In the midst of the madness of March, we’ve got a week’s worth of recipes that will help you celebrate St Patrick’s day and all things Irish.

SATURDAY:

Breakfast: Irish soda bread with scrambled eggs – I’m not normally one to spend time kneading, but fresh bread really is special. So one very good alternative is Irish soda bread, which goes amazingly with scrambled eggs.

Lunch: Irish blue cheeses with crackers – The best known Irish blue cheese is Cashel Blue, but there are so many other delicious Irish cheeses to try. I’d suggest having a little board full of these cheesy delights.

Dinner: Duck breast with mashed potatoes – This is a simple and quick recipe (except for the marinating time). Serve it with a magnificent mound of mash, and some mange tout.

Dessert: Black velvet cake – I created this cake from the basic recipe for Black Velvet cake – a dark Guinness and chocolate cake topped with frothy white icing.

SUNDAY:

Lunch: Smoked trout pâté with Irish soda bread -This is a starter you can make in a jiffy, but the Irish paprika soldiers make it wonderful. It will also use up any of the leftover soda bread that you made on Saturday.

Dinner: Lancashire hotpot – This recipe results in an extra luscious Lancashire hotpot thanks to the celeriac and the fortified wine.

MONDAY:

Dinner: Aloo Palak – this is a potato-based Indian dish that is made verdantly green with the help of a couple handfuls of spinach.

TUESDAY (ST PATRICK’S DAY):

Dinner: Leek and blue cheese tart – Leeks for St David and Irish blue cheese for St Patrick…with some mushrooms and cream cheese makes a great quiche.

WEDNESDAY:

Dinner: Veal escalope – Although clearly Italian, I’m counting this recipe as ‘Irish’ because the first time I came across it I was having dinner in the Capri Bay restaurant in Youghal – and also it’s made with Irish veal!

THURSDAY:

Dinner: Cumberland sausage with cheesy potatoes – Serve the sausage on a bed of fried, cheesy potatoes, together with a hearty, fruity chutney (I use apple and blackberry) and a floppy English lettuce salad anointed generously with lots of creamy dressing.

FRIDAY:

Dinner: Fried fillet of perch with tartare sauce – This is a quickly made fish-finger-substitute comfort food, with homemade tartare sauce, wonderful wedge potatoes, and  the added interest of some fresh, nutty romanesco.

Dessert: St Patrick’s chocolate tart – A chocolate tart with a Maryland chocolate chip cooking base and light, whipped cream, dark chocolate and whiskey filling. The slight added saltiness adds a beautiful depth of flavour.

Cocktail: Connemara whiskey – I adore this whiskey. It is peaty but gentle, easy on the tongue, smoky but also with a bit of caramel and vanilla.