Food file
Compiled by MARIE-CLAIRE DIGBY
Anthony Bourdain’s whistlestop 36-hour tour of Dublin’s eating and drinking highlights for the Travel Channel’s ‘The Layover’ aired in the US on Monday night. You can watch it online, or catch the highlights at travelchannel.com. Bourdain’s pitstops included The Gravediggers, Slattery’s, The Chop House, Bear and Matt The Thresher.
Bombay nights
Every cent matters in January, but we still need little treats to get us through the dark days, so the dinner for two for €19 offer from Bombay Pantry is tempting. The offer includes starters, plus any two vegetable or chicken dishes, nan bread and rice. A larger selection, to serve four or five, costs €30. Recent additions to the menu at Bombay Pantry, which has been open for 15 years and has seven outlets in Dublin and Co Wicklow, are small plates, ideal for sharing. Pictured below is group operations director Emma Sheehan. See bombaypantry.com.
The buzz: top food tweets
@TheFoodieBugle: Chief Economist Liam Halligan predicts that increasing food prices will result in social upheaval
@EpsteinTravels: Congrats @BallyfinDemesne for making the CNN list of 8 ultimate getaways
@BITEdublin: Out with the old, in with the new. Bite reopens Jan 15th. New menu, new rules, new vibe.
@IrishStreetFood: Thinking about starting a StreetFood business? Follow Zack for details about buying a Street Food Cart in Ireland
The 532 calorie Italian diet dinner
A hearty squid and tomato stew followed by a feather light lemon cake; doesn’t sound like dieting does it? But the calorie count for both dishes (above), from Gino D’Acampo’s new diet book, comes to only 532. The 20cm cake is meant to serve 16 though, so don’t count on having a large slice. The book contains 100 recipes, insider tips on how the Italians maintain their bella figura, and instructions and photographs for a five-minute metabolism-boosting workout.
CALAMARI ALL ARRABBIATA
330 cals 20.3g fat 3.1g saturates 3.2g sugar 0.7g salt. Serves 4
600g fresh squid
100ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
200ml dry white wine
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt
To prepare the squid, first pull away the tentacles from the body and then remove the quill. (It looks like a long piece of clear plastic.) Next pull the wings away from the body, peel off the grey membrane and set aside. Peel away the thin purple membrane from the body of the squid. Turn the squid inside out and wash under cold running water. Set aside.
