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Watch our Simply Better brand ambassador Neven Maguire prepare this delicious Irish Tomato & Pesto Puff Pastry Tart using our new Simply Better Irish Grown Tomkin & Tomistar Tomatoes from Grantstown Nurseries in Co. Waterford. Shop the ingredients in your local Dunnes Stores and find the full recipe below:

Ingredients (Serves 8)
1 Pack of Simply Better Ready To Roll All Butter Puff Pastry, thawed
3 Tbsp. Simply Better Italian Basil Pesto alla Genovese with PDO Genovese Basil
250g Simply Better Irish Tomkin & Tomistar Tomatoes, sliced
125g Cream Cheese
Fresh Basil Leaves, to garnish
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan (425°F/Gas Mark 7).
2. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle measuring about 45x30cm/18x12in and about 3mm thick. Lightly score a 1cm border around the edge of the pastry using a sharp knife and transfer to a baking tray.
3. Smear a layer of cream cheese inside the pastry border, then cover the cream cheese in a layer of basil pesto. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top and season with a little salt and pepper before transferring to the oven to bake for about 25-30 minutes until the pastry has puffed up and become golden.
4. Garnish the puff pastry tart with the fresh basil leaves and serve straight to the table.

October 12, 2026

Alanna Moffitt from Blacklion Co. Cavan started at Neven Maguire’s Macnean House and Restaurant 😀 @rtetoday

Student chefs from TU Dublin joined Maura and Dáithí in the studio.

Ingredients

Sticky Toffee Pudding

· 200g butter, room temperature

· 185g self-raising flour

· 185g dates, roughly chopped

· 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

· 185g brown sugar

· 30g treacle

· 1 tsp nutmeg

· 1tsp mixed spice

· 2 medium eggs

· 1 tsp vanilla extract

· Pinch of salt

Butterscotch Sauce

· 70g butter

· 70g brown sugar

· 70g golden syrup

· 100ml double cream

· Pinch of sea salt

· ½ tsp vanilla extract

· A few drops of lemon juice

Student chefs from TU Dublin joined Maura and Dáithí in the studio.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a baking tin with parchment paper.

2. Dice the butter and place it in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to melt, then continue to cook until it foams and turns a light golden-brown colour. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside to cool.

3. Place the chopped dates in a saucepan with 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the dates are soft.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda (the mixture will foam). Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Transfer the date mixture to a mixing bowl and add the brown sugar, treacle, vanilla extract, nutmeg, mixed spice and cooled brown butter. Mix well.

6. Beat eggs and add to the mixture until fully incorporated.

7. Sieve in the flour and salt, then gently fold until a smooth dropping consistency is achieved.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.

Butterscotch Sauce

1. Place the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and allow to simmer gently.

2. Remove from the heat, add a few drops of lemon juice, then whisk in the double cream.

3. Finish with sea salt and vanilla extract. Serve warm over the pudding.

Chef’s tips:

· When making brown butter, don’t use a high heat, as milk solids can burn easily

· Brown butter can be used in so many other dishes, such as madeleines and fish dishes, or even vegetables, with its rich nutty caramel flavour.

· Best served warm with some vanilla ice-cream.

Neven Maguire’s Brown Scones are full of roughage and great for breakfast

Brown scones are full of roughage and great for breakfast. And here is a good tip: you can make this mixture, shape the scones and freeze them. You can then cook the scones straight from the freezer to the oven – just give them an extra 5 minutes and make sure the scones are golden brown and well-risen.

Ingredients

Rapeseed or sunflower oil, for greasing
225g (8oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
225g (8oz) coarse wholemeal flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
50g (2oz) wheat bran
25g (1oz) butter, diced and at room temperature
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
300ml (½ pint) buttermilk, plus a little extra if necessary

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grease the paper with a little oil.
Sift the flours, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Tip in the bran left in the sieve and stir it in with the wheat bran. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it is evenly dispersed. Stir in the sugar.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk and golden syrup. Using a large spoon, mix gently and quickly until you have achieved a smooth, not-too-sticky dough. Add a little more buttermilk if necessary, until the dough binds together without being sloppy.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 2.5cm (1in) thickness and cut into rounds with a 6cm (2½in) plain cutter. Arrange on the lined baking sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and well-risen.
Serve with butter or lightly whipped cream and strawberry jam.

By Neven Maguire

Celebrity Chef

Neven Maguire cooks omelettes with mushrooms in Irish Rapeseed oil, Oriel Sea Salt & Drinagh Cheddar Cheese ☘️#worldeggday

https://www.facebook.com/macneanhouse/videos/987742211643467/?t=204

🍳🥚🧀Mushroom , Bacon & Cheese Omelette!🧀🥚🍳

Lovely for Breakfast, Lunch or Brunch! A quick & easy to make omlette is a perfect treat! Using Bord Bia – Irish Food Board Quality Assured Eggs & Bacon from Simply Better at Dunnes Stores collection and finished with fantastic Extra Mature Drinagh Cheese!

October 3, 2026

Neven Maguire – MacNean House Restaurant – Blacklion Co.Cavan

October 2, 2026

Neven’s chicken sauce lyonnaise with crushed baby potatoes from Neven’s Ulster Food Tour airs Wednesdays on RTÉ One at 8.30pm.

Neven Maguire

By Neven Maguire

Celebrity Chef

Neven’s Ulster Food Tour airs Wednesdays on RTÉ One at 8.30pm.

