Last Friday, I had a really special day with some of our Irish Country Living readers, who won our Cook with Neven competition recently.

Six winners, and their guests were chosen to come to the Innovation Hub Kitchen in the Dunnes Stores HQ in Dublin, and I don’t think we could have had a nicer group. To be a winner of the competition, entrants had to nominate themselves or someone else and tell us about their signature dish, and the stories were so heartwarming.

Eilish Noctor from Co Laois nominated her mother Eileen, telling us about her legendary scones. It wouldn’t be unusual for Kathleen to be seen cycling into the village with a fresh batch of scones for Sean, the local garden centre owner or Mary in the post office. Her scones are always a real treat that have even made it as far as the USA.

Paul Moyes from Co Mayo is also known for cooking for the community and his wife Philomena nominated him for his flair for quite a different dish, his Moroccan lamb curry. He created this many years ago to raise funds for cystic fibrosis. This year, he is sharing it again to raise funds for Cancer Care West.

Mary Lee was nominated by her daughter Jennifer and was accompanied by her other daughter Claire. She shared a beautiful recipe of their family Christmas cabin which she says brings great comfort and excitement every year. For as long as Jennifer can remember, it has been on their Christmas table, made lovingly with chocolate and sweets and decorated with snowy icing sugar. Mary made us all laugh revealing that some years more icing was needed to help glue everything together.

We had Marion Flannagan from Co Tipperary who came with her friend Paula Rice. Marion told us about her creamy pork and mustard dish that has been like a warm hug for her children coming home over the years. She told us a story of her daughter arriving home, after a tough week in college, saying, “There’s healing in that dinner, Mam.” Isn’t that what homemade food is all about.

We also picked winners at the Women & Agriculture conference last month, and we were delighted to have Linda Rogers and Helen Rogers and Olive Keegan and Nuala Fennelly with us.

We had a great day cooking prawns with chorizo and garlic, and then a striploin steak with pepper sauce. Afterwards, we made a selection of desserts. Everyone went home with videos, selfies and a few goodies, and I think we all had a day to remember.

Today, I have a selection of Christmas starters that I think you will enjoy. The chestnut and wild mushroom soup with duck is one of my favourites soups, particularly at Christmas. It is a good recipe to use if you want to get ahead as it freezes well for up to one month. You may need to blitz with a hand-held blender when reheating, as it can split. You can get small packets of wild mushrooms easily and make sure you soak them in boiling water. The chestnuts are the star of the show and I usually buy a few extra packets and keep them in the freezer. For smoked duck, I like Skeaghanore in west Cork or you could use bacon. Alternatively, leave the meat out and you have a vegetarian soup.

The crispy goat’s cheese is a great vegetarian starter. My sisters love goat’s cheese so I always do this at Christmas. There are several good producers in Ireland and I particularly like Ardsallagh from Cork, or Corleggy, which is made in Belturbet, Co Cavan.

Beetroot and goat’s cheese is a classic combination. You could get some pre-cooked beetroot and roast with a little balsamic vinegar and oil.

Ingredients: Serves 4-8

50g dried mixed wild mushrooms

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

450g peeled chestnuts

(canned or vacuum-packed), chopped

100g smoked duck, thinly sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

200ml cream

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Snipped fresh chives, to garnish

Fresh micro herbs, to garnish

Method

1. Put the dried wild mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour 400ml of boiling water over to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes, until they have plumped up. Drain the mushrooms and gently squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid.

2. Heat a large pan and add the oil. Add the chestnuts, half of the smoked duck, the onion and drained wild mushrooms and sweat gently for 10 minutes, until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

3. Add the thyme to the pan with the reserved soaking liquid and the stock, stirring to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and allow to heat through for 1 minute. Then whizz with a hand-held blender until as smooth as possible.

4. Season to taste, then blend again until light and foamy, tilting the pan to get the maximum effect.

5. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish with the rest of the smoked duck, the chives and micro herbs.

Ingredients: Serves 4

50g fresh white breadcrumbs

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

2 tsp toasted pine nuts, finely chopped

2 tsp sesame seeds

2 eggs

50g plain flour

4 x 4cm thick slices of goat’s cheese (from a log with a 7.5cm diameter)

Rapeseed oil, for deep-frying

100g fresh watercress

50g dried cranberries

juice of ½ lemon

For the roasted beetroot:

675g small beetroot,

scrubbed and tops trimmed (each about 75g)

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for the dressing

For the caramelised walnuts:

2 tbsp butter

100g walnut halves

2 tbsp maple syrup

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and mix with the parsley, nuts, sesame seeds and seasoning. Beat the eggs in a separate dish and season lightly.

Put the flour on a plate and season.

Lightly coat the goats ’cheese in the seasoned flour, then dip into the beaten egg, shaking off any excess.

2. Finally, coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Chill on a tray lined with parchment paper for at least 30 minutes (or overnight is fine) to firm up.

3. To roast the beetroot, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). Put the beetroot in a roasting tin with the thyme and drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and oil. Season, then cover with tin foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour, until the beets can be pierced easily with a knife. Leave to cool, then cut into quarters and toss back into the cooking juices.

4. To caramelise the walnuts, melt the butter in a frying pan set over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and toss to coat, then drizzle over the maple syrup and stir for a minute or two, until caramelised. Spread on a piece of parchment paper .

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Heat the rapeseed oil oil in a deep-sided pan or deep-fat fryer to 180°C (350°F) and cook the coated goats ’cheese for 3 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Drain well, then put on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper and bake in the oven for another 3–4 minutes to completely heat through.

6. Meanwhile, arrange the watercress on plates with the cranberries and lightly dress with rapeseed oil and some lemon juice. Scatter the roasted beetroot on top with the caramelised walnuts and finish each one with a piece of crispy goat’s cheese.