I love when spring lamb is in season. It is always popular in the restaurant and this is a nice light dish. Buy quality assured and remember that lamb cutlets cook very fast. They are very lean and are also ideal for the beginning of the barbecue season.

Smoked paprika is great to have in the larder. I love it with tomato soup. You might also try the garlic-flavoured Donegal Rapeseed with this meal. I love it.

I recently met Irish Bee Sensations at some demos and their honey is great. We use Mileeven in this dish. Some people find feta cheese a bit salty so you might want to adjust your seasoning to taste.

In the cookery school, one of the classes that is going well is mastering meats. We are open six months now and it is interesting to see what people want to learn. Our two most popular courses are the family and friends and entertaining made easy classes, so we are planning to put on some extra of them coming up to Summer.

What can you say about this lemon meringue pie? It is a classic and a firm family favourite. And this recipe is perfect for any tart.

And, finally, I want to say a big thanks for all of the nice comments I received during my television series. Next week is the final one of this series and we are making plans to begin filming again in the Autumn. I am really looking forward to it.

Happy cooking.

Lamb cutlets with garlic, lemon and paprika

Serves four

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Finely-grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano or thyme

1 tsp clear honey

12 lamb cutlets, well trimmed

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Peach, feta cheese and rocket salad

Steamed baby new potatoes, to serve

  • Place the garlic, lemon rind and juice, oil, paprika, herbs, honey and some salt and pepper in a shallow non-metallic dish. Stir until well combined. Add the lamb, turning to coat, then set aside for at least 10 minutes or up to 24 hours, covered with clingfilm in the fridge.
  • When you’re ready to cook, light the barbecue, preheat a grill to medium or heat a griddle pan.
  • Shake the excess marinade from the lamb. Put the lamb on the barbecue on medium-hot coals or arrange on a grill rack or a griddle pan. Cook for six to eight minutes, until cooked through, turning once. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for a couple of minutes.
  • To serve, arrange on warmed plates with the peach, feta and rocket salad and some baby new potatoes.
  • Lemon meringue pie

    Serves six to eight

    Pastry:

    175g (6oz) plain flour, extra for dusting

    100g (4oz) butter, chilled and diced, extra for greasing

    50g (2oz) caster sugar

    Pinch of salt

    1 egg yolk

    ½ tbsp cream

    Filling:

    Finely-grated rind and juice of 3 lemons

    4 tbsp cornflour

    175g (6oz) caster sugar

    50g (2oz) butter, softened

    4 egg yolks

    Meringue:

    3 egg whites

    150g (5oz) caster sugar

    Whipped cream, to serve

  • To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, sugar and salt into a food processor and blend for 20 seconds. Add the egg yolk and cream and blend again until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork or the pastry will be tough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for one hour.
  • Thinly roll out the pastry into a buttered 20cm (8in) fluted loose-bottomed flan tin that’s about 3cm (1 ¼in) deep. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork, then chill for 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
  • Line the pastry case with tinfoil or non-stick parchment paper and a thin layer of baking beans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Remove the pastry case from the oven and carefully remove the foil and beans, then return to the oven for three to five minutes, until lightly golden.
  • Meanwhile, to make the filling, place the lemon rind and 400ml (14fl oz) of water in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Strain out and discard the lemon rind and then stir in the lemon juice. Blend the cornflour with a little of the lemon liquid to form a smooth paste, then add to the pan with the sugar and stir well. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and cook for two to three minutes, stirring until thickened.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until combined. Leave to cool a little and then beat in the egg yolks. Return to a low heat and cook for another six to eight minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour into the pastry case and leave to cool completely.

  • Once cool, make the meringue. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk into soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the sugar, a spoonful at a time, to make a stiff, glossy meringue. Spoon on top of the filling, spreading it out to make sure it makes a good seal with the pastry edge. Swirl the top of the meringue with the tip of a knife and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden and crisp on top. Leave to cool slightly and then carefully remove the tart from the tin and leave to cool for up to two hours – any longer and the meringue will start to weep.
  • To serve, cut the lemon meringue pie into slices and arrange on serving plates with whipped cream.