Ballymaloe Foods: Delicious Magazine, Spring Summer 2023

KEEPING SPRING/ SUMMER LEAN

In our Spring / Summer 2023 edition we are “leaning into summer” and sharing our key insights into LEAN business concepts for the foodservice industry.

Tracie Daly, Food Business Coach & Development Chef, delivers a whole host of top tips to help you make better menu decisions and optimise kitchen efficiencies. Having owned and run an awardwinning café, Tracie now uses her own experience to help other businesses understand what they need to do to enable them to stay “lean” and flourish.

Tracie’s latest project, back in January, was the launch of an online event “At The Pass” (https://www. atthepass.ie/). The programme was created to help business owners navigate uncertainty in the food and hospitality sectors, especially those making decisions around closures. Tracie led the sessions, alongside Dr. Orla Byrne (Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship at UCD) and Dr. Noel Murray (Head of Department for Tourism & Hospitality at Munster Technological University). Attendees were treated to a wealth of knowledge and practical expert advice in the areas of Finance, HR, PR and business planning. For those who couldn’t attend the event, we are sharing our key learnings from “At the Pass” which we hope you will find helpful.

We are here to (hopefully) lighten the burden and offer helpful guidance as your business navigates the challenges of rising costs and changes in consumer demands.

To find out more about how #AtThePass came to life, click below:

Spotify: At The Pass - The Who & The Why Tracie - The Food Business Coach | Podcast on Spotify

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ ie/podcast/tracie-the-food-business-coach/ id1643418741?i=1000590672381

Tracie’s website: https://www.traciedaly. com/podcast/episode/99fc309f/at-the-passthe-who-and-the-why

In this issue we also have a fantastic article written by Amy Irwin of business consultancy, Conscious Kitchens. As a former Environmental Health Office (EHO), Amy shares her invaluable insider tips on how to best prepare your business for a kitchen inspection.

As always, we share a selection of delicious recipes to inspire you with new and interesting ways to use our range of Ballymaloe Foods relishes and sauces. Our latest guest chef is Orla McAndrew, who has built her business by focussing on zero food waste while supporting great Irish food producers. Orla has created a flavourful recipe for Spanish Croquettas which uses simple ingredients and showcases the versatility of Ballymaloe Relish. All recipes featured in this edition are perfect for the Spring / Summer season and are based around simple ingredients, promising minimal waste in the kitchen – critical elements for our LEAN business theme.

If you have featured any of our products on your Spring/Summer menu, we’d love to see it tagged on our socials @ballymaloefoods

The Ballymaloe Foods Team

Tracie Daly Development Chef, Ballymaloe Foods

Sean Moriarty Foodservice Manager, Ballymaloe Foods

Tracie Daly

Ballymaloe Foods

TRACIE’S SUGGESTION

3:3:3

Pick and choose 3 items for each course based on kitchen leftovers. These can be edited to suit your ingredients list.

Ballymaloe’s Relish range is largely interchangeable in the following recipes e.g. if you currently use Ballymaloe Pepper Relish, this can replace Original Relish, for an added boost of heat. Likewise, if the Fiery Relish is too hot for your liking, the Pepper Relish is a gentler level of heat.

TRACIE’S LEAN MENU

Breakfast

1. Free Range Eggs Benedict on chargrilled local sourdough

2. Ballymakenny Potato Cakes topped with beet hollandaise butter, wilted spinach, Irish smoked salmon, caper berries and Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot

3. Breakfast Pie with an eggy lid, sourdough crumble & Ballymaloe Irish Stout Sauce

4. Creamy Porridge topped with nutty granola, cinnamon sourdough crumbs, warm poached fruit and spiced syrup

Lunch

1. ‘Fiery’ Smoked Sausage Pasta topped with pangrattato and melted garlic green stalks

2. Fish Pie topped with hollandaise butter, skins-on Irish glazed carrots and Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot

3. Irish Lamb Tagine with homemade preserved lemons, panagrattato, and served on a bed of nutty couscous

4. Sausage & Cheddar Quiche with a Ballymaloe Relish and sourdough crumble topping and a garden salad

Dessert

1. Spiced Poached Plums with a burnt butter and cinnamon sourdough crumble

2. Poached Fruit & Apple Crumble Tart

3. Lemon Meringue Pie served with candied lemon and softly whipped cream

4. Meringue Nests topped with poached fruits and lemon infused softly whipped cream

Drinks

1. Homemade lemonades (to use leftover juices, fruit skins, syrups - add a sugar syrup and sparkling water. Also delicious with a splash of Ballymaloe Diced Beetroot pickling juice).

