Head chef in the gorgeous Gallery Cafe Gort, Hannah O'Donnell shares her go to brunch recipes to try at home this weekend that are sure to wow your friends and family from her stunning Sweetcorn griddle cakes to the ever popular black pudding flatbread with pickled onions, hummus, hollandaise and a fried egg.
We know you will enjoy.
Sweetcorn Griddle Cakes
Ingredients
- 200g frozen sweetcorn, blanched and drained
- 100g gram flour
- 200ml water
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
- 3tsp salt
- 2tsp cumin ground
- 3tsp cajun seasoning
- 1 lime zest and juiced
Method
- In a large mixing bowl add all of your ingredients except the water.
- Give a quick mix.
- Slowly whisk in the water until a batter forms similar to the consistency of a pancake batter.
- Set aside for 30 minutes for the gram flour to incorporate into the mix, if you cook straight away the gram flour will still have a bitter flour like flavour.
- Using a non stick pan, heat on high with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil.
- When hot spoon the butter onto the pan to make 4 inch large cakes.
- Turn the heat down to medium and cook on on side for about 3 minutes.
- The sides of the corn cakes will start to bubble and the consistency of the batter will start too firm.
- Flip the cake and continue to cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and the batter is completey cooked through.
- Using gram flour means that these sweetcorn griddle cakes are vegan, gluten free and full of protein.
- The recipe is extremely versatile as you can add any vegetables and herbs you have lying around.
- Then poach the eggs.
- Using a deep saucepan full with water and about 40mls of cider vinegar bring up to a roaring boil.
- Give the water a quick swirl with a slotted spoon and carefully crack each egg into the water.
- Poach for about 3-4 minutes till desired level of firmness. I know poached eggs can be intimidating but my trick is to show no fear I've told many people in the past that eggs can smell fear. Just be confident and brave and it will work out.
To add some extra special tastes, why not make your own pepper jam.
Ingredients
For the Pepper Jam
- 3 red peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 3 tsp salt
- 5tbsp caster sugar
- 50ml white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Method
- In a saucepan on a high heat (no oil) add the peppers and let them sit in the hot pan untouched for about 2 minutes, this will char them slightly.
- Add your vinegar, sugar and salt and allow to cook for about 20 minutes so the liquid reduces and becomes thick and glossy almost like a jam.
- Add the garlic and taste for seasoning
- Remove from the saucepan and allow to cool.
- This will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks and is a lovely condiment with a multitude of dishes, salads, cheese, grilled meats and also the sweetcorn griddle cakes.
To serve
Small handful of feta, crumbled
1 avocado sliced
Handful of coriander chopped
2 poached eggs
Black pudding flatbread with pickled onions, hummus, hollandaise and a fried egg
Ingredients
For the flatbread
- 100g plain yoghurt
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 20ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3tsp salt
- 2tsp baking powder
- 300g plain flour
- 200ml water
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, add the yoghurt, olive oil, garlic and salt. Mix well.
- Add the flour and water and mix the dough with your hands until a smooth dough ball forms, sometimes more flour is needed.
- Knead the dough in the bowl for a further 5 minutes.
- Set aside and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- Using a frying pan on high heat allow it to come up to almost a smoking temperature.
- Dust your bench with some flour and shape the dough into 6 balls.
- Roll out each ball into about 3mm thick pizza shaped breads.
- Carefully place one flat bread at a time on your hot pan.
- Cook for 2 minutes on either side until slightly charred and some air bubbles appear.
Ingredients
For the Hummus
- 5tbsp of good quality light tahini
- Half a tin of chickpeas, drain 2 lemons, juiced
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2sp cumin ground
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- pinch of sugar
- 30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30ml water
Method
- Place all ingredients into a blender on high for about 1 minute until completely smooth.
- Place into a container and it will keep in the fridge for 1 week.
Ingredients
For the Hollandaise
- 2 egg yolks
- 2tsp wholegrain mustard
- 10ml cider vinegar
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 70g salted butter, melted
Method
- Using a deep sided container and a hand blender, add your yolks, mustard, vinegar and salt and pepper.
- Transfer your butter to a jug for easy pouring.
- Blend the yolk mixture for about 30 seconds.
- Now on full continuous speed slowly pour the butter into the yolk mix in a steady stream
- The butter and the eggs will start to emulsify into a pale yellowish colour resembling the consistency of mayonnaise.
- Transfer to a container for use
- This has to be used straight away as the hollandaise cools it will start to harden due to the utter.
- If you're planning on using it later keep it in a warm part of your kitchen next to the oven.
Assembling the flatbreads
Ingredients
- 1 Clonakilty black pudding
- Hummus
- Pickled onions
- Hollandaise
- 2 eggs
- Handful of mixed leaves
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180c.
- Using a baking dish ad the black pudding whole and cook for 15 minutes until fully cooked.
- Once cooled slightly break up the pudding with your hands to get large chunks and crumbs and set aside.
- Using a non stick frying pan, place on a medium to high heat.
- Add a drop of cooking oil and crack in the 2 eggs one at a time to fry
- Fry for about 3 minutes until the whites are completely opaque and firm and the yolk is at your desired level of firmness.
- I prefer a sunny side up friend egg with a runny yolk.
- Now that your eggs are ready assemble the flatbread.
- Smear a generous amount of hummus on your flatbread and add a handful of salad, some pickled onions and scatter on the black pudding.
- Place the friend egg on top and drizzle the hollandaise all over.
Hannah O'Donnell, originally from New Braintree Massachusetts has been a chef in Galway for 7 years. She learned her love of cooking from her mother Anna who was also a chef and a culinary historian. A passion for food of all ethnicities and creativity makes for fun and different dishes on the regular. Honing her skills under the guidance of Jessica Murphy, owner of Kai restaurant in Galway city, Hannah was a sous chef there for six years and was thrilled to be in an environment to express her love of food and creativity. She is super excited to be starting this new chapter in the beautiful Gallery Cafe Gort as the new head chef. Keeping a focus on flavour and seasonal produce she's over the moon to be sharing her passion to feed people in gorgeous Gort.
