In Dublin’s fair city, there is something delicious for breakfast….

 

OUR favourite travelling chef, Philippa Davis from Shaftesbury, has been busy these past few weeks, including a short stay in Dublin where her healthy breakfast choices were a bit of a shock for her clients …

 

So the conversation went a little like this …

Me: “Good morning, would you like a fresh juice?”

Guest 1: “What’s in it?”

Me: “Apple, carrot, cabbage, ginger and spinach.”

Guest 1: “CABBAGE?!”

Guest 1 went a bit green, it had been a big night…

(Starter – Lobster Thermidor; main course – beef three-rib roast with mashed potato and braised cavolo nero; dessert – steamed treacle pudding with clotted cream. Not forgetting the cocktails, much good claret and to finish some round belly glasses filled with armagnac.)

He reached for the coffee and sat down quietly.

Then in limped Guest 2 …

Me: “Fresh Juice?”

Guest 2: “Sure,” takes a big gulp: “Jesus! What’s in it? That’s delicious!”

Me: “Erm…apple and ginger mostly”

Eventually all 12 of the guests, including No 1 tried the juice and agreed it was surprisingly tasty (for cabbage juice) and not at all a bad way to recuperate.

Juicing is a great way to get a vitamin fix. It should not replace eating whole fruits and vegetables, as it does not give you much fibre. It is also best drunk soon after making and on an empty stomach. Another advantage of having a juicer is that it’s a great way to use up odd bits of fruit and veg or clear out the fridge before going away.

Here are a few juices I whizzed up that weekend for the guests: Spinach, watercress, cucumber and apple’ White cabbage, pear, celery and lemon; Carrot, apple and ginger.

There was another job a few years ago in Ibiza when I was doing heaps of juicing for a group of health conscious and beautifully toned women. The sun was shining and they were down by the pool, I took a tray of watermelon, lime and strawberry juices out to them with ice and mint sprigs. One of them took a sip and said: “Mmm…you know what would be delicious in this”?

Me: “?”

“Vodka.”

Back to Ireland, and Boxty, a light and fluffy Irish potato pancake that is SO good smothered in butter for breakfast and was just made for accompanying poached eggs and bacon. It is also a most welcome sight after a heavy night if green juice is really not your thing.

 

Boxty

Makes 4

100g mashed potato (use a floury type like Desiree, Rooster, King Edward or Maris Piper, )

100g raw potato finely grated then squeezed to get rid of as much juice as possible.

50g plain flour

1 egg

1/2 tsp bicarb

1/2 tsp baking powder

100g buttermilk ( or milk mixed half and half with yogurt)

salt / pepper/ drizzle  veg oil

50g – 75 g of  butter

Method:

In a mixing bowl whisk the mashed potato, egg and buttermilk till combined. Mix the flour with the bicarb and baking powder then whisk into the egg mix. Stir in the grated potato and season with salt and pepper. On a medium to high heat fry blobs of the potato batter (you only need a drizzle of vegetable oil). It should take about two minutes on each side. Once cooked take out the pan and smear on some butter

Really delicious when served with poached eggs and crispy bacon.

For more on Philippa’s travels and to sign up for her delicious postcard recipes, visit www.philippadavis.com