Kids are getting so hard to whelm. Some time ago, a few friends with kids called over for a big long lunch, and Jean suggested that I let the little ones decorate their own pizzas. Turns out the kids were way less interested in topping pizzas than I was. So I kept it simple, throwing [...]

Words to describe lamb: warm, comforting, nourishing. Delicious in stew. Everything you’d want on a cold winter’s day. Happy summer. Spring lamb is at its best right now, in the middle of this unseasonably pleasant summer. Whacking it onto the barbeque is one option, but I still had a lot of meat leftover from Aldi’s [...]

A big, meaty chunk of spring lamb, sat provocatively on my counter. In the cupboard: mint sauce and rooster potatoes; in my fridge: parsnips and Yorkshire puddings. But the sunshine was gently, firmly, pouring its heat into my kitchen, bursting out with a whoosh when I opened the back door. So, despite my peculiar longing [...]

Yawning spaces opened up in the fridge. Lonely potatoes and tomatoes felt conspicuously exposed in the presses. There was a freezer full of long-forgotten sauces. Meanwhile, an excess of herbs, spices, and assorted condiments shrugged their shoulders, unsure how they could help. But I was determined to eat what I had. With a visit to [...]

Is that the sun I see in the sky? Great. And it’s going to be there forever? Even better. And picnic season has begun? This is the greatest day in the history of Ireland. Picnics spark mixed reactions. For some, they bring to mind soggy, sand-encrusted sandwiches with a measly layer of slimy picnic ham. [...]

I’m always bleating on about food waste, and I’ve written before about rescuing food from skips. Waste not, want not. One Norfolk man, a producer with the BBC, has taken this philosophy to its logical conclusion. He’s picking up, butchering, cooking and feeding his family dead animals from the side of the road. No, he’s [...]

Here’s a simple recipe for trout that doesn’t require much fussing or measuring. Trout’s reasonably cheap too, and often on special at Superquinn. This serves two, alter as required. Ingredients 2 trout fillets 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped* A knob of ginger, finely chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 [...]

December 30th, 2010 brought a new and wonderful thing into my life – a little niece. The brand new beautiful Anna Mae is the daughter of my brother Steve and his wife Aoife, and in the grand tradition of tiny babies everywhere, she is so far spending most of her time either feeding or squawking. [...]

Some current specials at SuperValu include: Mix and match any three selected fruit and veg for €4 (€2 each) Half price poinsettias (€3.49) Fox’s Fabulously Special Selection Tin (720g) Offers are valid until November 20. Click here for details. Top chef Kevin Dundon of Dunbrody House has created a range of simple recipes for SuperValu [...]

My friend Asad once prepared a delicious chicken biryani for a group of us using left over chicken and a hodgepodge of ingredients.  We were on holidays in a rented house and only had what we’d brought, but it was one of the nicest biryanis I’ve ever had. It’s a great way to use up [...]