I have a few winter warming dishes coming up but this recipe is actually taken from the book and was featured on Georgina Campbell's Ireland Guide website. Plus I got a request in the comments section so I just couldn't resist!
Hearty Minestrone Soup This is a perfect winter meal solution, full of tasty vegetables, and filling thanks to the pasta. I use wholewheat spaghetti, but feel free to add other shapes like fusilli or pasta elbows instead. If you don’t have any paprika, you can get a bit of spice by adding a dash of tabasco sauce, or a good pinch of dried chilli flakes.
Serves 4 1 courgette, chopped into small chunks 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 2 x 410g tins cannellini beans 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 stalks of celery, chopped 2 large carrots, chopped into small chunks 2 litres/4 pints homemade chicken stock 75g/3oz wholewheat spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons of olive oil A good pinch of paprika A good pinch of sea salt
In a large pot, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic cloves and onion for 2 minutes or until they become soft. Stir in the celery, carrots and courgette and cook for five minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock, and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the wholewheat spaghetti, paprika and cannellini beans. Give the soup a good stir and cover. Cook gently for a further 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Season with a little sea salt and serve straightaway with a good chunk of wholemeal bread and enjoy!
So I'm kinda working backwards a little here, but last week was a busy one so there was a LOT to digest (no pun intended!). After Paris I was back in Dublin before I had time to blink, and just in time to help launch the Stop Food Waste campaign on Tuesday with the lovely Rachel Allen and the incredibly talented Kevin Thornton. The campaign highlights the fact that by using our leftovers we can save money and reduce waste.
All the recipes I demonstrated were based around using the leftovers of a roast chicken, which, as a regular on most Sunday dinner menus, always leaves you with a few bits of leftover meat. I always save the chicken carcass and bones in a large resealable bag in the freezer until I have the remains of about three or four; the perfect amount to make a really good chicken stock. The rest I used for a delicious Chicken Caesar Pasta using mayo, Dijon mustard, parmesan and olive oil to make a simple Caesar dressing. It's dishes like these that really make the most of the ingredients that are close to hand. More often than not, they're even tastier than something you'd spend a lot of money on in the supermarket.
My mom was the queen of leftovers so I was brought up making the most of all the ingredients in the house before heading out to buy more. The veggies in the bottom of fridge were made into tasty soups and the leftover meat into sandwiches for school the next day. This chicken and sweetcorn soup is a zingy little way to make the most of leftover chicken pieces and it's absolutely packed with flavour... perfect for the cold snowy evenings we're having at the moment!
Leftover Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup This super tasty soup has become a classic in our house, it was always requested on sick days home from school. I always find sweetcorn lends a warm and comforting taste to soups and its bright colour puts a smile on my face. Try not to skimp on ingredients for this one, it tastes best when you use the best ingredients – homemade stock and fresh ginger are a must!
Serves 4 Leftovers of half a roast chicken, shredded 1 litre/2 pints of homemade chicken stock 2 x 400g tins sweetcorn 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil 1 large thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 2 eggs lightly beaten 4 spring onions finely sliced diagonally
In a large pot with a little oil, fry the garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes, add the corn and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add a little bit of the chicken stock and, with a hand blender, blitz the mixture until it becomes smooth. Add the rest of the chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Beat the eggs in a pyrex jug, which will make it easy for you to trickle them into the soup. Reduce the heat and while the soup is still simmering, stir it continuously in a figure of eight motion and gently trickle in the beaten egg a little bit at a time to form thin strands. Add the chicken shreds and stir through. Serve with a generous garnish of spring onions.
I have well and truly given up on the summer and with October just around the corner I suppose it's about time really. I have been busy pulling out my cookbooks and magazines all filled with more appropriate winter warming recipes as the season begins to get really cold. It is very comforting that there is so many fun recipes to be cooking my way through the winter months that really I have nothing to complain about. Plus with Halloween around the corner there is lots and lots of pumpkin and sweet inspired recipes to keep a home cook busy! This recipe and the recipes I will be posting this week are all from the Student cooking spread I wrote and shot for the Irish Independent a few weeks ago, when I had to take over yet another persons kitchen to cook up a storm (thank you David and Geraldine!) and get the piece sent! This is not just a one pot wonder for students but it is a perfect family meal too- Enjoy!
Tasty Chicken Hotpot This is the dish you can make when you invite the parents around to show them you really can make it on your own, and that you don't need your mother to wash your socks anymore! Chicken thighs are a good, cost-effective cut of meat and will hold really well in the freezer, so pick up a few packs.
