Kitchen Hero. Donal Skehan

Kitchen Hero

href="#fb3_img_img_37565a08-28a9-5629-965c-327a26bc28c7.jpg"/> In a large, shallow non-metallic dish, combine the garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and the oyster sauce. Add the chicken and toss until coated, then cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 6 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until soft. Drain and set aside.

Heat a wok or frying pan over a high heat, pour in the sunflower oil and swirl the pan to coat the sides. Add the chicken, including the marinade, and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes. Add the celery, carrot and spring onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the curry powder and toss through for a further 2 minutes.

Add the noodles, bean sprouts and sesame oil to the wok and, using kitchen tongs, toss everything together until well combined. Serve straightaway.

Chilli, Garlic and Lemon Mackerel

I have some amazing childhood memories of sunny, mackerel-filled summers with my grandad Do, out on his boat, my cousins and me racing to pull in the fishing rods with their heavy lines and a fish on each hook. My grandad would gut them and fillet them like the pro that he was, belly-laughing at the fact that we were all too squeamish to take them off the lines ourselves (and that still hasn‘t changed). For me, mackerel dishes should always be simple with really fresh flavours, so I love this quick and simple lunch which also has a great kick of heat thanks to the chilli.

SERVES 4

4 LARGE MACKEREL, GUTTED

OLIVE OIL, FOR DRIZZLING

2 LEMONS, CUT INTO SLICES

3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 RED CHILLI, FINELY CHOPPED

SMOKED SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

A SQUEEZE OF LEMON JUICE, TO SERVE

Preheat the grill to high or light a barbecue.

Place the mackerel on a plate, drizzle each one with olive oil inside and out then stuff with the lemon slices, garlic and chilli. Season with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.

Cook the mackerel under the hot grill for 4–5 minutes on each side or place in a fish basket and cook on the barbecue for the same amount of time.

Place the fish on a large serving dish, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and season with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Serve straightaway.

BAKED TERIYAKI SALMON

This is a perfect little dish for entertaining. I used to cook it in a frying pan, but came up with this much better method when I had a group of friends over for dinner and discovered that cooking the salmon in the oven makes it far easier to serve up in one piece. Make sure to use dark soy sauce here as it gives the salmon a great deep colour. It’s definitely best to marinate the fish for some time, but if you’re in a rush, just toss in the marinade and cook straightaway.

SERVES 6

2 TBSP DARK SOY SAUCE

1 TBSP CHINESE RICE WINE

1 TBSP HONEY

1 TBSP SOFT DARK BROWN SUGAR

JUICE OF 1 LIME

1 TSP SESAME OIL

1 LARGE RED CHILLI, FINELY CHOPPED

2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND MINCED

6 SKINLESS SALMON FILLETS

A HANDFUL OF SESAME SEEDS, TOASTED IN A DRY FRYING PAN (SEE PARTY FOOD & DRINKS)

6 SPRING ONIONS, THINLY SLICED

In a non-metallic high-sided dish, whisk the soy sauce, rice wine, honey, sugar, lime juice, sesame oil, chilli and garlic together until combined. Add the salmon and toss in the marinade to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour (if you have time).

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

Arrange the salmon in a roasting tray and pour over the remaining marinade. Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes until cooked through. Serve the salmon sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and spring onions sprinkled on top.

ASIAN PORK AND VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

Pork loin normally comes in a long vacuum-pack and is great to pick up from the supermarket when it’s on special offer and pop in the freezer until you need it. It’s a really handy cut of meat as it’s incredibly versatile and is quite easy to work with. Sometimes you may need to trim the fat off the sides, but don’t worry too much about it if you are pushed for time.

SERVES 4

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

1 RED CHILLI, DESEEDED AND FINELY CHOPPED

2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 PORK LOIN FILLET (ABOUT 500G/1LB 2OZ), VERY THINLY SLICED

2 TBSP DARK SOY SAUCE

1 TBSP OYSTER SAUCE

1 TBSP HONEY

1 TSP FISH SAUCE (NAM PLA)

JUICE OF ½ LIME

2 CARROTS, PEELED AND FINELY SLICED

3 RED PEPPERS, FINELY SLICED

150G (5OZ) SUGAR SNAP PEAS, SLICED ON THE DIAGONAL

6 SPRING ONIONS, CUT INTO FAT SLICES ON THE DIAGONAL

1–2 TBSP SUNFLOWER OIL

FRESHLY COOKED RICE OR NOODLES, TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

Divide the ginger, chilli and garlic evenly between two bowls.

Add the pork slices and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce to the first bowl, tossing to combine.

Add the oyster sauce, honey, fish sauce, lime juice and remaining soy sauce to the second bowl and whisk to combine. Add the carrots, peppers, sugar snap peas and spring onions, tossing in the dressing until thoroughly coated.

Heat a little sunflower oil in a large wok or frying pan over a high heat, add the pork and the marinade and fry for 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside.

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