A recipe that is so good that it will make your diners want to marry you. It really is that good. My version feeds four. I feel that having company may reduce the risk of a marriage proposal ensuing dinner. However, if that be your aim and it’s an intimate dinner for two let me tell you that the leftovers are wonderful even cold. All joking aside this is an incredibly delicious chicken pasta dish that is well worth a go.
My version is slightly lighter than the original recipe that it’s adapted from in that it reduces the double cream significantly, you can add an extra splash of double cream should you desire.
Happy cooking folks! Don’t forget to give me your thoughts on the dish in the comments below.
My first post of 2023 and it’s a delicious one. My coconut and spinach chicken curry. It’s a golden turmeric creamy curry that is highly adaptable. What I mean by this is it makes an amazing vegan curry if you switch out the chicken for cauliflower or chic peas, or perhaps both.
I hope you enjoy the recipe and I look forward to sharing many recipes with you, foodie discussion and banter to come in 2023.
Now that we are firmly in soup season, I felt it highly appropriate to share with you some of my favourite soups. Soups are versatile, in that they lend themselves well to an array of preparation methods and ingredients meaning that flavour and types of soups are also vast. Most soup keep extremely well, in fact most soups are better made ahead of time as it gives the flavours time to develop and intensify. Most soups are suitable for batch cooking and then freezing in portions making what is already a cost-effective meal even more so. Below I have shared some of my favourite Autumnal soups that will bring reassuring comfort and a general sense of hygge. Which I believe we all need a little of at this time of year when the skies are grey, the evenings are drawing in and the warmth of summer is behind us.
There is something for everyone from a fridge raid chicken noodle soup to bring quick succour in times of need, deep comfort in the form of smoky bacon soup or potato and leek. For those in a more virtuous spirit why not check out my turmeric, ginger, and butternut squash soup it brings a spiced heat and power punch of nutrients. My Thai noodle broth, as in authentic as it may be, provides a light spitfire noodle broth that will instantly add a little zing to your day.
Dunaff Hill is also a headland and has impressive views of Urris. From the summit you can see across to Malin Head, Ireland’s most northernly point and across Lough Swilly you can see Fanad Head and it’s famous lighthouse.
Location: Dunaff, Clonmany , Co. Donegal, Ireland
GPS Co-ordinates: 55.285470, -7.513630
Ringfort: 55.276370, -7.5097960
Neolithic Campsite: 55.271127, -7.5081280
Length & Difficulty: Dunaff Hill is a relatively easy hike as the hills summit is a mere 230m. Allow 2 – 3 hours.
Safety & Gear: Like any hike you should let someone know in advance you are going and your estimated return time. Fully charged mobile phone. Hiking boots, preferably waterproof the terrain is mostly heather clad and bog track. Drinking water is essential and a light lunch or snack if desired.
Ringfort: The remnants of a bronze age ringfort can be found at the South East base of the hill. All that is visible from above is a low ditch that has been intersected by the walls of the surrounding fields. It may be from this fort that the townland of Dunaff originates. The townland of Dunaff translates to fort of the oxen. Dún meaning fort and Damh oxen.
Neolithic Campsite: Ireland’s oldest Neolithic campsite is located in Dunaff Bay. It is located between the cliffs of Dunaff Head and Lenan Head. The site contained many early Irish Mesolithic artifacts, including unabraded flints comprising a few leaf-shaped flakes, blade-like flakes and a large amount of related Neolithic waste material. The location is regarded as an “industrial site” producing material associated with the so-called Early Larnian tradition. There is no evidence of a permanent settlement at the site.
Theobald Wolfe Tone: Leader of the 1798 Irish rebellion was captured by the royal navy off Dunaff head on November 1798.
Dunaff Hill
The hill has a summit of 230m and some of the most breath taking views in Urris. Dunaff hill is also a headland with impressive sea cliffs on the other side. Like most hill tops in Inishowen there are an abundance of cairns and Dunaff hill is no exception. From the cairns on top of the hill you can see Malin Head, Ireland’s most northernly point. Across the Swilly you can see Fanad head and the famous lighthouse situated there.
Located high in the heather clad Urris hills in the Inishowen Peninsula are two pristine lakes that overlook the Lough Swilly. The hike has a coastal ascent with outstanding panoramic views. From the very beginning you will have impressive views of Lenan bay. In the distance to your south, you will see the craggy rocks of lenan head. To the south you will see the dilapidated remains of Lenan fort and local fishing boats anchored at Lenan pier. Weekends you may bump into a few hikers, but during the quieter weekdays it can be a very isolated hike. With no company other than sheep grazing along the trail, squawking seagulls and the sounds of the cold water of the Swilly crashing against the rocks below.
