We have two very tasty salads this week for to enjoy as we get the last few days out of the summer. Firstly we have the three tomato and beetroot salad with harissa and goat’s cheese. I find Boilie goat’s cheese wonderfully creamy, yet has a mild flavour. It is made in Fivemiletown in Co Tyrone and I have been using it a lot in the restaurant. You might also like to try St Tola from Co Clare, or Corleggy, which is made in Little Windy Hill in Belturbet, Co Cavan. We are spoiled for choice with the many great Irish cheeses being produced.

For something a little more exotic, try the chargrilled Thai beef salad. The people of Thailand and neighbouring countries are very fond of this chargrilled salad. This is a recipe I picked up on my travels and have enjoyed cooking at home. I had the pleasure of travelling to Ballinrobe in Co Mayo with the Simply Better team to visit Jennings Butchers who supply the Simply Better beef to Dunnes. I was very impressed with their passion and with the consistency and flavour of their beef.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the Ploughing. Do call in and say hello.

Three tomato and beetroot salad with harissa and goat’s cheese

Serves four

400g (14oz) cooked baby beetroot, halved (drained from a jar or home roasted)

100g (4oz) red cherry tomatoes, halved

100g (4oz) yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

100g (4oz) vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges

12 Boilie goat’s cheese balls, drained (from a jar)

1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Dressing

6 tbsp Simply Better extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp harissa paste

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra sprigs, to garnish

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper, then whisk until emulsified. Add the beetroot and various types of tomatoes and gently fold together to combine.
  • 2 Divide the salad on to plates or put on one large platter and arrange the goat’s cheese balls on top. Scatter over the toasted almonds and garnish with the basil sprigs to serve.

    • Chargrilled Thai beef salad

    Serves four to six

    1 tsp jasmine rice

    2 dried small red chillies

    500g (1lb 2oz) Simply Better 28 Day Matured Irish Angus Striploin Steak

    1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

    3 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

    1 small cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1cm (½in) slices

    4 red shallots, thinly sliced

    100g (4oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

    1 mild red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced

    handful of fresh mint leaves

    handful of fresh coriander leaves

    small handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

    4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

    2 tsp palm sugar

    4 tbsp fresh lime juice

    3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

    100g (4oz) mixed green salad leaves

  • 1 If using a charcoal barbecue to grill the beef, light it 30 minutes before you want to start cooking. If using a gas barbecue, light it 10 minutes beforehand. Alternatively, use a griddle or frying pan.
  • 2 Heat a dry frying pan, add the rice and toast until golden but not burnt. Grind the rice in a coffee-grinder or pound to a powder in a pestle and mortar and set aside. Reheat the frying pan and add the dried chillies. Toast until they are smoky, tossing regularly, then grind or pound to a powder. Mix in a small bowl with the rice and set aside – you should have about two teaspoons in total.
  • 3 If using a griddle or frying pan, place over a high heat until very hot. Cook the striploin steak over medium-hot coals on the barbecue or on the pan for 10 to 12 minutes, until well-marked on the outside and rare to medium-rare inside. Place in a non-metallic bowl and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then mix together the sesame oil and kecap manis and brush all over the fillet. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in a cool place for two hours, turning from time to time. This is not essential, but really does help the flavours to develop and the steak to properly rest.
  • 4 Place the cucumber, shallots, cherry tomatoes, chilli, herbs and spring onions in a large bowl and gently toss together to combine. Cover with cling film and chill until needed. Dissolve the palm sugar in a screw-top jar with the lime juice and fish sauce. Set aside until needed.
  • 5 To serve, thinly slice the steak and return to the bowl it has been marinating in. Combine the cucumber mixture with the fish sauce dressing and ground chilli rice. Divide the salad leaves between plates and pile the beef mixture high on top to serve.