If you follow me on facebook, twitter or Instagram you probably know I spent St Patrick’s Day in NYC this year and what a way to celebrate all things Irish if you can’t be at home! I was so chuffed to be invited back to the NBC Studios by The Today Show team and couldn’t wait to get back in the kitchen with Kathie Lee and Hoda again.

I was on a couple of years back and it was great craic so at least I knew what I was in for this time around! The folks at The Today Show wanted to see some Irish inspired recipes so I shared my Howth Seafood Chowder and my Chocolate Guinness Cake in cupcake form.

Thankfully everything went brilliantly and I had so much fun with the ladies! Massive thank you to all the team at The Today Show for having me back! Recipes and video of my appearance below! Next stop…. L.A. BABY!

Continue to the recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake…

Continue to the recipe for my Howth Seafood Chowder…

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After one of the craziest starts to any summer I’ve ever had, we are taking some time off to spend in Sweden to visit Sofie’s family.  We’ve been planning to take the car for some quite some time now, since my flea market hunting got to the point that the airlines groan when they see us coming with suitcases laden with vintage kitchenalia.  Apart from my minor hoarding issues, we have also wanted to take Max with us to experience the beauty of a Swedish summer.

As you can probably tell from these pictures we made it safe and sound and Max has already been for his first swim in a Swedish lake!  The trip wasn’t half as bad as we were expecting and the only really tough part was an early start for our ferry from Dublin and then a sleepy morning drive across the UK, but once we got on the ferry to Denmark it was all very easy!  I recorded some of the trip which you can see on my vlog on my youtube channel and below.

We are staying just outside Gothenburg and I’m really looking forward to spending time picking blueberries in the forest, hunting for mushrooms, lots of outdoor cooking and of course attempting to eat my body weight in Swedish crayfish!  Before the break really does start, I’m heading up to Stockholm today until Friday to record more episodes of my Swedish show Mitt Kok which goes out every Saturday morning over here.  

I’ve been writing up lots of my favourite Swedish recipes so I will do my best to upload them here over the next few weeks!  I’d love to hear some of your favourites so leave me a comment below and let me know what you’d like to see!

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The first episode of Rediscovering The Irish Kitchen went out last Tuesday night and I’ve never had such a warm and lovely reaction to a series I’ve presented. It seems the subject of traditional Irish recipes and cooking methods is one that holds a lot of fond memories for many. Considering the explosion of cookery shows on television these days an interesting starting point in the exploration of Irish food was to speak to Brenda Costigan who presented cookery slots on Irish screens in the 1980’s and 90’s and was food writer at the Sunday Independent for over 40 years.

When I met Brenda she gave me a wonderful history of food on Irish TV screens and spoke about Ireland’s first food superstar, Monica Sheridan, a no fuss home cook who infamously licked her fingers during her shows, which ultimately lead to RTE bosses giving her the boot. Brenda also spoke about her own career which spanned four decades and how she got her start as the cookery assistant to a fictional radio character dreamed up Odlum’s flour for their radio slots in the 1960’s. In this weeks show, I cook up scotch eggs with a twist using a traditional Irish ingredient, a lightly spiced chicken dish from Irish food writer Theodora Fitzgibbon, an unusual jelly using seaweed and Brenda shares her rich Chocolate Bakewell Tart.

– RECIPES –

{Black Pudding Scotch Eggs with Beetroot Relish…}

{Carageen Jelly…}

{Chicken Lahori…}

{Chocolate Bakewell Tart…}

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If you are subscribed to my new youtube channel, you may have spotted I was recently joined in my kitchen by the very talented Sharon Hearne-Smith.  Sharon and I have been friends for quite a while and we often work and give food photography and styling workshops together, so when she asked me to photograph her new book, I jumped at the chance! Who wouldn’t want to spend two weeks getting sticky fingers trying all the leftovers from the shoot?  We shot the photographs for the book in Sharon’s beautiful 1950’s style kitchen in Dublin and it was the perfect setting for this brilliant and bright book.

