Review: Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Kildare Town

Last Sunday I joined my parents, brothers, granddad and aunt for lunch in Chapter 16 in Kildare. It is part of the Silken Thomas enterprise and is listed as the "jewel of the crown." I had been there a few years ago and enjoyed it but was keen to sample its wears again. The restaurant is particularly lively on a Sunday and it was great to see so many families out enjoying themselves. They offer a competitive Sunday lunch menu with 2 courses for €18.95 or 3 for €21.95. There is a fine selection on the menu and although supplements do apply on steaks there is plenty of other alternatives.

For starter I went for "homemade free-range chicken liver paté." It was strong and gutsy and cut perfectly by the cumberland sauce. I'm so often disappointed by pate's in restaurants being too mild but this was excellent. A great start.

Starter: 9/10

For mains I ordered "pan-fried irish salmon garlic & parmesan crust, chargrilled asparagus, potato gnocchi, roast red pepper & red onion salsa." The salmon was cooked perfectly and retained plenty of moisture. I didn't quite understand the parmesan crust though. It completely overpowered the taste of the salmon and although it was enjoyable I could've been eating any type of fish. The salsa was delicious but the gnocchi were a bit rubbery.

Mains: 6/10

Being a fan of Italian food I got excited when I noticed my favourite dessert on the menu; tiramisu. I needn't have gotten excited at all. Described as a "traditional homemade Italian favourite" on the menu I had been expecting a traditional dish. Instead I got a tiramisu cake. The flavours were decent and it'd be harsh of me to say that I didn't enjoy it. Maybe with the addition of the word "cake" to the menu I would have known what I was in for.

Dessert: 6/10

The service was excellent throughout and we were never left waiting. The staff were all friendly and were great with children too. The ambiance was very enjoyable and although it wasn't quiet, it was great to see so many families out with their children. It is on value that Chapter 16 really shines. €21.95 is exceptional value for a three course Sunday lunch and although I did have some issues with my main and dessert, it was worth every penny of the money paid.

Service: 8/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10 

Chapter 16,

Silken Thomas,

The Square, 

Kildare Town, 

Co. Kildare, 

Ireland

Pork Hock with Lentils and Beans

Pulled Pork Hock with Lentils and Beans

Aggressive, rude and manly. The three words that come to my mind when I think of ham hocks. They're full of flavour and extremely versatile, great at enhancing any soup or stew. I hadn't come across their unsalted cousin before buying a butchered half pig last year. It had been left languishing in my freezer while all the trendier cuts were cooked months ago. I hadn't even planned on cooking it this week. Yesterday was meant to be a day for spicy lamb meatballs, but after pulling the freezer apart and realising it was lamb-less, this little bundle of skin, bone, fat and flesh was smiling at me...."please give me a chance?"

The hock needs to be cooked for a long time to break down all the muscle fibres. The three hours here does it well while the sticky sauce cuts through the rich flesh. Lentils are the perfect partner to any pork dish with this being no exception. Cooked this way, an 800g - 1Kg hock, should feed 2 people so feel free to double the recipe if you're serving 4.

Serves 2

1 Pork Hock (about 800g-1Kg)
2 Onions (roughly chopped)
2 sticks of Celery (roughly chopped)
2 Carrots (roughly chopped)
3 cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 Bay Leaf
10 Red Peppercorns
2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
150g Lentils
1 Tin of Butter Beans
150ml Apple Juice
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Put the hock in a pot and cover completely with cold water. Bring to the boil and discard all of the frothy water in the pot. Again, cover the hock with cold water and add 1 onion, 1 stick of celery, 1 carrot, 2 cloves of garlic, the bay leaf and red peppercorns. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2 hours, topping up with more water if necessary.

2. Remove the hock from the pot and strain the cooking liquid, reserving it for cooking the lentils and sauce. You can discard the vegetables. Put the remaining onion, celery, carrot and garlic onto the bottom of a roasting tray. Dry the hock with kitchen paper and place ontop of the vegetables. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the oil and season well. Put into a 170 degree preheated oven for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile cook the lentils. Set aside 250ml of the hock cooking liquid for the sauce and pour the remainder into a saucepan. Cook the lentils according to packet instructions in this liquid (adding boiling water if necessary) and add the beans for the final few minutes.Drain and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Season well and set aside.

4. Remove the hock from the roasting tray and set aside to rest for a few minutes. Add the apple juice and the 250ml reserved cooking liquid, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Put on the hob and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes before straining the sauce (discard the veg) and adding back to the pan.

