Chef entrepreneur JP McMahon has just served up a new edition of his Spanish tapas cookbook with some tasty new recipes honed over the years at his popular Galway restaurant, Cava Bodega. Here are four to try at home

JP McMahon

Chef, restaurateur and author, JP McMahon is one of Ireland’s most entrepreneurial food leaders. His recently published fourth edition of Cava Bodega Tapas, A Taste of Spain in Ireland is packed full of tried-and-tested recipes that have proven popular with patrons since his Galway restaurant, Cava Bodega, opened in 2008.

JP started working in kitchens at age 15 and studied English and Art history in UCC. He opened three of Galway’s finest restaurants with his wife Drigín Gaffey. Along with Cava Bodega they include Tartare Café, and the Michelin star Aniar. He also founded the innovative chef symposium, Food On The Edge. A strong advocate for seasonal produce and local food, JP has led the way in sustainability and the reduction of food waste.

His restaurants form part of his EatGalway Restaurant Group and is currently doing a PhD on food in 20th century Irish drama.

For more on all three restaurants, the cookery school and bookings, visit eatgalway.ie

Ling, Baby Fennel, Beetroot Purée, Pistachio Powder

(SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

◆ 8 baby fennel (or large fennel cut into four if you can’t find baby fennel)

◆ 100g butter

◆ one side of ling (skin on, cut in four 150g portions, lightly seasoned)

◆ olive oil

◆ sea salt

Beetroot Purée

◆ 5 beetroot, cooked

◆ 100ml apple juice

◆ 30ml sherry vinegar

◆ sea salt

Pistachio Powder

◆ 45g pistachios, shelled

◆ 5g sugar

◆ 1g sea salt

METHOD

➊ For the beetroot purée: Bring the cooked beetroot, apple juice, and sherry vinegar to the boil. Season to taste (you may need more liquid or vinegar to achieve the correct texture) and blend in a food processor until extremely smooth.

➋ For the pistachio powder: Dry roast the pistachios in a 180°C oven until hard and crunchy. Allow to cool. Blend in a food processor with the sugar and the salt. Spread the powder onto a baking tray and place in a 55°C oven until a crumb texture is achieved.

➌ To cook the baby fennel: Fry the fennel briefly in a warm pan with some oil.

Season with sea salt and add half the butter. Lower the heat and continue to cook until the fennel is so to touch.

➍ To cook the fish: Fry the fish, skin side down in some olive oil in an extremely hot pan. Cook the fish mostly on the skin side. If the skin starts to burn, lower the heat. When you’re happy with the texture of the skin, turn over the fish and add the butter. Baste the fish in golden nutty butter. Do not allow the butter to burn.

When the fish is cooked, remove from the pan and place on some kitchen paper.

➎ To plate: Place the beetroot purée on the plate and give it a swish with the back of a spoon. Then place the fennel on top of the purée. Finally, rest the fish on top of the fennel and sprinkle some pistachio powder over the entire dish.

Chicken & Chorizo Skewer, Dillisk Crispy Onions, Truffle Mayonnaise

Ras el hanout is a mixture of spices originating in North African. It is usually made up of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, ginger, black peppercorn, turmeric, cardamom pod, saffron and rose petals. You can make the spice mixture yourself by grinding up the spices (use ginger and turmeric). Keep in a jar in your press and use when making your favourite curries and tagines.

INGREDIENTS

◆ 4 chicken breasts

◆ 1tbsp Ras el hanout

◆ Salt

◆ 4 chorizo sausages FOR THE ONIONS

◆ 2 onions, peeled and halved

◆ 1tsbp milled dillisk, and a little extra for seasoning

◆ 100gr Flour

◆ Sea salt

TRUFFLE MAYONNAISE

◆ 100g Mayonnaise

◆ 10ml Truffle Oil

METHOD

➊ For the skewer: dice the chicken and the chorizo and season with ras-el-hanut and sea salt. Skewer the chicken and chorizo, one at a time.

➋ Slice the onions on a mandolin or thinly with a knife. In a bowl, combine the flour, dillisk and a pinch of sea salt. Deep fry at 180°C. When crispy, drain on some paper towel and season with a little salt and milled dillisk. You have more than enough for this recipe so store any le overs in an airtight jar in the press.

➌ For the mayonnaise: combine the truffle oil with the mayonnaise.

➍ Grill, bake or fry the skewer depending on your preference until thoroughly cooked.

Serve with the crispy onions and truffle mayonnaise.

➎ Mix all together and season the fried onions with this mix.

Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana owes its origins to the French classic Crème Brûlée (literally, burnt cream). Sometime in the nineteenth century, Catalan chefs adopted this French dessert (which is made with vanilla) and prepared it instead with lemon, orange, and cinnamon.

Traditionally, this dessert was eaten on Saint Joseph’s Day (March 19) although nowadays it is consumed at all times of year. It goes well with our almond biscuits.

INGREDIENTS

◆ 1 litre cream

◆ 2 cinnamon sticks

◆ zest of 1 orange

◆ zest of 1 lemon

◆ 6 egg yolks

◆ 90g caster sugar

◆ 50g brown sugar, for caramelising

◆ 2 gelatine leaves

METHOD

➊ Bring the cream to the boil with cinnamon sticks and zest.

➋ Upon reaching boiling point remove cream from the stove. Set aside and allow flavours to infuse for 5 minutes.

➌ In a separate bowl, add the caster sugar to eggs and whisk until creamed.

➍ Pour the warm cream slowly over the eggs. Do not over whisk as you don’t want too much air in the mixture.

➎ Set the mixture over a pot of boiling water (bain-marie) and gently warm the mixture until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. This will take about 30 to 40 minutes. Be sure the water does not come into contact with the bowl, or the mixture will curdle.

➏ Bloom the gelatine leaves and add to the custard mixture. Strain mixture through a fine sieve and pour into 6 suitable round dishes.

➐ Allow to chill for 4 hours in the fridge.

➑ To serve: Sprinkle the surface of the crèma catalana with brown sugar and caramelise with a flamethrower. If you don’t have a flamethrower, you can put the catalana under the grill, but be careful not to cook the mixture.

➒ In Cava, we serve the catalana with some caramel ice-cream, fresh fruits, and almond biscuits.

Basque Cheesecake, Milk Powder, Px Jam, Whipped Cream:

BASQUE CHEESECAKE

◆ 500g Cream Cheese

◆ 4 eggs

◆ 200g Sugar

◆ 300g Cream

◆ 10g Flour

Px Sherry Jam

◆ 600gr blackberries, blend

◆ 50ml Water

◆ 30gr Glucose

◆ 150gr jam sugar

◆ 100ml Px sherry

◆ 1 Lemon Juice

MILK CRUMBLE

◆ 200g Milk Powder

◆ 20g Sugar

◆ 80g Butter

◆ Sea salt

WHIPPED CREAM

◆ 150g double Cream

◆ 20g Icing Sugar

TO SERVE

Fresh berries

METHOD

➊ For the cheesecake: combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a greased cheesecake tin. Pour the mixture inside and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes.

➋ For the jam: put the rest of the ingredients in a pot and cook it until reach 109°C. Add the lemon juice to taste.

➌ For the milk crumble: Melt the butter in a pot, add the sugar and the Milk Powder.

➍ Mix everything constantly until caramelized everything. Finish with the salt.

➎ To finish: whip the cream with the sugar.

➏ Finish with some fresh berries.