After road tripping around Ireland and taste testing his way through Spain, Neven Maguire, our favourite Cavan chef is combing the coast for Ireland's best seafood on the latest installment of his Food Trails series.
His journey will take us to Mayo, Cork, Donegal, Sligo, Kerry, Galway, Dublin, and Kilkenny, as he discovers the very best of Irish seafood and braves some choppy waters!
On tonight's episode, Neven heads north to the wild and rugged villages of Donegal, rooting out the pearls in this stunning county. Embarking in the vibrant fishing town of Killybegs, Neven stops off at the Killybegs Seafood Shack, a minute restaurant dishing up fresh fish and chips right on the roadside.
Renowned for its take-out calamari, the charming shack also doles out haddock, scampi and the prerequisite cod and chips, steaming from brown boxes. Owner Mairead Anderson shares her recipe with Neven, which uses locally caught squid and has proven very popular with both locals and tourists.
Next, a visit to Harvey's Point Hotel along the shores of Lough Eske where Neven meets Head Chef Chris McMenamin for a lesson in how to make the most flavoursome mussel and leek risotto, using mussels farmed in Donegal Bay - truly manna from heaven for the seafood aficionado.
As well as artisanal and delicately prepared dishes, Killybegs is celebrated for its seafood processing, so with this in mind Neven drops by Island Seafoods, where Michael O'Donnell has brought those artisanal touches into his herring and mackerel products.
It wouldn't be Neven's Food Trails without a dish inspired by his travels, so this week he rustles up Smoked Haddock Hash with Poached Eggs, a nourishing and delicious meal that simply screams "brunch". Get the recipe here.
Watch Neven's Irish Seafood Trails on RTÉ One tonight, January 23rd, at 8:30pm.
