Tancurean

  The intensive and immersive nature of the Ballymaloe cookery school means you are usually trying to digest a lot of different techniques at the same time (pardon the pun), and I have a notebook full of scribbled ideas. Here are just a few good tips and tricks that I noted along the way ... 1. Praline. What a revelation this easy recipe was! You can whip up a batch of this in no time, and either break it into chunks for a fine-looking dessert decoration, or blitz it in a food processor and use the praline crumbs over ice-cream or other creations. Above: a slab of praline, and ice cream sitting on a bed of praline crumbs, with lemon tart. Praline recipe: 175g caster sugar, 175g raw, unskinned almonds. Combine sugar and nuts in a heavy saucepan and put over a low heat until sugar turns a caramel colour. Stir carefully or rotate the pan until the nuts are covered with caramel. When you hear the nuts go 'pop', pour the mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper and cool. 2. Toma...

I'm en route to Ireland and spending some time with my wonderful friends Manue and Adam Parr at their house in Montsoreau in the Loire Valley region of France. We are eating some amazing local produce, and Manue whipped up a quick and easy delicious apricot tart that she made up as she went along. Many years ago, Manue tried to teach me to speak French. She is too nice to acknowledge it, but I was her Worst Ever Student. Happily, she is now having success in passing on some recipes ...

  When I was growing up, Phyl Hudson's Cheeseball was always a staple at parties and BBQs. It is so simple, and yet so moorish. Mum told me that when she first started making it, she would hand it around at gatherings and people would look at it, grimace and shake their heads. A bit like that scene from Love Actually, when Colin Frissell handed around the finger food at the wedding. The cheeseball does look kind of odd! However Mum would convince guests to try some and they would be hooked. Here's the recipe. Mum's Cheeseball 1 large packet Philadelphia cream cheese 225g mature cheese (grated) 1 large packet Kraft cheddar cheese (the stuff in the blue box that bizarrely doesn't live in the cheese section, but rather in the tea and coffee aisle) 1 knob crushed garlic 1 teaspoon crushed onion 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Half a teaspoon paprika Salt and pepper FOR ROLLING: 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon paprika Mix all ingredients together (with hands or food ...