Weekend BITES
... picanha rump cap, a traditional Brazilian cut of beef that’s becoming a lot more common here. We get ours from Fitzgerald’s Butchers in Fermoy. For this very tasty piece of meat, I’ll be using the reverse-sear method so, for 1 kilo I’ll put it in the oven at 95ºC (that’s right, it’s very cool) for 90 minutes. Then I’ll finish it over a very hot barbecue or on an equally hot pan (with some of its own fat). This is just to brown the outside and produce a bit of a tasty crust and it’s important to salt it for this to happen effectively. Then I’ll just slice and serve like a shared steak.
Speaking of barbecues, last week I mentioned the outstanding bone marrow hamburgers from The Village Butcher in Ranelagh and, in the meantime, I hear that it has started offering nationwide delivery (minimum order €25). Dublin delivery is €7.99, elsewhere, €13.99 and it’s free over €120. Incidentally, it does a Belted Galloway picanha, olive-fed pork shoulder and, for the true epicure (with a budget), free-range roast suckling pig. There’s plenty more besides but I must also mention the fabulous Sauce Shop Habenero Sauce. It’s thermonuclear but in good way. Handle with care. See thevillagebutcher.ie.
There’s a fashion for sharing guilty secrets these days and here’s something I’m going to share, although I don’t feel even remotely guilty about it. One of my death row meals is twicecooked chips (ideally using beef dripping) with a soft-yolked fried egg, flaky sea salt and Heinz Tomato Ketchup. As to chunky versus skinny, I’m agnostic but according to plant-based frozen food company Strong Roots, 67% of us go for skinny. Respondents to their survey admitted dipping chips in ice cream (really?), hummus (yum!) and peanut butter (each to their own). Our favourite topping is cheddar cheese it appears. Strong Roots, you will not be surprised to hear, is launching its own skinny fries. See strongroots.com.
It’ll be a while before we hit peak ramen in Dublin but it’s certainly getting very popular. Nomo Ramen off Harcourt Street is the latest (with specially imported Sun noodles, the favourite brand of David Chang of New York’s Momofuku fame) and some pictures online that make me hungry. In other restaurant news, Caviston’s in Glasthule, that temple to seafood, is set to expand into a much larger restaurant just a few doors along. Final touches and recruitment is happening at present (and there are some exciting job opportunities). The team behind the excellent Las Tapas de Lola is soon to open La Gordita, just around the corner on Montague Street, where the dry sherry will soon be flowing. Watch this space…