Cooking with Paula McIntyre

Teasmoked brined chicken 8 boneless chicken thighs 500ml water 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 2 cloves garlic, smashed Few sprigs rosemary or thyme 20g seasalt 50g brown sugar 1 tablespoon cider vinegar Simmer the water with the mustard, garlic, herb, salt, sugar and vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. Cool completely and add the chicken. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Remove from brine an...

Recipe Lemon shortcake 200g soft butter 150g castor sugar 2 egg yolks 150g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 50g ground almonds Zest of 2 lemons 4 tablespoons lemon curd Beat the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, flour, baking powder, almonds and lemon zest ( keep the lemon juice for the syllabub) Wrap in cling and chill for an hour. Set oven to 180oc. Line a baking...

Recipe Grilled leg of lamb with wild garlic and almond pesto 4 x 175g lamb leg steaks 1teaspoon fennel seeds ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon castor sugar 1 teaspoon seasalt 1 tablespoon oil Grind the fennel seeds as finely as possible and mix in with the oregano, sugar and oil. Rub all over the lamb and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Remove from fridge half an hour before cooking. Wild gar...

Recipe Biscuit base 200g chocolate oaty biscuits, crushed 65g melted butter Mix together and press into a pie tin up the sides a bit and chill. 100g chopped dates 50ml PX sherry Mix, cover and leave overnight. 150g chopped dark chocolate 150g chopped milk chocolate 150ml double cream 25ml banoffee toffee 25g butter Place the chocolates in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream, butter and toffee in a p...

Recipe Coconut Rice Pudding 100g pudding rice 450ml coconut milk – 1 tin 150ml whipping cream 25g honey 25g castor sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Rinse the rice pudding for a minute in a sieve under cold running water. Place the pudding rice in a pan with the coconut milk, cream, honey, sugar and vanilla and gently simmer for about half an hour or until rice is cooked through. Poached and carame...

Recipe Lemon Crunch Pie with blueberries Base 200g oaty or digestive biscuits 75g butter Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb either in a food processor or place in a bag and bash with a rolling pin. Melt the butter and mix with the crumbs. Line a 20cm springform cake tin or 6 individual tins, with parchment paper. Press the biscuit mixture into the tin and press down. Chill in the fridge. Filling Z...

Shepherd Pie Jackets with fennel and feta salad Shepherd Pie Jackets 4 large baker potatoes, scrubbed 250g lamb mince 1 tablespoon oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 stick celery, finely chopped 1 small tin chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato puree 250ml beef stock 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 50ml milk 125g finely grated cheddar Bake the potatoes in a 180oc oven for about 45 minu...

Pastry 225g plain flour 100g chopped cold butter Pinch salt 1 egg Rub the flour and butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in the salt. Mix in the egg to dough, wrap in cling and chill. Filling 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs Oil for brushing 25g butter 1 large leek, split, washed and chopped 25g plain flour 150ml chicken stock 1 tablespoon cream 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Brush the...

Buttermilk breadrolls 450g bread flour 7g dried yeast 190ml buttermilk 60ml local rapeseed oil 1 heaped tablespoon castor sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder Egg yolk for brushing Stir yeast and 35ml of lukewarm water in a large bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Warm the buttermilk to blood temperature gently and add to the yeast mixture with the oil and sugar. Mix in the flour and baking powder to a so...

Caramel pecan pancakes 3 large eggs 1 dessertspoon golden syrup 200ml buttermilk 300g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 50ml bannoffee toffee 75g chopped pecans Oil for cooking Whisk the eggs, syrup and buttermilk in a bowl. Sift in the flour and baking soda. Whisk to a thick batter. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Wipe a medium hot pan with oil and add a tablespoon of batter – don’t over crowd the...

Rhubarb compote 100g castor sugar 250g rhubarb, chopped into 1cm pieces Zest and juice of 1 orange Splash of gin ( optional) Cook the sugar and orange zest and juice until the sugar has dissolved over medium heat. Add the rhubarb, cover with parchment and simmer gently until just cooked – really only a couple of minutes. Turn off and cool. Pastry 225g plain flour 100g butter 60g icing sugar 1 egg...

Recipe Pickled mustard seeds 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Place the seeds in a small bowl and cover with vinegar. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 2 days before using 4 x 175g boneless shoulder chops 1 tablespoon oil ½ teaspoon smoked seasalt ( or regular seasalt) 2 teaspoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 15g butter 1 shallot, finely chopped...

Recipe Flapjacks 175g golden syrup 135g butter 175g porridge oats Line an 8inch square tin with parchment paper and set oven to 180oc. Melt the syrup and butter in a pan and then mix in the oats. Press into the tin and bake for 25 minutes. Cool for a couple of minutes and cut into squares. Cool in the tin and then remove. Honeycomb 150g castor sugar 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablesp...

