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Festive cooking with Mark Moriarty
Take your kitchen creations to the next level with a little help from the Irish chef’s easy recipe ideas
Meet Mark
Former World Young Chef of the Year and Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, Mark Moriarty is a cooking force to be reckoned with. The Dublin-based chef holds a coveted position at the two-Michelin-starred Greenhouse Restaurant and is a regular on RTÉ One’s Beyond the Menu and his latest TV series, Cook In. “I’ve loved cooking for as long as I can remember and have been working as a chef for over 12 years now,” says Mark. “I still get a kick from cooking great food and sharing it with people to enjoy.” Here, he pairs high-end flavours with easy-to-follow recipes to make your winter dining extra special.
See Mark’s latest recipes
Quick homemade focaccia
“I love nothing more than a glass of something and ‘bites’ before dinner with family and friends. This focaccia recipe is very quick, can be made in advance, and is perfect for dipping, spreading, or layering with some charcuterie, olives, houmous or dips. Bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your Christmas”
Serves 4
Ingredients
Part 1:
- 14g dried yeast
- 90ml lukewarm water
- 10g sugar
- 110g strong flour
Part 2:
- 240ml lukewarm water
- 110g olive oil
- 20g sugar
- 10g salt
- 430g strong flour
To finish:
- 200ml water
- 1 tbsp salt
- Rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped
Method
- Preheat oven to 185°C/165°C fan/gas mark 4.
- Mix the ingredients in part 1 until a smooth dough is formed; allow to double in size in a greased bowl.
- Next, add part 2 ingredients to part 1, and mix until a smooth dough is formed.
- Place this dough on a heavily greased, parchment-lined baking tray, pat down to reach all the corners of the tray, and allow to prove in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Use your fingers to place small holes across the dough, and to finish, dissolve the water and the salt and spoon this evenly on top. Sprinkle over the rosemary leaves.
- Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown all over, the rest on cooling rack.
- Cut into chunks and serve with charcuterie, olives and dips.
Glazed carrots and parsnips with star anise
“Simple, quick, delicious and different, this recipe will bring some sweet and sour to your sides. The Cook With M&S star anise brings beautiful roasted aniseed flavours, a perfect accompaniment”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 200g Fresh Market Special carrots, cut into batons
- 200g Fresh Market Special parsnips, cut into batons
- Cook With M&S star anise
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 100ml M&S sherry vinegar
- 100ml M&S maple syrup
- Rock salt
Method
- Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan and add some oil.
- Add the carrots and cook over a medium heat until they begin to colour all over.
- Add the parsnips and the Cook With M&S star anise and caramelise until both begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and vinegar and allow to reduce, followed by the maple syrup, allow this to reduce and glaze the veg. Finish with some rock salt.
Classic pork sausage stuffing with a twist
“A great stuffing is absolutely essential to a memorable Christmas dinner, and the addition of salami, sausage meat and truffle pesto, packs this one with a punch. It's also very quick, simple, and can be made in advance.”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 100g butter
- 3 cloves garlic, Sliced
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 100g M&S salami, finely diced
- 1 jar M&S truffle pesto
- 200g breadcrumbs
- 200g pork sausage meat
Method
- Heat the butter in a pot and add the garlic, onions, salami, and truffle pesto, season with salt.
- Add the breadcrumbs to this mix and soak.
- Fold through the sausage meat and transfer to cavity of turkey, or a baking tray.
- Cook for a minimum of 30 minutes at 180°c.
Potato gratin dauphinoise
“This is pure comfort food for me and it is surprisingly simple to prepare. The addition of the Cook With M&S Garlic & Herb seasoning takes away any hassle. The addition of melting stringy Gruyere cheese makes it your must-have side this Christmas”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 6 Potatoes, Peeled and Sliced 1/2cm Thick (Don'tStore In Water)
- 750ml Milk
- 750ml Cream
- 12g Salt
- 6 Garlic Cloves, Grated
- Grated Cook With M&S Nutmeg
- Cook With M&S Garlic & Herb Seasoning
- 20g Grated M&S Gruyere Cheese
Method
- Very simply, place the cream, milk, salt, grated garlic and potatoes in a large heavy based pot.
- Season with some pepper, garlic and herb seasoning and nutmeg and bring slowly to the boil until the mixture thickens.
- Transfer this to an ovenproof dish, and cover with grated cheese.
- Bake at 180c for 45mins, until golden brown on top.
