Cairns Farm

Cairns Farm

Bellewstown, Co. Meath

Back in August Ali and myself took a trip up to Bellewstown, Co. Meath to visit Ali's cousin Jo-Ann. A relatively recent move into the world of farming has seen herself, husband Brian and two beautiful children, Saoirse and Senan, move from the comfort of a large town, Newbridge, to the wilds of the Meath countryside, a decision they've never regretted. "The transition was grand. I grew up in the countryside and was delighted to be back." After being brought up on the family small holding outside Newbridge, Jo-Ann was no stranger to the country life but to move so far away is bound to have it's challenges. "The biggest issue for me was not knowing anyone up here. That was isolating." In a break from tradition, it is Jo-Ann that is the full time farmer with Brian keeping his job to ensure a steady income.

Cairns farm is mainly a sheep farm with a small flock of chickens for a steady supply of eggs. They quickly saw a gap in the market however and last year reared 50 free-range bronze turkeys for the Christmas market. Setting up a farm from scratch, the choice of animals had to be made. "We chose sheep from a very practical viewpoint", being easy to handle with a quick turnaround, they are the ideal animal to start farming but the main reason was even more practical "there is an abattoir near by." Cairns lambs are a mix of Suffolk and Texel with Nova, the resident ram, bringing in the Texel genes. "The Suffolks have more fat on them but the Texel has more meat and a better shape with larger back legs; so it's a great mix, the flavour of the Suffolk with the large muscle of the Texel," I can attest to this, I bought a lamb from Jo-Ann last year and it was magnificent with beautiful flavour and texture. (rack of lamb recipe)

When I hear the word farmer, the image I get is (I'm ashamed to say) always a fairly old man with a cap. I was interested to see if Jo-Ann got much grief for being a female farmer. "It's very tough at times, a lot don't take me seriously but less for being a woman and more for being a startup." It would be true to say that most farmers inherit or buy working farms and wouldn't be acutely aware of the challenges involved in starting a farm from scratch, "but I've made some good contacts who have been a great support.....I wouldn't be able to farm without my neighbours, to borrow a tractor, source stock, feed and bedding or even just advice on who to avoid!"

On our visit we were lucky enough to get a tour of the farm from Jo-Ann and Brian's daughter Saoirse. I couldn't help but be in awe as she walked around pointing out all of the different fruits and vegetables aswell as the next animals up for the chop. I was thrilled to see this. Too many adults, let alone children, are completely out of touch with their food and maybe if more knew where their meat came from, we wouldn't be seeing so much farm animal abuse throughout the world. "We don't hide the fact that we eat our own animals from the kids. They have been to the meat factory and know that animals go in and come out as meat. We try to instill a respect for the animals so that in the future they will be mindful of the source of their food and farm with compassion for the good of the animal and the environment."

After a trip to the meat factory, where I was pleasantly surprised with the civility of everything, it was time to head home inspired by a five year old girl, the future is bright.

Rack of Lamb

There is no meat more quintessentially Irish than lamb. I am lucky enough to live just off The Curragh Plains so it's meat that is literally bred on my doorstep. This however, is no Curragh lamb. This is Bellewstown's best thanks to Ali's cousin Jo-Ann who runs Cairns Farm with her husband Brian.

I was never mad on the rack of lamb. I had always much preferred the leg, shanks or shoulder. I had only cooked the rack once before and was left disappointed with the results, which was probably down to my cooking to be fair. The key to the rack is simplicity. There are a million recipes with herb crusts and different flavourings but, to me, the real flavour only comes through when cooked simply. Salt, pepper and olive oil, you can't go wrong. Be generous with the portions, allow 3 cutlets per person.

Serves 2

1 Rack of Lamb, french trimmed (ask your butcher), with 6-7 cutlets.
1 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 stick of Celery (chopped)
1 Carrot (chopped)
1/2 glass of Red Wine
1 Tin of Cherry Tomatoes (400g)
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Remove the skin from the lamb and score the fat with a knife to create a criss-cross pattern. Massage the oil into the lamb before seasoning well with salt and pepper.

