Kelly’s Resort And The Secret Of The Onion Purée
Have you been to Kelly’s Resort in Rosslare?
I was invited to overnight in Kelly’s Resort in November. Much like, my invitation to visit and stay at the Glenlo Abbey Hotel, this had been a long-standing and oft-repeated one. I hadn’t been to Wexford in far longer than I’m willing to admit and I decided to take Bill Kelly’s generous offer and head down to Ireland’s Ancient East as they now call it. If you’re wondering whether this blog post was requested against the invitation, then let me put your mind at rest. No such request was made of me and I am writing this post tonight because I don’t believe in hidden gems. I believe we all deserve to know the great spots!
Kelly’s Resort & Spa as it is formally known is located in Rosslare, a fifteen-minute or so drive past Wexford town, when you’re coming from Dublin. It’s built right on the shore and the beach sits at the back of it and makes for a glorious setting when the weather is clement.
It’s a large building, the rooms are large and the hotel is full of alcoves, sitting rooms, lounging shares, nooks, and crannies to while away the time comfortably with a good book and a glass of wine. The establishment is family-friendly and in fact, Bill Kelly was explaining that one of the things he loves most about Kelly’s Resort is to see three or four generations of the same family gather and celebrate at the hotels. Kids that were guests thirty years or so ago are coming back with their parents and their own children and they feel right at all home all over again.
It’s a rare hotel that is as attractive to families as it is to people of the third age or even to courting couples. The spa (although I didn’t get a chance to go in) is famous and one of my good friends RAVES about it. I was far too busy getting some sea air into me to stay indoors for the few hours I had to spare before heading home.
One of the things to note is that if you are someone who enjoys entertainment, then they will have you covered as the hotel offers a full shedule of shows, talks, activities, and various tastings. I’ve already marked a few I would be interested in.
The one thing, that tipped the balance from great to fantastic was the staff. Yes, the seaside, the view, the food, the electric car chargers are wonderful, but the staff is something else. They make you feel like you have come into their homes and you are their most cherished guests. A friend of mine told me of staying there overnight many years ago, to be found breastfeeding around dawn in a small room off the lobby so the baby didn’t wake up anyone. The staff member said nothing but smiled and came back with a cup of tea for my exhausted friend. Those are the kind of things you hear about a lot when you talk about Kelly’s Resort.
Finally, and if last certainly not least, there is the food. Kelly’s Resort is a great spot for food lovers. It reminded me of Hunters Hotel with its wholesome food and generous portions. The menu is well built and paired with great wines and we walked away so satisfied. The ingredient list is all about local produce from breakfast to dinner and the chef now has their own veg patch where they are trying to grow most of their own vegetables on the estate. I love that.
One of the items on the menu that jumped at me that night was an onion puree. I’d never thought of the concept (i’m a bit slow at times) and I’ll be honest I was a bit skeptical at first. As it happens, I loved it so much, I asked for the recipe which they kindly gave me. There it is, sitting under some lovely Goatsbridge trout!
Ingredients
- 3 white onions (spanish)
- 1 sprig of thyme(fresh)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbps of olive oil
- 2 tbps of Water
- Salt
Method
- Finely dice onion
- Gently warm water and oil
- Add onions, thyme, bay leaf season with salt put lid on cook without colour
- Add to food processor and blitz until very smooth.