Serves 4 1 tbsp olive oil 8 chicken thighs 2 red onions, sliced into thick slices 5 carrots, cut into rough chunks 3 celery sticks, cut into rough slices 400g tin chopped tomatoes 600ml chicken stock 2 tsps English mustard 1 tsp dried oregano Sea salt and ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large, high-sided pot until it's really hot. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. There should be enough oil and fat left in the pan, but if not just add another little drop. Add the red onions and fry until soft. Add the carrots and celery and cook for three to four minutes, stirring every now and then. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock and stir though with the mustard and oregano. Add in the browned chicken and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and place the lid on and simmer gently for 45-55 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in deep bowls with some thick, crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Since the launch of the book I have been asked to do quite a few kids school demonstrations, and although I was a little apprehensive at first, I have pretty much grown to love them. The amazing thing that I forget about everytime I do a demo, is just how excited they get about food, and not only that, but how much they actually take in, when you speak about food. Today a little guy, around 7 years old, bravely stuck up his hand during the demo, in front of all of his mates and asked me, what was the best healthy substitute for mayonnaise. I was totally taken aback because it just shows that these kids are really thinking about the food that is being cooked! Having grown up learning how to cook from a very early age, I guess I always took that sort of knowledge as granted and to a certain extent it was just a part of normal life for me. After reading recent reports that 1in 5 of Ireland's children are obese, it's quite disturbing to think that these kids with unhealthy diets are growing up without that sort of knowledge. Knowledge which could potentially change their lives and have a dramatic impact on their health both now and in the long run.
From what I can see on the TV and in the press, the problem with kids eating unhealthy diets doesn't lie with the schools, they can only do so much, the problem and the solution lies with the food routines set out by the parents at home. Which is why an emphasis has to be put on teaching those parents who can't cook, the basic meals and cooking habits which will set them up to run a healthy, happy household. I am of course coming to you from the viewpoint of someone who doesn't have kids and I don't mean to get all preachy on you, I know there are time constraints and all sorts of other factors to consider but when you see kids who have such an active interest in food you seriously have to question where the problem actually lies. What do you think?
Food politics aside, I started a brand new weekly food column with Cork based newspaper, The Cork News, a few weeks back and it has been getting a really great response so far! Here is the recipe from today's column!
Garlic and Rosemary Chicken with Roast Cherry Tomato Salad Although I do try to buy as much in season vegetables as possible I just can't resist using cherry tomatoes in this tasty little dish. The good thing about roasting the them is that it brings out the best from even the most tasteless tomatoes. By feeding them with a little sea salt, black pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar you are guaranteed little morsels packed with punchy flavour. It's dishes like this which are really simple and full of flavour that make mealtimes far more enjoyable and take the hassle out of cooking for groups. Feel free to adapt the recipe as you wish, try using different herbs, different salad leaves, just use what you have.
Serves 4 4 chicken breasts 6 cloves of garlic 2-3 sprigs of rosemary 4 tablespoons of olive oil A good pinch of ground black pepper A good pinch of sea salt
For the salad: 4 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar A good pinch of ground black pepper A good pinch of sea salt 1 large punnet of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 120g of rocket leaves 1 small red onion, finaly sliced Shavings of parmesan cheese to serve
In a bowl whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the salad. Add the tomatoes to a large roasting tray cut side up, pour half the dressing over and toss to combine. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Place in an oven at 200oC/Gas Mark 6 for about 35 minutes or until the tomatoes have reduced in size. While the tomatoes are roasting in the oven, in a pestle and mortar or with the back of a knife, crush the garlic cloves with a little sea salt, until you have a fine paste. Remove the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary, and add them with the mushed garlic, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and chicken breasts to a bowl and allow to marinade while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. On a large hot griddle pan, fry the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes either side, depending on the size, but just make sure they are cooked through. In a large bowl, toss together the rocket, roasted cherry tomatoes, red onion and remaining dressing. Serve alongside the chicken with some shavings of parmesan cheese.
Chinese New Year falls on Valentines day this year, so it’s the perfect excuse to whip up some tasty Chinese dishes for your loved one to celebrate and I’m not talking about calling the local takeaway! But Chinese cuisine has so much more to offer than what’s on the local takeaway menu, it's packed with delicious sauces, aromatic spices, and unusual textures. If you haven’t tried cooking any Chinese dishes, I have put together some fairly easy ones which I'll be posting all week to celebrate Chinese New Year! They don’t take too much time and leave you with some incredibly tasty results.
Healthy Singapore Noodles Singapore noodles are a standard Chinese restaurant dish, but making them at home is so easy and it also means you can monitor what’s going in to them, adding whatever healthy vegetables you feel like. The addition of curry powder to this dish not only brings a new flavour to it, but it coats the noodles and gives a great texture to every bite. Serves 2 3 cloves of garlic, minced A thumb sized piece of ginger, grated 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce 2 tablespoons of soy sauce 2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips 100g of rice vermicelli noodles 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil 2 celery sticks, finely sliced 1 carrot, finely sliced 4 spring onions 1 tablespoon of Asian curry powder 1 teaspoon of sesame oil A good handful of bean sprouts
Marinate the chicken with the garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and oyster sauce. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 6 minutes or until soft. Drain and set aside. Heat a wok over a high heat and add the oil to coat. Add the chicken and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrot and spring onion, and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and toss through for another 2 minutes. Add the noodles and bean sprouts and a drop of sesame oil to taste. Toss everything together using kitchen tongs until it’s combined. Serve straight away.
