The start of February has been one of the high points of my year since 2020. That’s all down to the wonderful Ambiente Exhibition in Frankfurt, which boasts nearly 4,000 exhibitors showing products for dining, living and giving.
If it is not the biggest such show in the world, it is certainly up there. I go with Daragh Lawless and Michelle King, who look after my Cook with Neven range in Dunnes Stores, and we just soak in ideas and make decisions about where to go next with the collection.
It has developed quite a lot over the years, and one reason is because of this annual visit. There is an opportunity to see all sorts of new innovations and trends and to meet with producers. I had a good chat with the Hungarian man who produces some of my glassware. We walk miles and miles, and there is so much to see that it really does take two days.
In Frankfurt, there is the most unbelievable range of plates, and anyone who knows me is aware that I am a bit obsessed with plates. I think how food is served is an important part of the meal, and our customers in the restaurant often comment on it. I really believe they appreciate the thought that goes in.
I did get some nice new things for the restaurant. Putting me in a place like this with a credit card is dangerous, but I didn’t go too mad. I keep on telling myself there is always next year. And I am looking forward to it already.
On our first trip we discovered an amazing Thai restaurant called Umbra, and we have gone back there every year since. It is just superb. There is a really relaxed atmosphere, the staff are very friendly, and the food is spectacular.
I can’t remember who first told us about this place, but whoever it was, thank you! I had a look at their website and saw that they are often voted the No 1 Thai restaurant in that part of the world, and they definitely deserve it.
Beef up the week
This beef stir-fry can be adapted in lots of ways, and you could enjoy experimenting with chicken, turkey or pork. The fillet of beef is always tender, but you could also use rump or striploin, which are better value.
Purple sprouting broccoli is good at this time of year, but you could try long-stemmed broccoli, or even asparagus would work well. Either will give an excellent crunch to this dish. Sesame oil works well in a stir-fry, so you could use it instead of the sunflower oil.
You will also be using it in the marinade. It can be difficult to get black beans, but Simply Better has a very good Irish-made black bean sauce that you could use instead. Most supermarkets stock oyster sauce but if you’re really stuck, you’ll find it in an Asian market. And instead of rice wine, you could use red wine vinegar.
The cornflour in the marinade adds a nice texture to make this a delicious sweet and sour meal.
I often make the steak fajitas at home. It is a great family meal where you can just put it in the centre of the table and let everyone help themselves. Sometimes instead of the cumin, coriander and paprika, I use Cajun spice, and the twins love it.
This recipe also works well with chicken or turkey. Whatever meat you are using, it can be marinated well in advance, which leaves you with very little preparation to do.
This is a colourful meal with all of the different peppers, and we do eat with our eyes. You can make the tomato salsa ahead of time as well. It keeps well in the fridge. And make sure that your avocados are ripe. If they are hard, leave them at room temperature for a few days.
Sizzling beef with black beans and purple broccoli
Ingredients: Serves 4
450g beef fillet
350g purple sprouting broccoli
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped root ginger
2 tbsp Chinese black beans,
coarsely chopped
3 tbsp chicken stock
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
Steamed rice, to serve
For the marinade:
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornflour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Cut the beef into thin slices, then place in a bowl with the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and cornflour. Season to taste and mix well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.
2. Meanwhile, trim down the broccoli and cut it into 7.5cm pieces on the diagonal and set aside until needed. Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot. Add the oil and swirl it around until it’s very hot and slightly smoking.
Tip in the beef from the marinade and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Tip the onion into the wok with the garlic, black beans and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for another minute. Add the stock, rice wine and sugar and season to taste.
3. Continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the broccoli is slightly tender. Quickly return the beef to the wok, add the oyster sauce and stir well to combine. Place on warmed plates with steamed rice to serve.
Steak fajitas with tomato salsa and guacamole
Steak fajitas with tomato salsa and guacamole. Photographer: Philip Doyle. Food styling: Janine Kennedy.
Ingredients: Serves 4
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
A good pinch of paprika
3 tbsp olive oil
450g beef striploin or sirloin,
trimmed and cut into strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
8 soft flour tortillas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
6 tbsp sour cream, to serve
For the tomato salsa:
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1 mild red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
For the guacamole:
2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1 lime
Method
1. Place the garlic in a non-metallic dish with the lime rind and juice, cumin, coriander and paprika. Stir in 1½ tbsps of olive oil. Add in the beef strips, cover with clingfilm and marinate for up to 2 hours, or overnight is best. To make the salsa, place the spring onions, tomato and chilli in a bowl and mix well to combine. Season lightly and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavours to combine.
2. To make the guacamole, cut the avocados in half and remove the stones. Scoop out the flesh and roughly mash with a fork. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste.
3. To make the fajitas, heat the remaining 1 ½ tbsps of olive oil in a large frying pan over a low heat and gently fry the onion and peppers for 6-8 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and keep warm.
Raise the heat to high and add the marinated beef mixture and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden. Return the onion and peppers to the pan and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes, until well combined and heated through. Season to taste.
4. Heat a frying or griddle pan. Add a soft flour tortilla and heat for 30 seconds, turning once, until soft and pliable. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and stack them up on a warmed plate.
5. To serve, transfer the sizzling beef mixture into a warmed serving bowl or platter and garnish with the fresh coriander. Hand around the warmed tortillas, tomato salsa, guacamole and sour cream, allowing each person to assemble the fajitas themselves.
