Gript Media Podcasts

By GriptNews News Commentary Politics

Gript Media Podcasts episodes

May 13, 2020 TRSI 89 - The answer is no
We'll shortly be told that we should be wearing masks in public, but is it true they can cause hypoxia?; endorsing vaping as a smoking cessation aid could save the state millions; and China gears up for a trade war with Australia.
50 min
May 12, 2020 The Irish Herbalist 04 - The health benefits of dandelion
Dandelion is an all round food and medicine which can support the overall health of the body which has traditionally been used as a spring tonic in Ireland.
8 min
May 11, 2020 You Can Cook Too 33 - Spiced Lamb Koftas
A delicious spiced lamb koftas, served with flatbread, is the perfect choice for a dinner party. You should make it now so you know just how good it will be for when you can actually hold a dinner party that doesn't just consist of your family members.

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Serves 4 or so
· 500g minced lamb

· 1 small onion, peeled and very finely chopped

· 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or finely grated

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin

· 1 teaspoon ground coriander

· 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

· ½ teaspoon sumac

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

· Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

· A few knobs of butter

Salad

· ¼ of a cucumber

· 12-16 cherry tomatoes

· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, plus extra, to serve

· A pinch of sugar, optional

· Olive oil (optional)

· 4-6 pitta breads or flatbreads, warmed slightly

· A few tablespoons natural yoghurt

· 1 lemon, cut into wedges

1 Add the minced lamb to a large bowl, along with the very finely chopped onion, the crushed or finely grated garlic, whichever you're using, the ground cumin, the ground coriander, the ground turmeric and the sumac.

2 Add in the chopped fresh coriander and season well with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. (To check the seasoning at this stage, see my tip). Using wet hands, shape the rest of the mixture into small sausage shapes (see photo, above). These can be left in the fridge for up to 24 hours or, if the mince hasn't been frozen already, they can be frozen, until you are ready to cook.

3 When you are ready to cook the koftas (see Note at the end of the recipe), add the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter to a large frying pan placed on a medium-to-high heat. Fry the koftas for 10-15 minutes, or until they are brown all over and cooked through. Turn the heat down to low once they're browned to finish the cooking.

4 While the koftas are cooking, cut the cucumber into small chunks, and cut the cherry tomatoes into halves. Mix the cucumber chunks and the halved cherry tomatoes with some chopped fresh mint and a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the pinch of sugar if you are using it.

5 Remove the koftas from the pan and leave them to rest for a few minutes. Arrange some warm koftas on each plate, along with some warmed pitta breads or flatbreads, whichever you're using, the seasoned minty cucumber and tomato mixture, and the natural yoghurt. You can also serve with rice. Scatter with some chopped fresh mint and serve with the lemon wedges.
18 min
May 10, 2020 TRSI 88 - 4 to 6 weeks
The German Intelligence Service [BND] is saying China told the WHO to hold off on classing COVID-19 as a pandemic or confirming human-to-human transmission, costing the world 4 to 6 weeks of response time; the CMO says that visitors did not spread COVID-19 in nursing homes; and the New York Times' 1619 Project is insulted by an award.

https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/corona-krise-bundesregierung-zweifelt-an-us-these-zur-entstehung-des-coronavirus-a-51add7cf-96b6-4d04-a2d0-71ce27cff69c - Der Spiegel piece on German Intelligence
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21765449 - Interview with the CMO
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/who-denies-coronavirus-cover-up-phone-call-between-xi-jinping-and-dr-tedros - Washington Examiner piece on WHO's denials
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/magazine/we-respond-to-the-historians-who-critiqued-the-1619-project.html
NYT response to the open letter from historians.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/09/nyti-m09.html - World Socialist Web Site response to the Pulitzer win.
1 hr 3 min
May 08, 2020 TRSI 87 - Schrödinger's Leaving Cert
The leaving Cert is now in a state of flux; and Bewley's isn't closing because of the rent or anything Johnny Ronan did to them; it's closing because it's a terrible cafe.
36 min
May 06, 2020 TRSI 86 - Après nous le déluge
The scientist behind Britain's lock-down is caught with his pants down, and how much damage can Micheál Martin do to Fianna Fail before someone finally pulls the trigger.
40 min
May 04, 2020 You can Cook Too 32 - Chicken Marbella
Patricia shows you how to make the mindbogglingly good Chicken Marbella developed by the Silver Palate gourmet food shop in New York.
She pairs it with Beautiful Noise by Neil Diamond.

For 4

1 cut-up chicken 2 ½ lbs or 8 pieces (oysters, legs or breasts) bone-in, skin-on

½ head garlic, peeled and finely puréed or minced

1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt

· ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

· ¼ cup* red wine vinegar

· ¼ cup olive oil

· ½ cup pitted prunes

· ¼ cup Spanish green olives

· ¼ cup capers, with a bit of juice

· 3 bay leaves

· ½ cup light brown sugar

· ½ cup white wine

· 2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat parsley

*A cup is 250 mls

Method

1. In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade (use your hands to rub marinade all over and especially under the skin). Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight ideally.

2. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

3. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a baking dish and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally with the pan juices.

5. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat. Alternatively, you can brown the skin and de-fat the gravy before serving. Here's how: When the chicken is done, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter, then pour the gravy into a medium bowl and let the fat settle at the top. In the meantime, place the chicken back in baking dishes and broil for a few minutes to brown the skin. While chicken is browning, de-fat the gravy. Transfer chicken pieces back to serving platter and pour some of the gravy over top. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.).

Serve with mashed potatoes, couscous or rice. Simple vegetables, no complex flavours because the dish is very flavoursome.
13 min
May 03, 2020 TRSI 85 - Is Sweden right on COVID-19?
Sweden has avoided putting the entire country into lock-down as the countries around it shut down en masses. But is it the right option or is the Swedish policy grossly negligent?
55 min
May 03, 2020 Sunday Reflection 21 - Jesus is the Gate
Father Luuk Jansen, from St Mary’s Church in Cork, brings us his Sunday Reflection. This week he talks about the more spiritual aspects of the Resurrection.
6 min
May 02, 2020 You've got Kids 21 - Keeping the family healthy
Aine discusses what she's doing to keep the family healthy in these unusual times.
26 min