Well with the new year well in swing, and the days becoming brighter, I am already starting to get excited about the whole new season of ingredients to play with in the kitchen. I love really light and bright salads and getting back into the garden means being flooded with lots of fresh and tasty veg to make my way through!
There are so many options when it comes to salads, and you can make them as healthy or different as you want. For me it just depends what sort of mood I'm in, but when I'm in a really healthy buzz, I absolutely love using as many fantastic healthy ingredients I can get my hands on.
I don't know if you have come across a brilliant little food company called Good4U foods in the supermarket, but they produce a load of really healthy ingredients that are so easy to incorporate into salads. I originally thought the company was UK based because of their web address, but last year I got an email from the lovely Laura Butler who started the company with her mum Bernie in Limerick. I was thrilled to hear they were Irish based which gives me even more reason to rave about them. Their full range of products include, alfalfa shoots, brocco shoots, sunflower shoots, and a whole host of seeds which are all perfect for sprinkling over salads! Stay tuned to the blog this week as I have a fab competition coming up from the Good4U folks!
Rocket Power Chicken Superfood Salad As the winter months are thankfully coming to end, I am already starting to look towards more fresh and healthy dishes. Thankfully the days are becoming longer and brighter, now don't get me wrong, I'm all about comfort food, but as we start to look towards the spring nothing beats a really fresh and zingy salad. This Rocket Power Chicken Superfood Salad ticks all the boxes for me, it's perfect for a healthy lunch box, just save the dressing until the last minute. I absolutely love Brocco shoots and Lentil and Bean Shoots from Irish owned health food company Good4U, and they can be found in most supermarkets, perfect for boosting healthy salads! The Good4U range has a whole host of healthy ingredients which include, alfalfa shoots,
Serves 2 100g bulgar wheat 170ml boiling water A drizzle of olive oil 2 chicken breasts A little black pepper 25g brocco shoots 60g lentil and bean shoots 150g soy beans 30g spinach leaves 30g rocket leaves
For the dressing: 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon of English dried mustard A good pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Place the bulgar wheat in a bowl with the boiling water and cover with cling film. The bulgar wheat will cook in the water while you can get on with the rest of the salad. Season the chicken breasts with a little black pepper, brush a griddle pan with a little olive oil and cook over a medium high heat for 4-5 minutes either side or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and slice thinly. While the chicken is cooking, cook the soy beans according to the packet, drain and rinse in cold water, set aside. Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together in a small bowl. In a large bowl toss the spinach, rocket, brocco shoots, lentil and bean shoots and soy beans with the dressing. Assemble the salad with a layer of bulgar wheat on each plate, top with the salad leaves and shoots and finally place the chicken slices on top and serve!
I had planned to post both the chicken recipe and the roast beetroot starter but the terrible weather means low light conditions which in turn means terrible photos, so I will be shooting the starter recipe for the twinnerparty tomorrow morning and posting it before 12!
Yesterday both Market Kitchen and Nationwide aired and although I wasn't nervous doing them, having sit through them was another story! But thankfully it went quite well and everyone I have spoken too has been only complimentary, so I am relieved. I don't think you can see Market Kitchen online but the Nationwide interview can be seen here and here.
Herby Roast Chicken and Honey and Thyme Parsnips
Normally I make this herb paste for a full roast chicken, but I find pre-portioned chicken legs and thighs are perfect for entertaining as you don't have to fuss around with carving. The great thing about this dish is that you can prepare the two trays a few hours ahead of your guest arriving and pop them in the oven just before they arrive! If you don't grow your own herbs you can pick up little packets for about €1 in most supermarkets which are really handy for one off dishes. I love roasting whole garlic bulbs but if it's too much garlic for you just leave these out.
Serves 6 6 Chicken legs and thighs 4 red onions, peeled and quartered 2 bulbs of garlic,with the top sliced off 4 cloves of garlic 40g or a large handful of fresh herbs, basil, rosemary, thyme 6 medium sized parsnips, peeled and quartered A few sprigs of fresh thyme 1 tablespoon of honey A good drizzle of olive oil A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
In a pestle and mortar or a food processor, blitz the mixed herbs, garlic cloves, and a little olive oil. Add a little more olive oil until you have a loose paste. Place the parsnips on a large roasting tray with the thyme, drizzle with honey and oil and spoonful of the herb paste. Toss together until everything is combined. On another roasting tray arrange the chickens pieces, garlic bulbs and red onion. Add the rest of the herb paste and toss everything together until the the chicken and onions have a nice coating of herbs. Place both roasting trays in the oven at 190°C/Gas Mark 5, for about 45-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked right through. The parsnips will cook slightly quicker than the chicken so you may need to take them out of the oven before the chicken. Serve the chicken straight away, with the parsnips, red onion, garlic and an little drizzle of the juices.
