Absolut Oysters & Vodka for Valentines Day

This is a wee thing we make every now and then and always for Valentines Day! This year it was even more special as those lovely people from ABSOLUT vodka sent me out one of their new limited edition bottles of ABSOLUT MODE.

Absolute Oysters & Vodka for Valentines Day

The lovely Emma Shannon told me that the bottle reflects "the world of fashion, through twelve facets wrapped with a band in midnight blue silk cloth with text embroidery. Inspired by the timeless fashion photographies that became popular after World War II, and the experimental films of the sixties for beauty giants L’Oreal and Elizabeth Arden, the bottle reflects the faces of fashion surrounding it." ...And tasty vodka it is too!!!

The very Classy looking ABSOLUT MODE  Vodka

This simple oyster starter dish is great for parties and reflects the tastes of the classic vodka-based hangover cure, the Bloody Mary. It uses almost the same ingredients but I use some freshly grated Ginger instead of Worcester Sauce to round up the flavours. You can double up the ingredients depending on the numbers.

My Ingredients:

12 Oysters

1 peeled Tomato

1/2 that amount of finely chopped Celery

1 teaspoonful of freshly grated Ginger

knob of Butter

juice of 1/2 Lemon

2x 35ml shots Absolut Vodka

Tobasco Sauce

My Method:

1. Open the oysters, loosen & turn.

2. Melt the butter in a small pot. Toss in the celery and cook until soft. Add the tomato & ginger and soften quickly stirring all the time.

3. Add the lemon juice and Vodka. Tip up to the gas and Flambee (or tip up to a lighter if you don't use gas) to burn off some of the alcohol and concentrate the flavour.

4. Splash in a few dashes of Tobasco sauce and take it off the heat.

5. Divide and spoon the hot reduction over the cold oysters and serve immediately!

It sound strange but it tastes Great! Yum!

For more on the Absolut Vodka see http://www.absolut.com/mode

Don't forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this Post!

Zack

Donegal Bay Oysters & How I open an Oyster!

Ireland produces two types of Oysters: the "Native Oyster" also known as the flat oyster (Ostrea Edulis) which is harvested seasonally & the "Pacific Oyster", also called Rock Oyster (Crassostrea Gigas) which is widely available all year round due to our cooler climate and is the one more commonly seen in restaurants.

Look at these beautiful, large, juicy fresh Rock Oysters - straight out of Donegal Bay from my friend Conor Reid's Oyster Farm. Conor and his brother Damien, have been growing oysters in Donegal Bay for over 20 years. The company, Donegal Oysters Ltd., concentrates on producing 'Speciale' quality, the highest grade, only.


Oysters fresh from the Atlantic Ocean!

Water quality is pristine with the open Atlantic on one side mixing with the Donegal Town's river Eske on the other. It is this natural combination which produces a full meat oyster with a unique taste of the untamed Atlantic and makes Donegal oysters one of the most sought-after brands in the whole of Europe!

The Reid family export over 400 tonnes of fresh Oysters every year! You can contact Conor Reid, Donegal Oyster Ltd. at donegaloysters@eircom.net

There has always been quite a lot of debate (among chefs especially) on the correct method to open an oyster. Most french or classically-trained chefs tend to open them from the side which works best with the flat oyster. The truth is, there is No correct way to open them - just are just personal preferred methods!

So for any of you who do not know.....

Here is how I open an Oyster!


1. Use an oyster knife or a small, thick, pointed (but blunt) knife.

2. Holding the oyster, flat side up, in a thick cloth to protect your hand - insert the knife at the hinge of the oyster.



3. Push and twist the knife so as to break the hinge open.



4. Slide the knife across the inside of the top shell.



Half way across the top shell cut the muscle attached to it.



Make the cut clean with your knife and discard the top shell.



5. Slide your knife under the oyster and cut the bottom muscle to loosen it completely from the shell



6. Turn the oyster over, to present the better side, for service

mmmmmm! Don't forget the Lemon wedges!


Don't forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this Post!
zack

KINSALE, Ireland, - to Host National Seafood Chowder Championships

KINSALE TO HOST NATIONAL CHOWDER ‘COOK-OFF’

TOP CHEFS TO COMPETE FOR TITLE OF NATIONAL CHOWDER CHAMPION

Kinsale, Ireland’s seafood capital, has announced that it is set to host the first ever National Chowder Cook-Off, in a bid to find Ireland’s most talented chowder chef.

The event, which will take place on Sunday May 22nd 2011 will also incorporate a ‘celebrity chef chowder cook-off’ – where three of Ireland’s best known chefs will go head to head in a public cook off in the grounds of Actons Hotel in the town.



Martin Shanahan of Fish Fishy, Kinsale and ‘RTE’s Martin’s Mad About Fish’ and the upcoming follow up programme ‘Martin’s Still Mad About Fish’; Ross Lewis, Michelin starred chef at Chapter One Restaurant in Dublin; and Paul Flynn, The Tannery Restaurant in Waterford, winner of Egon Ronay Restaurant of the Year and Georgina Campbell Chef of the Year will compete against each other in a fantastic, not to be missed, cook off contest.

This event will be MC’d by broadcaster Derek Davis, ambassador for the Failte Ireland National Food Strategy and lifelong ambassador for Kinsale itself!

The National Chowder Cook-Off will see 20 top professional restaurant chefs, or those producing popular commercial chowders throughout the country, compete for the coveted title of
National Chowder Champion.

