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.