Development Chef

CROSSOVER OF INGREDIENTS

Sourdough Bread

1 - Panagrattato

2 - Croutons/croutes

3 - Breadcrumbs - stuffing- sweet crumblesavoury crumble

4 - Rustic bread sticks (garlic and oil the crusts, bake on low)

5 - Fishcakes, potato cakes - add to mix for texture

6 - Topping for stews & casseroles

7 - Texture enhancer e.g sprinkle crunchy crumbs on egg dishes, use as soup topping

Eggs

1 - Hollandaise sauce

2 - Hollandaise butter to enrich main courses

3 - Quiche

4 - Pastry

5 - Meringue

6 - Curd to use in desserts

Lemon

1 - Zest in panagrattato

2 - Juice in lemon curd

Poached Fruit

1 - Poached fruit, crumble and cream

2 - Poached fruit and apple crumble tart

3 - Poached fruit and meringues

4 - Poached fruit on porridge and granola

5 - Poached fruit syrup in lemonade

Potatoes

1 - Potatoes in the potato cakes

2 - Topping for fish pie

3 - Crisped potato skins

3 - Rinds in preserved lemon for embellishing salads and tagines

4 - Candied lemon pulp in lemon curd

5 - Candied lemon garnish in scones, cookies, cakes, fruitcake, madeira loaf cakes

Shortcrust Pastry

1 - Breakfast Pie Lid

2 - Lemon Meringue Pie

3 - Crumble Tart

HOW IS THIS MENU LEAN?

Breakfast

1. Free range Eggs Benedict on Chargrilled local sourdough toast

The leftover crusts and cut-offs to be utilised as many times as possible in the menu (sweet and savoury).

The leftover hollandaise sauce to star as a flavoured hollandaise butter. Allowing the sauce to nearly set creates a quenelle, as a luxurious topping.

2. Ballymakenny potato cakes topped with beet hollandaise butter, wilted spinach, Irish smoked salmon, caper berries and Ballymlaoe Irish Beetroot

The stalks from the spinach to be celebrated as a star element in another dish.

The pickled juice from the beetroot to colour and enhance the leftover hollandaise, and can be used as a quenelle topping. Making extra hollandaise in the morning to be utilised later is a great use of time.

3. Breakfast pie with an eggy lid and sourdough crumble served with Ballymaloe Irish Stout Sauce

The shortcrust pastry for this dish can be bulk prepared and portioned for multiple dishes so a good crossover of use.

The crumble creates a delicious texture. It is an edible garnish and simple extra layer using up leftovers. The sausages that are bought in are also used in the lunch pasta dish so it is minimising space in the fridge and unnecessary additional ordering.

4. Porridge topped with nutty granola and cinnamon sourdough crumbs with warmed poached fruits in a spiced syrup

The poached fruit appears in several of our dessert options. It allows you to use up prepared ingredients faster, reducing waste and unnecessary spoiling. Adding sourdough crumbs to the granola will add an extra crunch.

Lunch

1. ‘Fiery’ smoked sausage pasta topped with panagrattato and melted garlic spinach stalks

The spinach stalks are amplified with garlic and are a hero ingredient on the plate. The panagrattato is such a simple and delicious addition - sourdough bread crumbs toasted with garlic, lemon and rosemary brings in a layer of flavour and added texture.

2. Fish pie topped with a quenelle of hollandaise butter and Ballymaloe Irish Beetroot

The fish pie can have multiple lids - cheesy crumb if excess crumbs exist, a deconstructed pie where you bake off seperate pastry lids and add as ordered, mashed potato piped on top using the potatoes boiled for the potato cake recipe. The hollandaise can be used again in this recipe. The Irish beets are also on the breakfast menu so this is a crossover of use. You can also reuse the diced potatoes from the breakfast menu.

3. Irish lamb tagine garnished with homemade preserved lemons, panagrattato, and served on a bed of nutty couscous

The panagrattato is made from the leftover crusts from the breakfast dish of eggs benedict. The preserved lemon is made using the leftover lemon skins from making lemon curd on the dessert menu.