2. Put the celery and carrot into a roasting pan and put the lamb on top. Put into a pre-heated 190 degree oven for 25-30 mins (rare) or longer if you prefer it well cooked.

3. When cooked to your liking remove the pan from the oven and set the lamb aside to rest. Put the pan onto the hob and add the wine, scraping up any stuck on bits off the bottom as it comes to the boil. Cook off the alcohol for 4-5 minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes. Simmer for 5-7 minutes to thicken and check for seasoning. You can strain if you like but I prefer to serve with the vegetables still in.

4. Cut the lamb into cutlets between the bones and serve with the sauce and some roasted potatoes and veg.

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

With Easter just around the corner I thought I'd stick with tradition and give a recipe for lamb. Most people will probably choose to cook a beautiful leg but I much prefer the more pronounced flavour of the humble shank. While the leg can be cooked pretty quickly, the shank requires a long and slow cook to break down the muscle fibres and become tender. This is also a great dish to serve at a dinner party as you can put it in the oven and forget about it for a few hours while you get on with other things. Try to use a decent red wine here, something that you wouldn't mind drinking. Ali isn't a big fan of lamb so I cooked a beef rib for her instead. It's the perfect substitute as it will work with the flavours and has the same cooking time.

Serves 4

2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 Lamb Shanks
2 Onions (chopped)
2 Carrots (chopped)
2 sticks of Celery (chopped)
2 Bay Leaves
2 sprigs of Thyme
1 bulb of Garlic (cut in half horizontally)
500ml good Red Wine
500ml good Lamb/Beef Stock
1 Tin of Tomatoes
1 Tin of Chickpeas
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

 1. Season the shanks with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large cassarole over a medium heat. Brown the shanks one at a time and set aside.

2. With all the meat removed add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves and thyme. Season well and cook for 6 or 7 minutes before adding the wine. Scrape up any stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan before layering the shanks into the pan. Pour in the stock and tomatoes, bring to the boil, cover with a tight fitting lid (or foil) and put into a 150 degree oven for at least 3 hours.

3. The lamb should be tender and almost falling off the bone after 3 hours. Remove it from the pan and allow to rest while you make the gravy. Strain the stock into a fresh saucepan, pushing as much of the vegetables through as possible. Add the chickpeas to the strained stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for about ten minutes before mashing the chickpeas into the sauce. Strain again for a smooth finish and add a little lamb or beef stock if it's too thick.

4. Serve a shank per person on a bed of chive mashed potatoes and some roasted vegetables.

Lamb's Liver Páte

I'm a big fan of páte! It has become a bit of a Christmas tradition in our house to have it as a starter on Christmas Day with some Melba Toast. I used to just buy páte in the shop but it rarely tastes as strong as I like. One of the best things about making your own is that you can make it as strong (or mild) as you like. This is achieved simply by adjusting the ratio of butter to livers. I start off with a 1:1 ratio and adjust accordingly. More liver gives you a stronger taste while more butter will mellow it out a bit. This makes over a kilo of páte so feel free to halve the ingredients!

550g Lamb's Liver (or whichever liver you prefer)
550g of Salted Butter plus some for cooking
75ml of Irish Whiskey (I used Jameson)
3 cloves of Garlic (very finely chopped)
2 tbsp mixed Herbs (I used thyme, oregano and sage)
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Melted Butter to seal

Notice how I dropped the match into the pan with the fright of almost losing my eyebrows!

1. Clean the livers before cutting away any membrane. Cook over a low heat in plenty of butter until cooked through. Cook over a low heat to avoid a crust forming on the outside. Add to a food processor.

2. Turn up the heat and add the whiskey to the pan. Allow to flame to burn off the alcohol before adding the garlic and herbs. Cook for one minute before scraping everything out of the pan and into the food processor. Add 100g of the butter and puree for a few seconds. Allow to cool for ten minutes.

