Recipe: Auntie Vi Nish, Guinness cake.

Last week myself, Zoe, Lillie and Fynn visited Northern Ireland.

As always when we arrive we arranged our visit to East Belfast to see Auntie Vi, i find this lady an absolute insperation, her life stories are amazing and she has a heart of gold.

This time around myself and Auntie Vi got on to my favourite subject, food.

During the visit we talked about traditional cooking and how the food culture has evolved over the years, We also talked about the food Vi enjoys,the baking she does at home and the foods she loved during her childhood.

During the conversation i was looking at the recipes that Auntie Vi has built up over the years and i picked this one out, The recipe this time around is a Guinness cake, please give it a try and enjoy.


Ingredients

8 oz butter
8 oz soft brown sugar
4 eggs lightly beaten
10 ozs plain flour
2 level teaspoons mixed spice
16oz sultanas
4 oz mixed peel
4 oz walnuts chopped
8-12 tablespoons Guinness

Method

Cream butter and sugar together
Gradually add the eggs
Fold in the flour, spice mix and fruit
Add half the Guinness and mix to a soft consitency
Bake at 150c for one hour then reduce the heat to 100c for 1.5 hours
Remove from the oven and cool
Remove from the tin, prick the bottom of the cake and pour over the remaining Guinness
Store for one week in an air tight container before eating.

Beef cuts.

Recipe: Chorizo Hash, Fried egg

Ingredients

Potatoes
Chorizo
Avocado
Mayonnaise
Smoked paprika
Vintage cherry tomato
Micro herbs, to include basil
Bread crumbs
Egg
Milk
Flour
Olive oil
Seasoning

Method

Boil the potatoes in salt water until cooked
Bake the chorizo in the oven, once cooked drain off the oil and keep for later
Once the potatoes are cooked, mash them, season, chop the chorizo and add along with the micro basil
Form the potato cakes in required shape and bread crumb them
Take some mayonnaise and add the chorizo oil along with a spoon of the smoked paprika, place to one side
Peel and de-stone the avocado, season and add a little olive oil, blitz until smooth
Fry the potato cakes and finish in the oven until hot
Fry the egg, once cooked cut out so it is the same size as the the top of the chorizo hash
To serve swipe the avocado on to the plate along with the paprika mayonnaise
Cut the tomato, season and add to the dish
Place on the chorizo hash and top with the egg
Finish with dressed and seasoned micro leaves

Michael moving on!

October 2014 Michael Suddick joined me and became my Apprentice.

Over the past year we have achieved alot, had fun but most of all Michael has become a very talented young man.

Now its time for Michael to move on to his next challenge!

This week Michael leaves my kitchen to take up his first commis chef role in York, Myself and the team wish Michael all the very best for the future and hope he settles in well and achieves his goals.

Good luck Michael

Chef