Waterford Chef
Martin Dwyer
presents "Food Matters"
for Waterford Today.
Martin, who has been cooking for 35 years , having initially trained in Dublin, France, and then England, has been cooking here in Waterford for the past 25 years.
Until he sold it he had spent 15 years running his own much acclaimed restaurant "Dwyers" on Mary Street. During this time he has also been doing a weekly slot with Billy McCarthy on Deise AM on WLR. He has also made various appearances on RTE television and TV3.
Martin can be contacted at:
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Eggs Olaf
Tuesday, 21st May 2013
This is a Waterford version of Eggs Benedict which I put together in the restaurant. I substituted a potato cake for the muffin and smoked salmon for the ham and then served it with a green Hollandaise. I called it after our own Norse/Waterford saint.
Ingredients (for 4 )
- 8 Large Free- Range Eggs
- 4 Slices Smoked Salmon
- 225g (8 oz.) Mashed Potato
- Bunch of Chives
- Bunch Parsley
- 12 leaves of Sorrel (or spinach)
- 1 Lime
- 110g (4 oz.) Butter
- 110g (4oz.) Pinhead Oatmeal
- Some sunflower oil for frying
Method
Chop the herbs together and divide in two. Save one half for the sauce. Mix the other half with the mashed potato and make it into four fairly flat cakes. Beat one of the eggs and dip each of the cakes in this and then in the oatmeal. Fry these in a little oil in a hot pan until brown and crisp on
Local Asparagus
Wednesday, 15th May 2013
Local Asparagus is the best you can buy and this should be coming about now. Stretch it out but keep all the flavour with this risotto.
Ingredients (for 4 as a starter)
500g (1 lb.) Asparagus
175g (6oz.) Mushrooms (fancy ones if you can get them)
2 Shallots, finely sliced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
175g (6 oz.) Risotto Rice
600ml (1 pt.) Vegetable Stock
30g (1 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan
60g (2 oz.) Butter
2 tablespoons Cream
Method
Snap the asparagus stalks close to the end to break off the coarse end. Cut the stalks diagonally into 4 or 5 pieces. Cook these in boiling salted water for about three minutes until tender then put to one side.
Slice the mushrooms and fry in half the butter until they colour then put with the asparagus.
Bring the stock to the boil in a pot.
Cook the shallots slowly in the olive oil until soft then
Presbytere Granola
Tuesday, 7th May 2013
This is a new part of our breakfast here in France.. We don't add any dried fruit to the mix but prefer to serve it with a compote of dried fruits in the winter and poached apricots, peaches or plums in the summer. Serve it with Fromage Frais or Yoghurt.
Ingredients
- 150g Butter
- 180g Honey
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 600g Porridge Oats
- 175g Sliced Almonds
- 100g Sunflower Seeds
- 100g Pumpkin Seeds
- 50g Linseeds
- 50g Sesame Seeds
Method
(Set the oven to 170C/325F/Gas3)
In a small pan heat together the butter and honey until the butter is completely melted, then add in the vanilla.
Mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl then stir in the honey mixture and mix together thoroughly.
Spread out this mixture evenly in two or three baking trays and put into the preheated oven.
Take these out every 6 to seven minutes and stir the mixture well in the
Terrace Chicken
Wednesday, 1st May 2013
This is to note our first dinner of the season on the terrace. It is the whole of Southern France on a plate.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 Large free range chicken
- 4 Shallots
- Large Sprig Thyme
- 2 Aubergines
- 2 Red Peppers
- 1 Lemon
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Method
Heat oven to 175 C
Halve the lemon, peel the shallots, stuff these with the thyme in the chicken and seal the end with a skewer.
Brown the breast of the chicken, breast side down in olive oil in a pan, season thoroughly with salt and black pepper then put this, still breast down in the oven for an hour.
Cut the aubergines in about eight slices along their length and brown the cut sides quickly in olive oil, do the same with the peppers.
When the chicken has cooked for an hour turn it breast side up and tuck the pieces of aubergine and pepper
Oven Steamed Brill with Torrades Sauce
Tuesday, 23rd April 2013
(Sauce of Scallops, Bacon, Whiskey and Cream)
Invented by co-chef Brid Torrades and I in the European Parliament building while pressed to make a showcase dish of Irish ingredients for the members.
Ingredients
This will serve 4.
- 1 kg. (2 lbs.) Brill fillets
- 225g (8 oz.) Scallops
- 110g (4 oz.) Streaky Rashers
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 30g (1 oz.) Butter
- 30g (1 oz.) Flour
- 1 large measure Irish Whiskey
- 225ml.(8 oz.) Cream.
Method
Chop the rashers and fry until crisp, drain off their fat and put to one side.
Trim the Scallops and cut each one in four. Poach these gently in the white wine plus an equal glass of water.
