Cathal Armstrong
This Dublin native values the local farmland he uses to make tasty dishes at his restaurants in Virginia.
Specialty: American regional cuisine
Born into a family with a passion for food and travel, Cathal Armstrong grew up in Dublin, Ireland, where he spent his days in the family’s fruit and vegetable garden. Through the Armstrong family’s travel business, young Cathal was exposed to different cultures and cuisines throughout Europe.
At the age of seven, Armstrong began an annual summer student exchange with a French family. These summers were spent amidst truffle farms, peasant food, and local vineyards. The chef developed strong values for fresh ingredients, humane animal care, and concern for the land.
After working in various Irish kitchens, Armstrong met his wife and business partner, Meshelle. The two moved to Virginia to create Restaurant Eve, where the farmland and atmosphere would be similar to “home.” The goal at Eve is to create straightforward, ingredient-based food.
In 2006, the Armstrongs, with their business partners, opened Eamonn’s: A Dublin Chipper, which is, naturally, a fish-and-chips shop, as well as PX, the hip speakeasy lounge upstairs. Most recently, Cathal and Meshelle restored The Majestic in Old Town Alexandria, featuring Virginia-inspired fare.
Armstrong was a James Beard Foundation Best Mid-Atlantic Chef nominee in 2007 and 2008. He was also honored as one of “10 Best New Chefs” by Food & Wine magazine and StarChefs Rising Star in 2006.
Fun Fact: Cathal can speak four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Irish.
Recipes:
Bouillabaisse
Carbonara
Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter Poached Maine Lobster with Baby Carrots
With mussels, clams, and white fish, chef Cathal Armstrong's take on this classic French stew is rich and hearty.
INGREDIENTS
For Bouillabaisse:
1 head fennel, medium diced
2 leeks, medium diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons saffron
1/2 cup olive oil
12 clams, washed
12 mussels, washed
3 pounds assorted white fish (e.g., rockfish, cod, monkfish), cut in large chunks
3 cups fish stock
1 lemon for juice (as garnish)
1 bay leaf (as garnish)
For Rouille:
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette, crust removed)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
PREPARATION
Bouillabaisse
1. Cook vegetables in olive oil until tender.
2. Add fish stock and bay leaf.
3. Add clams and cook until they open.
4. Add mussels and rest of fish and cook until done, approximately 6 minutes.
5. Garnish with lemon juice.
Rouille
1. Pour water over bread crumbs in a bowl.
2. Mash garlic to a paste with sea salt and cayenne.
3. Add moistened bread crumbs and mash into garlic paste.
4. Add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring vigorously with pestle until combined well.
If croutons are desired for dipping and as a side, slice a baguette, brush with olive oil, and toast in oven.
SERVINGS
4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
1/2 white onion, diced
8 ounces bacon, diced
1 pint whole milk
3 egg yolks
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
2 ounces peas (optional)
1 pound fresh fettuccine
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
PREPARATION
1. In a pan, sweat bacon till crisp and then remove. Sweat onion till slightly translucent, then add bacon.
2. In a separate pot, cook peas; set aside. Bring water to a boil in large pot; cook fettuccine till it's al dente. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix whole milk, egg yolks, and Parmesan. Add to bacon and onion mixture. Bring together as a sauce, and then add peas and fettuccine.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with parsley.
4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
For the Lobster:
4 each 1 1/2 pound lobsters
1/2 pound baby carrots, peeled
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 gallon water
2 ounces distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter (salted or unsalted)
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
For the Butter-Poaching Liquid:
3 tablespoons water
1 pound Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter, cut in cubes (salted or unsalted)
For the Sauce:
1 stalk celery, rough chopped
2 shallots, rough chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, rough chopped
2 carrots, rough chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sprig tarragon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 ounces Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter (salted or unsalted)
PREPARATION
For the Lobster
1. Put water in large stock pot with vinegar and bring to a boil.
2. Remove tails and claws from lobsters, set aside heads for now, and poach tails in boiling water for 2 minutes, and claws for a further 5 minutes.
3. While lobsters are still warm, remove meat from shell, split tails lengthwise, and remove any vein. Clean claw meat and dice about the same size as carrots. Save shells for sauce.
4. Put in refrigerator and reserve until ready to serve.
5. Cut baby carrots into pieces 1/2-inch in length.
6. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and season with salt. Add three parts sugar for each part salt and bring to boil over high heat.
7. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, but still have tooth-feel.
8. Run under cold water to cool. Place in refrigerator and reserve until ready to serve.
For the Sauce
1. Clean lobster heads by removing gills and discarding.
2. Sweat rough chopped vegetables in 2 ounces butter over medium-low heat until tender.
3. Add tomato paste and lobster shells and cover with water.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook over a medium-low heat for 45 minutes.