I did promise some great winter warmer meals, and here is one! Coq Au Vin sounds fancy and complicated buts it's basically chicken cooked in a creamy wine sauce. It's a delicious meal which goes great with steamed vegetables, brown rice, or salad. The other thing to mention is that this is another dish which can be easily frozen and reheated at your leisure. Wait until the dish has cooled, place in a freezer bag and place in the freezer. It should last you up to 3 months.
Coq Au Vin
Coq au vin was a regular winter dish in my house when we were growing up. It's a wonderfully warming meal which is perfect for cold November evenings! Chicken joints like thighs and legs are often far cheaper to buy than chicken breasts and there is something special about meat cooked on the bone that adds extra flavour.
Serves 4 1 tablespoon of butter 1 tablespoon of olive oil 150g of bacon or pancetta pieces 2 onions, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 4 chicken legs 200g of mushrooms sliced in quarters (about 10-15 mushrooms) 500ml of white wine 300ml of cream A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper A good handful of freshly chopped parsley
In a large heavy casserole pot, add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted add the pancetta pieces and fry until crisp. Add the garlic and onion and fry until soft. Remove and set aside. Brown the chicken thighs and legs on all sides in the same pot and then add the mushrooms, white wine, garlic, onions and pancetta. Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for 20-25 minutes. Turn the chicken legs halfway through the cooking time and remove any fat or scum that rises to the top. When the chicken is cooked remove from the pot and set aside. Stir the cream into the juices, add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the sauce is has become a little thicker. Place the chicken back in the pot, add the parsley, stir through and make sure it's hot when you serve it at the table!
This is another one of my favourite dishes from the book. Food that is full of flavour for only a tiny amount of effort is ideal for entertaining. Most of the time all you need is the basic ingredients in order to create wonders! Although chicken on the bone is a little bit more effort on the plate, I truly believe there is far more flavour going on than plain old chicken breasts. Not only that but it is cheaper to buy thighs, wings and legs it's far tastier! More often than not you can get them at special offer also. To be honest if you buy whole chickens and get your head around learning to cut them up into thighs, drumsticks, wings and breast pieces you will save a fortune. Stick the meat you don't need in freezer bags and pop them in the freezer and dinner will never be too far away! Chicken thighs are a handy ingredient and this recipe really makes the best of them. It's a hearty dish packed with mouth watering flavours!
Chicken Thigh Supper
This is a super dish for a big group of people, served with a tasty salad; it’s perfect for weekday entertaining. If you can’t get a hold of chicken thighs, you can use any other cuts as long as they’re on the bone. This gives the meat a really great flavour. Serves 4 6–8 chicken thighs 200g pancetta, diced, or bacon bits 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 75ml/3fl oz red wine 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly 1 red onion, chopped in half moons 2 sprigs of rosemary 2 sprigs of thyme 2 teaspoons of English mustard powder 2 tablespoons of olive oil
In a large deep frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and brown the chicken and pancetta, until you get a nice colour on the thighs. Set aside on plate covered with kitchen paper. In the same pan, add the rest of the oil and fry the garlic, onion, rosemary and thyme for 2 minutes. Sprinkle over the mustard powder and stir through. Add the tinned tomatoes and red wine, and bring to the boil. Add the chicken and pancetta pieces back to the pan, turning the chicken pieces to coat. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes over a low heat or until the chicken is cooked through. You may need to extend the cooking time depending on the size of the chicken thighs. I don’t add salt to this recipe as the pancetta can be quite salty, but make sure to taste it and add seasoning if needed. Serve with a tasty salad and some hearty wholemeal bread.
I was interviewed earlier this year for a blogging feature in Irish Tatler and a few weeks after I was offered the chance to become a regular contributor. This is the recipe I wrote for the October issue!
Asian Chicken Salad with Chilli, Ginger and Lime Dressing
Packed with tasty ingredients, this recipe is perfect for entertaining. You can prepare all the ingredients separately, stick them in the fridge and assemble the salad when your guests arrive. Don’t be afraid to add other vegetables here, peppers, cucumber, spring onions and bean sprouts are all tasty additions.
