tempting food

Molly Malone would probably have tutted at the addition of cider to this recipe but, apart from that, it’s a pretty authentic coddle. Even the ingredients were bought on Moore St, you can’t get more Dublin than that!

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) of pork sausages, left whole
• 225g (½lb) smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
• 3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 6 good-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 500ml chicken stock
• 200ml cider
• handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• knob of butter

Serves 6

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pan. Stir in the leeks, turn down the heat and put the lid back on. Sweat gently for 10 mins or so, until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside
2. Lightly brown the bacon, remove and set aside with the leeks. Next throw in the sausages and fry for a couple of minutes to give them some colour. You don’t want them to go too brown, in fact most recipes boil them from raw. But I think they taste and look a bit better when they’ve been briefly fried
3. Add back in the leek and bacon, along with the potatoes, cider and enough stock to reach halfway up coddle. Depending on your saucepan you might need a little more or less
4. Simmer gently for around 45 mins, or until the potatoes are cooked but still holding their shape. Stir through some parsley to serve

Armadillo Roasties!

It’s not something I’d make very often, but macaroni cheese is such great comfort food and a brilliant way of using up any random bits of cheese leftover from Christmas. Served in a small ramekin with a side of salad, there’s also less calories than you’d imagine. Each portion is only around 400 kcals. No excuse to say no now :)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (~230g) dried macaroni
• 60g butter
• 150g grated or crumbled cheese (hard, semi-hard, blue or a mix)
• 50g grated parmesan, or other hard cheese
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 600ml low-fat milk (just to pretend you’re being healthy)
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Serves 4-6

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. In the meantime, cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside
2. Make a roux by melting the butter over a low heat in a medium-sized pan. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour to make a paste (The flour will cook in the residual heat without burning). Add in a little milk and whisk until smooth. Put it back on a medium heat and gradually whisk in the rest of the milk. Bring the the boil, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Add a little more milk if necessary. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Season generously with black pepper and nutmeg.
3. Tip in the macaroni and mix it all together. Spoon into a small casserole dish or 6 individual ramekins. Top with remaining parmesan and grill for 5 mins, until golden and bubbling. Leave to cool for a further 5 mins before sprinkling with a little cayenne. Serve with a green salad

It’s not a very summery dish but, given the weather this June Bank Holiday weekend, I was craving something spicy and comforting!

Ingredients

• 250g of paneer, cubed
• ¼ head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 cups of frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 tin of whole plum tomatoes
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 5cm ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 3 mild green chillies, chopped
• 100g crème fraiche
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp red chilli powder

Serves 4

Directions

1. Soak the paneer in hot salted water for 20 mins or so, while you prepare the rest of the curry.
2. Blend the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies in a food processor to form a paste. Fry in a little ghee or oil until beginning to colour
3. Add the cumin, chilli powder and turmeric. Fry for a minute or two before adding the tomatoes and caulfllower florets. Simmer gently until the cauliflower is almost cooked, but still has a bit of bite
4. Drain the paneer and fry in a seperate pan until golden brown. Add to the rest of the curry along with the crème fraiche and peas. Season to taste
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, and stir through the garam masala before serving