The best of Kerry produce has been put on a plate by the county’s top chefs in The Kerry Food Story, a new book and directory launched at the Institute of Technology Tralee, last week.
North Kerry beef fillet with Fenit parsnips and Killarney honey, apricot bread and butter pudding with Dingle fudge sauce and Skelligs chocolate pavé are just some of the recipes created especially for the book by leading chefs from The Europe in Killarney, Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, The Moorings in Portmagee and more – all of whom have previously studied at IT Tralee.
The 68-page book is available for free and lists over 150 local Kerry food and drink producers. The aim is to remind chefs, distributors, hotels, restaurants, retailers and local customers of the wealth of homegrown produce that Kerry has to offer and to give them a direct way of sourcing it.
“We want to give a strong and vibrant message that Kerry is open for business in relation to food and drink, and that we have some of the best producers, not just in Ireland, but in the world,” says TJ O’Connor of the hotel, culinary and tourism department at IT Tralee.
“Anyone who wants to buy more local produce and put money back into the local economy should ask for a copy.”
Funded in partnership with the Kerry Local Enterprise office, the book is available at Kerry County Buildings, Kerry Airport, Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, The Europe Resort in Killarney, Carrig Country House in Killorglin, The Coffee Dock in Valentia, Allo’s in Listowel, The Moorings in Portmagee and the Boatyard restaurant in Dingle, as well as from featured producers or by emailing tj.oconnor@staff.ittralee.ie
Note: Here are just two recipes from The Kerry Food Story featuring local produce. If you live outside Kerry, you can substitute with the best local produce in your own area.
North Kerry beef fillet with parsnips and Killarney honey
Recipe from Theo Lynch, Allo’s bar, bistro and restaurant, Listowel
Serves four
1 large onion, finely sliced
225g of butter
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 medium Fenit parsnips, peeled
300ml of cold water
300ml of milk
Drizzle of Killarney honey
200ml of cream
4 slices of white bread (no crusts)
Poppy seeds
20g of melted butter
8 baby carrots, peeled
Knob of butter
4 x 6oz of North Kerry beef fillets (sourced here from Michael Kennelly)
Nasturtium leaves and chive flowers to garnish
Apricot bread and butter pudding with Dingle fudge sauce and Kenmare ice cream
Recipe from Philip Brazil, Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare
Serves four
150ml of Valentia Island milk
150ml of double cream
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
Lee Strand butter, for greasing
1/2 sliced loaf of Harrington’s bread, each slice buttered
75g of dried apricots, diced
75g of raisins
3 Beaufort free-range eggs
2 Beaufort free-range egg yolks
55g of caster sugar
85g of Lorge dark chocolate
150ml of double cream
85g of Dingle fudge
Kenmare vanilla ice cream