Neven Maguire: let's get the (food) party started

It’s that time of year and you can feel the excitement in the air – we are right into the build-up to Christmas now, and both of the recipes I have on offer today are perfect for festive gatherings or dinner parties. At this stage, part one of my Christmas special Neven’s Christmas at Cashel on RTÉ1 has aired, and I hope you enjoyed watching it. I have received so many lovely comments, so thank you to everyone who sent on their kind words.

One of my favourite things about the work I do is the diversity of it all. While the restaurant is at the centre of everything, every week is different. I meet new people, try new things and get to travel and celebrate the best parts of our brilliant Irish food scene. This past week, we welcomed a class of business students to Blacklion from Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Sligo. Originally, this campus was known as Sligo IT, but it has joined forces with campuses in Galway and Donegal to form this new technological university.

This group of students were so engaged; asking lots of interesting questions and you could tell they were very in tune with their studies.

They were particularly interested in the ups and downs of the business over the course of its lifetime – which is now 35 years. It certainly hasn’t been all plain sailing! After their visit to MacNean, they spent the afternoon in Drumshambo, Co Leitrim at The Shed Distillery where Drumshambo Gin is made. I was really impressed by these students and their enthusiasm for their course. Who knows? Some of them may end up working within the food and hospitality industry.

If you have ever travelled to Spain or Portugal, you might have enjoyed Gambas Pil Pil. These sizzling garlic and chilli prawns are my take on that classic Iberian dish. I often cook these at home and serve them with freshly steamed rice. The key here – and with any seafood-forward dish – is to use the freshest available. I always use either Dublin Bay prawns or wild Atlantic prawns. Sometimes, I add some chorizo which gives some nice fat, flavour and a gentle spiciness that I just love. Chorizo and prawns go really well together; the sweetness of the prawns balances out the spicy chorizo perfectly.

One of the most popular items in my Cook range with Dunnes Stores is, interestingly, the garlic crusher. I like how easy it is to use and wash. I use it often for dishes like this one, where the garlic is an important flavour but you don’t want it in big chunks. The other key ingredient? A good dollop of Irish butter.

Food allergies

In the restaurant, we are often asked about dietary requirements. Most guests will let us know in advance if they have any special restrictions or additional needs, and we are always happy to oblige. It is always handy to have a vegetarian recipe on hand for the festive season.

This recipe for spiced cauliflower bites is from my new cookbook, Eat Out at Home. They are a vegetarian take on the American classic: Buffalo chicken wings. These gently spiced morsels are universally enjoyed by everyone, vegetarian or not, because they are so delicious. My sister, Suzanne, made these recently and loved them. She lives not too far from the restaurant and – like all of our family – has worked at MacNean from time to time. Suzanne is a fantastic cook and is also great in the front of house. When she says a recipe is a good one, I believe her.

The bites strike a good balance of crispiness, tenderness and spiciness. The ranch dressing is non-negotiable – it really helps with the spice levels in the sauce and is the ideal complement to the dish. Be sure to give these tasty bites a try over the festive season (they are an ideal snack for those lazy days between Christmas and New Year’s).

Ingredients: Serves 4

1kg raw peeled prawns, thawed if frozen

100ml olive oil

50g butter

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped

Juice of ½ lemon, plus extra wedges to serve

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 sourdough baguette, cut into slices, to serve

Method

1 Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper and warm some tapas style dishes in the oven. Heat a large heavy-based sauté pan until smoking hot.

2 Add the oil and butter and, when it starts to foam, carefully add the prawns and season them generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the prawns turn pink and start to curl.

3 Just before serving, toss the garlic and chilli over the prawns to coat. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and scatter over the parsley.

4 Give the pan a final toss, then spoon the mixture into the warmed tapas dishes.

5 Serve with lemon wedges and plenty of sourdough bread to mop up all those succulent juices.

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic granules

100g plain flour

200ml kefir or buttermilk

6 tbsp hot chilli sauce

2 tbsp maple syrup

25g butter

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

Shop-bought buttermilk ranch dressing

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2 Break the cauliflower into even-sized florets, trimming them down as necessary.

3 Mix the paprika, cumin, garlic and flour in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre and whisk in the kefir or buttermilk.

4 Tip the cauliflower into the batter and toss to coat. Spread the battered cauliflower florets on to the parchment-lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until the florets begin to crisp at the edges.

5 To make the sauce, heat the hot chilli sauce, maple syrup and butter in a small pan over a low heat. Bring to a simmer, stir to ensure the sauce is well-combined and then remove from the heat.

6 Brush the warm sauce generously all over the cauliflower bites and return to the oven for another 8–10 minutes until sizzling and nicely charred on the edges.

7 Serve with the buttermilk ranch on the side for dipping.

Read more

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Neven Maguire: mid-week meal solutions