Recipe Competition
The winning recipe at the 2010 Féile Bia na Mara, as chosen by celebrity chef Jenny Bristow, was submitted by Kevin Mac Namidhe.
The winner of the recipe competition received a voucher provided by Achill Cliff House Hotel, Keel.
The winning recipe is reproduced below.
Kevin Mac Namidhe bio:
As a self taught amateur cook with a passion for food, especially fish, and having an enthusiasm for dining and entertainment, Kevin loves to cook exciting, innovative and pioneering new recipes with passion and pride. He is known to his friends for his creative style of cuisine.
He works in the video industry during the day and in his free time, he likes to develop and experiment with food recipes. His interest in cooking includes researching the compounds of his dishes so as to enable a greater understanding of taste and flavour.
These recipes are an example of some of his explorations with food, flavourings and tastings. Enjoy these recipes.
Poached Salmon in Olive Oil
with a duo of chocolate sauces served with fennel Provençal
Poached Salmon in Olive Oil
Ingredients:
- 2 x 170g fillets of skinless salmon - approx. 4cm thick
- 2 garlic cloves - crushed
- 1 tsp crushed black pepper corns
- A few springs of fennel fronds
- Enough olive oil to submerge the salmon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Wash and dry the salmon fillets
2. Let them rest at room temperature for approx. 20 mins
Now make the White and Fennel Chocolate sauces - then continue to cook the salmon
3. In a small pot add the oil, crushed garlic cloves, a few crushed black peppercorns and green fennel fronds
4. Using a thermometer, slowly bring the oil up to 160°F / 77°C
5. Place the fish in the oil and maintain the temperature at 160°F / 77°C
6. It's important to keep it at this low temperature so the fish can cook slowly without overcooking
7. Poach the salmon for 10 mins
8. Remove the salmon and let the oil drain off on a clean paper towel
9. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste
10. In a hot sauté pan, add a few tablespoons of the poaching oil and sear the top of the fish for 1 minute until a nice brown sear is achieved
11. Remove from the pan and now it is ready to be plated
White Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients:
- 60g white chocolate
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 125ml fish stock
- 6 teaspoons fresh unsweetened lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of mixed green or red peppercorns
Method:
1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat
2. When the butter has melted, add the flour and mix well
3. Add fish stock stirring constantly to incorporate and cook the flour
4. Let the sauce cook on low heat for approximately 15 minutes, stir regularly
5. Add lemon juice, white chocolate and green and red peppercorns
6. Add salt to taste
Fennel Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients:
- 170g dark chocolate
- 115ml of water
- 30g of butter
- 6 tbsp of cream
- 3 tbsp of sugar
- ½ tsp of vanilla essence
- 1 tbsp ground fennel (grind the fennel seeds)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a medium sized pan, heat the water and sugar - stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and continue to stir until all of the sugar has been dissolved
2. Break the chocolate into small pieces and cut the butter into small chunks. Add to the pan of water and sugar and stir
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the sauce until the chocolate and butter have melted and then add the ground fennel - blend together
4. Stir in the cream and the vanilla essence
Serve both warm chocolate sauces separately with the salmon.
