Forest Avenue

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In this, the third?part of Five’s a Charm, looking at 5 female chefs across Ireland, food stylist Jette Virdi spoke to Sandy Wyer, one half of the genius behind Forest Avenue. Tongues have been wagging about this place since it opened at the end of 2013 and it’s become one of the city’s favourite hotspots to eat wonderfully modern food made from seasonal ingredients. Named after the road Sandy grew up on in Queens, New York, Forest Avenue is a dream come true for her. When asked about her passion for food she says, “I love the restaurant business, I love food and looking after people. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

Rhubarb Mille feuille

Ingredients:

Brick pastry:

100g brown sugar

100g butter(melted)

2 bunch “Dutch pink” rhubarb

400g sugar

400ml water

1 orange

Cr’me patisserie:

250 ml milk

1 vanilla pod

50g caster sugar

3 egg yolks

15g plain flour

Icing sugar for dusting.

Method:

Place the 400g of sugar and 400ml of water in a pot and bring to the boil, take of the heat and set to one side. Prepare rhubarb by topping and tailing and cutting into pieces about the size of your small finger. Place the rhubarb?on a baking tray and cover with the sugar water mix, peel the orange skin and add to the rhubarb and squeeze the juice in as well. Place in the oven and bake at 170C degrees for approx 7-8mins or until the rhubarb feels somewhat soft to the touch but still holds it shape. Leave to cool in liquid. For the cr’me patessiere, put your milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring up to the boil. In a separate bowl add your egg yolks and sugar and whisk just to combine. Then add your flour and whisk again, just to combine. Pour the boiled milk over the egg mix and whisk. Put this mixture back into the saucepan and cook whilst whisking the mixture until it thickens. When it has thickened pass through a sieve and cover with cling film so the cling film is making direct contact with the cr’me patessiere. Put aside and leave to cool. For the brick pastry lay two sheets on a baking tray and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place in the oven and bake at 170C degrees for approx 8-10 min or until it turns golden brown. Leave to cool. To assemble chop up your rhubarb into chunks, place some cr’me patessiere on the plate then add the rhubarb on top. Take the brick pastry and cut into three pieces, place on piece on top of rhubarb and cr’me pat, then repeat the with one more layer of each finishing with the brick pastry. Sprinkle icing sugar on top and serve with vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Sandy Wyer

Food Stylist: Jette Virdi

Photographer: Yolene Debreteau