5. Remove the skin from the hock and pull all the flesh from the bone with a fork. Season lightly and add to the sauce. Put the pan on a high heat and reduce the sauce until it is thick and sticky. Serve the pork on a bed of the lentils and beans.

Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine

On Saturday, after dropping some of our animals to their respective babysitters, Ali and I headed to Cork for the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine. We were blessed with glorious weather and filled ourselves with great food (and wine for me) all day.

We arrived at 12.50 pm and proceeded to the box office to get tickets for two of the talks. Although the first was starting at 1 pm, we hurried to the big shed for lunch. Annie's Roasts provided the perfect hunger cure. Free range chicken, pickled cucumber, sundried tomato, salad and mayo on a delicious sourdough bap; we were set up for a wonderful day.

We ran over to the drinks theatre to catch a talk. The theatre is a rustic barn with interesting, colourful decor, perfect. Alice Feiring, Tomás Clancy, Raymond Blake and John Wilson discussed  "Does Terroir Really Exist and How Can You Tell?" It was an interesting talk between 4 wine experts who came to the conclusion that it does, of course, exist but there's no way to tell. The wines for tasting threw up a couple of surprises for me. Never a fan of white wines, I particularly enjoyed a Riesling and Chablis, never again will I have to rely on reds for everything. Quite a bit of this talk went straight over my head but sure, where there's wine, there's a way!

After the talk, feeling a little merry from all the wine (who needs a spit bucket?) we took a walk around the beautiful gardens at Ballymaloe House. They are kept impeccably well and striking in the bright May sun. We went back to the big shed for some juice (from My Goodness) and a wonderful lamington (from Diva Boutique Bakery and Cafe). I had never had a lamington before but will be on the lookout from now on. A moist sponge dipped in chocolate and coconut. I could eat them all day!

Stuffed and content, we stayed in the big shed for a talk by Debbie Shaw (Apple a Day Nutrition) on how bone broth (or stock) is the elixir of life. I enjoyed it with a glass of Sicilian red from the bar.

After a quick browse around the book shop where Rachel Allen was doing a meet and greet, we hopped into the car and drove to The Ballymaloe Cookery School for a talk by J.P. McMahon. John McKenna and J.P had an insightful chat about his book, restaurants and food in general. I was quite taken by J.P.'s attitude and assertion that he would rather do his own thing and survive than change everything to please everyone and make a ton of money. 

After J.P.'s talk we had a look around the cookery school shop (luckily I didn't have much cash on me) and although we had planned on heading straight home, we decided to head to the big shed for dinner. I had a fantastic Broughgammon Free Range Rosé Veal Milanese. The veal was delicious, tender and moist, it's a wonder we don't eat more of it here.

There was one more thing to do before hitting the road.....ICE CREAM! We went to Yum Gelato who make all their own ice cream in Cork. I went for the tiramisu ice-cream which was delicious. It's a good thing I wasn't driving though as the alcohol content was exceptionally high. Drunk on ice-cream, is there a better way to finish the day?

Maybe with a 3 hour drive, thanks Ali!

Here are a few more pictures taken throughout the day:

One side of the Broughgammon Menu

Rory O'Connell being interviewed for the telly!

The Kerrygold area

Hipster heaven?!

Restaurant Round Up

Over the past few weeks I've visited a few cafe's and restaurants for quick meals while working. Here's some of my favourites:

Lennons @ Visual, Carlow Town.
Lennons is a cafe/restaurant attached to the Visual Centre for Contemporary Art and The George Bernard Shaw Theatre. I stopped in for lunch a couple of weeks ago while doing some work in the theatre with Music Generation Carlow. I was surprised by how busy it was on a Wednesday but it became clear why. My Cod and Prawn Pie was magnificent; rich yet fresh tasting with a well seasoned creamy mash on top. It was the perfect lunchtime meal. For my filling main (I couldn't eat a dinner that night) and a glass of wine, I thought €19 was very good value.

Yesterday, Ali and I returned to Lennons for a proper (birthday) lunch. We arrived at 3pm and after confirming with a member of staff that lunch was still being served, we took our seats and were given menus. Fifteen minutes later a very nice lady came to take our order. Some of the dishes were unavailable so we ordered something else instead. Two minutes later we were told that the kitchen was closed as it was after 3 pm. I could have the pie I ordered (presumably because it was, understandably, pre-cooked) but nothing else was available. We decided it was time to go and although we got a "sorry about that," I found it frustrating and annoying. A real pity. We had been looking forward to our lunch.

