Favourite recipes from one of the UK’s best loved chefs

Chef Rachel Allen is one of the UK’s best-loved chefs, and she’s one of our celebrity speakers here at MN2S talent agency London who is just as warm and friendly in the flesh as her TV persona – more so, in fact!

An Irish national, her career on TV started with the programme Rachel’s Favourite Food in her own country, and the Dubliner hasn’t abandoned her roots. Despite the show being picked up all over the world, Rachel continues to write for publications including the lifestyle magazine Image and The Sunday Tribune.

Her heritage doesn’t start and end with Ireland though – Allen’s mother Hallfríður Reichenfeld was Icelandic, a factor which surely contributed to Allen’s adventurous approach to food.

The versatile cooking skills which she now shows off were nurtured in the prestigious Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, set in the grounds of a 100-acre organic farm. The school is notable for pioneering the ‘slow food’ movement in Ireland.

When it comes to celebrity talent, they don’t get much more warm and engaging than Rachel Allen, making her the perfect guest at a relaxed event attended by foodie types. If you’re interested in booking Rachel Allen, contact MN2S talent agency to find out more.

If you’re not quite convinced yet, take a look at some of her best ever recipes below and see if we can change your mind!

Prawn and saffron risotto with dill pesto

We’re always on the scout for easy weeknight dishes that taste spectacular – and this certainly ticks that box. Risotto might be a little time consuming, but it isn’t tricky, and the addition of a dill pesto really lifts the whole dish.

You could even bust out this recipe to impress dinner party guests or in-laws – no one need ever know how simple it really is!

Warm winter green salad with Caesar dressing, smoked bacon and a poached egg

Salad in winter can feel a bit cold and unsatisfying, which is why we love a warm salad at this time of year. In this warm salad, Rachel includes bacon and a poached egg to make sure it’s a really filling dish – but it’s probably not the salad to go for if you’re on a diet, with a naughty Caesar dressing.

Perfect for a starter or a light lunch, this is one salad you’ll love to whip up all year around.

Asparagus and puff-pastry rolls

Vegetarians can be a bit left out when it comes to pastry dishes, but these delightful asparagus puff-pastry rolls are a treat that meat-eaters and veggies alike can enjoy. Substitute for sausage rolls if you’re catering for a vegetarian, or just make a plate to nibble on instead of cheese straws if you’re looking for a good crowd pleasing finger food.

Another bonus of this recipe is that it’s incredibly easy to execute and looks fantastic – just don’t tell anyone!

Lemon yoghurt Polenta Cake

Not everyone enjoys sponge cake, but it’s often a default option for many bakers. Polenta flour can add a richer, denser quality to a cake recipe when used well, creating a moist and extremely satisfying bake.

This lemon yoghurt polenta cake combines the denseness of polenta with a traditional lemon drizzle style loaf, creating a real crowd pleaser that’s a bit less run of the mill.

Molly Malone’s cockle and mussel chowder

Ireland is a country that’s famous for its seafood – and so it should be, because you’re never far from the sea on the Emerald Isle. The cockle and mussel chowder recipe that Rachel has created is testament to that, bursting with flavour. The rich soup works as well as a main course as it does as a substantial starter, and it’s an easy recipe to tinker with. If you can’t get your hands on cockles, most other shellfish will work equally well, as does using just mussels.

It’s an excellent transitional dish, with the warmth and richness that we all crave in winter months and the fresh flavours we tend to favour during spring and summer.