Podcast · Arts & Books

Cooking with Paula McIntyre

by BBC Radio Ulster · English · Arts & Books

Resident chef Paula McIntyre brings you a weekly recipe in a handy digestible ten minute download. From BBC Radio Ulster.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 7 min
Latest: 10 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

10 Oct 2026 · 6 min

Plum Barmbrack Bostock

Recipe Plum compote 4 plums, halved, stoned and chopped 25g castor sugar 1 tablespoon honey Place the plums, sugar and honey in a pan and cook until thick and jammy. Cool. Frangipane 60g soft butter 60g castor sugar 1 egg 50g ground almonds 15g plain flour Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Whisk in the almonds and flour. 4 thick slices barmbrack 4 dessertspoons damson or plum jam 50g flaked almonds Place the barmbrack on a baking tray and set oven to 170oc. Spread the jam over the top, followed by the plum compote and then spread the frangipane evenly…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

2 Oct 2026 · 9 min
Roast Carrot Soup With Crispy Pumpkin Seeds, Chilli And Shallot
Recipe 500g carrots, scrubbed well and cut in half lengthwise, ends trimmed 4 tablespoons good local rapeseed oil or cooking oil 2 medium onions, finely sliced 25g chopped root ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock 1 red chilli, finely sliced 4 small shallots, peeled and finely sliced 50g pumpkin seeds coarsely chopped Set oven to 190oc. Take a large sheet of parchment paper and place carrots on one side. Drizzle over a tablespoon of the oil and season with salt. Fold over the paper and twist the edges to seal in the carrots. Bake in the oven for about an hour or…
26 Sep 2026 · 6 min
Pear and Blueberry Buckle Cake
Pear and blueberry buckle 2 pears 50g castor sugar 1 tablespoon honey 150g frozen blueberries Peel, core and dice the pears and cook with the sugar and honey until soft. Add the blueberries. Cool. Cake batter 60g soft butter 150g castor sugar 1 egg 125ml buttermilk 250g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Butter and line a 23cm cake tin with parchment paper and set the oven to 180oc. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in the egg. Mix the flour and baking powder and add half of this mixture to the butter mixture with half the buttermilk. Mix until incorporated then add the…
19 Sep 2026 · 8 min
Breton Chicken
Breton Chicken 8 chicken thighs, skin on bones removed ( see below for chicken stock recipe) 1 tablespoon oil 25g butter 1large leek, split, washed and chopped 200ml dry local cider 1 bay leaf 200ml chicken stock 75ml double cream 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Handful chopped parsley Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Season the chicken with salt and add skin side down in the pan and cook until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip over and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper and…
17 Sep 2026 · 7 min
Shin of Beef Pasta with Carrot Sauce
500g shin of beef 2 tablespoons oil 2 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped 2 sticks celery chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon tomato puree 750ml beef stock 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons balsamic 350g pasta - I used pacheri 75g grated parmesan or hard cheese Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a casserole until smoking hot. Season the beef with salt and sear on both sides for a couple of minutes. Remove from pan and add the onion, celery and carrots and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook for 5 minutes to colour then add the tomato puree…
12 Sep 2026 · 7 min
Chocolate peppermint traybake
Paula shows John how to make chocolate peppermint traybakes.
28 Aug 2026 · 6 min
Coconut cheesecake cream with poached rhubarb and orange crumble
Coconut cheesecake cream 250g cream cheese 250g mascarpone 50g castor sugar 250ml double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 50g desiccated coconut 25g icing sugar Take 125g of the cream and add the vanilla and sugar. Bring to a simmer until sugar has dissolve and add the coconut. Turn off the heat and cool for 30 minutes. Whisk the cream cheese, mascarpone, remaining cream together and add the coconut cream mixture and icing sugar. Orange Crumble 100g plain flour 80g soft butter 100g castor sugar Zest 1 orange. Rub the flour and butter to coarse crumb texture. Add the sugar and orange zest…
21 Aug 2026 · 7 min
Chocolate Cherry Frangipane Tart
1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry 60g soft butter 60g castor sugar 1 egg 50g ground almonds 15g plain flour 15g cocoa powder 1 egg yolk 10g melted butter 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar 1 tablespoon maple syrup 175g cherries, stone removed Place the pastry on a lightly greased baking tray. Beat the castor sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Mix in the almonds, cocoa and flour to a smooth paste. Score a border of 1cm thick around the pastry, prick the middle with a fork and brush all over with the egg yolk. Spread the frangipane into the centre rectangle within the…
15 Aug 2026 · 10 min
Spiced Courgette fritters with yoghurt dressing
