It is great to travel, but I’m delighted to be back home again too. I had a wonderful two weeks filming in the northeast of England and met lots of interesting people and saw great places. But, for me, nothing beats being back in the restaurant at work – meeting our customers and being at home with the family.
That said, I am on the road a bit again this week with demos in Limerick and Cork. I always enjoy demonstrations, but I don’t do nearly as many as I did before the pandemic. I realised then how much I enjoy sleeping in my own bed, having breakfast with the family and seeing the children off to school.
One demo I’m really looking forward to, though is with the Irish Country Living team at the Women & Agriculture conference on 23 October at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sligo. I’m delighted to be coming back to meet the readers. I am currently testing out two recipes and maybe there will be a surprise for the event!
One of my highlights of the year is always heading to Dingle for the pop-up village that is the Blás na hÉireann Irish Food Awards and I was delighted to be there last weekend. Now in its 18th year, it was founded by Artie Clifford, who is still the chairperson. It really is a fantastic achievement. This is a big event for Irish food and drink producers, and to win here is a huge deal.
The event is a real tribute to the commitment of our producers in every corner of the country. I went with the Simply Better team from Dunnes Stores.
One of the reasons the Blás na hÉireann awards are so respected is because of how they are judged. Firstly, there is a panel of expert judges who are chefs, food writers, restaurateurs, academics, talented home cooks, caterers and some food champions. They are chosen very carefully. So you have a group of people who know their food and are highly regarded. Perhaps even more important is that this is the biggest blind tasting of produce in Ireland.
All of the packaging and anything that could identify the products has been removed before it reaches the judges. This is about as fair as it can be, and consequently, the awards are treasured. There are now over 170 food and drink categories.
I was delighted to have a good chat with Bobby Kerr who has always supported me and is a great promoter of Irish producers. I also met lots of new producers and got a chance to taste some very interesting new products. Big congratulations to the overall winners, Bon Chocolatiers from Tullamore. Georgia Quely and Daniel Linehan produce masterpieces and they are very talented hardworking chefs.
Speedy dishes
This week, I have two speedy dishes for dinner or supper. These crispy lamb flatbreads can be on the table in less than half an hour. I like minced lamb. It is very versatile, and I love it for burgers. There are lots of spices in this meal, which gives it a good kick. They combine well, and the cinnamon is an interesting spice to add some depth to the overall flavour.
This kasundi chutney is one that I only discovered recently. It is made by Filligan’s of Donegal in Glenties. Since 1997, the company has been making jams, chutneys, relishes and oils, and everything is handmade.
This chutney is delicious with the addition of some interesting rich Indian flavours. I have been using it in wraps and sandwiches but if you do not have it to hand, use a tomato chutney. This meal is like a flatbread burger done in the oven.
The chicken and sweet potato curry is a great one-pot wonder. It is one of my go-to curries. I also made it recently with monkfish. Alternatively, pack it with vegetables for a vegetarian meal.
It will keep for up to five days in the fridge, and it freezes well. As many of our readers know, I’m a fan of chicken thighs. They’re good value, and I think they are the most flavoursome part of the chicken.
Ingredients: Serves 4
1 pack Connemara Hill minced lamb
2 red onions, one finely grated
and one thinly sliced
4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp lemon harissa seasoning
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 pack Italian flatbreads
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ of a cucumber
250g Greek yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 jar handmade kasundi chutney
1 pack Irish Tomkin tomatoes,
cut into thin wedges
50g Greek feta cheese
Achill sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Place the lamb in a large bowl and add the grated red onion, parsley, lemon harissa and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
2. Put two of the flatbreads on the work surface and spread the lamb mixture out with a flat spoon in a thin even layer. Then cover with the other two flatbreads. Place on wire racks set on baking trays and using your hands quickly rub both sides of each flatbread with a little of the oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the lamb is cooked and the flatbreads are crispy.
3. Cut the cucumber into quarters and remove the seeds. Then coarsely grate the flesh. Squeeze out all the excess juice and put in a bowl with the yoghurt and garlic. Season generously and mix well to combine. Add a few dollops of the chutney on top. Put the remainder of the chutney in another small bowl.
4. Mix the tomatoes with the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl and season to taste. Drizzle with a little oil and crumble the feta on top.
5. Cut the crispy lamb flatbreads into triangles and pile up on a board, putting the cucumber yoghurt dip, chutney and tomato salad alongside to serve.
Chicken and sweet potato curry
Chicken and sweet potato curry.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp freshly grated root ginger
2 tsp garlic flakes
2 tbsp medium curry powder
2 tsp turmeric
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp apricot chutney, plus extra to serve
1 tin organic coconut milk
750g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pack Irish corn fed skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cubed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt
Good handful fresh coriander sprigs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warm Italian flatbreads, to serve
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium to high heat and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the ginger and garlic flakes and cook for another minute. Add the curry powder and turmeric with a pinch of salt and continue to cook for a minute or two.
2. Add the tomatoes, apricot chutney and coconut milk to the onion and spice mixture. Stir in the sweet potatoes. Then bring to a fast simmer and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are just tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
3. Stir in the chicken and chickpeas and cook gently for another 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Season to taste.
4. Divide the chicken and sweet potato curry between bowls. Add a dollop of yoghurt to each one and top with a little more chutney. Scatter over the coriander sprigs and have a basket of the warm flatbreads alongside to serve.