3. Add the rest of the butter and puree to form a smooth paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put in one large or a few small dishes and cover with melted or clarified butter to seal. Serve with melba toast, some fleur de sel and a little chutney. Perfect as a Christmas starter.

Shepherd's Pie

World Cup, Day 13 - England

Shepherd's Pie

It's been a miserable World Cup for England. Out in the group stages after a miserable three games it looks pretty bleak for our neighbours. I decided to celebrate a classic British dish, the much loved Shepherd's Pie. Although this wouldn't be considered a summer dish we are in Ireland so it has its place in June as well as December.

I posted a recipe for Shepherd's Pie back in October (can be found here) but this is a more basic version. I've stuck with my favourite topping of sweet potatoes. They add more flavour and provide a healthier option than standard potatoes. I also used beef mince as (yet again) I couldn't get my hands on lamb today. 

Serves 2-3

5 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 stick of Celery (finely chopped)
2 Carrots (finely chopped)
1 Chilli (deseeded and finely chopped)
500g Mince Beef (or Lamb)
100ml Red Wine
500ml Beef Stock
2 Bay Leaves
600g Sweet Potatoes (peeled and chopped)
pinch of Cayenne Pepper
4 tbsp Milk
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil over a medium heat and add the onion, celery, carrot and chilli. Season and cook for 6-7 minutes to soften. Add the mince, season and brown all over before adding in the wine. Cook for 5-6 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the stock and bay leaves and stir well. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour. 

2. Meanwhile put the chopped sweet potatoes onto a baking dish and add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and stir well to ensure everything is coated. Cook in a 180 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and mash with the milk. Check for seasoning.

3. Put the beef mixture into a baking dish and spread around evenly. Top with the mashed sweet potato and spread evenly with a fork. Bake for 20-25 mins at 180 degrees. Enjoy!

Moussaka

World Cup, Day 8 - Greece

Moussaka

Day 7 of the World Cup saw the reigning champions Spain go crashing out to Chile while Australia came close to giving Holland a fright. Tonight sees our neighbours in action again in what has to be a must win against Uruguay. I however decided to celebrate Greece by cooking a Moussaka.

Over this challenge I have sometimes found it difficult to get my hands on different ingredients and today was no different. This time it was lamb mince that eluded me so I swapped it out for beef mince instead. I also added a hint of chilli to give the mince a kick while the chopped tomatoes add a nice texture. This is my take on the Greek classic.

Serves 4

6 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 Chilli (finely chopped)
250g Beef/Lamb Mince
50ml Red Wine
1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
1 Large Aubergine
30g Butter
30g Flour
300ml Whole Milk
10g Parmesan Cheese (grated)
1 Egg (beaten)
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Heat 3tbsp of oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic and chilli. Season and cook over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes to soften. Add the mince, season and brown all over. Add the wine and cook off the alcohol for 5-6 minutes. Add the tin of tomatoes, sugar, oregano and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 40 minutes, check for seasoning and set aside.

2. Cut the aubergines lengthways into 1cm thick slices. Brush with the remaining oil and season well. Put under a hot grill and cook on both sides until golden. Set aside.

3. Make the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan and adding the flour. Cook while stirring for 2 minutes (don't allow it to burn). Season well before very slowly adding the milk whilst constantly stirring with a whisk until it thickens. Mix in the cheese and allow to cool for a few minutes before slowly whisking in the egg. Set aside.

4. Lightly oil a baking tray and add a single layer of the aubergine. Top with the beef mixture followed by another layer of aubergine. Finish with the sauce and bake in a 160 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

BBQ Season!!

BBQ Season

My favourite time of year is finally here! Although I relish the coziness of dark evenings in front of the fire, I particularly love the al fresco nature of summer and barbecue season. Nothing beats the whole family sitting outside in the (hopefully) sun enjoying good food and a few beers. For my birthday this week we took a chance, we decided to have a small family barbecue and hoped that the weather held up (it is the middle of May after all!). Thankfully the sun shone, the rain stayed away and we had a great evening together. 

