Blind tasting: David Hurley, Gregans Castle

The chef David Hurley Gregans Castle Gregans Castle Hotel is a magical place in an extraordinary part of Ireland. Loved by JRR Tolkein and CS Lewis – who were surely inspired by the scenery – it sits at the foot of Corkscrew Hill, with long views out over the peeled Burren landscape towards Ballyvaughan and the coast.

A very special corner of the world, where the owners, Simon and Freddy Haden, offer a welcome as light and warm as cashmere.

Mickael Viljanen’s departure to the Greenhouse in Dublin left chef David Hurley with a lot on his plate here.

However, even more than his nine months with Mick, David says his formative six years with Paul Flynn at the Tannery in Dungarvan stood him in good stead to take on the luxury hotel's kitchens.

Hurley describes his cooking, as “classical French done lighter”.

Under Flynn’s influence, Hurley’s flavours are full-on and gutsy, even if his presentation is very much 2014 fine dining, right down to the couture, three-tiered, afternoon tea served in the elegant drawing room or on the lawns in summer. Blind tasting: Quite serious, articulate, softly-spoken David sits solidly in Gregans’ swish dining room, with arms crossed, while waitresses clearing away breakfast giggle at the sight of their boss in such odd attire.

Gin and tonic chocolate from the Burren Smokehouse shop, Lisdoonvarna “Mmm. Strange. It has a limey aftertaste. Chocolate with lime?”

I put him right. “Chocolate with gin and tonic, apparently.”

(Looks unimpressed. Changes the subject, diplomatically.)

“I’m always playing around with chocolate here. I love Cacao Barry’s products, always over 70 per cent cocoa solids. I like experimenting, but we are not a destination restaurant. People are not here to be blown away by tiny portions on a plate. They need sustenance. Especially Americans.” (Pauses) “Actually that’s not completely true, our American guests either eat very little or quite a lot, there’s not much middle ground . . .”

We move right along . . .

Poteen, from the Burren Smokehouse (Smells first.) “Mmm. That’s lovely. Very aromatic. Hard to get a base . . . Don’t know what it is.”

(Tastes. Grimaces.)

“Hum. It certainly smells more fragrant than it tastes. There’s a peachy flavour afterwards . . .”

I tell him it’s poteen. Ask him if he’s inspired by it. He looks nonplussed. “Don’t know what I’d do with it, apart from drink it.”

Dried seaweed (Brightens up.) “Ah. I get my seaweed at Spanish Point, not far from here. We use it quite a bit, in different ways, like in our dillisk butter.

“It’s high in umami and a good way to get people’s tastebuds going. Very versatile. Very underused still. A real shame as it’s free!”

Haw sauce by the Wild Irish, foragers and preservers “ Some strange kind of ketchup? Has a sharp aftertaste.”

“It’s haw sauce, made with hawthorn berries, chili and garlic,” I tell him.

“You know, I like to forage for the simple things. Seaweed, wild garlic, wood sorrel, monk’s beard, sea aster, samphire, blackberries, hazelnuts and elderflower. It’s all out there, right on my doorstep.”

Gregans Castle Hotel, Corkscrew Hill, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare. 065-7077005, gregans.ie