Soul food is usually associated with the South and things like okra, grits or chicken fried steak, but if Wisconsin could be said to have a soul food, it would be beer brats. A summer BBQ or tailgate party wouldn’t be complete without them and grilled bratwurst are sold at the student union at UW-Madison, where Kelly and I went to college. Living in Ireland, though, I can count the number of times I’ve had bratwurst on one hand, and each of those times they were made by the same man, the legendary Ed Hick. I’ve seen him a few times lately at the Sheridans and Bloom food festivals, so I snapped up a pack and lost no time making beer brats. And since I was already feeling nostalgic, I went ahead and made a German potato salad too, another summertime staple when I was growing up. Put the two together and add some sauerkraut, and it was enough to bring a homesick Midwesterner to tears.

Beer Brats

Serves 8 to 10

Like cooking with wine, you don’t want to use the cheapest beer here, but don’t use your nice microbrew either — just something good that you’d want to drink. The handy thing about cooking the bratwurst this way is that if you’re having a big BBQ and cooking for a crowd, you can grill the brats a bit ahead of time and put them back in the warm beer for a little while until you’re ready to serve them.

12 bratwurst (or more, depending on how many people you’re serving or how many sausages per person you want to serve)
1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 or 2 cans/bottles of beer (enough to cover the bratwurst)
toasted hot dog buns, to serve
sauerkraut, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, fried onions, to serve

Prick each bratwurst a few times with a fork. Place them in a large pot or saucepan with the onion halves and cover with the beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the bratwurst are cooked through. Remove the brats from the beer and grill them on a hot BBQ for about 5 minutes, turning to make sure they’re golden brown on all sides. Serve on lightly toasted hot dog buns with toppings of your choice.

***

German Potato Salad
adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Serves 8 to 10

German potato salad is actually served warm, though any leftovers are also delicious cold.

4 lb (2 kg) baby potatoes
salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 lb (450 g) bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch spring onions, white and light green parts only finely sliced
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Halve or quarter the potatoes, depending on how big they are (you want them to be in bite-sized pieces) and place in a large pot with enough water to cover them by several inches. Bring to a boil over a high heat, add a very generous pinch of salt and reduce to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, being careful not to overcook them (check them after 5 minutes).

While the potatoes cook, combine the vinegar, sugar and some salt in a small saucepan. Place over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.

Drain the potatoes into a colander, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the hot vinegar mixture, gently stirring until all the potatoes are coated. Set aside.

Saute the bacon in a large skillet on a medium-low heat until browned and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle the potatoes with the bacon, spring onions and chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately, while still warm.

A few months ago, someone was on Twitter asking for recommendations for where to bring visitors for good seafood in Kinsale, County Cork. About a dozen people replied, and everyone said the same thing — Fishy Fishy. So it’s no surprise that Martin’s Fishy Fishy Cookbook has already entered its second printing just a few weeks after being released. Like the name of his TV show says, Martin Shanahan is mad about fish and he wants everyone else to love it too. My favorite episode from his first series was when he cooked mussels at the cattle mart in the land-locked Midlands and tried to get farmers who had never had a mussel in their lives to taste them (and almost all of them liked them). But even though Ireland is an island nation, we export most of our fish and notoriously eat very little of it ourselves. Martin thinks this is down to what he calls the “fear factor” when cooking fish, and his mantra has become “no skin, no bones, no fear”.

Flipping through his new cookbook and dog-earing pages of tempting recipes to try, his enthusiasm is catching. This mackerel with a warm potato and chorizo salad was outstanding, but also bookmarked are the crab crumble, warm chilli seafood salad, salmon and cucumber wraps and the Thai-style white Pollock fish cakes with Asian cabbage and a sweet and sour dipping sauce. With recipes that sound that good, he’s bound to pick up loads of new seafood-loving converts.

Photo © Kevin O’Farrell from Martin’s Fishy Fishy Cookbook

Mackerel with Warm Potato and Chorizo Salad
adapted from Martin’s Fishy Fishy Cookbook by Martin Shanahan

Serves 4

Chorizo is one of those ingredients (like bacon) that automatically makes anything better, but the dressing is what really made this recipe for me — it gave it just a little oomph and lifted the whole dish. Martin says that you can substitute some lightly cooked kale for the green beans here. Next time I make this — and there will definitely be a next time — I’m going to try using smoked mackerel fillets, warmed through, since I can get that more easily than fresh mackerel.

