CREME ANGLAISE

Sweet,Velvety, Creamy and Bourbon Vanilla Fragrant. Creme Anglaise a kitchen staple we would be lost without it be it for Ice-cream, Rhubarb & Custard or with a classic Apple Tart. Here is a simple Recipe to try.

Creme Anglaise

what you will need

• 6 medium egg yolks
• 100ml cream
• 400ml milk
• 100g sugar
• 1/2 vanilla pod

method

• scrape vanilla seeds from pod and add both to milk and cream bring to the boil
• whip egg yolks and sugar
• add milk mix to egg mix
• return to low heat and thicken stirring constantly till the custard coats the back of a spoon
• pass through a sieve and cool over a bowl of ice water

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY

Dont yet know where i stand on the subject of molecular gastronomy i really admire Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal and Grant Achatz for some of the amazing new concepts they have given us. However i could never see myself devoting everything to that style of cooking maybe taking little things likes spherical ravioli or air and adding it to a modernised classic dish yes. When my new kitchen is completed i plan on doing some experimenting with foams, airs and different gelatin's to see what can be achieved in unison with more classical cooking. I have already made a warm terrine using Agar Agar, Passion fruit Caviar and Beetroot Spaghetti incorporating these type of creations into classical dishes is another challenge not to mention introducing them to Irish diners.

HELLS KITCHEN USA 2008

Gordon Ramsey never ceases to amaze me in the first episode of Hells Kitchen Ramsey in a terrible disguise managed to fool all the guinea pigs for the new series and eavesdrop on there conversation on the bus trip to hell many red faces and bruised egos followed after a disastrous service. How any self respecting chef can go on that show i will never know. 2 of the current contestants are executive head chefs, only in america. Gordon Ramsey`s tv personality on HK USA compared to the UK`s F Word Suggests he should be getting an Oscar rather than any more michelin stars next year.

NEW KITCHEN

Our new kitchen in Leixlip House Hotel has been given the final approval today new equipment has been signed off and we can not wait to get our hands on the new technology which includes a paco jet,2 sous vide baths a greenstar juicer and a couple of thermo siphons no liquid nitrogen tank yet maybe next year. The new kitchen is to facilitate the opening of a third restaurant in the hotel and will allow us to serve 3 restaurants and a wedding venue from the same kitchen photos coming soon.

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD

Ireland in 2008/2009 is an exciting place to be a chef year on year we are catching up with our neighbours in England, Spain & France. Irish Chefs are now starting to use modern cooking tecniques such as sous vide water baths and liquid nitrogen in order to create dishes that would be right up there with the likes of Heston Blummental and Ferran Adria. Movements such as Euro Toques, Feile Bia and the growing popularity of organic produce and seasonality combined with modern tecnology are insuring Irish Chefs have the raw materials as well as the equipment for the exciting times ahead.