Lentil and Pork Stew

Lentil and Pork Stew

I'm a really big fan of one pot dishes, it saves on the washing up and invariably means that it will be a simple to make yet delicious meal. I didn't always enjoy a good stew but thankfully I have changed my ways and now consider them among my favourite dishes to eat (depending on the stew of course!) This one takes advantage of all round "Super Food" Lentils. I know some people find Lentils a bit bland and boring but as with anything that's cooked in and absorbs liquid, the liquid is the key! I find it best to cook them in a well flavoured stock and to be relatively liberal with the seasoning, the Extra-Virgin Olive Oil added at the very end is also a great flavour boost and really brings everything together beautifully!


I can't let this week go by without mentioning my little tour last weekend which took me to the fabulous city of Cork on Friday. I managed to sneak away from the venue just before the load in to visit the Foodie's Paradise, The English Market! I can't find the words to describe this place, fresh everything, everywhere!! Rows of Fresh Fish of all kinds sitting opposite fridges full of every type of Cheese imaginable aswell as lots of Fruit, Vegetables and to my particular delight, lots of Hams and Charcuterie! As I was going to be in a hot venue all night I was never going to buy too much so I settled on a few slices of Prosciutto di Parma, some Pecorino Cheese and some Kalamata Olives, all of which were devoured over the course of Soundcheck and Gig. I also managed a quick stop in Maher's on Oliver Plunkett Street to pick up my favourite blend of coffee beans and went back to the venue a very happy camper.....until I saw the amount of music equipment to be loaded up a stairs! Ok back to the Stew!!

Serves 4

4tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Carrot (finely chopped)
1 Red Pepper (finely chopped)
200g Good Pork Mince
250g Lentils (Black)
700ml Good Vegetable Stock
1tbsp Tomato Puree
1tsp Dried Oregano
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Heat 3tbsp of the Olive Oil in a pan over medium heat, add the Onion, Carrot and Red Pepper and season well, cook for 5-7 minutes until softened.

2. Add the Pork Mince and brown well for 5-7 minutes before adding the Lentils and Stock, season well. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, cook for 30 minutes before adding the Tomato Puree and Oregano. Stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes. Ensure that the Lentils are tender and adjust the seasoning if necessary, stir in the remaining 1tbsp of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil just before serving. Serve with some crusty bread.

Slow Cooked Beef Ribs

Slow Cooked Beef Ribs

To me, there is nothing more flavourful than a slow cooked "cheap" cut of Beef or Pork. Ox Tail, Tongue, Heart, Cheek and Ribs all seem to be making a big comeback along with the usual favourites like Brisket. The only problem with these cuts is that they take alot of cooking to become tender but once you achieve that, to me, the flavour far surpasses even the tenderest Fillet Steak. Don't be put off by long cooking times though, generally they can be cooked with very little intervention.


Beef Ribs are the pinnacle of the "cheap cuts" in my opinion. They have the perfect ratio of bone, fat and meat which creates the most unbelievable flavour and will satisfy anybody. Best of all, Beef Ribs are very cheap and should cost no more than €1.50 per person. The Sauce in this dish really adds to the big flavour of the meat. The mixture of the Red Wine, Garlic and Tomato is a winner with any red meat and works brilliantly with Shanks of Lamb too.


Serves 4


4tbsp Rapeseed Oil
4 Beef Ribs (Rubbed with Salt and Pepper)
2 Carrots (roughly chopped)
2 Celery Sticks (roughly chopped)
2 Onions (roughly chopped)
1 Full Head of Garlic (cut in half horizontally)
1/2 Bottle of Red Wine (I used a Chianti)
500g Tomato Passata
1tsp Dried Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
Beef Stock
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

To Serve:
Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potatoes

Preheat Oven to 140 degress celcius and ensure that your chosen cooking vessel has a tightly fitting lid!

1. Heat the Oil in a Saucepan or Casserole until very hot. Add the seasoned Ribs and brown all over for 5-10 minutes. Add the Carrot, Celery, Onion and Garlic. Season and continue to cook on high heat for 5-7 mins, stirring all the time. 

2. Add the Wine and scrape the bottom of your pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any bits that are stuck on. Add the Passata, Oregano and Bay Leaf, stir well and bring back to the boil. Put on the lid and put into the oven. Cook for approx 5 hours, checking on it every couple of hours and adding a little boiling water if necessary (it shouldn't be!)

3. Remove the Meat, cover in tinfoil and set aside to rest while you finish the sauce. Add some Beef Stock to the Pot (if necessary) and reduce down for about 5 minutes. Put through a sieve and squash through as much of the carrot and garlic as you can. Reduce the strained sauce until you have the desired consistency (i like it a little thick) Check for seasoning and add a little Salt/Pepper if necessary.

4. Serve the Meat on a bed of Mashed Potato with some Roasted Vegetables (Roughly chopped Carrot and Sweet Potato, roasted in some Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper and Oregano) and pour over the sauce.

Gigi somehow snuck into the pic!

Simple Beef Stir Fry

Simple Beef Stir Fry

I was never a fan of a stir fry! Growing up, I ate practically no Fruit or Vegetables and so a Stir Fry was pretty much my nightmare. I'm not sure why I never ate Fruit or Vegetables, I remember on numerous occasions point blank refusing to eat them even when the threat of "you wont leave that table 'till them carrots are gone" lingered or occasionally hiding peas underneath the mashed potato when nobody was looking. It all seems so silly to me now, I cant believe I missed out on these treats for over 20 years but thankfully I'm making up for it now and my tastebuds couldn't be happier!

This is an extremely quick dish that cooks in minutes and will really get your taste buds hopping! Try this recipe and then adjust it for your own tastes, add or take away some chilli depending on how hot you like it and change up the meat according to what you like. Just make sure, if your using poultry, that its cooked all the way through before serving. Try adding some chopped Spring Onion and whole Almonds on top to serve. I keep the Vegetable cooking time very short as I like them practically raw, leave on for a bit longer if you want them a little softer and finally if you want your beef nice and rare, it might be better to cook it seperately and mix in while serving as by the time this comes together, the beef will be cooked through.

Serves 2

For the Paste:
1 Chilli (roughly chopped)
Handfull of Corriander Leaves
1 Large Clove Garlic
5 Red Peppercorns
Good Pinch of Sea Salt
Zest of 1 Lime
1/2 tbsp Tomato Puree

For the Stir Fry:
125g Dried Noodles
2tbsp Rapeseed Oil
2 Small Minute Steaks (sliced and seasoned well) (Get something more expensive if you wish)
1/2 Large Carrot (Chopped into large matchsticks)
1/2 Red Pepper (sliced)
1/2 Yellow Pepper (sliced)
100g Mangetout/Sugersnap Peas
75g Bean Sprouts + extra to garnish
Juice of 1 Lime
1tbsp Fish Sauce
1tbsp Soy Sauce
1tbsp Honey/Brown Sugar

1. First, make the paste by bashing all the ingredients together in a Mortar and Pestle until a fine paste evolves. Set aside. Cook the Noodles according to packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile, Heat the Oil in a Wok or large Frying Pan until just smoking. Add the Paste and stir well for about 30 seconds. Add the Beef and fry quickly until just browned (1-2 minutes). Add the Carrot, Peppers, Peas and Bean Sprouts and stir well. Cook for 1-2 minutes if you like the veg crunchy. Add the drained noodles and stir well before adding the Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Soy Sauce and Honey (or Brown Sugar), Stir well and let cook for one more minute to let the flavours combine. Serve topped with a few raw Bean Sprouts.