Stephen Jeffers is a very well-known culinary figure in Ireland. Stephen thrives on teaching and sharing with everyone his knowledge and talents.
TOMATO SALAD
This salad can be changed in so my ways. For example, simply toast some good Italian bread, top with salad, crumbled goat’s cheese and toasted pine nuts and you have a very simple, tasty starter. Great flavours!
Ingredients – Serves 4
20 small yellow and red tomatoes (peeled optional)
1 shallot or small red onion
Basil leaves
Oregano leaves
1 small clove garlic
1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Slice the tomatoes and lay them out on a large serving bowl. Slice the shallot or onion into thin rings and scatter over. Roll the basil leaves into thin strips, and throw them over the salad with oregano leaves. Immediately before serving, drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over, and season with salt and plenty of pepper.
CRAB COCKTAIL WITH AVOCADO & TOMATO
This underrated shellfish, the common brown crab, is also simply delicious served with Jeffers’ Guinness wheaten, lemon and homemade mayonnaise. Don’t forget the glass of champagne… heaven.
Ingredients – Serves 4
Crab
500g cooked and picked crab meat
50ml mayonnaise
1 lime (juice only)
Mustard cress for garnish
Avocado Puree
1 avocado, peeled and stoned
1 lime, juice only
1/2 green chilli chopped
Tomato Relish
250g peeled, deseeded and diced tomatoes
1 diced red chilli
120g finely diced red onion
3tbsp fresh lime juice
2tbsp roughly chopped fresh Coriander leaves
Pinch caster sugar
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt & pepper
Method
Crab with Avocado Puree
For the avocado puree: put the avocado and chilli into bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Season with the lime juice and a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and chill. Combine the crabmeat with the mayonnaise in a bowl and season with the lime juice and a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Tomato Relish
Combine the tomatoes, red onion, chilli, lime juice, coriander leaves and a pinch of caster sugar in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season well. Leave for ten minutes to infuse.
Plating Up
To serve put a spoonful of relish in bottom of glass, then a layer of avocado topped with the crab mayonnaise. Put some cress on top and serve with Guinness wheaten bread and fresh lime.
WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE
White chocolate and raspberries are a great marriage. I love this cheesecake, as either the baked type or gelantine set style of cheesecake both work great. When on the menu at Jeffers we serve this with Tim Morrow’s fantastic raspberry sorbet, which you can purchase on his Streamvale farm in Dundonald, which is also a great day out for the kids.
Ingredients – Serves 8-12
210g biscuit crumbs
2 tbsp butter, melted
950g cream cheese, softened
250g sugar
3 large eggs
240ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla seeds
180g white chocolate, chopped, melted and allowed to cool slightly
80ml fresh raspberries
To serve
Whipping cream
Fresh raspberries
Mint sprigs
Method
Crush the biscuits finely then combine in a bowl with the butter. Stir thoroughly to combine, then press into the base of a 22cm diameter springform cake tin or small one portion moulds. Beat cream cheese until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until thoroughly blended. Now add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition. Whisk in the cream and vanilla extract. Add the raspberries and melted chocolate to cream cheese mix and add chopped chocolate. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 160°C and bake for about 80 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from tins. Garnish with raspberry puree, raspberries and fresh mint leaves before serving.
STEAK & CHIPS
Irish beef is, in my opinion, the best in the world. By far my favourite cut is the ribeye. When I owned Grace Neill’s, this was by far the best selling dish on the menu for years. It’s the simplicity of this dish that people love. True flavours, no big sauces overpowering the sublime taste of the beef, and perfect chips are all you need. If you prefer a sauce with your steak, I have included an option for a garlic Béarnaise sauce. Of course, serve medium rare.
Ingredients – Serves 4
Chips
4 large Desiree or Maris Piper potatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Steak
4 ribeye steaks (approx 200g-250g each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp oil
25g butter
Garlic Béarnaise Sauce
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp of chopped garlic
1 tsp tarragon leaves
4 tbsp dry white wine
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
175g unsalted butter
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
Steak Method
To make the chips: preheat fryer to 120°C. Fill a large pan with boiling water, add a pinch of salt and place over a high heat. Cut each potato into chips. Add the chips to the boiling water, bring to the boil again and boil for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and then place the colander sitting over the pan. Tip the chips into the fryer basket and blanch for a few minutes, then lift basket and turn fryer up to 180°C.
To cook the steak: place a large frying pan over a high heat and leave until smoking hot. Place the steaks onto a large chopping board and season the steaks on both sides with salt and black pepper. Once the frying pans have reached maximum temperature, add approximately two tablespoons of oil. Carefully lay the steaks in the hot frying pan. Tilt the pan away from you so that the fat is touching the side of the pan to ensure the fat is cooked and golden. Shake the pan to make sure the steaks aren’t sticking. Fry for 11⁄2 minutes and then add the butter to the pan. Spoon the melted butter on each side of the steaks to baste them. Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside to rest.
Garlic Béarnaise Sauce Method
Put the shallot, garlic, tarragon, 4 tbsp water, and white wine vinegar in a small pan. Boil for 2–3 minutes to reduce by a third. Once strained, you should have about 3 tbsp. Cool slightly. Melt the butter in a pan over a slow heat, until foaming. Continue to cook for 1 minute, or until the foam turns, and skim this and discard. Allow the butter to cool slightly. Mix the egg yolks and reduction in a blender, or use a hand-held blender. Slowly add the butter in a thin, steady stream, whisking until a light sauce forms. Season with salt and white pepper and add chopped tarragon. Fry chips at 180°C and serve with steak and garlic Béarnaise sauce.
