Cooking with kids: JP McMahon is showing children how to make Michelin-starred food 

The chef is starting a new online cookery course for children and here is a sneak peek of some of the recipes he'll be teaching the budding cooks 

Chef JP McMahon of Aniar Restaurant wants to teach children how to cook. Picture: Anita Murphy

Last year, JP McMahon  - the owner and chef of Michelin-starred Aniar Restaurant - ran two online cookery courses, teaching more than 200 children how to cook. As a father and one of Ireland's most successful chefs, he is passionate about teaching children about where food comes from, and how to cook it. 

On October 30, he is launching a new eight-week course aimed at children aged nine and over, who might already be showing promise in the kitchen and who need a little encouragement.

Taking place over Zoom every Saturday or Sunday morning, the course will not only teach kids how to cook traditional meals and recipes but will also teach must-know culinary skills along the way. 

The Aniar 8-week Virtual Cookery Course for Kids starts on Saturday, October 30 and Sunday, October. 31 You can either pre-book to attend the full course for €250 or choose to attend individual classes for €35 per session, with ingredients list and required tools shared in advance. 

Chicken Teriyaki

Serve this chicken with rice and shredded pickled or fermented red cabbage

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thighs, boned

• 15g flour

• Rapeseed oil/chicken fat

• Sea salt

• For the sauce:

• 150ml sake

• 150ml mirin

• 75ml soy sauce

• 15g sugar

• A few sprigs of fresh thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• Sea salt

Method

1. Toss the chicken in seasoned flour and allow to stand while you make the sauce.

2. Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a pot and bring to the boil.

3. Fry the chicken in oil/fat in a frying pan until nicely browned.

4. Pour the sauce into the pan and spoon over the chicken.

5. Reduce the sauce by half or until it comes syrupy.

Oat and dilisk cookies

These easy cookies use the best of Irish ingredients

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 225g rolled oats

• 225g self-raising flour, sieved

• 225g butter

• 225g brown sugar

• 2 tbsp apple syrup

• 2 tsp milled dillisk

Method

1. In a pot, melt the butter and the apple syrup with the milled dillisk and then add the sugar.

2. In a bowl, combine the oats and the flour.

3. Pour the melted butter over the oat and flour mixture and combine.

4. Use a little water to bind the mixture together.

5. Shape into 12 cookies and bake at 180˚C for 10-15 minutes.

Homemade sausage rolls

This stuffing is great for poultry but also for making your own sausage rolls with ready-made puff pastry, which is widely available. You can freeze this stuffing if you have too much for one bird

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 pack (375g) of ready-to-use puff pastry

• 25g butter

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 450g sausage meat

• 120g fresh breadcrumbs

• 1tsp finely chopped sage

• 1 egg, whisked

• Sea salt

Method

1. Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

2. Combine the onion, sausage meat, breadcrumbs, and sage in a large mixing bowl.

3. Season with a little sea salt and use as desired.

4. Lay out the pastry and cut in two. place the sausage meat on top of one sheet of pastry. Fold the remaining pastry over the sausage meal and seal the edges with a little water. Cut into rolls and brush each piece with egg wash.

5. Bake in a 180°C oven for 10–15 minutes until golden brown and the sausage meat is cooked through.