Fish 'n' Chips, Dolmades and Falafel in the Harbor town of Howth

Howth is a harbor town just a few miles from Dublin, but is a quaint village that feels countries apart and millenniums away from the hustle and bustle of the capital's city center. After a twenty minute ride on the aptly named DART, a train serving the greater Dublin area, it was like I had stepped out of a transporter and back in time.

Howth had things I could feel Dublin longing for. Howth had fishermen. Howth had sailboats. Howth had a fresh food market.



Of course, the first thing we did was stave off our hunger with some treats from the locals. I rekindled my long term love affair with food from the middle east with two dolmades and a falafel wrap from a Lebanese vendor in the Sunday market.


Jake, sticking to the town's true palate, had a fresh serving of Fish 'n' Chips.


Our hunger for legitimate edibles satiated, we began to satisfy our need to find a beautiful landscape. On the way we found these guys, also enjoying a lunch of local fare:


Bellies full and content as a couple of lazy seals, we decided to change our focus from gastronomical pleasures to aesthetics. We began a winding hike around the peninsula of the town and it was not long before we were salivating over the views du jour.

The "Troubles" with Ireland; Belfast, famine and Potatoes

This Saturday we made our way to the north of the island, to the troubled city of Belfast. Belfast and the whole of Northern Ireland is euphemistically "troubled" because it has been plagued with warring peoples for centuries and continues to remain in strife. I am still a bit hazy as to why the people are still fighting but I will let wikipedia explain the situation rather than relay the still unclear bits of information I picked up on an hour long bus tour. To depict these troubles, citizens of Belfast have painted murals along walls, houses and apartments in the city.

I wish that I could say Ireland's troubles stopped with the petty disputes of man, but as any old European country can attest to, and our young nubile nation of America so eloquently verbalizes "if it ain't one thing then it's another." The Irish Potato famine troubled its people long before petrol bombs in the name of Jesus were the danger of the day. While men, women and children once starved when their precious potato crops died, they seem to be more than making up for their years of loss now. Potatoes are now abundant on this green island. Potatoes can be found whole, sliced, wedged, seasoned, mashed, diced and shredded in any grocery store, restaurant, gas station and convenient store across the nation. It is incredible. I thought I would share some of the potato recipes I have made while here.

Creamy Potato Spinach Soup
I just sort of made this soup up out of ingredients I had or could easily get when another plan fell through. It actually turned out to be pretty good, too!

ingredients:
onion
garlic-half a head?
olive oil
potatoes
chicken stock
milk
spinach leaves, cut into edible pieces
cream cheese
bacon

method:
Bring a pot of chicken stock to a boil. While stock is heating, peel and dice some potatoes. (I'm not sure of exact amounts in this recipe, so you might just need to guess--I'm pretty sure it will be fine regardless!)Add the potatoes to the stock and cook until soft and mashable.
While potatoes are cooking dice the onion and garlic. Saute over medium low heat until translucent. When potoatoes are soft, mash them and combine them with onion and garlic.
Separate cream cheese into little spoonfulls and add to the mash and stir to combine.
Now add the spinach. Stir spinach and allow to wilt.
Once properly wilted, add milk to your liking.
If you are a meat eater, and are a fan of bacon, I would definitely suggest adding bits of bacon to this soup. While the soup can definitely stand alone, the salty taste and crisp texture of bacon is are definite assets to this soup!

Shepard's Pie
Before I rekindled my relationship with FN, but after I arrived in Ireland, I decided to make an Irish classic-Shepard's Pie. Here is a pretty typical Irish recipe for this old staple.

