Neven Maguire's Satay Vegetable Noodles

Recently I have been making an effort to eat more fresh vegetables and try to include much more colour into our meals, this definitely meets with both requirements. I've made this a lot recently and it comes in really handy when you have some unexpected dinner guests as it will divide out very easily. This is a quick and easy dinner that will have you licking you lips for more!!

Neven says:
Stir-frying is a traditional Chinese cooking method that's very easy to master. To check if the vegetables are cooked, pierce them with the tip of the knife - the vegetables should feel as soft as butter. We often make this for a staff dinner when we're looking for something speedy but tasty. Feel free to use different vegetables depending on what you have in your fridge. You could always add some cooked peeled prawns or diced cooked chicken if you're not looking for something vegetarian.

*This recipe has been taken from Neven Maguire's The MacNean Restaurant Cookbook  

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
275g Fine egg noodles (That's about 2¾ blocks of Blue Dragon Express Noodles )
1 tbsp Rapeseed oil
175g Baby corn, cut in half lengthways
100g Fine green beans, trimmed
100g Sugar snap peas
1 Large red pepper, cored and thinly sliced
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
400g Can coconut milk (sometimes I use low fat coconut milk)
100g Crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp Dark soy sauce
2 tbsp Sweet chilli sauce
1 tsp Light brown sugar
Juice of ½ lime
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh coriander, to garnish.

Method
Place the fine noodles in a pan of boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes, until tender, or according to the packet instructions.

Heat the wok until very hot.

Add the oil and swirl it around the edges, then tip in the baby corn, green beans, sugar snap peas, red pepper and garlic and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of water if the mixture is getting too dry.

Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli sauce and sugar, then squeeze in the lime juice. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes, until all of the ingredients are piping hot and the sauce has reduced a little.

Drain the noodles and fold into the satay vegetables until evenly combined  (I like to run a knife through the noodles a few times to cut them up, it makes it easier stir them through the vegetables and to serve them). Season to taste.

To serve, divide among warmed plates or bowls and scatter over the coriander (I prefer wedges of fresh lime instead).

Cook ahead:
The vegetables can be prepared and the other ingredients can be weighted out and left ready to cook to order up to 2 hours ahead.

Blueberry Frangipane Tart

 

I stocked up on fresh blueberries while out shopping a couple of months ago. They were on a multi-buy with 100% extra, too much to resist!! I immediately made a batch of Blueberry Muffins and froze the remainder. Freezing blueberries takes not but a moment, rinse under running water, weed out the mouldy ones. Place them on a couple of sheets of kitchen roll and dry thoroughly (important, otherwise they'll stick together while freezing), then place them in a single layer on a large plate or tray and freeze. When they are completely solid, tip them into a container or freezer bag, label and place back into the freezer until needed. I wouldn't keep them for more than 3 months though. As you can see above, I don't thaw the berries before using them in baking, anything to make life that bit easier and sweeter!!

This tart was inspired by Neven Maguire's Apple and Almond Tart.

Serves 8

Ingredients
344g Packet of ready rolled shortcrust pastry or All in one Shortcrust pastry
100g Butter or margarine (I used Stork from the tub)
100g Icing sugar, sifted
25g Plain flour
100g Ground almonds
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp Vanilla essence
200g Fresh or frozen blueberries
Icing Sugar for dusting

Method
Preheat oven to 190C (375F), Gas mark 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface (I roll my pastry until it is almost see through) and line a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed flan tin. Use a small ball of pastry to push the pastry right into the corners. For a more professional look, use the handle of a wooded spoon to push the pastry into the fluted edge of the tin. Trim and chill for 15 minutes to allow the pastry to rest.





Meanwhile to make filling, place the butter or margarine and the icing sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy, using an electric hand beater.





Beat in the flour and almonds and then gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla. Continue to beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Spread the frangipane filling in the pastry case and level out.





Lightly sprinkle the blueberries over the filling. Don't push them into the filling as they will sink while cooking (it will taste great either way)





Bake the tart for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through. The top should be firm in the centre and golden brown. Cool slightly in the tin on a wire rack, dust with icing sugar.





I like to serve this with pouring cream while it is still warm or with warm custard if it is served cold.