4. Sausage quiche with a cheddar sourdough crumble served with Ballymaloe Relish

The sausages are already on the breakfast menu along with the eggs. The cheddar can be used in the cheesy crumb on the fish pie. The quiche pastry is used on the breakfast and dessert menu so it means that again, one item will appear in multiple courses allowing you to downsize the prep list and order list. Crispy potato skins are used from the mornings waste from preparing the potatoes for the potato cakes.

Dessert

1. Spiced poached plums/ fruits with a burnt butter and cinnamon sourdough crumble

The poached fruits are on the breakfast menu meaning they have multiple uses. The syrup is then used in smoothies, juices or lemonades.

2. Poached fruit and apple crumble tart

Any leftover fruit, or fruit nearing the end of their prime can be used to enrich a fruit crumble, tart or scones. A little goes a long way so even a tablespoon of berries will make a delicious difference.

3. Lemon meringue pie served with candied lemon and softly whipped cream

Using any excess lemon skins, you can make 1) preserved lemons 2) candied lemon 3) lemon pulp to heighten the tartness of your curd. The egg whites for the meringue are leftover from the hollandaise. The pastry is the pastry used in ALL pastry dishes. Great crossover of ingredients.

4. Meringue nests topped with poached fruits and lemon infused whipped cream

The nests are made using leftover egg whites from the hollandaise. The fruit is the same fruit from breakfast and other dessert items. Candied lemon syrup is used in the cream to heighten the flavour and give the candied lemon more uses.

Drinks

1. Homemade lemonades to use leftover juices, fruit skins, syrups - add a sugar syrup and sparkling water.

2. Also use leftover fruit compote syrup in juices to colour and enhance or use in smoothies if on the menu.

LEAN RECIPES WITH BALLYMALOE FOODS

Ballymakenny Potato Cakes

with beet hollandaise butter, wilted spinach, smoked salmon, capers and Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot

Ingredients (Serves 6)

For the potato cakes:

• 900g Ballymakenny cooked potatoes, peeled

• 50g butter

• 6 tbsp plain flour

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 2 tsp salt

• Clarified butter to fry

For the beet hollandaise butter:

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 tsp cold water

• 110g butter, cubed

• 1–2 tsp Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot pickling juices

For the wilted spinach:

• 900g fresh spinach, stalks removed

• 50–100g butter or extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• A little freshly grated nutmeg

To serve (per portion):

• 40g Irish smoked salmon

• 2 tbsp Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot

• 6 capers

• Chopped fresh parsley or chives

Method

1. To make the potato cakes, mash the cooked, peeled potatoes in a large bowl until smooth. Add the melted butter, flour and beaten egg to the mash. Mix until fully combined.

2. Fry off a small piece of mash to taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

3. Tip the mash out onto a floured work surface and flatten. Using a cutter, shape the potato cakes into 7.5cm rounds.

4. Melt some clarified butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry off two or three potato cakes at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan). Keep a careful eye on the heat, as you want to achieve a crisp and goldenbrown appearance on all sides while also heating it through to the centre. This can take 5 minutes per side. Keep warm in the oven as you finish frying off the remaining potato cakes.

5. To make the beet hollandaise butter, put the egg yolks in a heavy stainless steel saucepan on a low heat. Add the cold water and whisk thoroughly.

6. Add the butter cubes one at a time, whisking all the time. As soon as one cube melts, add the next one. The mixture will gradually thicken, but if it shows signs of slightly scrambling or becoming too thick, remove the pan from the heat immediately and add a little cold water. Do not leave the pan or stop whisking until the sauce is made.

7. Finally, add 1–2 teaspoons of Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot pickling juice to taste. If the sauce is too runny, increase the heat slightly and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens to a coating consistency.

8. Pour into a container to set at room temperature. This then becomes your beet hollandaise butter.

9. To make the wilted spinach, wash the prepared spinach and drain. Use while still wet.

10. Melt most of the butter or heat the oil in a wide frying pan. Toss in as much spinach as will fit easily in the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

11. As soon as the spinach wilts and becomes tender, strain off all the liquid. Increase the heat and add the remaining butter and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

12. To serve, put two cooked potato cakes on a warm plate, stacked to one side. Top the potato cakes with 1 tablespoon of the hot wilted spinach.

