Donal starts this brand new series in Galway where he visits three of Galway’s finest artisan food producers – Connemara Smokehouse (salmon), Connemara Hill Lamb, and Cuinneog Buttermilk. He then prepares the first ‘Feast’ in this new series at the spectacularly located Lisdonagh House in Headford, Co Galway. Dishes this week include honey roast smoked salmon with crispy potato cakes & asparagus curls; braised connemara lamb shanks with nettle mash; and dark chocolate hazelnut mud pie with strawberries.
In Howth, Donal goes fishing with next-door neighbour Joe, visits the Arun bakery and a nursery specialising in exotic tomatoes. Dishes are dublin lawyer, tomato, ricotta and thyme tart-lets with summer salad and a summer bread pudding.
Donal Skehan heads to Kerry this week and uses delicious local produce to prepare his Feast in Ballintaggart House on the Dingle Peninsula. Using beef from Ashes Butchers, mussels from Glenbeigh Shellfish and Murphy’s Ice-Cream, Donal prepares a menu which includes: baked mussel risotto with potatoes, braised beef, short ribs with red wine and treacle, mini sticky toffee pudding and baked alaska.
Donal heads to Wexford this week visiting local producers, O’Neill’s Dry Cure Bacon, Killowen Yoghurt, and Greenhill Fruit Farm. Using their delicious local produce Donal then prepares his Wexford Feast in Marlfield House. Dishes on this week’s Feast menu include ham hock and pea soup, barbecued butterflied lamb with yoghurt and mint; and mini strawberry and white chocolate cheesecakes for dessert.
Donal travels to Kilkenny this week and meets local producers at Mileevens Honey, Goatsbridge Trout Farm, and Knockdrinna Cheese, and then prepares his Kilkenny Feast at the magnificent Uppercourt Manor in Freshford, Co Kilkenny. Dishes this week include: knockdrinna farmhouse cheese souffles with pear salad and walnuts, trout en papillote orange polenta cake.
With Christmas fast approaching, this final programme in the series will have a Christmas theme, with Donal visiting a turkey farm and a bakery selling mince pies. The producers in this final programme include the Wildflour Bakery, Hell’s Kettle Turkey farm(organic), and The Garden florists in the Powerscourt Centre who will be showing Donal how to decorate a table at Christmas.
Donal heads to Lifford and visits Donegal Rapeseed Oil and chats to Austin Duignan about the success of the company’s cold pressed rapeseed oil including a range infused with various flavours such as garlic, chili, and lemon. He also visits Kinnegar Brewery – a farmhouse brewery producing Pale ale, Amber ale, India pale ale, Rye ale and Porter, and Steve Cullen Oysters. Donal then makes a delicious feast in Rathmullen House, including delicious Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters with Raw Oysters and a Shallot Mignonette, Beer Batter Fish Tacos with Cherry Tomato Salsa; and Carrot & Courgette Cake with Rosemary & Orange Crème Fraiche.
In the second programme of this new 7-part series Donal Skehan visits Baronscourt Venison in Omagh, where the venison is produced from wild Japanese Sika deer. He also visits Ticketymoo Ice Cream, in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh and then enjoys a Boxty demonstration in the Kissin’ Crust. Dishes this week include Crispy Golden Eggs with Black Pudding, Pan-fried Boxty and Crisp Apple Salsa; Glazed Spiced Venison with Sweet Potato Mash; and Affogato Alcaffe with Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscotti at the delightful Feast location of Belle Isle Castle in Lisbellow, Enniskillen.
In the third programme of this new 7-part series Donal Skehan heads to Meath where he visits Martry Mill in Kells, Whole Hoggs, and Blast and Wilde in Slane and ending his trip with a delicious Feast in Tankardstown House. Dishes this week include Pan-fried Gnocchi with Peas & Mozzarella;, Apple Cakes with a Salted Caramel Sauce, and also Crispy Squid and Chorizo Salad with Deconstructed Guacamole.
This week Donal heads to Antrim and visits Glenarm Shorthorn Beef, producers of premium quality beef farmed at the Glenarm Estate and winners of various Great Taste Awards and suppliers to Fortnum and Mason. He also visits Broughgammon Goat Meat where he meets goat farmers who produce goat meat/cabrito. Co Couture Chocolates, makers of handmade chocolates and recently qualified for the finals of the International Chocolate Awards for their Japanese Cherry Sencha Bar, making them one of the Top Forty chocolate producers in the world, help Donal complete his Feast in Ardtara Country Hotel. This week’s dishes include Moroccan Goat Tagine with Bulgur Wheat Salad, Middle Eastern Spiced Beef & Pickled Cucumber Mint Salad with Beetroot hummus; and Chocolate Orange Tart.
Donal heads to Tipperary this week and meets the producers of O’Donnell Crisps which are made using Tipperary grown potatoes. In Thurles he visits Irish Piedmontese Beef, producers of a lean, low fat beef, made from unique Piedmontese cattle, a breed that is originally from Italy. And in Clonmel Donal enjoys Barmbrack from Hickey’s Bakery, where they make this traditional Irish fruit loaf with a unique recipe developed by the Hickey family who are fourth generation bakers in Clonmel. Dishes served at Donal’s delicious FEAST in Inch House include Rosemary Rib-Eye Steak with Horseradish Sauce and Fennel Salad, and Barmbrack Parfait with Whiskey Prunes.
Donal is in Co Down for this week’s programme and in Bangor he visits Keen Nut, producers of healthy nut butters. In Portaferry he calls to Marlfield Chickens , producers of free range chickens. And he finds out all about White Goat’s Curd from Leggygowan Cheese in Saintfield, before preparing his FEAST in Crumlin Road Gaol. Dishes this week include Banana Bread with Almond Butter & Chocolate Chips, Goat’s Cheese, Red Onion and Thyme Quiche, and Baked Indian Spiced Yoghurt Chicken with Cardamom, Coriander & Almond Couscous.
Donal heads for Cork this week and meets Declan Ryan of Arbutus Bread, the first chef to be awarded a Michelin Star in Ireland. In Kanturk he checks out McCarthy’s Black Pudding – creators of Black Pudding which won a gold medal from The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Black Pudding in 2013 for ‘International Creativity’. And Donal also discovers delicious Longueville House Irish Apple Brandy – made with apples from the Blackwater Valley and which can be used to make cocktails and a unique twist on an Irish coffee. And for his FEAST in Longueville House Donal’s dishes include Sourdough Tartine with Blue Cheese & Roasted Honey Figs, McCarthy’s Bramley Apple Bangers with Parsnip & Leek Mash, Sage & Cider Gravy with Black Pudding Crumble, followed by Apple Frangipane Tart with Apple Brandy Syrup.
