Ards and North Down Borough Council has launched a new Food Destination Development Plan. The plan, which will be delivered over the next three years, will position Ards and North Down as a premier food tourism destination on the island of Ireland with the aim of attracting more visitors to the area.

 

Building on the area’s already strong credentials in food and drink, the plan will bring to life the traditions, flavours and craftsmanship of its food and drink producers. Festivals and events, suppliers and food markets, restaurants and eateries will also form part of the plan.

 

Mayor of Ards and North Down, Cllr Richard Smart, said: “We have a plethora of indigenous events, producers, suppliersand food and drink hotspots – in fact our credentials are already well established. We are one of the few regions in Northern Ireland to have earned PGI status* (protected geographical indication) for our Comber Early potatoes. This is a strong foundation we can build upon.

Gastronomic experiences are an integral part of the tourism experience, yet it is not always possible to truly capture the authenticity of a local area. Our plan will allow visitors to discover products, places of production, producers, chefs and hosts as well as events that epitomize the Ards and North Down area and establish it as a premier food tourism destination on the island of Ireland.

 

By harnessing their potential and supporting the initiative fully with customer service and effective marketing, I have no doubt that food destination development will have a transformative effect on our local communities in terms of economic benefits, regeneration and sustainability.

 

The plan includes well-loved food and drink events such as Comber Earlies Food Festival and Portavogie Seafood Festival, established and emerging food producers and suppliers, as well as retail outlets and eateries such as delicatessens, farm shops, restaurants, chefs and more. Visitors will be brought on an authentic journey through the Borough’s food and drink offering.

 

Despite being relatively new, food destination development is now recognised throughout the UK, Republic of Ireland and Europe as an integral part of the wider visitor experience that shapes the unique heritage and culture of a place.

 

Bangor and Portaferry have already been identified as important gateway points to Ards and North Down with Comber, Donaghadee and Portavogie all pinpointed as important staging points on thevisitor journey. The plan builds on extensive work by the Council and its stakeholders to date and takes its lead from the Integrated Tourism, Regeneration and Economic Development Strategy for Ards and North Down.”

 

Copies of the strategy can be downloaded from the Council website www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Indie Füde owner, Laura Bradley and local chef turned farmer Jonny Davison have come together to create ‘More Than Fed’. A programme set to empower kids across Northern Ireland with the knowledge to make better food choices.

Both Laura and Jonny have their sights set on a full programme of events over the next year which kicks off this month from 28^th – 30^th September 2018 with a weekend of events featuring the very best of fresh local seafood.

Jonny Davison said,

“Both Laura and I are advocates for fresh local food.  As a chef, farmer, retailer partnership, it felt truly fitting we came together to create a programme that not only informed our local children but was able to inspire them by giving wholistic insights from the farm to fork or sea to plate experience, and a unique taste of what we have to offer as producers right here at home.”

“Seafood seemed a very natural place to start, with most people shying away from what is actually an incredibly healthy and easy to prepare food source.  Northern Ireland’s shoreline is a treasure chest of fresh local produce and we are excited to demonstrate just how quick and easy it is to prepare, and how delicious it is to eat!”

‘Still Waters’, a family seafood supplier based in the fishing village of Portavogie, will be the first local supplier for the programme during the up and coming seafood weekend.

Paul Carson of Still Waters said,

“We are more than delighted to support this fantastic initiative and to supply the first weekend of the programme with fresh local seafood from our Co. Down shores.  Growing up in Portavogie instils a passion for local produce and more so, an admiration for the local people who work hard to bring the best of home to the consumer plate.”

Paul will be chatting to guests young and old on Saturday 29^th about the daily life of a local fisherman and tales of the Irish coast line along with John from Fish City (voted the UK’s healthiest and most sustainable fish and chip restaurant 2018) who will be talking about responsible sourcing and Marine Stewardship council and with special thanks to Chef Gaz Smith who will be showcasing our local shellfish and giving our young guests the chance to try it for themselves. Laura & Jonny’s educational workshops will involve lots of chat about the how, what and where of local seafood, including plenty of tasting! There’ll even be the chance to prepare their own fishcakes with their newly discovered favourite fish.