13. Using a warm dessertspoon, create a quenelle of the beet hollandaise butter. Carefully place it on top of the wilted spinach.

14. Put the sliced smoked salmon alongside the potato cakes and dot with drained cubes of Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot. Lastly, sprinkle over the capers and chopped fresh parsley or chives.

TIP: Toss the cooked potato peels in oil, season and bake in the oven preheated to 220°C until crisp. Use as crisps with dips.

Breakfast Pie

With sourdough crumble and Ballymaloe Irish Stout Sauce

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the breakfast pie:

• 1 sheet of ready-rolled frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 1 egg, beaten (use as egg wash)

• 80g sour cream

• 70g grated Gruyère cheese

• 2 slices of black pudding, cooked and crumbled

• A few sprigs of fresh thyme

• 4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked

• 4 large eggs

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Ballymaloe Irish Stout Sauce to serve

For the sourdough crumble:

• 1–2 slices of stale sourdough bread

• Olive oil, to drizzle

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. To make the sourdough crumble, blitz the stale bread into chunky crumbs. Put the crumbs in a bowl and drizzle over just enough olive oil to barely coat. Tip out onto a baking tray and spread out in an even layer.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until light golden, stirring the crumbs every now and then to get an even bake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

5. To make the breakfast pie, cut the puff pastry sheet into four squares. Brush each square with egg wash, then roll up the sides on each one to create a barrier wall.

6. Put the four pieces of puff pastry on the lined baking tray, spaced well apart. Using a fork, seal the rim gently and poke holes all over the pastry.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the topping.

8. Combine the sour cream, Gruyère cheese, crumbled black pudding and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves in a small bowl. Spread this onto each tart, creating a well in the centre for an egg.

9. Arrange a cooked bacon strip over the topping on each square. Crack an egg into each well and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

10. Bake in the oven for 8–10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

11. Garnish each square with a sprig of thyme and a sprinkle of sourdough crumble. Serve with lots of Ballymaloe Irish Stout Sauce.

‘Fiery’ pasta

With pangrattato and wilted garlicky green stalks with Ballymaloe Fiery Relish

Ingredients (Serves 6)

For the pasta:

• 1 heaped tbsp smoked sea salt

• 500g penne

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 200g chorizo, finely diced

• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• A pinch of sugar

• 300ml cream

• 1 tsp Ballymaloe Fiery Relish (add more depending on your taste)

• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated

For the pangrattato:

• 50ml extra virgin olive oil

• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled

• 75g sourdough breadcrumbs (blitzed from whole slices)

For the wilted garlicky green stalks:

• 1½ tsp salt

• 600g spinach stalks, cut to similar sizes

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Method

1. To make the pangrattato, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook just until the garlic starts to brown slightly, then remove the garlic from the pan.

2. Add the sourdough crumbs and stir continuously until they start to crisp and turn richly golden. Remove to a plate. (Add herbs or even nuts, seeds or dried fruits to amplify this delicious crispy topping.)

3. To make the wilted garlicky green stalks, bring 2 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and bring back to the boil, then add the spinach stalks and cook for 4 minutes. Drain.

4. Heat a splash of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a low heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook gently for 1 minute, just until fragrant.

5. Add the drained stalks. Turn up the heat and cook just until the garlic is golden and the stalks are coated with the garlicky oil. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary. Set aside and keep warm.

6. To cook the pasta, bring 4 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the smoked sea salt, then add the penne and stir well. Bring back to the boil and cook for 4 minutes,

then cover the pan with a lid, turn off the heat and allow the pasta to continue to cook in the covered saucepan for 9–12 minutes, until al dente.

7. Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan on a low heat. Add the diced chorizo and cook gently to draw out the flavour. Add the tinned tomatoes and chopped rosemary, then season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Increase the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have just begun to soften into a sauce.

8. Add the cream, Ballymaloe Fiery Relish and most of the chopped parsley. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cream comes to the boil. Simmer for 7 minutes, until slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

9. When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss it in the sauce. Add the grated Parmesan and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

10. To serve, divide the pasta between six wide, shallow bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley and the pangrattato. Add a side of wilted garlicky green stalks.

