Gormet Cooking

Gourmet Cooking

On the edge of Killarney National Park you will find 19th century Cathernane House where head chef Eric Kavanagh celebrates an abundance of local and seasonal produce in the best way possible – by creating wonderful gourmet Irish food with a European twist. Here are four of his delectable recipes for you to try.

Eric Kavanagh joined Cathernane House in 2017 having worked at some of Ireland’s most celebrated kitchens. Previously he was head chef at Longueville House and Marlfield House and also served time at Rathsallagh Country House and Sheen Falls in Kenmare. His earlier career took him to New Zealand and Opus Restaurant, one of Toronto’s premier fine dining restaurants.

Bally Goats Cheese Parfait

100g Goats Cheese

40g Whipped Cream

20g Liquid Cream

1 Leaf Gelatine

Salt

Pepper 

Nutmeg

Bring goats cheese to room temp. Soak gelatine in cold water to rehydrate. Heat 20g liquid cream & melt gelatine.

Fold whipped cream into bally goat’s cheese & mix in gelatine. Set in desired moulds for 8 hours.  Unmould & serve with beetroot & walnut salad.

Serves 4

Beetroot & walnut salad

400g Roast baby beetroot- Quartered

20g Toasted walnuts (Chopped)

15g Toasted sunflower & pumpkin seeds

3g Chopped flat parsley 

Cider vinegar dressing 

Serves 4

Roast Carrigleena Duck Breast, Star Anise Jus, Carrot Puree and Baby Vegetables

To prepare the duck breast:

Season the duck breast, then leave in fridge overnight to dry out; this will help it crisp up.

Score the skin in parallel lines, being careful not to cut all the way to the flesh.

Put the breasts skin-side down in a cold frying pan and slowly heat the pan. This will melt the fat and help the skin to crisp up without burning.

Fry the breasts, letting the fat melt out and the skin crisp up. Keep frying until the skin is crisp and brown and you melted out as much of the visible white fat as possible. This can take up to 10-15 mins.

Pour the excess fat into a container, turn the breast and add butter and swirl the pan, then cook for 5 mins until the meat is browned all over (the meat should feel soft but spring back slightly when pressed). If you have a meat thermometer, it should read 54C for rare, 61C for medium and 65C for medium/well done.

Rest the duck breast for 10 mins before slicing to serve.

Star anise Duck Sauce

25g Granulated Sugar

4 tbsp red wine vinegar

450ml brown duck stock

2 tsp redcurrant jelly

2 Star anise, broken up

3 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Put the sugar and vinegar in a small pan and place over a low heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook until it has turned into an amber-coloured caramel. Add the duck stock, redcurrant jelly and star anise. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until it has reduced by three-quarters/ sauce consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and strain.

Carrot Puree

250g carrots peeled

200ml Carrot juice

100g unsalted butter

5 ml lemon juice

1 sprig thyme

2g salt

Method:

Split the carrots lengthways and thinly slice

Pick the leaves off the thyme sprig

In a medium saucepan, place carrots, carrot juice, butter, thyme and salt. Cook over high heat just until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until the carrots are tender and soft - about 20 minutes. 

Once the carrots are soft and tender enough that you can mash, transfer them to a blender with a slotted spoon. There should be cooking liquid left in the pan. Start with adding 1/2 of it to the blender along with the lemon juice.

If the mixture is not blending well add more liquid until the puree is blending and there is a vortex. Once the puree is smooth pass through a sieve and adjust the seasoning

Serve duck with baby carrots baby turnip and mini cauliflower, carrot puree and star anise jus

Fillet Steak, Braised Feather Blade, Horseradish Crème Fraiche

Ingredients

1kg feather blade beef, trimmed

3tbsp sunflower oil

1 medium onion diced

2 celery sticks diced

2 carrots diced

2 garlic cloves minced

250ml red wine

500ml beef stock

2tbsp tomato purée

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 120C.

Season the beef on all sides with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the pieces until brown each side. Transfer the beef to a braising dish. 

Reduce the heat under the frying pan and add the more oil. Gently fry the onion, celery and carrots until golden and softened. Stir in the garlic then cook for a further minute. Add the vegetables to the braising dish.

Deglaze the frying pan with the red wine. Allow the wine to bubble for a few seconds, stirring constantly. Pour the liquid over the meat and vegetables. 

Stir in the beef stock and tomato purée. Strip thyme leaves from their stalks and sprinkle into the casserole dish. Add the bay leaf and mustard then stir everything until well combined. 

Bring to the boil and remove the dish from the heat.

Cover the surface of meat and liquid carefully with baking parchment. Place the lid on top and cook in the oven for 8 hours or until the beef is very tender. 

Transfer the beef to a tray . Strain the cooking liquor and vegetables through a sieve into a large non-stick frying pan. Press the vegetables with the bottom of a ladle or a large spoon to extract a rich purée and stir into the cooking liquor, reduce until thick and glossy. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Optionally

Shred the beef into small pieces, mix in the reduced cooking liquor. Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the featherblade mixture on top spread out the mix and lay another piece of baking parchment on top. Using a rolling pin roll the feather blade mix to a 5mm thickness in a rectangular shape and set in the freezer.

Once it is set cut the sheet of feather blade through the parchment into 4cm by 2cm rectangular pieces.

Reheat on a baking sheet under a salamander and slide onto a warm plate.

Horseradish crème fraiche

200g cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1 tablespoon grated horseradish

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Chocolate Caramel Marquise, Hazelnut Ice Cream, Finger Lime

This recipe makes 10 portions

Chocolate Marquise

500g 70% dark chocolate

450g unsalted butter

6 egg yolks

150g caster sugar

700g cream

Method:

Place chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. In another bowl whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks and set aside. Place yolks and sugar in another bowl and whisk over a pan of simmering water until light and fluffy. Carefully mix the yolk mixture into the chocolate and then fold in the cream. Pour into tray, place in the fridge until set.

Chocolate Caramel Glaze

100g water

300g granulated sugar

200g cream 

100g glucose

60g cocoa

6 gelatine leaves

Method:

Bring water, glucose and sugar to the boil and cook until it achieves a a blonde caramel colour. In a separate pan boil cream and cocoa. Mix both together. Meanwhile soak gelatine in cold water until soft, squeeze out any excess water and add to chocolate mix. Mix well, and place in fridge, skimming off any air bubbles that may form on the top. When mixture cools down to room temperature, pour over marquise mixture. Leave until completely set, before removing from mould and cutting into portions using a hot sharp knife.

Hazelnut Ice Cream

120g Hazelnut paste

8 egg yolks

½ litre milk

½ litre cream

Method:

Stir sugar, cream, hazelnut paste and milk into a saucepan over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Heat just until mix is hot and pour gradually over egg yolks strain mix back into a clean pot and cook until the mix starts to thicken.

Transfer ice cream mixture to a plastic container and chill mix thoroughly, at least 2 hours. 

Pour cold ice cream mix into an ice cream maker and churn for 20 to 25 minutes.

Chocolate Tuile

100g butter, softened

100g icing sugar

4 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon coffee powder

100g plain flour

2 tbl cocoa powder

Method:

Place the butter, coffee powder and sugar in a mixer and beat on a medium setting. Add the egg whites one at a time.  

Mix in the flour and cocoa by hand. Refrigerate for an hour. 

Have your oven pre heated to 180 C. Spread a thin layer (1mm) of the tuile mix on to a silicone mat in rectangle shape

 Bake for 6 minutes or until slightly crisp around the edge. Use a palette knife to peel each tuile off the mat and allow to cool before use.

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