Wednesday 22 February 2012

Fact Sheet No. 3

Frankly Cooking       The Frank Moynihan Cookery School, 124 Killeen Woods,

                                    Tralee, Co Kerry.  Telephone/Fax (066) 7117095   086 2627855

                                    e-mail franklycooking@eircom.net    

                                    www.franklycooking.com





Item No. 1

Are you eating enough vegetables



We know that we should eat 5 a day of fruit and vegetables, we know that if we do our health will be all the better for it.  But are we eating enough, and what is enough, per day. 



The recommended daily intake of vegetables (which does not include potato) is 100g per adult per day, and if that will be made up of more than one type and colour – great!  Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflowers, sprouts (known as the cruciferous group of vegetables) are essentially useless if cooked in the morning and allowed to stand in a bain marie for hours, or reheated in a microwave.  Vegetables should be gently boiled, or better steamed, only when needed to get the maximum health properties from them.



I love roasted vegetables, carrot, parsnip, onion and garlic, tossed into a low sided hot roasting tin, the vegetables should be seasoned and add a glug of good quality oil before you distribute evenly in the hot roasting tin.  Cook for 25 minutes at 180°C (gas 5).  Red, green and yellow peppers, washed, cut in 4 and deseeded could and should also be added to the above, the colour and flavour is spectacular.  When roasting garlic, do not peel, leave it whole, but do take a little snip off the root end with a knife before cooking, then when cooked you can squeeze the garlic from its outer by simply pressing.  If you want to go a little upmarket you could also add big chunks of courgette and aubergine.  This is a meal in itself.





Item No. 2


A Mixed Fish Pie



1kg mixed fish (to include skin and bone free salmon, haddock and cod) in bite-size pieces

2 tubs crème fraiche                                        1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard

Juice of ½ lemon                                             Little salt and pepper

1 tablespoon fresh herbs                                 2 tablespoons of cornflour

1kg of potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed



In a large bowl mix cornflour, crème fraiche, lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper.  Add in the fish and mix well.  Place the fish in a suitable sized dish with sides.  Cook, peel and mash the potato, add some hot milk if the mash is too dry.  Pipe or spread mashed potato over the fish and bake in a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.











Item No. 3

A Broccoli and Almond Soup



25g butter                                                        1 small onion, chopped

450g broccoli, washed and chopped              1 small potato, peeled and chopped

900ml chicken stock                                       150g ground almonds

150ml cream                                                    Salt and freshly ground pepper



Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the onion and broccoli, cook over a low heat until soft but not brown.  Add the potato and stock.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Add almonds and cream, liquidise and serve.





Item No. 4

A Fruit Brulee



750g fruit (you can use nectarines, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums or any combination of these)

2 tablespoons Cointreau                                  600g Greek style natural yoghurt

175 soft brown sugar



Peel the fruit that needs to, remove the stones, cut into even chunks and place in a heatproof serving dish.  Sprinkle the Cointreau over the fruit and spoon the yogurt on top.  Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.  Remove the dish from the fridge and sprinkle with the soft brown sugar.  Place the dish under a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sugar melts and starts to caramelise.  Serve immediately.


Monday 13 February 2012

February

The beginning of February sees a return to night classes and also busy organising gourmet cookery evenings for March, April and May.  Monday 5th March finds us at Woodbrook National School near Carrick on Shannon.  Tuesday 6th at the Tulskinn Co Roscommon, doing a fund raiser for Co Roscommon Disability Support Group and on Wednesday 7th takes us to Mountrath in Co Laoise for their local National School.

Then, towards the end of the month we travel to Tullycorbett Community Centre for Cuan Mhuire, Ballybay.  Tuesday 27th finds us in Athlone for St Aloysias College Parents Association.  Wednesday 28th Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan and Thursday 29th the Cardiff Lounge, Drumcong, Co Leitrim for Keschcarrigan Development Association.

We still have availability for April and May - it's never too late to organise an evening with Frank Moynihan