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In the spring when the first punnets of strawberries appear I don’t think of cryspy pavolovas and fatty cream I think of gazpacho. Gazpacho was always made with tomatoes and made it at home by a very patient mom. Dani Garcia was one of the first chefs to revolutionize it. These days flavored gazpachos are on every supermarket shelf and in many fridges. But I am not going to lie and say that the best strawberry gazpacho is made with fresh strawberries since it is not. Chefs use prepared (yes expensive fruit purees) to give their gazpachos that je ne sais quoi that you just don’t get from fresh strawberries. In order to make this pre-summer gazpacho follow a traditional gazpacho recipe and add the strawberry puree. I love to serve them in little shot glasses about 50 cl. Strawberry Gazpacho Gazpacho de Freson                      Serves 4 – 6 500g. of strawberry puree 500g. of ripe tomatoes 1 small green pepper or red pepper, chopped ½ onion, chopped 1 garlic clove 1/2 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and chopped 1 cup of baguette bread cubed 2-4 tbsp of sherry vinegar ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil water to thin down salt pinch of sugar (if needed) 4 strawberries chopped finely for decorating extra olive oil for decorating Soak the bread with the vinegar and half the water. Blend all the vegetables, bread, rest of the water and strawberries in a blender. With the blender running at the highest speed, drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube until emulsified. Let rest for a couple of hours or preferably overnight. Correct seasoning. Garnish with the chopped strawberry and drizzle with a little oil.

I was asked to take a deep-dive into the different PDO rices for Food and Wines from Spain. The three PDOs Valencia, Calasparra and Delta del Ebro vie to get our attention in the supermarket shelf but how do you know which rice to use with which dish? Click on image to read the article.

Shortcrust base filled with melted membrillo and filled with a traditional recipe of ground almonds, eggs and sugar scented with lemon and orange zest. I loved using a rectangular mould for a slightly different feel to the traditional round one. I have promised myself this pilgrimage as soon as I can.

Many a Spanish tapa trail starts with exceptional canned seafood and an Albariño. In Dublin, we have spotted the trend in places like Uno Mas and The Woolen Mills.Splurge on 3 or 4 cans of nice seafood, serve with some lemons, plain potato crisps, sliced piquillo peppers (or roasted peppers), guindillas (pickled chilies), etc. and don’t forget the toothpicks. Uno Mas, Sheridans and Taste of Spain all offer great cans. Uno Mas has the coveted Galician brand Portomar and Sheridans has Ortiz from the Basque Country and Ria de Arosa from Galicia. Irish brand Shines has some delicious canned seafood too! You can also find canned seafood in your local supermarket. Add some smoked salmon or a trout pate also if you wish. Recipe Developed for Rias Baixas DO Ireland Campaign CAN PARTY INGREDIENTS 1 Ortiz bonito tuna or Shines tuna can1 bottle piquillo pepper (or bottle roasted peppers) 1 can of guindillas (green pickled peppers)1 bottle of anchovies in oil 1 Ortiz sardines in olive oil Bag of Keoghs sea salt potato chips 1 Portomar mussels in scalllop sauce1 Portomar squid can 1 sliced baguette 1 avocado, smashed Tomato “caviar” from 2 tomatoes (recipe below) Olives Lemons, quartered METHOD To make “tomato caviar”, take out the seeds out of the tomatoes carefully without damaging them and put them in a bowl. Peel and de-stone the avocado, place in a bowl and mash. Open the cans and place on wooden chopping boards. Slice the piquillo peppers or roasted canned peppers and place on a small plate. Place olives in a bowl. Serve with quartered lemons, crips and toothpicks. People can mix and match their own tapas. Some favourites: Pepper and tuna tostas, Potato crisp with a mussel, toasted bread slice with piquillo peppers and bonito.Gilda: pickled pepper, anchovy and olive Toasted bread slice with avocado, sardines and tomato seeds.

I developed and styled three recipes for Shines Tuna for Irish Country Living Summer 2023 Food supplement photographed by Phil Doyle https://www.farmersjournal.ie/producer-s-plate-seafood-with-a-side-of-sustainability-767475

Peru in South America is the homeland of genuine fusion food. Without any artifice, the country’s foods are a result of a history in which extensive Chinese, Japanese, native Indian, Italian and Spanish influence have given birth to one of the most original cuisines in the world. There are abundant Chinese restaurants called “chifa” from the Chinese chi fan, “criollo” ones with traditional foods, Japanese fusion and indigenous foods ones. High-end Peruvian restaurants are opening in all major cities and Gaston Acurio, one of the country’s legendary chefs is quickly becoming world-renowned. Visiting Peru is the food adventure of a lifetime and you can also include a trip to Machu Picchu, the sacred site of the Incas, or fly over the Nazca Lines, a series of giant designs carved on the soil. Ceviche is Peru’s national dish. Four ingredients are all you need to make the basic version of this dish: fish, lime juice, onion and salt. This version uses cooked seafood but the majority of ceviche recipes are made with raw fish. Ceviche Serves 4 Ingredients 2 boiled medium sweet potatoes 1 boiled or steamed corn on the cob 250 g ounces squid, cut into rings, tentacles chopped 250 g peeled shrimp 250 g scallops 1 red onion, medium 1 green chili or similar 6 limes, juiced* salt Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add salt. Cook the squid by putting in the water and cooking it for one minute approximately. Take out and put aside. Cook the shrimp using the same method as above. Take out and put aside to cool. Next cook the scallops. Take out and put aside. Slice the onion thinly and wash with salt**. Chop the chili. Mix the seafood with the lime juice, the onion, the chili and the salt together and add some ice cubes to refresh. Serve decorated with the sweet potato slices and the corn. *you can use lemons instead if limes are unavailable. **to wash the onion put sliced onion on colander and sprinkle with salt. Wash, rinse and drain.

