10 easy-to-follow summer recipes using West Cork ingredients

Welcome to West Fork! Once again The Southern Star brings you West Cork’s favourite foodie publication, and this time we’re keeping things simple – 10 totally delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes using lots of lovely West Cork ingredients. What could be better?

You’ll find a nice cross-section of meat, fish, veggie and vegan dishes, not to mention a couple of sweet treats to round things off, and all made using ingredients easily sourced right here in the locality – whether it’s direct from the producer, the local supermarket, butcher, fishmonger or your favourite farmers’ markets.

If for some reason you’re not feeling the cook-it-yourself vibe, then fear not, because West Cork is renowned the country (and world) over for its amazing eateries. Not only do they offer amazing food, again using the best of locally-sourced ingredients, but they also offer unforgettable dining experiences too. So don’t hesitate to treat yourself or a loved one while also supporting these dedicated businesses which are at the heart of the local community.

Remember the West Fork mantra – real life, real food in West Cork!

Bon appetit, The Southern Star team

All recipes in this edition are by Kate Ryan. Kate is a multi-award-winning food writer, and founder of Flavour.ie, a platform dedicated to promoting Irish food. Based in West Cork, she has written for numerous publications in print and online and is a member of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, a judge for Blas na hÉireann, Great Taste Awards, Irish Quality Food Awards, National Dairy Awards and Restaurant of the Year Awards. In 2023, Kate was named Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Producers Champion and bestowed the inaugural Food Storyteller of the Year award by Listowel Food Fair. In 2022, she was presented with an Irish Food Writing Award.

See www.flavour.ie for more or follow Kate on Facebook, X and Instagram. (All main recipe images by Kate Ryan)

Grilled summer mackerel, tomato and onion salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Glenmar Seafood mackerel fillets (gutted, descaled and butterflied)

• 12 cherry tomatoes from Food For Humans (Ballinhassig), thinly sliced

• ½ White onion, sliced thinly into rings

• ½ tsp lemon juice

• ½ tbsp Newgrange Gold West Cork Oak-smoked Rapeseed Oil (handsmoked by Olives West Cork)

• Irish Atlantic Sea Salt and Pepper

• Fresh parsley

• Focaccia (I like Pike Deli and Baking Emporium, Clonakilty, and Wildflour, Innishannon).

Method

1. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, then season both sides with salt and pepper.

2. Place a heavy-bottom frying pan over a medium heat. Add a small amount of sunflower oil. When hot, lay the mackerel fillets skin side down in the pan.
Cook the fish three quarters of the way through, then flip over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until browned and cooked all the way through.

3. Take the fish out of the pan when cooked, and place on a piece of kitchen towel to remove any excess oil.

4. Arrange the tomato and onion slices on a plate, and season well with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Squeeze over some fresh lemon juice, and drizzle over the oak-smoked rapeseed oil. Scatter over the parsley, then lay the mackerel fillets on top of the salad and serve with torn pieces of fresh focaccia.

Did you know?

A single cup of chopped red pepper provides 190mg of vitamin C – almost three times more than an orange. Green and yellow peppers contain less than the red version (120mg) but this is still about 200% of your recommended daily allowance.

Tuna niçoise with coffee vinaigrette

A delicious little twist on the classic niçoise salad, using locally roasted coffee!

Ingredients (serves two)

For the niçoise salad

• 1 pack Woodcock Smokery cold-smoked Albacore tuna

• 2 heads gem lettuce

• Handful of French beans, blanched and cooled

• Olives West Cork oak-smoked tomatoes

• 3 scallions, finely sliced

• 4 West Cork Eggs, soft-boiled, cooled, peeled and halved.

For the coffee balsamic vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp brewed and cooled espresso coffee, such as Red Strand Coffee

• 1 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar (I use Wildwood Damson Balsamic)

• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

• 2 tsp Molaga honey

• 60ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

For the Niçoise Salad

This dish is best served as a sharing platter. First arrange the gem lettuce leaves around the plate, and scatter over the French beans, oak-smoked tomatoes and scallions.

Slice the tuna, and drape it across the plate, then dot about with the halves of just-gooey soft-boiled eggs.

For the coffee balsamic vinaigrette

Place everything, except for the olive oil, into a bowl and mix to combine.

Slowly pour in the extra-virgin olive oil while continuing to whisk until thickened.

Season with salt and ground black pepper.

Drizzle generously over your assembled tuna niçoise salad.

Did you know?

One spaghetti noodle is called a spaghetto (In Italian – uno (one) spaghetto). It’s similar for most pasta names, for example: tortellini (Un tortellino); penne (una penna); ravioli (un raviolo); linguini (una linguina); tagliatelle (una tagliatella). The plural of pizza is ‘pizze’!

