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Irish Examiner
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Seafood Made Simple: Why it's the perfect time to try my recipe for whole baked plaice
Cork on a Fork is back this summer for its third year in a row with a jam-packed programme of the very best food and drink our fine city has to offer. Taking place from August 13-17 with unique dining experiences, workshops, demonstrations and talks as well as a full programme of festival fun for children, the full programme can be found online at As a proud Cork woman, I'm delighted to be in the thick of it this year! I'll be cooking a very special dinner in the English Market on the Saturday night of the festival with my two pals; Harrison Sharpe (head chef at Elbow Lane) and Pamela Kelly (head chef at the Farmgate, English Market). A four-course dinner will be served around the fountain, showcasing the wonderful bounty of produce available in the English Market, a place that has provided me and my colleagues with so much inspiration over the years. Unfortunately, tickets are already sold out for this tight-on-space event which can only accommodate 50 diners. A little history will be made on the evening, as it'll be the first sit-down dinner to take place on the ground floor of the iconic English Market. You'll also catch me on the Saturday morning of the weekend at the festival marquee on Emmet Square at 11am, where I'll be demonstrating some simple smoked seafood breakfast dishes using some of the very best smoked fish from Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery, Skibbereen, West Cork. A whole baked plaice inspired this weekend's recipe. Plaice is a beautiful fish with its distinctive papaya-coloured spots, delicate and sweet flavour flesh and delicious skin. Flat fish is at its peak in the summer months, with a little more meat on the bones this time of year. This recipe would work with any flat fish like brill, megrim, turbot or dory. Whole baked plaice with smoky onions & tomato salsa recipe by:Aishling Moore Plaice is a beautiful fish with its distinctive papaya-coloured spots, delicate and sweet flavour flesh and delicious skin. Flat fish is at its peak in the summer months, with a little more meat on the bones this time of year. Preparation Time 30 mins Cooking Time 15 mins Total Time 45 mins Course Main Ingredients For the plaice: 1x 600-800g whole plaice 2tb golden rapeseed oil 200ml dry white wine Sea salt For the onions: 2 tbsp golden rapeseed oil 2 small white onions sliced 2 cloves of garlic sliced 2tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp black pepper Sea salt Pinch of brown sugar 50ml apple cider vinegar For the salsa: 3 medium tomatoes 1 red onion finely diced 1 clove of garlic minced 1 lime juiced 3 tbsp golden rapeseed oil 1 small bunch coriander chopped Sea salt Method In a large heavy based medium sized saucepan on medium high heat cooked the sliced onions in the rapeseed oil for 4-5 minutes to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for a further minute before adding the smoked paprika and black pepper. Season with sea salt and cook for 1 minute. Add the apple cider vinegar. Cook for two minutes to deglaze the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the salsa prepare the tomatoes. Cut each in half and using a teaspoon scoop out the seeds and set aside for another use. Dice the tomatoes and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and combine. Taste to correct the seasoning. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pat the plaice dry using some kitchen paper to remove excess moisture. Using a pair of sharp scissors, remove the head and the skirt of the fish, carefully working around the frame of the fish. Using the rapeseed oil, grease a large roasting tray. Place the smoky onions on the base of the tray; this will act as a trivet preventing the fish from the sticking to the tray Pour the white wine over the fish, drizzle with rapeseed oil and season with sea salt. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the thickest part of the fish flakes when pressed with a fork. Remove from the oven and rest for a couple of minutes before serving with the tomato salsa. Fish tales When tackling any type of whole fish, preparation always be sure to work with a well-secured chopping board and sharp knives or scissors. If you'd be more comfortable, ask your fishmonger to prep your fish for you. It is important to choose a roasting dish large enough to fit the whole fish comfortably, with a little space around the exterior of the fish to allow heat to circulate. Use a shallow dish for this process. It makes it much easier to access and remove the fish after cooking, and will speed up cooking time. The best way to check that the fish is cooked through is by using a thermometer. Always insert it into the thickest part of the fish. Be sure to give the pan a good scrape with a wooden spoon when deglazing with apple cider vinegar, to extract all that flavour. Read More Ireland's best food trucks and street food stalls to try this summer
Irish Examiner
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'Guests are in for a memorable night': Cork's English Market to host dinner cooked by city's top chefs
Usually a bustling hive of butchers, fishmongers and cheesemongers, the historic English Market in Cork is set to host an exclusive sit-down dinner around its famous fountain. The special Supper by the Fountain event during the Cork on a Fork Fest will feature three of the city's top chefs — Pamela Kelly of Farmgate Café, Aishling Moore of Goldie, and Harrison Sharpe of Elbow Lane — collaborating on a specially designed menu that puts the market's local produce centre stage. The night will begin with a drinks reception, sponsored by Rebel City Distillery and Elbow Lane. Then, up to a maximum of 50 guests will be seated around the market's fountain for a four-course meal that reflects the city's food culture, with each course paired by market-based wine specialists Bubble Brothers. The chefs will introduce their dishes and share stories behind their creations and the produce, and the event will feature live music. Tickets for the dinner on Saturday, August 16, are priced at €128, plus booking fee, and go on sale at 9am on Monday, and organisers say they expect them to sell out quickly. Head chef at Cork's Elbow Lane Harrison Sharpe: 'We're three different chefs with different styles, but that's what makes this such a brilliant opportunity.' Ms Moore, who is known for her sustainable gill-to-fin philosophy at Goldie, said she could not wait for the event. 