Recently I was filming for RTÉ in Dubai and Cashel Blue is a great success there. People love it. I also use the sister cheese, Crozier Blue, which is made with goat’s milk. This Cashel Blue dressing is great for Caesar salads and the lettuce gives the dish a nice crunch. The salad looks amazing simply by cutting the little gem lettuce hearts in half.Rib-eye is one of my favourite cuts. It used to be a cheap cut, but those days are gone. I suppose you get what you pay for and it is delicious.

The roast carrot and beetroot salad is nice on its own or with sliced roast beef or chicken if you want a more filling meal. Beetroot is easy to grow and it is one of the many vegetables Kevin Ashley grows in our restaurant garden. But if you are not into gardening, the vacuum-packed pre-cooked beetroot in supermarkets is very good.

These days there are so many good goat’s cheeses in Ireland. Two I particularly like are Ryfield, which is produced by Mark Brodie in Bailieborough, and Corleggy from Belturbet.

Happy cooking.

Rib-eye steak with little gem & Cashel Blue

Serves four

4 x 225g (8oz) rib-eye steaks

2 tbsp of Donegal rapeseed oil

4 little gem lettuces

For the dressing:

150g (5oz) of Cashel Blue cheese, rind removed

120ml (4fl oz) of sour cream

4 tbsp of milk

Few drops of Worcestershire sauce

Squeeze of lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1. Preheat the grill to hot. Drizzle the steaks with oil and arrange them on the grill rack, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for four to five minutes on each side, until medium-rare. Transfer to a board and leave to rest for about five minutes.
  • 2. Meanwhile, trim down the little gem lettuces and use the outer leaves for sandwiches. Cut the lettuce hearts into quarters and arrange four on each serving plate. Slice the rested steaks into thin slices and arrange alongside the lettuce.
  • 3. To make the dressing, crumble the Cashel Blue cheese into a bowl and whisk in the sour cream and milk to make a dressing consistency. Add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice to taste and then season with salt and pepper. Dribble the dressing all over the little gem lettuce quarters to serve.

    • Roast carrot & beetroot salad with goat’s cheese

    Serves four

    200g (7oz) of baby beetroot, scrubbed clean

    3 tbsp of Donegal Rapeseed oil

    225g (8oz) carrots, cut into 3cm chunks

    2 garlic cloves

    2 tbsp of sherry vinegar

    6 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil

    200g (7oz) of green salad leaves

    Good pinch of fresh thyme leaves

    225g (8oz) of young goat’s cheese

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark six. Place the beetroot in a roasting tin, season generously and drizzle over the rapeseed oil. Roast for 30 minutes, then add the carrots and garlic to the tin, tossing to coat in the oil. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes until the carrots are tender but retain a bit of bite, turning occasionally.
  • 2. Remove the baby beetroot from the tin and allow to cool slightly before squeezing out of their skins. Place in a bowl with the roasted carrots, discarding the garlic.
  • 3. To make the dressing, de-glaze the roasting tin on the hob with the sherry vinegar. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl and whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste. Gently fold in the salad leaves with the thyme and goat’s cheese, tossing until evenly coated. Divide between plates to serve.