The book has finally been released in stores throughout Ireland and the UK and you have probably seen Sharon and her bee hive popping up all over the place with TV and radio appearances to promote the book.  It seems everyone is quite excited to learn more about no- bake baking!  Check out the recipe Sharon showed me how to make on youtube channel:

*This competition is now closed* To celebrate the release of Sharon’s new book, along with some of the brilliant recipes from the book (below) she has very kindly given me three copies of No-Bake Baking to giveaway! To be in with a chance of winning a copy of this brilliant book all you have to do is leave a comment below and make sure you subscribe to my newsletter here and you could be the the lucky winner of this great book. Entries close on Friday 4th of July at 1pm 2014. The winner will be chosen at random that day- Good luck!

 – RECIPES –

{ Raspberry and Chocolate Crepeathon Cake… }

{ Slightly Bonkers Cheesecake with Cake Pops… }

{ Irish Crème Brûlée Cups with Hazelnut Praline… }

{ Snickers Ice-Cream Cake… }

{ Dime Bar Bomb with Millionaire’s Drizzle… }

{ Frozen Yogurt Breakfast Ring… }

  { Blackberry Swirl Marshmallow Gateaux… }

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Tonight my new Irish TV series begins on RTE One.  It’s a seven part series celebrating the history of Irish cooking, using recipes and methods from an older generation.  It was one the most interesting series to shoot as I got to try my hand at lots of different techniques like making black pudding, baking in a pot over an open fire and even milking a cow.  In each episode I visit people to speak about their memories of Irish food and in this first episode I meet Michael Gill, owner of one of Ireland’s most successful publishing houses.  Michael published many of Ireland’s most well known cookery books and has a great knowledge on the subject.

One of the real highlights of filming the series was getting to shoot at the Muckross Traditional Farms in Killarney, Co. Kerry, a truly spectacular part of the country.  It was there I learned from the Bean An Tí’s (Woman of the house) classic Irish recipes for black pudding, Irish soda bread, and techniques like how to make butter and how to separate milk and cream.  I also got my hands dirty learning how to plant potatoes and in tonight’s episode you will get to see Nealy (pictured below) show me how to milk a cow.

In each show I cook through recipes from Pleasures of the Table: Rediscovering Theodora Fitzgibbon, the book I released earlier this year.  It has a great selection of traditional Irish recipes which were fascinating to cook through on screen, but I also used some of her other recipes with foreign ingredients which she would have had access to in her Irish kitchen during the 1970’s and 80’s.   The recipes in the first episode are a fine demonstration of this, Michael Gill cooks a classic French Onion Soup using a rather unconventional ingredient which Theodora swore by.  I cook a simple roast rib of beef with batter puddings, an Irish version of the traditional Yorkshire pudding.  Using the milk and cream I manage to get my hands on I also cook a comfort food classic, rice pudding with poached rhubarb and orange syrup.  You can find all the recipes from the show below and make sure to tune in at 8.30pm on RTE One tonight and every Tuesday night during the summer.

– RECIPES –

{ French Onion Soup… }

{ Roast Rib of Beef with Batter Puddings… }

{ Rhubarb and Orange Rice Pudding… }

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It has been a very busy few weeks filming my new TV series Donal’s Irish FEAST, all around Ireland and I have a whole separate blog post lined up to tell you about that.  Until then I wanted to check in and tell you that I’ve just passed the 30,000 subscriber mark on my new youtube channel! I am so delighted and it couldn’t have happened without you guys subscribing, liking and sharing my recipe videos, so I want to say a big thank you!

If you have missed any of my recent recipes, you can subscribe here to see them all but I thought I would round up my brand new brunch recipe videos as we are fast approaching the weekend. The first recipe is my Scrambled Egg and Goats Cheese Croissant. This is a quick and simple little breakfast but it’s taken to another level with the addition of goats cheese and rocket!  Bound to impress any weekend guest that happen to pop by to say hello.

