One list 5 meals: Sardine and Tomato Tart

150 mls of milk

5 eggs, lightly beaten

8- or 9-inch savoury pastry case

230g of Irish cheddar cheese, grated

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tins of good quality sardines in olive oil, drained

Mix the milk, creme fraiche, lemon zest and eggs.

Sprinkle the pastry base with the cheese and tomatoes. Pour the egg mixture over them both. Gently lay the sardines into the tart.

Bake in an oven, heated to 160 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until the egg mixture has firmed up. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting. This is great served with a simple, green salad.

Plaice Fillets with Spiced Potato Salad and Green Leaves

Potatoes for four, cut into bite-size chunks

2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped or crushed

A bunch of parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp of natural yoghurt

2 tsp of harrisa paste

Flour for dusting

A dash of rapeseed oil

4 plaice fillets

Green leaves for four

1 tbsp of salad dressing

Put the potatoes on to boil in lightly salted water and drain when cooked.

Mix the garlic, parsley, yoghurt and harrisa paste. Taste and season, then set aside to let the flavours blend.

Season the flour and coat the fish fillets completely with the flour. Heat the oil and fry the fish, skin side down, until it is cooked through.

Toss the leaves in the dressing and the potatoes in the yogurt. Serve both alongside the fish.

White Bean Salad with Pomegranate and Walnuts

250 mls of natural yogurt

2 tbsp of good-quality olive oil

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

Zest of a lemon

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

A handful of chives

A handful of basil leaves

Two tins of butterbeans, drained

4 handfuls of baby spinach

A handful of walnuts, roasted and roughly chopped

A pomegranate, seeds removed and juice kept

Crunchy bread for four

Blitz the yoghurt, olive oil, spring onions, lemon zest, garlic, chives and basil leaves until they form a smooth paste.

Toss the beans, spinach, walnuts and pomegranate in the dressing. Serve with the bread on the side.

Sautéed Chorizo with Potato and Egg

Potatoes for four

A dash of olive oil

4 cloves of garlic peeled

400g of chorizo, sliced

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

2 tsp of honey

A bunch of parsley, chopped

A bunch of coriander, chopped

4 eggs

1 tbsp of creme fraiche

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of water and drain when cooked. When cool enough to handle cut into bite size pieces.

Heat the oil and fry the garlic over a medium heat until it is just about to change colour. Add the chorizo and fry until it is heated through and browning around the edges. Add the balsamic and honey to the pan and coat the chorizo.

Toss the potatoes in the pan to coat them too. Taste and season. In another pan fry the eggs to your liking.

Toss the herbs through the chorizo potato mix and spoon it onto four plates. Top each with an egg.

Tagliatelle with Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Cheese

16 cherry tomatoes, halved

Tagliatelle for four

A dash of olive oil

6 cloves of garlic

A large bunch of sage, chopped

200g of hard goats cheese, such as St.

Tolla’s hard cheese, grated

80g of Cashel blue cheese, crumbled

Toss the tomatoes in some oil and seasoning and place into a low oven for 40 minutes until they have softened.

Meanwhile boil the pasta until it is cooked through. Heat some oil in a pan and sauté the garlic and sage until the garlic is starting to change colour. Toss the pasta in the pan so it is coated with the garlic and sage. Add a little more oil if you wish. Stir the goats cheese and tomatoes into the pasta. Taste and season. Sprinkle some blue cheese over it as you are serving.

Michelle Darmody owns The Cake Cafe, The Daintree Building, Dublin 2, 01 4789394 www.thecakecafe.ie