Spiced Courgette fritters with yoghurt dressing 125g mashed potatoes 250g coarsely grated courgettes ½ teaspoon salt 4 scallions, finely chopped 45g rice flour 1 teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon nigella seeds Oil for shallow frying Mix the courgettes with the salt and leave for 10 minutes. Squeeze through a sieve to get rid of as much water as possible and place in a bowl with the potatoes, scallions, rice flour, and spices. Mix well. Form into small golf ball size pieces – roll and then flatten. Heat a quarter of thumb nail depth of oil in a frying pan and add the…
8 Aug 2026 · 9 min
Braised local beans with parma ham and spaghetti
Braised local beans with parma ham and spaghetti 1 stick celery, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 25g butter 4 slices parma ham, shredded 1 tablespoon tomato puree 250g mixed beans ( runner beans and green beans) topped tail and cut into 2cm pieces 250g local tomatoes cut the same size or whole if cherry tomatoes 250ml stock 300g dried spaghetti 75g hard cheese like parmesan/ Cais na Tire/ pecorino Handful fresh basil, parsley or lovage, chopped 1 tablespoon of good olive oil Cook the onion, garlic and celery in the butter in a pan over low heat – keep a lid on…
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min
Blackcurrant Ice Cream Sandwiches With Florentines
Recipe Florentines 50g butter 50g soft brown sugar 50g golden syrup 50g plain flour 100g chopped mixed nuts ( pistachio, hazelnuts, almonds) 75g mixed dried fruit ( apricot, cranberry, raisins etc) Set oven to 180oc and line 2 trays with parchment paper. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Remove from heat and beat in the flour to a smooth paste. Mix in the buts and fruit. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and place on the baking tray and flatten slightly. Repeat with remaining mixture, leaving space in between as they spread when cooking. Bake for about 10 minutes and cool to set.…
25 Jul 2026 · 10 min
Scones with Strawberry and Elderflower Jam, Clotted Cream
Recipe Scones 225g soda bread flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 50g butter 35g castor sugar 1 egg 125ml buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg yolk Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the butter and rub until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. ( For best results chill at this stage for an hour) Add the sugar and mix well. Set oven to 190°C and lightly butter 2 baking trays. Whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla together and add to the flour mixture Mix to a soft dough and place on a floured surface. Knead gently. Roll to 2cm thick and cut into desired shapes and place on…
18 Jul 2026 · 8 min
Southern Fried Chicken and Waldorf Salad
Recipe Southern Fried Chicken 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs 150ml buttermilk 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme 1 clove garlic, crushed 150g plain flour Half a teaspoon mustard powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder Half a teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprka Half a teaspoon of salt Oil for cooking Mix the buttermilk with the minced garlic and thyme. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for a few hours Mix the flour with the mustard, onion, garlic powders, pepper, salt and paprika. Remove chicken from buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture.…
27 Jun 2026 · 9 min
Grilled Mackerel, Elderflower Yoghurt, Beetroot Salad
Recipe 4 mackerel filleted, pin bones removed and trimmed ( ask your fishmonger) Oil for brushing Seasalt for seasoning Heat your barbecue or a hot pan ( if you’re worried the pan might stick, line the bottom with parchment paper). Brush the skin with oil and season with salt. Place skin side down and cook for about 3 minutes or until skin is crisp. Season the flesh with salt and flip over. Cook for another minute and rest. Elderflower Yoghurt 200ml Greek Style yoghurt 1 teaspoon black onion seeds 1 teaspoon hot honey 1 dessertspoon elderflowers chopped ½ teaspoon seasalt Toast the onion…
24 Jun 2026 · 8 min
Grilled Lamb With Potatoes, Scallions, Salsa Verde And Feta
Recipe Salsa verde Handful basil Handful parsley Handful mint leaves 2 cornichon chopped 4 capers 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon white balsamic or lemon juice 75ml olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Blend together 500g lamb leg steaks Oil for rubbing Seasalt 500g baby potatoes, boiled, cooled and cut in half 8 scallions, split in half lengthwise 75g feta cheese Rub the lamb leg steaks with oil and season with seasalt. Place on grill and cook for 3 minutes each side. Allow to rest. Toss the potatoes in a tablespoon of oil and place on the grill cut side down. Cook until marked and flip…
20 Jun 2026 · 8 min
Grilled Lamb with Potatoes, Scallions, Salsa Verde and Feta
Recipe Salsa verde: Handful basil Handful parsley Handful mint leaves 2 cornichon chopped 4 capers 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon white balsamic or lemon juice 75ml olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Blend together 500g lamb leg steaks Oil for rubbing Seasalt 500g baby potatoes, boiled, cooled and cut in half 8 scallions, split in half lengthwise 75g feta cheese Rub the lamb leg steaks with oil and season with seasalt. Place on grill and cook for 3 minutes each side. Allow to rest. Toss the potatoes in a tablespoon of oil and place on the grill cut side down. Cook until marked and…
