Neven Maguire's Complete Family Cookbook Extract...12 NEVEN MAGUIRE’S COMPLETE FAMILY COOKBOOK...

NEVEN MAGUIRE’S COMPLETE FAMILY COOKBOOK

300L I F E - S A V I N G

R E C I P E S F O R

S U P E R - B U S Y

P A R E N T S

S EC TI O N 1

SOS – SAVE OUR SUPPERS!

D i n n e r c o m e s a t t h e m o s t d e m a n d i n g t i m e o f d a y. Yo u ’ r e

t i r e d . T h e y ’ r e t i r e d . A n d e v e r y o n e w a n t s t o e a t N OW ! I t c a n

b e t e m p t i n g t o r e a c h f o r s o m e t h i n g q u i c k , w h i c h o f t e n c a n

b e u n h e a l t h y a n d u n s a t i s f y i n g . I n s t e a d , p i c k s o m e t h i n g f r o m

t h i s s e c t i o n . T h e s e a r e q u i c k a n d e a s y r e c i p e s t o g e t o n

t h e t a b l e – a n d a l w a y s r e s u l t i n a h a p p y m e a l t i m e .

12 NEVEN MAGUIRE’S COMPLETE FAMILY COOKBOOK

Fresh pasta is so much easier to make than people imagine.

If you haven’t got a pasta machine, it’s not the end of the world.

All you’ll need is a rolling pin and plenty of elbow grease, as the

only great difficulty you’ll have is getting the pasta thin enough

to work with – you should be able to see the print of a sheet of

newspaper underneath it (even if you can’t read the ar ticle!).

Although I’ve given you a recipe for a quick sauce on page 14,

homemade pasta is delicious enough to eat with only a splash of

olive oil or melted butter and a little freshly grated Parmesan.

1 Place the flour, egg yolks, eggs, oil and salt in a food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds, until the mixture binds together. Be careful not to overwork.

2 Remove from the food processor and bring together with your hands to form a semi-soft dough. Alternatively, you can also do this by hand on a clean work surface: make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then mix the wet ingredients into the dry using your fingers to add the dry ingredients little by little.

3 Work the dough hard for about 2 minutes, until it’s smooth, silky and elastic. Wrap in cling film and allow it to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour, if time allows.

4 Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into 4 balls. Re-cover 3 balls and work with one at a time. Flatten the ball slightly with the base of the palm of your hand and run it through the thickest setting on your pasta machine, which will roll it into a thick sheet.

5 Fold the two ends into the middle and run the pasta through the machine, still on the thickest setting, 3–4 more times, until the dough feels silky and pops as you feed it through the rollers. This will make the sides of the pasta fill out to the full width of the pasta machine.

STEP-BY-STEP PROJECT

Homemade fresh egg pasta

SERVES 4 – 6

550g (1¼lb) strong ‘00’ flour, plus

extra for dusting

6 egg yolks

4 eggs

2 tsp olive oil

pinch of fine salt

QUICK PASTA

SOS – SAVE OUR SUPPERS! 13


chairs, over the back of a wooden chair or on a coat hanger works very well. Farfalle will dry if you just spread it out on a clean tea towel. Once it has been properly dried, store in airtight boxes in the fridge dusted with semolina, which helps to keep it dry.

Cooking your homemade pastaFresh pasta cooks much faster than dried. If you’ve just finished making it, it will only take a minute or two – test a piece after 1 minute to see if it’s done. If you’ve let it dry out for a few hours or overnight, it will take 3–4 minutes. As with dried pasta, cook it in a large pan of fast-boiling water that you’ve added a good pinch of salt to. When it’s done, drain it carefully through a large colander set in the sink and use immediately.

Cherry tomato sauceThis is enough to serve 4–6 people depending on how hungry they are! Allow 50g (2oz) of fresh pasta per person and only begin to cook it once you’ve started to make the sauce. Cut 400g (14oz) of cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a couple glugs of olive oil. Stir in 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and then add a knob of butter. Once the butter has melted, tip in the prepared cherry tomatoes and tear up a good handful of basil leaves, adding them in. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Sauté for another minute or so, until the cherry tomatoes are heated through but still holding their shape. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Return to the pan with a splash of the cooking liquid and fold in the cherry tomato sauce with a good handful of freshly grated Parmesan. Give it a good stir and divide among warmed wide-rimmed bowls and add a little more Parmesan to serve.

