Vegetarian Ireland

Doolin Market’s celebration of  Woodstock’s  40th anniversary was a great success.  All of the vendors dressed up like hippies and many visitors, as well.  I didn’t have to look  far, I still have this bandana and the peasant blouse I wore from back in the day! And, I was thrilled to meet an American visitor who, like me, was actually at the 1969 festival. All of the Woodstock trivia quiz questions were answered except one, and how ironic that it was this one: Who was the only Irish performer at Woodstock? He was Henry McCullough who played guitar for Joe Cocker. Try with a little help from my friends, indeed! I called my menu after The Hog Farm, which was the commune that fed all of us for free. I named all of my vegetarian foods after the bands who played, Neil’s Young french beans, Santana’s sesame noodles, Joan Baez Mexican Lentil Soup, Janice Joplin’s jivin’ ginger honeyed carrots to name a few.  Here’s my recipe for sesame green beans, eat hot or cold. It’s gluen and dairy free.

In a wok or heavy fry pan, heat 1 Tbl. sesame oil. Add 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 1 Tbl. chopped fresh ginger, 2 chopped shallots.  Saute until they begin to soften. Add 1/2 pound of  trimmed green beans, 1/4 cup chopped red pepper, sea salt and pepper to taste. Cook until beans are tender. Sprinkle a little sesame oil and tamari over beans and serve. Peace!

I love photographing people in their environments doing what they love, whether it’s growing spectacular organic veg, fruits and flowers, producing a beautiful craft from clay, wool, wood and willows, or children at one with their animals.  This gorgeous gardener is Sonja O’Brien in the garden at the Boghill centre.   Sonja is holding a tremendous variety of squash, which unlike others I’ve worked with that get tougher as they grow, this one has a soft skin and fresh, soft interior.  Occasionally, I’ll cook a vegetarian meal there using eggs from the chickens, vegetables from the garden and I’ll pick fresh herbs from the kitchen garden to season it all. Here’s a recipe for Broad Beans that I love. It’s gluten free.

Boil 14 oz.(400g) of shelled broad beans until tender in fresh tomato juice, enough to cover. Take off heat and set aside.   Heat 2 Tbl. olive oil, add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 ts. cumin seeds, 1 tsp. mustard seeds, 1 diced medium white onion. Saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to brown. Add to  beans.  Add 1 Tbl. chopped fresh mint, 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika and 3 1/2 oz (100 ml.) of plain yoghurt, sea alt and black pepper to taste.  Serve warm.   And, it’s just as good cold the next day! Enjoy and do what you love, happiness will follow.

Just minutes before I took this picture of Dave Irwin, Jazz Musician, playing at the Kilrush Market it was pouring rain. One of those Irish rains that comes down without warning in sheets, followed seconds later by brilliant sunshine.  Dave was a great sport and while taking cover under Eoin’s canopy played Pennies from Heaven, but decided to stay under cover just in case. But, the sun kept shining on the crowds who came out and enjoyed the Annual Harvest Celebration. The kids gathered around Ruth who painted their faces with lovely flowers in briliant colors, Colette gave advice on raising hens, Chris sold loads of his delicious blackcurrant jam. I gave a vegetarian cookery demo creating 2 dishes from Coming Home To Cook,  the spicey fried tofu and gingered honey carrots. I used all the veg and herbs  from the farmers and made cucumber in a yoghurt mint sauce using Rainbow Farms cucumbers and mint and Rahona Roots honey that was collected from their hives at 3:00 am!   Talk about fresh food!               Here’s the recipe, it’s gluten free:

Slice 2  cucumbers into thin rounds.  Blend together 2 cups plain yoghurt, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 Tbl. honey, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, 2 Tbl. chopped fresh mint , 1 Tbl. lemon balm and the grated rind of 1 lemon.  Mix the cucumber with the yoghurt and serve chilled.