Irish chef Donal Skehan could be the new Jamie Oliver

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Donal Skehan has been building his food portfolio for the last seven years
Immersed himself in Vietnamese culture for his Food Network début
Dubliner's videos are free to view on Jamie Oliver's FoodTube channel

Published: 07:49 EST, 24 April 2015 | Updated: 12:45 EST, 24 April 2015

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He has been called a 'brilliant young cook' by Jamie Oliver, is the author of five cookbooks and has amassed more than 2.5 million fans on YouTube.

Now 28-year-old Donal Skehan can add TV presenter to his list of achievements, after the up-and-coming chef was snapped up by the Food Network.

Mr Skehan, a former pop star from Dublin, has been working towards foodie fame for more than seven years and began as a blogger.

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Donal Skehan is a self-taught cook who has been quietly building his portfolio in the last seven years

Jamie Oliver added Donal to the Food Tube series

Bored with blogging, he began posting cookery videos on YouTube and rapidly built up a vast following.

His latest venture, a TV series called Follow Donal To...' will see him travel the world in search of good food, beginning with Vietnam.

But despite his obvious success, Mr Skehan says he can still barely believe his luck.

‘I was in a pop band called Industry,' explains Mr Skehan of his early career.

'We had two Irish number ones and even supported the Pussycat Dolls but I owe my success to the blog I began in 2007.

‘I would write about my food adventures and recipes, and things took off from there.’

The multi-skilled 28-year-old still blogs and also photographs and styles his own dishes.

His work brought him to the attention of Jamie Oliver who added him to his FoodTube video series.

Described as 'a brilliant young cook' by his mentor Mr Oliver, he began cooking at the age of four when he flipped his first pancake, but says the new series is 'not just me standing behind a cooker'.

‘In each episode the locals are teaching me how to cook traditional dishes,' he explains. 'They show me the best spots to eat in Vietnam.’

Nevertheless, despite enjoying his travels, Mr Skehan, who says his kitchen essentials are 'tinned tomatoes, rice, pasta, coconut milk, fish sauce and soy sauce' admits to being a home boy at heart.

Getting involved: Donal immersed himself in the Vietnamese way of life, learning how to cook from locals

‘I am a bit of a home bird,' he says. 'As much as I love travelling, there’s nothing like weekend brunch at home with your family.'

That, however, doesn't mean he's averse to a new flavour or two. ‘I loved that [Vietnamese food] was something different and out of my comfort zone,’ he explains.

‘I am obsessed with Asian cuisine, so couldn’t wait to learn more about it.’

His obsession even extends to the dishes that he creates when the cameras aren't around, with fried rice among his favourites.

'I might do a leftover fried rice or stir fry,' he reveals. 'When you’re cooking for one, that’s when you can add in everything your other half doesn’t like.

'Sofie, my partner, is allergic to nuts so if I’m eating alone, that’s when I crack out the pesto pasta.'

Irish chef Donal Skehan immersed himself in Vietnamese culture

EAT VIETNAM LIKE DONAL: CLASSIC RECIPES TO MAKE AT HOME

Vietnamese Caramel Salmon with Sticky Rice

Serves four

Ingredients:

150g caster sugar

100ml water (50ml more and tip of super clean pan and add more water if crystallises)

3 large garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 red chilli, finely sliced

1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, peeled and julienned

3 tbsp fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)

4 salmon fillets, skinned

2 bok choy, sliced in half

1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves stripped

1 small bunch spring onions, finely sliced and placed in cold water

sticky rice, to serve

Method: Place a large high-sided frying pan or wok over a medium high heat. Add in the sugar and water and cook for five minutes, swirling the pan occasionally until you are left with a dark caramel. Do not be tempted to stir the mixture.

Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and mix through. Pour in 50ml of water and the fish sauce and bring to a steady boil. Add in the salmon fillets and bok choy, turning to coat completely in the mixture.

Reduce the heat and cook for another six minutes or until the salmon is cooked all the way through. Remove from the heat and garnish with the coriander leaves and drained spring onion curls.

Serve straight away in warmed bowls with the warm sticky rice.

Caramel Salmon with Sticky Rice: The sticky and sweet caramel sauce is infused with wonderful aromas from ginger and chilli

Vietnamese coffee and condensed milk panna cotta

Serves eight

Ingredients

600ml cream

400g can sweetened condensed milk

1 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out

50g caster sugar

pinch of sea salt

50g espresso beans (or 3 teaspoons of good quality espresso instant powder)

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 ½ teaspoons or 1 x 7g sachet powdered gelatine (or use 6 gelatine leaves)

4 tablespoons water

For the espresso layer:

1 tablespoon caster sugar

120ml freshly brewed espresso

½ teaspoon powdered gelatine (or use 1 gelatine leaf)

2 teaspoons water

Chocolate covered espresso beans or 1 teaspoon good quality espresso instant powder, to decorate (optional)

Method: Put the cream in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the condensed milk, vanilla pod and seeds, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod.

