Each week, Garda Post recommends some tasty and simple to prepare meals for its readers that will really hit the spot and will not break the bank. This week is a delicious Thai roast chicken and a salmon dish with a difference. Enjoy!

Thai roast chicken

For this dish you will require lemongrass, ginger and chillies that will add a marvellous intense flavour to a roast chicken for a delicious and simple meal

Ingredients

•    2 sticks lemongrass
•    50g/1¾oz ginger peeled
•    3 spring onions
•    2 medium red chillies
•    2 medium yellow chillies
•    1 medium green chilli
•    1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
•    200ml/7oz groundnut oil
•    1 whole chicken

How to prepare

1.    Set the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2.    Combine all of the ingredients apart from the chicken in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3.    Brush the chicken generously with the spice mix.
4.    Cover the chicken with tin foil and roast in the oven for 70-80 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a skewer – the cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken. Remove the foil half way through to allow the skin to crisp up.
5.    Leave to rest for 15 minutes covered in foil before serving.

 

Grilled salmon, braised cabbage with bacon and onions

Ingredients

·         4 x 170g/6oz salmon steaks

·         170g/6oz unsalted butter

·         2 small red onions, sliced

·         6 rashers smoked back bacon, sliced thinly

·         1 small savoy cabbage

·         olive oil

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

·         2 tablespoons of grainy mustard

·         ½ lemon, juice only

·         1 tablespoons of chopped parsley

·         1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

How to Prepare

1.       Heat the butter in a large pan until it starts to bubble (but do not brown).

2.       Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

3.       While the onions and bacon are cooking, cut the cabbage into quarters and shred very thinly. Wash well and drain thoroughly.

4.       Brush each side of the salmon with olive oil. Heat a non-stick frying pan, when hot add the salmon and leave to seal in the pan. Turn over halfway through cooking.

5.       Add the cabbage to the bacon and onions and stir. Cover with a tight fitting lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will ensure the cabbage will absorb the butter and retain moisture.

6.       At the end of cooking, season, then serve in a large bowl placing the salmon on top.

7.       Combine the dressing mixture with the remaining butter from the pan and spoon around the edge.