Serves 4 Marinade: 2 tablespoon of soy sauce Juice of ½ lime 1 clove garlic, finely chopped ½ red chilli, finely chopped ½ thumb sized piece of ginger minced
Dressing: 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter Juice of ½ lime 2 teaspoons of honey 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped ½ red chilli, finely chopped ½ thumb sized piece of ginger minced
4 chicken breasts, sliced thinly into strips 1 Chinese cabbage, slice thinly 3 carrots, sliced thinly 1 red onion, sliced thinly 100g of sugar snap peas, sliced thinly 100g of chopped peanuts to serve A handful of chopped coriander to serve
Add the chicken strips to a mixing bowl with the marinade ingredients and mix through. Cover and place in the fridge while you prepare the salad and dressing. In a small bowl add all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk to combine. Place the Chinese cabbage, carrots, red onion, and sugar snap peas in a large salad bowl. Add half the dressing and combine until all the vegetables are well coated. Fry the chicken strips until golden brown and cooked through. Approximately 2 minutes either side. Serve the salad in individual bowls topped with the chicken, a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, a little chopped coriander and a extra drizzle of the dressing.
We (Industry) just started our radio tour for our brand new single, "Burn" which is due for release on the 21st of August, so we have been travelling all over Ireland visiting all the radio stations. It is quite hard going, early mornings and late nights, but after the last single going to number 1, it's well worth it! The one thing I have been finding difficult is eating on the road. Unless you plan ahead you are at the mercy of petrol stations at the side of the road where the choice ranges from a hot deli counter to plastic wrapped sambos- not really my cup of tea!
My quick solution is to make my own healthy salads, and somehow I got roped into making one each for the other three! Now I say roped, but really I offered and totally enjoy making them, plus I have this thing for praise... Anyway, this is the favourite salad so far and I can see why, it's pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself! Try it out, give it a whirl, let me know how you get on!
Asian Teriyaki Chicken Salad
I make this salad to go, if you want to do the same, keep the dressing separate and add it when you are ready to eat.
Serves 4 4 chicken breasts 4 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 small Chinese cabbage, finely chopped in shreds A large handful of sugar snap peas, finely sliced 2 red peppers, sliced finely 1 red onion, sliced finely 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
For the dressing: 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce Juice of 1 lime 1 clove of garlic, finely minced ½ a thumbsized piece of ginger, finely minced
Combine the teriyaki sauce and garlic in a bowl and add the chicken breasts. Toss to combine, cover and then place in fridge while you chop the salad ingredients Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat with a little oil and fry the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes either side or until hey are cooked through. Remove the breasts from the pan set on a chopping board to cool. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the salad dressing. Add the Chinese cabbage, red peppers, red onion and snow peas to the bowl. Toss until the vegetables are nicely coated with the dressing. Serve the salad in large deep dishes and sprinkle with a little shredded coriander. Slice the chicken thinly and arrange on top of the vegetables. Serve straight away.
For the August bank holiday weekend, myself and Sofie decided, very last minute, that we'd spend our three, free days in the lovely, little harbour town of Carlingford, which is just under two hours, north of Dublin. I had visited Carlingford before on a family holiday, but I had forgotten how peaceful it is.
We stayed in a really nice newly refurbished stone cottage just outside the town, on the grounds of an old farmhouse. Now we were all set for a relaxing couple of days, but there is one thing that gets to me when I stay away from home and that is DRIPPING TOILETS! I cannot sleep if all I can hear through the silence is a slow drip. So of course, what did we end up with? A dripping toilet! So at about 1am the first night we arrived, I was lying in bed when it was decided enough was enough, I was going to take matters into my own hands. I went into the bathroom and ripped the lid off the cistern to see if I could fix it, unfortunately it was a dual flush toilet so when I pulled at the lid, I broke the seal and water came flooding out! Panic stations! It was too late to ring the owners and the water kept spilling out, so I got to work effin and blinding, in true blue peter style and tried to seal it back up with cling film and tin foil. If you are ever in the future trying to seal a toilet, let me be the one to break it to you gently that, the combination of cling film and tin foil does NOT work. To cut a long story short, I manned up, inspected the broken part, turned the seal inside out and fixed the problem! Phew!
Now I hope that didn't put you off the food because that's coming next. Dripping toilets aside, we had a truly relaxing, enjoyable and romantic little break. We woke up to the view of a field full of horses, ate outside for breakfast, cooked some great meals and even climbed a mountain!
We also popped up to Sainsbury's to have a quick nose around and I picked up two great little ingredients which I used while we were away. The first being Maldon smoked sea salt, which I think is new in their range, it smells great, and a bottle of Avocado oil which is apparently extremely healthy and has a very high burning point, making it great for cooking!
Easy Quick Roast Chicken Dinner I can make a roast chicken in my sleep at this stage, so when it gets to that stage with a recipe, I tend to start experimenting. This is my solution to making a roast chicken even easier than it already is. By cutting the whole chicken into seperate portions, you do all the hard work before the cooking, which means when it comes to serving, all have to do is plonk it on a plate! No worries!
