Longueville House

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Irish Food Comes of Age
Manor House Chef-Owner Leads the Way

William O'Callaghan is at home in the kitchens of Longueville House. The magnificent manor house where guests come to stay and dine also happens to be his family's residence. Longueville House was opened to guests in 1967 by William's parents, Michael and Jane O'Callaghan, as one of the first Irish country manor houses to be turned into a luxury family guesthouse and restaurant. Since 1988, it has been run by the second generation of O'Callaghans, William, who presides over the restaurant, and his wife Aisling, who is guesthouse manager.

Longueville House is located in Mallow, Country Cork, on a vast and stunningly picturesque 500-acre estate. Most of the ingredients on the restaurant menu are estate-grown, ensuring unequaled freshness and quality. The River Blackwater, world-renowned for salmon fishing, runs through the Longueville estate. Pheasant, wild duck and lambs roam free in green pastures. Edible wild mushrooms appear in the fall. And Longueville House's Walled Garden, occupying 2.5 acres, supplies most of its fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the year.

The bounty of Longueville provides inspiration for the sophisticated menu. William O'Callaghan supplies the superior talent. The chef, who studied hotel management at Dublin College of Catering, worked in French restaurants in Normandy and in England. He returned to Longueville House to take over the kitchen from his mother, who had developed a reputation for excellence over more than 20 years.

"I've been mostly influenced through my travels to Thailand, South America, Australia, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe," explains O'Callaghan. "I read a lot and also have a huge interest in gardening, fishing and shooting."

For St. Patrick's Day, William O'Callaghan shared a recipe for Mushroom Risotto with Ivernia Cheese, selecting an Irish cheese that would be readily found in the United States in supermarkets and specialty stores. "Ivernia," the Latin version of "Erin," is Ireland's mythological name. Like all Irish cheeses, Ivernia is made with milk from grass-fed cows that are free of growth hormones.

For more Irish recipes, visit www.kerrygold.com/usa

Longueville House Mushroom Risotto with Ivernia Cheese

4 ounces (8 tablespoons) Kerrygold Butter, divided
4 shallots, finely diced
5 ounces fresh mushrooms (preferably shiitake), sliced
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
6 ounces risotto rice (such as arborio)
About 1 pint (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) grated Ivernia cheese

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the shallots. Cook until soft, but do not allow the shallots to color. Add the mushrooms and parsley and cook until soft, stirring continuously; set aside.

Heat a separate saucepan. Melt a knob* of butter. Add the rice by hand, dropping it into the saucepan from a few inches above (this will blow some of the starch off). Stir the rice until it begins to roast a little.

Add about 4 ounces of the chicken stock. Stir continuously until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock, about 1 ladleful at a time, and stir until absorbed into the rice. Continue this process until the rice is al dente (has a slight bite).

Remove from the heat and stir in mushroom mixture. Add the remaining butter and grated Ivernia cheese. Stir, allowing the heat to melt the cheese and produce a wonderfully creamy texture.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Note: a "knob" of butter is a generous tablespoon or a couple of tablespoons, more or less, depending on the cook.

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