One of the things that has given me a lot of pleasure in recent years is watching our twins, Connor and Lucia grow up. It is one of the great benefits of travelling less than I used to. Connor has become very interested in sport and has been keen on Gaelic and soccer for a few years now. He has been playing soccer with Manorhamilton Rangers and they put him forward for a trial and he was picked for the Sligo Leitrim Under-14 team. We were all thrilled. He is a winger and his hero is Ronaldo.
A while back we were on a trip in Portugal and we visited the Ronaldo museum – Museu CR7 in Madeira – which at €5 was great value. All the trophies are there and a statue of the man himself outside. Needless to say, Connor got his photo taken beside it – and I have to admit, so did I – I mean, it’s Ronaldo afterall.
Thankfully, my son takes after me and proudly supports Manchester United, as my three brothers, Carlos, David and Alan are all Liverpool fans. Since our team is doing well, his uncles have suddenly gone a lot queiter since our recent win at Anfield – 2-1 has a nice ring to it – but we won’t get cocky. I try to take Connor over to a match each year. It is always a great trip but it is a lot better if we are coming home with a win under our belt.
Between following the football drama and still recovering from the Women & Agriculture conference, I feel like I haven’t had a minute to catch my breath, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I really enjoyed the whole experience – as a chef, I was particularly impressed by the kitchen staff at the Radisson Hotel in Sligo. It is no mean feat to feed over 500 people in an hour and they did so superbly.
During the week many of our customers in the restaurant had seen bits of the conference on social media and there were lots of comments about me DJing at the event. It was great fun but and I love being a hobby DJ in the privacy of my own home. This was a once-off for the Irish Country Living but my main passion will always be as a chef. One woman even asked me would I perform at her daughter’s wedding. I was very flattered, but I had to decline. I wish the family a very happy day and they will find someone much better than me for the occasion.
Salmon surprise
Today I have two lovely fish recipes – quick, easy and very enjoyable. Salmon is very popular and probably our most consumed fish in Ireland as it is so versatile. Try and make sure to get organic Irish salmon. The first recipe, Cajun salmon, is nice and spicy and it has an Asian or Pacific Rim influence. You could use harissa if you like, and steamed broccoli is a great vegetable with it. Cooking rice in coconut milk is an interesting way to do it and well worth a try.
I made the crispy potato, salmon and baby leek bake at the Ideal Homes Exhibition recently and it went down very well. Lots of people came up to talk to me about it and went away determined to make it the next week. It is a gem of a recipe for a one pot dinner. You could do it with other smoked fish, like haddock or coley. Alternatively, you could try it with prawns. Instead of baby leeks I sometimes use peas. The potatoes give that nice crunch and cheddar always adds great flavour. Knockanore Farmhouse are brilliant at smoking and their cheese is made by the Lonergan family in Ballyneety outside Waterford. These are two recipes that I go back to time and again and I hope you will also.
Eat Out at Home by Neven Maguire is published by Gill Books.
Cajun salmon with coconut rice and mango slaw
Ingredients: Serves 4
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of spring onions,
trimmed and finely chopped
200g basmati rice, well rinsed
200ml coconut milk
2 packs of Irish organic salmon darnes
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 pack of fresh cavolo nero, thinly sliced
¼ small red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 pack of baby carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 ripened mango, peeled and diced
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a heavy-based pan over a low heat and gently soften the spring onions for a minute or two. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring for another minute.
2. Tip in the coconut milk with 200ml of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave for another 10 minutes to finish cooking.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan. Rub the salmon flesh with the Cajun seasoning. Add 1 tbsp of the oil to the pan and then add the salmon, flesh side up. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy, then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and tender.
4. Put the cavolo nero into a bowl and massage with the rest of the oil and plenty of seasoning. Then fold in the
red cabbage, carrots and red onion.
Gently stir in the mango with the lime juice.
5. Fluff up the coconut rice with a fork and arrange on plates with the Cajun salmon and mango slaw to serve and enjoy.
Crispy potato,
salmon and baby leek bake
Crispy potato, salmon and baby leek bake.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
1 bag of baby potatoes
2 tbsp Italian olive oil
1 bunch of scallions,
trimmed and finely chopped
100g Oakwood Smoked
Drinagh Cheddar, grated
30g butter, diced
2 packs of organic lightly smoked Irish salmon fillets, skinned and cut into chunks
1 pack of Irish baby leeks, sliced
2 tbsp plain flour
300ml milk
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
200g baby spinach
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6).
2. Roughly chop the potatoes and cook in a pan of boiling salted water for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the pan, shaking to dry out. Drizzle over the oil and then fold in the scallions and cheese. Season generously and stir with a large spoon to roughly crush.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and then use to melt the butter. Sauté the leek for a few minutes to soften. Season generously and then sprinkle over the flour. Cook for another minute, stirring. Gradually add the milk until you have a smooth sauce and then simmer for a few minutes to reduce a little. Stir the mustard into the pan and fold in the spinach until wilted.
4. Fold in the salmon and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Pile the crushed potatoes on top. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve straight to the table.
