Donal Skehan is back on the road in his trusty vintage Citroen H van for the second part of this third Kitchen Hero Home Cooked series. The hugely popular presenter is on a mission, showing people just how easy it is to prepare delicious, home cooked food as he lays out his stall at festivals and gatherings around the country. It’s Donal’s Home Cooked roadshow.
Programme 10: Hook Lighthouse
The Hook Lighthouse at Hook Head in Co Wexford is the world’s oldest operational lighthouse – there’s been a lighthouse here for 800 years and it’s now a popular tourist attraction. Donal takes refuge from some appalling weather to cook for the windswept visitors as he prepares a delicious Chorizo Chicken Bean Stew and a Tomato Crab Pasta.
“Everything I know I either taught myself or learned from my mother and grandmother” says Donal. The most important thing I know is that home-cooked food can be tastier, healthier and cheaper than almost any ready-made meals, take-aways or fast food you can buy. If you cook your own food, you know exactly what goes into it – how much sugar, how much salt, what kind of oil or butter and of course there are none of those funny sounding ingredients, trans-fats or E-numbers.
“But for me, the satisfaction of giving people food that they enjoy is just as important as the healthy stuff and the price. I get a real buzz from cooking for my friends and family and seeing them tuck into what I put on the table.”
Donal will be travelling the country to promote the Home Cooked message and the second part of this brand new series sees him visiting Trim Castle, The Dublin Horse Show and even Dublin Zoo! Donal will be taking inspiration from home and abroad and introducing us to lots of mouth watering recipes, including Seafood Paella, Margarita Chicken, Sausage & Puy Lentil Stew and Tomato Crab Pasta. As well as the dishes Donal cooks for the crowds at the Festivals, he will also make lots of cakes, biscuits and other sweet treats in a section of each programme called Donal’s Home Cooked Bakery.
“Of all the recipes I put up on my blog, the most downloaded and frequently requested recipes are those for cakes, biscuits and desserts.
So, each week in this new series we’re going to have a section dedicated to those delicious indulgences that everyone just can’t get enough of. Crisp chewy meringues with lashings of cream and summer fruits, plump profiteroles dripping with chocolate sauce, sweet and salty dark chocolate caramel biscuits, crème brulee doughnuts and rich peanut butter sandwich cookies – all of these will make an appearance in Donal’s Bakery!”
Kitchen Hero Home Cooked is produced and directed by David Hare of Inproduction TV for RTÉ and the series is sponsored by SPAR
Press enquiries:
TVPR Ann Coughlan 087 6778045/ Pauline Cronin 087 2629967