Home Cooked

INTRODUCTION

There is nothing I love more than a good home-cooked meal. For me, the atmosphere and sentiment goes beyond anything you could have eating out and the idea of sharing food with family and friends is what home cooking is all about.

This book is a collection of 100 tasty and achievable recipes, which I hope are going to encourage people to get into the kitchen and get cooking. The recipes I love to write are ones that I just know will be used time and time again, and in this book I’ve combined family favourites with new and exciting recipes, which I’m so excited to add to my collection.

Inspiration for the recipes I write come mainly from my travels in Ireland and abroad. I always carry a notebook with me to write down any new and exciting ingredients I might come across or memorable meals that I just have to share. Recipes like Crusty Croque Madam from my summers in Paris and my Griddled Beef & Mint Salad from a recent trip to Vietnam are great weekday meals and they are both exciting and easy to prepare.

Every good home cook knows there are many different types of meals that have to fit into busy lifestyles and so the recipes in this book are broken up into chapters based around the different types of meals that I like to cook throughout the year.

From everyday dinners like Maple Pork Chops with Griddled Baby Gem Lettuce or Chilli & Lemongrass Chicken for snappy weekday meals, to food to share with friends like my Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa and Mexican Fish Tacos and, of course, big dinners like Roast Beef with Salsa Verde and Sticky Pork with Crackling & an Apple & Ginger Sauce for those family Sunday lunches with all the trimmings. Cooking at home is a great way to stay healthy with the right sort of dishes and in my fast and healthy chapter, I’ve put together some of my favourite healthy dishes, which certainly aren’t lacking on the flavour front. Lime & Coconut Chicken, Blackened Salmon with Green Goddess Avocado Salad and Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Romesco Sauce certainly won’t leave you hungry.

For colder darker days there is a whole chapter on comfort food that is filled with the type of recipes that will bring some warmth when you need it most. Braised Shoulder of Lamb, Three-cheese Lasagne, Howth Head Seafood Chowder and Boeuf Bourginon tick all the boxes.

Weekends are covered, too, and there are lots of recipe ideas for lazy Saturday and Sunday mornings when breakfast becomes brunch. Caramelised Banana Pancakes, Eggs Benedict and Brioche French Toast with Berries & Chocolate – what a way to wake up!

When I was growing up, my favourite recipes to make were sweet, so I couldn’t write a book without satisfying my sweet tooth and I’ve included two delectably delicious chapters full of desserts, sweet treats and baking recipes. Classics like the my Profiterole Mountain dripping with chocolate sauce and a super sweet Lemon Meringue Pie oozing with lemon curd sit quite happily beside my childhood favourites, which I’ve given a bit of a makeover to, like my Mikado Coconut Cream Cake and Salted Caramel Biscuits.

I hope that this book provides you with lots of inspiration for cooking at home and that you will be reaching for it again and again, splattered, dog-eared and full of wonderful food memories.

Happy Cooking!

EVERYDAY DINNER

Maple Pork Chops with Griddled Baby Gem Lettuce Chilli & Lemongrass Chicken Prosciutto-wrapped Cheesy Chicken with Wild Mushroom Sauce Chilli & Tomato Crab Pasta Thai Rice Noodle Salad Braised Crispy Chicken Thighs with Spring Onions, Baby Gem & Peas Beer Batter Fish with Pea Mash & Rosti Potato Cakes Sole Meunière Flavour Bomb Salad Spicy Seafood Paella Pasta alla Norma

MAPLE PORK CHOPS WITH GRIDDLED BABY GEM LETTUCE

Sweet maple syrup, tangy vinegar and salty soy sauce with a kick of freshness from coriander really make for an extra special pork chop in this recipe. I particularly love serving them with griddled Baby Gem lettuce (a trick I picked up in America), which turns this humble salad green into something smoky, meaty and fresh.

SERVES 4

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for brushing

4 large pork loin chops on the bone, 2.5cm thick

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

4 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp light soy sauce

4 tbsp apple juice

4 Baby Gem lettuce, cut in half lengthways

Large handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish

5 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas Mark 5.

Melt the butter with the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. Pat the pork chops dry with a little kitchen paper and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the chops to the pan and brown on both sides.

When the meat has a good colour, add the onion and fry for about 30 seconds. Then pour in the vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce and apple juice and heat until the sauce is bubbling. Baste the meat well with the sauce and then place the pan in the oven on the middle shelf and cook for 10 minutes.

While the pork chops are cooking, place a large griddle pan over a high heat and brush the lettuce halves all over with a little of the oil, and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Place the lettuce halves onto the griddle and cook for about 2 minutes on either side until they have nice deep char marks but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the chops are cooked, transfer to a warmed plate and reduce the sauce over a medium heat for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Add the coriander and stir through, then add the chops and the Baby Gem and coat generously in the sauce.

Serve the chops on warmed plates with the charred Baby Gem and scatter with spring onions and a little extra coriander.

CHILLI & LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

This is a wonderfully fragrant dish that is very easy to prepare. I use chicken thighs here as they have more flavour, but you can easily use chicken breasts instead. The paste made for the sauce can also be used with beef or pork.

