Cook With Donal
Merry Me Chicken
Ingredients
Serves: 4
Prep Time Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
8 x Dunnes Stores boneless, skinless chicken thighs 100g Dunnes Stores Baking at Home plain flour
3 tbsp Dunnes Stores extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp Dunnes Stores butter
2 sprigs Dunnes Stores fresh rosemary, leaves picked
½ tsp dried oregano
1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
Pinch chilli flakes
400ml chicken stock
100g cream cheese
120g Dunnes Stores semi dried tomatoes
Small handful basil leaves, roughly torn
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
400g Dunnes Stores fresh egg tagliatelle
Small handful basil leaves
50g Dunnes Stores Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Method
1. Season the chicken thighs generously. Add the flour with some seasoning to a shallow bowl and coat the chicken thighs, shaking off any excess. Set aside on a plate.
2. Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole pan over a medium high heat. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the chicken thighs. Cook until golden on one side for about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, add the butter and rosemary and cook on the other side until golden for a further 5 minutes, basting with the butter. You may need to cook in batches, using more oil. Set aside on a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the oregano, tomato purée and chilli flakes. Bring the heat back up to medium, add the stock, and return the chicken and juices to the pan. Place the lid on the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every so often so it doesn’t stick, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
4. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions then drain and put back into the pan you cooked it in to keep warm.
5. After 20 minutes add the cream cheese to the sauce and stir through, until it thickens slightly. Add the semi-dried tomatoes, basil leaves and season with salt & pepper. Remove from the heat and stir a couple of spoonfuls into the pasta to coat.
6. Divide the pasta between bowls. Top with the chicken and garnish with a little extra torn basil and some grated parmesan.
Linguine Amatriciana
Ingredients
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
1 tbsp Dunnes Stores Extra Virgin Olive oil
100g Dunnes Stores Italian guanciale, cut into lardons
1 clove garlic, skin on
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
50ml white wine
1 x 400g tin Dunnes Stores plum tomatoes
225g Dunnes Stores Italian linguine
25g Dunnes Stores pecorino or parmesan, grated
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Start by taking off the top layer of skin from the guanciale. Cut it into nice thick pieces and place in a warm, dry frying pan to crisp up and render all the fat.
2. Add the whole clove of garlic and sauté until lightly browned, then remove and discard.
3. Once the guanciale is crispy, remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the chilli flakes and continue cooking for two minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked but al dente, about 10 minutes.
6. In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes with your hands or a fork and add to the sauce bringing to a simmer. Check for seasoning and add salt, pepper if needed.
7. Add some of the guanciale back into the pan and hold back the rest to serve over the top.
8. Using tongs, transfer pasta to the sauce. Cook over a high heat, stirring until the sauce has thickened and coated the pasta.
9. Remove from the heat, add cheese and stir to coat. Season to taste.
10. Serve in a large pasta bowl, topped with remaining guanciale and cheese.
Limoncello Cake
Ingredients
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes, plus cooling
For the cake:
200g Dunnes Stores Baking at Home ground almonds
3 x Dunnes Stores large free range eggs
225g Dunnes Stores butter, softened
3 x Dunnes Stores large free range eggs
200g Dunnes Stores Baking at Home ground almonds
100g polenta
1 heaped tsp Dunnes Stores Baking at Home baking powder
6 tbsp limoncello
Grated zest of 2 large lemons
For the syrup:
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp limoncello
To serve:
Icing sugar
Dunnes Stores crème fraîche
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4 and grease a 20cm springform tin, then line the base and sides with baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until the mixture is light and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder and fold through. Add a pinch of salt, the limoncello and two-thirds of the lemon zest and fold with a spatula until just combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, levelling the top. Place the tin on the middle shelf of the oven to bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside in the tin.
5. Prepare the syrup by placing all the ingredients in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bringing to a steady simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Pierce holes all over the cake with a wooden skewer while it is cooling and pour the syrup, a little at a time, allowing it to soak into the cake. Leave it to cool completely.
6. Remove from the tin and place onto a serving plate. Dust generously with icing sugar and decorate with the remaining lemon zest. Cut into slices and serve with a little crème fraîche.
Slow Cooked Beef Ragu
Ingredients
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours in oven or 6-10 hours, depending on slow cooker settings
Serves: 8
4 tbsp Dunnes Stores Extra Virgin Olive oil
1.5kg braising steak (Bavette, beef shin or cheek is especially delicious), cut into large pieces
2 tbsp Dunnes Stores Baking at Home plain flour
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 garlic cloves, peeled
250ml white wine
2 x 400g tins Dunnes Stores chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Dunnes Stores tomato purée
2 bay leaves
3 Dunnes Store fresh thyme sprigs
25g Dunnes Stores butter
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
400g Dunnes Stores dried pappardelle
50g finely grated Dunnes Stores Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 120°C (110°C fan / 250°F / Gas Mark ¼) or set up a slow cooker.
2. Heat half the oil in a large shallow casserole over a medium–high heat while you season the beef well and dust it in the four. Shake off any excess and add the beef to the casserole in batches, browning it on all sides. Remove from the casserole with a slotted spoon and set aside (in the slow cooker, if using).
3. Add the remaining oil to the casserole and fry the onion, carrot and celery for 5–6 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and white wine. Bubble for 2–3 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Return the meat to the pan.
4. Cover and cook in the oven for 6 hours. If using a slow cooker, add the mixture and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. Either way, add a splash of water or chicken stock if it starts to look too dry.
