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Sipping coffee and taking in the breathtaking Philadelphia skyline from Loews Hotel’s top floor, master chef Kevin Dundon summed up his philosophy on food.
"The most difficult thing is to cook simply," he said. "The ingredients must be as fresh and as local as possible. I also feel food must be easy to eat."
Dundon made his first trip to Philadelphia weeks ago to attend the Irish Gardens-themed Philadelphia Flower Show. He was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, in a family of fine home cooks. His father is a doctor and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. But at 17, Dundon told him he wanted to be a cook instead.
The 40-year-old now owns Dunbrody Country House Hotel and Spa and cookery school in County Wexford. He lives on 300 acres with wife Catherine, daughters Emily and Sophie and their Corgie named Baz.
"Our ingredients are second to none," Dundon said of Dunbrody’s restaurant, the Harvest Room. "We grow fruits and vegetables and have our own hens, which give us fresh eggs.
"Because we are located on the coast, the fishermen come up to our back door with their catch each day."
Dundon and his family take delight in digging for mussels and planting and picking fruits and vegetables. He has his own herb garden and fruit trees, as well.
At 17, he received a scholarship to attend cookery school (as they are called in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) in Switzerland. Dundon worked on a cruise ship and then for a master chef in a hotel in Banff and at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. "The Shelbourne is the Ritz of Dublin," he said with a smile.
The chef said he was immediately taken with Philadelphia. Bouncing around the Reading Terminal Market with the delight of a child, he quickly pointed out the Devonshire cream, and Irish cheeses and butter for sale at Salumeria. "It’s a good price in American dollars," he said.
Visiting the U.S. is part of a chef’s life, and Dundon has been to Boston, Seattle and New York. He owns the restaurant Raglan Road in Orlando, Fla., and is the author of "Full On Irish," a recipe collection of creative contemporary cooking.
Still, Dunbrody House is home: "It’s a chef’s paradise," he said.
The following recipes are courtesy of "Full on Irish."
Hearty Irish Broth
Ingredients:
2-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 of a green cabbage, thick stalks removed, and shredded
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 potatoes, diced
8 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup of dry white wine
4-1/2 cups of vegetable stock
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, cabbage, leek and potatoes, stirring to combine. Cover with a lid and sweat over medium for about five minutes, or until softened but not colored.
Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for a few more minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender and the liquid has slightly reduced and thickened. Season to taste.
Ladle into warm serving bowls and garnish with the parsley.
Serves four to six.
Note from Phyllis: Yukon Gold potatoes work well in this recipe.
Oven-Baked Poussin with Sage and Roasted Garlic
Ingredients:
12 scallions, trimmed
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1-1/4 tablespoons of olive oil, plus another 1-1/4 tablespoons
4 oven-ready poussins
3/4 stick of butter, at room temperature
8 fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 ounces of Swiss chard, thick stalks removed and roughly chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange the scallions in a roasting pan. Season generously with the salt and pepper and coat evenly with the 1-1/4 tablespoons of oil.
Loosen the skin around the neck of each poussin. Push a little butter under each until evenly spread over every breast. Push a sage leaf down each side of every poussin so they are clearly visible.
Place on the scallions and scatter the garlic. Drizzle with the remaining oil and season with more salt and pepper.
Roast for 35 minutes, or until the poussins are completely tender and golden brown. Let rest in a warm place for at least 10 minutes.
When ready to serve, heat the remaining butter in a pan and quickly sauté the chard for a minute or two, or until wilted. Add salt and pepper and divide among four serving plates.
Add some of the roasted scallions to each plate and then sit a poussin on top. Scatter over the remaining sage leaves.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: Poussins may be found at specialty stores. Very small Cornish game hens or quails may be substituted. If using quails, serve two per person.
Crushed Carrots and Parsnips
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
8 ounces of carrots, cut into chunks
8 ounces of parsnips, quartered, cored and cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large roasting pan and add the carrots and parsnips. Sprinkle with the rosemary and toss until well coated. Season generously.
Roast for 40 to 50 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to caramelize around the edges.
Remove from the oven and add the remaining oil. Crush with a potato masher until roughly mashed. Season with the salt and pepper.
Serves four.