Serves 4 1 whole chicken cut into portions. A good handful of rosemary sprigs. 5 carrots, cut into rough chunks. 2 red onions, chopped in rough chunks. 4 cloves of garlic. 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 1 tablespoon of sea salt (smoked, if possible) 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5. Pinch off the leaves of half the rosemary and chop finely with the garlic, sea salt and black pepper. Place the chicken portions on a large baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and toss to coat. Add the carrots and red onions to the tray. Rub the garlic and rosemary onto all the ingredients on the tray until they are all coated. Push the remaining rosemary sprigs onto the chicken portions and place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Enjoy with a tasty salad.
I made these drumsticks the other night and they were a huge success! The sticky and sweet chicken doesn't last too long so I would recommend making a little extra for a snack later on. Serve them with a fresh salad for a tasty supper or with this bulgarwheat salad for a really filling dinner.
Sticky Mustard Chicken Drumsticks This marinade also works great with duck or even a full roasted chicken. Don't be afraid to experiment!
Serves 4 10 chicken drumsticks. 2 tablespoons of marmalade. 1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard. 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar. 1 tablespoon of olive oil. A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Add the marmalade, vinegar, mustard, oil, sea salt and black pepper in a large roasting tray, and whisk to combine. Add the chicken drumsticks to the tray and toss until all the chicken is covered in the sauce. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until cooked through. Baste halfway through the cooking time. Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a plate. Place the roasting tray full of juices over a medium high heat and simmer and whisk until the sauce thickens. Serve the chicken with a tasty bulgarwheat salad and coat with the thick sticky sauce.
It's official I have a new favourite recipe, and it has arrived just in time for the summer season! It's a really easy little number which is guaranteed to impress! Now I know the idea of cutting a chicken open, cracking bones, and skewering the flesh is all a little bit Hanibal but this recipe is so tasty and it's well worth the hassle. Though if you really can't handle it, ask your butchers to do it for you and I'm sure they will be happy to help. I served this for a summery Sunday dinner with Red Cabbage Coleslaw and some Spicy Sweet Potato Chips.
Barbeque Cajun Spatchcock Chicken The combination of spices here are so tasty, but if you are missing some, don't be afraid to use dried herbs or even whatever fresh herbs you have available to you. Barbequing can be a little tricky but the cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken, if you are worried, simple insert a skewer at the thickest part and if the juices run clear, the bird is cooked!
Serves 6-8 2 small chickens. 4 cloves of garlic. 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar. 2 tablespoons of paprika. 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. 2 teaspoons of dried oregano. A small handful of fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped. A small handful of thyme. Juice of 1 lemon. 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil. A generous pinch of sea salt and pepper.
To prepare the chicken, place the bird breast down, and using a knife or a sharp scissors, cut along the back bone. Open the bird out and flip it over breast side up and using your fist push down hard on the breast to break the back bone. Thread a skewer diagonally through the bird from the leg to the breast and repeat on the other side. Score the bird on the legs and breasts. Repeat the whole process for the second chicken. Place the chicken in a large roasting tin. See diagram below.
Prepare the marinade. Place the rest of the ingredients in a pestle and mortar or a food processor and break down until you have a rough paste. Spread the paste over the chicken until it is completely covered. Cover the roasting tin in tin foil and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 mins to an hour, if you have time. Place the birds on the barbeque over a medium heat and cook breast side up for 25-30 minutes. Half-way through give the birds a squeeze of lemon juice. Turn the birds over and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chickens are cooked through. If you find the chicken is blackening too much, place them on some tinfoil until they are cooked through. Enjoy!
Originally a middle eastern ingredient bulgar wheat is made from cracked wheat kernels. It's an excellent store cupboard ingredient which is highly nutritious and can be stored for long periods of time. This wholegrain product is packed with fiber and protein, but is low in calories, plus it's so easy to make. If you have never tried it before I would describe it as mix between couscous and brown rice.
Bulgarwheat Chicken Rocket and Parsley Salad This sort of recipe is perfect for entertaining, it can easily be made the night before and stored in the fridge.
Serves 4-6 people. 200g bulgar wheat. 1 teaspoon of vegetable bouillon powder. 3 chicken breasts. A large handful of parsley, roughly chopped. A large handful of rocket, roughly chopped. 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and roughly chopped. 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.
Place the bulgar wheat in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Stir through the vegetable bouillon powder, cover with cloth or a cling film and allow to sit for about 30 minutes or until all the water is soaked up. Brush the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and just before it begins smoking add the chicken breasts. Reduce the heat slightly and cook on both sides for approximately 6-7 minutes either side depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Remove the chicken from the pan and roughly chop into bitesize pieces. Add the chicken, parsley and rocket to the bulgar wheat and stir through to combine. Season with a good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper and stir through the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!
Sorry to leave you hanging on the recipe front, I really got into writing the book last week, so it's left the blog a little quiet. But I haven't been far, I've been keeping up to date with the world of food blogging and beyond.
I recently got a message from John Maguire who has set up a great little forum for all things Food in Ireland, at www.askaboutfood.ie. Take a look at the site- lots of interesting topics.
