Happy St Patrick’s Day to everyone. With it falling on a Tuesday this year, I think a lot of people will take the opportunity to take a long weekend. I have picked something traditional with the loin of bacon and paired it with a less-traditional glaze and a fairly international dessert.

Bacon is good value and great flavour any time of the year. Keep an eye out for the Bord Bia mark. It is a good reminder to support our farmers and of the quality we are lucky to have on our doorstep. This recipe reminds me of my grandmother who was a great cook. She lived to 91, so I was lucky to spend a lot of time with her.

I like the pineapple chilli chutney with bacon. You can make it ahead and keep in the fridge. It also goes well with pan salmon, or with duck.

Cheesecake is always delicious and this is a simple quick recipe. We have been using Tipperary Cream Cheese in the restaurant and it is excellent. If you are not keen on kiwis, you might like to try strawberries or raspberries. And instead of digestive biscuits I sometimes use ginger nut which are delicious.

A big thank you to everyone for the nice comments about the Seafood Trails on RTÉ. I met so many great producers and chefs and cannot wait to get out filming again.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Recipes

Glazed loin of bacon with pea & potato mash

Serves four to six

750g (1¾lb) loin of bacon

2 tsp prepared English mustard

1 tbsp Demerara sugar

good pinch ground cloves

675g (1½lb) floury potatoes, cut into chunks

175g (6oz) frozen peas

50g (2oz) butter

100ml (3½fl oz) milk

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

pineapple chilli chutney, (see separate recipe)

  • 1 Place the loin of bacon in a pan of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes per 450g (1lb).
  • 2 Drain the loin of bacon and then score the fat in a diamond pattern. Spread over the mustard. Mix together the sugar and cloves in a small bowl and sprinkle all over the mustard in an even layer. Roast for 20 minutes until the top is nicely glazed and the joint is completely cooked. Leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.
  • 3 As soon as you have popped the bacon into the oven, steam the potatoes for 15-20 minutes until just tender. Cook the frozen peas in a separate small pan for 3-4 minutes.
  • 4 Drain the peas well and then return to the pan. Season generously and then add the butter and milk. Blitz with a hand blender until you have a smooth purée. Mash the potatoes until very smooth, then fold in the pea puree until well combined. Season to taste.
  • 5 Carve the loin of bacon into slices and arrange on warmed plates with the pea and potato mash. Serve with a dish of the pineapple chilli chutney.

    • Pineapple chilli chutney

    Serves four to six

    1 ripe pineapple

    1 tbsp caster sugar

    ½ large red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

    2 tsp freshly grated root ginger

    finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime

    1 small red onion, finely chopped

    1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

    1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Peel and core the pineapple. Cut the flesh into 1cm (½ inch) dice and mix with the sugar. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add the pineapple and cook quickly for about 2 minutes to caramelize lightly. Tip into a bowl, add the chilli, ginger, lime rind and juice, onion and herbs. Season to taste and set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop before serving.

    • Quick kiwi, lemon and crème fraîche cheesecake. \ Photography: Philip Doyle. Food styling: Sharon Hearne-Smith

    Quick kiwi, lemon & crème fraîche cheesecake

    Serves eight

    2 large lemons

    225g (8oz) full fat cream cheese

    50g (2oz) caster sugar

    225g (8oz) crème fraiche

    For the base:

    150g (5oz) butter

    250g (9oz) digestive biscuits

    1 1/2 tbsp Demerara sugar

    For the kiwi topping:

    3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

    50g (2oz) caster sugar

    4 kiwi fruit (firm but ripe)

    1 tsp arrowroot

  • 1 For the base, put the butter into a large pan and melt over a low heat. Put the digestive biscuits into a plastic bag, seal the end and crush with a rolling pin into fine crumbs. Stir into the butter with the Demerara sugar, then press the mixture firmly into the base and sides of a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin that is about 3cm (1¼in) deep, using the back of a spoon. Chill while you make the filling.
  • 2 Finely grate the zest from the lemons and squeeze the juice – you should get 8-10tbsp of juice. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest together in a bowl until smooth. Very gradually, beat in the lemon juice until you have a thick, creamy mixture, then gently fold in the crème fraiche. Spoon the filling into the biscuit base, swirl the top with a knife and chill for at least 2 hours.
  • 3 For the topping, put the lemon juice and sugar in a small pan and leave over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Peel the kiwi and cut into slices, then add to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 minute. Mix the arrowroot with 1tsp of cold water, stir in and cook for about 30 seconds until thickened. Transfer for a small bowl and leave to cool. Then cover and chill alongside the cheesecake.
  • 4 Remove the cheesecake from the cake tin and transfer it to a serving plate. Decorate with the kiwi slices, then cut into wedges to serve.

    • Fresh mint. \ Philip Doyle

    Ingredient profile

    What’s in season?

    Neven’s chutney recipe is full of spice, sweetness and savoury notes and, as any chef knows, the addition of fresh herbs is the perfect way to add another element of flavour.

    Fresh mint is now in season and, whether using it to garnish a dessert or for something savoury like a herbed couscous salad, it is extremely versatile and adds a punch of freshness to any dish or recipe.

    Mint is very easy to grow and makes a good companion plant; its strong scent repels pests and attracts beneficial insects, but as they grow well in most conditions they have a tendency to take over your garden – so plant with care!