I particularly remember Martin Ruffley and Anna King who shared the stage and gave a captivating talk. Anna has a PhD in Philosophy (Ethnography from NUI in Galway and has a lifelong interest in mindful meditation. She became addicted to the healing benefits of eating seasonal natural foods, she has lived and studied in several organic farms, both in Great Britain and France, which follow the philosophy of Mahatma Gandi and Rudolf Steiner.

Martin Ruffley, a recovering alcoholic, spoke with tremendous courage about his lifelong struggle with addiction and his long and convoluted journey from “darkness to light”. He recounted how cooking and sharing food became a vital part of a cathartic process of exorcizing his demons and finding peace. Martin, now a Lecturer Chef at NUI Galway, has traveled and ‘staged’ in top restaurants around the world, fueling his passion and honing his craft in pursuit of culinary excellence. In 2020, he received the prestigious President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He spoke with humility and honesty, the audience was captivated, there was hardly a dry eye in the tent and at the end there was a unanimous standing ovation.

Fast forward to March 2022, he and Anna King have collaborated to produce a cookbook titled Rekindle fire, food and journey of life — it is dedicated to all those who are still struggling with addiction: “May the light of kind love illuminate your path, and may the darkness of the night inspire your wildest dreams”.

Anna and Martin hope this collaboration will inspire everyone who reads their cookbook. “The recipes offer home cooks, hobbyists and seasoned chefs the opportunity to experiment with techniques new and old, with concise, easy-to-follow instructions that will truly up anyone’s game in the kitchen. “You’ll learn how to create magical dishes and discover valuable insider tips that will transform a meal from ordinary to exceptional” The title is a combination of Anna’s beautiful prose and Martin’s eclectic recipes gleaned from the course of 40 years of experience and travels around the world. Martin agrees with me that travel is an essential part of any chef’s education — I’ve chosen to share some recipes that are accessible to home cooks. home but there are also many mouthwatering recipes for professional chefs between the black covers of this unique cookbook — from dark to light.

“Rekindling the Fire, Food and the Journey of Life” published by Austin Macauley Publishers

Grilled Spicy Chicken

The Lebanese are a very hospitable people and would often welcome us into their home. This recipe is a version of a dish I had in the village of As Sultaniyah, just north of Tibnin, where we were treated to a great lunch of chicken cooked on a ch

Preparation time

 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 chicken thighs

• zest and juice of 2 lemons

• 120 ml (just 4 1/2 fl oz) olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 5 g (just ¼ oz) cumin seeds

• 5 g (just ¼ oz) coriander seeds

• 10 green cardamom pods

• 1 teaspoon chilli powder

• 1-2 teaspoons of sea salt

• 300 g (10 oz) Greek or plain yogurt

Method

1. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan to release the oils and pass them through a spice grinder. Alternatively, pound in a pestle and mortar.

2. Grate and squeeze the 2 lemons.

3. Transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl (or zip lock bag) with the lemon juice and zest, olive oil and all the dry ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.

4. Cooking: Take the chicken out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. The chicken pieces can be skewered and grilled on a barbecue or can be transferred to a suitable dish and roasted in a hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

5. To serve: drizzle with yogurt and serve with manoushi bread or pita bread.

6. Note: Chicken breast can also be used. Butterfly the chicken breast and beat it, then marinate it (as above). This will cook on a grill in 8-10 minutes.

Risotto With Beet

Vibrant and delicious, it’s a brilliant way to use beets

Preparation time

 10 minutes

Cooking time

 1h20

Total time

 1h30

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz) arborio rice

• 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) beets

• 1 liter of broth/beetroot juice

• 70 g (barely 3 oz) butter

• 100 g (3 ½ oz) finely chopped shallots

• 60 g (barely 2 ½ oz) smoked Gubbeen cheese

• salt and pepper

Method

1. Cook a whole beetroot (see tip) and juice the remaining beetroot.

2. Add some of the butter to a suitable saucepan and sweat the diced shallot until slightly translucent. Add the rice and stir until each grain of rice is coated in butter. Add a ladle full of hot beet juice into the rice until the rice has absorbed the beet juice.

3. Repeat this procedure until the rice has puffed up and is almost tender.

4. The rice should be soft but not chalky. It is usually cooked in 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the diced beets, the butter and half the grated Gubbeen. Check seasoning, cover and let stand 3-4 minutes.

5. Eat immediately with grated Gubbeen on the side.
   Darina’s top tip: Bake the beets in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 1 hour, during which time the skin will come off easily.

HOT TIPS

Donald’s road trip

Don’t miss Donal Skehan’s new TV series ‘Donal’s Road Trip’ which is currently airing on RTÉ One on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm. Donal will visit all the places he’s never had the chance to and tick a few culinary hotspots off his foodie bucket list – inspired by visits to some of Ireland’s best artisan food and drink producers . And he’ll cook up some delicious dishes at the same time.

Small plates, big flavors at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Tuesday 12 April

Still one of the hottest food trends and a great way to eat. An appetizer can be a starter, a trio of small plates can make up a meal and give the opportunity to try lots of dishes on the menu, something new and tempting, or even something scary that you don’t may not have ordered before. The small plates are also perfect for those who may have price concerns without the potential for a wallet-breaking experience. For chefs, small plates are an opportunity to experiment, to use small amounts of local, seasonal, or even picked ingredients. The concept made restaurant dining more communal, less formal and more convivial. For home cooks, a selection of great recipes that showcase great ingredients and are great fun to have at home as an appetizer or at a casual party. In this half-day course, you’ll be inspired by a whole range of multi-ethnic dishes and lots of new and hot ideas for small plates to share. cuisineisfun.ie

Bib Gourmand Michelin Award — Restaurant Cush

Kudos to Chef Dan Geurin and his team at Cush Restaurant overlooking the lovely harbor of Ballycotton here in East Cork. They have just won the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award which rewards restaurants of exceptional quality but at a reasonable price. Be sure to reserve a table in advance to avoid disappointment. cush.ie