A culinary wishlist and recipe for Middle Eastern spatchcock chicken …
In My Foodie Weekend, we explore the rhythms and routines of Ireland’s top industry insiders. This month, executive chef Gavin McDonagh shares his ideal weekend and one of his favourite recipes to try at home.
How do you tend to spend quality time off? I like to keep things simple when I have time off. You’ll usually find me in the garden taking care of my vegetable patch. I’m also spending a lot of time training our young pup, who certainly keeps me on my toes! My favourite way to unwind is relaxing with my partner when she gets home from work and enjoying some quality time together.
What’s your perfect Friday night? Friday night is all about our Supper Club dinner at Club Kitchen. As a team, we get to experiment with seasonal flavours and textures while celebrating the very best Irish ingredients. Whether it’s John Stone beef, Ridgeway Wagyu or beautiful vegetables from Iona Farm, it’s a chance to be creative and showcase what’s in season.
What’s your ideal Saturday morning? On the rare occasion that I’m off on a Saturday, I love heading to Floritz on St Stephen’s Green in Dublin for brunch. My go-to dish is the Prawn Toast Benedict – it’s absolutely outstanding.
What’s your ideal Saturday night out? When my dad was alive, if I happened to have the evening off I loved sneaking out for a few pints in the local with him. They’re memories that I’ll always treasure.
Do you have a Sunday tradition? My favourite Sunday tradition was bringing my mum and dad out for a carvery lunch. My mum would always ask for a half portion, only for the chef to pile her plate high anyway. Just thinking about those days brings a tear to my eye. They were simple moments, but they meant everything.
Where do you like to food shop? I’m a big Lidl fan; they have some of the best Irish produce. Don’t kill me for saying this, but my trolley always has the uncomplicated essentials: fresh bread, sliced ham and plenty of yoghurt.
What are some of your favourite ingredients and meals to make? I really love Japanese ingredients because they can completely bring the flavours of a dish to another level. Nanami Togarashi is probably my favourite spice. I even love it sprinkled over chips or popcorn, and I wouldn’t have edamame in a Japanese restaurant without it! Ponzu, mirin and roasted sesame oil are also ingredients that I like to use a lot. They add so much depth. I make a beef noodle salad with them and they just elevate the dish so much. Kimchi definitely has to be added to the list for the acidity, spice and fermentation it brings. It’s great because it’s become more mainstream, so more people actually pick dishes that have it.
I’m in the process of creating our autumn-winter menu and these will all be a focal point. For example, our tuna tataki will be served as a starter with ponzu, sesame and mirin; bringing together some of those Japanese flavours that I really enjoy cooking with.
Where are your favourite foodie destinations? One standout foodie destination I love is Kombu in Galway, where Gabriel Hoefling Ossani is cooking some seriously impressive Japanese street food.
Do you have a favourite drink? I’m not much of a drinker anymore, but I’m happy with whatever suits the occasion. Like champagne for celebrations or a pint watching a match.
Can you share a favourite recipe? One of my favourite dishes at the moment is my Middle Eastern Spatchcock Chicken Sharing Platter, which is such a crowd pleaser.
Middle Eastern Spatchcock Chicken Sharing Platter
Ingredients
Spatchock corn-fed chicken
Tzatziki
Pickled red onion and cucumber
Caesar baby gem
Burnt spring onions with green tahini dressing
Roasted red peppers
Flatbreads
1. Spatchcock Chicken
1,200g cornfed chicken
Roasted ground cumin, Aleppo chilli flakes and Spanish smoked paprika
Pinch of Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper
Rapeseed oil
Method: Spatchcock the chicken then drizzle rapeseed oil generously over the front and back. Generously rub the chicken all over with the spice blend, making sure the seasoning is evenly distributed. Place the chicken into a preheated oven at 160° C and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 75°C at the thickest part of the meat.
2. Tzatziki
300g deseeded, grated cucumber
600g Greek yogurt
Spice blend
10 fresh mint leaves
Method: Finely julienne the mint and grate the cucumber then add both to the Greek-style yoghurt. Season with the same spices used in the rub for the chicken. Make sure everything is well combined and evenly seasoned, creating layers of flavour that come together in the finished dish.
3. Pickled Red Onion
75g white wine vinegar
70g water
25g sugar
5 mustard seeds
2 thin slices of chilli
½ clove of garlic
1 bay leaf
Small sprig of thyme
1 very finely sliced red onion
Method: Bring to boil all of the ingredients except the onion and then leave to cool. Pour the mixture onto the onions. You can use pickled onions straightaway, but they are better after few days of pickling.
4. Pickled Cucumber
200g water
300g rice vinegar
100g caster sugar
1 large cucumber
Maldon sea salt
Method: Finely slice the cucumber, season with a pinch of Maldon sea salt and leave for 15-20 minutes to draw out the excess water. Rinse the cucumber thoroughly and pat dry. In a saucepan, combine the water, rice vinegar and caster sugar, bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the pickling liquid to cool completely. Pour the cooled mixture over the cucumber and leave to pickle before serving.
5. Caesar Dressing
2 heads of baby gems
15g rapeseed oil
100g of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of whole grain mustard
½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 anchovy crushed
Squeeze of lemon
25g parmesan cheese
½ clove garlic crushed
Repeat seasoning
Sugar
Method: Cut baby gems lengthways in half, brush with olive oil and grill until charred. Drizzle over the prepared Caesar dressing and finish with freshly shaved Parmesan before serving.
6. Burnt spring onions with green tahini dressing
6 spring onions, cut in a half length-ways
Small sprig of mint, parsley and basil
1 clove of crushed garlic
2 tablespoon of tahini
100ml rapeseed oil
Repeat seasoning
Method: Place spring onions brushed with rapeseed oil on the grill for two minutes until soft and charred. Blitz all of the ingredients in food processor. Add more oil as needed for a pasty, creamy sauce.
7. Flatbreads
250g natural yoghurt
250g self-raising flour
Maldon sea salt and white pepper
Method: Combine equal parts yoghurt and flour in a bowl, adding a small amount of salt and white pepper. Mix the ingredients together until a soft dough forms, then allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. Once rested, the dough is ready to cook in a pan with a little rapeseed oil until golden and cooked through.
8. Roasted Red Peppers
2 red bell peppers
Rapeseed oil
Spice blend
Method: Split the peppers in half, remove the seeds and stems, then cut each half into three pieces. Drizzle generously with oil and season with the same spice blend. Place the peppers directly onto the grill and char on both sides until nicely blistered. The high heat and charring gives them a deep, rich and intensely smoky flavour.