Cooking with Paula McIntyre

Braised local beans with parma ham and spaghetti
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
25g butter
4 slices parma ham, shredded
1 tablespoon tomato puree
250g mixed beans ( runner beans and green beans) topped tail and cut into 2cm pieces
250g local tomatoes cut the same size or whole if cherry tomatoes
250ml stock
300g dried spaghetti
75g hard cheese like parmesan/ Cais na Tire/ pecorino
Handful fresh basil, parsley or lovage, chopped
1 tablespoon of good olive oil
Cook the onion, garlic and celery in the butter in a pan over low heat – keep a lid on and give it a stir occasionally, for 15 minutes or until soft. Add the ham and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomato puree and add the beans, tomatoes and stock. Place the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the spaghetti for 10 minutes and then drain and add to the braised beans. Mix in the cheese and herbs. Check seasoning and serve in bowls with a drizzle of the good oil.

Recipe
Florentines
50g butter
50g soft brown sugar
50g golden syrup
50g plain flour
100g chopped mixed nuts ( pistachio, hazelnuts, almonds)
75g mixed dried fruit ( apricot, cranberry, raisins etc)
Set oven to 180oc and line 2 trays with parchment paper.
Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Remove from heat and beat in the flour to a smooth paste. Mix in the buts and fruit. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and place on the baking tray and flatten slightly. Repeat with remaining mixture, leaving space in between as they spread when cooking. Bake for about 10 minutes and cool to set.
Blackcurrant icecream
150g blackcurrants
1 tablespoon Brandy or fruit liqueur
1 tablespoon liquid glucose
Juice ½ lemon
250g sugar
4 egg yolks
500ml double cream
Place the blackcurrants with the brandy, glucose, lemon juice and 50g of the sugar in a pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend and cool
Whisk the remaining sugar with the egg yolks in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk for 2 minutes then whisk with an electric whisk for another 3 minutes or until pale.
Whisk the cream to soft peaks.
Fold the egg yolk mixture into the cream and then fold in the blackcurrant mixture. Place in a plastic tub and freeze until set.
Scoop the icecream and sandwich between 2 Florentines.

Recipe
Scones
225g soda bread flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
50g butter
35g castor sugar
1 egg
125ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the butter and rub until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. ( For best results chill at this stage for an hour)
Add the sugar and mix well. Set oven to 190°C and lightly butter 2 baking trays.
Whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla together and add to the flour mixture Mix to a soft dough and place on a floured surface. Knead gently.
Roll to 2cm thick and cut into desired shapes and place on baking trays.
Brush the top with egg yolk and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden, risen and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
Strawberry and elderflower jam
500g strawberries
500g jam sugar or granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 elderflower heads
If the strawberries are large, cut them in half. Put the strawberries and lemon juice into a large pan. Heat for a few minutes to soften, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the elderflower heads. Once the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear, boil steadily for about 6 minutes, or until at setting point. To test if the jam is at setting point, spoon a little onto a cold plate, leave for a minute and then push the jam with your finger. If the jam crinkles and separates without flooding back, setting point has been reached. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the elderflowers. Spoon into sterilised jars, label and seal with wax paper and a lid.
Split the scones, add some jam and a little clotted cream.

Recipe
Southern Fried Chicken
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
150ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
150g plain flour
Half a teaspoon mustard powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Half a teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprka
Half a teaspoon of salt
Oil for cooking
Mix the buttermilk with the minced garlic and thyme. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for a few hours
Mix the flour with the mustard, onion, garlic powders, pepper, salt and paprika. Remove chicken from buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture. Set oven to 180oc.Heat half a thumb nail depth of oil in a pan until a little flour added sizzles.
Add 4 of the thighs and cook for 2 minutes each side. Transfer to a baking tray. Repeat with remaining chicken and cook in oven for 10 minutes or until crisp and cooked through.
Waldorf Salad
75g walnuts
35g castor sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 sticks celery, finely chopped plus leaves
2 red apples, quartered, cored and chopped
75g smoked cheddar cut into half cm dice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
150ml sour cream
Heat the sugar in a small pan until it turns amber. Add the balsamic and 25ml water. Cook to a liquid and toss in the walnuts and place on parchment paper to cool. Chop the walnuts and mix into the other ingredients.

Recipe
4 mackerel filleted, pin bones removed and trimmed ( ask your fishmonger)
Oil for brushing
Seasalt for seasoning
Heat your barbecue or a hot pan ( if you’re worried the pan might stick, line the bottom with parchment paper). Brush the skin with oil and season with salt. Place skin side down and cook for about 3 minutes or until skin is crisp. Season the flesh with salt and flip over. Cook for another minute and rest.
Elderflower Yoghurt
200ml Greek Style yoghurt
1 teaspoon black onion seeds
1 teaspoon hot honey
1 dessertspoon elderflowers chopped
½ teaspoon seasalt
Toast the onion seeds in a dry pan until they pop then mix into the yoghurt with the hot honey, elderflowers and salt and mix well.
Beetroot Salad
2 medium beetroots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Fry the onion in the oil until soft and mix into the beetroot with the vinegar and season well. Allow to marinate for an hour, tossing occasionally, before serving.
Serve the mackerel on some beetroot salad with a dollop of the yoghurt on the side. Garnish with some elderflowers and parsley/lovage