6 Lightly dust both sides with flour and run it through the machine on a thinner setting. Repeat this process through the settings until the sheets are 1–1.5mm thick. If the dough starts to stick to the rollers, smooth over a little flour and cut it in half at any stage if it gets too long to handle.

7 Lay the sheet of pasta out flat on a clean tea towel while you roll the other pieces, starting back at level one. Leave for a couple of minutes to dry out before cutting into shapes.

Tagliatelle (ribbons)If you are using a pasta machine, pass a strip of pasta through the wider ribbon cutter of the machine. If you’ve rolled it by hand, then fold it over into loose, flat rolls and cut it straight across into strips 5mm (¼in) wide. Unravel the strips or spread them out on the tea towel.

LasagneCut the pasta into rectangles about 10cm (4in) long. Blanch a couple of them in a large pan of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drop them into a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking. Lay on a tea towel while you cook the remainder.

Farfalle (butterflies)Cut the pasta into little rectangles roughly 4cm x 2.5cm (1½in x 1in). Place the tip of your first finger in the middle of the rectangle and draw up the pasta top and bottom with your thumb and second finger, pinching the dough together so that it forms a butterfly shape. Leave to rest on the tea towel while you make the remainder.

Drying the pastaIf you want to keep your pasta for up to 4 days, you will need to dry it out or it will stick together. With tagliatelle or lasagne, this is most easily done on a specially designed pasta tree, but a broom handle suspended between two


This would also be delicious with some blanched purple

sprouting broccoli added along with the prawns and

perhaps a finely chopped red chilli. If your pasta star ts

to stick once it’s cooked, toss it with a splash of olive

oil. For a healthier version, omit the cream and use

150ml (¼ pint) of fish stock or dr y white wine instead.

1 Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water for 8–10 minutes, or as per the packet instructions, until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite).

2 Meanwhile, pour the cream and wine into a separate large pan and add the garlic and chilli. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3 Add the mussels to the pan, cover tightly and cook for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. All the mussels should have now opened, but discard any that have not.

4 Drain the pasta and tip into the pan with the mussels, then add the prawns, basil and parsley. Stir gently until well combined and the prawns have heated through. Season to taste.

5 To serve, divide the spaghetti with the prawns and mussels among warmed bowls and drizzle a little olive oil over each one. Garnish with lemon wedges to serve.

Spaghetti with prawns and mussels

SERVES 4 – 6

350g (12oz) spaghetti

300ml (½ pint) cream

150ml (¼ pint) dry white wine

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

900g (2lb) fresh mussels, cleaned

450g (1lb) cooked peeled tiger prawns

1 tbsp shredded fresh basil

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

a little extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

lemon wedges, to garnish


This pasta dish is easy to make and per fect for a cold winter

night. The sauce can be made the day before, as chorizo seems

to taste even better the next day and makes a nice change from

your average tomato -flavoured sauce. Experiment with other

gourmet flavoured sausages.

1 Heat a sauté pan and tip in the chorizo sausage pieces, then cook for 2 minutes, tossing the pan occasionally to ensure they cook evenly. Add the onions and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, until the onions are golden, stirring occasionally.

2 Stir in the chilli and basil and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until slightly reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally.

3 Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 8–10 minutes or according to the packet instructions, until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite). Drain well and return to the pan. Stir in the chorizo sauce with the spinach and mix well to combine – the heat of the pasta and sauce should cook the spinach instantly.

4 Divide the chorizo and spinach pasta among warmed bowls and scatter over the freshly grated Parmesan, then add a good grinding of black pepper to serve.

