Did you know that oats are so versatile and that they can be used to create delicious breakfasts as well as flavourful dinners? This month, why not challenge yourself to create one savoury oat-based recipe like our Mushroom Oatsotto Porridge?
Follow our recipe below and let us know how you get on!
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Difficulty Level: Medium
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable stock over medium heat until simmering, then reduce heat to low and keep covered.
2. Meanwhile, melt 100g of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat before adding the shallot and salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
3. Add all the mushrooms, garlic and thyme and cook (stirring frequently) until mushrooms are deeply browned, stirring frequently. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add the Flahavan’s Organic Jumbo and Organic Porridge Oats then cook for a minute while stirring. Add 2 ladles of hot stock and cook, stirring until oats have absorbed almost all of the liquid. Continue adding stock, 1 ladle at a time, and stirring until absorbed (approx. 20 minutes)
5. While this is cooking toast the extra handful of jumbo oats in the oven for approx. 10 mins until golden then set aside.
6. If needed, add some water to the risotto until all oats are tender. Once tender, turn off the heat.
7. To finish, stir in the 100g parmesan cheese and the remaining butter. Serve in warm bowls and top with the parsley, toasted oats and extra Parmesan if desired. #OatsForDinner #Versatility
I never tire of a bowl of steaming hot stew. It’s the attention to detail that makes this dish one of the world’s great classics. This is my version that I have developed over the years. It’s a meal in itself, but for a special celebration, try serving it buffet style with bowls of turnip mash, colcannon and maybe even some glazed parsnips and carrots and watch your guests’ faces light up!
SERVES 6–8
900g (2lb) boneless lamb neck or shoulder, trimmed and cut into cubes
900ml (1½ pints) lamb or chicken stock
50g (2oz) pearl barley, washed
225g (8oz) potatoes, cut into chunks
225g (8oz) carrots, thickly sliced
225g (8oz) leeks, well trimmed and
thickly sliced
225g (8oz) pearl onions, peeled
100g (4oz) rindless piece of smoked
bacon, diced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley,
to garnish
turnip mash with crispy bacon and onion, to serve (optional)
colcannon, to serve
1 Place the boneless lamb pieces in a large heavy-based pan or flameproof casserole and pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then skim off any scum from the surface and then stir in
the barley. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 50 minutes, until slightly reduced and the lamb is almost tender.
2 Add the potatoes to the lamb with the carrots, leeks, pearl onions, smoked bacon and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes, until the lamb and vegetables are completely tender but still holding their shape. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3 Put the stew straight onto the table and scatter over the parsley. Serve dishes of the turnip mash with crispy bacon and onion and colcannon alongside and allow everyone to help themselves.
Oatmeal, Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies
This recipe was given to me by Mary Flahavan. I like it so much that we now make it up in batches and keep them in Kilner jars in our rooms for guests in case they’re feeling a bit peckish after a long journey but don’t want to ruin their dinner.
275g (10oz) Flahavan’s
Progress Oatlets
225g (8oz) butter, at room
temperature
150g (5oz) caster sugar
100g (4oz) plain flour, plus a little
extra for dusting
½ tsp baking soda
100g (4oz) dried cranberries,
roughly chopped
100g (4oz) white chocolate,
finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Blend the oatlets in a food processor until quite fine. Add the butter, sugar, flour and baking soda and blend again until the dough just comes together.
Tip into a bowl and beat in the cranberries and white chocolate. Shape into 12 even-sized balls and arrange on the lined baking sheets well spaced apart, then squash them down with the palm of your hand to about a 4cm (1 ½in) thickness. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until they are a pale golden colour and soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool and harden on the sheets for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for a few minutes before tucking in with a nice cup of tea.
This way of cooking fish is perceived as being rather old fashioned, but if you have a really fresh fish, it can be fabulous and quite contemporary in its simplicity. Hake, cod, ling and mackerel are all delicious cooked in this way. The relish served here is classic, and when properly prepared, it will remind you why herbs, butter and lemon will always have a place at the table when fresh fish is being served.