For the salad:
1 1/4 lb (600 g) potatoes, cooked
1 link of chorizo sausage
olive oil
7 oz (200 g) green beans, blanched and refreshed in ice water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 mackerel fillets

For the vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon French mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cube the cooked potatoes and slice the chorizo. Heat a little oil in a pan and add the chorizo. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes to release the oil from the sausage, then add the potatoes and green beans. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together all the ingredients or shaking to combine in a screw-top jar, then toss the potato mixture in this dressing.

Heat a pan over a high heat and add a little oil. Season the mackerel fillets with salt and pepper, then cook the mackerel skin side down, pressing down on the skin to crisp it. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 2 minutes on the other side.

Spoon a little of the warm potato salad into the center of each plate and top with the mackerel fillets.

Anyone else out there having salad withdrawal? What I wouldn’t give for a plate of tender lettuces, crisp cucumbers and juicy tomatoes. But, alas, there is still snow in my yard and we are a long way from August. Though I promised myself to try more winter salads, I added only one to my repertoire this year, a hearty red cabbage and apple concoction that’s more side dish than salad. The addition of bacon made it robust enough to serve to my steak-and-potatoes-loving dad. The baked potato soup served alongside also benefits from the addition of some crumbled bacon. And honestly, if you’re going to the trouble of cooking up a few ounces of bacon for the salad, you may as well cook up the whole package. If we can’t have great produce, we may as well enjoy another excuse to eat bacon.

Red Cabbage Salad with Apples, Bacon, and Pecans
adapted from Best of the Best Vol. 9: The Best Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year

Serves 6

This cookbook is actually a compilation of recipes taken from other cookbooks. I love that someone else took the trouble of figuring out which recipes are winners since I have limited cookbook space in my kitchen. This recipe is from Chef Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques. I cut prep time for the recipe by skipping the freshly toasted bread crumbs called for in the original recipe and buying pre-roasted pecans. Chef Goin serves this salad alongside pork chops or duck.

1/2 cup (50 g) pecans
1/4 lb (110 g) bacon, sliced into 1/4 in. thick lardons
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 1 /2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 apple (Fuji, Gala, or Braeburn) halved, cored and cut into 2-by-1/4-inch matchsticks

Spread the pecans in a heavy skillet and toast over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden. Transfer the pecans to a plate to cool, then coarsely chop them.

In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but still chewy, about 6 minutes. Stir in the red cabbage, onion, and thyme. Add the vinegar and cook until the cabbage is wilted but still crunchy, about 6 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the mustard. Add the apple and toss gently. Sprinkle the salad with the toasted pecans and serve.

***

Baked Potato Soup
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 6

1 head garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and chopped
6 cups (1 1/2 l) low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 lbs (1 kg) pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 (80 ml) cup sour cream
ground black pepper

toppings (optional):
fresh chives or scallions, minced
bacon bits
sour cream
cheddar cheese, grated

Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut the top third off the head and peel any loose papery skins off the bottom two-thirds. Pop out some of the garlic clove tips and mince them.

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (intact, not chopped), broth, bay leaves and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer until the garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, but gently.

Discard bay leaves. Carefully remove garlic heads. Optional: If you’d like an extra garlic boost to the soup, using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic cloves to smooth paste and add it back to the soup.

Stir in the sour cream to soup and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Using an immersion blender, process the soup until chunky-creamy, leaving lots of potato texture intact. (Alternatively, transfer a portion of the potatoes and broth to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.) Serve with whatever makes you happy on top, or nothing at all.