Barbecue roasted sweet potatoes with garlic & oregano

This way of cooking sweet potatoes intensifies the flavour and colour with a creamy texture punctured with the aroma of roasted garlic and fresh herbs

Ingredients

• 1-2 sweet potatoes per person, depending on size, from

Ancient Organics

• 2 bulbs of West Cork Garlic, cut in half horizontally

• Bunch of fresh oregano from Narmada Organics

• Newgrange Gold West Cork Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil (handsmoked by Olives West Cork)

• Irish Atlantic Sea Salt, freshly ground black pepper.

Method

1. Leave the sweet potatoes whole, prick all over with a skewer, rub the skins with the smoked oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Using squares of foil, parcel up the potatoes individually with half a bulb of garlic and a small bunch of fresh oregano.
Don’t wrap too tightly to allow for the potatoes to slightly steam inside the packet.

3. Place on low, indirect heat and cook for an hour or until they are soft to the touch. Slice in half and serve.

Did you know?

Flavoured potato crisps were invented by an Irish man – Joseph ‘Spud’ Murphy, the man behind the famous Tayto brand. In 1954, after much experimentation, Murphy came up with three new crisp flavours – cheese & onion, barbecue and salt & vinegar. Prior to this, all you could get were the ready-salted variety and since then companies all over the world have replicated Murphy’s innovation.

Chicken souvlaki with Greek salad

Souvlaki are skewers of marinated chicken pieces grilled over a flame. Adding a fresh and flavoursome Greek salad on the side really ups the Mediterranean experience!

Ingredients

800g skinless boneless Shannovale chicken thighs

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

Juice of 1 lime

2 tsp smoky paprika

½ tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp Irish Atlantic Sea Salt

1 tbsp dried oregano

3 fat cloves of West Cork Garlic

1 tbsp Newgrange Gold West Cork oak-smoked rapeseed oil (handsmoked by Olives West Cork)

For the Greek salad

Grá Farm salad leaves

Macroom Buffalo Greek-style salad cheese

Black kalamata pitted olives from Olives West Cork

Tomatoes and cucumbers

Basic lemon and oil vinaigrette

Method

1. Cut the chicken thighs into 3cm sized pieces. Place into a container, add lemon zest, paprika and cumin.

2. In a bowl, combined the juice from the lemon and limes, salt, oregano, garlic and oil. Whisk to combine then pour over the chicken.

3. Place a lid on the container and place in the fridge for a minimum of four hours to marinade.

4. Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers in water to prevent burning on the BBQ, then thread the chicken onto the skewers tightly together. (Throw away the marinade)

5. Put the chicken skewers on the BBQ on indirect heat to cook, between 10-20 minutes depending on the temperature of the BBQ and the size of the chicken pieces.

6. Serve the Souvlaki on the skewer with a Greek Salad on the side and pitta breads.

Did you know?

Mageirocophobia is the term for a fear of cooking or the idea of cooking. A person with mageirocophobia may experience intense anxiety or go out of their way to avoid cooking. For many, this phobia stems from not wanting to make mistakes.

Cheat’s lamb gyros

In the real world, gyros are enormous skewers of marinated meat that rotate and cook continuously as slices are sheared off and stuffed into fluffy pittas with all manner of toppings. But if you’re craving the taste of gyros in the comfort of your own home, then this recipe will definitely satisfy!

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

400g minced Irish lamb from your local butcher

½ tsp fennel seed

1 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried mint

½ tsp dried chilli

1 tbsp Irish Atlantic Sea Salt

1 tsp ground cumin

2 large cloves West Cork Garlic, grated

Zest of 1 lemon

Chips*

You will also need flatbreads, salad (leaves, tomatoes, cucumber), Macroom Buffalo Greek-style cheese, and The Cultured Food Co organic ruby red sauerkraut.

*Chips are essential in gyros! You can make your own (try brining them first in a mix of water, salt and local apple cider vinegar), or if you have left-over chips from a takeaway, cool them, freeze them, then reheat in the oven – free chips and saves on food waste!

Method

Into a pestle and mortar add fennel seed, dried rosemary, mint, chilli, and sea salt. Grind into a rough powder texture.

Place the minced lamb into a bowl and scatter over the spice mixture, and add to it the cumin, garlic and lemon zest. With your hands mix everything together ensuring all the ingredients well combined, cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of two hours, longer if you have the time.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C for fan oven) and soak some bamboo skewers in water (this prevents the skewers from burning).

Take the lamb mix from the fridge and scoop a handful from the bowl and flatten it out slightly in one hand. Hold the skewer in the other hand, and bring the meat to the skewer, using your hand to mould the mixture to the skewer so it adheres. (It should look like a shish kebab).

Repeat until all the mixture has been used up. Line a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked and glistening.

Warm up the flat bread and top with salad, chips and the lamb. Add some crumbled feta and the red sauerkraut. Wrap it up and dig in!