Serves 4
4 x 120- 150g pieces of your fish of choice
2 tablespoons of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper optional
25 g butter at room temperature
salt and pepper
4 wedges of lemon
Herb Relish
50g butter
2 tablespoons of very finely chopped herbs such as parsley, chives, fennel and a few thyme leaves
black pepper
To cook the fish, place the grill pan on a medium heat and allow to become quite hot. You don’t want it smoking madly, but should see a light haze, almost like vapour, arising from the pan. Dry the fish fillets with paper towel and dip in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. You can skip this flouring stage if you wish. With a knife, lightly butter the flesh side of the fish fillets. Place the fish, buttered sides down on the hot grill. The fish should sizzle immediately it hits the pan, if it doesn’t, the pan wasn’t hot enough and you need to crank up the heat immediately. If you have difficulty determining if the pan is hot enough, take one of the pieces of fish and holding it above the pan, just place a corner of the buttered side onto the grill. If it sizzles, it is fine to proceed, if it doesn’t then allow the pan to get hotter. Let the fish cook, still on a high heat until the fish is well coloured. There should be a bit of smoke coming from the pan, but not great clouds of it, so adjust the heat accordingly. Lift the fish at one corner to check if it is golden and getting crisp. When you are confident this stage has been reached, turn the heat down a little and with the help of a fish or egg slice, turn the fish over on to the skin side. Let it continue to cook until the skin is crispy and the fish is cooked through. You will know the fish is cooked when the flesh appears to be white and creamy in colour and no longer looks translucent.
While the fish is cooking, melt the butter for the relish. Allow the butter to cool a little before stirring in the chopped herbs.
Remove the cooked fish to hot serving plates, placing them with the golden flesh side up. Place a wedge of lemon on each plate and drizzle the herb relish over.
If you wish garnish with a spring of parsley and serve immediately.
You need to make these Christmas Cheesy Potato Stacks from @babyledfeeding 🤤 They are so good and also perfectly safe and soft enough for little babies doing baby led weaning.
Makes 24 Mini Potato Stacks Prep 15 mins Cook time 30 mins
1 kg baby potatoes 2 cloves garlic 125ml (1/2 cup) fresh cream Small handful grated gruyere cheese (plus an extra 3 tbsp) Small handful grated mozzarella 3-4 sprigs thyme leaves finely chopped Small bunch parsley leaves finely chopped 1 tsp onion powder
To serve Extra finely chopped herbs Black pepper to season
Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Thinly slice the potatoes and set aside.
Add the remaining ingredients to a bowl, leaving aside 3 tbsp of the gruyere cheese. Stir well, then add in the sliced potatoes and stir until they are fully coated. You may have to use your hands to separate the slices.
Stack the potatoes into a mini muffin tin until they are packed to the top.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and, top with a little sprinkle of the extra cheese. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly as this keeps the potato slices together.
Serve with a extra herbs and a sprinkle of fresh pepper.
Neven Maguire’s mushroom & leek strudel with madeira wine sauce
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
For the strudel
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
225g mixed wild mushrooms roughly chopped
1 small leek, washed and finely sliced
2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp Madeira Wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
4-5 sheets filo pastry, thawed if frozen (about 100g/4oz in total)
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves, to serve
For the madeira wine sauce
700ml beef stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
3 tbsp Madeira Wine
3 tbsp cream
Method
For the strudel
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ gas mark 5.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook over a medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until almost tender.
Reduce the heat, add the cream and Madeira to the pan and cook for another minute.
Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté for another minute until the spring onions are just tender and the liquid has almost completely reduced.
Allow to cool completely.
Unroll the sheets of filo pastry and place them all, one on top of the other, on a work surface.
Brush the top sheet of pastry with beaten egg and then spread over the mushroom mixture to within 4cm (1½in) of the edges.
Fold the short ends inwards a little to meet the mushroom mixture and then, starting with a long edge, roll up the pastry fairly tightly like you would a Swiss roll, keeping the mushrooms in place as you roll.
Place the strudel seam-side down on the parchment paper and brush it all over with the remaining beaten egg.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before carefully placing on a chopping board.
Cut the strudel into thick slices and arrange on warmed plates. Drizzle some sauce beside it and serve with some mixed salad leaves.
For the madeira wine sauce
Heat a heavy based saucepan, add the Madeira Wine and reduce by half.
Gradually whisk in the beef stock until smooth, followed by the tomato purée.
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Whisk in the cream, bring to the boil, season to taste and thicken with some diluted cornflower.
A sticky Greek cake that tastes a little like the much more complicated Greek dessert Baklava
Thanks to Angela for this simple cake recipe that kids just love.