Pour half of the infused cream mix into another saucepan and add the espresso beans and coco powder. Bring to a simmer, whisking to combine, then set to one side for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Strain into a jug and then return to a clean saucepan.

Divide the powdered gelatine into two separate bowls and add half of the water to one of the bowls. Allow to sit for five minutes, then place the bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water and allow the gelatine to melt. Whisk gently into the vanilla cream, then pour into a measuring jug. Cover with cling film and chill for about 20 minutes until just beginning to set.

Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining gelatine and water as before and then whisk into the espresso cream. Pour into a separate measuring jug, then cover with cling film and chill for about 20 minutes.

Pour about a quarter of the vanilla cream into six to eight 225ml glasses or similar and cover with cling film. Stick the glasses in the freezer for about five minutes until the layer is just set.

As soon as the vanilla cream is set, pour over a layer of the coffee cream – you decide how thick or thin you want the layers. Return to the freezer again for five minutes until set and then repeat the layers with the rest of the vanilla and espresso cream. If you find that either mix is setting too quickly in the jugs just leave them at room temperature. Return to the fridge for at least an hour.

To make the final espresso layer, stir the sugar into the espresso until dissolved. Meanwhile, put the gelatine and water into a bowl and set aside for five minutes, then set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow the gelatine to melt. Stir into the espresso and leave until cool but still pourable. Pour a thin layer over each panna cotta and return to the fridge for another hour or so until set.

Serve the panna cottas on small plates with a spoon and decorate with the chocolate covered espresso beans or a sprinkling of espresso instant powder, if liked.

Vietnamese coffee and condensed milk pannacotta: Everywhere you go in Vietnam there are people drinking Vietnamese ice coffee with sweetened condensed milk (Ca Phe Sua Da)

Sticky banana and sesame coconut pancakes

Serves four

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

100g plain flour

pinch of salt

2 eggs

300ml milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

For the caramel sauce:

75g butter

100g golden syrup

For the caramelised banana filling:

8 bananas, peeled and halved lengthways

2 tablespoons caster sugar

25g butter

½ lime

4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

4 tablespoons coconut flakes

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, to decorate

Sticky banana and sesame coconut pancakes

Method: To make the pancake batter, put the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the middle, then pour in about a little of the milk and half of the butter. Start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and melted butter. Once all the flour has been incorporated, beat until you have a thick smooth paste, then gradually beat in the rest of the milk.

To make the caramel sauce, put the butter and golden syrup into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer and bubble for about 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.

Coat the bananas in the sugar and melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the halves bananas and cook them on both sides until golden. Transfer to a plate and add a squeeze of lime juice.

Wipe out the frying pan and put over a medium-high heat, then smear with a little of the remaining melted butter. Add a ladleful of the batter and swirl the pan until the batter completely coats the base.

Cook the pancake for one to two minutes on one side, then flip over, turn the heat down to low and top with two pieces of the caramelised banana and drizzle a tablespoon of the condensed milk over each one. Sprinkle the coconut flakes on top and wrap up into a parcel to enclose the filling. Flip over and cook for another couple of minutes, turning every 30 seconds or so. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you cook the remainder – you’ll have enough ingredients to make four in total.

Put each pancake parcel on a warmed plate and cut into small squares, then drizzle over a little of the caramel sauce and scatter over the toasted sesame seeds. The remainder of the caramel sauce can be served separately.

Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches with Pork, Pickled Vegetables & Herbs

Banh mi sandwiches with pork, pickled vegetables and herbs

Serves six

Ingredients:

For the pork:

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2.5cm piece root ginger, peeled and chopped

½ teaspoon white peppercorns

2 large handfuls of fresh coriander leaves and stalks

4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)

1 tablespoon honey

500g pork fillet, well trimmed and cut on the diagonal into long, thin slices

groundnut oil, for brushing (if necessary)

For the pickled vegetables:

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon caster sugar

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 small red Thai chilli, finely sliced

2 carrots, peeled and pared into ribbons (preferably with a swivel vegetable peeler)

1 cucumber, pared into ribbons (preferably with a swivel vegetable peeler)

For the chilli & coriander mayonnaise:

1 mild green chilli, halved and seeded

1 small handful of fresh coriander leaves

120g mayonnaise

squeeze of lime juice

For the sandwiches:

6 small crusty baguettes (petit pains)

few dashes Maggi sauce (optional)

3-4 iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded

1 mild red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

(Spring onions sliced diagonally to serve)

Method: To prepare the pork, bash together the garlic, ginger, peppercorns, coriander leaves and stalks and spring onions in a pestle and mortar until you have a smooth paste. Add in the fish sauce and honey and mix through. Place the pork in a bowl and add three quarters of the paste, reserving the rest.

To make the pickled vegetables, dissolve the salt and sugar in the rice vinegar and then fold in the carrot and cucumber ribbons. Set aside for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.

