Ciara's Kitchen
Ciara’s Kitchen
Ciara Gorman Fennessy owns a small but busy cooking school in Wicklow where she runs in-house cooking demonstrations all year round. Ciara’s Kitchen teaches adults, kids, teens - all welcome - to learn how to make delicious, tasty and nutritious meals. She has moved her in-person demos to online due to the pandemic restrictions but most people who join her still cook along while some prefer to watch and cook later at their own pace. Here she shares her recipes for a great three course meal for you to try at home.
Goats Cheese, Beetroot & Pecan Salad– Serves 2
1 egg, beaten
50g panko breadcrumbs
150g log of soft goats cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cooked beetroot, cut into wedges (the ones that are vacuum packed are fine)
Bag of rocket leaves
Handful of pecans or walnuts
Dressing:
50ml olive oil
25ml apple cider vinegar
15ml honey
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Tip the egg and breadcrumbs into separate shallow dishes.
Cut the cheese into 6 pieces.
Dip the cheese into the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat so that they are completely coated.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the cheese and fry until golden on both sides.
Meanwhile make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together.
Place the beetroot, rocket and nuts into a serving bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss well to coat the leaves.
When the cheese is cooked, place on top of the salad and serve.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken – serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 chicken fillets, sliced thinly
250ml boiling water
1 chicken stock cube
2 teaspoons garlic Italian seasoning
250ml cream
150g sundried tomatoes, drained of oil & finely sliced
200g baby spinach leaves
50g parmesan, grated
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
350g Fusilli Pasta
Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan and add the chicken and fry for 10 minutes.
Then add the boiling water, stock cube and Italian seasoning. Season with some salt & pepper.
Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for another 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile cook the pasta.
When the stock has reduced down by at least half add the cream and sundried tomatoes and simmer for another minute or two.
Then add the spinach and stir to allow it to wilt.
Drain the pasta and add to the sauce and stir well.
Sprinkle over the parmesan and serve.
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce – serves 9
250g pitted dates, roughly chopped
1 heaped teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda / bread soda
125g butter, at room temperature
125g light brown sugar
2 medium eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
175g self-raising flour
Oil or butter to grease tin
Butterscotch Sauce to serve (below)
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, to serve - optional
Required tin (20x26cm / 8x10inch) lined with baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 190C. (fan 170C). Boil kettle.
Put the dates in a small pot with 200ml of boiling water, stir and bring to the boil. Then add the bicarbonate of soda, stir and turn off the heat. (It will fizz up). Leave the dates to soak until the mixture has cooled slightly.
Meanwhile put the butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric beater. Mix in the eggs one at a time and beat. Then add the vanilla extract and beat again. Finally stir in the flour and then the date mixture. Pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for 30 minutes. You can test that it is cooked by putting a skewer into the centre and it should come out clean. If there are crumbs stuck to the skewer pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and then cut into equal sized squares.
Place on your serving plates and drizzle with the butterscotch sauce and ice cream or whipped cream if using.
Butterscotch Sauce
50g unsalted butter
110g rich dark brown sugar
125g golden syrup
150ml-200ml double cream
Put the butter and sugar into a small pot and melt over a low heat stirring constantly.
Add the golden syrup and bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and add the cream and stir in.
Online classes are every saturday afternoon. For more information visit ciaraskitchen.ie