Cauliflower is so versatile. I like it pickled. Or roasted. And then there is the classic Mornay, that is with cheese sauce and breadcrumbs. Most people like cauliflower cheese, so here I’ve made it with the basics for a soup. Also it is gluten free.

We get our potatoes from Country Crest, and they are always good quality. For the cheese, instead of Gruyere, you could try Cashel Blue. I was in London recently and was delighted to see it stocked in Selfridges, along with other fine Irish products.

The winter cabbage soup is a really filling, nourishing meal, and Savoy cabbage is one of my favourites.

Cabbage is becoming more popular again these days, as more people are trying out vegetarian options.

Celeriac is a very trendy vegetable too. I saw it on a lot of London menus. It goes very well with fish. If you make this soup I suggest you make extra, as it freezes well.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Serves four to six

25g (1oz) butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 cauliflowers, broken into small florets

1 large potato, peeled and chopped

900ml (1½ pints) chicken or vegetable stock

150ml (¼ pint) cream

100g (4oz) mature Cheddar, grated

100g (4oz) Gruyere, grated

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

1 Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about five minutes, until softened but not coloured, stirring. Add half the cauliflower with the potato and stock and bring to the boil.

2 Season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft. Meanwhile, steam the rest of the cauliflower for six to eight minutes, or until just tender.

3 Stir the cream into the soup and blend with a hand-blender until smooth. Add the steamed cauliflower florets and stir to combine, then reheat gently until hot, but not boiling.

4 Preheat the grill to high. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls. Mix the cheeses together and then scatter over the top. Arrange on a sturdy baking tray and grill for two to three minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Scatter over the parsley and add a good grinding of black pepper to each one to serve.

Winter Cabbage, Chorizo and Celeriac Soup with Sage Croutons

Serves four to six

2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 bay leaves

200g raw chorizo, peeled and diced

1 small celeriac, peeled and diced

1 small Savoy cabbage, finely shredded (discard the outer leaves and thick stems)

400g whole peeled plum tomatoes

750ml (1¼ pints) chicken stock

For the sage croutons:

50g (20z) butter, at room temperature

1 large garlic clove, crushed

2 tsp chopped fresh sage

2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

1 sourdough baguette, cut into thin slices on the diagonal, ends discarded (or eaten!)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and sauté the onion for six to eight minutes, until golden, stirring occasionally.

2 Add the fennel seeds, bay leaves and chorizo and continue to sauté until the fat starts to come out of the chorizo. Tip in the cabbage and celeriac, stirring to combine, then add the tomatoes, squishing them up with your hands and the stock.

3 Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender, stirring occasionally.

4 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C/350°F/gas mark three. To make the croutons, mix the butter in a small bowl with the garlic, sage and Parmesan. Season with pepper and spread on to one side of each slice of baguette. Arrange on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden.

5 Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and arrange some of the croutons in the bowls. Then put the remainder on a plate to put in the middle of the table. Serve piping hot. CL