Related Reading:
Pick Your Own: How to Freeze Berries (with step by step photos)
Diet.ie: Health Benefits of Blueberries

Neven Maguire's Apple and Almond Tart

This beautiful dessert has replaced apple tart in our house, for the time being anyway, it is a fine replacement. Neven made this on his Home Chef series on RTE some time back, the whole series was full of beautiful recipes, this I made the next day. I am planning to make this with blueberries or raspberries next for a colourful summer tart. I usually serve this tart warm with soft Homemade No Churn Vanilla Ice-cream, and it's just delicious.

Neven says: The best way to arrange the apples in the tin is to start at the perimeter, in a pinwheel fashion, filling the middle after a full circle of slices is in place. It is important that they are tightly packed and pressed down gently into the filling or they are in danger of 'springing' during in the cooking process.

Serves 6

Ingredients
For the Pastry:
100g (4oz) butter, diced
175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
Pinch salt
50g (2oz) caster sugar
1 egg yolk
½ tbsp cream
For the Filling:150g (5oz) butter
100g (4oz) icing sugar, sifted
25g (1oz) plain flour
100g (4oz) ground almonds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out
Large pinch ground cinnamon
450g (1lb) cooking apples
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 tbsp apricot jam

To Serve:Softly whipped cream and caramel ice cream, to serve

Method
To make the pastry, place the butter in a food processor with the flour, salt and sugar and pulse until just blended. Add the egg yolk and cream and blend again briefly. Be careful not over work or the pastry will be tough. Cover with clingfilm and chill for one hour to rest. To make filling, place 100g (4oz) of the butter and the icing sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy, using an electric hand beater.

Beat in the flour and almonds and then gradually beat in the eggs, scraped out vanilla seeds and cinnamon. Continue to beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Preheat oven to 190C (375F), Gas mark 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed flan tin. Chill again for 15 minutes to allow the pastry to rest.

Peel the apples and cut into quarters to remove the cores, then cut into thin ( I recommend 8 wedges per apple, so that the apple wedge is right through each slice) wedges. Tip into a bowl and toss in the lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Spread the almond filling in the pastry case.

Carefully arrange the apple slices on top in a fan shape and then gently press the apples down into the filling. Dot with the remaining 25g (1oz) of the butter.

Bake the tart for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is cooked through and the apples are golden brown.
Remove from the flan tin and transfer to a plate. Melt the apricot jam in a small pan or in the microwave and brush over the tart.

To serve, cut the tart into wedges and serve warm or cold on serving plates with a good dollop of whipped cream and a scoop of caramel ice cream.

 

Neven Maguire's Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Salad

This healthy vegetable mix just jumped out of the television at me the other evening, I watched Nevin make it again on the RTE player because it looked so tasty. Now I will make this again in the summer but this time I served it with grilled fish and a poached egg on top, mainly because it's pretty cold out there at the moment and it went down a treat. In the summer I'm looking forward to having it as a warm salad.

Nevin says: The trick to roasting vegetables is not to overcrowd the roasting tin - it should be large enough so that the vegetables can be spread out in a thin layer. Ensure that you turn them every now and then during roasting so that they brown evenly.

Recipe complements of RTE Neven Maguire: Home Chef

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved and seeds scooped out
1 red pepper, core and seeds removed
1 courgette, topped and tailed
1 fennel bulb, first outer layer removed
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges through the root
3 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
400g (14oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
175g (6oz) feta cheese
25g (1oz) wild rocket

For the Cumin and Lemon Dressing:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method

Preheat the oven to 220C (425F), Gas mark 7.

Cut the butternut squash, red pepper, courgette and fennel into small chunky pieces and put into a large roasting tin with the red onion, oil and season to taste.

Toss together until evenly combined and then spread out in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus stalks in half cross ways and make the cumin and lemon dressing.

For the Cumin and Lemon Dressing:
Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat, add the cumin seeds and shake them around for a few seconds until lightly toasted. Tip into a pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Tip into a bowl, add the lemon juice and gradually whisk in the oil. Season to taste, stir in the coriander and set aside.

Add the asparagus to the roasting tin, turn everything over a few times and roast for another 20 minutes until all of the vegetables are just tender and slightly caramelised around the edges.

Shortly before the roasted vegetables are ready, drop the chickpeas into a small pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 3 minutes until heated through. Drain well.

Remove the vegetables from the oven. Quickly whisk the dressing again briefly, then mix into the roasted vegetables with the chickpeas. Season to taste.

Leave to cool a little, then arrange on plates and crumble over the feta cheese. Scatter the rocket leaves on top and serve with some red onion and rosemary focaccia.

 (I served the this with some grilled fresh salmon with a poached egg on top...delicious)