11 Jun 2026 · 7 min
Mille Feuille With Rhubarb And Custard Cream
Recipe Custard Cream 225 ml milk 2 egg yolks 75 g caster sugar 10 g plain flour, sieved 10g cornflour 250ml double cream Simmer the milk. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornflour and flour and then pour over milk. Whisk well and return to pan over low heat. Stir constantly until custard is thick. Pour into a bowl and cover surface with cling, cool and chill. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold in the custard. Poached rhubarb 4 thin sticks rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces 75g castor sugar 150ml water Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add the rhubarb and…
6 Jun 2026 · 6 min
Peanut Butter Slice With Vanilla Cream And Flamed Strawberries
Recipe Peanut butter cake 100g soft butter 50g smooth peanut butter 100g soft brown sugar 2 eggs 75ml natural yoghurt 100g self raising flour Line a 25 x 20 cm tin with parchment paper and set oven to 180oc. Mix the butter, peanut butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk well. Whisk in the yoghurt and flour to a smooth batter and spoon into the tin. Bake for about 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer. Allow to cool. Turn out onto a tray and remove parchment. Vanilla Cream 350ml double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 20g icing sugar…
30 May 2026 · 8 min
Grilled Monkfish, Sobrasada Buttered Tomatoes And Grilled Corn
Recipe Sobrasada buttered tomatoes 75g sobrassada 25g butter 1 red onion finely chopped 200g halved cherry tomatoes Handful parsley chopped 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Heat the sobrasada in a pan until it melts and add the butter and onions. Cook until the onions are soft and add the tomatoes. Cook for a minute then add the parsley and vinegar. Check seasoning. Grilled corn 2 ears corn Oil for brushing Boil the corn in salted water for 2 minutes then drain and pat dry. Brush with oil and cook on the grill to scorch all over. Remove the niblets and season with salt.…
23 May 2026 · 8 min
Jerk Spiced Pork With Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Jerk spiced pork with grilled pineapple salsa 750g pork belly slices 2 cloves garlic 1 onion, chopped 25g root ginger, chopped 1 green chilli 1 teaspoon all spice 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf shredded 2 teaspoons thyme leaves 65g dark brown sugar Zest and juice 1 lime Blend the garlic, onion, ginger, chilli, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, bay and thyme to a smooth paste. Mix in the sugar and lime and then rub in all over the pork. Marinate for a few hours. Rub off the marinade and place the pork on a…
16 May 2026 · 6 min
Strawberry Meringue Parfait
Recipe Meringues 3 egg whites 175g castor sugar 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon cornflour Set the oven to 120oc and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl to stiff peaks. Slowly add the sugar, whisking all the time. Whisk in the vinegar and cornflour. Spoon into a piping bag preferably with a star nozzle. Pipe onto the baking tray. Cook in the oven for about an hour or until firm to touch and allow the meringues to cool in the oven when you turn it off. 500ml double cream 500g strawberries Half of the meringues above Lightly oil a loaf tin and…
9 May 2026 · 7 min
Breton Shortcake With Honey Cream And Rhubarb
Recipe: 3 egg yolks 160g castor sugar 190g soft butter 250g plain flour 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder Beat the butter with half the sugar until pale and fluffy. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar for a minute. Mix the egg yolk mixture, flour and baking powder into the butter mixture to a smooth dough. Line 2 x 8 inch cake tins with parchment paper or 6 individual tins or ring moulds. Divide the dough in 2 and roll each one into a ball. Place on parchment paper and place another sheet on top. Roll out to a circle to line the bottom of the tin and press up the side a bit. Repeat with…
2 May 2026 · 9 min
Grilled Picanha Steak, Hash Browns, Café De Paris Butter
Grilled picanha steak, hash browns, café de Paris butter 4 x 175g picanha steaks Salt Remove steaks from fridge half an hour before cooking and season with seasalt. If cooking in a pan – place steaks fat side up over medium heat and cook until fat is rendered and golden. Flip and cook to your liking. Allow to rest. Keep the fat for the hash browns. Café de Paris butter 250g soft butter 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon oil 1 shallot,finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon curry powder 2 anchovies, chopped 1 teaspoon capers 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 teaspoon English mustard 35ml…
25 Apr 2026 · 7 min
Tostada With Grilled Asparagus, Wild Garlic Mole and Feta