To make the chilli & coriander mayonnaise, blitz the mayonnaise with the chilli and coriander. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the lime juice, then chill until needed.

When the pork has marinated (overnight if possible), thread the slices onto skewers and set aside on a plate.

Cook the pork over a high heat on a barbecue or a lightly oiled cast-iron griddle pan for two minutes on each side until cooked through and sizzling. Baste with the reserved marinade to create a sticky coating.

To assemble the sandwiches, split open the rolls and slather one side of each one with the chilli & coriander mayonnaise and sprinkle the other with a few drops of Maggi sauce, if liked. Add the shredded lettuce followed by the drained pickled vegetables. Top with a warm pork skewer and scatter over the slices of green chilli, if using. Eat soon, while the pork is still warm and the lettuce and pickled carrot are still nice and cold.

Vietnamese crispy chicken salad: The garlic and ginger for this salad are charred under a hot grill to give the chicken a subtle caramelised sweetness

Vietnamese crispy chicken salad

Serves four

Ingredients

For the chicken:

4 large garlic cloves, not peeled

1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, not peeled

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 star anise

1 green chilli, roughly chopped

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

good handful of fresh coriander leaves and stalks

1 tablespoon fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)

8 boneless chicken thighs, well trimmed (skin on)

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

For the dressing:

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 small red Thai chilli, very finely chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t like the heat)

For the salad:

50g fresh beansprouts

good handful fresh mint leaves

good handful fresh coriander leaves

200g Chinese cabbage leaves, trimmed and finely shredded

2 large carrots, cut into fine julienne (on a mandolin is best)

Good handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method: To prepare the chicken, place the garlic and ginger on a grill rack and place under a hot grill to char on all sides. Leave to cool, then peel and roughly chop before putting into a pestle and mortar. Toast the coriander seeds and star anise in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until they become aromatic. Tip into the pestle and mortar and add the chilli, lime zest and coriander. Bash to a paste, then mix in the lime juice and fish sauce.

Smear the paste all over the flesh side of the chicken thighs, then arrange on a plate and cover with cling film. Chill for at least 4 hours (or preferably overnight).

To cook the chicken, heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sunflower oil to the pan, then place the chicken thighs in it skin-side down. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 20-30 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy. Don’t touch them while they are cooking or shake the pan, just leave them alone and you will produce the most fantastic crisp skin and succulent flesh.

When you can see that the chicken thighs are nicely browned and that the flesh is almost but not quite cooked through. Turn them over and cook for another 5-6 minutes until completely cooked through and tender. Transfer to a carving board and leave to rest for at least 5 and up to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients together and put to one side until needed. Put all the ingredients for the salad into a large bowl except the peanuts and toss lightly to combine, then toss to coat in the dressing.

To serve, divide the dressed salad onto plates and then quickly carve the chicken into slices and pile on top. Scatter over the peanuts to serve.

Fresh prawn spring rolls: Keep rice paper wrappers as a store cupboard ingredient. All you do is soak them in hot water and fill with your favourite ingredients for a quick starter

Fresh prawn spring rolls

Serves four

Ingredients

handful of fresh Vietnamese hot mint leaves

handful of fresh coriander leaves

handful of fresh perella

handful of fresh sweet Thai basil

herby Vietnamese dipping sauce (nuoc cham), to serve (see separate recipe)

3 large cooked prawns peeled and deveined, rolled with

12 x ripe paper wrappers (each about 7.5cm x 15cm)

36 cooked peeled tiger prawns (deveined)

12 saw tooth coriander leaves

1 cucumber, julienned

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

2 spring onions, julienned

Method

Place the rice paper wrappers in a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water, then leave to soak or 5 minutes until soft and pliable or prepare according to packet instructions.

Drain the rice papers on a clean tea towel and lay a saw tooth coriander leaf up the middle of each one, trimming down the herb as necessary to fit. Arrange 3 prawns on each one and then scatter over the cucumber, carrot and spring onions. Finish each one with a couple of leaves of Vietnamese hot mint, coriander, perella and sweet Thai basil. Make sure you don’t over-fill the papers as they may split if you do.

Fold the side of each rice paper in, then roll up to make a neat cylindrical shape. Serve immediately with the herby Vietnamese dipping sauce.

Herby Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Makes about 225ml

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons caster sugar

100ml water

2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese)

1 small garlic clove, finely minced

1-2 small Thai chillies, thinly sliced

handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

handful of Vietnamese hot mint leaves, finely chopped

Method: Mix the lime juice, sugar and water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste and adjust the flavours if necessary to balance out the sweet and sour.

Finish with the fish sauce and add the garlic and chillies. Taste again and adjust the flavours to your liking, balancing out the sour, sweet, salty and spicy.

Cover with cling film and set aside at room temperature for up to 24 hours until needed. Just before serving mix in the coriander and mint.

Follow Donal…to Vietnam is on weeknights at 6.30pm throughout April on Food Network, freeview 41, freesat 149, Sky 248, Virgin 287.