weekend bites bites

The UK and Ireland section of the S Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year Award has been won by Killian Crowley, pictured, chef de partie at J P McMahon’s Michelin-starred Aniar in Galway city. Half-Irish and half-Belgian he started his culinary career in Belgium and on this occasion created a winning dish of turbot, kohl rabi and sea purslane. He will represent Ireland and Britain at the finals in Milan in May after a unanimous decision by the judges.

This week I’ll be eating… cauliflower, because it’s particularly good just now. I like to make a very intense, mustardy cauliflower cheese with bacon lardons or to have it roasted in olive oil with hot Spanish smoked paprika, garlic and salt. A squeeze of lemon on top finishes it off nicely. Cauliflower also has a remarkable affinity for scallops, especially in the form of a fine purée flavoured with curry spices. But be warned: overcook it and it will turn horrible. Hot and quick is the way to go.

The World Cheese Awards 2017, held recently in London, saw a very strong performance by Ireland. The top Irish cheese turned out to be the St Tola Ash Log goat’s cheese from Co Clare, winning Best Irish Cheese. Other winners included Carrigbyrne from Wexford for their famous St Killian Camembert-style cheese which took gold and there was a silver for Killeen goat’s cheese from Co Galway.

Irish Distillers’ faith in Irish whiskey, the fortunes of which were dwindling back in the 1980s, is responsible for the great renaissance we are now witnessing as it becomes the fastest growing spirits category in the world. It’s good to see that this has been recognised at the inaugural Icons of Irish Whiskey Awards with them being named Distiller of the Year. It’s also great to see that Blackwater Distillery was shortlisted, with four other international producers, for Gin Producer of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Awards in London earlier this month.