Since the candy floss has hit the fan, I along with all the other chefs I know, seem to be cooking a lot more at home. Despite the terrible situation we are all in, it is nice to have the time to see a recipe through and enjoy a bit of home cooking.
I love eating shellfish at home. A good Irish langoustine is at the very top of my wish list. At this time of year, I serve them with wild garlic butter, chilli and lemon. That is hard to beat.
However, most of us have to make do with whatever ingredients we can get our hands on these days, and chicken is always easily obtainable. Wild garlic is bang in season at the moment, so if you can get hold of some, within your two kilometres, add a little to my recipe.
Kevin Aherne is chef/proprietor of Sage in Midleton.
Chicken, leek and mushroom potato gratin
Serves three, or two adults and two kids
Ingredients
500g chicken legs and or thigh meat, diced
8 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 leek, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 small white onion, diced
1 tbsp sour cream
3 sprigs thyme
1 tsp strong Irish mustard
5 Rooster potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp melted clarified butter (butter than has been melted and had the milk solids removed, optional)
175 ml chicken stock
200g strong white Cheddar, grated
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4.
2. Mix the flour and smoked paprika together and toss the chicken in the mix.
3. Heat a 10-inch oven-proof pan and fry the chicken in a little oil, along with the butter, for three to four minutes.
4. Add the onion, leek, garlic, thyme and mushrooms. Season with salt and fry for two minutes.
5. Add the chicken stock, sour cream and half the Cheddar and stir it through. Remove the pan from the heat and add the mustard.
6. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top, brushing with the clarified butter between each layer. If you do not have clarified butter use ordinary butter.
7. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar on top of the potatoes bake for 45 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving. This can be made in advance and reheated.
Kitchen Cabinet is a series of recipes from chefs who are members of Euro-toques Ireland who have come together during the coronavirus outbreak to share some of the easy, tasty things that they like to cook and eat at home #ChefsAtHome
