Chef’s Table: Butter chicken and chocolate chip pancakes from Ethna Reynolds of Nook

Nook in Collooney, Co Sligo has gained quite the fanbase and for good reason: Ethna Reynolds, chef and owner, has created an ever-changing menu that uses fresh, local and artisan ingredients where possible, with the breakfast and lunch options helping the café to become a popular local spot.

The recipes below from Reynolds are perfect for a Valentine’s Day feast this month – the flavours are impressive but the dishes themselves are manageable enough to allow you to spend time with your better half instead of running around the kitchen and forgoing all notions of romance. Try them out and check out nookcollooney.com for more info.

Rosemary and roast garlic flatbreads with Cooleeney Camembert and brandy sultanas

Serves 2-4

This flatbread is light and aromatic and is the perfect partner to this beautiful baked Irish cheese – sprinkle the sultanas on top, break the rind and dip the flatbread into the gooey, silky melted goodness. It’s the perfect sharing starter.

Ingredients

For the flatbread: 1x7g sachet of dried yeast, 180ml body temperature water, 250g plain flour, 1 heaped teaspoon salt, 1 sprig rosemary, chopped, 1 lemon, zest only, 2 cloves garlic, chopped

For the brandy sultanas and Camembert

80ml brandy, 100g sultanas, 1 Cooleeney Camembert, 1 sprig rosemary, Olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Place the yeast in a bowl with the water, stir and set aside for five minutes to dissolve.

2. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and add the salt. Add the water into the flour and mix and knead to combine, then place on a floured surface and continue kneading for five minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. Rub a little oil on the inside of a bowl and place the dough back in, covering with cling film and a damp tea towel. Set aside for one hour.

4. After one hour, knead the dough again, then add the lemon zest, garlic and rosemary. Pull the dough into a wide flatbread about a quarter of an inch thick and place on a pizza stone or parchment-lined tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and cook for ten minutes, until golden brown, then cut or tear into rough wedges ready for dipping. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C.

5. While the bread cooks, prepare the sultanas. Over a medium heat, combine the brandy and sultanas in a small pan and cook gently until all liquid has dissolved. Keep warm.

6. To prepare the cheese, remove the wrapper and place it into a small, ovenproof dish – terracotta tapas dishes work well. Sprinkle with olive oil and rosemary, then bake for ten minutes. Once the cheese is gooey, sprinkle the sultanas on top and serve with the flatbread.

Tip: the sultanas can also be soaked in Prosecco, red wine, sherry or ale.

Indian butter chicken

Serves 2

I love butter, and there is no doubt that Ireland truly has the best butter on the planet. I also adore a good curry, and this butter chicken is just a heavenly combination of all things good. It is very indulgent – I have made this curry several times in front of people who gasped at the sheer amount of butter that goes into the dish, but it really is worth it, especially as a treat.

Ingredients

For the tandoori chicken marinade

2 chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks, 1 teaspoon garlic purée, 1 teaspoon ginger purée, 1 pinch turmeric, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 pinch chilli powder, ½ lime, juice only, 150ml yoghurt

For the butter chicken sauce

60g real Irish butter, 1 medium onion, diced well, 1 teaspoon ginger purée, 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 2 cardamom pods, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 200ml rich chicken stock, 2 tablespoons tomato purée, 250ml tomato passata, 150ml cream,

To serve:

Cooked basmati rice, Naan bread

Method

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Make a few slits in the chicken and place in a non-metallic bowl. Cover the chicken with the marinade and rub well. Cover with cling film and leave to marinade for up to 12 hours (giving it a stir about halfway through).

2. When ready to use, place the chicken pieces in a grilling tray and grill until cooked.

3. Add 40g of the butter to a pan over a medium to low heat and gently sauté the onion for ten minutes, ensuring that it does not brown.

4. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a further two minutes, then add all the dry spices.

5. Cook while stirring for one minute, then add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick, stock, tomato purée and passata. Simmer for a further 20 minutes, then add the chicken pieces.

6. Cook for a further five minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper, and add the last 20g of butter and the cream. Melt, stir well and enjoy with basmati rice and garlic naan.

TIP: for a really easy dish, marinate chicken legs or thighs in the Tandoori marinade and simply grill or bake. Serve with some raita, mango chutney and a small salad.

Irish stout beef brisket buns with smoked cheddar and sriracha slaw

Serves 4

When is a sandwich better than a burger? When it’s this rich, juicy, slow-cooked beef brisket bun. It’s like a mix between a sandwich and a burger, but better than either. The brisket takes a while to cook, but once you pop it in the slow cooker, you can forget about it until it’s ready, then it’s simply assembly time – perfect for ensuring that you have enough time for a pre-dinner drink with your other half.

The best part about this dish? It serves four, meaning if you’re planning a romantic dinner á deux, you’ll have enough leftovers for a delicious lunch or dinner the following day.