Homemade crumpets with crème fraiche, smoked salmon, prawns, dill and lemon
“Smoked salmon is something we always had as a starter for Christmas at home. It’s one of my favourite ingredients and the Best Ever Smoked Salmon stands out for me because it has been carefully prepared without cutting corners, making it a must-have this Christmas”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 350g plain flour
- 14g dried yeast
- 15g sugar
- 350g buttermilk
- 15g salt
- 7g bicarbonate of soda
- 150g lukewarm water
- 100g M&S Normandy crème fraiche
- 150g Our Best Ever smoked salmon
- 150g M&S Atlantic prawns
- 1 lemon
- dill
Method
- Mix the flour, dried yeast and sugar. Stir in the buttermilk then transfer to lightly greased bowl.
- Allow to prove in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.
- Now, dissolve the salt and bicarbonate of soda in the warm water, then fold into the dough.
- Transfer this to a large container and allow to sit in a warm place for 1 more hour. Once proved for the final time, the mix can be transferred to the fridge for use at any time.
- To cook, grease a non-stick egg pan, or use greased rings on larger a non-stick pan.
- Spoon the mix into the pan and allow to cook over a low heat for 7-8 minutes until dry on top. Turn and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
- Garnish the crumpet with a spoon of seasoned Normandy crème fraiche, Our Best Ever smoked salmon, M&S Atlantic prawns, a sprinkle of dill and a squeeze of lemon.
Irish Beef Stew
“The second of Mark’s winter-warmer recipes see’s Mark create a classic beef stew using fresh Irish produce from M&S. The much-loved, traditional recipe takes on a new twist with clever combinations of flavoursome ingredients including 100% Irish beef, portobello mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and Mark’s secret ingredient, the Cook With M&S smoked tomato paste”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 400g diced Irish beef
- 2 carrots, diced
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- 1 jar pickled pearl onions
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 jar Cook With M&S smoked tomato paste
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 300ml Red wine
- 1 litre beef stock
- Handful thyme
- 20ml Worcestershire sauce
- Flat leaf parsley to finish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 130c
- Heat a heavy based saucepan, add some oil and brown the beef all over at the highest heat
- Add the carrots, mushrooms and pickled pearl onions, colour over a high heat
- Reduce heat and add the tomato paste, garlic and flour, stir together
- Now increase the heat and add the wine, reduce by half
- Add enough beef stock to cover, season with pepper and some Worcestershire sauce, bring to the boil and cover with a lid
- Place in the oven for 2 hours until the meat is soft and the sauce thickened
- Serve with a potato side from the M&S range
Smoked Salmon & Prawn Bites
“M&S is delighted to share the third of four recipes in partnership with chef, Mark Moriarty as part of his Autumn campaign. A collection of four mouth-watering recipes which are sure to tantalise your taste buds!”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 200g M&S Collection smoked salmon
- 200g cooked prawns
- 3 tbsp M&S seafood sauce
- Handful Cook With M&S chives, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tabasco sauce
Method
- Roll some clingfilm on a board, layer the smoked salmon slices across, making sure the slices slightly overlap
- Chop the prawns into small chunks, season with the seafood sauce, chives, lemon juice and tabasco
- Spoon the prawn mic in a line along the middle of the salmon
- Roll the salmon into a sausage shape, squeezing both ends tightly. Leave in the fridge for an hour
- Slice the roll using a sharp knife, creating little bites of smoked salmon with prawn filling
Paste Recipe E-alert
“The first of Mark’s winter-warmer recipes see’s Mark create a delicious fiorelli pasta with mushroom, tarragon, truffle and crispy fried sourdough, using fantastic ingredients from M&S including the M&S Collection range which includes the most beautifully crafted, best-quality products from some of the world’s best producers to create truly exceptional food.”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 300g fiorelli pasta
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- 1 jar of Collection mushroom with mascarpone and black truffle pasta sauce
- 100g sourdough bread
- 20g parmesan, grated
- 50ml Extra Virgin olive oil
- 100g butter
- Lemon juice
- Handful Cook With M&S tarragon, chopped
Method
- Heat a large pot with boiling salted water, drop the pasta and cook for 8mins until just soft.
- Heat your oven to 180c, chop the sourdough into small chunks and dress with the olive oil and some salt, cook until golden brown and crispy.
- Heat a separate, large pan and add some oil.
- Slice the mushrooms and cook on a high heat until caramelised, season with salt and pepper.
- Add a ladle of water from the pasta to the pan, then fold in the pasta sauce and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and coat in the sauce.
- Finish with some grated parmesan, lemon juice and tarragon.
- Top with the crushed crispy bread and serve warm.
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