One of the things that has given me a lot of pleasure in recent years is watching our twins, Connor and Lucia grow up. It is one of the great benefits of travelling less than I used to. Connor has become very interested in sport and has been keen on Gaelic and soccer for a few years now. He has been playing soccer with Manorhamilton Rangers and they put him forward for a trial and he was picked for the Sligo Leitrim Under-14 team. We were all thrilled. He is a winger and his hero is Ronaldo.
A while back we were on a trip in Portugal and we visited the Ronaldo museum – Museu CR7 in Madeira – which at €5 was great value. All the trophies are there and a statue of the man himself outside. Needless to say, Connor got his photo taken beside it – and I have to admit, so did I – I mean, it’s Ronaldo afterall.
Thankfully, my son takes after me and proudly supports Manchester United, as my three brothers, Carlos, David and Alan are all Liverpool fans. Since our team is doing well, his uncles have suddenly gone a lot queiter since our recent win at Anfield – 2-1 has a nice ring to it – but we won’t get cocky. I try to take Connor over to a match each year. It is always a great trip but it is a lot better if we are coming home with a win under our belt.
Between following the football drama and still recovering from the Women & Agriculture conference, I feel like I haven’t had a minute to catch my breath, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I really enjoyed the whole experience – as a chef, I was particularly impressed by the kitchen staff at the Radisson Hotel in Sligo. It is no mean feat to feed over 500 people in an hour and they did so superbly.
During the week many of our customers in the restaurant had seen bits of the conference on social media and there were lots of comments about me DJing at the event. It was great fun but and I love being a hobby DJ in the privacy of my own home. This was a once-off for the Irish Country Living but my main passion will always be as a chef. One woman even asked me would I perform at her daughter’s wedding. I was very flattered, but I had to decline. I wish the family a very happy day and they will find someone much better than me for the occasion.
Salmon surprise
Today I have two lovely fish recipes – quick, easy and very enjoyable. Salmon is very popular and probably our most consumed fish in Ireland as it is so versatile. Try and make sure to get organic Irish salmon. The first recipe, Cajun salmon, is nice and spicy and it has an Asian or Pacific Rim influence. You could use harissa if you like, and steamed broccoli is a great vegetable with it. Cooking rice in coconut milk is an interesting way to do it and well worth a try.
I made the crispy potato, salmon and baby leek bake at the Ideal Homes Exhibition recently and it went down very well. Lots of people came up to talk to me about it and went away determined to make it the next week. It is a gem of a recipe for a one pot dinner. You could do it with other smoked fish, like haddock or coley. Alternatively, you could try it with prawns. Instead of baby leeks I sometimes use peas. The potatoes give that nice crunch and cheddar always adds great flavour. Knockanore Farmhouse are brilliant at smoking and their cheese is made by the Lonergan family in Ballyneety outside Waterford. These are two recipes that I go back to time and again and I hope you will also.
Eat Out at Home by Neven Maguire is published by Gill Books.
Cajun salmon with coconut rice and mango slaw
Ingredients: Serves 4
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of spring onions,
trimmed and finely chopped
200g basmati rice, well rinsed
200ml coconut milk
2 packs of Irish organic salmon darnes
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 pack of fresh cavolo nero, thinly sliced
¼ small red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 pack of baby carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 ripened mango, peeled and diced
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a heavy-based pan over a low heat and gently soften the spring onions for a minute or two. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring for another minute.
2. Tip in the coconut milk with 200ml of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave for another 10 minutes to finish cooking.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan. Rub the salmon flesh with the Cajun seasoning. Add 1 tbsp of the oil to the pan and then add the salmon, flesh side up. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy, then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and tender.
4. Put the cavolo nero into a bowl and massage with the rest of the oil and plenty of seasoning. Then fold in the
red cabbage, carrots and red onion.
Gently stir in the mango with the lime juice.
5. Fluff up the coconut rice with a fork and arrange on plates with the Cajun salmon and mango slaw to serve and enjoy.
Crispy potato,
salmon and baby leek bake
Crispy potato, salmon and baby leek bake.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
1 bag of baby potatoes
2 tbsp Italian olive oil
1 bunch of scallions,
trimmed and finely chopped
100g Oakwood Smoked
Drinagh Cheddar, grated
30g butter, diced
2 packs of organic lightly smoked Irish salmon fillets, skinned and cut into chunks
1 pack of Irish baby leeks, sliced
2 tbsp plain flour
300ml milk
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
200g baby spinach
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6).
2. Roughly chop the potatoes and cook in a pan of boiling salted water for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the pan, shaking to dry out. Drizzle over the oil and then fold in the scallions and cheese. Season generously and stir with a large spoon to roughly crush.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and then use to melt the butter. Sauté the leek for a few minutes to soften. Season generously and then sprinkle over the flour. Cook for another minute, stirring. Gradually add the milk until you have a smooth sauce and then simmer for a few minutes to reduce a little. Stir the mustard into the pan and fold in the spinach until wilted.
4. Fold in the salmon and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Pile the crushed potatoes on top. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve straight to the table.
SHARING OPTIONS