Win a Complete Kenwood Kitchen kit out for your school worth €10,000 in the Kenwood Young Baker Competition

Kenwood Ireland in association with the Association of Teachers of Home Economics (ATHE) are calling on students to enter their best bakes for a chance to win a complete Kenwood kitchen kit. And the icing on the cake? Your school’s Home Economics room gets a full kit out too! 

There are two categories in the Kenwood Young Baker competition; Junior (1st-3rd year) and Senior (4th-6th year). You don’t have to be a Home Economics student to enter, perhaps you honed your skills as a home baker during lockdown and you have the right stuff to fold, knead, bake and ice your way to victory. 

So grab your spatula and let’s bake the world a batter place! Opening date for entries is 28th September, closing date is 19th October. Winners announced 2nd November 2020.

The Judges will sift through the entries to crown the Kenwood Young Baker and this year the judges are: 

Chef Patrick Ryan is the face behind the award-winning Firehouse bakery and bread school. A former Corporate Law student, Patrick swapped law books for chef knives. Patrick has secured his place as one of Ireland’s most prolific artisan bakers. 

Susan Coleman, Channel Manager for De'longhi Group in Ireland. Susan is a keen cook and makes great use of all of the Kenwood products. Susan's vision for Kenwood is to look at the next generation of cooks and chefs and help them along the way through education via Kenwood channels and of course through the Kenwood Young Baker competition.

Sinead Keegan, President of ATHE. Sinead is passionate about all things Home Economics and believes that the skills and knowledge the subject equips our young people with is invaluable for their future wellbeing as individuals and the wellbeing of society as a whole. 

The Prize: 

The overall Kenwood Young Baker in Junior and Senior categories will win a Complete Kenwood Kitchen kit out for them and their school worth €10,000. There will also be prizes for the runner up in each category. 

Junior category winner receives Kenwood kMix. Plus wins a kit out for their Home Economics room in school. Wins an online cookery class with Patrick Ryan for the class.

Senior category winner receives Kenwood kMix. Plus wins a kit out for their Home Economics room in school. Wins an online cookery class with Patrick Ryan for the class.

The amazing Kenwood kMix 

How to Enter: 

To enter simply upload your entry at www.kenwoodyoungbaker.com 

Every entry will receive an online certificate. Now Get Baking!

Zack

Chef Network and BIM team up to encourage the use of more Fish and Seafood on Irish Menus

Ireland’s seafood development agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), has teamed up with Chef Network to promote the seafood experience of Taste The Atlantic. Chef Network is a professional community which connects chefs across Ireland.

This particular partnership also aims to showcase the enormous potential for visitor seafood experiences, to promote and encourage the use of local seafood on menus by other chefs/hospitality operators and to encourage the partnership between producers and chefs to deliver this.

The first initiative, which took place this week, was a tour of north Connemara where a group of Chef Network member chefs toured, visited and met with local seafood producers.

Ruth Hegarty, who coordinated the trip on behalf of Chef Network, said: “Working with BIM presents an opportunity for Chef Network to broaden the knowledge of chefs, encourage mutual support between local businesses (producers & restaurants) which is needed now more than ever. This is important networking and peer-learning opportunity for chefs and they jumped at the chance to get together in this safe outdoor environment and to connect with local food producers, which is one of the things chefs are most passionate about.”

The tour which took place on Tuesday 22nd September, had 10 chefs travelling and visiting DK Oyster Farm Letterfrack, followed by a visit Killary Harbour to meet with Tom Doherty of Curraun Fisheries. They then went on to Killary Fjord Shellfish to visit their production of rope mussels, oysters and clams etc. The tour finished with a spectacular seafood lunch overlooking the fjord.

A spokesperson for BIM, Máirtín Walsh, said “We are delighted to be working with Chef Network and some of the most talented chefs in the industry. The passion Irish chefs have for local produce is world-renowned and this partnership allows us to ensure Irish seafood plays a part in the development of menus across the country. By educating chefs and introducing them to our seafood producers gives a deeper understanding of our often misunderstood resource of seafood. Ireland’s food heritage is intrinsically linked to seafood and the Taste The Atlantic initiative gives both the chefs, but also the public in general, an opportunity to experience this.” 

BIM and Chef Network intend, through a series of events, to increase the profile of Irish seafood and increase awareness among Ireland's chefs to encourage more inclusion of it on menus throughout the country. The tours which will take place throughout the country (this first one being in Connemara) is also hoped to increase awareness on the food tourism element of visiting seafood producers by the public in general. 

You can find out more and keep up to date with the latest news by following Chef Network at @ChefNetworkIRL on all social media or visit www.ChefNetwork.ie.

How to make Beetroot Crisps - Step by Step with pictures

Beetroot Crisps are delicious and really easy to make, so here is a step-by-step on how to make them from scratch! It takes a little time to do but the results are really worth it. 

You can use this same method to make crisps out of other similar vegetables like parsnips, carrots, potato or sweet potato and because you use Cornflour to dust them, they are also gluten-free.

First thing to do is put on a pair of food grade gloves because the beetroot juice will be really difficult to get off your hands! 

Cut off the top and the bottom of the beetroot and then cut off the rest of the skin. Now you're ready to go.

How to make Beetroot Crisps.

1. Slice the beetroot with a sharp knife (or a food mandolin) as fine as you can, the thinner the better.

2. Toss the beetroot slices in Cornflour in a bowl. Make sure each one is completely covered.

3. Rub each dusted beetroot slice to press the cornflour into them.

4. Using a pastry brush (or a small new paint brush) rub each beetroot slice to remove as much cornflour as possible. This is the bit that takes the most time but it is important that you clean them off as best you can.

5. Continue cleaning the cornflour off each slice until you have them all done.

6. Fry the beetroot crisps in vegetable oil or rapeseed oil at 170°C (335°F) in a deep fryer (or what ever you use to make your chips in at home) and cook them until they stop bubbling completely. You can also cook them in an Air Fryer for 15 - 20 minutes until completely dry.

7. The crisps will stop bubbling in the oil when they are ready to take out.

8. Spread the cooked beetroot crisps on a dry cloth for 5 minutes to cool and they are now ready to eat!

Remember, you can use the same method to make your own homemade crisps out of all sorts of similar vegetables and there is a great pleasure you get when sharing them with someone and saying that you made them yourself! 

Enjoy your crisps and do share this post if you wish!

Zack