While I won’t hesitate to drop $20 on a quality chunk of dark chocolate or stinky cheese, I have a hard time passing up a good bargain. Cooking at home keeps our family’s food costs low, a fact I learned as a poor college kid developing a meal repertoire of bean burritos, fried rice, and other filling but frugal foods. Stocking up on pantry staples when they are on sale is another great cost-cutting measure. I tell you all this as way of explaining why I decided to buy 10 pounds of dried split peas during a recent shopping trip. How could I pass them up? Organic, healthy, and less than a dollar a pound. Only during the drive home did I realize that I have only used split peas in split pea soup, a soup I like but don’t particularly love. Luckily, my trusted and now worn How To Cook Everything provided an interesting alternative to split pea soup with these  fritters.

We like the split pea fritters even more than falafel, a similar but chickpea-based fritter. If you’ve ever made falafel, you know the “batter” consistency should resemble wet sand. I think they cook best in a shallow pool of hot oil. I like them served piping hot with a cool creamy sauce like lemon-cumin yogurt sauce or even a simple raita. Delicately spiced roasted cauliflower and potatoes round out the meal nicely.

Indian-Style Split Pea Fritters
adapted from How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman

Makes 4 to 8 appetizer servings or 2 to 4 main dish servings

1 cup (200 g) yellow or green split peas, washed and picked over
peanut or other oil as needed
1 jalapeño or other hot chile (fresh or dried), stemmed, seeded and minced, or to taste
1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1/2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup (15 g) cilantro (some stems are OK)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/2 onion, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons flour, if necessary
lime or lemon wedges (optional)

Soak the split peas in water to cover for at least 3 hours. Drain but leave them wet.

Place the oil, about 1/2 inch deep, in a large, deep saucepan. Instead of pan frying, you can also deep fry these in more oil (at least 3 inches deep). Heat the oil over a medium-high heat to about 365°F to 375°F.

Place the drained peas in the container of a food processor with the chile, ginger, garlic, 1/2 onion, cilantro, coriander, cumin, and fenugreek. Process until the mixture is a coarse puree — not perfectly smooth, but with no whole peas remaining. Add a couple tablespoons of water to the mixture if necessary to help the machine work. Stir in the minced onion and salt and pepper. The mixture should be fairly loose; add a little water if it is quite thick or 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour if it’s soupy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Drop the mixture by heaping tablespoons into the oil, but don’t crowd the pan. Cook the fritters for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding (and heating) more oil to the pan if necessary. Serve the fritters hot or at room temperature with lime or lemon wedges, if desired.

***

Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes
adapted from Gourmet, February 2004

Serves 4

1 small head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
1 lb (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeño, omitting seeds for less spiciness
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup (125 ml) water

Put the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and place a shallow baking pan on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C).

Toss the cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in the hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and the potatoes are just tender.

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over a moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, until very soft and beginning to turn golden. Add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the water, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of skillet, then stir in the roasted vegetables. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

From not knowing a single other food blogger at the start of the year, I now know many and count them amongst my friends. Who would have thought that the Bord Bia food blogger event back in May would have been such a launching pad for the bloggers in Ireland to start organising their own events, meet-ups, workshops and even the Irish Food Bloggers Association? Two bloggers I’ve come to know, both in the virtual and the real world, are Aoife of The Daily Spud, who in turn introduced me to Adrienne of Gastroanthropology, a fellow expat who lives in London. When I heard that Adrienne was organizing a blogger Christmas cookie exchange, I quickly signed up and wasn’t too surprised to see that from all the participants, Adrienne had arranged things so that I sent a recipe to her and received one from Aoife. Making Aoife’s shortbread was the perfect way to pass an afternoon with the kids when we were all stuck at home last week from the snow, and they were a welcome treat to have with a cup of coffee for me and hot chocolate for the kids. Given how many new people I’ve met because of blogging in 2010, I can’t wait to see who I might meet in 2011.

Piri Piri Chicken
adapted from 30 Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

You could also use boneless, skinless thighs or breasts; if using breasts, just cook them a little longer. I’ve only made the chicken and sweet potatoes from this menu, but if you want to make the rocket (arugula) salad and Portugese tarts as well, you can see the complete menu here. If you made the whole menu, it would be a fantastic spread for entertaining — but if you can actually pull it off in 30 minutes like the title promises, I tip my hat to you.

