Chef Paula McIntyre recreates 1859 Burns Night feast with help of News Letter

Chef Paula McIntyre’s attempt to recreate a Burns Night Banquet held in Belfast in 1859 will be broadcast on BBC Two NI this Sunday at 10pm.
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The Portstewart-based kitchen queen set herself the challenge of cooking some of the dishes from a lavish banquet that was held in Belfast’s Music Hall in 1859 to commemorate the birth of Robert Burns.

More than 300 Belfast citizens gathered at that particular feast, which included Mock Turtle Soup, Turkey with truffles and an array of mouth-watering desserts.

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Paul went to Linen Hall Library to research the menu, reading a copy of the Belfast News Letter from the day after the banquet – January 26, 1859 – which included details of the night and the dishes people ate.

Paula McIntyre and Helen Mark during filming at the Burns Night Banquet at Montalto House, BallynahinchPaula McIntyre and Helen Mark during filming at the Burns Night Banquet at Montalto House, Ballynahinch
Paula McIntyre and Helen Mark during filming at the Burns Night Banquet at Montalto House, Ballynahinch

She commented: “What a night it must have been – course after course of rich dishes with French names and over 300 of Belfast’s leading men were served up a feast.

“It would be madness to try cooking all of these courses but there’s some strange and wonderful things on this menu.”

She commented: “I love reading menus from the past, they can reveal so much about what people ate as well as the ingredients and the methods they used.”

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Using the 1859 menu as inspiration, Paula put together a banquet for 12 guests at at Montalto House, near Ballynahinch incorporating traditional recipes and local ingredients while at the same time adding the occasional modern twist.

Montalto has its own unique connection with Robert Burns – Lady Rawdon, who lived there in the 18th century, was one of the original sponsors of the first Edinburgh edition of Burns’s poems.

In the programme will be chatting to food historian Annie Gray, Ulster-Scots broadcaster and blogger, Mark Thompson and paying a visit to the Linenhall Library to view the world-famous Gibson collection.

The final selection of dishes she will cook at the banquet will include Potage a la Reine (chicken and almond soup), Haggis, Oyster Vol-au-Vent, Turkey a la Perigord (turkey with truffles), a strawberry tartlet and an apple meringue.

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Paula McIntyre’s Burns Night Banquet is on BBC Two Northern Ireland on Sunday at 10pm.

It is a Clean Slate Television production with assistance from the Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.

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