‘Neven, where is your favourite place to eat out?’ As a chef, this is one of the questions I am asked most often. The quality of restaurants in Ireland has improved so much in the last two or three decades, so really there are a lot of places to choose from.
Certainly, the list has expanded significantly since I started out as a chef – although I did get the opportunity to apprentice in some top-class European restaurants. I’ll have to bring you on a culinary journey of those in another column.
There are a few Irish restaurants that I keep going back to – one which isn’t too far from Blacklion is Thyme in Athlone. Opened by John and Tara Coffey in 2007, it has been superb from day one and has stood the test of time.
A couple of times a year I like to take our chefs out to eat in good restaurants, partly as a thank you for all the good work they do, and also to inspire them and allow them to experience the best of what is on offer. A restaurant is only as good as its staff and I really appreciate the team we have. It is particularly important for younger team members to get the chance to enjoy top-class restaurants.
So last week, 12 of us chefs had a fantastic lunch in Thyme. It was a day for learning, bonding, being served for a change and generally having a great time. I enjoyed the entire meal, but one of my favourite courses was the starter of glazed ham hock, with celeriac, crispy egg, pancetta and vinaigrette.
For main course, I enjoyed the free range pork fillet, belly and sausage with heritage beetroot and fennel. Dessert finished on a high of coffee custard tart, whiskey ice cream and milk crisp.
One of things I like most about Thyme – apart from the good food – is the lovely atmosphere and the little additional touches they add to experience. A meal is so much more than just the food. Special menus stating: “Welcome to the MacNean team” is one such example.
Thyme is an excellent example of great hospitality. If you are going to be in that part of the world, I promise you’ll not be disappointed.
From high-end restaurant food to beautiful homemade dishes, today I have two chicken recipes which can be cooked in the oven or on the barbecue. Both are quick and easy, and ideal for busy summer days.
I like to use corn-fed chicken, produced by Gerard Noone on the Inishowen Peninsula. Chicken is great for holding flavour and these kebabs have lots of lovely spices. To balance that out, you’ll need some good natural yoghurt – and I often look to Killowen Farm for mine. They use milk from their own herd of cows and you can taste the difference.
It’s important to blitz the ingredients to a smooth paste. Honestly, you could fill your kitchen cupboards with a plethora of appliances, but there are ones you’ll find yourself coming back to. In our kitchen it’s our NutriBullet and it’s become a firm favourite with Lucia to make smoothies.
If you’re thinking ahead, it’s best to leave the chicken marinating for a day or two. And it might seem like there is a long list of spices of this recipe, but they are all handy ones to keep in the cupboard. To save you some work, try sourcing chicken thighs that are skinless and boneless, and if you aren’t too fond of red onions, try some mushrooms or baby sweetcorn instead.
Amelda often makes these spiced chicken BLT burgers. They are one of her specialties.
Connor also likes to give a hand in the preparation, and he makes his own pink mayonnaise by adding some tomato ketchup. You could use chicken thighs, but the fillets are moister. And remember, avocados do need that bit of flavour, so don’t be afraid to give those limes a good squeeze.
Spiced chicken BLT burgers
Ingredients: Serves 4
2 tbsp spicy pepper and herb seasoning
2 large chicken fillets
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
4 rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers (dry-cured if possible)
2 small ripe avocados
4 sourdough burger buns
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp tomato ketchup
50g baby spinach leaves
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Thick-cut crisps
Method
1. Preheat the grill to high.
2. Put the spicy pepper and herb seasoning in a shallow dish and season generously. Put the chicken on a chopping board and cut each fillet in half, so that you have four thin fillets. Then drizzle over half of the oil and toss to coat in the spice mixture.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for five to six minutes, turning once. Stack them up on one side of the pan and fry the bacon for a few minutes, until cooked and tender.
4. Snip each rasher into three pieces. While the chicken is cooking, stone, peel and slice the avocados, and toast the cut sides of the buns under the grill. Spread the buns with mayonnaise, then add a smear of mustard to the bottoms and ketchup to the top halves.
5. Add a handful of spinach and a few tomato slices to garnish, then arrange the chicken on top with the bacon, avocado and red onion.
6. Press down lightly and serve with crisps.
Neven's Chicken kebabs.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
150g natural yoghurt
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp peanut butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled
5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
20g fresh coriander, plus extra to garnish
1 fresh green chilli
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 red peppers, cut into 4cm pieces
2 yellow peppers, cut into 4cm pieces
2 red onions, cut into 4cm pieces
16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
8 mini naan or flatbreads
Spiced mango chutney and tzatziki
Handful of fresh mint and corriander leaves
Method
1. Put the yoghurt into a mini blender or NutriBullet with the lemon juice, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, coriander, green chilli, cumin, garam masala and turmeric. Season generously and blitz into a smooth paste.
2. Put the chicken in a bowl and stir in the yoghurt mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least four hours, but up to three days is good – the longer, the better. The chicken can also be frozen at this stage.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark seven). Line the base of a roasting tin with parchment paper.
4. Put the peppers and onions in the lined roasting tin, then toss in the oil and season generously. Roast for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to char around the edges.
5. Thread the chicken onto 16x20cm soaked bamboo (or metal) skewers and arrange on a wire rack that will sit on top of the roasting tin that the vegetables are in.
6. Remove the vegetables from the oven and give them a good stir. Arrange the wire rack with the kebabs on top and return to the oven for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, and the vegetables are nicely charred but not burned. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place.
7. Arrange the naan or flatbreads on baking sheets and cook in the oven for five minutes (or according to the packet instructions) to heat through.
8. To serve, arrange the chicken kebabs on plates with the naan or flatbreads and some roasted vegetables. Add dollops of mango chutney and tzatziki, and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.
