A culinary wish list in West Cork …
In My Foodie Weekend, we explore the rhythms and routines of Ireland’s top industry insiders. This month, Eddie Atwell shares his ideal foodie weekend and his recipe for summer salad.
How do you spend quality time off? Most of my time off revolves around getting outdoors with my blue Staffy. Whether it’s a walk through the forest or along the beach, it’s a chance to switch off properly from the pace of kitchen life. It usually turns into a bit of foraging too, keeping an eye out for seasonal bits growing nearby. I love that connection to nature and ingredients; it keeps me inspired outside of the kitchen as much as inside it.
What’s your perfect Friday night? To be honest, there aren’t too many Fridays off in this industry, especially during the busy season! Most Friday nights are spent in the thick of restaurant service, which I genuinely enjoy. There’s a great buzz to a packed dining room and a busy kitchen when everyone’s in sync. If there’s time after service, it’s usually about winding down with the team and having a laugh after a long shift.
What’s your ideal Saturday morning – do you prefer breakfast or brunch? I’d definitely lean more towards a funky brunch than a traditional breakfast. West Cork has some brilliant spots doing really creative food, from Crimean-influenced cooking to menus centred around incredible Irish produce. Budds in Ballydehob is a standout for me. I love places that keep things relaxed, but still put serious thought into flavour and ingredients. Anything produce-led with a good coffee and a bit of creativity behind it is hard to beat.
How about Saturday night – do stay in or go out after work? Unwinding with the team after a busy Saturday service is probably my ideal night. Hospitality can be intense, but there’s a real sense of camaraderie that comes with it. Some of the best moments are after service when everyone finally gets to sit down, relax and reflect on the night together.
Do you have any Sunday food traditions? It’s hard to beat a really good roast dinner on a Sunday. The sides are what make it special for me – crispy roast potatoes, proper stuffing, jams, chutneys or little additions that elevate the whole plate. I think that those details can completely transform a classic roast into something memorable.
Where do you like to food shop? I’m lucky to have access to incredible Irish produce through my friend Paul Schultz at the Natural Growing Company. Having genuinely high-quality, locally grown produce on hand makes such a difference. Seasonal Irish produce is always my must-buy. Ingredients that have been grown properly and handled with care don’t need much done to them.
What are some of your favourite ingredients? Funny enough, as a child I used to pick onions out of mince and avoid them. Now, onions are probably one of the ingredients that I appreciate the most because they’re so versatile. They can be the backbone of soups, sauces and stocks or transformed into purées, pickles and jams. It’s amazing how one ingredient can bring so much depth and flavour to a dish.
Where are your favourite foodie destinations? Wherever I am, sushi is usually my go-to. I love the simplicity and precision of it. At home, Ireland’s food scene has become incredibly exciting, especially around places championing local produce and seafood. Abroad, I’m always drawn to destinations where food culture is deeply rooted in seasonality and craftsmanship.
Do you have a favourite seasonal tipple? You can’t really go wrong with a Jameson and ginger. Simple, classic and easy to enjoy year-round, but especially good after a long shift or on a relaxed evening with friends.
What’s your favourite seasonal recipe? My beetroot and blue cheese salad. By making a few different solid base ingredients that keep for ages – pickled beetroots, beetroot jam and granola – all you need is a few fresh salad leaves and some quality blue cheese. Everything else is pre-made, so it’s ready to go. It really shows how we can harness the power of the wild, even in cooler months of the year. We use the blue cheese as a custard that can be made easily at home too.
Blue Cheese Custard
200g blue cheese
100g parmesan
7 eggs
200ml milk
1. Warm milk and melt cheese, add eggs slowly.
2. Cook slowly until it thickens, but do not boil. Transfer to fridge.
3. Mix or whisk gently.
Beetroot Pickle
6 medium sized beetroot cut to your preference – if using different colours, I usually cook and pickle separately to help retain their colours.
Transfer to a pan, cover with water – reserve the trimmings to make beetroot purée by blending or adding juice for a sauce.
1. Add thyme, garlic, a pinch of salt and sugar, and rapeseed oil then allow to simmer until cooked. Allow to cool in the liquid.
2. Once cooled, the skin should rub off easily. Portion the beets into slices or wedges.
3. Reserve beets for pickles in a container, so that they can be submerged.
Beetroot Pickling Juice
300ml orange juice
200ml water
50g sugar
300ml white wine vinegar
50ml irish rapeseed oil
I clove garlic
1 sprig thyme
Half lemon
1/2 lime
5 coriander seeds
3 peppercorns
1. Add all of the ingredients to a pan and simmer, season with salt and bring back to the boil.
2. Pour over beets, wrap and allow to cool.
Beetroot Jam
2 medium beetroots
100ml orange juice
100ml white wine
100ml white wine vinegar
100g sugar
20 mustard seeds
50ml rapeseed oil
1. In a pot, lightly toast the mustard seeds.
2. Peel and grate the beetroot raw then add to the mustard seeds along with the oil. Sweat gently for a few minutes and add all of the other ingredients.
3. Allow the liquid to reduce to a syrup. The beet will become a little translucent. Allow to cool before serving – it’s also great for preserving.
Seed Granola
300g mixed seeds or nuts (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, linseed)
100g butter
100g golden syrup
100g sugar
25g bicarbonate of soda
1. Toast your seeds and allow them to cool on a baking sheet.
2. In a pan, add butter, sugar and syrup then boil until it starts to caramelise. Once caramelised, remove from the heat and add bicarb, continuing to stir.
3. Pour the bubbling mixture over the seeds and allow to cool. Once cooled, blitz to the desired size and season with salt.
To Assemble
1. Put a layer of beetroot purée on the bottom of the salad bowl and sprinkle a good layer of granola.
2. Spread large chunks of blue cheese and arrange the beetroot with small pinches of beet jam.
3. Use salad leaves of your choice, I like baby beet leaves and red chard.
4. Dress with some of the pickling liquid or beet purée.
5. Finish off with some edible flowers of your choice – the delicious Dahlia ‘Arabian Nights’ is a great pairing. Enjoy!