Wild garlic mole 1 tablespoon oil 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced Handful wild garlic leaves, shredded Handful coriander chopped 75g purple sprouting broccoli 2 green chillis, deseeded and chopped 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds Zest and juice 1 lime 50ml olive oil Shred the broccoli and cook in boiling salted water for a minute. Drain and cool. Cook the onion and garlic in the oil until soft and add the chillis. Cook for a minute. Place the mixture in a jug and blend with the wild garlic, coriander, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, lime juice and zest and oil. Check seasoning. Tostadas…
22 Apr 2026 · 9 min
Tea smoked brined chicken thighs with Peri Peri and cucumber salad
Teasmoked brined chicken 8 boneless chicken thighs 500ml water 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 2 cloves garlic, smashed Few sprigs rosemary or thyme 20g seasalt 50g brown sugar 1 tablespoon cider vinegar Simmer the water with the mustard, garlic, herb, salt, sugar and vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. Cool completely and add the chicken. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Remove from brine and pat dry 50g longgrain rice 25g Demerara sugar 1 dessertspoon tealeaves Line a roasting tray with foil and scatter over the rice, sugar and tea. Mix well. Place a rack on top and add the chicken.…
11 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Lemon shortcake with lemon syllabub
Recipe Lemon shortcake 200g soft butter 150g castor sugar 2 egg yolks 150g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 50g ground almonds Zest of 2 lemons 4 tablespoons lemon curd Beat the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, flour, baking powder, almonds and lemon zest ( keep the lemon juice for the syllabub) Wrap in cling and chill for an hour. Set oven to 180oc. Line a baking tin with parchment paper. Coarsely grate half the mixture into the tin and press around evenly. Spread over the curd. Top with the remaining grated mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until golden…
4 Apr 2026 · 7 min
Grilled Leg Of Lamb With Wild Garlic And Almond Pesto With Carrot Skordalia
Recipe Grilled leg of lamb with wild garlic and almond pesto 4 x 175g lamb leg steaks 1teaspoon fennel seeds ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon castor sugar 1 teaspoon seasalt 1 tablespoon oil Grind the fennel seeds as finely as possible and mix in with the oregano, sugar and oil. Rub all over the lamb and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Remove from fridge half an hour before cooking. Wild garlic and almond pesto 35g wild garlic leaves, washed in cold water, patted dry in kitchen paper and shredded 35g flaked toasted almonds 75ml olive oil Zest 1 lemon ( keep the juice for the skordalia)…
28 Mar 2026 · 6 min
Chocolate and Pedro Ximenez Soaked Date Tart
Recipe Biscuit base 200g chocolate oaty biscuits, crushed 65g melted butter Mix together and press into a pie tin up the sides a bit and chill. 100g chopped dates 50ml PX sherry Mix, cover and leave overnight. 150g chopped dark chocolate 150g chopped milk chocolate 150ml double cream 25ml banoffee toffee 25g butter Place the chocolates in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream, butter and toffee in a pan until bubbling, pour over the chocolate and stir until melted. Add the dates and mix well. Pour into the biscuit base and smooth off. Chill for a few hours to set but take out of fridge at least…
21 Mar 2026 · 6 min
Coconut rice pudding, poached and caramelized pineapple and candied puffed rice
Recipe Coconut Rice Pudding 100g pudding rice 450ml coconut milk – 1 tin 150ml whipping cream 25g honey 25g castor sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Rinse the rice pudding for a minute in a sieve under cold running water. Place the pudding rice in a pan with the coconut milk, cream, honey, sugar and vanilla and gently simmer for about half an hour or until rice is cooked through. Poached and caramelized pineapple 1 pineapple 350ml pineapple juice 25g brown sugar Peel the pineapple and remove the “eyes”. Quarter, remove the core and cut the pineapple into 3cm slices. Place in the pineapple…
14 Mar 2026 · 4 min
Lemon Crunch Pie with blueberries
Recipe Lemon Crunch Pie with blueberries Base 200g oaty or digestive biscuits 75g butter Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb either in a food processor or place in a bag and bash with a rolling pin. Melt the butter and mix with the crumbs. Line a 20cm springform cake tin or 6 individual tins, with parchment paper. Press the biscuit mixture into the tin and press down. Chill in the fridge. Filling Zest and juice 2 lemons 150ml condensed milk 300 ml double cream, whipped Fold the condensed milk, lime zest and juice into the cream. Spoon onto the base and allow to chill in the fridge for a few…

About Cooking with Paula McIntyre

Resident chef Paula McIntyre brings you a weekly recipe in a handy digestible ten minute download. From BBC Radio Ulster.

Cooking with Paula McIntyre is a English arts & books podcast from BBC Radio Ulster. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: BBC Radio Ulster
Language: English
Category: Arts & Books
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 7 min
Latest episode: 10 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id344105585
Rights: (C) BBC 2026

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