Ingredients
1 cup of plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of orange zest
3/4 cup of butter
3/4 cup of white sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup of Haughton Honey
1 cup of white sugar
3/4 cup of water
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 175c/350F. Grease and lightly flour a 9″ square cake tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set this to one side.
In a large bowl mix together the butter and the sugar with a whisk until light and fluffy. Then blend in the eggs one at a time. Gently blend in the flour mixture prepared earlier with the milk and stir in the walnuts.
Pour the batter in to the prepared tin. Place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes and then cut the cake into diamond shapes before pouring the honey syrup over. Decorate with lemon zest if you wish.
To make the honey syrup combine the honey, 1 cup of white sugar and 3/4 cup of water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Keep warm before pouring on to the cake.
Notes for the cook: if you have a fan-assisted oven then reduce the specified temperature in the recipe by about 15% ~ 1 teaspoon = 5ml and 1 tablespoon = 15ml ~ some ingredients are measured in cups and some equivalents are; 150g, 6oz (1/2 cup) = 120ml, 4fl oz
No Friday would be complete without a seriously delicious pizza. Check out how easy these gorgeous pizzas are to re-create at home (using our very own Progress Oatlets), and you’ll be making your own Italian fakeaways every Friday night. Ciao! #FlahavansOats
Serves 2 pizza bases|Takes 15 mins
Ingredients: For the Pizza Bases: 85g Progress Oats 1 large egg white ½ tsp salt Optional – 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1tbsp grated parmesan or 1tsp nutritional yeast For the tomato topping: 400g tin chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 1 tsp honey 1 tsp sea salt flakes Couple of grinds of black pepper
Method: For the Pizza Bases: Pre-heat the oven 200C Combine the oats, egg white, salt and season in a high-speed blender and blitz for 2 minutes until completely blended. Heat a small heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Add one tsp of vegetable oil. Spread half the oat mixture over the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the mixture firms up. Move the oat base onto a lined baking sheet and spread over the toppings and bake for 5 minutes until the pizza is cooked through
For the tomato topping:
Drain the tinned tomatoes through a sieve over a bowl, pressing with the back of a ladle until about most of the juice has drained. Tip the sieved tomatoes into a bowl and stir in the tomato purée, herbs, sugar and plenty of salt and pepper. Pour the tomato mix into a high-speed blender and blitz for 1 minute.
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.
To serve: Basmati rice, cooked 1 red chilli, sliced (optional) 1 spring onion, sliced (optional)
Method Marinate the salmon fillets for 10 minutes before cooking. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add in the oil. Once hot, brush most of the marinade from the salmon and cook skin side down on the pan for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and pour the remaining teriyaki sauce into the pan and cook for 2 minutes on a low heat. Meanwhile, steam or boil the broccoli until al dente. Serve the salmon on a bed of basmati rice along with the broccoli and avocado. Drizzle over with remaining sauce and garnish with chilli slices and spring onion.4d
This recipe for Bangers & Cheesy Mash from our Simply Better brand ambassador @nevenmaguire is the perfect comfort food. Find the full recipe below:
Bangers & Cheesy Mash with Caramelised Red Onion Gravy Ingredients (Serves 4) 2 Packs Simply Better Irish Pork Spring Onion & Black Pepper Sausages 2 Tubs Simply Better Irish Made Beef Gravy 3 Tbsp. Simply Better Handmade Caramelised Red Onion Relish 1 Tbsp. Simply Better Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tbsp. Simply Better Italian Balsamic Vinegar Steamed Greens, to serve Cheesy Mash 100g Simply Better West Cork Co-Op Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar, grated 750g Rooster Potatoes, cut into chunks 75g Butter Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Place the sausages on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle with the olive oil and cook in the oven for 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking to ensure they are golden brown on all sides. 2. To make the mash, put the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot over a low heat for 1-2 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. Remove the pot from the heat, then mash with a potato masher or pass through a potato ricer until smooth. Beat in the cheese and butter and season to taste. 3. To make the gravy, heat the gravy in a saucepan over a medium heat, whisk in the caramelised red onion relish and balsamic vinegar and simmer for 2-3 minutes. 4. To serve, place a large spoonful of mash in the centre of a plate or serving bowl. Top with 3 of the roasted sausages and pour over the onion gravy. Serve with some of the steamed greens.
Foodaware 