Today's shopping; strong white flour, peanut oil, gurnard

P. Breathnach

We have had some chat here recently about people finding it difficult to source particular ingredients. Today I went shopping in Dundalk, post-Superquinn.

I found two of our scarce ingredients in Tesco: strong white flour and peanut oil. Both of these are kitchen essentials for me.

Then I went to Dunne's Stores to have a look at what was available. At the fish counter, I saw whole gurnard. Because it was mentioned here recently, I was minded to give it a go. The first assistant didn't know the price and called a colleague. The second assistant said that they were "display fish" and she hadn't been given a price. She consulted her supervisor, and offered me one for €2.49. Not bad for a reasonably sized fish that I find quite tasty. That's tonight's dinner sorted. But what is a display fish? One they don't expect to sell?

Another thing that I have been finding difficult to buy, even if I haven't mentioned it here, is duck breasts. Duckling breasts are easy enough to find, but I don't care so much for them -- too high a fat to meat ratio, and a bit less flavour than I want. I found a Barbary duck crown in Dunne's. That's sitting in the fridge as well.

Now, if I could find somebody who supplies rabbit...

catho_monster

Duck breasts - saw them in superquinn lucan on tuesday night. Barbary duck too I think...
Rabbit - saw this in the farmers market in Temple bar on Saturday last, at Hick's stall...

antoniosicily

strong white flour: I always find it in Tesco @Jervis st
Duck breast: same as above, you can even find an entire duck

I've seen that some butchers sell rabbit, for example the one in Moore st; if you're in Smithfield, Fresh in Smithfield Market sells rabbit.

Honestly, at a first glance these rabbits are too skinny, so I've never eaten rabbit here :-)

P. Breathnach

I live in the countryside (Dundalk is my nearest big town) and see rabbits in the garden. But I am not a hunter, and definitely not a trapper. So far, it seems that the best supply of rabbit is right in the heart of the least rural part of Ireland!

jdivision

Why not go to a butchers or fishmongers. They'll have both probably.

P. Breathnach

jdivision wrote: »

Why not go to a butchers or fishmongers. They'll have both probably.

I do check with butchers as well as supermarket meat counters. Even the one who used to supply rabbit some years ago no longer has it. I suspect that it is seen as food for the poor, and the Celtic Tomcat blew away all notions that we should each such things. With the credit crunch, perhaps it will make a return. I have built up a hankering for rabbit in some kind of mustard sauce.

I use an excellent fishmonger in Dundalk, and always have an eye out for something different. Gurnard does indeed turn up there occasionally, but it happens that I never was in the mood for gurnard when they had it (all they have to do is show me a turbot or a brill, and I don't see any other fish).

rediguana

Donnybrook Fair sells (Female) Duck Breast and, occasionally, rabbit.

Is Peanut Oil so difficult to get hold of? Health shops are a good bet. I'm sure everyone knows, but it's the very same thing as Groundnut Oil.

Good butcher in Stillorgan shopping centre. Fish counter there, game too. Always rocking with customers - gotta be good!

polipo

F.X. Buckley on Moore St consistently has rabbit. Other butchers that you'd expect might (e.g. Lawlors in Rathmines) often don't. I believe the butcher stall in Meeting House Square market on Saturdays also does. Fresh (Camden St) does offer some more unusual meats occasionally - and I think I've seen rabbit there.

tSubh Dearg

Actually Lawlors have always had rabbit, just not on display, you had to ask for it. I bought some there just the other day, made a really tasty stew out of it.