‘Neven, where is your favourite place to eat out?’ As a chef, this is one of the questions I am asked most often. The quality of restaurants in Ireland has improved so much in the last two or three decades, so really there are a lot of places to choose from.
Certainly, the list has expanded significantly since I started out as a chef – although I did get the opportunity to apprentice in some top-class European restaurants. I’ll have to bring you on a culinary journey of those in another column.
There are a few Irish restaurants that I keep going back to – one which isn’t too far from Blacklion is Thyme in Athlone. Opened by John and Tara Coffey in 2007, it has been superb from day one and has stood the test of time.
A couple of times a year I like to take our chefs out to eat in good restaurants, partly as a thank you for all the good work they do, and also to inspire them and allow them to experience the best of what is on offer. A restaurant is only as good as its staff and I really appreciate the team we have. It is particularly important for younger team members to get the chance to enjoy top-class restaurants.
So last week, 12 of us chefs had a fantastic lunch in Thyme. It was a day for learning, bonding, being served for a change and generally having a great time. I enjoyed the entire meal, but one of my favourite courses was the starter of glazed ham hock, with celeriac, crispy egg, pancetta and vinaigrette.
For main course, I enjoyed the free range pork fillet, belly and sausage with heritage beetroot and fennel. Dessert finished on a high of coffee custard tart, whiskey ice cream and milk crisp.
One of things I like most about Thyme – apart from the good food – is the lovely atmosphere and the little additional touches they add to experience. A meal is so much more than just the food. Special menus stating: “Welcome to the MacNean team” is one such example.
Thyme is an excellent example of great hospitality. If you are going to be in that part of the world, I promise you’ll not be disappointed.
From high-end restaurant food to beautiful homemade dishes, today I have two chicken recipes which can be cooked in the oven or on the barbecue. Both are quick and easy, and ideal for busy summer days.
I like to use corn-fed chicken, produced by Gerard Noone on the Inishowen Peninsula. Chicken is great for holding flavour and these kebabs have lots of lovely spices. To balance that out, you’ll need some good natural yoghurt – and I often look to Killowen Farm for mine. They use milk from their own herd of cows and you can taste the difference.
It’s important to blitz the ingredients to a smooth paste. Honestly, you could fill your kitchen cupboards with a plethora of appliances, but there are ones you’ll find yourself coming back to. In our kitchen it’s our NutriBullet and it’s become a firm favourite with Lucia to make smoothies.
If you’re thinking ahead, it’s best to leave the chicken marinating for a day or two. And it might seem like there is a long list of spices of this recipe, but they are all handy ones to keep in the cupboard. To save you some work, try sourcing chicken thighs that are skinless and boneless, and if you aren’t too fond of red onions, try some mushrooms or baby sweetcorn instead.
Amelda often makes these spiced chicken BLT burgers. They are one of her specialties.
Connor also likes to give a hand in the preparation, and he makes his own pink mayonnaise by adding some tomato ketchup. You could use chicken thighs, but the fillets are moister. And remember, avocados do need that bit of flavour, so don’t be afraid to give those limes a good squeeze.
Spiced chicken BLT burgers
Ingredients: Serves 4
2 tbsp spicy pepper and herb seasoning
2 large chicken fillets
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
4 rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers (dry-cured if possible)
2 small ripe avocados
4 sourdough burger buns
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp tomato ketchup
50g baby spinach leaves
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Thick-cut crisps
Method
1. Preheat the grill to high.
2. Put the spicy pepper and herb seasoning in a shallow dish and season generously. Put the chicken on a chopping board and cut each fillet in half, so that you have four thin fillets. Then drizzle over half of the oil and toss to coat in the spice mixture.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for five to six minutes, turning once. Stack them up on one side of the pan and fry the bacon for a few minutes, until cooked and tender.
4. Snip each rasher into three pieces. While the chicken is cooking, stone, peel and slice the avocados, and toast the cut sides of the buns under the grill. Spread the buns with mayonnaise, then add a smear of mustard to the bottoms and ketchup to the top halves.
5. Add a handful of spinach and a few tomato slices to garnish, then arrange the chicken on top with the bacon, avocado and red onion.
6. Press down lightly and serve with crisps.
Neven's Chicken kebabs.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
150g natural yoghurt
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp peanut butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled
5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
20g fresh coriander, plus extra to garnish
1 fresh green chilli
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 red peppers, cut into 4cm pieces
2 yellow peppers, cut into 4cm pieces
2 red onions, cut into 4cm pieces
16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
8 mini naan or flatbreads
Spiced mango chutney and tzatziki
Handful of fresh mint and corriander leaves
Method
1. Put the yoghurt into a mini blender or NutriBullet with the lemon juice, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, coriander, green chilli, cumin, garam masala and turmeric. Season generously and blitz into a smooth paste.
2. Put the chicken in a bowl and stir in the yoghurt mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least four hours, but up to three days is good – the longer, the better. The chicken can also be frozen at this stage.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark seven). Line the base of a roasting tin with parchment paper.
4. Put the peppers and onions in the lined roasting tin, then toss in the oil and season generously. Roast for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to char around the edges.
5. Thread the chicken onto 16x20cm soaked bamboo (or metal) skewers and arrange on a wire rack that will sit on top of the roasting tin that the vegetables are in.
6. Remove the vegetables from the oven and give them a good stir. Arrange the wire rack with the kebabs on top and return to the oven for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, and the vegetables are nicely charred but not burned. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place.
7. Arrange the naan or flatbreads on baking sheets and cook in the oven for five minutes (or according to the packet instructions) to heat through.
8. To serve, arrange the chicken kebabs on plates with the naan or flatbreads and some roasted vegetables. Add dollops of mango chutney and tzatziki, and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.
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