2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra, if liked
500ml (18fl oz) boiling water
75g (3oz) rice flour
1 tbsp sumac, plus extra to garnish
150g (5oz) organic salmon fillets, pin-boned and skinned
75g (3oz) toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp flax seeds finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2 large handfuls of watercress
1 small pomegranate, halved and seeds removed (skin discarded)
lemon wedges, to garnish
HARISSA YOGHURT:
2 heaped tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
2 tsp harissa paste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Neven Says: “This is a super-healthy dish packed full of omega-3. Sumac is made from the dried berries of a flowering plant that are ground to produce an acidic, reddish- purple powder that is very popular in the Middle East.
Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and season well, then stir in 1 teaspoon of the oil. Pour over the boiling water, cover tightly with cling film and set aside.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Put the rice flour in a shallow dish with the sumac and season generously with salt and pepper. Dust the salmon in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Add to the heated oil in the frying pan and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden.
Meanwhile, fluff up the couscous with a fork, then fold in the pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds with the lemon rind. At the last moment, roughly chop the watercress and toss it through the couscous with the pomegranate seeds.
Mix the yoghurt and harissa together in a small bowl and season to taste. Cover with cling film and chill until needed.
Arrange the crispy salmon on plates and add an extra light sprinkling of sumac. Add a small mound of the couscous, then drizzle over a little extra olive oil, if liked. Garnish with lemon wedges and add a spoonful of the harissa yoghurt to serve.
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.
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
Nothing beats the flavour of homemade Christmas pudding, but it’s important to get good-quality fruit and it’s best made at least 1 month in advance.
I love plum pudding, hot or cold, with lashings of cream, but the spiked almond custard is even more special. I always look forward to it. A big thank you to Auntie Maureen for this recipe.
Ingredients
50g (2oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
225g (8oz) sultanas
175g (6oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
175g (6oz) light brown sugar
175g (6oz) raisins
50g (2oz) currants
50g (2oz) candied mixed peel
50g (2oz) blanched almonds, hopped
1/2 eating apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 small carrot, grated finely grated rind and juice of
1 lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml (1/2 pint) stout
fresh redcurrant sprigs, to decorate (optional)
icing sugar, to decorate (optional)
spiked almond custard, to serve
Method
Sift together the flour, mixed spice, cloves and nutmeg. Add the sultanas, melted butter, breadcrumbs, sugar, raisins, currants, mixed peel, almonds, apple, carrot and the lemon rind and juice and mix until well combined. Gradually add the beaten eggs, stirring constantly, followed by the stout. Mix everything together thoroughly and cover with a clean tea towel, then leave in a cool place overnight.
Use the fruit mixture to fill 2 x 1.2 litre (2 pint) greased pudding bowls. Cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper and tin foil, then tie tightly under the rim with string. Store in a cool, dry place overnight.
To cook, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2).
Stand each pudding basin in a large cake tin three-quarters full of boiling water, then cook in the oven for 6–8 hours (or you can steam them for 6 hours in the usual way). Cool and re-cover with clean greaseproof paper. Again, store in a cool, dry place.
On Christmas Day, re-cover with greaseproof paper and foil. Steam for 2–3 hours, until completely cooked through and tender. Decorate with the redcurrant sprigs and a light dusting of icing sugar, if liked.
To serve, cut the plum pudding into slices and arrange on serving plates. Have a separate jug of the spiked almond custard so that everyone can help themselves.
My brother, Kenneth, loves Asian food and he is in no doubt that he is far better than me at cooking it! I don’t disagree. He is proud of this chicken satay dish and often makes it for the family. This dipping sauce also works well with pork, prawns, beef strips or turkey. And remember, kids just love anything on sticks!
SERVES 4
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp clear honey
2 tsp medium curry powder
450g (1lb) skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into long strips
FOR THE PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD:
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
½ small cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light brown sugar
juice of ½ lime
1 x 160ml (5½fl oz) tin of coconut milk (Thai Gold, if possible)
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 To make the dipping sauce, place the peanut butter in a small pan and stir in the soy sauce, light brown sugar and lime juice. Gradually whisk in the coconut milk and heat gently until you have achieved a smooth sauce. Stir in the chilli and coriander, then leave to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
2 Soak 8 x 15cm (6in) bamboo skewers in a shallow dish of cold water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat a griddle pan until it’s smoking hot or light a barbecue.
3 Whisk together the soy sauce, honey and curry powder. Season with pepper and stir in the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate for 2 minutes, then thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked bamboo skewers and arrange on the barbecue. Cook the chicken skewers over medium-hot coals for 4–6 minutes, turning once or twice, until completely tender and cooked through. If using a griddle pan, reduce the heat to medium as soon as you’ve put the skewers on.
4 Meanwhile, to prepare the pickled cucumber salad, place the vinegar in a bowl and stir in the sugar and a good pinch of salt until both have dissolved. Tip in the cucumber, stirring to combine, and set aside to allow the flavours to develop. 5 To serve, arrange 2 chicken satay skewers on each warmed plate. Divide the dipping sauce among individual bowls and place to the side of the skewers. Add the pickled cucumber salad, leaving behind any excess liquid, to serve.
Butter Chicken
Swap your usual takeaway curry for this homemade chicken makhana, which combines marinated chicken with a rich, buttery sauce. This is an authentic Indian curry with its origins in Delhi, where it was first made to use up pieces of leftover tandoori chicken.