Each competing chef will be hosted by a local Kinsale restaurant who will offer their facilities, support and even their own brown bread as an accompaniment. The chefs will then serve the chowder from individual stalls in the grounds of Actons Hotel for judging.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to vote by purchasing a ballot card for €5 allowing them to then to sample each of the 20 chowders and cast their vote!

The winning chef will not only be crowned National Chowder Champion, but will also receive a customised trophy and an all-inclusive package stay in Kinsale for the renowned Kinsale Gourmet Food Festival 2011 – including tickets to all events, meals, plus accommodation for two people for two nights during the festival.

The October event, now in its 35th year, is one of the highest regarded and most popular festivals on the Irish events calendar.

Hal McElroy, Chairman of Kinsale Chamber of Tourism, the organisers of the event said “Being renowned as Ireland’s seafood capital, Kinsale offers the perfect platform to showcase the wealth of talent that exits amongst Ireland’s chefs when it comes to chowder recipes. This event is not just a contest but an entire festival supported by local businesses, offering an array of activities for people to participate in. Not to mention the delicious chowders they will be able to enjoy along the way! On behalf of all the people of Kinsale, we look forward to welcoming both new and returning visitors to the town in May for this fantastic series of events”.

The town will also host its annual Sea Sunday Service on May 22nd, – an ecumenical and inter-faith setting to commemorate those who have died at sea, to pray for the safety of those who work at sea, and to remember all those who work and are involved in rescues at sea.

For press enquiries contact:
Gina Kelly, Fuzion, gina@fuzion.ie, (086) 788 7318

First posted at:
http://kinsale.ie/national-chowder-cook-off/

The #inishfood Menu in it's Full Glory!

The Saturday evening #inishfood Feast at Harry’s Bar , Donegal, was simply Supreme!

No menu was tendered. Anticipation is an excellent starter!

As the Six Courses of platters were delivered to our tables the serving staff explained, with a wonderfully refreshing enthusiasm, their well-imparted knowledge of the food being provided. (Why all restaurants can't take the few extra minutes that Harry's Bar has done to educate their floor staff on the menu they are serving, I'll never know.) Ultimately, the floor staff is the link between the kitchen and the diner.

We started off with good fresh breads, a rendered porkfat with rosemary and butter.  A tasty selection of four butters was delivered to the table, one of which was hand-made by Imenm with Ella McSweeney as part of a production demonstration earlier in the  day.

First, up came a selection of Pates: A smooth Brawn Terrine, A rough Pork, Prune & Wild Garlic pate and a Chicken Liver Parfait all served with the home baked and toasted brioche & a  cranberry chutney. All delicious and plenty of each to give us all an appetite for what was still to  come.

Harry's Bar has always advocated the use of the fresh fish that comes in off the local fishing boats on a daily basis. The next course was proof of this: Greencastle Scampi in a light  crumb,  Breaded Langoustine on skewers and a Salt Cod Fish Cake with a  simple tartare dip and chunky Lemon wedges. This was accompanied by a little shot glassful of a Langoustine & Cognac Bisque - a wonderful side addition to this sea-to-the-plate course of Donegal Seafood.

This was followed by a Shin of local Beef cooked inside homemade Ravioli and tossed in a celeriac, wild garlic & horseradish cream. Light and lovely, this was a great dish to share with the great company we were in!

Next up in this roll call of #inishfood Honour came the House Dry-Cured Greencastle Pollack served on a lightly spiced sweet Red Pepper sauce and topped with a little dried filo-pastry slice.

With almost 70 food writers, chefs, food-stylists and food producers from all over Ireland in the Restaurant, the style, presentation and delivery of this #inishfood feast was impeccable! 

Our next platter on the table came as a selection of Rare Breed Saddleback Pork from Marshall's Farm in Burt (which is only fifteen minutes from the venue) and Wild locally culled Venison. The Confit of Venison rolled in hazelnut breadcrumbs with amaretto & butternut Squash puree and a beetroot jelly was a melt in the mouth dish combining some distinct flavours into a perfectly balanced mouthful. This was served with a finely sliced carpaccio of Venison Loin, rolled in cumin & cardamon.

The Confit of Shoulder of Pork came with a delicate Cauliflower puree and a slow-roast pork Belly. The most impeccably cooked crackling left most of the diners begging for the secret but Donal's chef Raymond Moran was giving nothing away! To top off this amazing platter of locally farmed meat was some of Jack McCarthy's famous Chocolate, Pistachio & Mint flavoured Black Pudding. The combination of these flavours, through the rich dark pudding, left a taste of true passion on the lips. Genius.

By this stage many of those collected for the event were halfway to Foodie-heaven. The Dessert plate put the icing on this  #inishfood cake! A delicate panacotta flavoured with locally made McDaid's Football Special (a unique fruit-flavoured soft drink) was served with a quenelle of Sligo-based Yeat’s Country Foods cream cheese Cheesecake with white chocolate & Donegal made Tyrconnel Whiskey. Added to this was a Braemar Farm buttermilk Ice cream which rounded the meal and mellowed the palette’s amalgamated flavours.

I have to say congratulations to Donal, Kevin, Raymond, their friends, families and all the extended Harry's Bar and Restaurant Foodie Family for a wonderful evening.

It was certainly one that will be talked about for some time to come!!

Don’t forget to feed the fish at the bottom of this Post!

What a great way to meet some great people! For all of you who couldn't get up to Donegal for the world's first Twitter-based pop-up Food Festival.. don't miss the next one!!

zack.