Island surprise

The word spice may not spring to mind when we think of Irish cuisine, but caraway and coriander seeds, cloves, nutmeg, mace and ginger have been present in Ireland’s culinary history since the time of the Vikings, who had trade ties with the East. Here we’ve taken classic recipes and given them a spicy twist

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Makes: 1 loaf

For the soda bread

2 tsp caraway seeds

170g Flahavans Irish Oats

300g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

350ml buttermilk

1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg

For the topping

50g Irish Cheddar

1 tbsp Flahavans Irish Oats

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, or grease a large oven-proof cast-iron pan. 2 Toast the caraway seeds. Place the oats in a blender and pulse until finely ground. 3 In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients including the caraway seeds and oats and whisk together. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add in the buttermilk mixture. Mix until just combined, and the dough will look very shaggy. If it’s too wet to handle, add in some flour, if it’s too dry add in some extra buttermilk. 4 Form into a ball and place on on the baking tray or cast-iron pan. 5 Using a sharp knife, score a cross in the centre of the dough. Place the dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, before lowering the temperature to 180°C, gas mark 4. Bake for a further 25 minutes, or until golden. 6 To test if the bread is done, take it out of the oven, turn it over and knock on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it’s done.

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus brining time)

Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 4

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds

800g Irish organic salmon side, skin on

For the crisp crust

½ a small bunch SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

½ a bunch SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill

1 lemon

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

80g Keogh’s Mature Irish Cheese & Onion crisps

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 tbsp Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter

For the poached leeks

6 medium leeks

200g Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter

1 Mix the sea salt flakes with the fennel seeds and sprinkle all over the salmon. Cover and chill for 1 hour, then rinse well under gently running cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper towels. 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 3 Roughly chop the parsley and dill. Zest the lemon.

4 Place the chopped herbs, lemon zest, wholegrain mustard and salt in a blender and blitz to form a paste. 5 Lightly crush the crisps. 6 In a bowl, combine the herb paste, crisps and olive oil. 7 Place the salmon, skin down, in a large roasting tray. Press the crisp mixture on to the top of the salmon. Place in the oven on the lower rack to roast for approx. 40 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of roasting dot the butter over the top. 8 Rinse then halve the leeks lengthways. Heat the butter in a large pot and fry until foamy. Add the leeks, cut side down and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Cover the surface with a disc of baking paper (otherwise known as a cartouche). Poach the leeks for approx. 20-25 minutes, or until tender. 9 Serve the salmon with the poached leeks and a salad, if desired.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Serves: 4-6

For the gingerbread Bundt

200g Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter, at room temperature

VEGGIE

300g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

2 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

175g SpinneysFOOD Forest Honey

400g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

2 tsp fresh ginger

1 tsp baking powder

250ml ginger ale, at room temperature

For the butter chocolate ganache

170g Butlers 70% dark chocolate

115g Kerrygold Pure Irish Unsalted Butter

Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Spray a 2½L bundt tin with baking spray. 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together and beat until pale and fluffy, approx. 8 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Stir in the honey. 3 Finely grate the ginger. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and baking powder. 4 Add 1⁄3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, then pour in 1⁄3 of the ginger ale. Continue alternating between the flour and ginger ale. Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the Bundt tin. 5 Place in the oven and bake for approx. 1 hour or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly before removing the cake from the tin and placing it on a cooling rack. 6 In a small pot, place the chocolate, butter and salt flakes and combine over a medium-low heat. Stir until melted. 7 Serve the cake drizzled with the ganache.