The Fish Stew

Fish stew ay....Tasty!

What you'll need:

4Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions finely diced
4 Garlic cloves crushed or finely chopped
2 Bay Leaves
1 400G Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
1Tsp Sugar
300 ml White wine
1 Stock Cube - Fish or Chicken (Whatever you prefer)
1 Carrot stuffed with 5-6 cloves
500g Bag of mixed fish cubed
80ml Fresh cream
2 Leeks chopped
50g Butter (Kerrygold :))))
Chives
1Tbsp Parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and then add onions and sutue for about 5 mins until softened. Then add the garlic, bay leaves, tinned tomatoes, sugar, white wine, stock cube and carrot with cloves. Bring to a simmer and then cook uncovered for about 30 mins. Then add the fish to the pot and continue to cook for a further 10 mins. In the meantine melt the butter in a frying pan and add your leaks and cook until softened - about 10 mins. Now add the leaks to the pot with the herbs and cream and voilla - fish stew. Serve in bowls.....DELICIOUS!

Leeky Risotto

Leek and Mascarpone Risotto.....

Oh risotto rissotto. - the porridgle like gooey goodness......I had this today and it was bloody delicious. I had grown a little tired of risotto due to overindulgence but this dish has re-ignited by passion! Best served with a chilled white wine!

What you'll need (Feeds two btw)

2 medium leeks
1 litre of chicken stock
Butter
175g of risotto rice
100ml good quality dry white wine
1 heaped Tbsp mascarpone
Plenty of parmesan
Parsely
Salt & Pepper

Thats all - nothing to fancy!

Firstly slice the green tops from the leeks and then wash them as there will be muck under the leaves so remove the grit - once washed shred them lenghtways and keep seperate.
Finely slice the whites of the leak and put to one side.

Next: Heat your chicken stock so it begins to simmer. In a separate saucepan add your green tops to a saucepan with melted butter and slowly cook them for about 5 - 7 minutes or until they are soft - once cooked set aside but keep warm.

Melt another knob of butter in the same pan and now add the leek whites and some salt and again cook until soft. Then add the rice for 2 mintues so its is covered in the butter and leeks and begins to turn translucent. Turn up your heat and add the vermont of wine. Bring to the boil and cook until it has absorbed into the rice. Add a good ladeful of stock and continue until most of it has been absorbed - stirring often. Continue this process until all the stock has been absorbed - About 15-20 mins.

Once absorbed take of the heat. Stir in the mascarpone, diced parsely, parmesan and another knob of butter with a touch of salt. Now here's where the magic happens. Put a lid on the pan and allow to sit there for about 3 mintues. This is where the risotto comes into its own and get thats sticky gooyey texture that we all love. Ladle into bowls top with some dark green leeks that you've been keeping warm and sprinkle again with pepper and parmesan. BOOOOOM!

The Tomatoe Chick

Soup is great right? Well kick your hangover in the balls with this spicy chickpea & tomatoe soup! Passed down from a friend of mine and perfect for putting a pep in your step. Serve with some fresh sour dough bread spread with Kerrygold.

What you'll need:

• 7 tomatoes - chopped.
• Tin of chickpeas
• Fresh coriander (about a handful) with stalk leaves removed and seprated. 
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• Lime
• Salt & pepper
• Vegatable stock - 700ml
• 1 red chilli (seeds removed).
• Mozzarella grated
• Ground cumin
• Sunflower oil

 Add the chopped onion to a generous helping of sunflower oil in your pot and cook on a low heat until translucent (about 5 mins). Then add the chopped garlic, chilli, cumin and coriander stalks and allow to cook again for 2-3 mins while stirring all the time.

Next: Add chopped tomatoes and stir well. Cover & simmer for 15 mins.

Add the washed chickpeas along with the vegtable stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins.

Blend the contents of the pot but leave some lumps for a wholesome effect. Add the chopped coriander leaves along with the lime juice & zest.  Season with salt and pepper and grated mozzarella and then BOOM grab a spoon and bash your hangover in the balls!