WITH temperatures risen and summer well and truly here its time to look at those alfresco dining options.
We all know that the BBQ may be your go-to option for an outdoor meal, this week however The Irish Post puts forward an alternative family feast that can be prepared and served within 30 mins.
Combining Kevin Dundon's Spanish inspired Wild Garlic and Potato Tortilla with Lilly Higgins Broken Egg, Serrano Ham and Potatoes Tray Bake, the two dishes bring together a Spanish infused meal that is perfect served with a green salad, feta cheese, slow roast tomatoes and herbed olives.
All of which can go from oven to plate in no time at all.
Kevin Dundon is a Dublin-born Chef, TV personality and Author.
As one of Ireland best known chefs, he is the owner of Dunbrody Country House Hotel in county Wexford which also houses the Dunbrody Cookery School.
Throughout the Covid-19 hospitality lockdowns in Ireland, Dundon has taken to Instagram to give an almost daily live cooking sessions giving simple quick 20 minutes meals as well as sharing his vast amount of experience through hints and tips.
Cork based Lilly Higgins is a food writer, blogger, photographer and chef.
After graduating with an honors degree in Design, Lilly worked in the art and graphics world but was repeatedly drawn to the kitchen.
She finally succumbed to her love of food when she enrolled in Ballymaloe Cookery School in 2007. She then went on to teach at the school.
Lilly is now a weekly columnist and photographer for The Irish Times, posting online videos each and every Friday.
She had a weekly column with The Sunday Business Post for three years and a monthly column with Easy Food magazine since 2010.
She writes and photographs food regularly for various national papers, magazines and food producers.
You can follow Kevin Dundon via his Instagram @kevindundon and you can follow Lilly Higgins @lilly_higgins_.
And now to the kitchen.
With readily available ingredients, the simple dishes re-created here are aimed at the beginner through to the more established home chef while giving the flexibility to alter the ingredients to suit your own pallet.
In preparing for these particular dishes, it is recommended that the green salad and feta cheese is prepared in advance.
Once you have the salad prepared, prepare your olives and slow roast tomatoes on your favourite serving dishes.
Set these aside while you cook the two hot dishes.
Next, prepare the potatoes for both dishes, peeled and cubed for the broken egg, serrano ham and potatoes tray bake and peeled and thinly sliced for the tortilla.
Starting with baked eggs, serrano ham and potatoes will give you the time to cook the tortilla and have both dishes ready to serve together giving you extra brownie points for all your guests.
Wild Garlic and Potato Tortilla with Broken Egg, Serrano Ham and Potatoes Tray BakeWild Garlic and Potato Tortilla with Broken Egg, Serrano Ham and Potatoes Tray Bake
In preparing the dish we used the following ProCook equipment:
End Grain Chopping Board
Damascus 67, 20cm Chef's Knife
DesignPro Silicone Spatula
26cm Stainless Steel mixing bowl
28cm professional ceramic frying pan with lid
ProCook Whisk Stainless Steel
From Belleek Pottery we used the following equipment and presented the dishes using the following range of products.
Porto Regular Baker casserole dish
Belleek living marble tapas set
Belleek Living Tropical Botanics bamboo set
Belleek Living Grafton Cutlery
Irish chef Lilly HigginsLilly Higgins Broken Eggs, Serrano Ham and Potatoes Tray Bake
Ingredients (serves 4):
4-6 large potatoes, washed, scrubbed and cut into cubes or wedges
4eggs
4 tbsp olive oil
200g serrano or Parma ham
Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, 18-degrees fan.
Start by parboiling the potatoes for five minutes. Drain and tip them into a large tray, drizzle with three tablespoons of olive oil and mix well.
Place in a preheated oven for 25 mins.
After 25 mins take the potatoes out of the oven and tear the serrano ham into bite-sized pieces and place on top of the potatoes, and cook for a further five minutes.
While the potatoes are finishing, fry the eggs.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, crack in the eggs and lower the heat.
Leave to slowly cook till the whites are just set and the yolk is still soft. Divide the potatoes and serrano ham between four bowls and top with a fried egg.
Serve right away.
Irish chef Kevin DundonKevin Dundon's Spanish inspired Spinach and potato Tortilla
Ingredients (serves 4):
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced thinly
6 eggs
2 handfuls of Wild Garlic if available or Spinach Leaves
Salt and pepper to season
Method:
Using a non-stick frying pan with lid heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
Add the potatoes, and onions. Cook covered with the lid on, tossing / turning the potatoes every now and again for 5-10 mins until the potatoes are softened.
Season the potatoes and onions generously with the salt and pepper.
Take off the heat and rest in the frying plan.
In a medium to large mixing bowl, crack your six eggs, add salt and pepper seasoning and then whisk lightly with a folk adding your wild garlic or spinach.
Take the cooked onions and potatoes and add to your egg mixture in your mixing bowl. Mixing gently make sure all your ingredients are well covered with the egg mixture.
Tip the egg, potato, wild garlic / spinach mixture back onto the pan and cook for five minutes until there is virtually no raw egg mixture left to be seen. Pushing the sides of the down with a spatula to give a curved edge.
Using a flat plate or the lid of the frying pan slide the tortilla out of the pan. flip back onto the pan and cook for another 2-4 minutes.
To serve, turn the tortilla onto a chopping board and cut into wedges, or simple serve from the frying pan.
All of the products used in making and presenting the bread can be found at www.belleek.com and www.procook.co.uk
