First of all, I want to say a few words about my uncle Frankie, who passed away last week. He was always a fantastic supporter of us all in the restaurant, and never more so than in the years after my father’s untimely death. He had a infectious warm personality and guests loved meeting him.

He lived nearby in Dowra and was a cattle dealer. A lot of you will have enjoyed meat he sourced over the years. He was well known for having a great eye for the best cattle. There was no greater supporter of the Irish Farmers Journal. He was always first on the phone to comment on my column, and he was very proud that I wrote for the paper. He will be greatly missed.

Now to the food. There is nothing wrong with buying a good Irish roast chicken in your butchers or supermarket during these busy months with school holidays. Sesame and chicken are a great combination, and this chicken noodle salad is a great one for a family day out.

You could jazz it up with some sun-dried tomatoes. The sesame oil is the key to the taste, and the seeds give the texture. Don’t add the coriander leaves if you’re making this in advance as it tends to go soggy. Instead, pack it in a separate small plastic container and tip it in just before eating.

I love the dressing on the rice and bean salad. Always remember the three to one ratio of olive oil to vinegar. I like it with the balsamic vinegar but you could use a sherry or red wine vinegar. I sometimes add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard.

Ingredients: Serves 4-6

350g flat or wholemeal rice noodles

350g leftover roast chicken

4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 small red pepper, cored, deseeded and thinly sliced

1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Handful of fresh coriander leaves, torn (optional)

4 tbsp roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place the rice noodles in a heatproof bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover them completely and leave to soak for 10 minutes or according to the packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile, remove any skin and bones from the chicken and discard, then cut the flesh into fine strips. Place in a large bowl and add the sweet chilli and soy sauce. Toss well to combine.

3. Drain the noodles, then refresh under cold running water and drain thoroughly. Add the drained noodles to the chicken strips along with the red pepper, spring onions, sesame seeds and sesame oil. Toss well and season to taste. Add the coriander leaves and scatter over the peanuts, if using.

4. To serve, arrange on plates or divide among plastic tubs for lunchboxes and keep chilled until ready to eat.

Ingredients: Serves 6

2 large red peppers

225g basmati rice, well rinsed

225g podded broad beans or peas (fresh or frozen)

1 x 400g tin of black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed

1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 x 175g tin of sweetcorn (preferably with no added salt or sugar), drained and rinsed

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves removed and roughly chopped

2 tbsp shredded fresh basil

For the dressing:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, crushed (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the grill to medium. Arrange the red peppers on a grill rack and cook for 20-30 minutes, until well charred and blistered, turning regularly. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with cling film. Leave the peppers to cool completely, then peel, using a bowl underneath to catch all the juices. Slice the flesh into 1cm dice, discarding the seeds and cores. Place in a large bowl and set aside until needed.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water with a tight-fitting lid to the boil. Add the rice and a good pinch of salt, then bring back to a rolling boil and stir once. Boil for exactly 8 minutes. Check the rice – it should have a slight crunch – then drain well, return to the pan and cover with the lid. Leave to steam in its own heat, undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Don’t be tempted to peek at the rice before it’s ready – lifting the lid allows all the steam heat to escape.

3. To make the dressing, place the extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and the garlic, if using. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Blanch the broad beans or peas, and if using broad beans, split the skins to pop out the beans. Add to the red peppers with the black-eyed beans, kidney beans, sweetcorn, red onion and herbs. Use a fork to fluff up the rice grains and gently fold it into the bean mixture.

5. Drizzle over the dressing and gently fold it in, then cover with cling film and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour before serving or pack in a suitable container and keep in a cool bag or in the fridge until needed.