Kitchen Hero. Donal Skehan

Kitchen Hero

To prepare each chicken, place the bird breast side down and, using a sharp knife or scissors, cut along either side of the back bone to remove it. Open the bird out, flip it breast side up and, using your fist, push down hard on the breast to break the bone. Thread a skewer diagonally through the bird from the leg to the breast and repeat on the other side. Using the sharp knife, score the bird on the legs and breasts then repeat the whole process for the second chicken. Place the chickens in a large roasting tray.

Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a mortar or food processor and pound with a pestle or blitz in the machine until you have a rough paste. Spread the paste over the chickens until they are completely covered. Cover with foil and allow to marinate in the fridge for 30–60 minutes.

Light a barbecue or preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6 if the weather is not up to cooking outdoors.

Place the birds on the barbecue over a medium heat and cook breast side up for 25–30 minutes. Turn the birds over and cook for a further 15–20 minutes until the chickens are cooked through. If you find the meat is blackening too much, move to the edge of the barbecue or place the chickens on some foil until they are cooked through. Alternatively, oven roast the chickens for 50–60 minutes until cooked through.

CAJUN CHICKEN AND AVOCADO WRAPS

This little recipe makes a regular last-minute lunch for me.

SERVES 2

2 SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS, THINLY SLICED

1 TBSP CAJUN SEASONING

1 TBSP SUNFLOWER OIL

4 WHOLEMEAL TORTILLA WRAPS

2 TBSP CRÈME FRAÎCHE

A HANDFUL OF MIXED SALAD LEAVES

1 LARGE AVOCADO, PEELED, STONED AND CUT IN THICK SLICES

Toss the chicken in the Cajun seasoning.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken for 3–4 minutes until tender, sizzling and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Assemble each wrap with a dollop of crème fraîche, some salad leaves, a few slices of avocado and a little Cajun chicken, then wrap, roll and ROCK!

STICKY MARMALADE ROAST CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

This marinade also works well with duck or even a whole roasted chicken. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

SERVES 4

2 TBSP MARMALADE

1 TBSP WHITE WINE VINEGAR

1 TBSP WHOLEGRAIN MUSTARD

1 TBSP OLIVE OIL

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

10 CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS, WITH SKIN ON

QUICK BULGUR WHEAT, TO SERVE (SEE MEALS IN MINUTES)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

Put the marmalade, vinegar, mustard, oil and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a large roasting tray and whisk to combine. Add the chicken drumsticks to the tray and toss until the chicken is completely covered in the sauce.

Roast in the oven for 40 minutes until the chicken drumsticks are cooked through, basting halfway through the cooking time.

When cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and place on a plate with any leftover sticky juices spooned over. Serve with the bulgur wheat.

Simple Pasta Carbonara

My previous carbonara recipe had an ingredients list that included onions, garlic and crème fraîche. However, my eyes have now been opened. This recipe is so much closer to what a true Italian would cook, and the good news is that it’s also much easier. It makes a really quick little supper.

SERVES 4

400G (14OZ) SPAGHETTI

1 TBSP OLIVE OIL

225G (8OZ) PANCETTA OR BACON BITS

50G (2OZ) PARMESAN CHEESE, GRATED

4 EGG YOLKS

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan according to the instructions on the packet.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the pancetta and fry for 2–3 minutes until crisp. If the pancetta is quite fatty, you won’t need the oil, as it will release its own fat.

Drain the spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the saucepan and, while it is still steaming hot, add the Parmesan cheese, egg yolks and cooked pancetta and season with salt and black pepper. Quickly stir everything together to give a creamy coating to the pasta.

Serve straightaway, as the pasta can become a bit stodgy if left in the pan for too long. All the more reason to get it out of the pan and into your belly!

HEALTHY SINGAPORE NOODLES

Singapore noodles are a standard Chinese-restaurant dish, but making them at home is so easy. It also means you can monitor what’s going into them, adding whatever healthy vegetables you feel like. The addition of curry powder not only brings a new flavour, but it also coats the noodles and gives a great texture to every bite.

SERVES 2

3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 THUMB-SIZED PIECE OF FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED AND GRATED

2 TBSP SOY SAUCE

1 TBSP OYSTER SAUCE

2 SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS, SLICED INTO THIN STRIPS

100G (3½OZ) RICE VERMICELLI NOODLES

2 TBSP SUNFLOWER OIL

2 CELERY STICKS, FINELY SLICED

1 CARROT, PEELED AND FINELY SLICED

4 SPRING ONIONS, THINLY SLICED

1 TBSP ASIAN CURRY POWDER

A GOOD HANDFUL OF BEAN SPROUTS

1 TSP SESAME OIL, TO TASTE

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