Hello. I am delighted to be taking on this column in the wake of some seriously talented chefs.
If I were to describe my cooking in one word, I’d use “comfort”, so expect to find plenty of that in this column over the coming weeks. For me, food is the tonic to everyday life. We all have ups and downs, but thankfully we have dinner to look forward to.
Quality food isn’t about expensive ingredients and fancy restaurants either. Here, I hope you will find delicious, achievable recipes to try in your own home, using everyday ingredients. At home in Dublin, I cook with three things in mind: minimal washing up, small portions with maximum impact, and finally, cost control (a particularly important lesson I learned from working in restaurants).
So, there’s my stall set out. Now let’s talk recipes.
First up is one of the great pasta dishes of the world, cacio e pepe, literally meaning cheese and pepper in Italian. I had the pleasure of attending a very glitzy industry competition in Milan recently. Cry me a river, perhaps, but as the competition progressed, I became increasingly keen to break free of the Michelin-standard feasts being laid on for the invitees.
A quick text to a local chef friend, and I was in a taxi along with three other former winners of the competition. A fellowship of sorts. The restaurant we were recommended, down a Milanese laneway, was like stepping back in time. Think 1930s wallpaper, randomly placed and odd-coloured tables, clientele smartly dressed in designer labels and drinking Tuscany’s finest wine at 1pm. Were it not for the law, cigarette smoke would probably have hung in the air.
“Four bowls of cacio e pepe please. And a bottling of sparkling water to toast our hosts,” was our order.
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The pasta was just cooked, giving it texture, and loaded with cheese and pepper. The sauce was the perfect harmony of pasta water, butter and seasoning. Perhaps it was the adventure and the company made that meal so special, but here’s the recipe, using dried rigatoni and those humble base ingredients. If you don’t have rigatoni, you can use any dried pasta. Don’t be shy on the quantity of pepper and cheese – focus on mixing the pasta water and butter to create that cream-like consistency. I use black pepper from a standard pepper mill.
The second recipe here is one of my go-to dishes when I want to cook in bulk with maximum flavour. Beef mince is one of our most used ingredients in Ireland, so I’ve made a classic chilli con carne with guacamole. I cheat a little by using a beef stockpot, and usually go wild with the chilli. Make a big batch, and serve with some steamed rice. I add the leftovers to salad for a WFH lunch, or even spread it on a baguette if I’m on the move. It’s a workhorse recipe if ever there was one.
