Loads of us have kitchen gizmos and gadgets lurking in the press that we might not use as much as we should because we're not sure how to use them.
Chef Brian McDermott joined Today on Claire Bryne on RTÉ Radio 1 to share some of his favourite recipes using handy kitchen gadgets.
Rice Cooker
We've all suffered problems of too much rice, too sticky, too wet but this bit of tech eliminates all those problems. A rice cooker is almost fool proof and a consistent way to cook rice.
These machines takes up very little space as a day to day kitchen appliance and it uses less electricity that many others.
A rice cooker can also be used to cook many other items such as pasta, quinoa, lentils and even for stewing fruits.
Top tips:
- Wash your rice three times in cold water to remove some of the starch.
- Brian uses short grain rice and likes to add flavour by adding two whole cloves, 1 bayleaf and a pinch of cinnamon.
- The correct ratio of rice to water is equal quantities. This is different if cooking rice in a pot as more water is required in the ratio. In a pot, it is three times the water to the rice.
Serving:
- Correct serving of rice is between 50-75g of rice per person
- For a short grain rice you're talking about 18 - 20 minutes of cooking
You can get Brian's recipe for chorizo fried rice below - he says his girls are "getting" to love it. They were initially not too fond of the spicy element of the chorizo so he sometimes uses bacon instead.
It’s really easy to add a bit of leftover roast chicken to this recipe too and it adds another flavour and level of taste.
Chorizo Fried Rice
Serves 4
300g White short grain Rice
500ml Chicken Stock
1 Onion peeled and diced
1 Clove garlic crushed
100g Peas (frozen is fine)
100g Chorizo
30g Soy Sauce (light)
1 Bay leaf
2 scallions washed and chopped
Method:
Wash the rice twice in cold water draining it each time.
Cut the chorizo into small diced pieces. In a small frying pan fry the chorizo and onion with the garlic until onion is soft. The chorizo will release enough oil for the frying.
Transfer to the rice cooker add the rice and bayleaf and cover with stock.
Close the lid and cook until rice is cooked and liquid is almost absorbed.
Open the lid and add the peas and chopped scallions and cook for further 5 minutes.
Then add the soy sauce and turn off the heat. Stir together and serve immediately.
Air Fryer
Air fryers have become hugely popular in recent years, but are they here to say? Absolutely, says Brian.
As well as being a faster method of cooking versus the domestic oven, it is also a lot healthier and safer than a deep-fat fryer.
He says that an air fryer is ideal for a two to three person households, but it’s not ideal for bigger families. Realistically, you’d be cooking in batches with it if you have three or four kids. However, that may work if they are coming and going to different afterschool activities.
The most important thing to remember when using an air fryer is to add some variety to your recipes. If you only use it for frozen chips, why not try one of Brian's delicious dishes?
Top tip:
Put four pieces of chicken in to maximise space and get the most out of it.
You can let that chicken go cold if you don't need all four and then you have delicious flavoured chicken that you made yourself for sandwiches or salads later in the week.
Hake is a fish that needs the correct amount of cooking so timing is crucial
With his recipe you are adding acidity to it with the lemon. Adding in the tomatoes and onions helps to spread the heat around so it’s not all focused on the fish and overcooking it.
When we talk about cooking fish in a basket we’re talking about papillote cooking which is a French way to ensure the fish stays delicious.
You can get the recipe for Brian's lemon, thyme and pepper chicken breast recipe and his healthy hake with lemon recipe below.
Lemon, Thyme and Pepper Chicken Breast
Serves 4
4 Boneless Chicken Portions ( breasts, thighs or drumsticks)
Spray of Oil
Zest of 1 Lemon & half juice of lemon
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 Twists fresh ground White Pepper
Pinch Sea Salt
Method:
In a bowl add the lemon zest and juice of half a lemon. Add the freshly ground pepper and pinch of salt. Add 4 sprays (or less) of oil to the bowl along with the fresh thyme leaves. Whisk all together.
Brush or spread the mix over the chicken pieces or place the chicken pieces in the bowl mixing all together.
Leave to marinade for at least 15 minutes
Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket and cook at 180 degrees C for 25 minutes. Check to ensure chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Great served with boiled rice or salad.
Healthy Hake with Lemon
Serves 4
4 Hake Fillet Portions (150g per person)
1 Lemon
Fresh Parsley
Few Twists Black Pepper
2 Tomatoes cut in quarters
1 Small Red Onion peeled and thinly slices
Method:
Preheat air fryer to 180 degrees C
Place hake fillets on air fryer baking paper. Season fish with pepper.
Add tomato pieces on top of each piece of fish.
Sprinkle red onion slices on top of fish
Squeeze lemon pieces to allow juice drip onto the hake.
Arrange squeezed lemon pieces on top of fish.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
Place in air fryer and cook for 8 minutes or until fish is cooked.
Serve with steamed potatoes for a healthy fresh and tasty meal
Pressure Cooker
Is this retro product worth considering as a kitchen gadget in 2022?
Well, after leaving his cooker to sit in a cupboard for six years, Brian finally found a great use for it following some great advice from an Indian chef who told him how to use it for authentic curry recipes.
