Learn the art of French cooking with Sinéad !

1. SPECIAL GUEST EDITORSassy and inspiring, Susan JaneWhite shares her favouritewholesome recipes
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Special feature: NOURISHING RECIPES TO KEEPYOU HEALTHY
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FAMILY
FAVOURITES
5-ingredient meals
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Quick dinners
Our best bakes
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page 35

2. news
FOOD BITES
GLUTEN-FREE GOODNESS
Coeliacs, rejoice! Family-owned Goodness
Grains is making strides as the only
company to hold two Gold Star GreatTaste
Awards for a gluten-free bread in Ireland
and the UK. It is also one of the very few
purpose-built gluten-free bakeries in Ireland,
offering coeliacs peace of mind when it
comes to cross-contamination issues.
The entire product range – from bagels and
bread to pastries and brownies – comes
www.easyfood.ie Easy Food 1110 Easy Food FEBRUARY 2016
OOHLALA!We were lucky enough to travel to Normandy in northwest France,
eating and cooking our way to a better understanding of Norman
cuisine. As it is so geographically close to us, this area of France
boasts similar gastronomic offerings to Ireland. Rich dairy is a
staple ingredient, from soft farmhouse cheeses to crème fraîche
and velvety butter, as are fresh bread and crisp apples (this is the
home of Calvados, the apple brandy, after all!).
French food can be misinterpreted as overly-complex haute
cuisine, but we learned that the real foundations of French cooking
are the rustic farmhouse meals that have been made in home
kitchens around the country for centuries.
Check out our feature on no-nonsense, flavour-packed French
cooking that any home-cook can master, p.90. And if you want to
retrace our steps through Normandy, be sure to check out some of
our favourites from the trip:
THEWILDEKITCHEN
Dublin-born Sinéad Wilde Allart
has called Normandy home for
the past 23 years. She now runs
the most charming bed and
breakfast and cookery school
from her home, located in the
Cotentin Peninsula, only 20km
from the ferry port of Cherbourg.
Guests can sign up for one-
to six-day courses, covering
the basics of French home
cooking all while soaking in the
surrounding French countryside and Sinéads infectious joie de
vivre (flip to p.93 to try Sinéad’s legendary apple tart yourself). It’s
the best of Irish hospitality and French cuisine in one!
www.wildekitchen.net
HÔTELLACHENEVIÈRE
A former mansion and farm, this 18th
-century château is a luxurious
escape steeped in history. Situated only 3km from the D-Day
beaches, the château was occupied by the Germans during World
War II, and then by Americans after the D-Day landings. It was
fully restored in 1988 to become the lush hotel-restaurant that it is
today. Its restaurant includes a gorgeous gourmet menu, and even
the continental breakfast is a pleasure for any foodie.
www.lacheneviere.com
Want to take this foodie trip yourself? Contact The Normandy
Tourism Board for more information or for a detailed itinerary
(www.normandy-tourism.org); or RyanAir for flights from Dublin to
Paris-Beauvais (www.ryanair.com).
ONESMARTSLOWCOOKERAnything that makes healthy cooking even
easier is always a winner in the Easy Food
kitchens, so we’re big fans of the new
Morphy Richards Supreme Precision 3-in-1
Slow Cooker. It has three cooking functions,
which means you can brown meat, stew
quickly and slow cook all in one.
Available from Currys PCWorld and other
leading electrical retailers nationwide.
RRP €99.95 www.morphyrichards.ie
Queuing
up for quinoa
Full of protein and nutrient-rich, quinoa has become a familiar
staple in health-conscious kitchen cupboards and we’re digging
Hale & Hearty’s range of quinoa-based products. One of the most
innovative is the Penne Pasta, made from a mixture of quinoa and
corn to create a gluten-free alternative that will keep you fuller for
longer than its traditional wheat-based counterpart. Also be sure
to check out Honey Bee Cereal – a tasty blend of quinoa, rice and
corn – and the organic Pancake Mix.
Available from www.natreco.com.
COFFEECHICOpt for a stylish start to your day with
a barista-style coffee or tea from one of
Tassimo’s handy counter-top machines.
We’re especially fond of theTassimo Vivy
here; it makes the perfect cup of coffee in
just minutes, and adds a nice “trendy tech”
feel to the kitchen.
(Tassimo Vivy, RRP €119/£99.99)
www.tassimo.ie
FINALLY! CRISPY BAKED
POTATO FRIES AT HOME
We love when we see sweet potato fries on menus, but
replicating that perfectly crisp exterior in home ovens
has proved tricky. That’s why we’re such fans of Strong
Root’s oven-baked sweet potato fries from Irish start-up
Handy Food. They're naturally gluten-free, low in saturated
fat and salt, and nice and crispy from the oven in just 25
minutes… we're loving getting back to these roots!
RRP €3.99 per 500g bag; available in SuperValu stores and
select retailers nationwide.
www.strongroots.ie
IRELAND’S
FAVOURITEBICCIES
Cup of tea, anyone? Here are Ireland’s top
10 favourite biscuits:
1. Milk chocolate digestives
2. Chocolate chip cookies
3. Kit Kat 2 Finger
4. Oreo vanilla
5. Cadbury Snack shortcake biscuit
6. McVities digestives
7. RichTea
8.Tesco Value digestives
9. Bourbon creams
10. Jacobs Mikado
Research courtesy of dunnhumby, the
world’s leading customer science company,
from a 52-week study on biscuit sales from
Tesco Ireland.
individually wrapped, and all of the Goodness
Grains bread products are gluten-, wheat-,
egg- and dairy-free.
Goodness Grains currently supplies toTesco,
Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Starbucks, Butlers,
Applegreen and SuperMacs.
www.goodnessgrains.com
Goodness Grains
@goodnessgrains

