MICHAEL'S MENU
Michael O'Keeffe's menu included the following dishes:
ASPARAGUS VELOUTE
Ingredients:
6 asparagus stems, roughly chopped
½ chicken stock cube or 1 teaspoon chicken boullion
1 tablespoon double cream
½ small onion, finely chopped, butter
Seasoning
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
½ pint water
Method
Heat the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry gently for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, water and chicken stock. Simmer gently until the asparagus is cooked, then add parsley. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then blend the soup until smooth. Add double cream and season to taste.
LIME OR LEMON SORBET
Ingredients:
220g caster sugar 14 fl oz water
4 fl oz fresh lime or lemon juice
1 egg white
Method
Heat the sugar and water in a pan and stir until the sugar has dissolved then leave to boil for 1 minute. Whisk the egg white in a bowl until slightly foamy on top, approx 15 seconds. Slowly pour in the hot sugar mixture and keep whisking, then pour in the lime juice and stir together. Leave to cool.
Once cooled, pour the mixture into an ice cream machine if you have one. This will freeze the mixture and churn it for you. You may have to put it in the freezer for a further 3 hours to go hard. If you don’t have an ice cream machine, transfer the cooled mixture to a freezer-proof container and put into the freezer.
Leave for about 3 hours, until it’s starting to go hard, remove and churn with a spoon. Mix until smooth, then return to the freezer. Allow to set before churning again. The more times you can churn the mixture, the smoother the sorbet will be.
Ingredients:
220g caster sugar 14 fl oz water
4 fl oz fresh lime or lemon juice
1 egg white
Method
Heat the sugar and water in a pan and stir until the sugar has dissolved then leave to boil for 1 minute. Whisk the egg white in a bowl until slightly foamy on top, approx 15 seconds. Slowly pour in the hot sugar mixture and keep whisking, then pour in the lime juice and stir together. Leave to cool.
Once cooled, pour the mixture into an ice cream machine if you have one. This will freeze the mixture and churn it for you. You may have to put it in the freezer for a further 3 hours to go hard. If you don’t have an ice cream machine, transfer the cooled mixture to a freezer-proof container and put into the freezer.
Leave for about 3 hours, until it’s starting to go hard, remove and churn with a spoon. Mix until smooth, then return to the freezer. Allow to set before churning again. The more times you can churn the mixture, the smoother the sorbet will be.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH ADUKI BEANS, SERVED WITH TRUFFLE OIL MASH AND FRENCH BEANS
Ingredients:
The fat burning aduki beans soak up all the flavours of the lamb when they slowly cook together. The aduki beans have to be soaked in water for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Serves 5
Ingredients:
5 lamb shanks
Flour
1 small packet of aduki beans
5 red onions, finely sliced
Olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt
6 sprigs of rosemary leaves, chopped
15 fl oz red wine
6 fl oz balsamic vinegar
Method
Use a large heavy-based ovenproof pan with lid. Season a small amount of flour in a bowl and roll the lamb shanks in the flour, making sure that it’s all covered. Heat a couple of large shakes of olive oil in the pan over the stove. Add the lamb shanks and brown them all over. This seals the juices in.
Remove from the pan and put to the side. Add the onions to the pan and slowly cook them on a low heat, stirring occasionally until they have caramelised and browned slightly, for approx 10 minutes. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the wine, balsamic vinegar and soaked aduki beans (drain water first).
Turn up the heat and allow to boil gently for a further 2 minutes to reduce the wine. Place the lamb shanks back in the pan. Arrange them so that they are all covered in the liquid. Place the lid tightly on top (a damp piece of greaseproof paper put over the pan, then the lid on top seals the moisture in well if the lid is not secure).
Transfer the dish to a pre-heated oven, gas mark 4, and leave to cook slowly for 3 ½ hours. Occasionally check the lamb shanks and spoon the liquid over them to keep them soft, adding more wine if it has dried out.
The meat should almost fall off the bone. Spoon some sauce and beans over the shanks when you serve.
Extracted from Caroline Artiss’ collection Urban Fusion Cuisine
Ingredients:
The fat burning aduki beans soak up all the flavours of the lamb when they slowly cook together. The aduki beans have to be soaked in water for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Serves 5
Ingredients:
5 lamb shanks
Flour
1 small packet of aduki beans
5 red onions, finely sliced
Olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt
6 sprigs of rosemary leaves, chopped
15 fl oz red wine
6 fl oz balsamic vinegar
Method
Use a large heavy-based ovenproof pan with lid. Season a small amount of flour in a bowl and roll the lamb shanks in the flour, making sure that it’s all covered. Heat a couple of large shakes of olive oil in the pan over the stove. Add the lamb shanks and brown them all over. This seals the juices in.
Remove from the pan and put to the side. Add the onions to the pan and slowly cook them on a low heat, stirring occasionally until they have caramelised and browned slightly, for approx 10 minutes. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the wine, balsamic vinegar and soaked aduki beans (drain water first).
Turn up the heat and allow to boil gently for a further 2 minutes to reduce the wine. Place the lamb shanks back in the pan. Arrange them so that they are all covered in the liquid. Place the lid tightly on top (a damp piece of greaseproof paper put over the pan, then the lid on top seals the moisture in well if the lid is not secure).
Transfer the dish to a pre-heated oven, gas mark 4, and leave to cook slowly for 3 ½ hours. Occasionally check the lamb shanks and spoon the liquid over them to keep them soft, adding more wine if it has dried out.
The meat should almost fall off the bone. Spoon some sauce and beans over the shanks when you serve.
Extracted from Caroline Artiss’ collection Urban Fusion Cuisine