Cook With Donal

DONAL SKEHAN’S GNOCCHI AL LIMONE

Ingredients

Serves: 4
Time: 15 minutes, plus ingredient prepping

extra virgin olive oil
25g butter
3 lemons, zest and juice
300ml double cream
200g pecorino cheese, grated
400g gnocchi, store bought
1 clove of garlic
Large handful of basil
Large handful of mint

Method

  1. Start by adding the butter to a large saucepan. Whilst the butter melts, zest your lemons.
  3. Add the cream to the butter along with all of the lemon zest and a pinch of salt and bring everything to a very low simmer.
  5. Get a pot on to the boil for your gnocchi, season with salt and when the water is boiling, add the gnocchi and cook according to the packet instructions, adding the peas for the last couple of minutes of the cooking time.
  7. For the basil and mint oil, chop the basil and mint coarsely on a chopping board and then add to a bowl. Finely chop the garlic clove with a little bit of sea salt and add to the bowl with the herbs. Stir through a good glug of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  9. Add a little of the pasta water to the thickened lemon cream along with about three quarters of the pecorino cheese and a good pinch of black pepper. Drain the gnocchi and peas and add them to the pan as well then slowly begin to stir everything together.
  11. Serve in bowls, topped with the basil and mint oil and the remaining pecorino.

DONAL’S SPICY PRAWN TACOS

Ingredients

Serves: 4
Time: 25 minutes

Green jalapeno hot sauce, optional
400g chilli marinated prawns
1 small pineapple
2 avocados
Large handful of coriander, plus extra leaves to serve
Juice and zest of 1 lime
12 corn tacos
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by removing the skin and any eyes from the pineapple then cut the pineapple around the core. Cut the pieces into 1 inch ‘fingers’ and into inch long pieces. Drizzle over a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper, rubbing the seasoning into the pineapple to coat.
  3. Place a griddle pan over a high heat and when hot add the pineapple, turning occasionally until charred.
  5. Blitz, peel and de-stone the avocados and place into a mini food processor with half of the coriander, some salt and the lime juice. Blitz until smooth then set aside.
  7. Back to the pineapple, remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
  9. Toast the tacos in a pan and keep warm in a tea towel
  10. Then, place a pan over a high heat and add a drizzle of oil.
  12. Add the lime zest to the prawns along with some salt and pepper and any remaining juice that you can squeeze out of the lime. Stir everything to combine then place the prawns into the hot pan, drizzling with hot sauce if using, and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely charred and cooked through.
  14. Dice the pineapple pieces into small pieces and place into a bowl with the remaining coriander and some salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  16. Serve prawns, pineapple and guac with the tacos and dig in.

DONAL’S BRAISED ONE PAN LAMB WITH BABY GEM, MINT & PEAS

Ingredients

Serves: 4
Time: 25 minutes


  • 4 boneless lamb leg steaks, about 600g
  • 2 tbsps butter
  • 2 heads baby gem
  • 200g frozen peas
  • 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans
  • Handful of fresh mint
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Zest of a lemon, optional

Method

  1. Place a large frying pan that has a lid onto a medium-high heat. Season the lamb and fry for 1 min each side, then continue to cook for 2 more mins on each side.
  3. Whilst the lamb is cooking, quarter your baby gem through the root
  5. Now, remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the same pan, along with the peas
  7. Meanwhile, roughly chop your mint leaves
  9. Now, add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil before adding in the drained cannellini beans. Stir in half of your chopped mint and allow everything to bubble rapidly for about 5 minutes.
  11. Add the little gem on top of the liquid and place the lamb steaks back into the pan then add a lid to your pot and allow everything to warm through for about 3 minutes.
  13. Finally, remove the lamb from the pan and serve everything else into bowls. Thinly slice the lamb and serve on top of the braise with some extra mint scattered on top, a good glug of olive oil and some lemon zest if you have it.

