Karl Whelan is a classically trained chef who has worked at some Europe’s top kitchens with a career that has taken him to Germany, Australia and France before coming home to Dublin. Having spent time at Cooke’s Cafe, Chapter One, Fade Street Social and Luna, he opened his own restaurant Hang Dai with old school friend Will Dempsey. 

During the pandemic he began another collaboration, Salt Water Grocers, with Sustainable Seafood Ireland’s Niall Sabongi. Based in Terenure, the store has a strong focus on “seafood, sustainability, providence” and is very much chef led. There is an immersive fish counter and live shellfish tanks, Himalayan salt fish-ageing fridge

along with 3fe coffee, organic vegetables, cheeses, wine and rotisserie free range chickens. Bread and pastries are from Firehouse Bakery. Barbecue seafood boxes and daily dishes can be ordered online also. For more, visit saltwatergrocery.ie

BBQ Monkfish

We prepare these for sale in Saltwater Grocer and the fly out, its great as a centre piece for a family BBQ.

Ingredients 

Monkfish tail on the bone 2/3 kg (trimmed)

Chorizo 200g

Semi-sundried tomatoes 150g

Coriander one large sprig 

Salt & pepper 

Twine 

Steps

Lay the monkfish bone side up on a chopping board, cut a channel down the length of the fish either side of the bone. Be careful not to cut all the way through.

Thinly slice the chorizo and place it in the channel, do the same with the tomato and coriander.

Use butchers’ twine to tie up the monkfish.

To cook, make sure your BBQ is very hot, season well with salt & pepper. 

Brush your fish with a little oil and place it on the BBQ allow it to caramelise on all sides this should take 10/12 min, move it to a cooler part of your BBQ for a further 5min. remove the string and serve over your salsa. 

Burnt tomato salsa.

This is a Mexican classic, quick to prepare and it is made on the BBQ avoiding some dishes!

Ingredients 

Ripe vine tomatoes 5

Red onions 2 (halved)

Red chilli 1 

Lime 2

Coriander 1 large sprig

Rapeseed oil 100 ml

Steps

Toss the tomatoes, onion and chilli in a little oil. 

Put them on the BBQ and allow to char, you really want them to burn. When they are

 charred all over remove them to a chopping board, add the zest & juice of your limes and the coriander.

Roughly chop everything together, season with salt & pepper. Stir in the remaining oil.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. 

Enjoy with the monkfish. 

Grilled corn with saffron aioli & mature Coolea cheese

Fresh corn is in season in Europe now and it is wonderful over the coals. 

This recipe uses another sunshine ingredient saffron; it works brilliantly with the sweet corn and the umami of the aged cheese. 

For the aioli

Rapeseed oil 250 ml

Egg yolk 2

Saffron 1 small pinch 

White wine vinegar   1tblsp

Warm water 1tblsp

A squeeze of lemon 

Garlic ½ clove (minced)

Salt & pepper 

Steps

Aioli 

 Add the saffron to the warm water and allow to soak for 1hr. 

In a bowl or a food processor put the egg yolk, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, saffron & water. 

Whisk in the oil slowly to achieve an emulsion. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

For the corn 

Peel off the husk and tie it back to form a little handle. 

Grill the corn on the BBQ until brown all-over season with salt, brush it with the aioli. 

Grate the cheese on to plate and roll the grilled corn in it coating it and serve. 

Grilled bloody Mary oysters  

These are great cooked or raw.  

Lightly grilling oysters firms them up a little and really brings out their flavour it also makes them more palatable for beginners.

Ingredients 

Oysters as many as you like.

Bloody Mary mix 

Cucumber 

Shallot 

Red Chilli 

Lime

Steps 

To grill the oysters place them unopened on the BBQ they should take 2 min they will open slightly.

Remove them to a plate and open them (when cooked this is quite easy).

Dress each oyster with a spoon of the bloody Mary mix and garnish with strips of fresh cucumber, shallot, and diced chilli.  

Serve with a ½ grilled lime. 

Bloody Mary 

Tomato juice 200ml 

Vodka 35ml

Lemon juice 

Tabasco 10 dashes 

Tamari 1tbls

Worcester sauce 1tsp

Harissa ½ tsp 

Pickle juice 1tbls

Celery salt ½ tsp

Freshly ground black pepper 

Steps 

Mix all the ingredients together. Enjoy!