Chef Jorge's Gourmet Chicken in White Wine and Garlic

My Spanish roommate, Jorge, is a natural European in the truest form. As I have spent nearly a year learning to make things that are close to edible, in one swift move Jorge will whip up the most mind-blowingly phenomenal gastronomical wonder this side of the Atlantic. After each bite of every "simple" meal he makes, I am left wondering how the hell I got so lucky. I rarely have the chance to take pictures of his creations, as my roommates and I inhale them within seconds but these things need no image. They are beautiful in and of themselves. Here is Jorge to present his masterpiece:

Chef Jorge's Gourmet Chicken in White Wine and Garlic

ingredients:
Chicken- Jorge prefers wings, but he believes chicken breasts will work
olive oil
salt
whole bottle of white wine
lemon
whole head of garlic

method:

Lightly salt the chicken and set aside.
Thickly slice garlic. Cook garlic over low heat in the largest skillet you own. Do not let all of the pieces "take color." Just as a few of the pieces begin to lightly brown add the chicken to the skillet.

Cook the chicken just until it starts to cook on the surface. Do NOT cook the chicken through. When chicken begins to brown, add the entire bottle of white wine-yes please!- covering the chicken completely. If you do not have enough wine to cover the chicken, you can add a bit of water, but really, has more wine ever been a bad idea? (well, we can just declare that question rhetorical and move on...)Once sufficient amounts of wine have been added, put the heat on high and bring to a boil. Allow the wine to boil until there is very little left in the pan--about half an hour--occasionally stirring so as not to burn. When no liquid remains, remove from heat, stir once more, add the juice of an entire lemon and go crazy.

Dinner in Dun Laioghaire

Yesterday we took a day trip into the charming little harbor town of Dun Laioghaire. After we roamed in and out of little shops filled with Saturday shoppers in the quaint town overlooking the sea, we made our way to one of the city's two piers, before having the best meal we've had in Ireland.









After our day by the sea we meandered back into town for a seriously delicious meal.
Harry's Cafe Bar had some great deals for parties of two so we treated ourselves to our first really delicious meal in Ireland. To start, we go "Harry's Famous Fish Cakes with a Basil Aioli," which were aptly named and a Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Fig salad.


Recipe for Fish Cakes from BBCgoodfood.com:
* 450g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock fillet, from a sustainable source
* 2 bay leaves
* 150ml milk
* 350g Maris Piper potatoes
* ½ tsp finely grated lemons zest
* 1 tbsp fresh white flatleaf parsley , chopped
* 1 tbsp snipped chives
* 1 egg
* flour , for shaping
* 85g fresh white breadcrumbs , preferably a day or two old
* 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil , for shallow frying
* lemon wedges and watercress , to serve
1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside. Lay the fish and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over the milk and 150ml/¼ pint water. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish.
2. Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pince of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
3. Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave for a min or two. Tip them back into the hot pan on the lowest heat you can and let them dry out for 1 min, mashing them with a fork and stirring so they don't stick. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash. Take off the heat and beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then the lemon zest, parsley and chives. Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
4. Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes. Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix (see pic 1). You'll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
5. Beat the egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four. On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick (pic 2). One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated (pic 3). Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in - if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use. Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce (squeeze in a little lemon zest to taste), lemon wedges for squeezing over and watercress.
Recipe for the Basil Aioli from Epicurious:
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise (home-made or store bought)
* 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Fig Salad:

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Fig Salad from Jamieoliver.com
"One thing I do is to criss-cross the figs but not quite to the bottom - 1 fig per person is always a good start. Then, using your thumbs and forefingers, squeeze the base of the fig to expose the inside. At this point you'll think, 'Oooh, that looks nice, I think I'm quite clever ...' or at least I do. More importantly, it allows your dressing to get right into the middle of the fig. All these little things really help to make a salad special. Simply place the figs in a dish, weave around 1 slice of Parma ham or prosciutto per fig, throw in some slices of buffalo mozzarella and rip over some green or purple basil. Mix 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of good honey and some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper together in a bowl and drizzle everything with this dressing. As far as salads go, it's pretty damn sexy.

PS It's a good idea to have some spare bread on the table to mop up the juices - always a treat."-J.O.

