Northern Irish food showcased in unique cookery guide

Smaller food and drink businesses in Northern Ireland are showcased in a unique cookery book produced by culinary and hospitality staff at Belfast Metropolitan College (Belfast Met), the region's biggest further education institute.

The Made at the Met publication celebrates the heritage of culinary training at the college that stretches back to 1906. The book features a series of recipes crafted by culinary staff and the college's best known graduates such as Niall McKenna, owner of four restaurants in Belfast, Danny Millar, the executive head chef of four restaurants in other parts of Northern Ireland, and Andy Rea, joint owner of the city's award winning seafood restaurant, and Simon McCance, chef/owner of another highly regarded restaurant in the city.

The recipes feature ingredients from successful local suppliers such as Hannan Meats, twice winner of the UK Great Taste Supreme Champion title, other Great Taste medallists Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Clandeboye Estate Yogurt, and Ewings Seafoods, as well as Armagh Bramley Apples, Tynedale Goat, Strangford oysters, Kilkeel scallops, Glenarm salmon, Portavogie lobster, Lough Neagh Eel. The recipes, in addition, feature craft ales and ciders from Farmageddon, Barnhill Apple Juice, Mac Ivor's and Belfast Pale Ale.

Marie-Therese McGivern, principal and chief executive of Belfast Met, commenting on the innovative 225-page publication, says: "Our cookery and hospitality courses are at the heart of our vision for the future. Many of our students have made their names in the restaurants and bakeries of Northern Ireland.

"Along with our own talented chef tutors they have created recipes that typify our approach over the years - seasonality, using great local produce, the best of tradition and fresh, inventive ideas.

"Today, Northern Ireland is lucky enough to have some of the finest food produce in Europe, from fish and seafood freshly caught in the Irish Sea to tender aged meats," she adds.

Andy Rea says: "Northern Ireland has superb fish. We're a small island and local boats don't go out for a long period of time, just one or two days at the maximum, so it's always fresh. We have unbelievable shore fish and seafood like langoustines, lobsters, mussels, scallops and oysters."

Niall McKenna adds: "The majority of produce we use is from within 30 miles of us. In this country we have the finest grazing ground, wonderful milk and great meat. We are so lucky to have unique produce such as Lough Neagh eels from Lough Neagh, which are among the best in the world."

Belfast Met, now based in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, opened and began teaching cooking in the centre of the city in 1906 as the Municipal Technical Institute. Cookery then was run by the Women's Work Department along with dressmaking, laundry work and lacemaking. Cookery students were prepared for City and Guild examinations, as they still are today.