Fish Pie

With beet hollandaise butter, glazed carrots and Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot

Ingredients (Makes 6 small fish pies)

• 100g butter, plus extra for cooking

• 100g plain flour

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 200g onion, chopped

• A splash of olive oil

• 250g flat mushrooms, sliced

• 1.2kg skinned fillets of cod, haddock, hake, salmon or pollock (or a mixture)

• 600ml milk

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish

• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 100g frozen peas

For the duchesse potatoes:

• 900g unpeeled potatoes, preferably Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks

• 300ml milk

• 1 egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 50g butter

For the glazed carrots:

• 450g carrots

• 10g butter

• 125ml cold water

• A good pinch of sugar

• 75g drained Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot

To serve:

• Beet hollandaise butter (see the Ballymakenny potato cake recipe)

Method

1. To make the duchesse potatoes, scrub the potatoes well. Put them in a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked – about 15 minutes for ‘old’ potatoes – strain off two-thirds of the water. Put the lid on the saucepan and put on a gentle heat to allow the potatoes to steam until they are fully cooked.

2. Peel immediately by just pulling off the skins so you have as little waste as possible. Put through a ricer or mouli legume while hot or mash until smooth.

3. While you’re peeling the potatoes, bring the milk to the boil.

4. Put the mashed potatoes in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the egg and egg yolk into the hot mashed potatoes. Add enough boiling milk to mix to a soft, light consistency suitable for piping, then beat in the butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a piping bag and set aside until ready to use for the fish pie topping.

5. To make the fish pies, melt the 100g butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to make a roux. Remove the pan from the heat.

6. Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the onion and sweat until soft but not coloured, then remove to a plate.

7. Increase the heat and add a little more butter and a splash of olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms in batches, season with salt and pepper and sauté until soft, then add to the onions.

8. Cut the fish into 150g individual portions and season with salt and pepper. Put the fish in a wide sauté pan in a single layer. Cover with the milk. Season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently until the fish is just cooked – this will take about 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the fish to a baking tray with a slotted spoon and carefully remove any bones or skin.

9. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

10. Bring the fish cooking liquid to the boil and thicken it by whisking in the roux. Stir in the chopped parsley and thyme, then add the onions, mushrooms, fish and frozen peas. Stir gently, taste and adjust the seasoning.

11. Spoon into six small pie dishes and pipe the duchesse potatoes on top. The pie may be prepared ahead to this point.

12. To finish, cook in the oven for 10–15 minutes if the filling and potato are warm or for 30 minutes if you’re reheating the dish later.

13. To make the glazed carrots, scrub the carrots clean and barely top and tail. Cut into slices roughly 8mm thick at an angle.

14. Put the carrots in a medium saucepan with the butter, water, sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan, reduce to a gentle heat and cook until tender, by which time the liquid should have all been absorbed into the carrots. If not, remove the lid, increase the heat and continue to cook until all the water has evaporated. Be careful, though, as the glaze can easily burn.

15. Add the drained Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot. Stir, taste and correct the seasoning. Swirl the saucepan so the carrots and beets are all coated with the glaze.

16. To serve, put the hot pies on warm plates. Top each pie with a quenelle of beet hollandaise butter. Serve with a side of glazed carrots and Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot with some chopped fresh parsley sprinkled over.

Sausage & Cheddar Quiche

With sourdough crumble and Ballymaloe Relish

Ingredients (Serves 8)

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 175g plain flour

• 75g butter, chilled and diced

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp cold water

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

For the filling:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 100g onion, chopped

• 3 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 300ml double cream

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

• 175g cooked sausage, chopped

• 110g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• Ballymaloe Relish

• Sourdough crumble (see the breakfast pie recipe)

• Green salad

Method

1. To make the pastry, sieve the flour and a generous pinch of salt into a large bowl. Toss the butter cubes in the flour, then rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

2. Whisk the egg yolk and cold water together. Using a fork, add just enough of this liquid to bring the pastry together, then collect it into a ball with your hands.

