This spicy chicken salad with mango salsa holds a lot of memories for me. It was how I got my break into television. Back in the mists of time when Open House was in the planning stages I was asked to come to Dublin for an audition. I remember well that it was recorded in the Late Late Show studio and this is the recipe I cooked. A while later, I got the good news that I had the job and that was the beginning of a weekly live slot on RTÉ’s Open House for six years. I cannot think of a better training ground. I loved every minute of it. Marty Whelan and Mary Kennedy and many of the team have remained great friends. I have been cooking this dish a lot, in lockdown, as it is a great family favourite. I love the mango, but you could try pineapple. This salsa is also delicious with prawns or crab.

The lemon meringue pie is a classic and for good reason: it is just so good. I remember cooking it with my mother, Vera, and also when I was in Fermanagh College learning to become a chef. You could use lime, or passion fruit, but sometimes it is best to stay with the tried and trusted. This short pastry has a lovely fragile feel to eat. It is a little bit more difficult to make but well worth the effort.

Happy cooking

Neven

Recipes

Spicy chicken salad with mango salsa

Serves four

4 slices of day-old white bread, crusts removed

2 tsp medium curry powder

2 tsp mild chilli powder

2 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

50g plain flour

2 eggs

2 tbsp milk

4 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into strips lengthways

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

100g mixed baby salad leaves

1–2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

balsamic cream, to serve

For the mango salsa:

1 ripe mango, peeled and finely diced (stone removed)

1 small roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and diced

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

  • 1 To make the mango salsa, place the mango in a bowl and stir in the roasted red pepper, lime rind and juice, sweet chilli sauce, oil, coriander and basil. Season to taste. Cover with cling film and set aside at room temperature until needed.
  • 2 Place the bread in a food processor or liquidiser and whizz to fine crumbs. With the motor still running, add the curry powder, chilli powder, sesame seeds and parsley and blend until just combined. Tip into a shallow dish and season well.
  • 3 Place the flour on a plate. Beat the eggs and milk together in another shallow dish. Toss the chicken strips in the flour until well coated, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture and coat in the flavoured breadcrumbs.
  • 4 Heat a deep-fat fryer to 160°C (325°F) or half-fill a deep-sided pan with vegetable oil. Cook the breaded chicken strips in batches for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
  • 5 Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
  • 6 Meanwhile, dress the salad leaves with the rapeseed oil and balsamic vinegar and season to taste.
  • 7 To serve, spoon a little balsamic cream into the middle of each warmed serving plate and add a mound of the spicy chicken. Spoon the mango salsa around the outside and put the dressed salad leaves on top.

    • Lemon meringue pie

    Serves six to eight

    For the pastry:

    175g plain flour, extra for dusting

    100g butter, chilled and diced, extra for greasing

    50g caster sugar

    pinch of salt

    1 egg yolk

    ½ tbsp cream

    For the filling:

    finely grated rind and juice of 3 lemons

    4 tbsp cornflour

    175g caster sugar

    50g butter, softened

    4 egg yolks

    Meringue:

    3 egg whites

    150g caster sugar

    whipped cream, to serve

  • 1 To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, sugar and salt into a food processor and blend for 20 seconds. Add the egg yolk and cream and blend again until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork or the pastry will be tough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
  • 2 Thinly roll out the pastry into a buttered 20cm (8in) fluted loose-bottomed flan tin that’s about 3cm (1 ¼in) deep. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork, then chill for 30 minutes.
  • 3 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
  • 4 Line the pastry case with tin foil or non-stick parchment paper and a thin layer of baking beans.
  • 5 Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Remove the pastry case from the oven and carefully remove the foil and beans, then return to the oven for 3-5 minutes, until lightly golden.
  • 6 Meanwhile, to make the filling, place the lemon rind and 400ml (14fl oz) of water in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Strain out and discard the lemon rind and then stir in the lemon juice. Blend the cornflour with a little of the lemon liquid to form a smooth paste, then add to the pan with the sugar and stir well.

  • 7 Bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until thickened.
  • 8 Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until combined. Leave to cool a little and then beat in the egg yolks. Return to a low heat and cook for another 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour into the pastry case and leave to cool completely.
  • 9 Once cool, make the meringue. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk into soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the sugar a spoonful at a time to make a stiff, glossy meringue. Spoon on top of the filling, spreading it out to make sure it makes a good seal with the pastry edge. Swirl the top of the meringue with the tip of a knife and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden and crisp on top. Leave to cool slightly and then carefully remove the tart from the tin and leave to cool for up to 2 hours – any longer and the meringue will start to weep.
  • 10 To serve, cut the lemon meringue pie into slices and arrange on serving plates with dollops of whipped cream.