Tips from the Saba Kitchen

Have you taken our cookery class? Or maybe just need that little bit of help recreate some of your favourite Saba dishes? Here are just a few tips from the Saba kitchen which feature in Saba: The Cookbook, available online, from SABA, SABA To Go and all good bookshops for €30.

To clean

Mussels: Remove the beard from the mussels and scrub them under running water, Discard any that float to the top of the water.

Squid: Remove the gut, the black membrane (try not to pierce it) and the pink membrane that cover the outside skin. Take out the cartilage that runs the length of the fish and clean the squid under running water. Your fishmonger may be able to do this for you.

To par-boil

Asparagus: Hold the end and middle of the asparagus tip and bend it gently; the hard, inedible bit will snap off. Cut the remainder at an angle of 5cm lengths. Bring a ½ litre water to the boil, add 1tsp sugar and drop the asparagus for 30 seconds, drain and run under cold water to prevent further cooking

Baby corn: Halve each baby corn, add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder to a 1/2litre boiling water and drop in the corn for 3 minutes, no more. Drain and run under cold water to prevent further cooking.

Broccoli: Drop the florets into boiling water with 1tsp sugar for just 1 minute, drain and run under cold water to prevent any further cooking.

Bean sprouts: Bring a 1/2litre of water to the boil, add the bean sprouts for just 30 seconds.