Since becoming ambassador for Simply Better, I have been telling everybody about their corn-fed chicken. Amelda discovered it a good while back, and we had been enjoying it at home. The corn gives it the yellow: it is succulent and tender, as is out other favourite, the roast chicken at home. This chicken Kiev is a low-calorie version of the classic dish. Try not to overfill the chicken cavity, or the butter might seep out while it is cooking.

My new TV show begins on RTÉ One this week. Neven’s Italian Food Trails will be on Thursdays at 7pm for the next six weeks. I saw some of the finished programmes last week and am really excited about the series.

One of the fabulous producers I visited was Paolo Tanara who makes a wonderful 24-month-matured Italian prosciutto in northern Italy, where the quality is very strictly monitored by the authorities in the Parma region.

The crispy, salty flavour of the Parma ham blends well with the natural sweetness of the pesto, making the pork all the more succulent.

Parma-wrapped pork fillet with pesto and stir-fried kale

Serves four

2 x 400g (14oz) pieces of pork fillet, trimmed

12 thin slices Simply Better 24 -month-matured Italian Prosciutto di Parma ham (about 225g (8oz) in total)

For the pesto:

50g (2oz) pine nuts

bunch fresh basil, leaves stripped

2 fresh sage leaves

1 garlic clove, peeled

100g (4oz) Pecorino cheese, finely grated

About 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the kale:

1 tbsp olive oil

200g bag curly kale

2 tbsp water

1 mild red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6. To make the pesto, heat a small heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, tossing occasionally. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool completely. When cool, place in a food processor with the basil, sage, garlic and Pecorino. Blend briefly and then pour in enough of the olive oil through the feeder tube to make a thick puree. Blend once more and then season.
  • 2 Place one of the pork fillets on a chopping board with the thickest part facing you and ram the handle of a large wooden spoon through its length.
  • 3 Put the pesto in a piping bag fitted with a 2cm (¾in) plain nozzle and pipe into the hole made in the fillet. Alternatively, insert the pesto with a teaspoon. Wrap it in half the Prosciutto di Parma ham. If it doesn’t stay wrapped together properly, tie it with string at 2.5cm (1in) intervals. Repeat with the second pork fillet.
  • 4 Place both Parma-wrapped pork fillets in a roasting tin and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another five minutes, until the pork is cooked through, the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted, and the Parma ham is crispy. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for five minutes in a warm place.
  • 5 Meanwhile, to prepare the kale, heat the oil in a large wok, then add the kale and sprinkle over the water. Season, then stir-fry for four minutes, then add the chilli and garlic and continue to stir-fry for another two minutes, until tender and vibrant green. Remove from the heat. Carve the rested pork into slices and arrange on plates with the kale with chilli and garlic to serve.

    • Chicken Kiev with sweet potato chips

    Serves four

    4 Simply Better fresh Irish corn-fed chicken fillets

    50g butter, softened

    2 garlic cloves, crushed

    Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon

    1 tbsp snipped fresh chives

    1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

    ½ tsp cayenne pepper

    50g (2oz) plain flour

    2 eggs

    150g (5oz) fresh granary breadcrumbs

    About 1 tsp olive oil spray

    Sweet potato chips:

    2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chips

    1 tbsp olive oil

    ¼ tsp crushed dried chillies

    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Lightly dressed spinach salad, to serve

  • 1 Mix together the butter, garlic, lemon rind and juice, chives, parsley and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
  • 2 Take each chicken fillet and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut a small hole at the fattest end. Push the knife into the middle of the chicken, making sure not to cut all the way through. Keep working the knife around to make a large opening, large enough to get the butter in. Using a small spoon or piping bag, fill each of the chicken fillets with a quarter of the butter mixture.
  • 3 Place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs in a shallow dish. Dust the chicken in the seasoned flour, then dip into the beaten eggs. Finally, roll into the granary breadcrumbs. Arrange the coated chicken fillets on a tray, lined with parchment paper, and spray lightly with the olive oil. Place in the fridge for at least one hour to allow the butter to harden.
  • 4 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5. Put the prepared chicken into the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through. Toss the sweet potatoes in the olive oil on a baking sheet and then sprinkle with salt and the chilli flakes. Arrange in a single layer and roast on the top shelf of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Remove the chicken Kievs from the oven and leave to settle and rest for five minutes, then arrange on plates with the sweet potato chips and serve with a separate bowl of the spinach salad.