4 to 6 large chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 yellow pepper, sliced into strips
6 sprigs of fresh thyme

for the piri piri sauce:
1 red onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 or 2 red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 lemons
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a large bunch of fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put a large griddle pan on a high heat.

Put the chicken thighs on a plastic chopping board, skin side down, and slash the meat on each one a few times. Drizzle with olive oil and season, then put on the hot griddle pan, skin side down. Cook until golden underneath, then turn over.

While the chicken is cooking, make the piri piri sauce. Add the onion, garlic, chillies, paprika, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to a blender or food processor. Add the zest of 2 lemons and the juice of 1 lemon. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper, the large bunch of basil and a splash of water. Blend until smooth.

Add the peppers to the griddle pan. Turn the heat down to medium and keep moving the peppers around. Turn the chicken over.

Pour the piri piri sauce into a snug-fitting roasting tray. Lay the peppers on top of the sauce and push to the side. Add the chicken to the roasting tray with the sauce. Scatter over the sprigs of thyme, then put the tray into the oven. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Sprinkle over some chopped fresh cilantro to serve.

***

Sweet Potatoes with Feta, Lemon and Chili
adapted from 30 Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

1 medium potato
2 sweet potatoes
1/2 lemon
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 oz (50 g) feta cheese, crumbled

Wash the potato and sweet potatoes and halve lengthways. Put them into a large microwave-safe bowl with half a lemon. Cover with cling film and put into the microwave on full power for 15 minutes. (If you don’t have a microwave, simply boil the potatoes on their own until tender.) Once the potatoes are cooked through, use tongs to squeeze over the cooked lemon. (Or if you haven’t used a microwave, add the juice of the half lemon to the potatoes.) Add the chiles, cilantro and feta. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, mix everything together and serve.

***

Almond, Honey and Orange Shortbread
adapted from The Daily Spud

Makes 30 to 35 cookies

With two stir crazy children helping me make these cookies when we were all stuck at home last week because of the snow, I streamlined Aoife’s recipe to just use packaged ground almonds instead of toasting whole almonds and grinding them myself. I went ahead and used the zest of an entire orange instead of just half an orange, and I also didn’t have any amaretto in the house, so I used almond extract instead. Aoife also suggests two variations by replacing the orange zest with some espresso powder and/or replace the almonds and amaretto with hazelnuts and Frangelico.

3/4 cup (100 g) plain flour
1/4 cup (25 g) rice flour or cornflour (cornstarch), or substitute additional plain flour
good pinch of salt
1 cup (100 g) ground almonds
1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon almond extract or amaretto (optional)
zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup (25 g) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted, for coating (optional)
2 oz (50 g) good-quality dark chocolate, for dipping (optional)

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).

Whisk the plain flour, rice flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the ground almonds and whisk again.

In a separate bowl, a stand mixer or a food processor, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the honey, almond extract and orange zest to the butter and beat well. Gradually incorporate the flour and almond mixture into the butter. When done, you should end up with a ball of dough that will be slightly crumbly and tacky to the touch.

Scoop heaped teaspoonfuls of the dough into the palm of your hand, roll into balls, then place on the baking sheet and flatten slightly, either using the palm of your hand or the base of a glass. You should end up with little discs around 1 inch wide and 1/4 to 1/2 inch high.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are just starting to darken at the edges. Allow to cool slightly for about 2 minutes, then toss the biscuits in the icing sugar and leave to cool fully on a wire rack. If you fancy dipping the biscuits in chocolate, then chop the chocolate finely and either melt in the microwave (zapping it until barely melted) or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot (not simmering) water. Once melted, dip half of each biscuit in the chocolate and leave to set on a wire tray. When cool, dust with some more icing sugar and enjoy with your Christmas tea or coffee.

Nigel Slater once described eating gnocchi as like eating a duvet. Sometimes that’s just what you need, whether it’s because you want something rib-sticking for a cold winter’s night or because you need to indulge in some unabashed, to-hell-with-the-calories comfort eating. With the mood in Ireland being very gloomy lately (you might have heard of the small matter of our €85 billion bailout and this week’s painful 2011 budget) and the weather being record-breaking cold, it was one of those times. Feeling low last week after another day of depressing news, I decided there was only one thing for it — baking. I turned to Nigella Lawson for some comfort food consolation, provided like only Nigella can, and settled on this Guinness gingerbread, which was perfect for this time of year. There’s nothing like some iconic Irish food — Guinness and the Cashel Blue cheese I used in the gnocchi — to lift a girl’s spirits.

