Chef Brain Episode 3: Marmite vs Marmite Recipes

Marmite: love it or hate it, our chefs discover there is plenty to do with this controversial ingredient

Our new YouTube show, Chef Brain, is now in its third episode—and it’s the craziest one yet.

This week our Head Chef Patrick Drake went head-to-head with Nicola Stransky, his old foe from episode one, to see who could create the best Marmite-tinged dinner. Using four other mystery ingredients, the two chefs developed recipes that can easily be made at home in under 30 minutes—the standard amount of time it takes to make one of the meals from a HelloFresh box.

Last week’s Christmas dinner challenge was fun, but this competition really put these chefs’ brains to the test. Just wait to hear what our judges have to say about Patrick’s Chicken Palliard with Marmite Patatas Bravas and Nicola’s Baked Bean Bowl.

Here are the recipes, fresh from Chef Brain Episode 3: Marmite vs. Marmite:

Patrick’s Chilcken Paillard with Marmite Patatas Bravas

Ingredients:

• Potato

• Smoked paprika

• Red onion

• Butter

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• Chicken breasts

• Dried chili peppers

• Semi-mature Cheddar cheese

• Tinned chopped tomatoes

• Marmite

Method:

1. Chop 2 medium potatoes into 2cm cubes, keeping the skin on

2. Put potato cubes in large bowl along with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of Marmite, then stir to coat. Place potatoes in the over at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, slice the red onion thinly and sweat them for 5 minutes in a frying pan on low heat with a dab of olive oil and a finely chopped dried chili pepper.

4. Add one tin of tomatoes to the frying pan and turn heat down, simmering for five more minutes.Place chicken breasts between two pieces of clingfilm, the gently hit with the bottom of a pan to flatten them out.

5. In a fresh frying pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil. Add chicken and a tablespoon of butter to the pan, frying it for 2 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with salt.

6. Place roasted potatoes into a large mixing bowl, add tomato sauce and combine so all potatoes are covered.

7. Place chicken on a plate, then top with potatoes and garnish with grated Cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of remaining chopped dried chilis.

Nicola’s Baked Bean Bowl

Ingredients

• Tinned black beans

• Carrots

• Yoghurt

• Chicken breasts

• Dried chili peppers

• Semi-mature Cheddar cheese

• Tinned chopped tomatoes

• Marmite

Method:

1. Place the juice from the tinned beans in a blender pitcher and blend until thickened. Empty the beans into a medium bowl and mash into a chunky paste.

2. Add half of one tin of tomatoes to the beans in the blender, along with a tablespoon of Marmite, a pinch of salt and two dried chili peppers. Blend for a couple of seconds.

3. Roughly grate two carrots into a medium-sized saucepan and put on medium heat. Add remaining tomatoes.

4. Dice chicken breasts into 2cm cubes and add to pot. After 5 minutes, add blended mixture and stir thoroughly, cooking for 10 more minutes.

5. Grate 350mg of Cheddar cheese. Place a scoop of bean stew in a large bowl, layer in the cheese, then add another scoop. Serve with a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt on top.