Take out of the cooking liquid and reserve both. (This should only take about 2 mts poaching) Melt the butter in a small pan, add in the flour and cook together for 2 mts. Add the scallop stock and the cream and simmer
French Onion Tart
Tuesday, 16th April 2013
This is a speciality of Alsace and was a great dinner party dish in the 80's. It is well due a comeback.
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 225g (8 oz. ) Flour
- 110g (4 oz. ) Butter
- 4 tbs Water
Filling;
- 1 Kilo Onions (weight unpeeled)
- 30g (1 oz. ) Butter
- 1 tbs. Olive Oil
- 3 Eggs
- 175ml (6 oz. ) Cream
- Grating of Black Pepper
You need a 12" wide by 1" deep tart tin.
Method
Set the oven to 200 C 400 F Gas 6. First make the pastry either in a food processor or in the traditional way by rubbing in the butter to the flour. Bind it together with the water and wrap it with cling film, leave it to rest for an hour or so. While it is resting start the filling.
Peel the onions and slice them very thinly. Melt the butter and oil in the pan. Put in the onions and fry
Cod and Mussel Pie
Wednesday, 10th April 2013
A variation on the great Waterford favourite Fish Pie.
Ingredients (for 4)
- 450g (1 lb.) Fresh Cod
- 1 kg. (2 lbs) Mussels in the shell
- 1 glass white wine
- 1 medium onion - peeled & chopped
- 225g (1/2 lb.) Mushrooms- sliced
- 30g (1 oz.) Butter
- 30g (1 oz.) Flour
- 1kg (2 lbs.) Potatoes
Method
First cook the mussels. Wash them well and remove the beards. Put them with the wine in a pot with a lid and put on the heat. Shake or stir them about until they are all open. Drain off the liquid through a cloth and reserve. Take the mussels out of their shells and discard the shells. Then put the cod in a pot and cover with the mussel liquid and add water to cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and then let cool in the liquid.
Melt the butter in a pan and fry the chopped
Warm Salad of Chicken with North African Spices
Tuesday, 2nd April 2013
This makes a great supper dish, both tasty and light.
Ingredients
(for 6 to 8 as a starter, 4 as lunch)
- 4 chicken legs (Thighs and drumsticks)
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspnoon Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- Half Teaspoon Tabasco
- 1 teaspoon ground Coriander Seeds
- 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- Juice half Lemon
- 6 tablespoons Yoghurt (Set Greek Yoghurt if possible)
- Small bunch Fresh Mint
- 2 or 3 mixed heads of lettuce. (Try Cos and Frisee)
Method
Cut the chicken off the bone, discard the skin and cut the meat into not too small pieces. Mix together all the spices with the worcestershire sauce and the lemon juice. Tip the chicken into this mixture and rub well into the mixture with your hands.
Heat a large pan and fry the spiced chicken in this in some sunflower oil until browned and cooked through. Keep warm.
Chop the mint and mix with the yoghurt.
Wash and dry the lettuces
Honey and Walnut Tart
Wednesday, 27th March 2013
A good dessert for the Spring while we are waiting for the first fruits to arrive.
Ingredients (You will need an 8" tart tin)
Pastry:
- 175g (6 oz.) Flour
- 90g (3 oz.) butter
- 3 tbs. water
- 1 Egg
Filling:
- 225g (8 oz.) Honey
- 110g (4 oz.) Light Brown sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 110g (4 oz.) Unsalted Butter(melted)
- 110g (4 oz.) Walnuts
Method
First make the pastry either by rubbing the butter into the flour by hand or in a food processor. Add the water to bind.
Let this pastry rest for 30 minutes then use it to line an 8" tart tin. Be sure to allow a generous overlap to allow for shrinkage.
Line with tinfoil and something to weigh it down and bake it blind in a moderate oven (Gas 6, 200 C, 400 F) for 10 to 15 minutes until it is firm. Take off the foil, and put back in the
Roast Loin of Lamb with Black Olive Stuffing.
Wednesday, 20th March 2013
A recipe for a special occasion, it is easy to bone the loin or your butcher will do it for you.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Loin of Lamb ( about 3 lbs. On the bone
- 225g (8 oz). Breadcrumbs
- 12 Stoned Black Olives
- 120g (4 oz.) Butter
- 120g (4 oz.) Streaky Rashers
- 1 tablespoon Pine Nuts
- 1 med. Onion
- 1 tbs. chopped Thyme leaves
- Salt and Pepper
Method
Get the butcher to bone out the lamb for you. (You should be left with about 2lbs.) Keep the bones.
If you want to make a little light gravy with this dish, roast off the bones to colour, then boil them for an hour or two in plenty of water, Then remove the bones and reduce the stock until only a cup remains. This is not difficult to
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