Gnocchi with Blue Cheese and Walnut Sauce
adapted from A Kitchen Year by Paula McIntyre

Serves 4 to 6

Paula McIntyre’s original recipe calls for Bellingham Blue cheese, made in my neck of the woods in County Louth. Cashel Blue is an excellent substitute, but any good blue cheese will work here. If you want to give this a veggie boost, you could try adding some spinach, as in Nigel Slater’s recipe for baked gnocchi with spinach and Gorgonzola. This could stretch to feed six people if you’re serving it with something else, or just four greedy ones in need of some rib-sticking comfort food. It’s also decadent enough to serve as a vegetarian option for the holidays.

2 packs (about 2 lb/1 kg) store-bought gnocchi
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra dry vermouth or dry white wine
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup (250 ml) double cream
4 0z (100 g) blue cheese
1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme, to garnish

Get a large pot of water on to boil for the gnocchi.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the butter and oil in a saucepan and cook the onion on a medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the vermouth or wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock and boil until the liquid has reduced by half again. Add the cream and simmer until the sauce has the consistency of single cream. Crumble in the cheese and remove from the heat.

Heat a dry pan and toast the walnuts and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to let them burn, which can happen quickly. Add the walnuts to the sauce and season to taste.

Cook the gnocchi according to the packet instructions, drain and add to the sauce, stirring to make sure all the gnocchi is coated with the sauce. Garnish with some fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.

***

Guinness Gingerbread
adapted from Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Makes 24 small squares or 16 rectangles

It’s worth making this just for the smell of it baking in your oven alone. This was even better the day after I made it and was still holding up well on the third and fourth day too. Golden syrup is easily available in Ireland and the UK, but you can also order it online at Amazon.

1 1/4 sticks (150 g) butter, plus some for greasing
1 cup (300 g) golden syrup (such as Lyle’s)
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons (200 g) dark brown sugar
1 cup (250 ml) Guinness or other stout
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) sour cream
2 eggs

1 x 9 inch (23 cm) square baking tin or 1 foil tray approximately 13 x 9 x 2 inches (30 x 20 x 5 cm)

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line your cake pan with parchment paper or greased foil, or grease your foil tray.

Put the butter, syrup, dark brown sugar, stout, ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves into a pan and melt gently over a low heat. Take off the heat and whisk in the flour and baking soda. You will need to be patient and whisk thoroughly to get rid of any lumps. Whisk the sour cream and eggs together in a measuring jug and then beat into the gingerbread mixture, whisking again to get a smooth batter.

Pour this into your cake/foil pan and bake for about 45 minutes. When it’s ready it will be risen in the middle and coming away from the pan at the sides. Let the gingerbread cool before cutting into slices or squares.

Happy Chanukah! We are in the midst of our celebrations and enjoying them even more than in years past.  Sam is old enough to help light the menorah and Anabelle can unwrap her own presents. She can also express her opinions. The matching sweater and hat set garnered a loud “no” (as she threw it off back at me) while chocolate covered raisins won an immediate smile. Chanukah is a relatively new holiday for me as I was brought up Christian.  Reuben was raised Jewish. Being the open-minded, holiday-loving couple that we are, Reuben and I celebrate both holidays. Unlike the fast and frenzied Christmas rush, I find the eight nights of Chanukah more relaxed and laid back and can’t see ever giving up the tradition.

My mother-in-law asked me to make the main course for our big Chanukah dinner this year. I decided to try out this simple braised brisket recipe, which turned out to be the best brisket I’ve ever made. The dish is perfect for entertaining, even if you aren’t celebrating Chanukah. You can spend more time with guests since you don’t need to do much with the meat once it’s braising in the oven. You can even make it the day before. If you can’t find brisket, I bet this recipe would taste amazing with short ribs or chuck roast, though the cooking time might be shorter. Along with the brisket recipe, I’m posting my mother-in-law’s latke recipe. If you’ve never had latkes, they’re like potato pancakes, only better. I have no idea why we only eat them once a year.

