Tasting The Middle East With Tang and Glenisk

Tasting The Middle East

With Tang and Glenisk

Carrot, Parsnip, and brilliant Beetroot! All ready for roasting.

Back in the 90s, on a holiday in the South West of France, we came across a brilliant traiteur but he wouldn't let us have the harissa for his couscous until he was sure we understood it was “très fort” and he got his embarrassed teenage son out-front to reinforce the point with his school English. Very strong or not, there was no bother getting it last Saturday or indeed any day in Cork. Just call into Mr Bells (as we did on return from that holiday) and pick up a tube of the spice.

We needed it for a recipe in Taste the Middle East, a recipe booklet produced by Glenisk Yogurt and the Tang Restaurant in Dawson Street, Dublin. We picked out two of the recipes as the basis for a Saturday night dinner: the Baba Ganoush and a Roasted Vegetable Salad with Spicy Yogurt dressing. The Harissa was required for both. You can access the cookbook, including recipe details and method, online here.  

As most of you know Baba Ganoush is based on aubergine and the less usual ingredients are curry powder, the harissa and hazelnut oil (we used Ballyhoura mushroom oil). And the secret ingredient was some Glenisk Organic Greek Style Natural Yogurt which, added to the mixture when cool, gave it a creamy texture. No flatbreads handy but we spread it on toasted Arbutus Sourdough from Bradley’s and, with a bowl of salad, it was perfect. Probably the hardest part was all the maths, cutting down the ingredient quantity from 6-8 to just two!

So on to the main course. The vegetables to be roasted were carrots, parsnips and one of the last beetroots from the garden. Coriander seeds (blitzed) and cumin seeds were added before roasting. The spicy yogurt dressing consisted of the same yogurt as previously, harissa paste, lemon and sea salt. And, to make it a main dish,  we added chicken breasts (with bone and skin) from the Chicken Inn. 

Again, it all worked out very well indeed. Without the chicken, it is a lovely salad for these winter days and the dressing can also be used as a dip. The booklet may be slim but it is packed with recipes, close to twenty in all. Our next target will be the Moussaka.

A couple of possible desserts are included but we gave the cook a break and bought a selection of Turkish Delight from The Sultan in McCurtain Street. Could also had purchased some of his baklava.

Tang opened earlier this year in Dublin and has been very successful indeed. They combined with Glenisk last Friday for a fund-raiser for Syria. Owner Stephen Dwyer says they are regularly asked for recipes (by head chef Jess Gavin). And this book contains some of the favourites and features the Glenisk range of yogurts. Enjoy! We did and we will!

Other recipes in the book:

Shakshuka & Tzatziki;

New Potato Salad;

Tang Raw Slaw;

Roasted butternut squash spread/dip;

Roasted sweet potato & Labneh salad;

Beetroot and Labneh Salad with black olive and lemon chicken;

Spanakopita;

Middle Eastern Chicken wrap;

Smashed Abocado;

Moussaka;

Frittata;

Blueberry Citrus Muffin;

Peanut Butter Brownie;

Yogurt Panna Cotta;

Buckwheat Pancakes;

and Berry Cheesecake.

Some of the ingredients, including beetroot from the garden and wine from Morocco.

Bord Bia Awards

Irish Food Companies Honoured at Bord Bia Awards 

~ Bord Bia Food & Drink Awards 2015 ~

@Bordbia #BordBiaAwards

 

Pictured are Michael Carey, Chairman, Bord Bia (left) and Simon Coveney TD, Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (right) with Tim Ryan and Eoin Doyle from  Glanbia’s Avonmore Supermilk, Ireland’s leading milk brand, which was named the Branding Award winner. For more details on the winners, see www.bordbia.ie/awards .

The achievements of eight Irish food companies were recognised at the Bord Bia Food and Drink Awards in Dublin’s Mansion House last night. The Awards, held every two years, reward excellence within the Irish food and drink industry across eight categories – Branding, Consumer Insight, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Exporting, Innovation, Success at Home and Sustainability. Over 300 industry representatives from Ireland’s leading food and drink companies gathered for the ceremony, where they also heard from guest speaker, Joe Schmidt, the Irish Rugby Team’s Head Coach who provided his insight into leadership and teamwork.