Ingredients

Serves 4

For The Chicken

· 4 x Quality Assured Cornfed Chicken breasts, skin on

· 150g Chestnut Mushrooms, sliced

· 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

· 2 x Shallots, peeled and finely sliced

· 50ml Madeira Wine

· 75ml White Wine

· 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

· 1 tbsp fresh thyme leave, chopped

· 200ml Beef Stock

· 120ml Double Cream

· Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For The Crushed Baby Potatoes

· 1 Packet Irish Charlotte Potatoes

· 6 tbsp Olive Oil

· 6 Garlic Cloves, lightly bashed in their skins

· 1 tbsp rosemary sprigs

· Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method

For The Chicken

· Heat a large heavy based saucepan over a medium heat

· Add the rapeseed oil and butter

· Place the chicken into the heat pot skin side down and season the flesh side with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

· Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until just sealed

· Remove from the pan and set aside

· Using the same pot, add in the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine

· Deglaze with the madeira wine, white wine and red wine vinegar

· Allow to reduce slightly

· Add in the chopped thyme and stir

· Add in the beef stock followed by the double cream and stir well to combine everything

· Return the chicken to the pan and nestle it into the sauce

· Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer

· Cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender

· Finish with chopped parsley

For The Crushed Baby Potatoes

· Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/ Gas mark 6).

· Put the potatoes in a large pan with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.

· Arrange the potatoes in a large shallow baking tin, leaving enough space between each one so they have room to spread once smashed. Using the back or a large spoon or potato masher, push down on each of the potatoes to make them crack open.

· Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, season with sea salt and black pepper and add the garlic to the tray along with rosemary sprigs.

· Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning once and removing the garlic, until the potatoes are crisp and golden.

· Arrange on a platter and let everyone help themselves

September 30, 2026

Neven Maguire’s Apple Tart with Custard recipe @bordbia

From The Nation’s Favourite Food by Neven Maguire

Ingredients

Pastry

225g plain flour, extra for dusting
2 tbsp icing sugar
100g butter, diced and chilled
2 large egg yolks
2-3 tbps ice-cold water

Filling

900g Bramley cooking apples
100g caster sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Good pinch ground cloves/4 whole cloves
1 tbsp milk

Custard

5 egg yolks
3 tbsp caster sugar
½ vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out
300ml milk
100ml cream

To Cook

To make the pastry: Sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Using a round-bladed knife or the tips of your fingers, work in the butter and then mix in the egg yolks. Add the ice-cold water until the dough just comes together. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/gas mark 5). Lightly dust the work surface with flour.

Divide the pastry into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other, then roll out the larger piece until it is about 30cm in diameter. Use to line a 20cm pie dish or a 23cm flat plate, gently pressing into the corners. Trim the edges with a knife and reserve the excess for decorating. Place back in the fridge to chill while you prepare the apples.

Peel, core and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl with all but 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar. Add the cinnamon and cloves and mix together. Brush the edge of the pastry with a little milk and then pile the apples into the lined pie dish. Roll out the second piece of pastry into a circle slightly larger than the pie dish and use to cover the apples. Press the edges together to seal, then use a sharp knife to cut away any excess.

Crimp the edges of the tart with a round-bladed knife, using your fingers as a guide. If you wish roll out the pastry scraps and cut into leaf shapes. Brush the shapes with milk and stick on top of the pie. Brush the entire top of the pastry with milk and sprinkle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4) and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, to make the custard, place the egg yolks in a large bowl with the sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes, until pale and thickened.

Place the milk and cream in a medium pan and bring to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Gradually whisk the heated milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then pour back into the pan and place over a gently heat. Cook gently for 6-8 minutes on a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Keep warm.

Serving Suggestions

To serve, cut the warm apple tart into slices and arrange on warmed serving places with some of the custard. Pour the remaining custard into a jug and hand around separately.

http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes/desserts/pages/appletartwithcustard.aspx

September 28, 2026

.@nevenmaguire makes simply delicious Pad Thai @dunnesstores with Chef Yo.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7AAVU2MowW/?igsh=MWZsNXNwcW1vdHhrdA==

dunnesstores
We have partnered up with @sabarestaurantdublin to create our new @simplybetterds Thai Food range. Watch our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire learn how to make this delicious Phad Thai with Chef Yo. Find the full recipe below and shop the ingredients in your local @dunnesstores.

Phad Thai
Ingredients (Serves 2)
• 200g Rice Stick Noodles
• 6 Raw Tiger Prawns, shell removed
• 175g Simply Better Irish Corn Fed Chicken Breast Fillets, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp Simply Better Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil (for wok)
• 2 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbsp Simply Better Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil (for eggs)
• 80g Bean Sprouts
• 40g Spring Onions, diced 1cm
• 100g Simply Better Thai Phad Thai Wok Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Roasted Peanuts, crushed
• 1 Tsp Dried Crushed Chillies
• 20g Fried Shallots

Method:
1. Soak the noodles in cold water until soft, about 30 minutes, then rinse under cold water and keep to one side.
2. Bring a wok to a medium to high heat, add the oil, then the chicken and stir for 2 minutes before adding the prawns and stir for another minute.
3. Bring the chicken and prawn to one side of the wok. Add the remaining oil and the beaten eggs.
4. Stir quickly and mix the egg with the chicken and prawns.
5. Add the noodles, stir for 1 minute until the noodles start to soften.
6. Then add the sauce and stir well to cover the noodles.
7. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions. Toss them through quickly for just 30 seconds to make sure the vegetables remain crunchy.
8. Serve in warmed bowls with a sprinkle of the crushed peanuts, fried shallots and dried chillies.2d