3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured worktop and use to line a 23cm diameter loose-bottomed baking tin. The pastry should come up just above the top of the tin. Line with parchment paper and fill to the top with dried beans. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

5. Blind bake the tart shell in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the beans and paper – the base should be almost fully cooked. Brush the base with a little beaten egg. Put back in the oven for 3–4 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

6. To make the filling, heat the oil in a sauté pan over a low heat. Add the chopped onion, cover the pan with a lid and sweat gently for 10 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl. Add the onion, cream, herbs, cooked sausage and cheese. Mix well and add some salt and pepper. Fry off a teaspoon to taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

8. Pour the filling into the pastry base and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, until the centre has just set.

9. To serve, spread the top of the tart with Ballymaloe Relish. Top with sourdough crumble and serve with a green salad on the side.

LEANING INTO SUMMER

Beetroot Lemonade

Ingredients (Makes approx. 2 litres)

• Juice of 6 lemons

• 150ml Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot pickling juice

• 1.4 litres water, sparkling water or soda water

For the stock syrup:

• 350g sugar

• 600ml water

To serve:

• Ice cubes

• Sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm

Method

1. To make the stock syrup, put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to cool. Store in the fridge until needed. This makes 825ml stock syrup, enough for several batches of lemonade.

2. To make the lemonade, mix the freshly squeezed lemon juice with 350ml of stock syrup and the Ballymaloe Diced Irish Beetroot pickling juice. Add water to taste.

3. Serve over ice and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm.

Recipe by Orla McAndrew Guest Chef

Spanish Croquettas

With Ballymaloe Relish

Ingredients (Makes 12)

• 200g mixed cheese (e.g. Gubbeen, Hegarty’s, Bó Rua, St Tola)

• 200g Spanish charcuterie mix

• 1½ tbsp Ballymaloe Relish, plus extra to serve

• 150g plain flour

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 200g fresh breadcrumbs

• Sunflower oil, for deep-frying

For the béchamel:

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 200ml milk

• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3–4 minutes over a high heat. Gradually add the milk and continue to whisk on a high heat, ensuring a smooth sauce. Season with salt, white pepper and a bay leaf. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

2. To make the croquettas, pop the cheese and charcuterie into a blender and pulse for 30 seconds, until fully blitzed. Tip into a bowl.

3. Once the béchamel has cooled, add it to the blitzed mixture along with the Ballymaloe Relish. Form into 12 golf ball-sized croquettas.

4. Once all the croquettas have been formed, set up a pané station: put the flour in one wide, shallow bowl, the beaten eggs in a second bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third. Roll each croquetta in the flour, followed by the beaten eggs, then the breadcrumbs.

5. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180°C.

6. Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd your fryer, carefully add the croquettas to the hot oil and fry for 3–4 minutes to colour and cook through.

7. Serve immediately with a side of Ballymaloe Relish.

C ONSCIOUS KITCHENS:

How former EHO Amy Irwin is helping businesses eliminate dread from inspection time

Amy Irwin founded Conscious Kitchens back in 2021, seizing a valuable opportunity within the foodservice industry. For over a decade, Amy worked as an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) and has now developed a service to enable food businesses to fully prepare for their inspections. Here, Amy shares her tips on eliminating dread from inspection time and how to help your business to thrive!

What do you think of when you hear, “The EHO is here”? Does the kitchen turn to chaos? Does everyone begin to scurry around ‘fixing’ things before they’re seen?

“Hide that! Move this! Wash your hands! STOP! Don’t put that there!” Does this sound familiar? Can you recall that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach?

I want to tell you that it doesn’t have to be like that. Traditionally, an Environmental Health Officer would do a ‘floors, walls and ceilings’ type of inspection, but those days are long gone. With the diversity of food available to us now, and the ever-changing complexity of

food preparation methods, food safety risks have evolved alongside them. A visiting EHO only sees a snapshot of your business during an inspection, so they should ask plenty of questions to understand how you operate daily. Only by gathering this information can they best advise you in terms of food safety and associated risks.

Here’s a selection of basic steps you can take to be prepared

Ensure that all staff are trained in food safety and hygiene. This is a legal requirement, but also one that is beneficial to your business. Keep your kitchen and all food storage areas well organised. An organised food preparation area will ensure that stock is well-rotated, that areas are always accessible for cleaning, and will also reduce the potential for crosscontamination.

