Tuesday 26 August 2014

ANANDA "A gastronomic temple of Indian Cuisine " @AnandaDundrum


Ananda in Dundrum Town Centre is regarded as one of Dublin's finest dining experiences, so it was no surprise that last week it won for the 3rd year in a row the World Culinary Award at the Food & Wine Magazine Awards 2014.
The restaurant and its Executive Head Chef Sunil Ghai boasts an impressive array of awards between them over the years , from Best Chef, Best Restaurant in Dublin to Best World Cuisine.
At Ananda, the very skilled and creative Sunil Ghai offers contemporary Indian Cuisine and he continues to delight us by constantly challenging our perception of what Indian Cuisine should be. His approach is most of all focused on pure clean flavours and seasonal produce.
Using predominantly Indian flavours and traditional cooking methods but no more so as in keeping with his creative goals, he is not afraid to dip into molecular gastronomy often tinged with inspirations from French, Japanese and Far Eastern cuisine and  reinvents them into something magical and makes it his own.

Here is his  Deconstructed Papdi Chatt, Tamarind relish & Coriander foam


A dessert of Masala Thandai Kulfi, Semolina crisp, Rose gel, Pistachio & semolina sand.


Sunday 24 August 2014

Creamy Chicken, Gnocchi & Asparagus


 
This is a great mid week meal in mins , when time is short and you don't want to compromise on taste and flavour. So long as  you can boil water, chop a shallot and switch on your cooker, This will be child's play for any novice or aspiring cooks.
Come on , let's get cooking !!!!

Friday 15 August 2014

Pizza e Porchetta,Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2 . @pepspizzeria


In the former location of what used to be Bridge Bar & Grill, nestled underneath the arches at the Malting Tower on Grand Canal Dock is Pizza e Porchetta, the new eatery from restauranteur Ronan Ryan. Needless to say, the place has had a completely make-over. The decor is modern, stylish yet very cosy and warm. And don't be fooled by the name, this is no ordinary pizza joint but rather one of those little gem of a place you stumble upon in New York or Milan. Here you will find inspired dishes concentrating on clean flavours using the best seasonal produce and truly amazing Italian produce.Think of Guanciale, an Italian cured pork cheek, Bottarga, salted fish roe or N'duja Italian sausage, Bresaola, air-dried salt beef and of course the Porchetta, spit roasted boned shoulder of pork stuffed with garlic and herbs.

Sunday 10 August 2014

Copper and Spices, Ludlow street, Navan.Co Meath #TasteOfIndia @copperspices

A recent visit to Copper and Spices , a Southern Asian Restaurant run by Head Chef owner Nitin Gautamn and his charming wife Carmel, in Navan, County Meath was an evening of fantastic food and service.
We were warmly welcome to the restaurant on a balmy summer evening to the traditional folk beat of Bangra music. This immediately put us in the mood and expectation of things to come. The dining area itself is very cosy and elegant, with a touch of ethnic Indian decor without going overboard.
The menu here is simple, clear and straight to the point and devoid of any complicated description. I liked that. I also liked the mention of the provenance of the produce on the menu and was glad to see that most were locally sourced from Keelaghan Meats in Ashbourne, McCormack farms in Kiltale, Sean Mcgrane Butchers in Navan, Connolly's fish in Navan and Burke's farm in Tara, while all their Spices are roasted and blended in their own kitchen.

Monday 4 August 2014

Discover the Flavours of Knorr Flavour Pots & Enter the Competition to win a Hamper


If you want to serve delicious, nutritious home-cooked food everyday but don't have much time to do it, then here's a new way of cooking that can help you out and perfect for when time is short but you don't want to compromise on either taste or flavour.
With the new Knorr Flavour Pots, creating fabulous meals infused with the delicious flavour of fresh herbs and spices is now extremely easy. Whether you are whipping up a quick mid-week meal or a culinary masterpiece, this innovative five pot range is set to help you in introducing flavour to your every day meals.
You will find it in the Herbs & Spices aisle of your  local supermarket and comes in five carefully chosen variants. Mixed Herbs, 3 Peppercorns, Curry, Garlic and Mixed Chillies.
Each selected combinations, carefully capture all the fresh flavour, natural aroma and colour of each herb and spices. It is a must for your store cupboard.

With this in mind, I have chosen two of the flavours and prepared a dish. For you to win a Knorr Flavour Pot Hamper, choose any one of the other three flavours and submit  your recipe and a photo of the Dish.
There are 3 Hampers to give away. The winning recipes will also be featured on this site with full accreditation. Competition closes on the 31st August. 

e-mail your recipe to jacobrobert9@gmail.com
This competition is open to anyone in the world, Should you be a winner , your prize will be posted by registered post to you.