Chorizo and spinach pasta

SERVES 6

450g (1lb) chorizo sausage, cut into

2.5cm (1in) pieces on the diagonal

2 onions, thinly sliced


1 red chilli, deseeded and

finely chopped

2 tbsp shredded fresh basil

2 x 400g (14oz) tins of

chopped tomatoes

1 tsp light brown sugar

500g (1lb 2oz) penne pasta

100g (4oz) baby spinach leaves

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

freshly grated Parmesan, to serve


The sauce for this recipe literally takes the time the pasta

needs to cook. There is now a wide range of good-quality dried

pasta available, but without a doubt my favourite is De Cecco,

which comes in blue packets and is now available in most large

supermarkets and good delis.

1 Plunge the penne into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook for 8–10 minutes or according to the packet instructions, until al dente (tender but firm to the bite).

2 Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the pine nuts. Cook for a few minutes, until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally to prevent them from burning. Tip into a bowl and set aside.

3 Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic and thyme for 2–3 minutes, until softened and just beginning to colour. Tip into a bowl and set side.

4 Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the frying pan, then add the chicken strips. Cook for 2–3 minutes and season lightly, then turn over and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden. Return the onion mixture to the frying pan, stirring until well combined. Stir in the crème fraîche and mustard, then bring to a gentle simmer but do not allow the mixture to boil.

5 Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Pour in the creamy chicken mixture and add the rocket or watercress. Toss lightly together to combine and season to taste.

6 Divide among warmed bowls and sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts. Drizzle over the chilli oil, if using, and garnish with the Parmesan shavings to serve.

Chicken, rocket and pine nut pasta

SERVES 4 – 6

450g (1lb) penne pasta

6 tbsp pine nuts

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced


1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

4 large boneless, skinless chicken

breast fillets, sliced lengthways

into thin strips (about 450g (1lb)

in total)

4 tbsp crème fraîche

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

100g (4oz) rocket or watercress,

tough stalks removed

about 4 tsp chilli oil (optional)


black pepper

Parmesan shavings, to garnish


We are lucky in Blacklion to get wild brown trout from the

Cladagh Glen and the flavour is exceptional. It’s a sweet and

succulent fish, and I’m sure people have their own good sources

around the countr y. I always think trout is underused, and

several varieties are readily available, some farmed and some

wild. You can also use salmon in this recipe with great success.

1 Preheat the grill to high. 2 To make the dressing, place the olive oil in a small bowl with

the red onion, lemon juice, mustard and chives. Whisk together until emulsified, then season to taste.

3 Plunge the linguine into a large pan of boiling salted water, stir once and cook for 8–10 minutes or according to the packet instructions, until it’s al dente (tender but firm to the bite).

4 Lightly brush the trout with the olive oil, season all over and arrange on the grill rack, then cook for 6–8 minutes, turning once and sprinkling over the lemon juice halfway through cooking.

5 Place the spinach in a bowl with the spring onions and dill, then drizzle over the dressing. Gently toss to combine, then set aside and allow the flavours to combine.

6 Drain the linguine and return it to the pan, then fold in the spinach mixture. Roughly break up the trout fillets and fold them in as well. Season to taste and divide among warmed bowls to serve.

Trout and spinach linguine

SERVES 4

400g (14oz) linguine pasta

4 x 75–100g (3–4oz) trout fillets,

skinned and boned

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice


6 spring onions, trimmed and

finely sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

FOR THE DRESSING:

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp finely diced red onion

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp snipped fresh chives


black pepper


This is my twist on a classic American pasta dish that ever yone

will love. It’s the kind of thing I tend to make when I want

something really comfor ting. I’ll often add some diced cooked

chicken if there are some leftovers in the fridge or ham would

work too. If you need to chill it down before cooking, then add

an extra 10–15 minutes to the cooking time later on.

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). 2 Remove the cherry tomatoes from the vine and place in an

ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with half the garlic and drizzle over the olive oil. Season to taste. Roast for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened slightly and the skins have started to split, tossing once or twice to ensure even cooking.

3 Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water for 8–10 minutes or according to the packet instructions, until al dente (tender but firm to the bite).