Even though it was my birthday, I decided I'd take care of the cooking and with €50 to feed 12 people (including 2 fussy kids) I knew I had my work cut out! First thing to sort were the salads:

Egg Salad - Hard boil 10 eggs, peel and roughly chop. Mix with plenty of mayonnaise, finely chopped chives and season well. Sprinkle a little paprika on top.

Potato Salad - Boil 1kg of baby potatoes until tender, drain and put into a large bowl. Add plenty of extra-virgin olive oil and season well. Add some dried oregano and some finely chopped chives. Mix well.

Pasta Salad - Boil 500g fusilli pasta in salted water until cooked, drain and put into a large bowl. Add lots of extra-virgin olive oil, plenty of halved cherry tomatoes, chopped basil and season well. Mix thoroughly and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon just before serving.

Spicy Rice Salad - Saute some garlic, chilli, onion and chopped red pepper over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add some turmeric and stir well. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes before adding 250g of rice. Add 500ml of vegetable stock and allow to simmer. Add more stock as necessary until cooked.

With the salads complete and in the fridge, I moved onto meats. For me, the most important piece of equipment for a BBQ is an instant digital thermometer. It allows you to get everything cooked perfectly without having to overcook for safety's sake I prefer to cook chicken in the oven first and then finish off on the BBQ. This method ensures they are cooked through without burning:

For the dry rub mix together; 1tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2tsp white pepper, 1tsp thyme, 1/2tsp smoked paprika, 1/2tsp dried oregano and 1/2tsp salt.

Lightly oil a large baking tray and lay out 15-20 chicken drumsticks. Sprinkle over 3/4 of the dry rub and massage it all over the drumsticks. Put into a 150 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until just cooked through. Char on the BBQ for a couple of minutes to add a bit of life. You can also brush some of your favourite BBQ sauce onto the drumsticks before they go on the BBQ for an extra hit of flavour.

Next I made burgers: spicy lamb for those of us keen on a bit of heat and plain beef for the more conservative!

Saute 1 onion, 1 red chilli and 2 cloves garlic (all finely chopped) in plenty of extra-virgin olive oil with some salt and pepper for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Allow to cool. Put 500g of lamb mince into a mixing bowl and add the onion mix, including the oil. Season well and add in half a beaten egg. Mix well. Lightly oil a large plate and with wet hands, shape the lamb mix into five patties. Lay on the plate, cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour or two. Season each side and cook on the BBQ, brushing with BBQ sauce if you like.

You can make the beef burgers the same way but I just mixed 500g of mince with salt, pepper and half a beaten egg and continued as above.

The last bit of cooking was some Nolan's of Kilcullen sizzler and plain pork sausages which were brushed with BBQ sauce and placed on the BBQ until cooked through.

The small amount of cash left over was spent on 12 cans of San Pellegrino orange and lemon and Ali baked a beautiful orange and almond cake for dessert (and to hold the birthday candles).

 I'll have plenty of BBQ posts up over the summer, it's good to take advantage of whatever little sun we get!

Ragu Pie

Leftover Ragu Pie

A good ragu is a beautiful thing; different meats stewed for hours with a little tomato to create a rich and delicious sauce. In Ireland this isn't usually the case. Here we tend to put in a bit of beef mince, a jar or two of (insert your favourite brand here) bolognese sauce and give it a half hour on the stove. We then add it to overcooked spaghetti and because spaghetti can't hold a thick sauce, we're left with a giant puddle of something that tastes like a very sweet tomato sauce with a little mince going through it. Try this instead:

Heat a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil over a medium heat and add a finely chopped onion. Cook for 2 minutes before adding a finely chopped carrot, a finely chopped chilli and a finely chopped stick of celery. Season well and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add 400 g of beef mince, 200 g of lamb mince, 200 g of pork mince and 2 finely chopped lamb kidneys. Season and brown all over before adding a glass of good red wine. Cook for 5 minutes and add 500 g of tomato passata and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Cover, reduce the heat and cook for 2-3 hours.

