cocktail and tuna salads

Crisp-fried goujons (or even fish and chips)

In terms of cuisines Cape Citrus would be a natural match for Mexican-inspired food like fish tacos and guacamole (and who doesn’t like those?)

The herbal notes will also chime in well with dishes that include dill and coriander and with yoghurt and herb-based dips. Or try it with summery veggie dishes like feta and courgettes.

Oh and it’s really good with garlic! Try it with garlicky chicken or chicken substitutes like a chicken or garlic kiev. Or just with some freshly baked garlic bread.

Awards: UK Spirits Business Low and No Masters 2021: Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021: Double Gold

Available from Amazon UK

Cape Spice

As the name suggests this is all about the warm spices you find in southern African cuisine which reflect the country’s Dutch, Indian and Portuguese heritage.

Botanicals: Allspice, Cassia, Cardamom, Coriander, Clove, Orange Peel, Honeybush.

Serve with: premium tonic water, orange twist and fresh thyme

Food pairing suggestions

The spice in the name is the key for this does indeed go with spicy food - and has spices of its own in the way of cardamom, coriander and Christmassy cloves. You can pair it with such different dishes as chicken (or tofu) satay and kimchi but it also makes a great drink to pour at a barbecue (it’s ace with pulled pork for a start). You could also drink it with tapas: it’s ideal with chorizo or any peppery sausage come to that or try it with a selection of Indian street food-style snacks like bhajis, samosas and pakoras.

Awards: UK Spirits Business Low and No Masters 2021: Gold

Available from: Amazon UK

Cape Fynbos

South Africa has one of the most diverse plant kingdoms in the world, referred to locally as fynbos. The Cape Fynbos draws its inspiration from that, most particularly the indigenous Cape Rose Geranium.

Botanicals Rose Geranium, Juniper, Angelica Root, Coriander, Lemon

Serve with: premium tonic water, lemon peel and fresh berries

Food pairing suggestions: There’s an exotic floral aroma to this alcohol-free spirit. In some ways it’s quite delicate - it’s delicious with a creamy brie, labneh or other soft cheeses - but it would also work well with middle-eastern and Persian dishes (think of the rose-petals in those cuisines) so pair it with mezze and other subtly spiced dishes

And although it’s dry you could also drink it with sweet things like macarons and meringues or a fresh berry-topped New York-style cheesecake. and - a big hit this - white chocolate with crunchy raspberry brittle

Awards: UK Spirits Business Low and No Masters 2021: Silver

Available from: Amazon UK

Epilogue X

A smoky, after dinner non-alcoholic spirit, perfect for late night drinking

Botanicals: Smoked, Peated and Blended Malts, Oak, Honeybush, Vanilla, Cassia, Cardamom, Clove, Helichrysum Petiolare (Impepho)

Serve with: Add some ice and top with soda or mix with ginger ale and a squeeze of lime. If you fancy something sweeter, it works a treat when mixed with Coca-Cola. If you are really trying to impress, it is perfect for a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned.

Food pairing suggestions: There’s one ingredient which stands out with this dark caramelly spirit and it’s perfectly suited to its role as an after dinner drink - and that’s chocolate. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate and caramel wafers (those of you who are Tunnock’s fans are going to be very happy), chocolate-covered pretzels - they’re all good. Given the fact it also works well with ginger as a mixer try ginger biscuits too. Those crisp, thin little ginger biscuits would be perfect. Or homemade brandysnaps.

Available from: Amazon UK

Blood orange aperitif

A classic, sophisticated Italian style aperitif made with African wormwood

Botanicals: African wormwood Cinchona Bark, All Spice, Clove, Blood Orange, Spice Distillate

How to serve: With soda water and an orange twist or make an AF version of an Aperol spritz by mixing it with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine and soda. (I like it with a light tonic too FB)

Food pairing suggestions: Transport yourself to a Venetian bacaro with this classic Italian style aperitivo which will go with all those delectable cichetti they have on the counter in the city’s bars. Little sandwiches, big fat green olives, arancini (risotto balls), grissini with parma ham - you can recreate it all at home. Or just pour yourself one while you wait for your Friday night pizza to arrive (It’s actually pretty good with pizza too)

Awards: UK Spirits Business Low and No Masters 2021: Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021: Silver

Available from: Amazon UK

This feature is part of a paid collaboration with Curated Beverages