Healthy Irish Biltong Recipes by Gary O'Hanlon
#03 Biltong Veggie & Feta Frittata
What Gary says about this dish …
“I was only 17 when I was sent to the Derryhale Hotel in Dundalk on a college work placement. There was a head chef/consultant that worked there on a Sunday Only, Pearse Hingston. I loved Pearse but sadly he was only there one day a week. It was a weird set-up not having a full time Head Chef but that’s how it was. The rest of us ran the place from week to week and then Pearse rolled in on a Sunday and did some ordering as well as answer my 100 questions.”
“I love knowledge so asking questions comes easy to me. Pearse gave me many many tips that have stayed with me all this time and one of them was the perfect texture on a quiche or a frittata. Without exception, 4 whole large Irish free range eggs to 1 pint of cream and you are good to go. Another thing that I rarely do is add tomatoes to my frittata as they simply lose too much water whilst cooking. I like to serve them on the side at room temperature with a light salad.“
“This dish is a fridge cleaner. By that I mean that you can drop in whatever you see. I like to season this with just a pinch of salt and a decent few pinches of white pepper. The flavor of the Biltong with run right through this when cooking. “
Ingredients
Drizzle of olive oil
50g Biltong
100g Feta cheese
1 courgette, diced
1 small white onion, sliced
¼ red pepper, diced
¼ green pepper, diced
¼ green pepper, diced
2g fresh tarragon, chopped
30g jalapenos
4 whole large free range eggs
1 pint cream
pinch of fine sea salt
4 pinches ground white pepper
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 170C. Heat a heavy based non-stick frying pan (oven ready) and then add in the oil. Let the oil smoke a little then add in the peppers and the onion. Season and sauté until soft. Add in the courgettes and sauté for a further 2 minutes.
Whilst the veggies are cooking whisk the egg and cream together. Now add the tarragon to the cream and eggs and set aside. Add the jalapenos to the veggies, mix well.
Cube the feta cheese and sprinkle it around the veggies followed by the sliced biltong. Now pour in the egg and cream mixture. Place the pan into the oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes stick a knife into the center. If it comes away clean it’s ready. If it doesn’t leave it in the oven making sure to dip the knife every 3 minutes until you’re satisfied it’s cooked.
Remove to rest for 4 minutes then slice and serve with roast sweet potato wedges or with a wee salad.
Enjoy!
Gary O'Hanlon
Chef, TV & Radio Broadcaster and Columnist
Gary O Hanlon has been Head Chef of Viewmount House, Co. Longford since 2008. Winner of the Georgina Campbell ‘Best Restaurant in Ireland’ 2014, Food & Wine Magazine ‘Best Chef Leinster 2016’ and ‘Country House of the Year 2017’ Gary has been ever present on our TV screens since 2008 with appearances on MasterChef Ireland, Four Live, The Today Show, Late Lunch Live, The Seven O Clock Show and is resident Chef on ‘The Restaurant’. Gary is a columnist with The Irish Times, has a food show on Shannonside/Northern Sound and is a regular contributor on Today FM.