The start of February has been one of the high points of my year since 2020. That’s all down to the wonderful Ambiente Exhibition in Frankfurt, which boasts nearly 4,000 exhibitors showing products for dining, living and giving.
If it is not the biggest such show in the world, it is certainly up there. I go with Daragh Lawless and Michelle King, who look after my Cook with Neven range in Dunnes Stores, and we just soak in ideas and make decisions about where to go next with the collection.
It has developed quite a lot over the years, and one reason is because of this annual visit. There is an opportunity to see all sorts of new innovations and trends and to meet with producers. I had a good chat with the Hungarian man who produces some of my glassware. We walk miles and miles, and there is so much to see that it really does take two days.
In Frankfurt, there is the most unbelievable range of plates, and anyone who knows me is aware that I am a bit obsessed with plates. I think how food is served is an important part of the meal, and our customers in the restaurant often comment on it. I really believe they appreciate the thought that goes in.
I did get some nice new things for the restaurant. Putting me in a place like this with a credit card is dangerous, but I didn’t go too mad. I keep on telling myself there is always next year. And I am looking forward to it already.
On our first trip we discovered an amazing Thai restaurant called Umbra, and we have gone back there every year since. It is just superb. There is a really relaxed atmosphere, the staff are very friendly, and the food is spectacular.
I can’t remember who first told us about this place, but whoever it was, thank you! I had a look at their website and saw that they are often voted the No 1 Thai restaurant in that part of the world, and they definitely deserve it.
Beef up the week
This beef stir-fry can be adapted in lots of ways, and you could enjoy experimenting with chicken, turkey or pork. The fillet of beef is always tender, but you could also use rump or striploin, which are better value.
Purple sprouting broccoli is good at this time of year, but you could try long-stemmed broccoli, or even asparagus would work well. Either will give an excellent crunch to this dish. Sesame oil works well in a stir-fry, so you could use it instead of the sunflower oil.
You will also be using it in the marinade. It can be difficult to get black beans, but Simply Better has a very good Irish-made black bean sauce that you could use instead. Most supermarkets stock oyster sauce but if you’re really stuck, you’ll find it in an Asian market. And instead of rice wine, you could use red wine vinegar.
The cornflour in the marinade adds a nice texture to make this a delicious sweet and sour meal.
I often make the steak fajitas at home. It is a great family meal where you can just put it in the centre of the table and let everyone help themselves. Sometimes instead of the cumin, coriander and paprika, I use Cajun spice, and the twins love it.
This recipe also works well with chicken or turkey. Whatever meat you are using, it can be marinated well in advance, which leaves you with very little preparation to do.
This is a colourful meal with all of the different peppers, and we do eat with our eyes. You can make the tomato salsa ahead of time as well. It keeps well in the fridge. And make sure that your avocados are ripe. If they are hard, leave them at room temperature for a few days.
Sizzling beef with black beans and purple broccoli
Ingredients: Serves 4
450g beef fillet
350g purple sprouting broccoli
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped root ginger
2 tbsp Chinese black beans,
coarsely chopped
3 tbsp chicken stock
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
Steamed rice, to serve
For the marinade:
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornflour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Cut the beef into thin slices, then place in a bowl with the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and cornflour. Season to taste and mix well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.
2. Meanwhile, trim down the broccoli and cut it into 7.5cm pieces on the diagonal and set aside until needed. Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot. Add the oil and swirl it around until it’s very hot and slightly smoking.
Tip in the beef from the marinade and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Tip the onion into the wok with the garlic, black beans and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for another minute. Add the stock, rice wine and sugar and season to taste.
3. Continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the broccoli is slightly tender. Quickly return the beef to the wok, add the oyster sauce and stir well to combine. Place on warmed plates with steamed rice to serve.
Steak fajitas with tomato salsa and guacamole
Steak fajitas with tomato salsa and guacamole. Photographer: Philip Doyle. Food styling: Janine Kennedy.
Ingredients: Serves 4
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
A good pinch of paprika
3 tbsp olive oil
450g beef striploin or sirloin,
trimmed and cut into strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
8 soft flour tortillas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
6 tbsp sour cream, to serve
For the tomato salsa:
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1 mild red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
For the guacamole:
2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1 lime
Method
1. Place the garlic in a non-metallic dish with the lime rind and juice, cumin, coriander and paprika. Stir in 1½ tbsps of olive oil. Add in the beef strips, cover with clingfilm and marinate for up to 2 hours, or overnight is best. To make the salsa, place the spring onions, tomato and chilli in a bowl and mix well to combine. Season lightly and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavours to combine.
2. To make the guacamole, cut the avocados in half and remove the stones. Scoop out the flesh and roughly mash with a fork. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste.
3. To make the fajitas, heat the remaining 1 ½ tbsps of olive oil in a large frying pan over a low heat and gently fry the onion and peppers for 6-8 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and keep warm.
Raise the heat to high and add the marinated beef mixture and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden. Return the onion and peppers to the pan and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes, until well combined and heated through. Season to taste.
4. Heat a frying or griddle pan. Add a soft flour tortilla and heat for 30 seconds, turning once, until soft and pliable. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and stack them up on a warmed plate.
5. To serve, transfer the sizzling beef mixture into a warmed serving bowl or platter and garnish with the fresh coriander. Hand around the warmed tortillas, tomato salsa, guacamole and sour cream, allowing each person to assemble the fajitas themselves.
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