Donal Skehan visits the Bord Bia Quality Kitchen and shares simple steps to take the stress out of meal times

The self-taught cook believes anyone can be a kitchen hero

This month in the Bord Bia Quality Kitchen we’re joined by Donal Skehan, who carved a career out of cooking without stepping foot inside a culinary school. Donal firmly believes that everybody can and should cook, saying “I know it can be daunting for some people at the start but if you stay calm in the kitchen and take things one step at a time, then anything is possible.”

The Bord Bia Quality Kitchen is an online destination for recipe information and cooking advice, accessible at www.facebook.com/bordbia and www.bordbia.ie/qualitykitchen

Visitors can learn about Donal’s favourite food memories and how travel has influenced his cooking style. They can also view a short video of him whipping up a ‘What’s in the fridge frittata’ – using everyday leftovers to create a speedy supper. Previous visitors to the Bord Bia Quality Kitchen include TV and radio presenters Hector Ó hEochagáin and Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Celebrity MasterChef contestant and mother-of-3 Yvonne Keating, former Ireland rugby international David Wallace and celebrity chef Neven Maguire.

Teresa Brophy, Consumer & Trade Marketing Manager, Bord Bia said “Consumers are very busy these days – especially with the school term resuming. The Bord Bia Quality Kitchen has a range of quick and tasty recipe ideas as well as time-saving tips to make life easier in the kitchen.” Visitors to the Bord Bia Quality Kitchen can enter a monthly competition to win an iPad so the full range of recipes is always at their fingertips and get information on Bord Bia’s Quality Mark – the symbol used to indicate certification under Bord Bia’s Quality Assurance Scheme. By purchasing food with the Bord Bia Quality Mark, consumers know that it has been produced to the highest Bord Bia Quality Standards – including traceability and care for the environment.

* The Bord Bia Quality Kitchen can be accessed on www.facebook.com/bordbia orwww.bordbia.ie/qualitykitchen.

RECIPE

Leek, Mushroom and Ham Omelette

A great way to use up whatever vegetables or herbs you have in the fridge. Another great combination is bacon, spinach and blue cheese.

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• ·         8 eggs
• ·         2 tablesp. olive oil
• ·         A knob of butter
• ·         3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
• ·         1 small onion, finely chopped
• ·         100g mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• ·         100g cooked ham or bacon, chopped
• ·         25g cheese, grated
• ·         1 tablesp. parsley, chopped
• ·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat a tablespoon oil in a 22cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a knob of butter then add in the leeks, onion and mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes until lightly cooked. Beat the eggs in a large bowl then add in the ham or bacon, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Take the frying pan off the heat and put the leek and mushroom mixture into the bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine.

Heat a little more oil in the frying pan. Then pour in the egg mixture, stir gently for a moment or two, allowing the liquid egg to flow on to the base of the pan. Continue to cook until the egg is almost set but still moist on top. This will take about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile heat the grill until hot. Place the frying pan under the hot grill for 4-5 minutes to finish cooking.

Cool for 2-3 minutes, then loosen the edges with a spatula and slide, or turn out the omelette, onto a large plate or board. Cut into wedges and serve warm with roasted cherry tomatoes, green salad, your favourite chutney and bread.

To roast the tomatoes – Drizzle them with olive oil, season and cook for about 10 minutes at Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400°F) until they begin to burst.

Bord Bia Tip

Make sure the eggs you buy for this recipe carries the Bord Bia Quality Mark so that you know it comes from farms and producers working to the highest Bord Bia Quality standards which include traceability and care for the environment. For more tasty recipe ideas and video tips, visit the Bord Bia website at www.bordbia.ie/qualitykitchen. For more information on Eggs, visit eggs.ie.