Fauchon est arrive! Lovers of luxurious chocolates, rare Champagnes and a range of speciality foods such as truffles and foie gras, will welcome the recent arrival of Fauchon which is now available in Ireland.

Serves 10-12

The Festive Food of Italy by Madalena Bonino published by Kyle Cathie

Jo Bettoja, whose food I adore, served us this rich sweet and sour stew in her home in Rome.

Just the thing for the cooler days: we make huge pots of this in winter, and I usually keep some in the freezer.

This recipe was devised by Linda Lynch of St Ailbhe’s Vocational School, Tipperary Town who came first in the Tipperary Schools Cooking Competition.

With a bag of prawns in the freezer, you are never stuck for a quick meal. This recipe combines defrosted prawns, with melted cheese, bacon and spring onions, to make a very tasty snack.

Baylough Cheese is available at Country Choice, Nenagh; McCambridge’s, Galway; On the Pig’s Back, English Market, Cork; Urru Foods, Bandon and Mallow; Hudsons Whole Foods, Ballydehob, west Cork; Super Valu, Poppyfield, Clonmel, and farmers’ markets countrywide.

NIGEL SLATER’S books — Real Cooking, Real Fast Food, The 30-minute Cook and Real Fast Puddings — have all been refreshed and will be published by Penguin next week.