The second of my weekend brunch specials is my Ricotta Hotcakes with Sweet Glazed Bacon which is a different take on weekend pancakes. This recipe is definitely a real treat and is so good on a Saturday morning!

Continue to the recipe for Scrambled Egg Croissants…

Continue to the recipe for Ricotta Hotcakes with Sweet Glazed Bacon…

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* This competition is now closed. * Thomasina Miers won BBC’s MasterChef in 2005 and since then, she has been catapulted to stardom, with a long list of TV series and books to her name.  She also runs a chain of highly successful Mexican restaurants in London.  Beyond all that, Thomasina is a wonderful food writer and her books are a testament to this. Her latest offering Chilli Notes is a celebration of her love of spice and heat.  Thomasina proves the many diverse ways that chilli can be used in recipes. From chickpea and mango salad with Indian spices, Turkish eggs and even a decadent  dark chocolate, chili caramel and macadamia nut tart, this book is a clever interpretation of one of the world’s most popular ingredients.

To celebrate the release of her new book, I have three copies of Chilli Notes to giveaway! To be in with a chance of winning a copy of this brilliant book, leave a comment below telling me your favourite dish making use of that key ingredient, the chilli, and make sure you subscribe to my newsletter here.  Entries close on Monday the 2nd of June at 7pm 2014. The winner will be chosen at random that day- Good luck!

You can check out some of the inspiring chilli recipes from the book below…

Continue to the recipe for Middle Eastern rose-scented, falling apart lamb…

Continue to the recipe for Addictive Pork Laab Salad…

Continue to the recipe for  Dark Chocolate, Chili Caramel and Macadamia Nut Tart… 

©Thomasina Miers.  Recipes taken from Chilli Notes by Thomasina Miers (Hodder & Stoughton) (Photography ©Tara Fisher)

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After months and months of admiring each other afar, and a near miss when they visited Ireland, a few weeks ago I went to London to finally meet the SORTED Food guys, Barry, Mike, Jamie and Ben!  If you haven’t heard of them, where have you been?  They have been taking the youtube food world by storm over the last few years and are one of the biggest food channels in Europe.  They have books, apps, a kitchen range and ridiculous amounts of videos coming out of their ears!

I toddled over to the very glamorous SORTED Food HQ somewhere in London (I never know where I am over there!) and the guys were so welcoming.  We got straight into kitchen and got cooking- lots of laughs, some name mixing up, trout on the floor and a raspberry nipple (you’ll just have to watch the vid!)!  All in all a pretty eventful afternoon which was followed by a secret meet up with some very cool bloggers and youtubers including Izy from Top With Cinnamon and Edd from The Boy Who Bakes.  It was all to celebrate the new SORTED Food app which is coming very soon!

For our collaboration, I cooked up one of my favourite breakfast treats from my book HomeCooked for Ben.  In return Ben cooked up some very cool little quiche cupcakes and for comedy value Jamie was on hand to help!  You can check out the recipe and video below and if that wasn’t enough for you head over to their channel to see me in the kitchen with the guys for their fridgecam video!

Continue to the recipe for Nutella Stuffed Brioche French Toast…

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Ever wondered how to properly arrange flowers for your dinner table? Mark Grehan, owner of The Garden in Powerscourt Townhouse, has kindly shared his top tips when it comes to using flowers as a centre piece or as a simple addition to your dinner party decor. Mark creates truly unique and beautiful arrangements for events and weddings and collaborated with our FEAST team for the very first edition back in Spring last year.  I am huge fan of his work which is always beautifully displayed in his Dublin shop. Time to hand you over to the very capable hands of Mr. Grehan to learn more about the perfect dinner party arrangement… Over to you Mark!

1. Less Is More…

When having a dinner party, light lunch or a supper, table decoration is a must and no table setting is complete without the addition of flowers. Let the food speak for itself and so the saying ‘less is more’ really applies here.  A good idea is to let the flowers compliment the food rather than having them take over. I recommend using smaller vessels on the table and creating the wow factor with flowers in other places in the home, like the hallway, where you welcome your guests.