For our mains, Jake had the Classic Char-grilled Homemade Beef Burger with Crispy Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Tomato Relish and French Fries. This thing was huge. And delicious. This look-alike does not do this burger justice:

Recipe for Bacon Cheese Burger from Allrecipes.com:

Ingredients

* 1 pound sliced bacon, diced
* 5 pounds ground beef chuck
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1/4 cup steak sauce
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 pound American cheese slices

Directions

1. Preheat a grill for high heat.
2. Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry, stirring occasionally. When the bacon is almost done, add the onion. Cook until the bacon is crisp, and the onion is tender. Remove onion and bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to chop finely. Do not puree. Pour into a large bowl, and mix with steak sauce and ground chuck using your hands. Form into 16 patties.
3. Place patties on the grill, and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Place a slice of cheese on top of each one during the last minute.

Tomato Relish recipe from grownups.co.nz:

12 medium tomatoes
6 medium white onions
1 pint brown vinegar
1 lb sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp mustard
1/2 Tbsp curry powder
for thickening:
1 heaped Tbsp plain flour mixed to smooth paste with cold water

Use kitchen whizz to pulp up the tomatoes and onions and put in a large pot along with all other ingredients.
Simmer steadily with lid on for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in flour paste to thicken the relish.
Put back onto the heat and bring back up to the boil to cook the flour. This will only take 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and pour into sterilized jars or bottles and cap when cool.

I had the Char-grilled Pork Loin with Grilled Peach, Tender Stem Broccoli, Asparagus and new Potatoes.
The grilled peaches initially sold me on this thing, but the whole combination was over the top!

Recipe for Pork Loin from Gourmetfood.com:
Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 24 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the Brine
* 1 1⁄2 quarts water
* 6 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
* 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
* Handful of fresh thyme sprigs
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
For the Pork:
*4 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3⁄4 inch thick
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons bourbon
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 2 large freestone peaches, such as O'Henry or Elberta, halved and pitted
1. Make the brine: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt. Set aside until completely cool.
2. Put the pork chops in a nonreactive container that holds them snugly in a single layer. Add the brine, which should cover them. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. About 1 hour before cooking, remove the pork chops from the brine and set them on a wire cooling rack at room temperature to dry. Discard the brine. Prepare a moderate charcoal fire for indirect grilling (page 102) or preheat a gas grill to moderate (375˚F), leaving one burner unlit for indirect grilling.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, bourbon, and honey. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the honey dissolves. Keep warm.
5. Pat the pork chops with paper towels to remove any remaining surface moisture. Set the chops directly over the coals or flame and brown both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Then transfer to indirect heat, cover the grill, and cook until the pork chops offer some resistance to the touch but are still springy, not firm, about 4 minutes longer. On an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should measure about 150˚F for medium.
6. Once the pork chops have been moved to indirect heat, grill the peaches. Brush them all over with the butter-honey mixture and place cut side down directly over the coals or flame. Cook until the peaches are lightly charred, then turn, baste again, and cook just until they are tender and juicy. The pork chops and peaches should be done at roughly the same time, but if not, move whichever is done first to a cooler area of the grill. Serve each pork chop alongside half a grilled peach.

Burgers, brats and a hurling match; Celebrating Independence Day Abroad

Saturday, July 3, 2010, I woke to the sounds of blaring rap music and the promise of "American food." My study abroad program had planned a fourth of July party for us on the 3rd of July. Naturally, Jake, my new roommate Jorge and I were the first to arrive and we sat in the courtyard of our apartment complex alone,(aside from the very bored 40something DJ), chilly and eating burgers, hotdogs and microwaved chicken nuggets from the convenient store attached to our apartment. It was hilarious.

Slowly though, people started to come out of their apartments, followed by the sun, and inevitable games of beer pong, soccer and sunning. It turned out to be a great day and we had fun celebrating our nation's holiday in our host country.
Jake and Jorge hit it off famously and we all made plans to watch Spain take on Paraguay in the World Cup later that night. Spain won and the streets of Dublin filled with Spanish tourists and students in one large mob chanting Spanish cheers, songs and the universal "Ole!" As adopted Spaniards, Jake and I followed suit and celebrated with the best of them.