Serves 4–6
500g skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs
juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon
3 tbsp mild curry seasoning
4 tbsp natural yogurt
3 tbsp sunflower oil
30g butter
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red chilli, seeded
3cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
20g fresh coriander
400ml passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)
120ml cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Trim the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Put in a bowl and stir in half the lemon juice with a good pinch of salt. Add 2 tablespoons of the curry seasoning, the yogurt and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mix to combine, then season generously with pepper. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days in the fridge.
Heat the rest of the oil and a knob of the butter in a wok or skillet over a high heat, and quickly sear the marinated chicken in batches until golden brown, transferring with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl as you go. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 4–5 minutes until they start to caramelise.
Tip in the garlic, chilli and ginger, then add another knob of the butter and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Chop the stalks from the coriander and add them to the pan with the rest of the curry seasoning and another knob of the butter. Toast for a few minutes until very fragrant. Pour the passata into the pan and bring to a simmer, then add the cream and the rest of the lemon juice.
Transfer to a blender and blend until you have a very smooth sauce. Return to the pan and add the chicken with any juices and reheat gently for about 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Season to taste, then fold in the lemon rind with the rest of the butter and the coriander leaves, reserving a few sprigs to garnish. Transfer to bowls and garnish with the coriander sprigs.
SERVE WITH … This mild and creamy curry is sure to please all tastes. Make some Homemade Flatbreads, perhaps brushing them with a little melted butter and sprinkling with black onion seeds. A bowl of Pilau Rice completes the meal, alongside some spiced mango chutney, mint raita and lime pickle.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra, if liked
500ml (18fl oz) boiling water
75g (3oz) rice flour
1 tbsp sumac, plus extra to garnish
150g (5oz) organic salmon fillets, pin-boned and skinned
75g (3oz) toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp flax seeds finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2 large handfuls of watercress
1 small pomegranate, halved and seeds removed (skin discarded)
lemon wedges, to garnish
HARISSA YOGHURT:
2 heaped tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
2 tsp harissa paste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Neven Says: “This is a super-healthy dish packed full of omega-3. Sumac is made from the dried berries of a flowering plant that are ground to produce an acidic, reddish- purple powder that is very popular in the Middle East.
Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and season well, then stir in 1 teaspoon of the oil. Pour over the boiling water, cover tightly with cling film and set aside.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Put the rice flour in a shallow dish with the sumac and season generously with salt and pepper. Dust the salmon in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Add to the heated oil in the frying pan and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden.
Meanwhile, fluff up the couscous with a fork, then fold in the pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds with the lemon rind. At the last moment, roughly chop the watercress and toss it through the couscous with the pomegranate seeds.
Mix the yoghurt and harissa together in a small bowl and season to taste. Cover with cling film and chill until needed.
Arrange the crispy salmon on plates and add an extra light sprinkling of sumac. Add a small mound of the couscous, then drizzle over a little extra olive oil, if liked. Garnish with lemon wedges and add a spoonful of the harissa yoghurt to serve.
Casseroles are simply the easiest meals to prepare. First you do all your peeling, slicing and sautéing, then you pop everything into a large pot with a lid and leave it in the oven or on the hob for a couple of hours. In the meantime, you can go for a walk, watch a movie or mow the lawn, then later on, you can settle down to a hearty, warming feast.
SERVES 6–8
50g (2oz) butter
900g (2lb) venison haunch, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
50g (2oz) plain flour
2 tbsp paprika
300ml (½ pint) red wine
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
about 1.2 litres (2 pints) beef or chicken stock
450g (1lb) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 x 400g (14oz) tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
2 Heat the butter in a large, flameproof casserole with a lid over a medium heat. Season the venison and add to the dish. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the flour and paprika and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring to combine. Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble down, stirring constantly. Mix in the redcurrant jelly with enough stock to just cover the meat.
3 Bring the casserole to the boil, then season to taste. Cover with a lid and put in the oven for 1 hour. After this time, remove from the oven to add the sweet potatoes and butter beans, then continue cooking in the oven for another hour, until the venison and sweet potatoes are tender.
4 Spoon into warmed bowls and garnish with the parsley to serve.
Stuffed beef rolls with red wine sauce
This recipe uses a good-value cut that isn’t as popular as it should be. It’s perfect comfort food for all the family on a chilly winter evening. It does take time, though, because it needs slow cooking to get as much flavour as possible and to become very tender so that when these stuffed beef rolls are finished cooking, you will be able to eat them with a spoon.
SERVES 4
4 x 100g (4oz) slices of lean topside of beef
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery sticks, diced
600ml (1 pint) beef stock
250ml (9fl oz) red wine
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 fresh thyme sprigs, plus extra sprigs to garnish
1 bay leaf
creamy mashed potatoes, to serve (optional)
FOR THE STUFFING:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 parsnips, finely grated
pinch of mild curry powder
3 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
2 First make the stuffing. Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the onion and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add the grated parsnips and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 20 minutes, until the parsnips are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, then season to taste. Spread the stuffing in an even layer over the beef slices and roll them up to enclose, securing them with a cocktail stick.
3 To prepare the casserole, heat the oil in a casserole over a high heat and sear the beef parcels until brown all over. Remove to a plate and set aside. Next, sauté the onion, carrots and celery for a few minutes, until they are just catching colour. Add the beef stock, wine, tomato purée, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and bring slowly to the boil. Return the beef to the casserole, then cover and cook in the oven for 1–1½ hours, until the beef rolls are meltingly tender. Season to taste.
4 To serve, remove the cocktail sticks from the beef parcels and cut them into slices. Arrange on warmed plates and pour over the sauce. Garnish with the thyme and add a dollop of mashed potatoes to each one to serve if liked.
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.
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
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.
Foodaware 