Opening the event, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney T.D. said, “I am delighted to be here at the ‘Oscars’ of the sector as we take pride in the exceptional achievements of our food and drink companies. Last year’s record €10.5 billion in exports follows five years of sustained growth by the sector, which is now well positioned as it seeks to expand towards its €19 billion export goal set in Food Wise 2025. He added, “As the industry continues to develop premium positions in established markets, significant progress is also being made in opening up new markets that can help sustain its growth. I am deeply conscious that business is not easily won and Irish food and drink companies are to be commended for their success and determination in developing Ireland’s largest indigenous industry. “

In congratulating the winners, Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia said “As the industry seeks to grow output and expand its export reach, it is important to recognise the achievements and ongoing progress of the sector, which are underpinning growth and competitiveness and elevating the industry’s reputation at home and abroad. The awards highlight the talent, imagination and sheer professionalism that is at the heart of the industry’s current success and that will secure its continued growth and expansion.”

Award Winners

This year, Bord Bia received in excess of 160 award entries across the eight categories which were judged by an independent judging panel (see Notes to Editor for details). Gallagher’s Bakery was honoured with two awards while two companies received Sustainability Awards reflecting the high calibre of entries. The overall category award winners included: (See Notes to Editor for full profiles)

·         Export and Entrepreneurial Awards - Gallagher’s Bakery was honoured in both the Export and Entrepreneurial categories, for what the judges described as a “stunning success story and turnaround demonstrating great credibility and huge ambition”. Gallagher’s Bakery, established in 1968 as a family run business in Ardara, Co. Donegal, traditionally serviced the North West region with conventional bakery products, until 2012 when they entered the gluten free market having identified the scale of opportunity. The company now employs 260 people, up from 95 in 2012, with employment expected to continue to grow further. Export growth has been steep, now accounting for more than 70% of turnover, while the compnay successfully trades with some of the biggest retailers in the world. 

·         Innovation Award – Nobó, founded by Brian and Rachel Nolan, has produced the world's first dairy free alternative to ice cream made from avocado and coconut milk. The brand name ’Nobó’, meaning no cow, has played a clever role in communicating the Irishness and dairy free approach. The judges highlighted the “strong vision for future development” noting that the product has already successfully grown with retail and foodservice listings nationwide and they are exporting to Dubai and about to expand into the UK market. 

·         Success at Home Award – Celtic Pure, a family owned company established in 2000 by the McEneaneys, has grown to sell over 40 million bottles of Irish spring water. Over the past eight years, the lowest percentage increase on sales year on year was 15%. Last year, the company invested over €3m in a new bottling line that increased the production capacity to 100 million bottles per annum. The company, which the judges deemed a “great Irish success story”, has also built a strong management team which the judges stated was crucial to the company’s success.

·         Branding Award – Glanbia’s Avonmore SuperMilk, Ireland’s leading milk brand, outperformed overall milk sales by as much as 6.3% in volume terms in a sector with declining sales, and consumer brand awareness and loyalty increased across the board. The campaign, called “Playground of Life”, was based on insight that consumers are increasingly concerned about the lack of vitamin D in the diet and posing Super Milk as the solution. 

·         Digital Marketing Award - Britvic Ireland’s Club Orange #thebestbits campaign was created to tap into themes of Irishness, nostalgia and colloquial humour. The campaign reached over 5.3 million influencers through online and PR mentions, while over 350,000 consumers viewed the video content on Facebook and YouTube. Club Orange sales increased by close to 10% compared to the previous year. The judges remarked on the low budget utilised compared to the results achieved, as well as on their innovative use of crowd sourcing to develop concepts from loyal Club Orange fans. 

·         Consumer Insight Award – Glenisk used consumer insight to develop their new range of high protein, authentically strained Greek Yogurt. The judges acknowledged the “huge lengths” Glenisk went to get a deep understanding of their consumer, in commissioning intensive research over a 12 month period and in engaging with consumers to innovatively ‘co-create’ the new range in a difficult yogurt category. Since its launch in April, it has already delivered a 10% increase in revenue for Glenisk.