Did you know?

According to Irish folklore, scoring a deep cross shape into the top of traditional soda bread before baking is done not only to help with the cooking, but also to let the ‘fairies’ out, drive off any evil spirits and so protect the household.

Pimp my burger!

A burger is a fine thing, and a really well-made one is hard to beat. With it’s reputation for quality meat and high-class butchers, West Cork is where you can up your burger game to incredible heights. It starts with choosing the perfect patty and in this case, Wagyu beef burgers are the order of the day

Ingredients (serves 4)

Irish Wagyu beef burgers (ask at your local butcher’s or supermarket). Alternatively ask for their homemade beef burgers.

Grá Farm seasonal leaves

Gubbeen Cheese – extra mature smoked

Clare’s Hummus – beetroot flavoured

The Cultured Food Company ruby red organic sauerkraut

Good quality buns fresh from your local bakery or supermarket

Ballymaloe Foods mayonnaise

Pickles & fries

Method

Cook the burger according to instructions, but for the last few minutes top the burger with generous slices of the cheese and place a lid over the frying pan. This will steam cook the burger and help melt the cheese. When cooked, remove from the pan onto some kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture.

Remove any excess fat from the pan with a paper towel and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the cut sides of the burger bun. Place back in the pan on a medium heat for the perfect toast.

Build your burger: I always opt for lettuce on the bottom because it acts as a moisture barrier between patty and bun and prevents the bread from breaking apart while eating – but you do you!

Add leaves, cheese-topped patty, the crazy pink hummus and dark red sauerkraut. Skewer some cornichons (or whatever your favourite pickle is) and put this through the top bun to hold everything in place. Serve with fries – and keep those elbows out!

Did you know?

Potato growing figures fluctuate quite a bit in Ireland but recent figures indicate that we are producing between 300,000 and 400,000 tonnes of potatoes a year. However, this is in sharp contrast with China – the world’s biggest potato producing country – which weighs in with a whopping figure approaching 18 million tonnes.

Roasted, spiced carrots, burrata & carrot-top pesto

New season carrots are so delicious and the tops are perfect for making a delicious pesto and embracing zero food waste, working from root to leafy tip. Burrata is a type of mozzarella that is filled with fresh cream. Delicious, and decadent!

Ingredients (Serves 1 as a main, or 2 as a sharing starter)

1 Macroom Buffalo Cheese Company burrata

300g of carrots, ideally with the leafy tops attached

1 tbsp Irish Atlantic Sea Salt

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp red chilli flakes

1 star anise, broken into pieces

Sprigs of fresh thyme

Newgrange Gold West Cork

Oak-smoked Rapeseed Oil (handsmoked by Olives West Cork)

Pesto

Pike Deli sourdough, for croutons

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven), and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the tops from the carrots and set them aside for pesto. Don’t peel, but wash and scrub the carrots with a brush to remove any soil. Allow to dry. Place on the baking tray.

Although this might seem like a lot of salt, it will intensify the flavour. Scatter the salt, dried spices and fresh thyme, and drizzle over with the oil. Toss everything together to ensure well coated, and place in the oven for 45 minutes, or until soft (this will depend on the size of the carrots and may require less or more time).

Making carrot top pesto is no different to any other method, except that the leaves will need to be cleaned with cold water, then blanched in a bowl of nearly boiling water for 5 minutes to soften. Drain the water, and place in a blender with oil, parmesan (or a good strong cheddar), a handful of nuts (I like to use walnuts or hazelnuts instead of pinenuts), a squeeze of lemon, a clove or two of garlic, salt and pepper. Add 1-2tbsp of the smoked oil and blitz until combined and the texture is loose but not watery. Add more water to the mix to loosen until you have a good consistency.

Slice thin slices of Pike Deli sourdough, rub with oil and garlic and toast in a dry pan.

Plate Up: Spoon a generous amount of the pesto on the plate, top with the burrata and carrots. Serve with the crispy garlic-infused croutons.

Did you know?

Sannakji is a South Korean dish of octopus tentacles, served fresh and raw with a dash of sesame oil. Often because it is so fresh, the tentacles are still moving on the plate due to residual nerve activity. The suckers on the tentacles have occasionally been known to latch on to the inside of consumers’ throats on the way down!