Brisket with Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries
adapted from Bon Appétit, December 1998

serves 8

1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
1 cup (240 ml) broth (turkey, beef or chicken)
3/4 cup (180 ml) cranberry juice cocktail (100% juice recommended)
1/4 cup (30 g) all purpose flour
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 x 4-lb (1.8-kg) trimmed flat-cut brisket
12 ounces (340 g) baby portobello (crimini) mushrooms , sliced
4 oz (110 g) dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Whisk the wine, broth, cranberry juice and flour to blend in medium bowl; pour the mixture into a dutch oven or roasting pan large enough for the brisket to lay flat in. Mix in the onion, garlic and rosemary. Sprinkle the brisket on all sides with salt and pepper. Place the brisket, fat side up, in the pan. Spoon some of the wine mixture over it. Cover the pan with its lid or, if using a roasting pan, tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Bake the brisket until very tender, basting with pan juices every hour, about 3 1/2 hours. Let the brisket cool in the sauce for 1 hour. Discard the rosemary stem. Transfer the brisket to cutting board; cool 1 hour at room temperature. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain. Arrange the slices in the pan with the sauce, overlapping slices slightly. The brisket can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Gently stir the mushrooms and cranberries into the sauce around the brisket. Cover the pan and bake until the mushrooms are tender and the brisket is heated through, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if the brisket has been refrigerated).

Transfer the sliced brisket and sauce to a platter and serve.

***

Years ago, my mother-in-law wrote this latke recipe on a piece of Queens Botanical Garden note paper and sent it to Reuben and me. She correctly assumed I had no idea how to make them. The recipe has moved with us to a least four different residences, acquiring more oil splatters each year. I’ve added more instructional detail for those who have not witnessed latke-making in person.

Latkes
from my mother-in-law

serves 6

2 lbs (900 g) potatoes
1 onion
juice of 1/2 lemon [Note: I sometimes omit this]
2 tablespoons of flour or matzo meal
1 egg, slightly beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, for frying
sour cream and applesauce, to serve

Using a food processor or hand held grater, grate the potatoes and onion into a large bowl. Squeeze the lomn juice on the mixture so the potatoes don’t turn black. Let the mixture stand 30 minutes, covered, then drain the liquid out.

Mix the flour, egg, salt, and pepper into the grated potatoes and onion. Heat oil (enough to generously cover the bottom of the pan by about a centimeter) in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. With a large spoon [or by hand if you have done this at least 20 years], place a pancake-size pile of the mixture into the hot oil and press lightly. Three latkes will usually fit into the pan. Fry the latkes in hot oil about 4 minutes on each side until brown and crisp. Drain the latkes on paper towels or paper grocery bags. Serve hot with sour cream and/or applesauce.

Is there a better place to be on a sunny October day than an apple orchard? I couldn’t think of one when I was at Stagrennan Farm 10 days ago as part of an orchard tour organized by Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) to show off the often unsung Bramley apple.

When I arrived, I was promptly offered the obligatory cup of tea along with a slice of Fiona McNeece’s homemade apple cake and apple, blueberry and sloe crumble. Her brother Olan also works at the orchard, which their father bought in 1962 in Drogheda, County Louth. Fiona and Olan have apples in their blood — they are the fourth generation of their family to grow Bramleys (their great-grandfather planted a Bramley orchard as part of his small farm in County Armagh in the late 1890s, and their grandfather went on to buy his own farm in 1933, also in Armagh). Approximately one-third of the world’s supply of Bramley apples are grown in Ireland, where they have been grown for 200 years, and the McNeeces are proudly part of that tradition.

Like many people you talk to involved in growing and producing Irish food, Olan was enthusiastic about talking about apples and taking us around his farm, which even extended to showing off their new vineyard tractor, which is narrower than normal tractors so that it can fit between the rows of a vineyard or orchard. Clad in wellies and waterproof hiking boots because of the previous day’s heavy rain, we piled into the farm’s jeep and followed Olan in the tractor as he wound down a maze of lanes. Once we were standing amongst the trees, he explained that the orchard is organic in all but name — they have a weather station in the orchard to predict disease in their own micro-climate and they follow integrated pest management to allow natural predators to do away with harmful pests — so we happily ate apples straight from the tree.