5. When the cooking time is almost up, cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 8–10 minutes or until al dente, then drain.
6. When cooked the beef should be lovely and tender and give when you push it with the back of a spoon. Season well and shred the meat with two forks to create a ragu. Place a few spoonfuls into a wide pan, add the butter and warm through gently. Stir the pasta and half of the grated parmesan through to evenly coat.
7. Serve the ragu on top of the pasta, scattered with the remaining parmesan.
Pollo Alla Romana
Ingredients
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
3 tbsp Dunnes Stores Extra Virgin Olive oil
100g Dunnes Stores pancetta, chopped
1.5kg Dunnes Stores Free Range Irish chicken, jointed in 8 pieces
1.5kg Dunnes Stores Free Range Irish chicken, jointed in 8 pieces
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
75ml dry white wine
4 small Dunnes Stores green peppers, cut into a large dice
1 x 400g tin Dunnes Stores plum tomatoes
250ml chicken stock
1 tbsp capers
To Serve
Handful roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
Dunnes Stores Organic Sourdough bread
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
1. Place a large wide casserole over a medium high heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the pancetta for a few minutes until sizzling and the fat has rendered out. Remove to a plate, leaving the oil behind.
2. Season the chicken thoroughly and add to the pan, skin side down first, and cook until it begins to brown all over (if you don’t have a wide pan do this in two batches in order to get the colour). Remove and set aside.
3. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the garlic to sizzle. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, scraping the sticky bits from the base of the pan.
4. Add the peppers and fry for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and capers. Stir, season to taste and bring to the boil. Return the reserved lardons and chicken pieces to the pan, immersing them in the sauce.
5. Reduce the heat slightly, partially cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Pork Saltimbocca Rolls with Artichokes
Ingredients
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
8 x 2 cm Dunnes Stores Irish Pork fillet medallions
8 slices Dunnes Stores Prosciutto Di San Daniele
100g Dunnes Stores Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped into small pieces
13 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Dunnes Stores Baking at Home plain flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons Dunnes Stores Extra Virgin Olive oil
60 grams Dunnes Stores butter, cold, cubed
1 garlic clove, lightly smashed
200ml dry white wine
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
8 jarred artichoke hearts in oil, drained well and patted dry
For the Salad:
3 tablespoons Dunnes Stores Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
100g mixed salad leaves
Small handful Dunnes Stores Parmigiano Reggiano shavings
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Lay the pork medallions, cut side up and spread apart on a large sheet of parchment paper. Lay another sheet of paper on top and gently bash with a meat hammer or rolling pin until the pork is about ½ cm in thickness. Top each slice with a slice of prosciutto and sprinkle over a little chopped parmesan and rosemary.
2. Starting from a short end, roll each one up tightly and secure each with a cocktail stick threaded through the seam. Repeat until all of the pork is rolled up.
3. Place the flour in a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper then turn the pork roll lightly through the flour, tapping off the excess as you go – too much flour and your sauce goes gluey.
4. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a wide heavy based pan over medium-high heat. Add the roll seam-side down. Sear undisturbed for about 2 minutes per side until deeply golden all over, then transfer to a plate.
5. Add the butter to the pan along with the lightly smashed garlic clove and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds. Then add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the golden sticky bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce for a few minutes then add the rolls back into the pan, along with the stock. Leave to simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
6. Cut the artichokes into quarters and stir into the sauce. Leave to simmer for a few more minutes to warm through.
7. Meanwhile, to make the salad dressing, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice in a medium serving bowl with salt and pepper until thickened. Add the salad leaves and parmesan shavings and toss gently together to dress.
8. The pork should be just cooked through and tender. Remove to a serving plate and remove the cocktail sticks. Pour the sauce and artichokes over and garnish with a little chopped parsley. Serve at once with the salad.
Rhubarb & Orange Panna Cotta
Ingredients
Serves: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus set time
For the panna cotta:
1 litre Dunnes Stores single cream
80g Dunnes Stores Baking at Home caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
10g gelatin leaves (individual leaves vary in weight so check packet for info)
For the roasted rhubarb:
500g Dunnes Stores rhubarb, get forced/indoor rhubarb if you can
2 oranges
3 Dunnes Stores whole star anise
1.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, thinly sliced
3 tbsp Dunnes Stories Organic honey
60g Dunnes Stores Baking at Home caster sugar
Method
1. Place the cream, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over a medium–high heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, place the gelatin sheets in a Pyrex or glass dish and cover with a little water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes until the gelatin has softened. Remove the softened gelatin from the liquid and squeeze out any excess.
3. Remove the vanilla pod from the warmed cream, then add the softened gelatin and stir through until dissolved. Divide the mixture amongst six individual pudding moulds, cover with cling film, tap gently to get rid of any air bubbles and place in the fridge to set for a few hours.
4. To prepare the rhubarb, heat the oven to 150°C then trim and cut across on the diagonal into 1cm pieces. Put into a ceramic baking dish that will take the amount in a single layer snugly. Peel the zest from the oranges on top and squeeze over the juice. Add the star anise and ginger, tucking them in so that they can give the maximum flavour. Add the honey and sugar on top. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven but leave the foil in place for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
5. To remove the panna cotta from the moulds, fill a bowl with warm water and dip them in. The heat will loosen the puddings slightly and allow them to be inverted onto serving plates. Serve each panna cotta with a few tablespoons of the roasted rhubarb and syrup, decorating with a twist of orange zest on top.
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