Bacon and egg is always a good combination. We use a Wexford company, O’Neills, for quality-assured bacon in the restaurant and our guests really enjoy it. You could use smoked rashers instead.

This is a punchy dressing. Dijon is a lovely mustard – not too strong, but with lots of kick.

You could also use cider vinegar from Highbank Orchard in Kilkenny which is excellent. Instead of the ciabatta you could use up some leftover bread, or sourdough would be nice.

I always keep coming back to this smoked trout, new potato and baby beet salad. It is delicious. The dressing has more of a kick with the horseradish.

Grahams, from near Slane in Co Meath do a very nice horseradish.

And for the smoked trout you will not beat the consistent quality of Goatsbridge on the Little Arrigle river, again in Kilkenny. I have had the pleasure to visit Mag and Ger Kirwan and was blown away by their innovation and energy.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Recipes

Bacon, egg and bean bowl. \ Food styling: Janine Kennedy. Photography: Claire Jeanne Nash

Bacon, egg and bean bowl

Serves four to six

1 ciabatta loaf, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces

6 back bacon rashers (dry-cured if possible)

150ml (¼ pint) rapeseed oil

6 eggs

200g (7oz) French beans, trimmed and halved

1 large lettuce (I use Cos)

1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal

300g (11oz) cherry tomatoes on the vine, halved

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 tsp Dijon mustard

Sea salt and freshly ground black

pepper

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
  • 2 Put the ciabatta and bacon rashers on a baking tray and drizzle with 4 tbsp of the oil, then season the bread with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, until the bread is crisp and golden and the bacon is sizzling and tender, turning halfway through. Roughly chop the bacon and set both aside until needed.
  • 3 Meanwhile, put the eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the French beans after 2 minutes.
  • 4 Drain in a colander and quickly refresh to prevent the beans from cooking any further.
  • 5 Crack the shells off the eggs and peel, then cut into quarters. Tear the lettuce into a big bowl, then add the spring onions, tomatoes, French beans and ciabatta croutons. Mix the remaining 6 tbsp of the oil with the vinegar and mustard in a screw-topped jar.
  • 6 Season with salt and pepper and shake until thickened and emulsified. Drizzle over the salad, tossing gently to coat. Divide the salad between bowls and arrange the bacon and eggs on top to serve.

    • Smoked trout, new potato and baby beet salad

    Serves four to six

    500g (1lb 2 oz) baby potatoes

    100g (4oz) watercress

    200g (7oz) cooked baby beetroot, cut in half or quarters (vac-packed or from a jar)

    200g (7oz) smoked trout, skin removed and flaked into large pieces

    juice of ½ lemon

    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the dressing:

    2 tbsp creamed horseradish

    2 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt

    2 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil

    2 tsp caster sugar

    1 tsp Dijon mustard

    1 small bunch of fresh dill, chopped, with a few fronds reserved to garnish

  • 1 To make the dressing, put the horseradish in a screw-topped jar with the yoghurt, oil, sugar, mustard and dill. Shake vigorously to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • 2 Scrub the potatoes, then cut them into bite-size pieces, put in a pan of salted water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender, then drain.
  • 3 While still warm, toss with 1 heaped tbsp of the dressing, season with salt and pepper and allow to cool a little. Tip the dressed potatoes onto a serving platter and scatter over the watercress.
  • 4 Arrange the beetroot over the top, followed by the smoked trout. Spoon the dressing over the salad and finish with the reserved dill sprigs, a squeeze of lemon, plenty of pepper and a sprinkling of salt.