Ingredients

1 carrot, 2 sticks celery, 1 small onion, 1kg beef brisket, 3 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon each salt and cracked black pepper, Oil, 1 bottle stout, I use White Hag brewery chocolate stout, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon molasses, 4 cloves garlic, crushed, 3 tablespoons sugar, 20ml Worcestershire sauce, 500ml beef stock, 4 tablespoons barbecue sauce

For the sriracha slaw

½ a head white or red cabbage, 1 small carrot, 2 spring onions, 1 handful coriander, 1 pinch chilli flakes, ,2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sriracha, ½ lime, juice only, 1 pinch salt and pepper

To serve

4 brioche buns, 4 thick slices of smoked cheddar, Slices of red onion, 4 large dill pickles, sliced, Sriracha sauce

Method

1. To make the slaw, shred the cabbage, carrot and spring onion. Mix all the ingredients together and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

2. To make the brisket, wash and chop carrots, celery and onion into chunks. Rub the brisket with the paprika, salt and pepper.

3. Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan and sear the brisket until browned on both sides. Place the brisket and all the other ingredients in a slow cooker at 150C. Alternatively, place in a baking dish and wrap well in parchment and tinfoil then place in the oven at 150C/gas mark 2. Cook for three hours.

4. Remove the brisket and shred with two forks, mixing in the cooking liquid.

5. Prepare the buns by lightly toasting. At this stage, you can either place all the ingredients in bowls so that your guest can make up their own bun or you can layer everything in the buns and serve. I suggest placing mounds of the beef brisket into individual portions on a baking tray, placing the cheese on top and popping under the grill so that it melts right into the beef, but you can just lash it all into the bun if you’d prefer.

TIP: for a bun-free version, the brisket and slaw is delicious served in lettuce cups.

Dark chocolate chip pancakes with caramelised banana, salted caramel and marshmallows

Serves 2

This is definitely one of my weekend favourites, and it always sells like hot cakes (no pun intended!) in the café. As Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year, you might want to surprise your loved ones with a romantic breakfast before work and this recipe is impressive enough to wow, but easy enough to be whipped up before you head to the office.

Ingredients

150g plain flour, sifted, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons caster sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil, 200ml milk, 75g good quality dark chocolate chips, 2 bananas, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 100g mini marshmallows,

For the salted caramel sauce

200g granulated sugar, 100g real butter, 125ml cream, ½ teaspoon sea salt, I use Jordans Atlantic Sea Salt from Donegal

Method

1. To make the sauce, add the sugar to a heavy based saucepan, and heat gently over a medium heat. It is important to keep a close eye on it as the sugar can burn very easily. As the sugar starts to melt down, whisk it gently, and keep whisking until it has melted fully.

2. Swirl the melted sugar above the heat until it turns a medium to dark brown colour then add the butter a bit at a time and continue to whisk. Once the butter has melted, remove from the heat and add the cream slowly. Whisk until all the cream is incorporated and the sauce is a nice dark golden glossy colour, then add the sea salt. Allow the sauce to cool for about 15 minutes before using it, as it will be very hot.

3. Meanwhile, make the pancakes. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt until combined. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the oil and milk and beat again.

4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix well, then add the chocolate chips and give a good stir.

5. Heat a non-stick pan to medium and grease lightly. Spoon a ladle of mix in the pan and allow to cook gently until bubbles start to form. Once bubbles form, flip over with a spatula and cook the other side until it is golden brown.

6. Sprinkle the brown sugar on a large plate in an even layer. Slice the bananas lengthways and press each side into the sugar so they are lightly coated. Cook gently on a non-stick pan until the sugar melts and turns a medium golden brown.

7. Serve the caramelised bananas on the pancakes with salted caramel sauce and marshmallows.

TIP: the sauce will keep for about three weeks in the fridge, so you can make it ahead of time if you like. It’s also great on ice-cream or mixed into coffee.

No-churn Vietnamese coffee ice cream

Serves 2

I love this recipe. I fell into it while trying out no-churn ice-creams due to a broken ice-cream churner years ago. While experimenting with various flavours, the base I had been using, condensed milk, reminded me of delicious Vietnamese coffee I had while in Vietnam years ago – a strong shot or two of espresso topped with this sweet and sickly thick milk. The result is very similar, except ice-cold, well set and incredibly smooth.

Ingredients

500ml full fat milk, 1x300ml can condensed milk, 3 tablespoons good quality very fine coffee powder, 1 tablespoon coffee essence

Method

1. In a kitchen mixer with a whisk attachment, add the milk and condensed milk, and whisk on high until combined, about 30 seconds.

2. Add the coffee powder and essence and whisk until the mixture stiffens and forms firm soft peaks.

3. Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into plastic containers (or a large bowl is fine) cover, and place in the freezer overnight until set.

TIP: this ice cream is divine with my salted caramel sauce recipe from the pancakes.