MARTHA’S ONE PAN ASSASSINS PASTA

Ingredients

Serves: 2
Time: 15 minutes

75g ‘nduja
Pinch chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 small onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
200g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 red chilli
200g bucatini or spaghetti
50g butter
100g baby spinach
Extra virgin olive oil
A small handful of basil leaves
1 ball mozzarella, torn, to serve
Sea salt and ground black pepper

Method

  1. Add a little oil to a sauté pan and place over a medium heat. Add the ‘nduja and let it melt into the oil.
  3. Add, the chilli flakes and tomato purée and cook everything, stirring, for about 3-4 minutes to really caramelise the tomato purée.
  5. Turn the heat down on your pan, and finely slice your onion and garlic.
  7. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and stir through, allowing everything to soften, for about 5 minutes.
  9. Now, slice the cherry tomatoes and add to the pot then slice the red chilli and add to the pot as well.
  11. Cook for a few minutes, to allow the cherry tomatoes to begin to break down then add the pasta and 600ml of boiling water.
  13. Stir, the pasta occasionally, to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan and allow the pasta to soak up all the liquid – cooking until the pasta is al dente and adding more hot water if you feel the pasta is getting a little dry.
  15. Add the butter and spinach to the pot and stir to wilt the spinach.
  17. Serve the pasta in bowls, topped with torn mozzarella, a few basil leaves, a good glug of extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper.

DONAL’S REALLY GOOD PAD THAI

Ingredients

Serves: 2
Time: 25 minutes

Garnishes and condiments for serving: chilli flakes and roasted peanuts
120g flat rice noodles
3 spring onions
1 red chilli
4 cloves garlic
Zest and juice of 1 lime, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
35g light brown sugar
50ml vegetable oil
10 raw tiger prawns
2 eggs
120g bean sprouts

Method

  1. Pour boiling water over the rice noodles and set aside in a bowl whilst you assemble the rest of the dish – the key to a good Pad Thai is preparation!
  3. Now, add the spring onion greens to a pestle and mortar along with the chilli, garlic and lime zest and pound until a rough paste forms. Add the tamarind paste and mix through.
  5. For the sauce, add the lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar to a bowl and mix together until the sugar has dissolved.
  7. Slice the white bit of the spring onions thinly and set aside. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and drain your noodles.
  9. You should now be set up for success!
  10. Place a wok over a medium-high heat and add a glug of oil and add the pounded paste. Fry off for a few minutes then add in the prawns and cook for 3- 4 minutes until the prawns are mostly cooked through and are turning golden.
  12. Add half of the sliced spring onions and most of the beansprouts and toss to combine.
  14. Add the noodles and lime juice mixture and stir, then move the noodles to one side and pour in the egg. Allow to cook for a few seconds then begin to stir the egg into the stir fry, incorporating until cooked through.
  16. Serve immediately onto plates with the remaining spring onions and beansprouts, some chilli flakes and peanuts and a few extra lime wedges.

DONAL’S ROMAN CHICKEN WITH SALSA VERDE

Ingredients

Serves: 4
Time: 1 hour

8 tbsp really good extra virgin olive oil
8 – 10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
2 sprigs rosemary
2 red peppers
1 yellow pepper
2 cloves garlic
125ml dry white wine
1 tsp dried oregano
100g mixed Italian olives, pitted
50g capers
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
Handful of flat leaf parsley
300g pasta
For the salsa verde
1 clove garlic
2 handfuls of fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 handful of fresh basil
1 handful of fresh mint
4 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method

  1. First, add a good glug of oil into a large ovenproof sauté pan and place over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs, seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the rosemary sprigs and cook over a medium heat until browned on both sides.
  3. Meanwhile, as the chicken cooks, remove the stems and seeds from the peppers, then cut into chunky strips and finely slice the garlic
  5. Back to the pan, remove the chicken from the pan and add the peppers. Stir quickly then add the garlic and deglaze with a little of the white wine to help remove all the lovely, tasty bits from the bottom of the pan.
  7. Add the oregano, olives, capers and tinned tomatoes, along with a splash of water. Add the chicken and any juices back to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 15 – 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  9. Whilst the chicken cooks, make the salsa verde. Peel the garlic and pick the herb leaves, then place into a pestle and mortar and crush until you form a paste. Add the anchovies and crush again. Add the mustard and vinegar, then slowly stir in the oil until you achieve the right consistency. Alternatively you can chop all the ingredients, except the oil together on a board. Add to a bowl and drizzle in the oil to finish.
  11. Balance the flavours with black pepper, a bit of sea salt and maybe a little more vinegar.
  13. Now, the chicken is ready when it is completely tender and the meat comes away from the bone easily.
  14. Serve the chicken and salsa verde together and dig in.

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