The key to our hearts

FOOD:A VERY NICE LADY contacted me last year and insisted that I try out the Key lime pie recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. It's a very sweet book, full of cutesy cookies, pies and, naturally, the ubiquitous cupcake in various shapes and colours. I found the famed recipe, and when I looked at the picture in the book, the pie looked quite green. Suspiciously so . . .

According to my online research, it seems the original recipes required small Key limes, found in the Florida Keys. Seemingly, they have a thin yellow rind but are incredibly tart and aromatic, with a pale yellow juice. As a result, some cheats used to add a little green food colouring, which is naturally frowned upon by just about everyone these days.

In 1965 a rather protectionist politician introduced legislation calling for a $100 fine to be levied against anyone advertising Key lime pie that is not made with Key limes. Luckily for the authors of hundreds of Key lime pie recipes, and restaurateurs trying to flog Key lime pie using regular limes, the bill did not pass.

Anyway, the famed Hummingbird recipe was tried, and the lime juice quotient was upped a notch or two. We also added some mint for pure devilment, which was quite nice, but feel free to leave it out. I reckon a dinner of blackened salmon followed by big spoonfuls of chilled Key lime pie would go down a treat.

The spice blend for the salmon would also be delicious with monkfish or chicken. If you’re using it with chicken breasts, be sure to finish them off in the oven after cooking on both sides. Fish cooks so much more quickly than chicken breasts, so about four or five minutes in a frying pan will do fish, but the chicken will need a good frying on both sides and then seven to 10 minutes in a hot oven to ensure it’s cooked through. You could fry the fish in a little butter instead of olive oil, which will blacken it even more, as the milk solids in butter burn quite quickly. Serve the salmon with some diced cucumber mixed with yoghurt, mint and lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

Blackened salmon

Makes enough spice rub to do at least eight portions. Serves four

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp flaky sea salt (or a few pinches of fine sea salt)

Splash of olive oil

4 salmon fillets, skinned

Grind the coriander seeds with a pestle and mortar, or crush them in a cup with the end of a rolling pin. Mix with all the other herbs and spices and the salt. Place the salmon fillets on a baking tray and sprinkle with half the spice mix. (Keep the other half for use another time.)

Press the spice mix into both sides of the salmon and leave out for 20 minutes or so before frying. Heat up a good glug of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. When the pan is nearly smoking, fry the salmon on each side for about four minutes – longer if you like them well done. You may need to do this in two batches, especially if the heat on your hob isn’t great. You need a strong heat to get colour on the fish and to cook the spices, which is why you don’t need to dry roast the spices before frying.

Key lime pie

You’ll need a 29-centimetre tart tin with a removable base

300g digestive biscuits

100g butter, melted

8 egg yolks

2 x 397g tins of sweetened condensed milk

Juice and zest of 10 limes

Small bunch of finely chopped mint (optional)

450ml cream

Heat an oven to 170 degrees/gas three. Whizz the digestives and the melted butter in a food processor – on pulse mode – until it forms a fine crumb. Press into the tart tin and bake for 20 minutes and then cool. Reduce the oven to 150 degrees/gas two. Beat the egg yolks with the condensed milk, lime juice and zest. Pour into the tart tin, which should be sitting on a baking tray so that you can transport it easily. Bake for 20-30 minutes until just set and jelly-like. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold and set. When ready to serve, whip the cream until thick and smother it on top of the pie. Decorate with some lime zest if you’re feeling fancy.

See also itsa.ie