In making this butternut squash conchiglie with crisp sage I set myself a challenge. Keep things as simple as possible. The results were fantastic. Roasting the squash gives it a lot of depth. The chilli and lemon balances the sweetness well. It’s an easy recipe that packs in a lot of flavour and can be done in no time. It’s very easy to keep it vegan by leaving the parmesan out.

Barmbrack, Irish tea brack or in Gaelic, bairín breac (meaning speckled loaf) is a traditional sweetened bread commonly made around the Halloween season in Ireland. Many of the older traditional recipes use yeast, and are lighter in colour and texture than the bracks most people come across today. For this recipe I referenced many different sources, including my mother’s copy of All In The Cooking, first published in 1946 and famous Irish flour makers Odlums well established directions.

I’ve been working on this recipe for some time. I wanted to get the crackers as light as possible and worked on different baking times and temperatures. I also wanted the goat’s cheese mouse to be nice and airy. This is a great one for entertaining, as everything can be made in advance and assembled later.

Whether you’re having it on a piece of bread as a tapa or cutting off a gigantic slice for dinner, Tortilla de Patatas always hits the spot. You can expand on the basic recipe and add whatever you like in the way of meat or vegetables, but here we have kept it quite simple. Truffle oil adds a very suitable earthy richness to the dish that we feel works very well.

Migas is a wonderful dish enjoed in many different parts of Spain and Portugal, and can be prepared with either breadcrumbs or flour. It is said to have been introduced by shepherds as a way to use up whatever rations they had along with some remaining stale bread or flour while on the move. While not as well-known as paella, the dish is just as delicious and works very well when feeding a group.

Tuna empanadas are delicious, with a flaky, buttery pastry and a very satisfying, savoury bite. It’s a great dish to serve for a group and is easy to make. Here’s our take on this classic dish.

This recipe looks good and tastes even better. Above all else, it’s very straightforward to make. Soft, high-quality chorizo from Spain works the best, and the Prosecco doesn’t have to be anything fancy.

This salad is simple and hearty. It hits all the right notes and can work as a simple main meal or as a side. Grilled chicken is an optional add on while a drizzle of honey can bring some sweetness. Find the salad recipe here.

April 25 is Anzac Day, officially named in 1916 to commemorate an intense battle fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on the Gallipoli peninsula during World War 1. These oaty, chewy and crunchy biscuits were sent to the soldiers, and became famous due to their long shelf life.

The pink and white flowers of the Magnolia Soulangeana are a forager’s dream. They can be pickled or turned into syrup, and have a distinct floral, gingery cardamom taste. Beautiful with cakes or with noodles, they are a versatile treat. They are best found fresh, and the flowers can be scooped up off the ground at Spring. The buds can also be used. Here’s two ways to make them last.

I always get excited when I finally see the first bunches of rhubarb nestled amongst the other products at my local market. It signifies to me that Spring is here. Rhubarb crumble is my idea of comfort food, and I wanted to translate it into a slice that could be enjoyed with tea or coffee on the go.

This spinach dish is simple but delicious, and packs a serious flavour punch. It’s tangy, refreshing, and addictive, and is perfect for barbecues or as a starter or side with crisps, chips and bread. It never goes to waste. You can hollow out a large bread loaf and place it inside for extra presentation points. This recipe makes a large shareable bowl.

There are many ways to cure fresh olives. Last summer, I was lucky enough to travel to Andalucía in the south of Spain, where the Montes family took the time to show me their own tried and tested techniques, made with home-grown olives fresh from their very own trees. This method is free from any artificial preservatives.

This recipe was inspired by the Catalan tradition of eating wonderfully dark and grilled calçots with a creamy fresh romesco sauce. The leeks respond really well to an intense heat like this and work beautifully with the richness of the sauce. I serve it as a side dish and it always goes down well.

A staple of Irish households for generations, this is the soda bread that I grew up eating, as my grandmother was an expert at baking “a scone”. I could always spot one beneath a checkered dishcloth, and would take great pleasure in eating some with butter and golden syrup.

A Spanish staple, I am always delighted when a plate of sweet and savoury fried aubergines arrive, whether it’s as a tapa or a ración. Dark treacle or molasses add an extra layer of flavour, while honey also works as a sweeter alternative.

My sister first learned this dish in the hills of Tuscany, and has since become a pro at it. A simple, quick and lighter take on the traditional carbonara, I was surprised by the punch of flavour that you can get from the vegetables, and perhaps controversially, I can say with all honesty that I don't miss the bacon in it.

This oil is based on the Japanese practice of adding an aromatic element to a dish, something that plays on your sense of smell as well as your sense of taste. The mayu - a burnt garlic oil - goes against everything you know about cooking, and yet it’s incredible, akin to the taste of black truffle. Coupled with the citrus fruits, this oil is complex and full of surprises.

A fresh summer treat, nectarines are one of my favourite stone fruits. This dessert has the elements of a refreshing mint julep, with the citrus fruit bringing a nice balance to the sweetness of the sugar.

Like many other people, I turned to banana bread for comfort when things got tough. This one was the result of my trial and error over a period of months. And it’s good. The best I could come up with in fact.