2. Keep It Seasonal…

My main idea or thought process on using flowers at a dinner party or event is to keep it seasonal. Flowers and food are similar in that way. Sticking to what is in season will ensure the best, freshest, brightest blooms. Whether it’s holly sprigs at christmas, lilacs and tulips during late spring, or lavender in the summer. Following this simple rule will truly set your arrangements apart.

Image: Doreen Kilfeather

3. Be Inspired By The Menu…

Picking ingredients from your menu is a great way of incorporating interesting elements to your arrangements. Why not fill vintage vessels with a selection of  fresh herbs or use fresh fruit amongst your blooms. A splash of colour from a lemon, or strawberry plants lined up on a picnic table, is a great way of adding stylish flair to your dinner table decor.

4. Use Common Scents…

Avoid using heavily or strong scented flowers at a dinner table. An overpowering fragrance can take away from the food and confuse the palette which is the last thing you want to happen. Bare in mind, many people suffer from allergies so be mindful of the type of flowers you choose for you table decor.

5. Make Use Of Kitchenalia…

Your choice of vessel is really important. The containers and vases you choose should reflect your space. Whether it’s a 5 star banquet or a simple summer BBQ, always remember you want your flowers to complement the food. Keep it simple and elegant. Things like mason jars or jam jars always look beautiful.You often will have some of these lying around your house. You can dress these up with some gardeners twine or soft ribbon and your guests will love them. You could always give them away as a little gift at the end of the evening.

6. Flowers In Full Bloom…

Purchase your flowers a few days before so that they are open and in full bloom showing off the petals and colour in all their glory. If any petals do fall off you can always scatter them along the centre of your table.

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The minute I left the cinema after watching director Wes Anderson’s latest film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, the first thing I did was google the recipe for Mendl’s Courtesan Au Chocolat.  The beautiful choux pastry dessert based on the classic French pastry, Religieuse, features regularly throughout the film and had me licking my lips more than once.  Three layers of choux pastry filled with chocolate creme patissiere, sandwiched together with neon coloured icing and decorated with a single cocoa bean make for an instantly intriguing and eye-catching dessert.

In the film, the sweet creation is the signature pastry at the fictional bakery Mendl’s, and plays a small role in the antics of a story based around a devoted hotel concierge, his lobby boy and a highly valuable painting.  As part of the promotion around the film, a rather sweet instructional video was made to feed the curiosity of hungry cinema goers!  I thought I would share it here and if you’re hooked after watching the video you can check out the recipe over here.

Images: Fox International

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It’s that time of year again…Bloom in the Park is here! Bloom 2014 is taking place in the Phoenix Park Dublin over the June bank holiday weekend, from Thursday 29th May until Monday 2nd June 2014.  Each year the event continues to attract thousands upon thousands of people for a weekend filled with fun. Bloom 2013 attracted over 110,000 and this year promises to be be even bigger and better! With something for everyone and fun for all the family, visitors to Bloom will enjoy cookery and craft demonstrations, free gardening advice from the experts, Irish food produce, live entertainment and gardening workshops. Don’t forget kids go for free!

I will be doing cookery demonstrations in The Quality Kitchen on Friday and Saturday. Drop by at 2.15 pm on Friday or 2.45pm on Saturday and say hello. I will be cooking up some fun and friendly recipes including my mexican fish tacos, and my crowd pleasing chocolate mud pie cake.  There will also be copies of my books available to buy if you want one signed.  Also my new range of Skoff Pies will have a stand in the Love Irish tent. We will be holding tastings and would love to hear what you think of each pie option so make sure you drop by! Keep an eye out for my dad who we are trying to convince to be the official Pie Man for the weekend- he’ll be the one dressed all dapper!

*This competition is now closed*  To celebrate the return of Bloom, I have 2 tickets up for grabs! To be in with a chance of nabbing these tickets leave a comment below telling me your favourite summer dish, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter here.  Entries close at 1pm on Monday 26th 2014.  The winner will be chosen at random that day, so please watch your emails to ensure you can get your tickets on time if you’re the lucky winner! Good luck!