'I grew up shopping in the market with my parents — now I'm sourcing ingredients here as a chef. It's such a joy to celebrate its producers in this way, surrounded by their stalls, and to cook alongside two chefs that I really admire,' she said. Ms Kelly said the English Market was more than a building. 'It's a living, breathing part of Cork City. This event brings people closer to the food, the place, and the people who make it special every day.' Mr Sharpe said he was really looking forward to the collaboration. 'We're three different chefs with different styles, but that's what makes this such a brilliant opportunity. We all share the same respect for ingredients, and the English Market is full of inspiration. I think guests are in for a really memorable night,' he said. The Supper by the Fountain event is supported by TS Events and forms part of Cork on a Fork Fest, which runs from August 13 to 17, with more than 100 events across the city, from pop-up dining experiences, street feasts, food trails, cooking demos, foraging walks, and family-friendly fun. Booking details on Read More Cork brothers behind Dacent Munch take over landmark Fox & Hounds pub
Irish Examiner
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Seafood Made Simple: My Welsh Rarebit blends fish with cheese for an oceanic oomph
The Welsh Rarebit, in my book, is the ultimate of all open-faced sandwiches. Packed with the umami layered ingredients of ale, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce. It's a deeply moreish number. I had my first rarebit in one of my all-time favourite restaurants, the renowned St John in London. Founded by the great chef Fergus Henderson, he's a master of simplicity and the king of nose-to-tail cookery. His version includes English mustard powder and Guinness. Mine, as you'd expect, includes a little seafood. I'm not typically the biggest advocate of serving fish with cheese but it works so brilliantly in this recipe, using some smoked haddock to add an oceanic oomph. I've used a little fillet of Woodcock Smokery's smoked haddock in this recipe, but you could also use some smoked pollock. Or you could fold through some crab through the mix instead. A fundamental ingredient to a rarebit is beer. Some recipes call for red ales, others for porters, lots for stout. Here, I've opted for a more subtle addition, using Elbow Lane's lager to flavour the sauce. Elbow Lane Brewery and Smoke House produces five award-winning beers. Expertly brewed by Russel Grant and his team, they adhere to the principles of the German purity laws, using only water, hops, barley and yeast. For cheese, I've used Coolattin Cheddar from west Wicklow. Tom Burgess is producing my favourite cheddar in the whole of Ireland. Crowned the World's Best Cheddar last year in the World Cheese Awards, I implore you to try this. A mature raw milk cheese made only in the summer months, when the herd is grazing on clover-rich pastures, it's both fruity and nutty. You'll find it in most cheesemongers, but you can also buy direct from Smoked Haddock Rarebit with Fennel and Apple Salad recipe by:Aishling Moore I'm not typically the biggest advocate of serving fish with cheese but it works so brilliantly in this recipe Servings 4 Preparation Time 10 mins Cooking Time 30 mins Total Time 40 mins Course Main Ingredients For the rarebit 100g smoked haddock 300ml milk 50g butter (plus 30g for toasting bread) 50g plain flour 150ml beer 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1tb Worcestershire sauce 20g mature cheddar grated (plus extra for finishing) ¼ tsp white pepper Sea salt 4 x slices thick-cut bread For the salad 1 small bulb of fennel 1 small apple, sliced Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp golden rapeseed oil 2 sprigs of dill chopped Sea salt Method In a small, heavy-based saucepan on medium-low heat, gently poach the smoked haddock in the milk until the fish flakes when pressed. Using a slotted spoon lift the fish from the pot and place on a plate to cool slightly before flaking. Pass the milk through a sieve and reserve. Add 50g butter to a separate medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted add the flour and stir well using a wooden spoon. Cook for one minute before slowly adding the warmed milk to prevent lumps from forming in the sauce. Once all the milk is incorporated, add the beer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 4 minutes to ensure the flour is cooked out. Finish the sauce with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cheese and white pepper. Taste and season with salt. Add the flaked smoked haddock and transfer to a small bowl with some greaseproof paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool. Preheat oven to 200°C. Melt 30g butter in a large frying pan on medium heat and toast the slices of bread until golden brown. Place on a baking sheet. Divide the rarebit mixture in four and smear across one side of each slice of toast. Cover with more grated cheese and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until bubbling and gratinated. To make the salad, combine the shaved fennel and sliced apple in a medium mixing bowl. Add the chopped dill, season with salt and dress with the lemon juice and golden rapeseed oil. Fish tales Watch out for bones when flaking the smoked haddock. I like to keep the skin attached when poaching and discard when flaking. Season cautiously when making the rarebit mixture as the smoked haddock, Worcestershire sauce, and cheddar are all high in salt. It's very important to add the milk to the rarebit mixture when it's still warm to prevent any lumps from forming in the sauce. I prefer toasting the bread in butter in the pan, but you can use a toaster to save time and washing up. It's vital the bread is toasted before adding the rarebit mix. Use a mandolin for shaving the fennel and slicing the apples if you have one handy. Alternatively, you could use a speed peeler. Prepare the salad just before serving to prevent the apple from discolouring. Read More Seafood Made Simple: Why this vegetable should be the focal point of your dish
