The spud & the scallion gets me champing at the bit

Thank you for tuning in to Champ TV…

Happy happy joy joy… it’s been far too long since I had a big portion of champ. This is my nod to St Patrick’s Day and Irish cuisine, and a firm family favourite when we were kids.

Champ, or brúitín in the Irish, is mashed potato with scallions and butter. Over the last decade or so I’ve seen increasing references to ‘champed mashed potato’ on menus (alongside colcannon mash, also delicious) and it’s nice to see such a homely favourite crop up in eating places. Back home it was just ‘champ’, but it was often a meal in itself, not just a side order. Indeed it became more a participatory sport than a meal in our household. Not bad for a humble plate of green-flecked mash…

Read more

Fig, Raspberry and Tarragon Rolls

/
Like many Irish people, I more associate biscuits with Jacob's…

Slow Cooked Giant African Land Snails

/
I was a weird kid. Cutely weird, rather than scary weird, and…

Spiced Lamb, Lentil and Tomato Soup

/
Every summer I buy lamb mince with the intention of making…

Cashew Nut Blondies

/
As I might have mentioned, I've been quite busy recently which…

Recipes from Brixton Village book launch

/
I've been a bit quiet recently because Recipes from Brixton Village…

Adventures in sourdough: pancakes and grissini

/
One of the things which seems to mark out people who care…

Pineapple Creams

/
I am obsessed with Northern Irish traybakes and home baking.…

Wild Garlic Skirlie

/
Following on from the fried porridge a few weeks ago, I have…

Stuffed Baked Plantain

/
Oh how I love a plantain. They are so delicious and verstaile…
soup scallions and butter

Comfort Eating

/
I've been having a very quiet couple of weeks. The flu found…

Homemade Vanilla Extract

/
I've been meaning to post this recipe for a while as it's…

St Patrick’s Day Okonomiyaki

/
I have no idea what the adjective for Irish-Japanese fusion food…