Recipes: Cook up an Easter feast with Neven Maguire

Salmon en-croûte with citrus butter

Serves 2

A beautiful, easy salmon dish courtesy of Neven Maguire.

Ingredients

2 Simply Better Organic Irish Salmon Darnes, skin removed

1 Simply Better Corn Fed Large Egg

1 tbsp Simply Better Organic Irish Jersey Milk

500g puff pastry, thawed if frozen

50g unsalted butter, softened

50g baby spinach leaves, washed

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mixed green salad, to serve

Method

1. Place the butter in a small bowl and beat in the parsley, lemon and orange rind and season generously.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Cut the pastry into 4 even sized sections and roll each one out on a lightly floured surface into a 12cm x 18cm rectangle, trimming down the edges if necessary. Arrange two of the pieces of pastry on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place a salmon fillet in the centre of each one and smear over some of the citrus butter and cover with the spinach leaves.

4. Mix the egg and milk to create an egg wash and use this to brush the edges of the pastry, then lay a second sheet of pastry on top, pressing down to seal. Crimp the edges by gently pressing the edge of the pastry with a fork or top of a tablespoon. Continue all the way around the edge of the parcel. Repeat this process for the second parcel.

5. Brush the pastry parcels with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through and golden brown.

7. To serve, arrange the salmon parcels on warmed serving plates with some of the mixed green salad.

Irish Angus striploin roast

Serves 4-6

Neven Maguire serves up a classic roast, complete with tips on how to cook it perfectly every time.

Ingredients

Simply Better 28 Day Matured Irish Angus Striploin Roast (at room temperature)

2 tbsp Simply Better Cold Pressed Irish Rapeseed Oil

2 tsp Simply Better Atlantic Sea Salt & Organic Herbs

2 tsp plain flour

400ml beef stock

2 large onions, peeled and quartered with root left intact

2 large carrots, halved lengthways

1 garlic bulb, halved (not peeled)

Small handful of fresh thyme sprigs

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°Fan / Gas Mark 4).

2. Heat a frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat. Season the striploin roast with the Atlantic Sea Salt and place in the frying pan to seal the meat. This should take about 1-2 minutes per side and the meat should have a nice golden colour. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Pour the rapeseed oil into a roasting tin and add the onions, carrots, garlic and thyme, tossing to coat. Season to taste, then push to the edges of the tin and sit the beef in the middle of the vegetables. Transfer to the oven and cook to your liking based on the times indicated below.

4. When the beef is cooked to your liking, remove it from the tin along with the onions and carrots and place on a platter. Cover with tinfoil and leave to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

5. Meanwhile, quickly make the gravy. Pour the juices from the roasting tin into a jug, discarding the garlic and thyme, and leave the fat to settle on top, then skim off the fat and discard. Reserve the juices. Stir the flour into the roasting tin, scraping the bottom of the tin with a wooden spoon to remove any residue, then gradually stir in the stock and reserved juices. Place directly on the hob and simmer for 5 minutes while continuously stirring. Pour through a sieve into a gravy boat.

6. To serve, carve the rested beef into slices and arrange on warmed plates with the roasted onions, and carrots. Hand around the gravy separately.

COOKING TIME:

Rare: 20 mins. Per 500g + 20 mins; Medium: 25 mins. Per 500g + 20 mins; Well Done: 30 mins. Per 500g + 20 mins.

Mixed berry bakewell tart

Serves 8

A fruity and fragrant recipe from Neven Maguire.

Ingredients

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

175g plain flour

100g butter, diced and chilled

50g caster sugar

1 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Egg

½ tbsp Simply Better Organic Irish Jersey Milk

Zest of ½ lemon

For the frangipane

150g butter

150g caster sugar

3 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs

150g ground almonds

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling

1 jar of Simply Better Handmade Mixed Berry or Raspberry Preserve

1 bag of Simply Better Frozen Irish Triple Berries

To decorate

Fresh raspberries

Flaked almonds

Apricot jam, to glaze

A little lemon juice or water

Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. To make the filling, add the mixed berry preserve and frozen berries to a saucepan and simmer over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the fruit has softened. Set aside to cool.

2. To make the pastry, place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend just until the pastry comes together – do not overwork the dough or the pastry will be tough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

3. To make the frangipane, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend for about 30-40 seconds until you achieve a soft paste.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4).

5. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer the pastry to a 23cm (9in) fluted loose bottomed flat tin ensuring the pastry is pushed into the edges of the tin. Spread the berry filling over the pastry in an even layer to cover the surface of the pastry. Then top the berry filling with the frangipane and stud the frangipane with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

6. Dilute the apricot jam with a little lemon juice or water and bring to the boil, then brush the tart with this glaze. Serve warm dusted with icing sugar.

Belgian chocolate and orange hot cross bun pudding

Serves 6

This gorgeous dessert from Neven Maguire would make a perfect Easter treat.

Ingredients

Simply Better Irish All Butter Belgian Dark Chocolate & Orange Hot Cross Buns

4 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs

4 tbsp Simply Better Handmade Seville Orange Marmalade

2 tbsp Simply Better Spanish Orange Blossom Honey

300ml Simply Better Organic Irish Jersey Milk

150ml cream

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out or 2 tsp vanilla extract

75g butter, softened, extra for greasing

75g sultanas

Good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ Gas Mark 4). Lightly butter an ovenproof dish that’s about 25cm x 16cm (10in x 6in) and 2.5cm (1in) deep.

2. Mix together the eggs, lemon rind and juice, vanilla seeds or extract and honey in a small bowl beating lightly to combine. Add the jersey milk and cream and whisk together.

3. Slice the hot cross buns in half and spread over the softened butter. Scatter half of the sultanas on the base of the buttered dish and arrange a layer of the hot cross buns on top. Pour over the egg mixture, pressing the hot cross buns down gently, then sprinkle the remaining sultanas and grated nutmeg on top.

4. Place the dish into a roasting tin and fill with warm water until it comes three-quarters of the way up the dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just set.

5. Meanwhile, heat the marmalade in a small pan. Brush the top of the cooked pudding with the marmalade and dust lightly with icing sugar.

Brought to you in partnership with Dunnes Stores Simply Better