I can’t remember how it exactly happened, but one Saturday I found myself with Steve collecting wild plants with  Geraldine Kavanagh from Wicklow Wild Foods for his birthday. An Irish food ambassador if I ever met one, Geraldine is a professional forager working for Glendalough Distillery who runs foraging tours on the weekends. She is the grown-up version of Little Red Riding Hood with red hair, green eyes, rugged hands and a big basket. It was rainy and wet but as always the Irish are not deterred by the weather (in Spain half of the events that take place in this weather would be cancelled).  At the end of the path we walked back through town  and then through the forest were we found mushrooms, wild blueberries among other amazing plants. I was nibbling on perfectly ripe blackberries as we walked all morning and was “brave” to try everything we found raw nettles, wood sorrel, hawthorne. The walk ended with a picnic of nettle soup, mushroom soup, blackberry muffins, dulse (a type of seaweed) scones, crabapple jelly, elderberry syrup all wild bounties of the Irish land and sea. It was perfect,  and even a wet bum and holding a big umbrella over the picnic table did not change that. I loved all the big baskets that Geraldine had brought along with real crockery and glasses all very stylish. To say that this was an eye and heart opener is a total understatement. Not only will I look for wild flowers and berries now on our walks but also I will love them no matter the weather. I loved the walk so much that I convinced Geraldine to a private events event for my friends so I brought along 18 international and Irish friends 2 weeks later. The weather was glorious so the photos are from that walk! We were lucky to end up in Glendalough Distillery trying botanical and seasonal gins that use the plants and berries that Geraldine collects.

I was asked to write this article for Food and Wines from Spain about Spanish sauces. From alioli to brava : the variety of recipes echo the different cultures and traditions in the country. Here is the link for the article.

Delighted that my recipe was featured in the Kitchen Cabinet of the Irish Times! https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/fish-pie-with-a-delicious-spanish-irish-twist-1.4305149

Morocco’s gastronomic jewels are easy to conjure up by merely walking into any spice shop or on occasion by perfumes with notes of orange blossom or rose water. Whereas some cultures gastronomies are more visual, and others rely strongly on taste, Morocco is all about the nose. Walk around Marrakesh with its hidden riads or small palaces and all you get are the smells of lamb tagines, a sort of light stew, of harira, a chickpea and lentil soup and of mint tea.The charm of the riad is that the opulence is never on the exterior. Behind a white simple wall with a door lie patios with exquisite tiling and fountains and gardens scented with jasmine and orange blossom. Moroccan food is sweet and colourful with a lot of spices. They use dried fruits and nuts to great effect and introduce a fresh and acidic note in some dishes by using preserved lemons in salt. Moroccan lamb is delicious and much lighter than European. Because of its Muslim heritage there is no pork or alcohol in Morocco. Undoubtedly Morocco’s national dish is couscous, miniature granules of durum wheat steamed  and served with meat stew. Due to their long-standing relationship couscous is a firm favortite of the French. Chicken B’stilla, a meat pie, is a royal dish from the courts of Al-Andalus, the Arab kingdom in Southern Spain. Sweet and salty meat is wrapped in a delicate pastry called werka and baked. Moroccan salads are delicious and varied and make the sweltering heat a little more palatable. Djeema el Fna in Marrakesh with its fantastic food stalls is a great place to watch and eat all that Morocco has to offer. Tagine of Lamb with Almonds and Raisins Serves 6-8 Ingredients 3 lb. of shoulder of lamb, cut into ½ inch cubes 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground generous pinch saffron 4 tbsp butter 2 large onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped salt to taste 6 ounces raisins, soaked in water and drained 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup peeled almonds preferably Marcona a small handful of coriander, chopped Mix the cinnamon, ginger, pepper and saffron with 4 tablespoons of water. Toss the lamb in this mixture. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the lamb, onions, garlic, salt and enough water to come halfway up the meat. Bring up to the boil, cover and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 1 hour, turning the lamb occasionally, until the meat tender. Add the drained raisins, honey, the almonds and half the coriander. Continue simmering for a further 30 minutes or so, uncovered until the sauce is thick and unctuous. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with the rest of the coriander. Serve with couscous.

The wonderful Galician cow's cheese Tetilla with quince paste is delicious with Rías Baixas wine. This famous cheese shaped like a woman's breast is linked to a legend about the construction of the cathedral of Santiago's Portico of Glory. Add some apples, crackers and nuts for a simple cheeseboard. Feel free to get a sheep's milk Manchego too! Or a gorgeous Irish cheese. Slice the quince paste and put over sliced cheese. Recipe and photo developed for DO Rias Baixas Ireland campaign