The cabbage steaks with goat’s cheese and bacon is an ideal dish for our national day. It is a new twist on bacon and cabbage. I like to use savoy cabbage as it is one of my favourites. The red skinned pears are that little bit sweeter. In this recipe, slabs of roasted cabbage make a novel base for melting goat’s cheese.

Some time back, people used to be a little nervous about goat’s cheese as they thought it might taste too strong. But now it is much more popular and I have yet to come across an Irish goat’s cheese that I found too strong. We buy ours from Sheridans and it is always top quality.

If you’re looking for a tasty starter or a light lunch, this salmon terrine is great and you can make it a few days ahead.

Salmon Terrine with Prawns

Serves 10-12

2 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

4 celery sticks, trimmed and very finely diced

675g (1 1/2lb) smoked salmon slices

200g carton crème fraiche

2 x 280g tubs cream cheese

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp creamed horseradish

225g (8oz) hot smoked salmon fillets

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

4 tbsp snipped fresh chives

2 tbsp cracked pink peppercorns

100g cooked peeled prawns

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Brown soda bread, to serve

1. To prepare the pickled celery, put the vinegar and sugar in a bowl and add two good pinches of salt. Mix in the celery and set aside for an hour, then drain and chill until needed.

2. Oil, then line a 1.2 litre (2 pint) loaf tin with a double layer of cling film, leaving plenty hanging over the sides. Neatly cover the base and sides of the tin with the smoked salmon in a slightly overlapping layer with some overhanging the sides, reserving the rest for the bottom of the finished terrine.

3. Put the creme fraiche and cream cheese in a food processor and add the lemon rind and juice, horseradish and half of the hot smoked salmon fillets. Whizz until well blended and then turn out into a bowl. Fold in the herbs, pink peppercorns and prawns. Flake in the rest of the hot smoked salmon and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon a third of the cream cheese mixture into the terrine and gently smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle over half of the pickled celery and then cover with another third of the cream cheese mixture. Add the rest of the pickled celery and spread the remaining cream cheese on top. Lay the rest of the smoked salmon on top, then neatly fold over the overhanging salmon. Cover with the cling film to enclose completely. Chill overnight or for up to two days.

5. To serve, just remove from the fridge 10 minutes before you wish to serve. Carefully invert on to a platter. Cut into slices using a sharp knife that has had its blade dipping into a jug of hot water. Put a slice on each plate and have a separate basket of the soda bread to hand around.

Cabbage Steaks with Goat’s Cheese & Bacon

Serves four

1 firm green cabbage

Donegal Rapeseed oil, for cooking

1 firm ripe red-skinned pear

1 tsp cider vinegar

4 rindless streaky bacon rashers

4 x 75g (3oz) thick slices of goat’s cheese (with rind on)

2 tbsp honey

A few fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only

50g (2oz) toasted walnuts

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC (400oF/gas mark six). Cut four 2cm (3/4in) slices from the middle of the cabbage, cutting through the central core and leaving it in. Brush all over with oil and season well with salt and pepper. Then arrange on a baking sheet on squares of parchment paper and roast for 20 minutes, carefully turning them with a fish slice halfway through cooking.

2. Cut the pear into quarters and remove the core, then thinly slice. Toss in a bowl with the vinegar and a dash of the oil.

3. Remove the cabbage steaks from the oven and arrange the pears on top in a circle, slightly overlapping. Put back into the oven for another five minutes.

4. Meanwhile, snip the rashers into small pieces and sauté in a little of the oil in a non-stick frying pan until crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper.

5. Take the cabbage steaks back out of the oven and put a piece of goat’s cheese on top of each one to just cover the pears. Place back in the oven for three to four minutes to just warm through the goat’s cheese.

6. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Put the honey and thyme in a small pan and bring to the boil, then immediately remove them from the heat.

7. Put the baking sheet with the cabbage steaks directly under the heated grill and quickly glaze the top of the goat’s cheese (or a blow torch works very well).

8. Using the squares of parchment paper to help, carefully transfer each bubbling cabbage steak on to a warmed plate and sprinkle the crispy bacon on top. Drizzle over the thyme-infused honey and finally scatter the walnuts on top to serve.