There’s no disputing the fact that Clodagh McKenna is an unashamed lover of all things Christmas.

“My decorations have been up since mid-November,” she admits. “I do it every year because my sisters come over to Ireland and we have an early Christmas celebration. And by October I have all my plum puddings and mince pies ready – that’s a family tradition of ours.”

Irish Country Living meets the foodie at her recently opened restaurant, Clodagh’s Kitchen in Blackrock, Co Dublin, and it’s like entering a (tastefully decorated) winter wonderland – we’ve come to the right place for some festive fun.

She has prepared three recipes that will help see you through the party season: Parmesan and rosemary stars; Lemon meringue angels; and Stuffins. But we also want to pick her brains for tips on how to throw a great bash.

So what does Clodagh think is the key to Christmas entertaining? Her answer, as the woman who decorates the house in November, comes as no surprise – organisation, organisation and a bit more organisation.

“Try to do everything early,” she says. “Plan your week around your party. Get bits and bobs ready on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night. You don’t want to be in a mad rush on Thursday and Friday getting napkins ready.

“Make a mood board of how you want your party to look. There are some great photos online – Pinterest, in particular, is very useful. For me, it’s about the whole package and not just the food. But the most important thing about a party is that it has to be fun.”

The last time we met Clodagh in 2009, she already had two cookbooks and an RTÉ TV series under her belt. Since then, she has written two more books and launched Homemade by Clodagh at Arnotts, as well as revamping the department store’s restaurant. Clodagh has also found fame across the water with Clodagh’s Irish Food Trails on PBS and Create TV.

A busy 2013 saw the opening of Clodagh’s Kitchen in Blackrock and the introduction of Clodagh’s Kitchen for Aer Lingus Bia.

There’s no doubt that 2014 will be another successful year for this entrepreneurial Cork woman. But for now, Clodagh is looking forward to spending Christmas with her friends and family.

“This is definitely my time of the year,” she smiles.

Clodagh’s Party Tips

  • • Early preparation is key.
  • • Get ideas online about the look of your party.
  • • Decide the signature feature of your party. It could be a basket of beautiful napkins tied using ribbons with cinnamon and rosemary inside for the wow factor.
  • • If you’re hosting a party on Saturday, use Thursday and Friday to prepare the food.
  • • Puff pastry is great for parties – you can make fun shapes with them and fill it with so many things.
  • • A canapé-style buffet is fantastic if there’s a large number of people. Aim for five different options.
  • • Make sure you have plenty of time to select your music playlist, have a bath and get ready.
  • • Remember to relax and have fun. CL

    • Clodagh’s RECIPES

    Parmesan & rosemary stars

    Makes 24

    375g ready-rolled puff pastry

    Flour for dusting

    1 egg yolk and 1tbsp milk, mixed

    150g finely-grated parmesan cheese

    2 tbsp of fresh rosemary that’s finely chopped

    1 Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7. Using a small cutter, cut out as many stars from the pastry as possible and place onto greased baking sheets.

    2 Lightly brush the surface of the stars with the egg and milk. Mix together the parmesan cheese and the finely chopped rosemary, then scatter over the stars.

    3 Bake in the oven for about five to eight minutes or until lightly golden and puffed up.

    Lemon meringue angels

    Makes 12

    250ml lemon curd (see recipe below)

    24 mini meringues

    Icing sugar for dusting

    1 Firstly make the lemon curd, follow the recipe below and allow it to cool.

    2 Sandwich the lemon curd between two mini meringues and dust with icing sugar.

    Lemon curd

    Makes one 250ml jar

    5 eggs

    160g white sugar

    100ml lemon juice

    60g butter, cut into small pieces

    1 tbsp of grated lemon zest

    1 Suspend a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water.

    2 Crack in the eggs and add the sugar and lemon juice. Whisk together until blended.

    3 Stir constantly for about 10 minutes so that the curd doesn’t scramble.

    4 Remove from the heat and push the curd into a bowl through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.

    5 Whisk the butter into the mixture until it has melted and the mixture is smooth.

    6 Add the lemon zest and leave to cool. The lemon curd will thicken as it cools.

    7 Once the curd has cooled, cover immediately.

    8 Refrigerate for up to a week.

    Stuffins

    Serves eight

    180g fresh breadcrumbs

    2 shallots, finely diced

    1 clove garlic, crushed

    50g toasted pine nuts, chopped

    1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

    1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

    2 tsp of finely-grated lemon zest

    100g butter, softened

    Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

    16 slices pancetta, halved or smoked streaky bacon

    1 Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4.

    2 Place the breadcrumbs, shallots, garlic, pine nuts, parsley, sage, lemon zest, softened butter, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine.

    3 Lightly grease an eight-holed mini-muffin tin and line with pancetta and fill with the breadcrumb mixture. Press down and smooth the top.

    4 Bake for 10 minutes or until the pancetta is crispy and the stuffing is cooked through.