To launch the weekend, Indie Füde will host Seafood Supper Club on Friday 28^th September where Jonny Davison will be joined by Sebastian of Great Vine Imports for a wonderful evening of food and wine pairing.  And to round the weekend off, a family seashore forage with keen cook and forager Clare McQuillan along the coast of Crawfordsburn Country Park.

 

Twitter: @MoreThanFed

Instagram: @MoreThanFed_

Facebook: @MoreThanFed

 

For further information contact:

Laura Bradley; Laura@morethanfed.com – 07713284872

Jonny Davidson; Jonny@morethanfed.com – 07522735557

 

 

Cured Sea Trout, Vietnamese dressing & Oyster mayo

Chef Chris Magowan

Wine & Brine

 

Ingredients: 

1 fillet sea trout

200g  sugar

100g sea salt

2 lemons zested

 

Vietnamese dressing:

1.

1.20ml sesame oil

4 shallots diced

30g ginger diced

1 red chilli deseeded and chopped

75ml red wine vinegar

2.

75 ml stock syrup

40 ml soy sauce

3.

30g pickled ginger chopped

40ml fish sauce

4 limes juiced

 

Oyster mayo :

3 egg yolks

3 rock oysters

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

200ml rapeseed oil

1 tsp English mustard

1 bunch parsley ( picked)

Salt & pepper

Method:

Cured sea trout

1. Combine the salt and sugar, and zest together. Place all over the trout fillet so it is completely covered. Place on tray and cover with cling film and place in fridge for 12 hours
2. Remove salt by by rinsing under water then pat dry. Leave in fridge until ready to use

Vietnamese dressing

1. Place all ingredients in stage 1 in a pan apart from rice wine vinegar
2. Sweat for a few minutes and add vinegar, reduce by half
3. Add stage 2 ingredients and allow mix to cool.
4. Add stage 3 ingredients and allow to marinate overnight for best results.

Oyster mayonnaise

1. Using an oyster knife, shuck the oyster. Place in the blender with all the oyster juices, egg yolk, mustard, vinegar and parsley. Gradually add the oil and season to taste

 

Seafood Chowder & Guineess Wheaten Bread

Chef Vincent Hurley

Fish City

 

Ingredients :

20g butter

20g gluten free flour

200ml milk

30ml single cream

30g diced cooked carrots

30g diced cooked celery

200g cooked diced potatoes

30ml good fish stock

25ml white wine

400g mixed fish , cod , smoked haddock,smoked coley,salmon,

20g samphire

10g chives

salt and pepper

Method :

1. In a pot melt butter and add the  flour to make a roux
2. In a separate pot add fish stock , white wine bring to the boil, lower the heat and whisk in the roux, adding 150ml  milk, whisk for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
3. Add in the cooked celery and cooked carrots, simmer for 10 mins on a low heat.
4. In a separate pot add 50ml milk, cooked diced potatoes,fish pieces,samphire, , lower the heat so the liquid simmers,for 10 minutes , stirring carefully.
5. Season with salt and pepper garnish with a sprinkle of chives
6. The chowder is comforting, and delicate, but sustaining enough to be a main dish. It is important not to stir the chowder too much as it cooks which would result in the fish breaking up!

 

Pan roasted duck breast, beetroot puree, pickled blackberries, braised quinoa, with a pinenut and sorrel salad

Chef Dean Butler

Fitzwilliam Hotel 

 

Ingredients :

4 duck breasts

200g quinoa

8 med red beetroot

12 blackberries

6 shallots

1 lt chicken stock

100ml red wine

100ml red wine vinegar

100ml cranberry juice

50g sugar

2 bay leaf

3 radishes

1 punnet red vain sorrel

200ml rapeseed oil

1 vanilla pod

40g sunflower seeds

5g xanthan gum

Salt pepper

Method :

