Three easy recipes from Neven Maguire that will feed the whole family

Learn To Cook With Neven shows us how to make incredible meals in just four easy steps

Three family favourites to make this weekend.

Neven Maguire has sold over 100,000 cookbooks and owns one of the country's most popular restaurants, but even he finds dinner time a struggle sometimes. That's why he came up with Learn To Cook, a genius compendium of over 80 recipes that can be put together in just four steps.

The book aims to empower those of us who are nervous in the kitchen with the basic skills they need, as well as arm families with meals they can cook together with ease - even midweek! 

Marmalade chicken and broccoli

recipe by:Neven Maguire

You could change up the vegetables in this tasty stir-fry depending on what you have in the fridge. French beans would work very well, as would sliced mixed coloured peppers, or try sugar snap peas and baby sweetcorn together

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 350g (12oz) jasmine rice

• 600ml (1 pint) of boiling water

• 400g (14oz) stir-fry chicken strips

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• 1 x 2.5cm (1in) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 200g (7oz) tenderstem broccoli

• 175g (6oz) fine cut marmalade

• handful of fresh coriander leaves

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Place in a pan with the boiling water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, until tender. Fluff up with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, put the chicken strips, garlic and ginger into a bowl. Add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes to marinate if time allows or up to two days in the fridge.

3. Heat a wok or large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and swirl it up the edges. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden.

4. Add the broccoli and sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of water. Steam-fry for 1–2 minutes, then add the marmalade and 2 more tablespoons of water and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until tender and nicely glazed. Serve with the rice and coriander.
   
   From Learn To Cook with Neven by Neven Maguire, Gill Books

Fish fingers and chips

recipe by:Neven Maguire

There is a new generation of oil sprays that don’t contain lots of extra additives and are a brilliant way of controlling the amount of oil you use. The spritz allows you to give everything a light, even coating of oil so that there is enough to crisp up

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 large baking potatoes (about 500g (1lb 2oz))

• rapeseed oil, for spraying

• 500g (1lb 2oz) firm white fish fillets, skinned and boned (hake, haddock, pollock or cod)

• 25g (1oz) plain flour

• 2 eggs

• 100g (4oz) panko breadcrumbs

• 1 lemon

• 200g (7oz) thick Greek-style yoghurt

• small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Cut the potatoes into thick chips and spread out in a baking tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Spray lightly with oil and season with salt. Roast for 20 minutes.

2. Cut the fish into 7.5cm (3in) strips, 2.5cm (1in) wide. Season the flour on a plate. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Toss the fish in the flour, then using a tongs, dip in the egg and toss in the breadcrumbs.

3. Put the fish fingers on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper and spray with oil. Turn the chips over, then put the fish on the top shelf and roast for 10 minutes. Turn over the fish and cook for another 5 minutes, until golden.

4. Cut the lemon into four wedges for garnish, then squeeze the rest into the yoghurt. Season and snip in the parsley with some scissors, stirring to combine. Put the fish and chips on plates with the yoghurt tartare sauce and lemon wedges.
   
   From Learn To Cook with Neven by Neven Maguire, Gill Books

Chocolate brownie s'mores

recipe by:Neven Maguire

S’mores are an American campfire treat where you melt marshmallows on sticks and sandwich them between shop-bought biscuits and a square of chocolate

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 27 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 350g (12oz) plain chocolate, finely chopped

• 40g (1½oz) butter

• 2 eggs

• 150g (5oz) caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• 12 marshmallows

•  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Place 200g (7oz) of the chocolate and the butter in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water, but the water must not touch the bottom of the bowl. Leave to melt, then stir until smooth. Cool.

2. Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until doubled in size, then whisk in the sugar and vanilla until you have a stiff mixture that can hold a trail of the figure eight. Sift over the flour and baking powder and gently fold in.

3. Add the melted chocolate with the rest of the chopped chocolate and fold in gently. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then spoon tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with non-stick baking paper – you need 24 in total. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.

4. Thread the marshmallows onto metal skewers. Hold the skewers over a campfire or barbecue (or you could use a gas stove or hearth fire), turning slowly until toasted. Use to sandwich together the chocolate brownie cookies to serve.
   
   From Learn To Cook with Neven by Neven Maguire, Gill Books