This will give you a delicious and deep flavoured ragu. Serve with tagliatelle or some penne pasta that will hold the sauce. Italians reckon 100g of pasta is enough per person but they generally have a couple of courses so I think for safety, if its the only course, I'd allow 120g per person.

Invariably, no matter how many have to be fed, I'm always left with plenty of leftover ragu. It's so filling that you don't need to serve massive portions; enough to coat the pasta is perfect. I've been thinking of ways to use up leftover ragu and a somewhat obvious Shepherd's Pie came to mind. It's not the same as the lamb filling but I thought it might be a nice change and it would create another substantial dish to feed many. If you only have a little ragu left don't worry; even a thin layer will be sufficient.



Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Peel as many sweet potatoes as you need and boil in lightly salted water until tender. Drain, season well and mash adding about half a glass of milk (or cream if you prefer) as you do so. Check for seasoning and add extra salt/pepper if required. Lightly oil a baking dish (one that you'd use for a Lasagna or a Shepherd's Pie will be perfect) and spread the ragu evenly over the base. Add a layer of Parma ham/prosciutto on top of the ragu and spread the sweet potato mash over the prosciutto. Flatten with a fork, creating little peaks as you go. Sprinkle plenty of pepper over the top and place in the oven to cook for 30-40 mins. Serve with good crusty bread.

This pie can be adapted to your own taste. Feel free to add a layer of Parmesan cheese after the prosciutto or swap the sweet potatoes for normal potatoes if you prefer. I didn't give exact quantities here as it depends how much ragu you have left. A thick layer is great but as I said above, a thin layer of ragu is fine, the rest can be made up with the sweet potato; its probably healthier!

Shepard's Pie

Extra Nutritious Shepard's Pie

So as the rain continues to pelt down and the howling wind continues to bellow, its time for another great winter recipe to warm the entire family for the long winters evening. The simple Shepard's Pie has always been one of my favourite dinners, its warming and filling and is the perfect all in one dish. For this version I have added extra vegetables to make it extra nutritious and I've also gone with a Sweet Potato topping to increase the goodness while also adding a great flavour.


Serves 6


*4tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
*1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
*1/2 Courgette (peeled and finely chopped)
*1 Red Pepper (finely chopped)
*2 Celery Sticks (finely chopped)
*1 Large Carrot (peeled and grated)
*500g Lamb Mince
*100ml White Wine
*1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes
*300ml of Strong Lamb Stock
*1tsp Dried Oregano 
*2 Bay Leaves
*2tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
*800g Sweet Potatoes (peeled and chopped)
*150ml Cream
*25g Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
*Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper


1. Saute the Onion, Corgette, Red Pepper, Celery and Carrot in the Oil over a medium heat for 7-10 minutes until soft. Season well with Salt and Pepper as soon as added to the Oil.

2. Add the Lamb Mince, season and brown all over. Add the Wine and cook for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the Can of Tomatoes, Stock, Oregano and Bay Leaves and bring to the boil. Put on the lid and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour.

3. Remove the Bay Leaves, turn up the heat and reduce, stirring constantly until it becomes thick.

4. Meanwhile, cook the Sweet Potatoes in well seasoned boiling water until tender all the way through. Drain and season well. Add the cream and mash well until smooth.

5. Put the mince mixture into a baking dish and top with the Sweet Potato mash. Even it out with a fork and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Top with a good grinding of Pepper and bake in a pre-heated 180 degree (C) oven for 30 minutes. 

Variations:

This is another great base recipe to which you can add almost anything. Extra veg are the obvious choice but also some streaky bacon added before the mince will really add a great depth. Although Shepard's Pie is traditionally Lamb, the meat could be swapped out for almost any minced meat and a mixture of two or three would work brilliantly. Obviously standard mashed Potatoes could be used on top if anyone dislikes Sweet Potatoes and Cheddar could replace Parmesan if preferred.