Recipe 500g shin of beef, bone in 1 tablespoon oil 35g root ginger sliced finely 2 onions, peeled and chopped roughly 3 cloves garlic, peeled 500ml beef stock – you can buy ready made stock or use 2 cubes 2 tablespoons soy sauce 4 scallions 1 red chilli 2 tablespoons crispy onions ( available in supermarkets and delis) 100g basmati rice Heat the oil in a pan or casserole until smoking hot and add...

Grilled bacon chop on toast with fermented red cabbage, beetroot and apple, mustard and dill, gherkin sourcream Fermented red cabbage with beetroot and apple 500g red cabbage, roots removed and finely shredded 1 large beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated 2 eating apples, coarsely grated 1 red onion, finely sliced 10g seasalt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon chilli paste ( chipotle...

Festive date and Irish coffee crispies 125g butter 100g soft brown sugar 225g finely chopped dates 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon mixed spice 100g puffed rice Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the butter and sugar in a large pan and cook until the butter has melted. Add the dates and cook until foamy and starting to caramelize. Mix in the puffed rice and spices and press into the baki...

Sausage pancakes with cranberry sauce, chipotle cream and chestnut crumb Sausage Pancakes 150g plain flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 egg 175ml buttermilk ½ teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 tablespoon oil plus more for cooking pancakes 4 finely chopped scallions 150g cooked sausage chopped Cook the shallots in the oil until golden and co...

Recipe Pastry: 150g butter 225g plain flour Pinch salt Cold water to bind Wrap the butter in parchment and freeze for 45 minutes. Place the flour into a bowl and mix in the salt. Coarsely grate the butter into the flour then rub until the mixture is fine and sandy. Add cold water to bind to a dough, wrap in cling and chill. Roast Celeriac: 1 medium celeriac, scrubbed under cold water 1 tablespoon...

Recipe Biscuit base 250g gingersnap biscuits, crushed 150g melted butter Grease an 8 inch cake tin. Mix the biscuits with the melted butter and press into the cake tin. Chill. Filling 250g mascarpone cheese 400g full fat cream cheese 75g icing sugar 250ml double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 35g crystallized ginger, finely chopped Whisk the cheeses, sugar and cream until thick. Fold in the ginger...

Recipe 4 duck breasts, trimmed 350ml water 2 crushed juniper berries 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper corns 1 teaspoon mustard seeds Few sprigs thyme 10g seasalt 15g brown sugar 50g dried fruit – cranberry, cherry and golden raisin mix 1 finely chopped shallot 125ml dry cider 200ml chicken stock 15g butter Soak the fruit in the sherry overnight. Heat a saucepan and add the juniper, pepper and musta...

Apple, Fig and Walnut Cake 1 large Bramley apple, peeled, cored and chopped 100ml vegetable oil 1 teaspoon baking powder 100g chopped dried figs 150g soft brown sugar 2 eggs 75ml buttermilk 140g plain flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon mixed spice 30g wholemeal flour 75g chopped walnuts Set the oven to 180oc and butter a cake tin. Cook the apples with 25g of the sugar until soft then blen...

Recipe Parsnip Chowder 100g diced streaky bacon or pancetta 25g butter 1 stick celery diced 2 medium onions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic minced 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour 750g parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm dice 1 litre chicken stock 50ml double cream Handful chopped parsley Cook the bacon in a dry saucepan until crisp. Add the butter, celery, onions and garlic and cook gently with a lid...

Recipe 1kg mussels, scrubbed 250ml dry cider 100g pancetta or streaky bacon, chopped 1 tablespoon oil 25g butter 1 leek, split, washed and chopped 150g orzo 250ml chicken stock Handful chopped parsley Heat a large saucepan with a lid until smoking hot. Add half the cider and then the mussels. Place the lid on top and steamed for 2 minutes. Check and remove any that are open. Return lid and steam f...

Recipe 6 chicken thighs, skin and bone removed 1 tablespoon oil 175g chopped leeks 2 carrots, peeled and finely sliced 1 onion finely chopped 25g butter 2 tablespoons oil 100ml white wine or dry cider 350ml chicken stock 75ml double cream 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 stalks soup celery shredded Handful chopped parsley Heat the oil in a large frying pan until smoking hot. Season the chicken with sal...

Recipe 1 onion, finely chopped 1 stick celery, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 50g butter 1 medium potato, peeled and diced 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock 1 head broccoli Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the onion, celery and garlic. Add a lid and cook on gentle heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the stock and potato and simmer until the potato is soft. Separate the flor...