The Irish Farmers’ Market Cookbook. Clodagh McKenna

way I have ever eaten scallops – the tastes are so beautifully delicate.

       Serves 2

      240ml (8¼fl oz) dry sherry

      350ml (12 fl oz) Madeira

      25g (1oz) brown sugar

      1 shallot, diced

      5 star anise

      1 sprig fresh thyme

      60ml (2fl oz) sesame oil

      60ml (2fl oz) soy sauce

      60ml (2fl oz) truffle oil, or a very good olive oil

      6–8 large scallops, or 10-12 small ones

      1 tbsp olive oil

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      1 large bunch of rocket

      Put the sherry, Madeira, brown sugar, diced shallot, star anise and thyme in a saucepan over a high heat and cook until reduced in volume by two-thirds. Leave to cool and then strain through a sieve. Whisk in the sesame oil, soy sauce and truffle oil.

      To cook the scallops, place a frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Season the scallops on both sides and cook for 2 minutes each side.

      Dress the rocket leaves with a little of the Madeira dressing and arrange on serving plates. Place the scallops on top and drizzle over the remaining dressing. Eat straight away!

      Tip: Always buy fresh, organic scallops. They should be cooked very quickly over a high heat and are better slightly undercooked rather than overcooked.

       Wild food

      I think game isn’t something many of us know a great deal about. We probably think it’s something men in flat caps and plus fours with red noses and double-barrel shotguns go hunting for at certain times of the year. We don’t really know where to buy it, how to cook it and to be honest don’t really go a bundle on the taste. Well, I think it’s worth a second chance.

      So, when is the gaming season? It kicks off in mid-August and draws to a close around the end of January. It is called ‘game’ in reference to the sport of shooting, but ‘gamey’ has come to describe the rich, intense flavour we associate with eating wild meat. Game that can be found at the Irish markets include: deer, pheasant, duck, grouse, snipe, woodcock, goose, rabbit and hare.

      The taste is a result of the animal’s diet, the fact that the muscle is lean, and the way the meat is hung. Hanging relaxes the meat, making it more tender and intensifying the flavour. The amount of time an animal is hung depends on its size and the temperature of the room.

      So why are we reluctant to eat game? I think there is a lack of knowledge about how it is prepared. You can ask your butcher to prepare the meat for you and discuss how long it has been hung. There is also a confusion about how to cook game – the lean meat can dry out very quickly. There are, however, many ways round this: cook it with pork belly or a fatty meat; cook it in large chunks if you are making stew; and, in the case of venison, cook it quickly on a high heat, or if you are cooking a joint, cover it in bacon rashers. Look out for game the next time you visit your local farmers’ market or butcher and give this wonderful meat a try.

       Chocolate and Venison Stew

      This may seem an unusual combination but there is a rich tradition of using chocolate in savoury dishes. I first tasted the marriage of chocolate and venison at a Slow Food market in Kenmare, where the legendary chef, Dave Gumbelton, had a stall with Enrico Fantastia (a Venetian wine merchant and also a great chef). Dave had a huge pot of this stew, and the flavour was incredible!

      Dave was one of the most passionate and talented chefs. Sadly, he passed away in 2004, but his passion, kindness and glorious food will be remembered forever by anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting him.

       Serves 4

      2 tbsp olive oil

      100g (3½ oz) smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, diced

      150g (5oz) shallots, left whole

      500g (1lb 2 oz) diced venison or venison shin

      3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

      1 tbsp smoked paprika

      6 garlic cloves, crushed

      250ml (9fl oz) red wine

      750ml (24fl oz) chicken or beef stock

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      Place a casserole dish over a medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the bacon or pancetta and cook until golden. Then add the shallots and leave to caramelise. Remove the shallots and bacon or pancetta from the casserole and set aside.

      Add the venison and brown on all sides over a high heat, then stir in the cocoa powder, paprika and garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes, remove and then deglaze the dish by adding the red wine to the casserole dish over a high heat and stirring all the juices and food bites into the wine. Cook until reduced to two-thirds of its original volume and then add all the ingredients back to the casserole dish.

      Pour the stock into the casserole and bring to a simmer. Then cover the casserole with a lid and bake in a preheated oven at 150°C, 300°F, Gas Mark 2 for 1–1½ hours. Check the seasoning and serve hot with whipped potato or even just some good-quality bread.