Ensure you have adequate sinks: a handwash basin with soap and paper towel; one dedicated food preparation sink, and a double bowl sink if you are washing dishes and equipment by hand. These sinks must be able to take your largest piece of equipment. Alternatively, you could opt for one sink and a dishwasher.

Ensure you have a thermometer, and that everyone in the kitchen knows how to use it. When measuring temperatures for your records, check the temperature of the food daily, and sanitise the thermometer after each use with a sanitising wipe or something similar.

Maintain a good standard of cleaning and use a daily cleaning schedule.

But where can you get even more advice?

There are many rules around food safety nowadays, but certain legislation is open to interpretation. Ultimately, the EHO will leave it up to you to demonstrate compliance. You must be able to explain why you are taking each step and demonstrate that it is a safe way to prepare the food. Be confident in your process and give a detailed explanation.

Who can you ask for guidance when preparing for your inspection? This is just one element of what I offer to businesses. I can conduct a full inspection for you and provide you with detailed feedback. I was an Environmental Health Officer for more than 10 years. I want to use my experience in a proactive way to empower food business operators to fearlessly face inspection time.

Food is universal and a beautiful way to celebrate all of life’s occasions. Cheers to all the wonderful creatives within the foodservice industry!

“You must be able to explain why you are taking each step and demonstrate that it is a safe way to prepare the food. Be confident in your process and give a detailed explanation”.

AT THE PASS

Ballymaloe Foods were incredibly proud to sponsor ‘At the Pass’ which took place in January 2023 across two webinars.

At The Pass saw both industry and academic experts unite to create these webinars, designed specifically for current needs of hospitality & food related businesses

Some of our team were lucky to attend the sessions and have, very kindly, been given permission to share some of the invaluable advice and information from At the Pass and it’s organisers. For this edition’s Spotlight Feature, we have chosen some key take-home topics from the webinars.

For more information on the At The Pass and the amazing team behind it, please visit https:// www.atthepass.ie/

PRICING STRATEGIES

Led by Tracie Daly and Keith Darcy, this section focused on implementing a ‘tiered pricing’ strategy and identifying factors that will influence your pricing. The familiar ‘good-betterbest’ pricing strategy really does have it’s place on clever menus. This strategy offers customers three options for an item at gradually increasing prices – the ‘good option’, the ‘better option’ and the ‘best option’. This can apply to a set menu, drinks deal, combos and so on.

Remember, even your ‘good’ option should cover your costs and be able to keep you in business. Usually, it will take some trial and error to establish these price points. It can be helpful to review your competitor’s pricing too so you can be better informed on pricing your own dishes, but you should always carry out your own pricing too – no two businesses are the same.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PRICING:

• Company objectives

• Cost

• Demand

• Competition

• Chosen distribution channel

• Economic environment

• Consumer habits

• Government policy

• Miscellaneous factors

GETTING YOUR BUSINESS NOTICED

In what can sometimes feel like a very saturated market, it is essential for your business to have some stand-out credentials; reasons to attract new customers and ensure repeat visits too. Ali Dunworth and Chris Towers have outlined key points for consideration when trying to get your voice heard:

Sell your story! Customers love to be informed of how your business came to be, so position it front and centre in your marketing communications

Be authentic and unique. Play to your strengths and see what you can offer to customers that no other business is doing

Be relevant for your customers. How can you incorporate on-trend topics to keep customers interested?

Be quirky – it will get you noticed!

Have a strong social media presence and provide your followers with up-to-date messaging on your team, your story, your values, menu changes, opening hours –everything YOU would like to see from your favourite business

HEALTH & WELLBEING IS KEY

Patrick McKeown, author and breathing coach, delivered some incredible insights on what the human body needs for optimal health and functioning, many of which are neglected in periods of high stress. He focused on using your

breathing as a tool for overall health. Reiterating the importance of breathing through your nose as opposed to your mouth, he explained both the calming ability and health benefits of nasal breathing, as the air is filtered through your nose – not through your mouth. Patrick spoke about the human Hierarchy of Needs, and learning to tune into your body’s awareness. These needs are outlined in the below pyramid:

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS (REVISED)

You cannot give your business the love and support it needs to thrive if your own body is deprived of these same needs. It will inevitably reflect in your actions, responses and overall wellbeing.

Huge thanks to all contributors to At the Pass for allowing us to include the above content in this edition of Delicious Magazine..