Sustainability Award Boasts Competitive Edge

Due to the competitive nature of the category, the high calibre of entries and the strategic importance of Origin Green, Bord Bia’s sustainability programme, the judges deemed it appropriate to recognise the efforts of two companies. Aidan Cotter stated, “In a week when Bord Bia hosted its inaugural Global Sustainability Forum and released its first Origin Green report, it is encouraging to note the importance placed on sustainability by food and drink producers, with over a quarter of the total entries received for this award. This is also evident in the fact that, over 85% of total Irish food and drink exports are now coming from companies that are fully verified members of Origin Green. Sustainability is an established driver for the industry in terms of how it conducts business, and Origin Green has provided a renewed sense of purpose of how we can be different and still make a difference in a challenging marketplace.”

·         The judges recognised Glanbia Ingredients Ireland, Ireland’s leading dairy company, processing 1.8 billion litres of milk annually into a range of ingredients for export to over 60 countries, for their outstanding achievements in this area. As a founding member of Origin Green, GII is committed to auditing its entire milk supply base to establish a baseline under a number of sustainability indicators by 2016. Their ambition is to reduce carbon emissions by 10% by 2020, zero waste to landfill by 2015 and a 25% reduction in water abstraction by 2020. The judges felt Glanbia Ingredients Ireland was “in a league of its own, with a great story to tell, while the integrity of the business plan was very impressive”. 

·         Island Seafoods Ltd is a family owned and run business, which was established in 1986 in the popular fishing village of Killybegs. Both the quantity and quality of sustainability undertakings surprised the judges for a company of its size. They were also impressed by the level of innovation in driving sustainability within their business. For instance, new technology has given them the ability to track the kWh consumed per tonne of fish processed. As part of their Origin Green sustainability plan, they are working to reduce the overall operational electricity usage and water consumption for cooling and cleaning by 15% by 2016. In addition, there is a comprehensive plan in place in terms of food waste, renewable energy, cold store lighting and social sustainability. 

Going Greek With Glenisk!

Going Greek With Glenisk!
No Hardship

Preparing breakfast,
with yogurt, fruit and oat flakes (recipe below).

Ever since coming across thick creamy yogurts in France during summer holidays many moons ago, I have always liked them. So I was very happy to see that Glenisk are now doing them and happier again to get some samples.

And I have indeed been enjoying the new Strained Greek Yogurts. It looks like as if they have benefits for fitness fans and for anyone watching their weight. Check the details here.   

What are Greek yogurts? Well here’s one explanation: It's yogurt with much of the watery whey removed to make it thicker. In other words, Greek yogurt. But you can only call it that if it is properly Greek, as the recent legal battle confirmed. In January the British Court of Appeal ruled that Greek yogurt must be made in Greece; otherwise it's merely "strained". Read more of this UK Telegraph article here.

Glenisk Authentically Strained Greek Style Yogurts come in many flavours and  the new range is surprisingly thick and creamy for a fat free yogurt. A 150g serving contains about 100 calories, so you can enjoy a great taste minus the guilt!

Already I have a few favourites, especially that delicious strawberry. I have also used one to add to oat flakes and fruits overnight for breakfast and another has been used by the official blog cook as an ingredient in her absolutely delicious Banana Bread. (brownie points+++++!)

But what else can you do with them? Well Glenisk have thought of that too and supplied a range of recipes (below). I must try that Smoked Salmon one. Take your pick. Going Greek, or should I say going Greek style, with Glenisk is no hardship.

Pancakes (left) and Smoked Salmon Yogurt Cup

Simple Protein pancakes topped with Greek Yogurt & Fresh Fruit

Ingredients

2 Eggs

1 Banana (ripe)

Method

Mash ripe banana well, add in whisked eggs and mix together.

Warm a non-stick or cast iron pan to medium, add oil and add mixture to pan.

Let the cake set for thirty seconds (or when the centre bubbles) and flip it!

Top with Glenisk Natural 0% Greek Protein Yogurt and fresh berries!

Glenisk Smoked Irish Salmon Yogurt Cup

Ingredients

4 tbsp Glenisk Natural 0% Greek Protein Yogurt

1 tbsp Burren Smokehouse smoked salmon, chopped

5 capers

Sprinkle of chopped fresh dill

Zest of ¼ lemon

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Start off with the Natural Yogurt as the base of the dish.

