Colcannon Soup with Parsley Pesto

Serves six

This soup reinterprets the Irish classic, colcannon – a dish that is made of mashed potatoes and kale or cabbage. You could add some pulled pork or pancetta if you like.

Ingredients:

  • 50g butter

  • 300g potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed

  • ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

  • 800ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

  • 400g cabbage, sliced

  • 200ml single cream

  • Sea salt and ground black pepper

    • For the parsley pesto:

  • 110g fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 150ml extra virgin olive oil

  • 25g pine kernels, toasted

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    • Method:

  • Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic and nutmeg. Stir, cover and reduce the heat. Leave to sweat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Add the stock and bring the heat up to high. Let the onion and potatoes cook in the stock until completely soft, then add the cabbage, which will take only five minutes to cook.

  • While the cabbage is cooking, place all the ingredients for the parsley pesto in a food processor and blend until you have a smooth consistency. Set aside.

  • When the cabbage has wilted, stir in the cream, then pour the soup into a blender and whiz to a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Return to the pan to warm through, if required.

  • To serve, pour the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with a generous drizzle of parsley pesto.

    • Crispy Chicken with a Creamy Irish Whiskey & Wild Mushroom Sauce

    Serves four

    We serve this dish in my restaurant in Dublin, Clodagh’s Kitchen, during the winter months – it’s akin to a big, warm hug in your tummy. The sweet sharpness of the whiskey cuts through the cream and the wild earthy mushrooms. Serve with creamed potatoes.

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 20g butter

  • 2 garlic cloves, whole

  • 4 supreme chicken fillets, skin on

  • Creamed potatoes, to serve

  • Sea salt and ground black pepper

    • For the sauce:

  • 50g butter

  • 2 shallots, finely chopped

  • 300g wild mushrooms

  • 100ml Irish whiskey

  • 300ml single cream

  • 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon

    • Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark four. Heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof frying or griddle pan over a medium heat.

  • Add the garlic cloves and place the chicken fillets skin-side down in the frying pan. Season with salt and pepper. Leave the chicken to crisp for two minutes, then turn over and repeat on the other side.

  • Next, place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes. The garlic cloves will add a slight flavour to the chicken.

  • While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the shallots and wild mushrooms and cook for three minutes, stirring all the time. Pour in the whiskey and turn up the heat. Leave to simmer until the whiskey has reduced by half.

  • Stir in the cream and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low and cook for a further five minutes.

  • Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven. If you like, slice each fillet into four pieces, otherwise leave whole.

  • Divide the creamed potato between warmed plates and arrange the sliced crispy chicken around the potato. Spoon the whiskey and wild mushroom sauce on top.

    • Salted Caramel Whiskey Bread & Butter Pudding

    Serves six

    You could say that I grew up on bread and butter pudding. My mum or dad would prepare it at least once every two weeks. It is so simple to make and great for using up stale bread. The salted caramel whiskey sauce is addictive and can be poured over ice cream to make an Irish sundae.

    Ingredients:

  • 100g raisins

  • 120ml Irish whiskey

  • 5 large eggs

  • 480ml double cream

  • 225g granulated sugar

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 8-9 slices of firm white bread, crusts left on

  • 400g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

    • For the salted caramel whiskey sauce:

  • 110g unsalted butter, cubed

  • 225g granulated sugar

  • 1 dessertspoon of sea salt

  • 600ml double cream

    • Method:

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the raisins and whiskey and leave to soak for one hour.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to make a custard. Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Cut the slices in half diagonally and arrange half the bread in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping the slices. Drain the raisins and sprinkle half over the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread and raisins. Pour the custard over the bread and allow to soak for 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark six. Butter a 22cm square, non-reactive baking dish.

  • Place the baking dish in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the pudding is set and the top is golden. Remove the baking dish from the water bath and leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.

  • To make the salted caramel whiskey sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.

  • Whisk in the sugar, salt, cream and whiskey. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Serve the pudding warm with the salted caramel whiskey sauce spooned over the top.