Kitchen Hero - Donal Skehan

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      FROZEN PUFF PASTRY

      FROZEN PEAS

      BAKING INGREDIENTS

      FLOUR: PLAIN AND SELF-RAISING

      CORNFLOUR

      ACTIVE DRIED YEAST

      BAKING POWDER

      GOLDEN SYRUP

      TREACLE

      VANILLA EXTRACT

      BUTTER

      SUGAR: SOFT BROWN, DEMERARA, ICING, CASTER AND GRANULATED

      COCOA POWDER

      CHOCOLATE: DARK, MILK, WHITE AND CHIPS

      CONDENSED MILK

      JUMBO OAT FLAKES

      ASIAN COOKING INGREDIENTS

      SESAME OIL

      RICE WINE

      SOY SAUCE

      FISH SAUCE (NAM PLA)

      TERIYAKI SAUCE

      OYSTER SAUCE

      THAI SWEET CHILLI SAUCE

      STAR ANISE

      SZECHWAN PEPPERCORNS

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      Herbs in Pots

      Growing herbs at home means you will always have a good supply to add to your recipes when you need them. Herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme are hardy enough to keep you going throughout the year. Oregano, basil and mint tend to prefer the spring and summer months.

      I’m often left with an overload of herbs, so rather than let them die during the winter, I like to find different ways to use them. You can dry thyme and oregano by cutting large bunches, shaking to remove any dirt or bugs and tying with a piece of string. Put in a warm, dry place and allow to dry out over a week, before popping in glass jars. To use, scrunch the bunches over tomato sauces or into salad dressings for a great aromatic kick. A tip for softer herbs like basil is to finely chop and mix with some good-quality olive oil, then pour the mixture into ice trays and pop in the freezer. You can stir these little herby cubes into sauces or I often defrost them and spread them over bread dough, along with a good sprinkling of sea salt, before baking it in the oven.

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      Essential Kitchen Equipment

      In terms of equipment, some things are worth spending money on, because they will last for lengthy periods of time. Good-quality knives and decent pots and pans are most definitely worth investing in. I have a serious addiction to beautiful wooden chopping boards and, if recent studies are to be believed, they are actually the most hygienic boards to use in the kitchen, beating marble and plastic hands down.

      So here’s my list of essential kitchen equipment. It is fairly substantial, but think about how you want to cook, then go through the list and see what applies to you. I’ve included the basics but obviously the list will grow as you start cooking.

      3 REALLY GOOD SHARP KNIVES (BIG, SMALL AND BREAD)

      2 LIGHT WOODEN CHOPPING BOARDS

      COLANDER (HANDY FOR DRAINING PASTA, WASHING VEGGIES, ETC.)

      SALAD SPINNER

      1 REALLY BIG SAUCEPAN OR POT

      2 GREAT NON-STICK FRYING PANS

      2 LARGE BAKING TRAYS

      2 SPRING-FORM CAKE TINS

      2 MUFFIN/CUPCAKE/BUN TRAYS

      2 LOAF TINS

      2 LARGE ROASTING TRAYS

      SIEVE

      LADLE

      BOX GRATER

      MICROPLANE GRATER

      PEELER

      CAN OPENER

      POTATO MASHER

      2 LARGE PYREX DISHES

      MIXING BOWLS

      WOODEN SPOONS

      MEASURING SPOONS

      WEIGHING SCALES

      1 LARGE WHISK

      1 SMALL WHISK

      SPATULA

      TONGS

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      Everyone’s been there: you come in the front door after a long day and the last thing you want to do is start cooking. Well, here are some great options for quick dishes that, with a bit of forward planning, will have you fed in as little time as it takes to put your feet up. I’m know I’m repeating myself, but eating really well usually comes down to having a well-stocked store cupboard and a little preparation goes a very long way. You must know that feeling of peering hopelessly into an empty cupboard, searching desperately for a solution for dinner. What you need in those situations is some pre-marinated meat, which you already took out of the freezer that morning and left to defrost while you were at work, or else a big batch of pre-cooked rice or pasta, or even just some leftovers. All of these can be transformed into tasty dinners and can mean the difference between a good home-cooked meal or ending up with a Chinese takeaway! Getting excited about food and cooking will mean that you’re way more likely to bother preparing great meals and hopefully you will find yourself thinking ‘What’s for dinner?’ long before dinner time finally sneaks up on you.

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      VODKA PENNE

      For this recipe I need to thank the fantastic Lorraine Fanneran, who runs the equally fantastic and award-winning La Cucina in Limerick with her Italian husband, Bruno. She is an expert at delicious little pasta dishes and this one definitely proves that. Parents, don’t worry: the alcohol burns off in the cooking, and anyway, the kids will be mightily impressed that you’re giving them vodka. Lorraine suggests 4 tablespoons of vodka (plus a few in a glass for yourself depending on how bad your day has been!).

      SERVES 4

      350G (12OZ) PENNE

      25G (1OZ) BUTTER

      125G (4½OZ) PANCETTA OR BACON BITS, OR 2 SLICES COOKED HAM, CHOPPED

      4 TBSP VODKA

      200ML (7FL OZ) DOUBLE CREAM

      3 TBSP TOMATO PURÉE

      A SMALL HANDFUL OF FRESH FLAT LEAF PARSLEY, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

      SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

      FRESHLY GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE, TO SERVE

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

      image Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the pancetta and fry for 3–5 minutes until golden. Add the vodka and allow to simmer for a minute before adding the cream, tomato purée and parsley. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

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