3. 90 Easy Food JANUARY 2016 www.easyfood.ie Easy Food 91
Fish soup with garlicky rouille
and croutons
Serves 6
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
2 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
450g white fish fillets (such as cod, haddock,
hake or sole), cut into small pieces
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
Salt and black pepper
350ml white wine
1l water
A few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley
and sage
½ tsp saffron threads
200g cooked and peeled prawns
For the croutons:
1 baguette, sliced into thin rounds
Olive oil
50g Emmental, grated
For the rouille:
4 garlic cloves
1½ tsp salt
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp saffron
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
250ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat
and cook the onions for 10 minutes.
2 Increase the heat and add the tomatoes, leeks
and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3
minutes unitl soft.
3 Add the fish and tomato purée, stirring gently to
coat. Season with the cayenne, fennel and a good
pinch of salt and pepper.
4 Stir in the wine and water.Tie the herb sprigs
together with kitchen string and add to the pot.
5 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and
simmer for 1½-2 hours.
6 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C
fan/gas mark 4 and arrange the baguette slices
in a single layer on a baking tray. Brush with olive
oil and bake for 10-15 minutes until crisp, flipping
halfway through.
7 Place all the rouille ingredients, aside from the
oil, into a tall jug and whizz with a stick blender to
combine.With the blender on, slowly add the oil
until it comes together into a thick, mayonnaise-
like consistency.
Learn the art of French cooking with
these simple and sumptuous recipes
FILES
8When the soup is done, remove the string of
herb spigs (the leaves will have fallen off). Stir in
the saffron threads and prawns. Heat through,
then use the stick blender to purée until smooth.
Or, transfer in batches to a blender to purée.
9 Ladle into bowls and top with a few baguette
slices and some grated Emmental. Add a dollop
of rouille before serving.
Chicken with creamy mushroom
sauce
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
70g butter
1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and black pepper
500g mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
80ml Calvados (a French apple brandy, or
use cider vinegar)
500ml cider
60g walnuts
700g firm eating apples, peeled, cored and
roughly chopped
1 tsp Demerara sugar
400ml crème fraîche
To serve:
Crusty baguette slices or mashed potatoes
1 Preheat the oven to 150˚C/130˚C fan/gas
mark 2. Heat the oil and a small bit of the
butter in a casserole dish over a medium-high
heat. Season the chicken pieces and add to
the hot pan, turning to brown on all sides.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
2 Add the mushrooms and onion and cook for
5-7 minutes until just soft.
3 Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
4 Add the Calvados, scraping up any browned
bits from the bottom as it bubbles.
5 Pour in the cider and bring to a simmer. Add
the chicken and walnuts and cover with a lid.
6 Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes until the
chicken is tender.
7 When the chicken is almost done, heat
the remaining butter in a frying pan over a
medium-high heat. Add the apples and sugar
and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few
minutes until soft.
8 Stir the crème fraîche and apples into the
chicken. Serve hot with crusty baguette slices
or on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Per Serving 989kcals, 57g fat (23.2g saturated), 55.6g carbs,
37.4g sugars, 69.8g protein, 8.9g fibre, 0.325g sodium
Per Serving 713kcals, 51.8g fat (9.2g saturated), 24g carbs, 6.2g
sugars, 31.5g protein, 3g fibre, 0.862g sodium
The French
cooking for fun French recipes
90 Easy Food FEBRUARY 2016
Top Tip
Saffron is an expensive spice, but you
only need to use a very small amount
here and it can last up to two years
when stored in a cool, dry place.