1. Trim duck breasts, place in between 2 towels and fridge for 1 hour
2. Peel beetroots cut 4 into rough dice , place into sauce pan with red wine, red wine vinegar , cranberry, bay leaf , sugar , salt and pepper , simmer until soft until soft ( keep 100ml for blackberries)  add xanthan gum and blitz until smooth
3. Cut the other 4 beetroots with a small ring cutter into cylinders , cover with rapeseed oil and seeds from vanilla pod ( put pod in also ) put onto low heat and cook until tender
4. Finely dice 4 of the shallots , add quinoa and stock , boil until stock is nearly all gone
5. Take 100ml of beetroot cooking liquor put into vac bag with blackberries and compress
6. Peel last 2 shallots ( keep whole) , pan sear in little oil , oven bake 180c for 10 mins – cool slice in half long ways and separate into petals
7. Finely slice 3 radish on mandolin
8. Sorrel leaves and sunflower seeds to garnish
9. Pan fry well seasoned duck breasts on both sides finish in hot oven 180c 5 mins
10. Leave to rest for 5 minutes

 

Northern Irish Oven Roasted Green Harissa Marinated Chicken Thigh with Herb Oil Quinoa

Chef Himanshu Sabarwal

Yellow Door

 

Ingredients :

chicken Thigh  600g

Quinoa  500g

Flat leaf parsley 50g

Mint 50g

Coriander 50g

Scallions  1 Bunch

Cumin Seeds  10g

Fennel seed / Coriander seed 10g

Fresh Green Chilli 25g ( adding Chilli into the paste depends on how hot you want the paste to be)

Fresh 2 Whole Lime

Extra Virgin Olive Oil x 500 ML

Salt & pepper

Method :

Green Harissa Paste

1. Wash & dry all fresh herbs.
2. Slice scallions & soak in cold water
3. Dry Roast spices and cool down
4. Grind the spices.
5. Zest and juice the limes keeping the juice & zest separately.
6. Wash & dry and cut the chilli into small
7. Take all fresh herbs ,ground spices , scallions, Chilli , seasoning to taste & adding as little Oil as you can in order to make a paste.
8. When the paste is made scrap it out and put a little oil on the top of the paste in order to extend its life and cover & keep in the fridge.

Quinoa

1. Rinse the quinoa under running cold water to remove any debris or dust.
2. Combine quinoa and 1 litre water in a small saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes until water is absorbed.
4. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Chicken Thighs

1. Remove the chicken thighs and take off the skin
2. Put some slit marks on the thighs and put them into a bowl or a baking dish.
3. Add remaining lime juice and zest, tbsp of Harissa paste , seasoning and marinate the chicken & cover and leave into the fridge for minimum 3-4 Hrs ( overnight will give you better results).
4. Pre-heat the oven at 175*celcius and roast the chicken for 1/2 hour or until cooked
5. Please make sure to probe the chicken using a food probe that chicken is reaching 75*c at the least

“A Taste of Armagh”

Chef Dean Coppard

Molly’s Mill

 

Ingredients :

4 X 200g of pork belly

2 x teaspoons of honey

1 diced white onion

1 peeled and diced carrot

1 sliced orange

100ml of vegetable stock

2 sprigs of thyme

50g of butter

1kg of New potatoes

100g of butter

100ml of cream

Salt and pepper for seasoning

2 peeled and diced Armagh Bramley apples

150 ml of MacIvors plum and ginger cider

100g of light brown sugar

Method :

1. In a frying pan place the butter and thyme, add the pork belly skin side down and allow to colour, then turn to seal the pork, place the pork into a baking tray, then add the vegetables to the frying pan, and toss until they soften then add to the baking tray, add the stock and the oranges and cover with tin foil and place in a preheated oven at 160c for 4hrs.
2. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly, layering them in a baking tray and adding the melted butter and cream after each layer until covered. Season for taste. Cover with grease proof paper and bake for 30mins at 180
3. Place the apples and sugar in a saucepan and cook, once the apples start to soften then add the Cider, once the apples have caramelized place in a food processor and blend until smooth. Cut 4 small pieces of Lough Neagh Eel per plate approx. 4 cm long and set aside.
4. To assemble : Place the 50 g of honey and 50ml of balsamic in a frying pan on a low heat, add the pork belly and allow to colour. Meanwhile place 400 g of kale in boiling water and blanch, remove from the water and drain any excess water, cut the dauphious pototo into rectangle and place on a plate add the Kale, add the Pork Belly to the plate. In a separate preheated frying pan add 50g of butter and add the eel gently basting the pieces in butter until cooked, add the eel to the plate and the apple puree. Spoon over the remaining honey and Burren balsamic glaze and cover the eel, potatoes and the pork, garnish with Naturism leaves.

