Neven Maguire: Home Chef

Neven visits beautiful Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo, and meets renowned head chef Stefan Matz who has received many accolades for his culinary expertise including Best Chef in Ireland. German born Stefan, who was the first chef in the West of Ireland to be awarded a Michelin star, prepares Organic Salmon with Scallops and a Connemara Malt Whiskey sauce. At home in his McNean restaurant, Neven prepares Assiette of Pork, which includes Caramelised Pork Belly, Smoked bacon wrapped Fillet and Pork and Leek Sausage. This is followed by a delicious dessert of Brandy Snaps with Passion Fruit Cream and Fresh Raspberry Caviar.

Neven heads to Kenmare in Kerry and the 5 star Sheen Falls Lodge. Here head chef Philip Brazil prepares A Trio of Kerry Lamb: braised shoulder, smoked loin, and roast rack of lamb with a rosemary, thyme and poitín sauce with a parmesan and rooster potato soufflé. Neven’s own dishes this week include Monkfish with gnocchi, wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomato and saffron veloute (this dish also includes wilted spinach). And Neven also makes one of Ireland’s favourite puddings – apple tart and custard.

Neven Maguire visits Ballyfin, Co Laois, where head chef Ryan Murphy prepares wild venison and vegetables from Ballyfin’s walled garden. Before coming to Ballyfin, American chef Ryan Murphy worked as a sous chef at the Trump Tower, New York and then as chef de cuisine at the Savoy Hotel, London. Neven’s own main course recipe this week is a delicious stuffed marinated pork fillet with basil and pine nuts, with noodle and vegetable stir fry. And for anyone with a sweet tooth, Neven serves up a delicious dish of individual sticky toffee puddings with butterscotch sauce and spun sugar .

Neven heads to Ananda in Dundrum Town Centre, where Executive Chef Sunil Ghaia prepares Chicken Tandoori in this fine dining Indian Restaurant. Ananda won the Santa Rita Best Restaurant in Dublin Award (2013) and Sunil was named Santa Rita Best Chef in Ireland (2013) . This week Neven cooks Grilled Rib Eye Beef and also makes a Chocolate Delice.

Neven is in Waterford this week at The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, which is regarded as one of the finest, small luxury hotel 5 star hotels in Ireland. Neven meets Executive Chef Martijn Kajuiter who is the man behind the food in the Michelin-starred restaurant, and who prepares a delicious ‘surf and turf’ dish of Irish pork served with Norwegian king crab, a dish inspired by the Cliff House’ seaside location. Neven’s recipes these week include Chestnut and Wild Mushroom soup and Beef Wellington.

Neven visits Aniar, a terroir based, Michelin-starred restaurant located in Galway’s Dominick Street. The word ‘terroir’ is usually associated with wine-making: the combination of factors, including soil, climate, and environment, that gives a wine its distinctive character. In the case of Aniar, the word is used to describe the way in which its produce comes from Galway and other parts of the West of Ireland. Chef Ultan Cooke prepares Loin of Lamb with Hay-Smoked Oysters in this week’s programme, using the best of Irish lamb from Castlemine farm in Roscommon, while Neven makes Chicken Tikka Masala and a very tempting Rhubarb and Strawberry Pudding. ‘Here in Castlemine Farm we take a lot of pride in the grass-fed beef and lamb we produce” say Brendan and Derek Allen. Lamb is what our great, great grandfather produced generations ago and it has become a strength of ours. We believe in the philosophy of good breeds, good feed and good welfare. Being members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme means that our customers know that the lamb and beef they are buying from us has been produced to the highest Bord Bia Standards.’

Neven is in Kilkenny this week on the magnificent Mount Juliet estate where he meets executive chef Cormac Rowe in the Michelin starred restaurant. Cormac prepares his stunning Knockdrinna Goat’s Cheese starter for Neven using the locally sourced and award winning Knockdrinna cheese.And back in his own kitchen, Neven prepares Baked Eggs with Black Pudding Hash, and Roast Leg of Spring Lamb with Boulangere Potatoes.

Neven visits the Lough Erne Resort, the location for last year’s G8 summit, to meet Noel McMeel, the Executive Head Chef who prepares one of the dishes served to the world leaders: salmon with boxty. Neven cooks Moroccan lamb tagine and roasted root vegetables with buttermilk dressing and coriander couscous and makes a delicious dessert of vanilla macaroons with chocolate and peanut butter cream.

Neven is in Cork this week to visit Les Gourmandises – winner of 2012 “Best Restaurant in Cork“, “Best Restaurant in Munster” and “Best Chef in Cork” from the Restaurant Association of Ireland, Chef Pat Kiely, his wife Soizic and their award winning team pride themselves on sourcing the best local ingredients Cork has to offer while matching them with quality international wines. Pat cooks a braised top side of beef with smoked bacon and celeriac. Neven’s dishes in this week’s programme are fragrant roast chicken with sausage stuffing, and ravioli of Swiss chard and ricotta with smoked garlic foam.

‘Art’ Tea at the Merrion Hotel The most lavish afternoon tea in Dublin is inspired by the works of art in the hotel, including paintings by Jack Yeats, William Scott and Louis Le Brocquy. Pastry chef Paul Kelly shows Neven the huge amount of work and attention to details that goes into making pastries, cakes and biscuits inspired by the paintings. And in his own kitchen in Blacklion, Neven cooks A study of Shellfish and a delicious duck confit with Savoy cabbage.

Not many places have an official state dessert, but Massachusetts does, and it’s the Boston Cream Pie. Neven visits the Boston Parker House Hotel, the oldest continuously operating hotel in America and birthplace of the Boston Cream Pie to find out how it’s made. Head chef Gerry Tice also shows Neven the hotel’s dining room, where JFK is said to have proposed to Jackie at table 41. Back in his own kitchen Neven prepares Smoked bacon frittata with Parmesan and a Tasting of Irish lamb (herb-crusted loin, confit of neck and sweetbreads). Pat Nuttall, Sheep and Cattle farmer Titour, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow says: “On our farm in NewtownMountKennedy we take a lot of pride in the grass-fed beef and lamb we produce. Being members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme means that our customers know the lamb and beef they are buying from us has been produced to Bord Bia’s highest Quality Standards”.

Kai Café and Restaurant is an award-winning neighbourhood restaurant in Galway, (Best Restaurant in Connaught), run by David and Jessica Murphy. Jessica shows Neven a couple of dishes from the menu using tongue and oxtail – two lesser-used cuts but ones which are delicious and coming back into fashion. This week Neven cooks Black Pudding Hash Browns with Poached Eggs and Lemon Butter Sauce, and also tasty Salmon and Asparagus Wraps with Rocket Pesto – served with salad and oven-dried tomatoes.

Cleaver East is Dublin chef Oliver Dunne’s latest restaurant, which opened in the Clarence Hotel last August. Customers are invited to enjoy four or five courses, presented in smaller dishes, rather than the traditional starter, main course and dessert. In 2008, Oliver was the youngest chef in Ireland to win a Michelin star for Bon Appétit, his restaurant in Malahide. He shows Neven how to make braised belly of pork, one of the most popular items on the menu. Neven’s own recipes in this final programme of the series feature the ultimate beef burger with crispy potato wedges,and a delicious dessert of Toasted Coconut and Malibu Parfit with Pineapple Carpaccio and Lime Meringue.