Today’s recipes do not take long to prepare and are ideal with the children back to school.

Lamb cutlets are quick to cook and I like them served with new-season potatoes. The artichokes here could be replaced by nice frozen peas and sweet corn all mixed up. I find lamb chops tasty and delicious and I would always have a few of them in the freezer. Recently I went down to visit Connemara Hill Lamb and it was a wonderful experience. Calvey’s Achill Mountain Lamb is also excellent.

You could make this meal with pork chops or chicken breasts but the lamb cutlets are hard to beat. When you toast cumin it is more aromatic. You get a more vibrant flavour. You could use some of the Simply Better organic spices from Oko in Athlone. They also do a lovely harissa paste which is delicious with the chops.

Bacon and leek pasta is a popular family meal. It is kind of like a one-pot dish that can be put together very quickly. I sometimes use Brady’s cooked ham in this recipe. Slice the leeks really thinly. And you could add some frozen peas. Use lots of Parmesan cheese, you could use Marscapone cheese, double cream or Avonmore cooking cream.

And did you know that in France leek soup is very popular among babies?

Happy cooking,

Neven

Recipes

Chargrilled lamb with spiced new potatoes

Serves four

500g new-season potatoes, halved or quartered depending on their size

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 large garlic clove, crushed

100g (4oz) preserved artichokes in oil, well drained and cut into quarters

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed

8 lamb chops

small bunch fresh mint, leaves stripped and roughly chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

lightly dressed green salad, to serve

  • 1 Place the potatoes in a large pan and cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to the pan, then fold in half of the oil, the garlic, artichokes and cumin. Keep warm while you cook the lamb.
  • 2 Rub the lamb chops with the remaining oil and season. Heat a griddle pan and cook for three minutes on each side or until they are cooked to your liking. Season the potatoes and stir in the mint, then arrange on plates with the lamb and salad.

    • Bacon & leek pasta

    Serves four

    1 tbsp olive oil

    2 leeks, trimmed, halved and thinly sliced

    8 smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into lardons

    350g (12oz) penne pasta

    100g carton herb & garlic cheese

    4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to garnish

    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the leeks along with two tablespoons of water and cook about 10 minutes until very soft. Increase the heat; add the bacon and sauté for another couple of minutes until sizzling and golden brown.
  • 2 Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes until ‘al dente’ (just tender but still with a little bite). Drain the pasta, reserving a mug of the cooking water.
  • 3 Stir the soft cheese into the leek and bacon mixture and add enough of the reserved cooking water to make a smooth sauce. Season to taste and cook gently over a low heat until smooth and glossy. Fold into the cooked pasta with the Parmesan. Divide into bowls, add a good grinding of black pepper and scatter over the remaining Parmesan to serve.