At this time of the year, it is great to be able to rustle up a speedy and tasty supper. I think you will enjoy the kale and pecorino pesto pasta and the smoked mackerel and chorizo salad with apple.

The pasta dish will take you about 20 minutes, is full of nutrition and tastes wonderful. Sometimes I use quark, which is a low-fat soft cheese, instead of the mascarpone. This makes the healthy dish even healthier. Kale has a naturally bitter taste and the garlic definitely helps reduce that flavour.

I will use absolutely any excuse to eat mackerel. I love this oily, healthy, and plentiful fish. Again, this is a speedy and tasty dish. There are so many good chorizo producers in Ireland these days and it works very well in this recipe. If you want to make a belated New Year resolution, how about trying out a new artisan producer every week. There are spectacular new products arriving to the market every week.

Happy cooking.

Kale & Pecorino Pesto Pasta

Serves four

100g (4oz) kale

2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

100g (4oz) pine nuts

100g (4oz) mascarpone cheese

100g (4oz) freshly grated pecorino cheese, plus a little extra to garnish

Good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

350g (12oz) spaghetti

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Give the kale a good wash and then remove and discard any tough stems and roughly chop. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and gently sauté the garlic for two to three minutes or until softened but not coloured. Tip in the kale, then cover with a lid and cook for two to three minutes until the kale has started to wilt, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

2 Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a separate dry frying pan until golden, tossing regularly. Leave to cool.

3 Bring a large pan of boiling salted water to a rolling boil and then tip in the spaghetti. Cook for eight to 10 minutes until tender but still with a little bite.

4 Put the pine nuts in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the mascarpone, pecorino and nutmeg and blend again to combine. Add the kale and garlic mixture and blitz until you have achieved a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

5 Drain the pasta and return to the pan, then tip in the kale and pecorino pesto and stir to combine. Divide among warmed wide-rimmed bowls and scatter over some grated pecorino to serve.

Smoked Mackerel & Chorizo Salad with Apple

Serves four

350g baby new potatoes

150g uncooked chorizo, rind removed and thinly slices on the diagonal

4 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

½ tsp runny honey

2 red-skinned apples

4 smoked mackerel fillets

200g bag spinach & watercress salad (or similar)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Cut the potatoes into slices and cook in a pan of boiling salted water for eight to 10 minutes or until just tender. Check with the tip of a sharp knife. Drain well.

2 Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and sauté until crisp and the chorizo has started to release its oil. Tip the chorizo on to kitchen paper to remove any excess fat. Set aside until needed. Return the frying pan to the hob and wipe out any excess oil. Add the oil, sherry vinegar and honey, then season with salt and pepper and allow to warm through.

3 Cut the apples into matchsticks, discarding the cores. Arrange the spinach and watercress salad on plates and scatter over the apple matchsticks and chorizo, followed by the slices of potato. Tear the smoked mackerel into large chunks and arrange on the salad. Drizzle over the dressing to serve.