Here’s Paul Mescal’s Favourite Food – And How To Make It

During an appearance on Off Menu, a popular food podcast by Ed Gamble and James Acaster, Paul Mescal revealed his favourite food, so naturally, we all want to try it.

Paul referenced some other guest’s dream menus on previous episodes of the pod saying, “Wow… There’s some fancy people, eating some fancy food”, naming Off Menu as his favourite podcast.

He expressed “I’m on the cusp of being a foodie”, saying he’s not quite there yet as he reminisced over ‘comfort food’ with an emphasis on ‘large portions and big honks of meat.’

So, what is the meal that wins it all for him? His mam’s thick and hearty broccoli, onion and potato soup, classic. “It’s not a gentle soup” where the “potatoes are hiding,” he said. Always paired with O’Donnell’s bread, loaded with Kerrygold butter. Sounds delish.

Paul said, “I probably wouldn’t even use a spoon, I would just be spooning it off with the bread.”

Hannah Duxbury,  Head of Culinary at HelloFresh Ireland shared four tips for the perfect broccoli, onion and potato soup, so we can make it at home and be prepared should Academy Award Nominee Paul Mescal arrive for dinner someday.

Hannah says, “Mastering your own winter soup is essential, there’s not much more comforting than an Irish soup or stew when it’s already dark before tea time.”

Picking the right potatoes is essential she explains, “To avoid potatoes from going mushy, picking the right type is key. Waxy potatoes hold up well when stewing, compared to other varieties as they have less starch in them. Cutting your potatoes into evenly sized chunks helps them avoid cooking at different speeds which can result in some parts over or undercooked. If you’d like them a bit softer cut them a bit smaller and soak them in cold water for five minutes before cooking. If you’re slow cooking add your potatoes into the soup about 2 hours in so they don’t soften too much and turn to mush.”

It’s all about the thickness, “Sometimes you may find you got the flavour spot on, but the broth is too runny. Often people try boiling off the liquid which doesn’t have the same effect and can overcook your ingredients. Add a tablespoon or two of arrowroot powder, depending on how thick you want your stew or soup. Arrowroot is more efficient for thickening than other starches and it is flavourless too which gives more room for your ingredients to shine through.”

Hannah also says this secret ingredient could be a game changer, “It may not seem an obvious ingredient when making Irish broths or soups but one clove of garlic is enough to add a bit of depth to the dish. You’re not wanting the garlic to overpower the broth, doing this will help pull the flavours together rather than a flavour that is supposed to cut through. Not to mention garlic adds various nutritional benefits and is an antioxidant rich food.”

“Using one tbsp of real extra virgin olive oil is a great way to guarantee an added quality of flavour to your broth, giving a richness to each spoonful. Olive oil also has many positive health benefits and is packed with healthy monounsaturated fats,” she continues.

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• food
• Paul Mescal
• Recipe