Donal Skehan - Kitchen Hero

5 TBSP BLACK BEAN SAUCE

JUICE OF 1 LIME

A GOOD HANDFUL OF FRESH CORIANDER, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, drain and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the beef, ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onions with the sesame oil.

Heat a large wok or frying pan over a high heat, add a little sunflower oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the beef mixture and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the beef is tender. Add the sugar, rice wine, soy sauce and black bean sauce and stir to combine. Cook for a further minute and add the lime juice.

Transfer the beef mixture to a large serving dish, leaving a little of the sauce in the wok. Throw the cooked noodles and the coriander into the wok and toss together. Serve the noodles and beef in the same dish and bring to the table.

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Sage Pork Chops with Quick Bulgur Wheat

This is one of my super-speedy suppers which can easily be thrown together the minute you come in the door. Bulgur wheat is my little superhero store-cupboard ingredient. It’s a wheat grain that has already been cooked, dried and cracked so it has a short cooking time. It is like a very nutty couscous, doesn’t take long to prepare and is packed with health benefits. It’s also cheap as chips.

SERVES 4

4 LARGE PORK CHOPS

FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

4 LARGE FRESH SAGE LEAVES

110G (4OZ) MOZZARELLA CHEESE, CUT INTO 4 THIN SLICES

4 SLICES OF PROSCIUTTO (ABOUT 60G/2½OZ)

BULGUR WHEAT

250G (9OZ) BULGUR WHEAT

1 TSP VEGETABLE BOUILLON POWDER

250G (9OZ) CHERRY TOMATOES, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

A GOOD HANDFUL OF FRESH BASIL, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

DRIZZLE OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

SEA SALT

Put the bulgur wheat in a bowl with the vegetable bouillon powder. Cover with about twice the volume of boiling water and stir to combine. Cover with cling film and set aside for 10–15 minutes until the bulgur wheat has soaked up all the water.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Place the pork chops on a plate and season both sides with black pepper. Press a large sage leaf onto one side of each chop then turn over and place a slice of mozzarella on the other side. Now comes the opportunity to show off your Blue Peter skills by wrapping each pork chop in prosciutto. My best advice is to lay a slice of prosciutto on a flat board, place a chop on top, sage side down, and then simply wrap the slice around the chop.

Arrange the chops on a grill tray and cook under the hot grill for 3–4 minutes on each side until cooked through.

When the bulgur wheat is cooked, stir through, then drain off any excess water. Add the tomatoes, basil and olive oil and season with salt.

Serve the pork chops with a generous portion of bulgur wheat and feel happy that you served up a tasty dinner in a matter of minutes.

CREAMY SPINACH CHICKEN PASTA

I love recipes that come with a dash of nostalgia and this one never fails to deliver. In what now feels like another life, I was in a band with my Swedish pal Jonathan and, while staying at his place, I picked up this great recipe from his ‘Mama’, Kerstin. She really knows how to feed a crowd and this dish is absolutely delicious.

SERVES 4

300G (11OZ) TAGLIATELLE

A KNOB OF BUTTER

400G (14OZ) SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS, SLICED INTO THICK STRIPS

3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

50G (2OZ) READY-TO-USE SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

150G (5OZ) BABY SPINACH LEAVES

250ML (8½FL OZ) SINGLE CREAM

A GENEROUS PINCH OF SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large frying pan over a high heat and, when foaming, fry the chicken for 4–6 minutes until cooked through. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and fry until the spinach has wilted.

Add the cream, bring to a steady simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, then season with salt and black pepper. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the sauce. Toss well and serve straightaway.

Omelette with Tomato and Avocado

This is great as a snack or a quick-fix breakfast. I picked up the recipe during a stay in the fast-paced city of LA. We ate it in a great little café, right before my uncle (and wannabe surf instructor) Niall, who lives there, dragged us out to Santa Monica beach for a surfing lesson.

SERVES 1

VEGETARIAN

2 LARGE EGGS

A DROP OF MILK

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

1 TBSP BUTTER

½ AVOCADO, STONED, PEELED AND CUT INTO CHUNKY SLICES

6 CHERRY TOMATOES, SLICED IN QUARTERS

Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl until combined. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Heat a small frying pan, about 20cm (8in) in diameter, over a high heat and add the butter to the pan. When it is foaming, pour in the eggs and, using a spatula, pull the edges of the omelette towards the centre so that the beaten egg runs to the outside. Continue doing this for 1–2 minutes until there is no runny egg left.

While the omelette is still a little soft on top, fold it towards the centre and then hold the pan over the plate and nudge it off and onto the plate. Be careful not to overcook the omelette – it will continue to set as you dish it up.

Serve topped with the avocado slices and quartered cherry tomatoes, plus an extra grinding of salt and black pepper.

‘BOOM BOOM POW’ NASI GORENG

The first question I always get asked when I mention this dish is ‘What the hell is nasi goreng?’, so first things first, let me explain it for you. It’s basically fried rice that’s been kicked up the arse, sent on a rocket around the moon and back with a good whack of chilli and a fried egg on top just in case you weren’t awake! It sounds a little complicated but really it’s just a case of prepping the paste, slicing the meat and cooking the eggs. The rice is better if cooked and cooled well in advance (even the day before). I promise if you try this once, you will definitely make it again.