For those kind of curries that in India would be on cooking for six or seven hours you can get that depth of flavour with a pressure cooker in less than an hour.
Brian says that the seal and vacuum on these machines can make them tricky, and they do take a bit of getting used to, but the benefit is that they retain the majority of nutrients in food while cooking.
Top Tips:
Once you've closed your pressure cooker, you cannot open it again to add anything in.
A great machine for economical foods like dried beans or black beans.
Lean meats can go in a pressure cooker while tougher meats need to be cooked in a slow cooker.
There are only two cooking stages: base cooking which is browning. Then the inclusion of all the ingredients.
Use low cost diced beef for this recipe. The wet environment is working to tenderise the beef and keep the flavour in.
Get the recipe for Brian's easy beef curry below.
Easy Beef Curry in the pressure cooker
serves 4
500g Diced beef
40g Mild or Medium Curry Powder
30ml Olive Oil
1 Large Onion peeled and diced
3 Cloves Garlic crushed
1 bayleaf
1 Tin Tomatoes chopped
25g Tomato Puree
1 Tin Coconut Milk
Method:
Heat the pressure cooker. Add the oil and fry the diced onion, garlic and bayleaf. Fry until brown then add the diced beef and fry until all sides of the beef is sealed.
Add the curry powder and stir to allow the beef to be coated in the curry powder.
Add the tomato puree and chopped tomatoes followed by the coconut milk.
Close the lid and seal the pressure cooker. Cook for 15 minutes.
Carefully release the pressure of the lid and open the cooker. Test that the beef is tender and if so this dish is ready to serve. If further cooking is required to ensure tender pieces of beef close the lid and increase the cooking for a further 10/12 minutes.
Food Processor
How many of us are really getting the most out of our food processors?
Recently Brian was gifted some locally-grown cucumbers and he decided to get creative. He used the slicing attachment to quickly slice all the veg and then he made a pickle out of it. This means he'll be eating Irish homegrown cucumbers in December and January.
And a family favourite that many of us buy ready made in the supermarket is hummus. However, Brian says we can easily make our own at home with a food processor. It should be noted that it will only stay fresh for five or six days.
Get the recipe for Brian McDermott's homemade pickles and his recipe for homemade hummus below.
In A Pickle
120ml White Wine Vinegar
60g Caster Sugar
20 Mustard Seeds
Pinch Fresh Dill
1 Large Cucumber
Method:
For the pickle place sugar, mustard seeds and vinegar in a pot and bowl until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and allow to cook. Add chopped fresh dill. Pour into a kilner jar.
Peel the cucumber and using a vegetable peeler shave in full lengths. Add cucumber slices to the pickle.
Seal by closing the lid. Can be used immediately. This recipe will store for 6 months
Hummus In Minutes
250g Chickpeas ( cooked )
50 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Clove garlic crushed
50g Tahini Paste
Pinch Salt
Pinch Ground Cumin
30ml Olive Oil
40ml Water
Method:
Using you food processor with blade attachment add the tahini paste and lemon juice and blend until smooth and creamy.
Add the oil, garlic, salt, cumin and lemon juice and blend for further 45 seconds. Using spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Drain the chickpeas and add half of them to processor and blend for 45 seconds then add remaining half and blend for approx 2 minutes.
Scrape down the sides and blend for further 1 minute or until you have a smooth texture. Add the water if recipe is thick and then blend to again to mix in the water.
Place in air tight jar and store in the fridge
Bread Maker
We know that during the pandemic the nation embraced bread making, but is a bread maker the way to go moving forward?
According to Brian, bread making is a great craft tradition passed on through generations and without the notion of a bread maker. He didn't have one, his mother didn't have one and his grandmother didn't have one.
Instead, he's making the case for quick and easy pan bread which will use very little energy and cut your costs because you're not turning the oven on but it’s made on the hob.
Top Tip:
Store in an airtight container. Toast a slice for warm breakfast option with poached eggs.
Get Brian's recipe for a lovely bacon and cheese griddle soda bread below.
Bacon and Cheese Griddle Bread or Scones
Ingredients
3 rashers of dry cure bacon
225g self-raising flour
40g butter
100g strong grated cheese
100ml buttermilk
Method
Preheat a frying pan on a medium heat
Grill the bacon until crispy of simply fry in a pan. Cut bacon in thin slices
For the bread sieve the flour into a bowl .
To a jug add the melted butter to the buttermilk and combine. Pour into the flour and gently need together using your hands.
Once dough is formed add the grated cheese and bacon.
Gently knead to form a dough.
Turn out onto floured table and gently shape to desired size. Dust the heated frying pan with flour and place scones on the pan. Cook for 6 minutes each side.
Allow to cool before slicing and serve with a real Irish butter
Microwave
We know that using the microwave to cook is much more energy efficient than the hob or the oven, but should we be using it to cook our meals?
For Brian, a microwave is for reheating foods and rarely does he use it to cook. He will pop his porridge in there as it's a one portion for three minute. That's about it.
He is a believer in building layers of flavour when cooking and having all the sensory delight that comes with that filling the kitchen with great smells.
His microwave never tends to smell great so he keeps it for reheating already prepared and cooked foods if required.