Miso-glazed aubergine steak, tofu & ‘glass’ noodle salad

This dish is vegan and gluten-free and delivers incredible punches of flavour and texture using tofu from Kilbrittain, and you can source brown rice vermicelli noodles from local health food stores across West Cork

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1 large aubergine, cut into four slices

1 tbsp Newgrange Gold West Cork oak-Smoked rapeseed oil (handsmoked by Olives West Cork)

1 tbsp organic white miso paste

1 tbsp Molaga West Cork honey

4 tsp sesame oil (+ ½ tsp for salad dressing)

2 tsp Mealagulla Apple Cider Vinegar

Half a packet of brown rice vermicelli noodles

1 carrot, julienned

½ sweet red pepper, thinly sliced

Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

½ tsp gluten-free soy sauce

¼ tsp Caitlin Ruth ‘Fiasco’ hot sauce

Juice of half a lime

Sugar, pinch

1 block of OTOFU miso sesame fresh tofu

The Cultured Food Company kimchi

Method

Score the aubergine slices, place on a tray, and apply two tbsp salt. Leave for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven), and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Mix oil, miso paste, honey and sesame oil and whisk to combine.

Shake off any excess salt from the aubergines and lay them on the baking tray. Pour over the marinade and put in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices.

Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl, pour over just-boiled water and leave for five minutes. Drain the water through a sieve. Set aside.

Into a bowl, add the remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, hot sauce and lime juice. Stir to combine and set aside.

Cook the tofu to packet instructions until golden brown and turning crispy.

In a bowl, combine the drained noodles, carrot, red pepper and coriander, and pour over the dressing. Mix well.

To plate: Add a large handful of the noodle salad to the plate, two aubergine steaks and tofu. Top with kimchi, and a scattering of toasted sesame seeds.

Did you know?

Pasties date back to the 13th century and were considered decadent foods of the upper classes. However, the Cornish pasty as we know it became popular with miners in Cornwall in England in the 1700-1800s as a cheap, nutritious, easy-to-pack meal that could be eaten without cutlery, yet held safely in dirty hands due to the clever crimping of a ‘handle’ in the pastry crust. Fruit was often baked into one end of the otherwise savoury pasty to effectively provide a dessert portion, and miners’ wives would carve initials into the pastries to identify them.

Grilled peaches with yogurt cream and almonds

Discover the delights of ‘yogurt cream’ by simply adding some cream and yogurt together! It’s lovely and light, and perfect with grilled and flambéed peaches, or any other fruit that takes your fancy!

Ingredients (Serves 2)

4 ripe peaches, quartered and stoned

1 tbsp butter

15ml apricot brandy (optional)

100ml Clóna Dairy double cream

4 heaped tbsp of Irish Yogurts Greek-style natural live yogurt

Flaked almonds, toasted

Folláin salted caramel dessert sauce

Method

Put a pan over a medium-low heat, and place the peaches cut- side down. Cook until the peaches start to brown, then flip over to brown on the other side.

Add the butter, allow to melt, and toss the peaches.

If you’re adding brandy, pour a small amount into a glass and carefully pour that into the pan. If you are cooking over gas and are feeling confident, tilt the pan toward the flame to light the brandy and allow the peaches to flambé. Please be careful however.

Whip the cream until well thickened. Add a drizzle more of brandy if you want and whisk again to combine. Add the yogurt and mix with a spoon (not the whisk!)

Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan.

To plate, spoon on some yogurt cream, top with peaches, drizzle with salted caramel sauce, and scatter over the toasted almonds.

Did you know?

At 67.5% ABV (alcohol by volume) Brewmeister ‘Snake Venom’ is currently rated as the strongest beer in the world. To put this in context, a standard whiskey is 40% ABV. It is brewed in Moray in Scotland and frozen several times after the fermentation process, and the ice crystals removed. This concentrates the alcohol, flavour and body of the beer. It is then fortified with more alcohol. The result is a very strong, viscous and intensely flavoured beer that is consumed more like a spirit due to its high alcohol content. There is no carbonation as the liquid is too thick to hold carbon dioxide bubbles.

Honey and black pepper strawberry shortcake

A quick marinade in honey and black pepper intensifies the flavours of strawberries in this fun, stacked dessert which is sure to be a talking point!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

400g Bushby’s Strawberries, hulled and cut into 1cm slices

3 tbsp Molaga West Cork Honey

10 twists of a black pepper grinder

8 West Cork Biscuit Co plain all-butter shortbreads

100g Gloun Cross Dairy cream

Drizzle of vanilla bean paste

1 tbsp icing sugar

50g Milseán white chocolate

Method

Put the strawberries in a bowl, add the honey and black pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and place in the fridge for two hours.

Place the shortbread on a baking rack, four facing up, and four facing down.

Place the chocolate in a bowl over a small pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and allow the chocolate to gently melt.

In another bowl, add the cream, vanilla bean paste and icing sugar and whisk until the cream is well thickened.

Spoon the white chocolate over the four shortbread biscuits facing up and allow the chocolate to set a little.

The other four biscuits are the base of your shortcake. Place slices of strawberry on the biscuit, ensuring any excess honey mixture is drained. Spoon over some of the sweetened cream, top with a few more slices of strawberry, and then place the white chocolate covered shortbread on top. Garnish with a slice of fresh strawberry.