Students are going back to college around now and I have some easy dinner recipes for the busy future graduates. You can use any pasta for the cheese spaghetti, personally I like penne. Also you can use whatever vegetables you have at hand. Sprouting broccoli is good in October and it has been a great year for courgettes. Kevin Ashley, our gardener, has had a fabulous year and people who come to the cookery school love the tour he gives. He is always experimenting and this year he grew several new varieties of garlic that I am enjoying.

Instead of parmesan you might try Coolea, which is a beautiful mature cheese made by Dick and Sinead Willems in Co Cork.

The risotto with chicken, lemon and basil marries fragrant oriental flavours with a touch of the Mediterranean. Arborio rice is becoming very popular and we use it a lot in the restaurant.

Like with any dish, it is worth putting some thought into how you serve it. It does make a difference to serve on nice crockery and warm plates. I have a weakness for plates, no matter where we travel. Ask Amelda about the excess baggage.

Happy cooking.

Cheese pasta with peppers, broccoli and bacon

Serves four

2 tbsp of olive oil

350g of the pasta of your choice

9 streaky bacon rashers, chopped

2 peppers, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 onion, peeled and chopped

6oz small broccoli flourettes

¼ pint of chicken stock

200ml of half-fat crème fraîche

2oz of grated cheddar and parmesan

1 tbsp of chopped basil

1 tbsp of chopped parsley

  • Cook the pasta in a large pan with lightly-salted boiling water for eight minutes, or until tender. Add the broccoli in the last two minutes of cooking. Drain.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the bacon for four minutes, until it’s crispy, then add the onion, garlic and peppers.
  • Cover with chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, cheeses and herbs. Season to taste. Finally, add the pasta and the broccoli. Mix well and heat through. Serve in a pasta bowl. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan, if the budget permits.
  • Breast of chicken with lemon and basil risotto

    Serves four

    4 chicken breasts

    1 tbsp of five-spice powder

    50g/2oz of butter

    1 clove of garlic, crushed

    1 small onion, diced

    200g/8oz of Arborio rice

    1 litre/2 pints of chicken stock

    1 tsp of lemon zest

    1 tbsp of chopped herbs (like parsley, chives and basil)

    50g/2oz of grated parmesan

    Seasoning

    Basil leaves for garnish

    • Sprinkle the five-spice powder over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the garlic and onion and sauté for two minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir well for two minutes, making sure to coat the rice grains with the butter and onion mix. Gradually add the chicken stock and the lemon zest, keep stirring for about 20 minutes.
    • When the rice is almost cooked (there should be a small bite to it) add the herbs and the parmesan cheese, season well and keep warm.
    • Finally, grill the chicken under a hot grill for five to eight minutes on each side. It should be firm to the touch when cooked.
    • Place some risotto onto the centre of a warmed bowl or plate. Sit the chicken breast on top and garnish with some fresh basil.