It is great to travel, but I’m delighted to be back home again too. I had a wonderful two weeks filming in the northeast of England and met lots of interesting people and saw great places. But, for me, nothing beats being back in the restaurant at work – meeting our customers and being at home with the family.
That said, I am on the road a bit again this week with demos in Limerick and Cork. I always enjoy demonstrations, but I don’t do nearly as many as I did before the pandemic. I realised then how much I enjoy sleeping in my own bed, having breakfast with the family and seeing the children off to school.
One demo I’m really looking forward to, though is with the Irish Country Living team at the Women & Agriculture conference on 23 October at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sligo. I’m delighted to be coming back to meet the readers. I am currently testing out two recipes and maybe there will be a surprise for the event!
One of my highlights of the year is always heading to Dingle for the pop-up village that is the Blás na hÉireann Irish Food Awards and I was delighted to be there last weekend. Now in its 18th year, it was founded by Artie Clifford, who is still the chairperson. It really is a fantastic achievement. This is a big event for Irish food and drink producers, and to win here is a huge deal.
The event is a real tribute to the commitment of our producers in every corner of the country. I went with the Simply Better team from Dunnes Stores.
One of the reasons the Blás na hÉireann awards are so respected is because of how they are judged. Firstly, there is a panel of expert judges who are chefs, food writers, restaurateurs, academics, talented home cooks, caterers and some food champions. They are chosen very carefully. So you have a group of people who know their food and are highly regarded. Perhaps even more important is that this is the biggest blind tasting of produce in Ireland.
All of the packaging and anything that could identify the products has been removed before it reaches the judges. This is about as fair as it can be, and consequently, the awards are treasured. There are now over 170 food and drink categories.
I was delighted to have a good chat with Bobby Kerr who has always supported me and is a great promoter of Irish producers. I also met lots of new producers and got a chance to taste some very interesting new products. Big congratulations to the overall winners, Bon Chocolatiers from Tullamore. Georgia Quely and Daniel Linehan produce masterpieces and they are very talented hardworking chefs.
Speedy dishes
This week, I have two speedy dishes for dinner or supper. These crispy lamb flatbreads can be on the table in less than half an hour. I like minced lamb. It is very versatile, and I love it for burgers. There are lots of spices in this meal, which gives it a good kick. They combine well, and the cinnamon is an interesting spice to add some depth to the overall flavour.
This kasundi chutney is one that I only discovered recently. It is made by Filligan’s of Donegal in Glenties. Since 1997, the company has been making jams, chutneys, relishes and oils, and everything is handmade.
This chutney is delicious with the addition of some interesting rich Indian flavours. I have been using it in wraps and sandwiches but if you do not have it to hand, use a tomato chutney. This meal is like a flatbread burger done in the oven.
The chicken and sweet potato curry is a great one-pot wonder. It is one of my go-to curries. I also made it recently with monkfish. Alternatively, pack it with vegetables for a vegetarian meal.
It will keep for up to five days in the fridge, and it freezes well. As many of our readers know, I’m a fan of chicken thighs. They’re good value, and I think they are the most flavoursome part of the chicken.
Ingredients: Serves 4
1 pack Connemara Hill minced lamb
2 red onions, one finely grated
and one thinly sliced
4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp lemon harissa seasoning
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 pack Italian flatbreads
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ of a cucumber
250g Greek yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 jar handmade kasundi chutney
1 pack Irish Tomkin tomatoes,
cut into thin wedges
50g Greek feta cheese
Achill sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Place the lamb in a large bowl and add the grated red onion, parsley, lemon harissa and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
2. Put two of the flatbreads on the work surface and spread the lamb mixture out with a flat spoon in a thin even layer. Then cover with the other two flatbreads. Place on wire racks set on baking trays and using your hands quickly rub both sides of each flatbread with a little of the oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the lamb is cooked and the flatbreads are crispy.
3. Cut the cucumber into quarters and remove the seeds. Then coarsely grate the flesh. Squeeze out all the excess juice and put in a bowl with the yoghurt and garlic. Season generously and mix well to combine. Add a few dollops of the chutney on top. Put the remainder of the chutney in another small bowl.
4. Mix the tomatoes with the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl and season to taste. Drizzle with a little oil and crumble the feta on top.
5. Cut the crispy lamb flatbreads into triangles and pile up on a board, putting the cucumber yoghurt dip, chutney and tomato salad alongside to serve.
Chicken and sweet potato curry
Chicken and sweet potato curry.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp freshly grated root ginger
2 tsp garlic flakes
2 tbsp medium curry powder
2 tsp turmeric
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp apricot chutney, plus extra to serve
1 tin organic coconut milk
750g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pack Irish corn fed skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cubed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt
Good handful fresh coriander sprigs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warm Italian flatbreads, to serve
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium to high heat and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the ginger and garlic flakes and cook for another minute. Add the curry powder and turmeric with a pinch of salt and continue to cook for a minute or two.
2. Add the tomatoes, apricot chutney and coconut milk to the onion and spice mixture. Stir in the sweet potatoes. Then bring to a fast simmer and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are just tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
3. Stir in the chicken and chickpeas and cook gently for another 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Season to taste.
4. Divide the chicken and sweet potato curry between bowls. Add a dollop of yoghurt to each one and top with a little more chutney. Scatter over the coriander sprigs and have a basket of the warm flatbreads alongside to serve.
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