Honest To Goodness, Dame Court, Dublin 2
Last week I was mixing a gig for Cork's The Hard Ground in Dublin's Odessa Club. After sound-check, all of us starving, we popped next door to Honest to Goodness. I have to admit that I find their ordering system confusing and a little pointless but their food is well worth the hassle. My Neopolitana Pizza was excellent. Homemade and cooked in a wood fired oven upstairs it was by far the most authentic I've had in Ireland.

Swans On The Green, Naas, Co. Kildare.
After a five and a half hour wait in A&E at Naas hospital it's fair to say I left with a hunger that made my right forearm look strangely appetising. Luckily for me, Swans is just around the corner and I popped in for a take away sandwich. My focaccia sandwich with pesto, sun dried tomato and mozzarella was the perfect cure. Deliciously savoury it was joined at the till by some free range sausages (at last I found some) and a block of Gubbeen cheese.

Free Range Sausages - My life is complete again!

Minestrone Soup

The perfect lunch. This substantial soup is often thought of as a great winter dish but, although I agree, I also find it magnificent in the spring and summer when fresh greens come into season. It serves as a great way to use up any leftover veggies but they should still be relatively fresh to bring out the best flavour. The two most important things here are; the stock (homemade chicken stock is best) and the bacon/pancetta. The stock and bacon form the basis of the taste of this dish so use the best you can afford. I used homemade chicken stock and home cured free-range bacon but any good quality streaky bacon or pancetta would be ok. If you are making this to do for a couple of days be aware that the pasta may soak up the stock over time so you may have to add more (water is fine) while reheating. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you have lying around, almost anything will work.

Serves 4-6

3 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
100g Streaky Bacon (chopped)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves of Garlic (finely sliced)
3 stalks of Celery (chopped)
2 Tomatoes (chopped)
1 large Carrot (chopped)
150g Sugar Snap Peas (chopped)
1 tbsp Pesto
1.25 L of Chicken Stock
1 tin of Butter Beans
100g Pasta (small shells or tubes are best, broken spaghetti is also fine)
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Parmesan Cheese to serve

1. Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the bacon, onion and garlic. Season well and cook for 7-10 minutes. Add the celery, tomato, carrot, peas and pesto and stir well to coat everything. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Add the beans and pasta and cook for a further ten minutes. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Pour into bowls and grate over copious amounts of Parmesan cheese. Serve with good, crusty bread.

Prawn Noodle Soup

Prawn Noodle Soup

and Asian Style Chicken Stock

I've gotten into a really good food routine this past few weeks. My plans to be less wasteful and to try to cut down my meat consumption have been relatively successful while I've been lucky enough to eat out in some wonderful restaurants too. One thing that has really cut down on my waste is making stock. Whenever I have a chicken carcass or some beef/lamb/pork bones going spare, I fire them into a saucepan with a selection of vegetables and simmer for a few hours. It doesn't only cut down on waste however, it also adds a great deal to the dishes I then cook with the stock. I have been experimenting with different flavourings in the stocks and now have my three options for chicken stock sorted; generic, asian and heavily herbed.

The generic works great in soup, gravy and anywhere you want a fairly neutral chicken flavour while the heavily herbed is perfect for stews, cooking beans/lentils and anywhere else you want a hit of herbs. The asian option is my favourite though and it makes the perfect base for this beautiful prawn noodle soup (and would work wonderfully in this turkey noodle soup too). For the stock just put a chicken carcass into a saucepan with a large carrot, an unpeeled onion, two sticks of celery, a clove of garlic, a piece of unpeeled ginger, one stick of lemongrass and one star anise. Cover with water and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface. Add ten red peppercorns, some (dried or fresh) thyme, rosemary and sage and let simmer for two to three hours adding more water if necessary. For a strong, gelatinous stock allow the liquid to reduce to one litre or two litres is fine for a milder flavour. Strain and discard the carcass and vegetation.

You can use standard chicken stock for this dish if you are in a hurry but it won't be quite as spectacular. I used whole crevettes here for extra flavour but feel free to use peeled prawns instead if convenience supersedes taste. You can remove the heads and peel the prawns before serving but make sure to squeeze the juice from the heads into the broth before discarding.

Serves 4 as starter or 2 as main

1 litre of Chicken Stock (preferably the homemade version above)
3 Spring Onions (sliced)
1 thumb size piece of Ginger (peeled and finely sliced)
1/2 Red Pepper (finely chopped)
1 Red Chilli (finely sliced)
2 cloves of Garlic (finely sliced)
7-10 Green Beans (chopped)
220g fresh Crevettes (or any type of prawns)
120g Noodles
50g Spinach (shredded)
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and when boiling add all of the ingredients except the spinach. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Check for seasoning and serve.