{"id":574802,"date":"2026-07-30T03:30:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T03:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/574802\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T03:30:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T03:30:37","slug":"irish-mammy-salad-to-south-african-braai-chefs-share-their-favourite-tastes-of-summer-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/574802\/","title":{"rendered":"Irish \u2018mammy\u2019 salad to South African braai: Chefs share their favourite tastes of summer \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paul BroganHead chef at Cora, Lucan, Co Dublin\"PaulPaul Brogan, head chef at Cora restaurant in Lucan, Co Dublin <\/p>\n

Paul Brogan\u2019s favourite food from childhood? \u201cA good, old-fashioned Irish mammy salad with whatever was in the fridge. I love it. Chicken, ham, cheese, coleslaw, potato salad, egg mayo \u2013 what\u2019s not to like? <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere I grew up in Co Kildare<\/a>, we had a sweet factory nearby. So, my childhood tasted of whatever free samples we could scrounge. I don\u2019t have one core food memory, but a collection from family holidays in Spain<\/a> and Italy<\/a>; the simple, banging flavours have an influence on how I cook today and how I like to eat \u2013 only a few ingredients on the plate but everything done really nicely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of those flavours appear on his menus now. \u201cTomatoes and slow-roasted tomatoes are a big nostalgic food for me. So they appear regularly on some of my dishes. At the minute in Cora we have semi-dried tomatoes in our piperade that goes on the rosti dish. Personally, I don\u2019t think you should mess with a lot of the classics. Stay true to the classic recipe and execute it as best you can, really. They\u2019re classics for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

A simple summer dinner he recommends is Caesar salad to start, lamb with peas, fresh mint and new potatoes drizzled with garlic butter and parsley for main, and then strawberries and cream to finish \u2013 \u201cguzzled down with a nice bottle of white outside in the sun and you\u2019re laughing\u201d.<\/p>\n

Beyond the plate, summer memories are of family and friends in the back garden, \u201ceating some nice grub and drinking \u2013 responsibly, of course \u2013 until the sun goes in. Then get the heaters on and polish off all the wine while having the craic. It\u2019s all about having the craic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cora\u2019s Pork Belly Sandwich\"PorkPork belly sandwich <\/p>\n

\u201cOur new sandwich at Cora is a little play on an Irish favourite of bacon and cabbage: Dijon mustard and brown sugar slow cooked pork belly, mixed with home-made sauerkraut cabbage with fresh apple and pickled mustard seeds, and served with parsley aioli, dressed rocket leaves, crispy pork crackling and crispy shallots, seasoned with vinegar powder and all stacked on a home-made focaccia bread. This sandwich is an absolute flavour bomb,\u201d says Brogan. <\/p>\n