Paella

Chef Trudy Brolly

Ocos Tapas Bistro

 

Ingredients :

1 chicken breast,   sliced

10 slices of Chorizo  dulce (sweet)

8 Mussels debearded   (if using)

Raw tiger Prawns

Prepared and put aside

40 ml olive oil

3 cloves garlic peeled

And 1 bay leaf

1 sachet of Saffron Spainish if possible

10 peppercorns

½ teaspoon Smoked paprika De La Vera

2 tsp flaked Sea Salt

50 mls White wine

1/2 small  white onion

1/2 green pepper

1/2 red pepper

1 large tomato

30 mls olive oil

200 grms of Tesco paella rice

700 mls of Chicken stock  (600 mls of stock and 100 mls in reserve)

½ lemon cut into 4 wedges

Chopped parsley

2 napkins

Salt & pepper

Method :

1. Put the oil in the Paella pan on a low heat add 2 cloves of garlic to toast, Add the bay leaf taking care not to burn the garlic and remove and put in a mortar and pestle crush the fried Garlic and bay leaf with the extra raw garlic clove, Saffron, Peppercorns and Smoked Paprika and the* White wine crush to make a paste. (the paste will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge.* just omit the wine until ready to use.)
2. Add olive oil to the Paella pan and the white onion put on a low heat sauté until translucent and soft.  Add peppers and fry until soft then add tomato cook until all vegetables have softened.
3. Add the rice to the sautéed vegetables and fry for one minute, stirring so the grains become slightly opaque. Now add the Chicken breast, Chorizo and Mussels putting the Mussels to the outer edge.
4. Add the Paella paste to the chicken stock and stir well add 300mls of the stock to your paella pan bring to a slight boil and immediately turn to the lowest setting possible and simmer for 12 minutes, Adding a tinfoil covering. Check ever 5 mins or so to make sure your temperature is low and to add stock when the liquid runs dry trying not to stir the paella.  But give it a slight shake or a tease with a spoon to make small holes for the liquid to fall into. After 12 minutes (add your Prawns or fish if using any) and some more liquid until you have used 600mls of liquid keeping back 100 mls of stock in case the paella is dry cook for 5 minutes. Remove your tinfoil and taste the rice is should have a bite and the liquid should have absorbed if not cook for another minute on a slightly higher heat to absorb the Liquid.
5. To finish taste the seasoning and cut half way up the lemon wedges put the wedges on the edge of the pan and napkins around the handles with a sprinkling of parsley. Now smile and take a photo.

Seafood Linguine
Chef Chris Kelly

La Mon Hotel & Country Club

Pasta

You will need:
– 100 grams of ‘00’ flour per whole egg

Place flour in bowl, add egg and gently fork the mixture until smooth.

Knead for a few minutes and then wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 25 minutes.

Roll out and put through a pasta machine at the largest setting. Do this twice, then the next time decrease to a lower setting and be careful to dust with some ‘00’ flour to prevent it from sticking.

When thin (1-2mm), change to a linguine attachment and cut it carefully and then hang over the tube to dry out for a few minutes.

Seafood

You will need:
– 568ml of Lobster Sauce
– Various fish: Salmon, Prawns, Mussels & Cod

Gently cook the fish in a pan with some butter. Add the fish that will cook first, according to the size i.e. Salmon and Cod first, and then followed by smaller fish. Then add the lobster sauce to the pan.

Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 3 minutes and then lift out.

Add in the fish and linguine together and stir gently.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with tarragon or parsley.