4 Place the mascarpone in a bowl and beat in the Parmesan, basil, mustard and the remaining garlic.

5 Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Stir in the mascarpone cheese mixture until it completely coats the pasta, then carefully fold in the roasted cherry tomatoes. Season to taste. Tip into the ovenproof dish that you used for the tomatoes (or you could put it into individual ovenproof dishes) and bake for 10 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

6 To serve, let the cheese, tomato and basil macaroni stand for a few minutes, then garnish with the basil leaves and serve straight from the dish onto warmed plates.

Cheese, tomato and basil macaroni

SERVES 4

300g (11oz) cherry tomatoes on

the vine

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

350g (12oz) macaroni pasta

1 x 250g (9oz) tub of

mascarpone cheese

200g (7oz) freshly grated Parmesan

2 tbsp shredded fresh basil, plus extra

leaves to garnish

2 tsp Dijon mustard


black pepper


Sometimes one pot is all we can handle at the end of the day.

Here I’m just using the same pan that I’m cooking the pasta in

for the vegetables as well. Of course, you could just use spinach,

but I like the contrast of textures that the other vegetables bring

to the dish.

1 Bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. Give it a good stir and cook for 7 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Cut the broccoli into small florets and the stems into slices 5mm (¼in) thick. Snap the ends off the asparagus and discard, then cut the spears into 2.5cm (1in) pieces.

3 Add the broccoli and asparagus to the pasta and cook for another 3 minutes, then stir in the spinach for the last 30 seconds or so, until just wilted.

4 Drain the pasta and vegetables into a colander and shake dry. Divide among warmed bowls and drizzle each one with 1–2 teaspoons of the extra virgin olive oil, tossing to gently coat. Scatter over the Parmesan and give it a good grinding of black pepper to serve.

One-pot green vegetable pasta

SERVES 4

350g (12oz) dried pasta of

your choice

1 small head of broccoli

(about 300g (11oz))

1 bunch of asparagus


2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

about 4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan


black pepper


Purple sprouting broccoli is a wonder that’s in season from

Januar y until the end of May, although because of its popularity

many supermarkets are now shipping it in from far away and

stocking it all year round. Here I’ve teamed it up with some

delicious fettuccine pasta, which is now readily available in all

major supermarkets and takes ver y little time to cook.

1 Heat the olive oil in a pan with a lid. Add the Parma ham and fry for a few minutes, until it’s just beginning to crisp. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic and chilli flakes and fry for another minute or two, tossing the pan occasionally.

2 Scatter the anchovies over the tomato mixture, then tip in the purple sprouting broccoli, tossing to combine. Sprinkle over 1–2 tablespoons of water, cover and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the broccoli is just tender when pierced with a knife, continuing to toss the pan occasionally to ensure everything cooks evenly.

3 Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3–4 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Drain well.

4 Stir the butter and parsley into the broccoli mixture with the drained fettuccine pasta. Season to taste and divide among warmed plates. Sprinkle with the Pecorino or Parmesan to serve.

Pasta with purple sprouting broccoli and Parma ham

SERVES 4 – 6

1 tbsp olive oil

175g (6oz) Parma ham, thinly sliced

150g (5oz) baby plum

tomatoes, quartered

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

good pinch of dried chilli flakes

3 anchovy fillets, drained and

finely chopped

550g (1¼lb) purple

sprouting broccoli

500g (1lb 2oz) good-quality

fettuccine pasta

50g (2oz) butter

4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

50g (2oz) freshly grated Pecorino

or Parmesan


black pepper


Stir-fr ying is a traditional Chinese cooking technique that is

actually incredibly easy to master once you follow some basic

rules. First, purchase a wok if you don’t have one. Always prepare

and measure out all the ingredients before you even think about

star ting to cook. I normally star t with garlic, spring onions and

ginger, often referred to as the ‘holy trinity’ of Chinese cooking.

Add vegetables according to how long they take to cook, star ting

with the harder ones. As a rough guide, use a ratio of three

por tions of vegetables to one por tion of meat or poultr y. Finally,

and most impor tantly, once you star t cooking, don’t be tempted

to add more oil to the wok. If it becomes too dr y, sprinkle over a

little water, stock or wine. This should evaporate immediately but

prevent the food from dr ying out.

