A trio of starters from budding chefs

THREE students from the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Culinary Arts (National Chef de Partie Apprenticeship) Year Four at MTU share some starter ideas for Christmas Day. The students involved are Ciara O’Driscoll, Rachel Sheen and Rachel Geaney.

SALAD OF MELON AND HAM

Ingredients

200g melon (cantaloupe, galia, & watermelon)

50g Parma Ham

500g Coolea cheese

Port & apple dressing

3 banana shallots, finely diced

20g fresh ginger, finely minced

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

1tbs Dijon mustard

50ml Port

50 ml Burren Balsamic Vinegar

1tsp Highbank Apple Syrup

200ml olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method;

SALAD OF GRILLED BLUEBELL FARM HONEY AND THYME GOATS CHEESE, FIG, PLUM AND PICKLED BEETS

Ingredients

150g goats cheese

3 figs quatered

2 plums cut in wedges

30g toasted hazelnuts

2 tbsps olive oil

20g beetroot jelly

1 tsp sea salt crystals

Pickled Beetroot

3 yellow beets

100 ml cider vinegar

100 ml of water

75g caster sugar

1tsp caraway seeds

1tsp mustard seed

1tsp black peppercorns

Method;

1. Cook the beetroot blanch in boiling water until tender.

2. Place all the ingredients in a pot and cook until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Place the beetroot in a kilner jar cover with the pickle, leave in the fridge for 24 hours allowing the pickle to be absorbed.

4. Roll the goats cheese gently to form a ball.

5. Place the figs, plum, hazelnuts, on a metal tray and drizzle with olive oil.

6. Place the under a grill and cook until golden in colour.

7. Add the goat’s cheese to the tray and place back under the grill until heated through.

8. Arrange on a plate with the beetroot, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, serve.

PAN-FRIED SCALLOPS WITH CAULIFLOWER, PICCALILLI AND CARROT SYRUP

Ingredients

6 scallops

200ml carrot juice

Pea shoots

10 ml cooking oil

10 g butter piccalilli (pre-make)

100 g cauliflower florets

50g gherkins diced

1 chilli finely chopped

50 g diced carrot

Pinch of turmeric

1 tsp. mustard powder

1 tsp. corn flour

20g golden raisins

50 ml of cider vinegar

50 g caster sugar

Method:

• Boil the vinegar, sugar, mustard and turmeric for two minutes. Add the chilli, carrot and cook for a further two minutes.
• Add the cauliflower and raisins and cook to leave a bite.
• Dilute the corn flour in a tablespoon of water and add to the mix to thicken.

Cauliflower Puree

1 small onion diced

1 garlic cloves crushed

400 g sliced cauliflower

200 ml of vegetable stock

50 ml of cream

100ml of milk

Seasoning

Method:

• In a large pot sweat onion, garlic and fennel (no colouration)
• Add the cauliflower and sweat, stir at all time for 3-5 minutes.
• Add the stock.
• Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes (stir every five minutes to prevent from sticking).
• Liquidize using the blender season to taste with salt and pepper.

Finishing

• 1. In a small saucepan reduce the carrot juice to a syrup.
• 2. Heat a non stick saucepan add the seasoned scallops and seared on both sides until golden brown only turning once.
• 3. Add butter and foam over the scallops.
• 4. Place the hot cauliflower on the plate and top with three scallops.
• 5. Place the piccalilli to the top.
• 6. Drizzle the dish with the carrot syrup and finish with pea shoots.

For more Christmas recipes see here.

This feature appears in our special Women on Wednesday Christmas Food supplement out today (Wednesday Nov 29). Be sure to pick up a print edition today.