Chop the Smoked Salmon sprinkle over the top & add a squeeze of lemon juice

Add the Capers & some fresh Dill

Season with the lemon zest, some salt & black pepper and a glug of olive oil (optional)

Serve with bagel chips

Overnight Oats (1 serving)

Ingredients

35g Steel cut porridge Oats

200g Glenisk Natural 0% Greek Protein Yogurt

Mixed Blueberries, Strawberries & Raspberries

Optional: Chia Seeds, Cacao Nibs, Honey

Method

Layer the porridge, yogurt and fruit in a jar or bowl.

Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight so the porridge absorbs all the yogurt.

In the morning stir so all the layers are mixed together and top with more fruit and anything else you might like to add.

Energy Boosting Smoothie (2 servings)

Ingredients

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 banana (peeled and chopped)

230g Glenisk Natural 0% Greek Protein Yogurt

Cinnamon to Taste

Method

Pour peanut butter, cocoa powder, Glenisk Organic Yogurt and ice cubes into blender and mix at high speed.

Slice banana, add into mixture, and re-blend.

Pour smoothie into two cups and serve.

Sprinkle dash of cinnamon on top for extra flavour

Sweet Potato Fries with Cool Yogurt Ranch Dip

For the Fries

2 medium/large sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon cornstarch

big sprinkle of cayenne (about 1/8 teaspoon)

big sprinkle of cumin (about 1/8 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons oil

Salt & Pepper to season

For the Dip

150g Glenisk Natural 0% Greek Protein Yogurt

2 tsp White Wine Vinegar

2 Garlic Cloves – minced

2 tbsp finely chopped onion

Salt & Pepper to Season

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C/ Gas Mark Seven

Using a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into chip like pieces (keep them relatively the same thickness as this will help them cook evenly)

Soak the fries for 10-15 mins

Place the Cayenne, Cumin & Cornstarch into a bowl and toss the (patted dry) fries in the mix to coat them. Transfer them to a non-stick baking tray and cook for 40 minutes (turning half way through)

While the fries are cooking, make your dip. In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Cloughjordan Cookery School. Layers of Knowledge.

Cloughjordan Cookery School

Layers of Knowledge

Puff Pastry is widely available and everyone, including top chefs, goes out and buys it. Why teach the art of making it? Why make it at all?

The answer is understanding. The extra knowledge will enhance your pastry skills. It’s a bit like photography. Why bother to learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, when a digital automatic will do it all (well, 90 per cent) for you? Again the answer is knowledge and gaining the understanding to do that awkward 10 per cent!

Knowledge and understanding. And that’s what the Cloughjordan Cookery School and Colleen teach. The knowledge is here and they pass it on in a gorgeous 400 year old farmhouse in North Tipperary (Nenagh to the west, Roscrea to the east) and very near to the Offaly border with Birr fairly close, right in the middle of Ireland. Your hosts are Sarah (founder of the cookery school and still paying a leading role there) and husband Peter Baker.

Top: croissants, before and after.
Middle: blind baking and Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart.
Bottom: lots of butter and Colleen with yours truly

And if you are there for a course, or B & B, or a wedding, the food will be local. And will also be very good, if our breakfast is anything to go by. They grow lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in their walled garden, and what the garden doesn't provide, they source from artisan producers, the local butcher and local farmers.

During a small break and after sampling the delicious croissants, the course participants went out to the nearby muddy paddock to see four newly arrival bonhams (piglets). Immediately, the curious crew arrived, the quartet dashed off to the far end and hid behind a row of trees. They had every right to be suspicious. Must have heard the oohs and ahs as we tucked into the tasty sausages a few hours earlier.

The course was entitled “Sweet Things” and the sub headings were Puff Pastry, Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart, Choux Pastry, Croissants, and Italian Biscuits. Colleen took us through the lessons and handed out a few general tips as well. Knife handling skills were illustrated with the hint “fold your fingers back while chopping, that way you won’t lose a finger-tip!” and she recommended using Doves Farm Yeast which is widely available; check here .