But we weren’t eating Bramleys — while those are the main crop at Stagrennan Farm, they also plant a variety of other apples to aid pollination. Apples are often divided into eaters and cookers, and Bramleys are the latter. In fact, they’re the only apple available for the sole purpose of cooking. When cooked, Bramleys break down into a fluffy, frothy puree, which I found out for myself when I made a delicious apple compote using Bramleys after watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall make it that way a few weeks ago on River Cottage Everyday. Just like Hugh said, the resulting compote was silky smooth, and was so good that I’ll never make applesauce with any other apple again.

Back at the office, fellow food bloggers Aisling, Deirdre, Joanna, Sarah and I were treated to a cooking demonstration using Bramleys by Tara Walker, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who is an instructor at the Fairyhouse Cookery School, and one of the recipes she made for us was this sandwich. We left the orchard laden down with a huge box of Bramleys and eating apples, along with samples of some products Olan and Fiona are hoping to bring to market soon: apple juice, apple and Calvados sauce, apple and white port sauce, apple and ginger jelly, roasted apple marinade, spiced apple chutney and, my favorite, apple and quince jelly. When I got home with my bounty, my kids ate two apples each and helped me peel the 6 pounds worth of Bramleys to turn them into enough compote to last us for a week.

Thank you again to Olan and Fiona McNeece for so generously hosting us and to Bord Bia for organizing the tour. Olan told us we’d have to come back to the orchard again in the spring, when the trees are in bloom, and after seeing how beautiful it was with the blazing autumn colors, I think we might just take him up on that.

Bramley Apple, Bacon and Blue Cheese Sandwich
adapted from Bord Bia

This moreish sandwich is substantial enough for dinner now that we’re in the wintry soup-and-sandwich season. It’s one of the Bramley apple recipes from the Bord Bia website, which also features a one-dish pork and Bramley apple bake, ginger baked Bramleys and a Bramley apple and whiskey tart. If you can’t get Bramley apples, use another cooking apple instead, such as Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Pink Lady or Royal Gala.

Serves 4

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
12 rashers back bacon (or 12 slices pancetta or American bacon)
2 Bramley apples, quartered, cored and sliced
8 thick slices of good-quality white bread (sourdough is best), lightly toasted
butter, for spreading
2 oz (60 g) soft blue cheese, such as Cashel Blue, crumbled

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the bacon and cook over a medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. (If using pancetta or American bacon, fry the bacon in a dry pan instead until crispy.) Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add the Bramley apple slices to the pan and saute over a medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender and golden. Remove from the heat. Butter the bread and top 4 slices with the bacon and apples. Crumble over the cheese and top with the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve.

Now that the two big projects that kept me chained to my desk these past few weeks have finally gone off to the printer, I’d love nothing more than to light the turf fire (now that it’s cold enough for one) after the kids go to bed and catch up on all the cooking shows I’ve recorded. But there’s no rest for the weary, and I’m just as busy this week as Caroline from Bibliocook and I put the finishing touches to a new foodie project, to be launched at the Savour Kilkenny Food Camp on Friday. The focus is still on fast, fuss-free meals and I’m still leaning heavily on Nigella Lawson’s new book despite having acquired five other ones in the past six weeks, mainly because it never seems to leave my kitchen counter and make it back to the bookshelf. This tray bake was just what I needed for an easy midweek dinner, but once Friday’s launch is done and dusted and our mystery project goes live, I’m looking forward to some downtime and leisurely baking in the kitchen this weekend after Nigella’s book just so happened to fall open to the maple pecan bundt cake recipe…

If you like this chicken and chorizo hash, you’ll love this. Likewise, if you’re a fan of one-tray dinners that you can assemble in five minutes then pop in the oven and forget about, like oven-roasted sausage and sweet potato, cherry tomato and sausage bake, or balsamic roast chicken with roast tomatoes, then this is another recipe to add to that list.