The next day, our program had paid for us all to go to a hurling match between the Irish cities of Galway and Kilkenny. I knew nothing about hurling matches and was very impressed with this Quidditch-like sport. Here is a video I found that will give you a taste of our day's entertainment.

Although I had no apple pie, and watched a sport unlike any American game I'd seen, I felt the spirit of the 4th abroad.
Since I celebrated Independence Day in a whole new way this year, I thought I would share a recipe for a Kansas classic "Nu Way" burger that I made before I left home.
Ingredients
lean ground beef
onion
onion soup mix
green pepper
ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
American cheese

Saute onion green pepper until soft.
Begin to brown the beef and add onion and green pepper. As beef cooks add remaining ingredients. Serve with cheese on a freshly toasted bun and enjoy.
(apologies for the loose recipe. I can't remember all the measurements, and quite frankly even all of the ingredients, but I don't think you can really mess up burgers on a summer day!

Picnic with Wild Horses

The other day we decided we would take our first Irish hike and made our way to, and eventually up, Sugarloaf Mountain. Just a few miles outside of Dublin, this mountain peak overlooks the bustling metropolis of Ireland's capital while sitting on the skirts of the Atlantic Ocean. Although each view was breathtakingly beautiful in completely different ways, the juxtaposition of such environments produced the same result. While I felt like I was on top of both natural and man-made worlds, I felt completely tiny; thankful to have the opportunity to observe each. Despite the beauties of each landscape, however, the most beautiful site I encountered that day was a group of wild horses. Relaxing atop an Irish mountain, these beautiful creatures looked as natural as the ocean below. This overwhelming beauty reminded me of one of my favorite songs and it has been running through my head ever since I happened upon them.

"Childhood living is easy to do,
the things you wanted I bought them for you,
graceless lady, you know who I am,
you know I can't let you slide through my hands..."

"wild horses couldn't drag me away,
wild wild horses couldn't drag me away..."

"I watched you suffer a dull aching pain,
now you decided to show me the same,
no sweeping exits or off stage lines,
could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind,
wild horses couldn't drag me away,
wild wild horses couldn't drag me away..."

"I know I've dreamed you a sin and a lie,
I have my freedom but I don't have much time,
faith has been broken tears must be cried,
let's do some living after we die..."

"wild horses couldn't drag me away,
wild wild horses we'll ride them some day..."


"Wild horses couldn't drag me away,
wild wild horses we'll ride them some day..."

Wicklow Mountains and Guinness Lake

I had the day off work on Friday so we headed to the Wicklow Mountains, said to "sit on the city's southern doorstep," about 20 miles outside of Dublin. Home to the sets of Mel Gibson's epic "Braveheart," and chick-flicks "P.S. I love you," and "Leap Year." While the latter two films are no cinematic masterpieces, it is obvious that the one thing pulling them through the box office ranks is the scenery and atmosphere of rural Ireland. Peaceful, quiet and seemingly untouched, it's not surprising some of the most well-known artists of modern day seek out this beautiful refuge as an escape. In the heart of the Wicklows, it is not uncommon for visitors such as Paul McCartney, Paul Hewson, (better known as my old pal Bono), and the late Michael Jackson. These musical giants frequent these hills to visit Paul Garreth, U2's first manager. Paul's home, nestled in the valley between two of Wicklow's peaks, looks out over Guinness Lake. Guinness Lake, aptly named because of its dark color and frothy foam shore line, was once owned by the Guinness family and is still the main water source for the dark elixir Dubliners live on. The waters of Guinness Lake get their dark color from a mineral in the peat bogs surrounding it. Even the strong stout flavor of Ireland's favorite beer come from this unique mineral and are described as "tasting the way peat smells." As a day trip to the mountains turned into a history lesson on drink, I realized that the interests of a foodie, or anyone who enjoys a good drink, know no limits.