The cook, writer and restaurateur’s culinary wishlist …
In this series, we explore the rhythms and routines of Ireland’s foodie folk, from Chef Richard Corrigan and Meeran Manzoor, Executive Head Chef at The Blue Haven Collection and Rare, Kinsale to Kasha Connolly At Hazel Mountain Chocolate and Romain Tessier of Artybaker.
This month, Thomasina Miers shares her ideal foodie weekend ahead of her appearance at Ballymaloe Food Festival in Cork.
What excites you most about appearing at Ballymaloe Food Festival?
I love Ireland and I love Cork. I spent a very happy six months here when I studied at Ballymaloe Cookery School in East Cork, and afterwards when I worked at Gubbeen in West Cork for Giana and Tom Ferguson. That time is steeped in happy memories for me, discovering my real passion for food and cooking. At the time, 20 years ago now, I had also spent a year in Mexico and Darina Allen was one of the few people who travelled to Oaxaca and understood the magic of Mexican food. It was a very happy time learning about the importance of where food comes from and how it’s grown; valuing the farmers and producers who nourish us.
My weekend food shopping: I always take the kids to the markets in Cork for their atmosphere. I adore black pudding, so I definitely buy some of that, and some of the cheeses on sale. And I couldn’t miss going back to Gubbeen to do some shopping at the farm, or going to the Midleton food market.
What’s the one meal you could eat every day? Freshly baked bread and butter. The best food on earth. Timothy Allen first taught me how to make sourdough when I did the course and I’ve been hooked ever since. Most recently, I spent an afternoon with Richard Hart in Mexico City who gave me the most amazing tutorial from his new bread book, one of the best baking books I have – he is the most incredible baker. I never get bored of making bread.
Friday night: I love feeding the people I love and experimenting with new recipes, so I’ll often have friends over. The best tonic. I normally cook a feast, knowing that there’s no reason to get up early other than to take my dog for a run.
Saturday treats: A new bakery called Don’t Tell Dad has just opened near us in London. They make seriously good bread and their hot cross buns are fiercely fought over – blink and you miss them – if you’re there in time, you feel like you won the lottery! I also love Canteen, a no-reservation place that makes beautifully simple Italian food: seasonal and delicious. My children often clamour to go to Wahaca too for nature-friendly beef tacos, griddled cactus and courgette tacos, and roast aubergine that’s really lovely.
What’s your Easter Sunday tradition? Easter is proper family time with masses of mouths to feed and eggs to hunt! I’ll cook roast lamb or ham, of course, and I’ll bake something chocolatey from my new book due out later this year.
Any favourite tipples? I always drink Bloody Marys at Easter. I might make some fire cider for when I don’t want to drink, a type of fermented soft drink I first learned to make in Mexico. And I make a rhubarb syrup this time of year to put into a Crémant for a toast. It’s great having a reason to celebrate!
Thomasina’s favourite recipe for tomato, pineapple and feta ‘fattoush’
Serves 4-6
This salad was inspired by a dish prepared for me by wonderful Oaxacan chef Alejandro Ruiz. It opened my eyes to the versatility of pineapples that, like tomatoes, are delicious in both sweet and savoury dishes whether raw, grilled, roasted or stewed into homemade ketchups and salsas. If you don’t have hibiscus flowers, which add a tangy seasoning, use sumac instead.
Ingredients:
1 x 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
50g (2oz) feta
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
12 ripe baby tomatoes, quartered
1/4-1/2 pineapple, flesh diced
1 cucumber
10 radishes
3-4 corn or flour tortillas (about 50g/2oz cooked weight)
Small handful of tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
Few pinches of dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers, ground to a powder, or sumac
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Rub the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper then pour onto a baking sheet. Season well and toss in 1 tablespoon of the oil, paprika and cumin. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp, giving the tray an occasional shake.
2. Put the tortillas on another tray, brush on both sides with 1-2 teaspoons of oil, and bake until golden (6-8 minutes for corn tortillas or 5-6 minutes for flour). They will crisp more as they cool. Once cooled, break into rough shards and empty into a mixing bowl with the chickpeas.
3. Chop the tomatoes, pineapple, cucumber and radishes into pieces the size of the chickpeas, then add to the bowl along with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, herbs and lime juice.
4. Season and mix everything together with your hands. Crumble over the feta, sprinkle with a little of the ground hibiscus, then serve.
See Thomasina at Ballymaloe Festival of Food, May 16-18. For more details, visit www.ballymaloegrainstore.com