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This is a big fortnight in the Blacklion area, as MacNean Lake – just down the road from us – hosts a number of water safety courses. All of our family did them growing up, and I can still picture my own mother, Vera, taking part as an adult. A few years ago, our own twins followed in those same footsteps.
We have the late Kathleen Ritchie is to thank for this wonderful tradition. She passed away a few years ago, but her legacy in Blacklion over the years by setting up these important courses and youth clubs lives on. She was a real stalwart of the community. I remember as a teenager making trifle for her regularly, which, I think, she enjoyed!
A lot of people will recall Kathleen fondly this week, and we are all very grateful for her generous spirit and lasting contribution to our community.
Irish abroad
Right now, I'm in Portugal, where it is hot, hot, hot – but we are enjoying swimming together and doing our best to keep cool. We have been eating in local restaurants where the food is simple, and delicious.
Naturally when away, you always bump into some Irish people and this year was no different. It's always good to have a chat and to hear the familiar lilt of an Irish accent and I bumped into a few people who''ve dined with us in Blacklion. I even got a proper slagging from a group of teenagers on the plane from Knock, they chanted: “Hey Neven, can we have chicken goujons and chips?” They might be winding me up now, but they''re the customers of the future – and I''ll take that any day.
I mentioned recently how popular salmon is, and these fish cakes are very popular with children. You could also try them with mackerel or smoked mackerel. They are very handy to make in batches, as they freeze well. You can use regular breadcrumbs or Japanese style panko breadcrumbs, but the panko is that bit crunchier. I sometimes add sesame seeds or some chilli or curry powder to the breadcrumbs to give them a more spicy flavour.
You can shape the fish cakes with a potato scoop and make sure that they are all the same size so that they will cook evenly. Add some vegetables if you like – peas, carrots or sweetcorn all work well here. They are also a great source of Omega-3 fish oil, for any picky eaters who may not want to eat a fillet of fish.
To flip the script on the humble fish cake, the spicy flavours of the chilli and curry powder really elevate this recipe – but feel free to experiment with spices you enjoy using in your own kitchen.
Say cheese...
Cheesy nachos make another great family meal and a quick healthy treat when they are homemade. The avocado gives a nice creaminess to the recipe, but make sure it is ripe. To ripen an avocado, leave it out in the kitchen and don’t keep it in the fridge and to speed up the ripening process further, you can place the avocado beside ripe bananas in a fruit bowl.
You could also add some cooked mince before the cheese for an added protein boost to the meal.
Get a good cheddar cheese. I like the mature Drinagh. The vintage Drinagh has a stronger taste, so some children may not like it as much. If you're feeling fancy, you can mix in a second cheese such as mozzerella, to add oomph and visual drama when you do a nacho ''cheese pull'' – children tend to enjoy the fun of a good cheese pull too.
And just for the teenagers on board the plane from Knock, stay tuned and you might get a quick, easy, tasty chicken goujons and chips recipe.
Maybe I''ll call it ''Neven's Holy Chicken and Chips''.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
400g salmon fillet
300ml milk
900g leftover mashed potatoes
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 tbsp plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
150g fresh white or panko breadcrumbs
4 tbsp sunflower oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Lightly dressed mixed salad
Mayonnaise
Lemon wedges
Method
1 Place the salmon in a large pan. Pour over the milk and then cover and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave the fish for 5 minutes to finish cooking in the hot milk.
2 Put the mashed potatoes in a bowl and beat in the spring onions and parsley.
3 Transfer the cooked salmon to a plate with a fish slice. Break up the flesh into rough flakes, discarding any skin and bones. Gently fold into the mashed potato mixture and season to taste.
Using a small ice cream scoop, shape the salmon and potato mixture into 18 even-sized balls, then, using slightly wet hands, shape into patties.
4 Place the flour on a plate and season well. Put the beaten eggs into a shallow dish and put the breadcrumbs in a separate dish. Dust the salmon fishcakes in the seasoned flour, dip them in beaten egg and coat them in the breadcrumbs.
5 Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Shallow fry the fishcakes in batches for about 4–5 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden. Drain well on kitchen paper and then arrange on warmed plates with the mixed salad and a large dollop of mayonnaise.
6 Serve with the lemon wedges.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
100g canned or frozen sweetcorn kernels
1 ripe tomato, deseeded and diced
1 small ripe avocado, diced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
25g sliced jalapeño chillies from a jar, drained and chopped
175g tortilla chips
4 tbsp sour cream
25g cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). If using frozen sweetcorn, place it in a pan of boiling salted water and cook for a few minutes, until just tender, then drain and refresh under cold running water. Place in a large bowl with the tomato, avocado, spring onions and jalapeño chillies, if using. Stir to combine and season to taste.
2 Tip the tortilla chips into an ovenproof dish and scatter the avocado and sweetcorn salsa on top. Spoon over the sour cream and finish with the grated cheddar. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheddar has melted and is bubbling.
3 To serve, bring the dish of cheesy nachos straight to the table and allow guests to help themselves.
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