Top: the Cookery School.
Bottom: Colleen, big welcome (yes, tail is wagging) and shy little piggies.

There was an immediate practical result from our Puff Pastry efforts as we each ended up with at least two tarts, one topped with caramelized red onions (from the garden) and goats cheese or Brie, the other with leeks and mushroom mixed with crème fraîche and cream. And this was our tasty lunch! Our chocolate tart was also ready at this point but in most cases we had been well satisfied by the savoury tarts and the chocolate came home with us along with a Glenisk Goody Bag!

Courses generally start about 10.00am and finish around two o’clock. And, like us, quite a few of the participants stayed at the house on the previous night. And from what I gathered, we all slept well in comfortable beds and bedrooms. We had a meal at the nearby Fairway Bar and Orchards Restaurant (in Kilruane) before coming back to the sitting room where, in front of a warm stove, I sipped a lovely glass of Bordeaux before enjoying meeting and chatting with other guests as they came in from various parts of the country.

It is a friendly place and that starts with the Baker family themselves. If you are traveling in the area, do keep it in mind for B&B which they offer from April to October. Looks like a very enjoyable experience indeed. For more info on Cloughjordan weddings, B&B, and cookery courses, see the excellent website where the videos will give you a hint of the warm welcome that awaits.

• forthcoming courses include Breads and Baking; Weekday Dinners.
  
  See also: Fairways Bar and Orchard Restaurant
  Cloughjordan Eco Village

Taste of the Week. Glenisk Greek Style Yogurts

Taste of the Week

Glenisk’s Greek Style Yogurts

Have been enjoying my breakfasts these mornings, mixing a little granola with the gorgeous Greek Style Yoghurts from Glenisk, the Taste of the Week. These creamy tubfuls come in a range of mouth watering flavours and contain beneficial probiotic cultures to promote healthy digestion. And, even better, they are natural organic yogurts. Flavours include Strawberry, Blueberry, Rhubarb, Apple, Gooseberry, and the limited edition Raspberry and Lemon Curd.  Lots of choice then and, if you are stuck for time, they even do tubs of Natural Yoghurt with the granola included. No excuse! Favourites here were the Blueberry and Strawberry but I'm sure you’ll have your own!

New Foodie Recipe Videos from Glenisk

Glenisk Takes the Starring Role

In New Forkful Food Recipe Videos

Glenisk have made it very easy for me. They probably know I'm a little lazy so they sent a sample of a beautiful Orange and Cardamon Granola to try with their versatile range of yoghurts.

Ireland’s award winning organic dairy have collaborated with Forkful TV to create a series of delicious video recipes featuring the full Glenisk range in starring roles, demonstrating the versatility of the Yogurts, Milks, Cream and Crème Fraiche directly on your tablet, laptop or smartphone! And here you'll find out how to make the granola yourself, step by easy step. I might even be tempted to make my own!

The beautifully shot videos are available to view here (this is the YouTube Link ) and will provide both novice and veteran foodies with tips and ideas for a variety of dining occasions; from lazy weekend brunch with friends, and family sit-down meals, to handy lunch options and some sinfully sweet suggestions for desert!

The Forkful videos are the latest additions to Glenisk’s growing selection of recipe suggestions and videos, all available to watch and experiment with on the recipe section.The full Glenisk range is free from artificial or GM ingredients, synthetic chemicals and additives, so are good for nature, and good for you, and are available across retail stores nationwide.

Stay up to date and be in with a chance to win prizes by checking them out on their Facebook page  www.facebook.com/GleniskOrganic or follow www.twitter.com/Glenisk.

Full range of Glenisk recipe videos include:

Breakfast

Orange and Cardamom Granola

Savoury Pancakes

Creme fraîche baked eggs

Lunch/Dinner

Cornbread with chilli con carne

Leftover roast chicken sandwich

Creme fraîche mussels

Dessert

Salted caramel sauce

Rice pudding with vanilla rhubarb

Lemon Cake

Other

Creme Fraîche trio

·  Lime crème fraîche with smoked salmon

·  Lemon Zest crème fraîche frosting

·  Herb and mustard crème fraîche with crudites