JUST got back from New York last week, where I was demonstrating for Tourism Ireland at The New York Times Travel Show. Seeing as St Patrick's Day is getting close, and because I wanted to give people a taste of Irish food, I decided to go for a meal with a traditional Irish feel - spinach soup withsoda bread, Irish stew and some Irish apple cake.

I had never been in the States at this time of the year before and I can only imagine what it must be like to be actually there for St Patrick's day itself, because each and every person you meet proclaims to be 'Irish' and will welcome you like a long lost friend.

Something like two million people will watch the parade in New York on Paddy's Day, (called the Irish Mardi Gras by some! ) and everyone will wear, eat and drink something green on the day to remind themselves of the beautiful lush green countryside in the Emerald Isle.

So why not celebrate our patron saint's day next Saturday with a good old hearty Irish meal, though this year I think I'll pass on the green pints of beer.

Spinach and rosemary soup Serves 6 You can use a pinch of ground nutmeg in place of the rosemary if you wish.

This soup freezes very well.

25g butter or two tbsp olive oil 100g chopped onions 125g peeled and chopped potatoes Salt and pepper 600ml chicken or vegetable stock 450-600ml oz milk 300g spinach, destalked (if the leaves are large) and chopped One tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped Melt the butter or olive oil in a large saucepan, add I the onions and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on a very low heat for 10 minutes. While the onions and potatoes are cooking, heat up, in two separate pans, the stock and the milk, bring them to the boil, then add to the vegetables.

Bring the mixture back up to the boil then add the spinach and cook, uncovered, over a high heat fortwo-three minutes until the spinach is just cooked. Add the chopped rosemary and carefully liquidise the soup (waiting till it cools will result in overcooked spinach).

Brown scones with seeds Makes about 12 scones I love these scones served with soup for lunch, or with jam or honey for breakfast in the morning.

These freeze well - I often split them in half before freezing for easy and quick toasting.

225g wholemeal flour 225g plain white flour 25g sesame seeds 25g pumpkin seeds 25g golden linseeds, or hemp seeds One tsp salt One tsp bread soda, finely sieved 25g butter One egg, whisked 400ml buttermilk Preheat the oven to 220�C, gas 8. In a big bowl, mix together the brown and white flour, the seeds, salt and the sieved bread soda.

Rub in the butter. Whisk the egg with the buttermilk and pour most of the liquid into the bowl. Using one hand with your fingers open and stiff, mix in a full circle, bringing the flour 25and liquid together, adding more liquid if necessary.

The dough should be quite soft, but not too sticky.

Turn it out onto a floured surface, and do not knead it but gently bring it into one. Flatten it slightly to about 4cm high.

Cut the dough into square scones - if you like you could brush any leftover liquid over the top and sprinkle with some extra seeds. Put the scones onto a baking tray and pop into the hot oven and cook for 15-25 minutes (depending on the size).

Have a look at them after 10 minutes - if they are deep golden brown, turn down the heat down to 200�C, gas 6, for the remainder of the time.

When cooked they should sound hollow when tapped.

Cool on a wire rack.

Irish stew Serves 4-6 There are so many versions of Irish stew;

some people say you should just have white vegetables in it; some people add one or two tbsp of pot barley in at the start with the stock. Whatever way you are making it try and get nice thick gigot chops (shoulder chops), about 2cm thick.

Three tbsp olive oil, or three tbsp of the lamb or mutton fat that you have put into the hot casserole or saucepan to render down, 1-1.5kg gigot chops, with bones attached, or mutton neck chops Four mediumsized carrots, peeled, and quartered or 12 baby carrots, scrubbed and left whole 12 baby onions, peeled, or four medium onions, cut into quarters through the root Eight cloves of garlic, peeled (not traditional, but I love garlic in an Irish stew) 15g butter Salt and pepper 600ml lamb or chicken stock or water Eight-12 potatoes, peeled A sprig of rosemary, or a large sprig of thyme One tbsp chopped parsley One tbsp chopped chives Cut the chops in half, not taking off the bones. Heat the casserole until very hot, toss the meat in the fat or olive oil until it is nice and brown. Remove from the pan and cook the onions and carrots in the hot oil or fat for a couple of minutes, season with salt and pepper while saut�ing.

Put the meat and vegetables back in. Add the stock and season.

Put the potatoes on top, and simmer gently either in an oven at 160�C, gas 2, or on the hob, until the meat is cooked, 1 1/2 hours approx, it may take more.

Pour off the cooking liquid and degrease, season if it needs it and pour back over the stew. Add the herbs and serve.

Handy hints: If the potatoes are quite small, add them in 20-30minutes after the stew starts cooking.

�To degrease the juices, add a couple of ice cubes to the strained liquid; the fat should rise up to the top, spoon it off and discard.

�If you like you could thicken the juices with some roux.

Irish apple cake This recipe comes from The Ballymaloe Cookbook, by Myrtle Allen, published by Gill and MacMillan, and is still made in Ballymaloe today. It is simple, but delicious - real comfort food at its best.

225g plain white flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 110g butter 140g sugar One egg (free-range and organic, preferably) 120ml milk (approximately) One-two cooking apples One tablespoon sugar You will need a 25cm pyrex plate or ovenproof dish.

Preheat oven to 180�C, gas 4. Mix the flour with the baking powder. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the texture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, beaten egg and enough milk to form a soft dough.

Divide the pastry into two. Roll one half into a circle to fit a greased ovenproof plate. Peel, core and chop the apples, put them on the dough and sprinkle with one tablespoon of sugar. Roll out the remaining pastry and put on top. Press the sides together, cut a slit through the middle of the lid and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until nicely browned.

Serve with softly whipped cream.