Location:Lenan, Clonmany, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
GPS co-ordinates: 55.239879, -7.517107
Parking: There is a small car park at Lenan bay which is a mere two-minute walk from the entrance of the hike. From the car park, cross the bridge and follow the road until you come to a corner with an old water pump and find the entrance gate.
Length & Difficulty: 6.5km hike. Allow 3 – 4 hours. It is a moderate to strenuous hike.
Safety & Gear: Like any hike you should let someone know in advance you are going and your estimated return time. Fully charged mobile phone. Hiking boots, preferably waterproof the terrain varies from rough pathways to dirt tracks. If you venture off the pathways it can be marshy and hard to spot beneath the heather and ferns. Drinking water is essential and a light lunch or snack if desired.
Trail: The trail route is comprised of rough cart tracks, bog road and dirt trails.
Lakes: When you reach the first lake you will see a narrow trail the leads over a small hill to the south west that brings you to the second more impressive valley lake. Here I suggest you catch your breath, enjoy your lunch and soak in those impressive views. Get a few snaps, enjoy the reward that is reaching the top. To the right side of the lake after a small climb you will reach an area littered with cairns and the most impressive views of Urris.
Crash Site:
Good Friday 11th April 1941 a wellington bomber that got lost in the fog. Mistaking Lough Swilly for Lough Foyle and crashing into the Urris hills tragically killing all six members on board. The crash site is still littered with the crash debris and a memorial plaque is situated on the spot, nestled amongst rocks and the rusted remains of the Wellington bomber. As one looks out across the deep cold blue water of the Swilly from the crash site it is hard not to feel a sense of mournfulness that such a tragedy occurred cutting the lives short of 6 young men.
Descent: The descent is not as straight forward as the ascent as for the most part the trail can be hard to follow and easy to lose. If you found the ascent very tough you might wish to return using the same trail. Otherwise press on passed the lakes keeping an eye out for the marking posts pointing you in the right direction.
If like me at this time of year you are craving bolstering, comforting even soul soothing dishes then I’ve got you covered. I joke that you can tell the season by what is on my kitchen counter and the biggest give away is the slow cooker it never see the light of day in the summer but it makes up for it in the colder wintery months. It gets so much use, I use it for casserole and stews all the time like my oxtail stew and my Irish stew but also for puddings like my slow cooker sticky toffee pudding and jam pudding. Although, like with any dish that is cooked in the slow cooker there is a lot of waiting about but it can be extremely useful on days when the oven is in use like Sunday lunch time.
As always Happy Cooking!!
Below is a video of my favourite winter foods and below that even more of my go to winter comforts.
Firstly, Happy New Year! I wish you good health and happiness in 2022. It has been another tough year lockdowns and restrictions and just when you think that it’s over the news breaks that comedy legend Betty White passed away on New Year’s Eve. Rest in Peace Betty.
New Year at least for me always feels like a time of change. I don’t really make resolutions or plans of diets. This year, however, I am going to or at least do my best to approach life more positively. The past couple of years have been trying for lots but as we move into a new year let’s do so with optimism and love.
Here are some recipes I am looking forward to in the coming days and weeks.
Christmas 2021 who could believe it? It has been another tough year of restrictions and lockdowns. I feel dread as I even type the word and want to move on as quickly as possible. As someone that is excited and can’t wait for Christmas from November 1st found myself this year as part of the boring cynical anti Christmas brigade. It wasn’t until a recent trip to London that I got into the festive spirit it really took full immersion in the sparkling lights and festive bustle that London has to offer to get me there. This also inspired my festive recipe video that can be viewed below.
Although parties are not entirely off the menu, they will not be the usual festive affair that doesn’t mean that we cant enjoy a small family gathering and I have many recipes for you. From spiced nuts for snacking on with drinks throughout Christmas as well as my chocolate dipped macaroons that look like snowballs dipped in chocolate, nduja sausage rolls that are fiery and delicious, popcorn chicken with duo of dips which everyone loves and to top it all off I have a couple of festive cocktails my gingerbread apple martini and my cranberry fizz.
I just wanted to jump on quickly to let you know that I have uploaded a new recipe to my YouTube channel for my caramel square or as some may know them millionaires shortbread.
Barmbrack is a traditional Irish fruit cake that is eaten in the lead up to Halloween. It consists of dried fruits that are soaked in tea until plump and juicy. Barmbrack come in two varietys one is a yeasted bread the other a rich tea loaf. An item is traditionally baked into the Barmbrack. Traditionally this was a ring, a coin, and a piece of cloth. Whom ever got the ring was to be wed within the year, the coin would come into money and the cloth would have bad luck. These days it usually come with only one item the ring.