Eoghan and Nathalie at CasaCaseyCourtney have announced they will be food blogging, and I'm looking forward to it, because they already have a great eye for pictures!
A special congrats to Kate at LidlTreats who has exploded on to the blogging scene and has even made the National Evening News! Brilliant stuff!
But now, back to our scheduled programming, I have a recipe! After writing out a grand menu plan for the week in order to keep things running smoothly, three days later it has gone to pieces and I haven't cooked one of the meals from it! But I'm not too disappointed, because in an attempt to save an Avocado from becoming over ripe, I came up with a tasty little salad.
Even my just about overripe Avocado, is one of the true underrated super foods- It's packed with essential fatty acids, Vitamin K and antioxidants- it also makes a lovely face mask! (But you didn't hear that from me...) Radish's are often linked to aiding digestive problems and are beneficial for the teeth and gum's- So overall this salad is packed with nutrition and is a perfect Good Mood Food recipe!
Enjoy! (In case your wondering, those are pea shoots on top of the salad.)
Balsamic Chicken with Avocado and Radish Salad (Serves 2)
2 Free Range Chicken Breasts.
1 Avocado.
6 Baby Radishes.
A Large Handful of Oak Leaf Lettuce Leaves.
1 Red Onion, cut in half and sliced wafer thin.
1 Small Garlic Clove, Peeled and Minced.
1 Teaspoon of Wholegrain Mustard.
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar.
6 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The Juice of Half A Lemon.
A Good Pinch Of Coarse Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Peppercorns.
If you have the time to marinade the chicken breasts overnight, by all means go ahead. Remove any fat (or "icky bits" as I've heard them reffered to in my kitchen) from the breasts and place in a zip loc baggy. Pour in 1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar, 3 Tablespoons of EV Olive Oil, the Juice of half a Lemon, and a pinch of Black Pepper, seal and give a good shake! In a jar, bowl, or whatever you want to make your dressing in, combine, 1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar, 3 Tablespoons of EV Olive Oil, Garlic, Wholegrain Mustard, and a pinch of Sea Salt. Whisk or shake to combine, set aside and prepare the salad. Place a good handful of lettuce leaves on each plate, and scatter with the red onion. Slice the Avocado in half and remove the stone, spoon out the green flesh and slice into thin strips, arrange on top of the salad. Cut the baby Radishes into quarters and place on the outside of the plate. Heat a large frying pan (I would use a griddle pan if I had one!) till just before it begins smoking and place the breasts on, you shouldn't need any extra oil as Olive Oil is used in the marinade. Cook for approx 4-5 Minutes either side, remove from the heat, let it rest (if you can wait...) and slice into thin strips. Arrange on top of the avocado and using a spoon dribble the dressing over the salad.
Unfortunately thanks to my hangover a few weeks ago, after one or two many Mohito's, it was not a pleasant experience pouring the rum into this recipe at 8am yesterday. Why was I pouring rum, bleary eyed, into a zip lock bag in the early hours of the morning? Well I came up with an ingenious idea to marinade the chicken in the mix for this recipe, while I was at work, so the flavors would permeate through the breasts.
I'm glad I did, because this dish was packed with really tasty flavors. I served the breasts with couscous, but it would also go really nicely with a crisp green salad. Sofie told me the chicken was like heaven in her mouth, and if that doesn't sell it to you I don't know what will!
Lime and Mint Mohito Chicken
4 Free-range Chicken Breasts.
A small handful of Fresh Mint.
2 Limes Quartered.
Juice of 2 Limes.
A glug of Rum (About 1/4 of a cup).
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil.
1 Clove of Garlic.
A generous pinch of Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper.
Chop the mint and garlic finely and place in a large zip lock bag. Add to the bag, the rum and lime juice. I butterfly the chicken breasts so they cook quicker and the garlic doesn't burn. To do this, place one hand on the breast and with the other slice through the thickest part leaving, making sure the breast is attached on one side. Put the chicken in the bag and seal. Squidge the chicken around in the bag and make sure the breasts are covered in the mint and garlic. Leave in the fridge preferably overnight, or you can make in the morning and leave for the day.
To cook the chicken, heat a pan over a high heat and fry the breasts for about 3 minutes on either side. Tumble in the lime quarters after you turn the chicken and allow to caramelize. Serve straight away with a final squeeze of juice from the lime quarters.
There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of interest in the food styling demonstration, but I'll be working with Erica for the photo's in the book, so maybe I can film a few bits and stick them up here.
Is it me or is the weather at the moment causing extreme drowsiness? Maybe not, maybe it's having to work when it feels like everyone else is on holidays- maybe it's a mix. Well I'll just have to put up with it, after all it's only a few more weeks and were heading back over to Sweden again. Sofie's dad arrived last night and is staying with us for the week, so we'll be doing some sight seeing this weekend and driving cross country to Galway. If you have any suggestions on where to bring a tourist in Galway please let me know!