5. Add herbs and cook a further 10 minutes.
6. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve, return to heat, and reduce to 1/2 cup. Reserve concentrated stock.
For the Poaching Liquid
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 tablespoons water to a boil and whisk in cubes of butter one by one over a medium heat until completely incorporated.
2. Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, sweat ginger in 1 tablespoon butter until tender.
3. Add carrots and concentrated lobster stock.
4. Bring stock to a boil and stir in remaining 4 ounces butter.
5. Add claw meat and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, lower temperature, and keep warm.
6. Add lobster tails to butter-poaching liquid and poach until hot. Be careful not to overcook lobster or it will be tough.
7. Divide carrot-ginger mixture between four bowls and place two lobster tails on top.
Cathal Armstrong's Bouillabaisse
With mussels, clams, and white fish, chef Cathal Armstrong's take on this classic French stew is rich and hearty.
For Bouillabaisse:
1 head fennel, medium diced
2 leeks, medium diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons saffron
1/2 cup olive oil
12 clams, washed
12 mussels, washed
3 pounds assorted white fish (e.g., rockfish, cod, monkfish), cut in large chunks
3 cups fish stock
1 lemon for juice (as garnish)
1 bay leaf (as garnish)
For Rouille:
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette, crust removed)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
PREPARATION
Bouillabaisse
1. Cook vegetables in olive oil until tender.
2. Add fish stock and bay leaf.
3. Add clams and cook until they open.
4. Add mussels and rest of fish and cook until done, approximately 6 minutes.
5. Garnish with lemon juice.
Rouille
1. Pour water over bread crumbs in a bowl.
2. Mash garlic to a paste with sea salt and cayenne.
3. Add moistened bread crumbs and mash into garlic paste.
4. Add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring vigorously with pestle until combined well.
If croutons are desired for dipping and as a side, slice a baguette, brush with olive oil, and toast in oven.
4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
1/2 white onion, diced
8 ounces bacon, diced
1 pint whole milk
3 egg yolks
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
2 ounces peas (optional)
1 pound fresh fettuccine
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
PREPARATION
1. In a pan, sweat bacon till crisp and then remove. Sweat onion till slightly translucent, then add bacon.
2. In a separate pot, cook peas; set aside. Bring water to a boil in large pot; cook fettuccine till it's al dente. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix whole milk, egg yolks, and Parmesan. Add to bacon and onion mixture. Bring together as a sauce, and then add peas and fettuccine.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with parsley.
Armstrong's Butter Poached Maine Lobster
Favored by chef Cathal Armstrong, Kerrygold butter takes center stage with its rich and creamy taste.
INGREDIENTS
For the Lobster:
4 each 1 1/2 pound lobsters
1/2 pound baby carrots, peeled
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 gallon water
2 ounces distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter (salted or unsalted)
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
For the Butter-Poaching Liquid:
3 tablespoons water
1 pound Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter, cut in cubes (salted or unsalted)
For the Sauce:
1 stalk celery, rough chopped
2 shallots, rough chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, rough chopped
2 carrots, rough chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sprig tarragon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 ounces Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter (salted or unsalted)
PREPARATION
For the Lobster
1. Put water in large stock pot with vinegar and bring to a boil.
2. Remove tails and claws from lobsters, set aside heads for now, and poach tails in boiling water for 2 minutes, and claws for a further 5 minutes.
3. While lobsters are still warm, remove meat from shell, split tails lengthwise, and remove any vein. Clean claw meat and dice about the same size as carrots. Save shells for sauce.
4. Put in refrigerator and reserve until ready to serve.
5. Cut baby carrots into pieces 1/2-inch in length.
6. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and season with salt. Add three parts sugar for each part salt and bring to boil over high heat.
7. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, but still have tooth-feel.
8. Run under cold water to cool. Place in refrigerator and reserve until ready to serve.
For the Sauce
1. Clean lobster heads by removing gills and discarding.
2. Sweat rough chopped vegetables in 2 ounces butter over medium-low heat until tender.
3. Add tomato paste and lobster shells and cover with water.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook over a medium-low heat for 45 minutes.
5. Add herbs and cook a further 10 minutes.
6. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve, return to heat, and reduce to 1/2 cup. Reserve concentrated stock.
For the Poaching Liquid
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 tablespoons water to a boil and whisk in cubes of butter one by one over a medium heat until completely incorporated.
2. Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, sweat ginger in 1 tablespoon butter until tender.
3. Add carrots and concentrated lobster stock.
4. Bring stock to a boil and stir in remaining 4 ounces butter.
5. Add claw meat and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, lower temperature, and keep warm.
6. Add lobster tails to butter-poaching liquid and poach until hot. Be careful not to overcook lobster or it will be tough.
7. Divide carrot-ginger mixture between four bowls and place two lobster tails on top.
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