To get a flavour of what Bloom 2014 has to offer, have  little peak at the video below:

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After a full on weekend in Cork at the Kerrygold Ballymaloe LitFest I am back home sat at my desk editing the photos from three days filled with incredible food, educational talks and inspirational people.  This year had a lot to live up to after last years fantastic inaugural event, but of course it delivered with a bursting-at-the-seams list of food heroes, fascinating characters and once again flawless, home-grown food.  I was there to speak about food photography, food blogging and to give a food photography workshop but was lucky enough to attend a foraging workshop with Rene Redzepi & Alys Fowler and a long table dinner with food from Ottolenghi. It was at the Ottolenghi dinner that I ended up sitting next to Mirra and Daniel from The Perennial Plate.

I was quite excited to speak with this husband and wife film making duo after listening to their regular features on The Splendid Table. The pair have been travelling the world for the past four years, creating a weekly online documentary series dedicated to socially responsible and adventurous eating. The incredibly vibrant short films which tell food stories, have brought them critical acclaim and fans including top names in food, Michael Pollan, Thomas Keller and Darina Allen. I had seen many of their videos but it was such a treat on Sunday evening to have Mirra and Daniel talk us through some of their favourite episodes.

What is most impressive about their work is that it is literally just the two of them and a camera and they manage to document breathtaking scenery and beautiful food stories. It is quite an achievement. If you haven’t come across their work before you can check out their website which has a full list of over one hundred episodes to view.  It just goes to show, you never know who you might be sitting next to at dinner at the Ballymaloe LitFest.  A wonderful festival full of inspirational food lovers.  Big thank you to everyone involved for a fantastic weekend.

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I am now officially hooked on youtube, it feels like where food blogging was a few years, right at the cusp of something special.  There is a whole network of youtube food stars to get addicted to and I’m spending a lot of time watching some great new and inspirational characters.  I’ve also been doing my best to keep up with the Jones’s, so this week I’ve got a brand new video recipe up.  It’s one that I make time and time again and is my version of the original and worldwide famous Pad Thai.  The original uses tamarind paste, but this recipe is stripped back slightly to ingredients which can easily be bought here but of course doesn’t compromise on the taste.  I do hope you enjoy it and of course make sure to head over and subscribe to the channel.

Continue to the recipe for Quick & Simple Pad Thai…

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I’m feeling very grown up just writing this post but… After eight amazing years with my girlfriend Sofie, I proposed to her in Paris over the weekend.  I have been planning to do it for the last few months and when we booked a weekend break to one of the most romantic city’s in the world, I knew the time was right.

I spoke to my friend Caitriona, a lady who knows her diamonds, and I was frog marched to John Farringtons Rings in Dublin and managed to find the perfect one for Sofie.  With a thumping heart and a view of the Eiffel Tower, I took out the ring and said those very real words, “Will you marry me?”.

After leaving me hanging with lots of gasping, I put on the ring on her finger and she said yes!  A pretty perfect weekend, all said and done!  A huge hug and a big thank you to Rhianne Jones, who took the images you see here, and has left us with some wonderful memories.

The post We’re Engaged! first appeared on Donal Skehan | EAT LIVE GO.

While eating healthy is normally at the fore of my mind… *cough* most of the time… I have a proper addiction to this recipe.  With it being homemade and all that, I like to think I get away with it, but then the copious amount of butter in the tongue tingling buffalo sauce makes me think otherwise.  When Saturday night rolls around and we aren’t going out this is my perfect stay-in TV dinner.  It ticks all the boxes, minimum effort, maximum flavour AND you can eat it with your hands (and a bib if required!).  It’s been here on my blog for quite some time and continues to be popular so I’ve recorded a how to video to show you just how easy it is to make, over on my youtube channel! Give it a go and let me know what recipes you’d like to see on my channel next.

Continue to the recipe for Buffalo Spatchcock Chicken with Rosemary Roast Chips…

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