FOOD:IN MY HUMBLE opinion, cooking on live TV is one of the most terrifying things one can do. For years I used to snigger at how badly everyone appears to cook on live TV, but since doing it a few times myself, on RTÉ's Afternoon Show, I'm suitably humbled into being a lot more gracious about anyone who does it with skill and charm, writes Domini Kemp.
It’s unnatural for most chefs to be in a studio kitchen, cooking with unfamiliar and temperamental equipment, plastered in make-up, while answering a constant stream of questions. You look like an idiot if you burn anything. You have to appear happy, chatty and knowledgeable (rather than bad-tempered, potty-mouthed and thick). You also have to be conscious that any second, the host of the show might get word in their ear that you’ve run out of time and you have to serve up your dish. This is a complete nightmare when you’re staring at a half-cooked dish that requires more cooking time and all you want to do is cuss like a cowboy. It puts the absolute fear of God into me, despite the soothing tones of the glamorous presenters and the support of the crew.
Maybe I’m not wired for that sort of thing. I can cope with being in a marquee in the middle of a field, having to cook a full blown fancy pants dinner for 300 guests, even when the generators blow and we are left in the dark, with no ovens. I can deal with that, no problem. No breaking out in a cold sweat, just a straightforward MacGyver style approach to problem-solving. (“Three hundred fillets of beef with red wine jus and pommes puree? No problem, with this match-stick and thread, I’ll have the electricity back in no time!”) But put me on live telly and ask me what’s the difference between salted and unsalted butter and I fall to pieces, desperately in need of a cup of sweet tea.
It is with that in mind that I’m offering up this recipe for super-healthy fishcakes, which worked out very well when I cooked them on telly. They were immaculately well behaved – they coloured up nicely, didn’t fall apart, looked attractive on the plate, tasted good and didn’t poison anyone. What more could I ask for?
I have played around with them since then and have managed to make them dairy-free on top of it all, and instead of pan-frying them and finishing them off in the oven, all you do here is bake them, so they really are good for you.
Also, if you use tamari sauce, instead of soy sauce, they will also be suitable for coeliacs. Tamari is basically soy sauce that is gluten-free, and it is available in good delis or health food stores. Don’t stress out if you can’t get lime leaves or anything else on the list of ingredients. Just add more of everything else. If you do come across lime leaves, buy a bunch of them, wrap them well in clingfilm and freeze them. The same goes for the lemongrass – it’s not ideal, but it works, as they can be hard to find when you need them.
Salmon and tuna fishcakes (serves four as a starter, two as a main course)
1 piece of lemongrass
2 red onions, peeled and diced
2 lime leaves
2 red chillies, deseeded and diced
Small bunch each of coriander and basil
Knob of peeled ginger
2 tbsp tamari or regular soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
Splash of sesame oil
Juice of 2 limes
200g salmon fillet, skin removed, roughly chopped
200g fresh tuna fillet, skin removed, roughly chopped
Handful of sesame seeds
Pre-heat an oven to 200 degrees/gas six. Whizz all the ingredients, except the fish, in a food processor until smooth. Add the fish and pulse, so that it’s processed, but not total mushy. Have a baking tray ready with a sheet of greaseproof paper on top. Shape the fish into balls and place on the baking tray. If you can, chill them for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and then bake them on a high heat for 10-12 minutes. Gently turn them over, halfway through, so they can brown on both sides. They do cook quite quickly, and you may like to serve them a bit rare inside. Let them settle for a second before removing them from the paper (they are quite delicate as there is no egg to bind them), then serve with the home-made chilli sauce.
Sweet chilli sauce
Yes, there is quite a bit of sugar in here, but a lot less than in commercial varieties. Store this in a jar in your fridge. It should keep for a few weeks. This is David Connor’s recipe.
200ml water
1 chilli, with seeds
1 red pepper, with seeds, just the stalk removed
50g sugar
50ml white wine vinegar
Knob of ginger
1 stick of lemongrass
Stalks off a bunch of coriander, save the leaves Few lime leaves
2 cloves of garlic
Put everything in a pot, bring it to the boil, let it simmer for about 45 minutes until jammy. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Once cool, add the chopped coriander leaves.
Baked sweet potatoes with lemon and chilli (serves four to six)
This is a nice accompaniment or dinner in itself.
3 sweet potatoes
Olive oil
The zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 red chillies, cut in half and deseeded
Pinch sugar
100ml olive oil
2 tbsp chopped coriander
Salt and pepper
Preheat an oven to 200 degrees/gas six. Wash the spuds, leave the skin on and chop them in half, and then into quarters or eighths, depending on their size. You want chunky wedges. Drizzle them with olive oil and bake for about 30 minutes, until they are tender and starting to brown. To make the sauce. Remove the skin of the lemon, trying not to get too much bitter pith. You need as much peel as possible, so take your time and use a small, sharp knife. Whizz all the ingredients together and check the seasoning. Drizzle on to the warm potatoes and serve. dkemp@irishtimes.com