Gratin of Hake with Tomatoes, Basil, Olives and Parmesan

FOR ME it was a wonderful surprise that my latest book 30 Years at Ballymaloe won the Avonmore Cookbook of the Year award at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards — and it really was a surprise.

I was in very good company, Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen and Catherine Fulvio’s The Weekend Chef were also shortlisted as were Neven Maguire’s The Nation’s Favourite Food, Kevin Dundon’s Modern Irish Food and Ross Lewis for his beautifully produced Chapter One – An Irish Food Story.

But for me the best cookbook of the year was Master It – How to Cook Today by Rory O’Connell. Yes, he’s my brother and you may well be thinking ‘well, she would say that wouldn’t she’, but that’s what I truly believe.