I have been trawling the world wide web for international food blogs, and I wanted to share just a few of the ones that caught my eye:
Bitchin Camero- Mel is from Miami, and has some really great pictures, and the recipe's to match.
Kitchen Confit- Is written by three bloggers from Nashville, Tennassee, I love their post about "Fire Pit Roasted Oysters".
A Cat In The Kitchen- A great little Swedish blog- check out the cake buffet!
Dinner's For A Year- I love the idea of a BBQ turkey.
And via Mulley.net, Lidl Treats- How to get the best out of shopping at Lidl!
Inspired by my recent trip to the Chinese Supermarket, this is another one of the snacks I made for the party last weekend. It's kind of a mix between BBQ and sweet and sour sauce, but top it with finely sliced spring onions and sesame seeds, and you'll make your intentions clear!
Asian Chicken Wings
12 Chicken Wings.
1 Cup of Chinese Sweet Chili Sauce (looks like tomato paste)
The Juice Of One Lemon.
1 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce.
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced.
1 Thumb of Ginger Minced.
2 Tablespoons of Honey
1 Tsp of Chinese 5 Spice powder.
1 Tsp of Sesame Oil.
1 Tsp of Cornflour.
Spring Onions and Sesame Seeds.
In a large roasting tray combine the ingredients with the chicken wings. Cover with cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 oC/ 390 oF/ Gas Mark 6.
Bang the Chicken Wings into the oven on the top rack and cook for approx 45-60 mins, turning them halfway through. Serve straight away topped with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.
This is still a fairly experimental dish, but the idea is similar to the duck salad I posted earlier this month, but without the noodles. It's really easy, quick and spicey! If you have a cold this will really clear those sinuses!
Spicy Chicken and Cucumber Salad
2 Chicken Breasts finely sliced
Enough flour to coat the chicken slices
Salt and Pepper
1/2 Cucumber finely sliced length ways
2 Peppers finely sliced
1 Red Onion finely sliced
6 Radishes finely sliced
The juice of 1 Lime
3 tablespoons of Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon of Fish Sauce
1 Teaspoon of sesame oil
2 Cloves of Garlic very finely chopped
Half a red chili very finely chopped
Thumb sized piece of ginger peeled and very finely chopped
Wow fourteen that's a lot! STAY WITH ME! Mix the flour with salt and pepper and coat the thinly sliced chicken. Fry them in a very hot pan with vegetable oil until nice and brown, leave to the side.
In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chili, and ginger. This should be to your taste so add something, subtract something be my guest! Add to the bowl, the cucumber, radish, red onion and red pepper. Mix the all the ingredients together in the spicy dressing.
Serve the spicy cucumber salad with the chicken strips on top and enjoy!
This isn't exactly the most amazingly intricate Chinese dish I have made but I chose to write about it because, if you have all the ingredients it is a very simple, tasty, balanced and healthy meal.
The first time I was introduced to real Chinese cuisine (I'm not talking about the deep fried slop from the local take-away which uncontrollably I am partial to now and again) was during a visit to my Aunt's house where a Chinese friend was giving a cooking demonstration to a group of her friends. I was encouraged to try beef, ginger and scallion, a simple dish which seemed to capture the simplicity of this extensive cuisine.
A short while after this encounter I was taken on a trip to the Asian market in Dublin city, it was then and there I fell in love! The bottles full of strange and foreign ingredients, the cling wrapped chicken paws poking out the sides of freezers, the huge bags of various assortments of rice and noodles were all enough to create great excitement at such a young age.
Now having tried hundreds of recipe's and still exploring new ones, Chinese cuisine has become a staple part of my diet.
Chili Chicken Broccoli Asparagus Noodles
2 Large Chicken Breasts
1 Red Chili chopped finely
1 inch of fresh ginger chopped finely
2 Garlic Cloves chopped finely
2 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
8 Asparagus Sprigs cut in to bite size pieces
1 Broccoli head cut in to bite size pieces
1 Red Onion cut in half moon pieces
A handful of Ho Fan Noodles
First of all you will find with most Chinese recipe's the hard work is all in the preparation before the cooking starts. Boil some water for the noodles and begin by chopping all your ingredients.
Chop the chicken breasts into thin strips and place in a bowl with the chili, oyster sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and half the garlic and ginger. Combine the ingredients and place in the fridge to marinate.
Drizzle the prepared broccoli, asparagus and onion with a little oyster sauce and sesame oil. Fry the garlic and ginger in some oil until brown then add the onions and follow with the rest of the veg. When this is cooked through remove from the pan and place on a plate.
Now add the noodles to the boiling water and stir, they should only take about five minutes, keep checking them and make sure not to overcook. Now fry off the chicken, when it's cooked add the veg and by this time your noodles should be cooked. Drain them and mix with the chicken and veg. Serve immediately!