4. larder luck counter intelligence
www.easyfood.ie Easy Food 9392 Easy Food FEBRUARY 2016
Apple tart
Serves 8
3 egg yolks
170g crème fraîche
60g Demerara sugar
4 cooking apples
For the pastry:
160g plain flour, sieved
100g cold butter, cubed
3 tbsp ice-cold water
To serve:
Vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche
1 Combine the flour and butter for the pastry
in a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips,
rub them together until the mixture resembles
breadcrumbs. Add the water and mix quickly to
bring it together as a dough.
2 Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film
and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3 Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured work
surface into a 23cm circle.Transfer it into a 20cm
loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing it into the sides
of the pan and trimming off any excess from the
sides. Chill for 30 minutes.
4 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5.
Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with
rice or baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then
remove the rice (or beans) and paper. Bake for
another 10 minutes until golden. Leave to cool.
5 Beat the egg yolks with the crème fraîche and
three tablespoons of the sugar.
6 Peel, core and slice the apples. Arrange them in
overlapping circles into the pastry shell.
7 Pour over the cream mixture and sprinkle over
the remaining sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes until
set. Serve warm or at room temperature with
vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.
Cheese and herb omelette
Serves 1
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp Parmesan, grated
½ tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
Knob of butter
2 tbsp Emmental, grated
To serve:
Frites (skinny chips)
Green salad
1 Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-
high heat. Lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl until
just mixed. Mix in the Parmesan and herbs and
season with salt and pepper.
2 Add the butter to the pan.When it sizzles, pour
in the eggs. Leave to sit for a few seconds, then
use a fork or spatula to draw the mixture in from
the sides of the pan toward the centre, tilting the
pan to let the raw egg run into the open spaces.
3 Leave for another few seconds (no more than
one minute) until the omelette looks nearly set
and can slide easily in the pan.
4 Scatter the grated Emmental down the centre.
5To fold it in the tradtional French style, grip the
handle underneath and tilt the pan away from you
so the omelette slips to one side. Fold the side
nearest you over the centre, then fold that again
over the open side. (Alternatively, just fold the
omelette in half.)
6 Slide onto a warm plate and serve with crispy
frites and a side salad.
Per Serving 304kcals, 16.6g fat (9.8g saturated), 36.3g carbs,
16.9g sugars, 4.1g protein, 2.7g fibre, 0.09g sodium
Per Serving 494kcals, 40.8g fat (22g saturated), 2.8g carbs, 1.1g
sugars, 28.4g protein, 0.6g fibre, 0.586g sodium
cooking for fun French recipes
The chicken with creamy
mushroom sauce and this
apple tart are inspired by
dishes we sampled in Sinéad
WildeAllart’sWilde Kitchen
cookery school in Normandy.
“This classic dessert is available
in every boulangerie and always
on the menu here in Normandy – also known as the
orchard of France, where lush pastures provide rich
grazing, ensuring a constant supply of quality butter and
crème fraîche. We cut a few corners by making the
dough in a food processor. I roll it into a very thin 30cm
circle to line a 27cm loose-bottomed tart tin; the recipe
here makes a thicker tart.Try it with a glass of Calvados
(French apple brandy) and with some crème fraîche...
also flavoured with a splash of Calvados!” – Sinéad

5. www.easyfood.ie Easy Food 9594 Easy Food AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010
Apple and cheese parcel salad
Serves 4
4 sheets of filo pastry
Extra-virgin olive oil, to brush
200g soft Camembert-style cheese, cut into 8
pieces
A handful of walnuts
2 small crisp apples
150g rocket
1 small head of endive, chopped
For the dressing:
3 tbsp cider vinegar
60ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
Salt and black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5
and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lay
two sheets of filo pastry on top of one another on
a lightly-floured surface and cut into four squares.
Brush the edges lightly with a bit of oil.
2 Place one piece of cheese in the centre of each
square, then gather up the tops and twist lightly to
seal the parcel. Brush with a small bit of oil, then
place onto the prepared tray. Repeat this step
with the remaining two sheets of pastry and the
remaining cheese.
3 Bake the parcels for 15-20 minutes until the
pastry is golden brown.
4 Meanwhile, place the walnuts onto a separate
tray and spread into an even layer. Bake for about
six minutes, tossing halfway through, until lightly
toasted. Leave the walnuts to cool while the
parcels finish baking.
5Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing
and set aside.
6Thinly slice the apples and mix with the rocket,
endive and cooled walnuts.Toss this mixture
lightly with the dressing.
7 Divide among serving plates and top each with
two of the cheese parcels. Serve immediately.
Sole meunière
Serves 4
120g plain flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 lemon sole fillets (you can also use plaice,
cod or hake)
150g butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
Juice from 4 large lemons
A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
To serve:
Couscous
Green beans
1 Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large
shallow plate. Pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper.
2 Heat half of the butter in a large frying pan over
a medium-high heat.When it starts to brown,
dredge two of the fillets in the flour, shaking off
any excess.
3 Lower the heat to medium-low and add the fish
to the pan. Cook for two minutes until brown,
then flip.While the second side cooks, add half of
the lemon zest and lemon juice to the pan.
4 Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm
while you repeat with the remaining ingredients.
5 Sprinkle with parsley and pour over the pan
sauce. Serve hot with couscous and steamed
green beans.
Per Serving 528kcals, 34.9g fat (20.6g saturated), 24.5g carbs,
1g sugars, 29.8g protein, 1.3g fibre, 1.599g sodium
Per Serving 440kcals, 33.4g fat (10.5g saturated), 22.1g carbs,
10.6g sugars, 16.4g protein, 7.2g fibre, 0.415g sodium
cooking for fun French recipes
FEBRUARY 201694 Easy Food
Top Tip
Neufchâtel cheese from the
Normandy region in France is
perfect for this!