Assembly members' food for thought

By Niall Glynn
BBC news website

Jeffrey Donaldson gave his recipe for profiteroles with chocolate sauce

Northern Ireland's assembly members have always faced a battle to keep the public satisfied.

So a new charity cookbook featuring their favourite recipes could help.

An Assembly of Recipes includes the likes of George Robinson's easy fruitcake, Jim Shannon's hedgehog cake and Iris Robinson's chocolate balls.

The book, which has been launched at Stormont, costs £5 with proceeds going to Cancer Research UK's Portaferry Branch.

It would appear unionists have sweeter teeth than nationalists; as well as George Robinson's fruitcake and Iris Robinson's chocolate creation, recipes include Stephen Moutray's diet-busting coconut marshmallow cream meringue pie and Jeffrey Donaldson's profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

The closest thing to a Sinn Fein sweet is Pat Doherty's fruity porridge. This is not quite as taxing as a Heston Blumenthal creation - it involves making porridge, then adding some fruit to it.

Assembly members have been sharing their favourite recipes

The executive ministers offered a range of recipes - from Arlene Foster's banana dippers, Margaret Ritchie's tomato-basil lasagne with prosciutto, Michelle Gildernew's local seafood chowder, Sammy Wilson's quick ham pasta, Caitriona Ruane's chicken kebabs with vegetable paella and Conor Murphy's Thai prawn curry.

Curry

Thai curries seem to be a particular favourite, as Health Minister Michael McGimpsey gives his Thai green chicken curry recipe, while PUP leader Dawn Purvis' is Thai red curry.

However, not everyone is impressed by the assembly members' involvement in the book.

Ulster Unionist Michael Copeland said while he supported efforts to raise money for charity, the book left a bad taste in his mouth.

"At a time when the executive is incapable of meeting and MLAs are effectively impotent legislators and at a time when an increasing number of constituents approach me with questions such as how to pay their basic bills on £32 a week, our assembly could do better than this 'let them eat cake' attitude," the east Belfast councillor said.

An Assembly of Recipes is available from from Beatrice Kennedy Restaurant, 44 University Road, Belfast Tel: [phone] and selected Cancer Research UK shops.