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Serves 6

Nigella’s original recipe calls for 12 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) to be cooked at 425°F (220°C) for 1 hour. She also calls for 2 teaspoons of dried oregano and the zest of 1 orange, both of which I left out. And while her original recipe calls for about 1 3/4 lb (750 g) of chorizo, I easily got away with using only 11 oz (300 g). She suggests dicing up any leftovers to make quesadillas.

6 chicken breasts
2 lb (1 kg) baby potatoes, halved
1 1/2 lb (680 g) chorizo, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 or 3 red onions, roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the chicken, baby potatoes, chorizo and onions in a roasting tin (or divide between 2 baking trays). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Baste the contents with the oil released by the chorizo and serve.

***

Braised Kale

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 red chili, finely chopped, or a pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup (80 ml) dry white wine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the kale well, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Saute the garlic the chili or red pepper flakes for 5 minutes, taking care not to let the garlic color. When the garlic has softened, raise the heat and add the kale. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the kale starts to wilt and turn a vibrant green. Add in the wine, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste. (Try not to cook the kale too long so that it keeps its bright green color.) Serve immediately.

When I was back home in the US in July, my friend Leah and I took a day trip to the wineries of southwestern Michigan, but before we made our way to a few of them, we stopped for lunch first. We had planned to have a posh lunch at the Tabor Hill Winery but it turned out they were closed on the day we went, so we backtracked to the lakeside resort town of New Buffalo, complete with waterfront condos and shops selling taffy, tacky souvenirs and cheap T-shirts. The restaurant we wound up at was The Stray Dog, where we sat on the screened-in porch overlooking the boats in the marina across the street, eating fish tacos and fries and drinking iced tea — a perfect Plan B, actually.

To make fish tacos at home, I feel no shame in using lowbrow frozen fish sticks. I figure that if foodie heavyweights Jamie Oliver and Nigel Slater can get away with publishing recipes that use them (they both make sandwiches with them), then I’m in good company. I’ve always considered them to be my guiltiest foodie secret, buried deep in the freezer where no one can see them, reserved for the nights when I’m just too frazzled to face cooking dinner. But I’m coming clean now and adopting Jamie Oliver’s approach: “Be proud to eat fish fingers, that’s what I say.”

Fish Tacos with Mango Radish Salsa
adapted quite a lot from Tyler Florence

Serves 4

I’m sure Tyler Florence’s original recipe for homemade goujons using mahi mahi and panko is a real treat, but here is my unapologetically bastardized — and faster and easier — version. He also calls for a pink chile mayo made with canned chipotles in adobo sauce, and even though I brought back a couple cans from my trip, I was feeling too stingy to use them for this and improvised with this lime mayo instead.

for the fish tacos:
24 fish sticks (a.k.a. fish fingers in Ireland/the UK)
1/2 head Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
6 spring onions or 1 bunch chives, chopped
lime wedges, to serves
corn or flour tortillas, to serve

for the lime mayo:
1/2 cup (120 ml) mayonnaise or sour cream
zest and juice of 1 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the mango radish salsa:
4 to 6 red radishes, diced
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1 red chili, finely diced (optional)
1/2 red onion, diced
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fish sticks (fingers) according to the instructions on the package. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To make the lime mayo, whisk together the mayo, lime zest and juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the mango radish salsa, combine the mango, radishes, chili and red onion in a bowl. Pour over the lime juice and stir well, then scatter over the chopped cilantro and season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve the tacos buffet style: pile up the fish sticks on a plate, put the lime mayo in a bowl and the mango radish salsa in another. Set a pile of shredded cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped spring onions/chives and lime wedges next to the fish. Warm the tortillas in the oven for a minute or two (or zap them in a microwave) and serve, letting everyone help themselves.

***

Sweet Potato Wedges
adapted from Every Day by Bill Granger

Serves 4

2 lb (900 g) sweet potatoes, skin left on and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
lime wedges, to serve

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Toss the sweet potato batons with the olive oil, paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper. Scatter them in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the wedges are golden brown. Serve with lime wedges.