SERVES 2

2 lemongrass stalks, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)

350g chicken thigh meat, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tbsp curry powder

100ml chicken stock

1 tbsp caster sugar

Small handful of mint, basil and coriander leaves, to garnish

In a bowl, combine the lemongrass, chilli, garlic and fish sauce. Place the chicken meat into another bowl and add half the lemongrass mix, reserving the rest. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok or a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the reserved lemongrass mixture, then add the curry powder and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Then add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until the pieces have a nice colour on all sides.

Pour the chicken stock into the pan and stir in the sugar. Simmer for a few minutes until the stock has reduced and you are left with a thick sauce. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with the herbs.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHEESY CHICKEN WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

This is a warm and comforting supper that doesn’t take too much time to prepare. You can serve it with either steamed rice or a simply dressed salad, but the two key components are the crisp prosciutto-wrapped chicken oozing with cheese and rich and creamy mushroom sauce. You won’t be able to say no!

SERVES 4

100g Gruyère cheese, finely grated

100g frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed of excess liquid and finely chopped

4 chicken breasts

8 slices of prosciutto

1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE MUSHROOM SAUCE

50g dried mushrooms

200ml chicken stock

1 tbsp butter

1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

100g mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

75ml white wine

125ml single cream

Sea salt and ground black pepper

Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. For the mushroom sauce, soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl with the chicken stock.

To stuff the chicken, mix together the grated cheese and chopped spinach in a bowl. Lay the chicken breasts on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, slice horizontally to create a pocket. Stuff each pocket with the cheese and spinach mix. Wrap two slices of prosciutto around each chicken breast.

Heat the oil in a a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the chicken breasts and fry all over until they are crisp and golden. Transfer the breasts to a roasting tin and cook on the middle shelf in the oven for about 10 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the mushroom sauce. Add the butter to the pan and place it back on a medium heat. Fry the onion and fresh mushrooms for about 6 minutes until tender. Then add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Pour in the soaked dried mushrooms together with the chicken stock and add the white wine. Bring the sauce to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Sprinkle the cooked chicken breast with parsley and serve with the mushroom sauce and some rice, pasta or salad leaves.

CHILLI & TOMATO CRAB PASTA

I love taking one ingredient and really making it the star of the dish. In this recipe, crab hits the big time! Paired with the heat of chilli and the freshness of lemon juice and zest, it makes a pretty incredible pasta dish. You can buy crab meat quite easily nowadays and for a speedy supper it does save you the hassle of buying a crab, cooking it and then tearing out its insides. Hey, I’m all for shortcuts if you can take them!

SERVES 4

Sea salt

300g spaghetti or linguine

3 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

2 × 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

75ml white wine

150g cooked white crab meat

3 tbsp single cream

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 heaped tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish

Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Bring a large pot of water to the boil over a high heat. Season with salt and pop in the pasta. Cook as instructed on the packet until al dente and then drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a steady simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and then stir through the crab meat, cream, lemon zest and juice and capers. Allow the sauce to bubble away for 2–3 minutes and then tumble in the pasta.

Mix through until the pasta is coated and serve in generous mounds on warmed plates, garnishing with the parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

THAI RICE NOODLE SALAD

Anyone who has ever travelled to Thailand will remember the wonderful balance of flavours from sweet to salty and spicy to smoky. I like to think this salad captures all this. There are so many wonderful textures and flavours from the roasted nuts, fresh crunchiness from the vegetables and then super sweet heat from the chilli and ginger dressing. This makes a really exciting midweek dinner.

SERVES 4

250g rice vermicelli noodles

3 Baby Gem lettuce, leaves separated

2 large carrots, peeled and finely sliced

½ cucumber, peeled lengthways into ribbons

6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

60g salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Large handful of coriander leaves

Large handful of mint leaves

Large handful of basil leaves

FOR THE CHILLI AND GINGER DRESSING

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water according to the packet’s instructions until they are tender. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and set aside.

For the dressing, whisk together the lime juice and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl until it has dissolved. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli and ginger and mix through. Then add the noodles, vegetables, peanuts and fresh herbs. Toss to combine and then serve.

BRAISED CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SPRING ONIONS, BABY GEM & PEAS

True comfort food in a matter of minutes; that’s what this dish is all about. Crispy chicken in a white wine sauce with wonderful braised greens and a pop of zesty citrus freshness, it really doesn’t get better than that for a speedy midweek supper.

SERVES 4

1 tbsp olive oil

100g smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped

6–8 boneless chicken thighs with skin on

1 tbsp butter

Grated zest of 1 lemon

75ml white wine

A few thyme sprigs

50ml chicken stock

200g frozen peas

6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced in half

4 Baby Gem lettuce, sliced in half

Heat the oil in a large high-sided frying pan over a high heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp. Then add the chicken thighs and fry on each side until they are also golden and crisp. Add the butter and allow it to foam, then stir in the lemon zest and fry it in the butter.

Pour in the wine and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds before adding the thyme sprigs and chicken stock. Add the peas to the liquid and then nuzzle in the spring onions and Baby Gem lettuce. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve straight away as it is or with a little rice to stretch the meal.

BEER BATTER FISH WITH PEA MASH & ROSTI POTATO CAKES