The Eunice Power Column

Has January come around faster than usual? Although I am not complaining as my Seville orange marmalade is bubbling on the stove, the house is filled with its wonderful perfume, a wonderful contrast to the spicy smells of December’s kitchen.

As well as slathering marmalade on toast , Seville marmalade is a wonderful addition to a winter fruit salad. A delectable palate cleansing dessert, it’s quick, easy and extraordinarily delicious and can be made well in advance.

Best served ‘au naturel’ as cream or ice cream does it no big favours. Or maybe accompany it with some homemade orange biscuits – they would be great.

Winter Fruit Salad with Seville Orange Marmalade

3 each of oranges and firm pears
A handful of whole shelled walnuts – cut in half
2 tablespoons or so of cut mixed peel
3 to 4 tablespoons of coarse cut Seville marmalade i.e. not wimpy stuff
Hefty glug(s) of Grand Marnier, to taste

Peel the oranges to remove skin and all pith.

Working over a bowl, cut out orange segments with very sharp knife leaving behind all the membrane.

Save all juice from preparation, and add to the dish

Peel and core the pears and slice thinly. Add to the dish with any saved juice

Add walnuts to taste, similarly mixed peel – I use a lot of both – and coarse cut Seville marmalade, plus Grand Marnier.

Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

Happy New Year!

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More recipes from Eunice Power are available on www.eunicepower.com

Room reservations can be made on www.powersfield.com - hope to see you in Dungarvan during the year.

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Eunice Power is a professional chef with over twenty years experience in the hospitality business. She runs Powersfield House in Dungarvan County Waterford, which is our B&B of the Year for 2012 and also the winner of the Best B&B Breakfast. Her philosophy is to use fresh, seasonal, locally produced food, sourced organically where possible.

Eunice has a successful outside catering company, writes about food (she is the author of an excellent cookery book written for local company Waterford Stanley) and teaches at Paul Flynn’s Tannery Cooking School, where her enthusiasm and zest for a life filled with good food are given free rein."