1 Place the soy sauce, sesame oil and sherry in a bowl, then stir in the cornflour until smooth. Cut the chicken fillets against the grain into small, thin strips and add to the marinade, stirring to combine. Cover with cling film and set aside for 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours is fine.

2 Heat a wok until it’s very hot, then add the oil and heat until it’s almost smoking. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and stir-fry in the wok for a few minutes to seal the meat. Transfer to a sieve or colander to drain off all the excess oil, leaving only 1 tablespoon behind in the wok.

3 Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 20 seconds, then tip in the onion and stir-fry for another minute. Add the carrots and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes, until softened, sprinkling over a tablespoon of water if the mixture looks like it’s getting too dry. Add the corn and peppers and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, again adding a little more water if necessary, then add the sugar snap peas and stir-fry for another minute.

Sweet chilli chicken and vegetable stir-fry

SERVES 4

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp dry sherry

2 tsp cornflour

225g (8oz) boneless chicken

breast fillets

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

4 spring onions, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp freshly grated root ginger

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 small carrots, sliced on the diagonal

175g (6oz) baby corn,

halved lengthways

2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced

100g (4oz) sugar snap peas

2 heaped tbsp sweet chilli sauce

egg noodles, to serve

STIR-FRIES


4 Stir in the sweet chilli sauce and toss with the vegetables until coated. Return the chicken to the pan and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until it’s tender and heated through.

5 Divide the cooked egg noodles between 4 Chinese-style serving bowls and spoon the chicken and vegetables on top.

VARIATIONSBeef and vegetables with back bean sauceReplace the chicken with fillet or sirloin steak that has had all of the fat removed and use black bean sauce instead of sweet chilli sauce.

Fragrant pork and vegetablesReplace the chicken with pork tenderloin (fillet) or boneless pork chops that have been well trimmed. Replace the sweet chilli sauce with oyster sauce.


This is a quick and easy meal to suit the whole family and it’s a

recipe I go back to again and again. Traditionally this is ser ved

with buttered noodles, not unlike tagliatelle, but I think it’s so

much nicer with steamed basmati rice. The sour cream is not

strictly necessar y and regular cream will work just as well or you

can even use crème fraîche.

1 Toss the flour and paprika together in a shallow dish and add some seasoning, then use to coat the steak. Heat half the butter and oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the steak and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, until sealed and lightly browned. Tip onto a plate and set aside.

2 Reheat the pan over a medium heat. Add the rest of the butter and oil, then add the shallot. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Increase the heat to high and add the mushrooms to the pan with the garlic. Season to taste and continue to sauté for another 2–3 minutes, until tender.

3 Add the white wine vinegar and allow it to bubble right down, then add the stock, wine, tomato purée and mustard, stirring to combine. Tip the sautéed beef with any juices back into the pan, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half, stirring occasionally.

4 Stir the sour cream into the pan and return to the boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer gently for a couple of minutes, cooking until the sauce has thickened and slightly reduced. Divide the rice among warmed plates and spoon over the beef stroganoff. Add dill pickle shavings and a good grinding of pepper to serve.

Beef stroganoff

SERVES 4

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp sweet paprika

450g (1lb) sirloin steak, cut into

thin strips

25g (1oz) butter

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

150g (5oz) button mushrooms,

halved

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

150ml (¼ pint) chicken stock

(page 434)

4 tbsp white wine

2 tsp tomato purée

1 tsp Dijon mustard

150ml (¼ pint) sour cream


black pepper

steamed basmati rice, to serve

dill pickle shavings, to serve

Neven Maguire's Complete Family Cookbook Extract...12 NEVEN MAGUIRE’S COMPLETE FAMILY COOKBOOK...

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Transcript of Neven Maguire's Complete Family Cookbook Extract...12 NEVEN MAGUIRE’S COMPLETE FAMILY COOKBOOK...