Ingredients1 pork belly, bone in, skin on 10% of pork weight in salt110g Dijon mustard100g brown sugar1 head garlic, plus one extra clove, grated1 shallot, peeled, halved Cooking liquid from the pork belly, reduced by two thirds150g white sugar1 head of white cabbage, finely chopped or grated2% of cabbage weight in salt5g caraway seeds2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped into batons50g yellow mustard seeds350ml white wine vinegar220ml water100g parsley200ml sunflower oil50g egg yolk10ml lemon juiceMethodFor the pork:This is a three-day process so try not to be in a rush. Day one is salting, day two is marinating and cooking, day three is reheating and glazing.Place the pork on an oven tray and salt it overnight in the fridge with 10% of the weight of the pork in salt. After 24 hours, wash off the salt and dry with a clean cloth. Marinate in 100g Dijon mustard, brown sugar and grated head of garlic.Wrap the pork in tin foil and put it in a deep oven tray with some water to cover the bottom of the tray. Wrap the tray in tin foil.Cook in the oven for 12 hours at 85\u00b0C.Take out of the oven and remove the tin foil \u2013 let it sit for 1 hour to cool so you can handle it.Take out the bones and cartilage.Place between two shallow trays lined with parchment and leave a heavy weight on top.Place in the fridge overnight to press and set.The next day, take it out of the fridge, remove it from the tray and get rid of parchment paper. Place it on a chopping board.With your hands, remove the skin, it doesn\u2019t matter if some fat comes with it. Keep the skin for your crackling. Cut the pork into quarters and portion into 1 inch pieces; use three of these per sandwich.To reheat, place on an oven tray and cover with glaze (see glaze below). Put into an oven at 180 degrees, turn after 3 minutes and leave another 3 minutes until nice and sticky.To make the pork crackling and shallot, preheat the oil fryer to 180 degrees. Make sure you have a lid or cover as the pork will spit.Put the pork skin in the fryer and fry until crispy. Strain well and season with salt.Repeat with the shallot.For the glaze:In a hot pan, slowly heat up 50g sugar and turn it into a caramel \u2013 this should take about five minutes.Deglaze with 50ml vinegar and reduce by half.Add in the reduced stock.For the sauerkraut:Mix well the cabbage, 2 per cent salt and caraway seeds and put in a clean, sterilised kiln jar with 20ml water.Cover with parchment to the surface and leave at room temperature for seven to 10 days.When they\u2019re ready decant in to a bowl and mix with fresh apples and pickled mustard seeds (see below).For the pickled mustard seeds:Put yellow mustard seeds in a pot and cover with cold water.Once they come to the boil, strain through a sieve.Repeat this process seven times, covering with cold water each time. This is to get rid of the harsh bitterness from the mustard seeds and soften their outer layer.In a pot, put vinegar, sugar and water and bring to the boil. This is a basic pickle. Add the boiled and strained mustard seeds to this warm pickle and put in a container. Leave at room temperature for two days to take on that lovely pickle flavour.For the parsley aioli:In a blender, put parsley and oil. Blend on full speed for 10 minutes. Pass through a sieve with a J-cloth in it to make your aioli oil.Put egg yolk in a blender with 10g Dijon mustard, lemon juice and one clove of grated garlic.Start on a low speed and slowly add in your oil to make an emulsion.Once all the parsley oil is in, taste for seasoning and add salt.To serve:Stack on focaccia bread, dress with rocket leaves and the aioli.\u00a0 Rose O\u2019TooleHead chef at Grangecon Kitchen, Co Wicklow\"RoseRose O’Toole, head chef, Grangecon Kitchen <\/p>\n

The Irish mammy\u2019s salad plate is a winner for O\u2019Toole too. \u201cThe rolled-up ham, potato salad, egg salad, sliced onion with tomato, coleslaw and lettuce. Summer picky bits on a day it\u2019s too hot to cook,\u201d she says. \u201cWhere I\u2019m from, summer tasted like hay. We would be out all day jumping on hay bales and running around the fields, and not that I intentionally ate the hay, but I definitely did from some of the falls I got.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of the foods she loved back then that she reinterprets today, \u201cpotatoes were always a big thing, so I love using potatoes now and one of our most popular plates at Grangecon Kitchen is the breakfast hash browns.<\/p>\n

\u201cClassic summer dishes for me means using fresh, organic and local produce. This is not exactly reinventing the wheel but not many places can say they stick to that ethos \u2013 I\u2019m happy to say that at Grangecon Kitchen we do. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe summer signature ingredient for me is tomato \u2013 we use beautiful organic tomatoes from Castleruddery farm every year and the smell alone would entice you. A simple dish I adore for summer is tomato tonnato with fresh tomatoes, anchovies and aioli.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grangecon Kitchen\u2019s Tomato Tonnato\"TomatoTomato Tonnato from Grangecon Kitchen Ingredients75ml extra virgin olive oil85g good quality tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked (can be canned or from a jar)60g mayonnaise2 tsp drained capers 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 2 anchovy fillets 1 large garlic clove, smashed and peeled8-10g basil leaves, plus more for garnish900g mixed tomatoes (large ones sliced, small ones cut into wedges)Coarse sea saltBlack pepperCrusty bread\/focaccia to serveMethodIn a blender, combine the olive oil, tuna, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, anchovies (if using), garlic and basil. Blend until smooth and creamy.Arrange the tomatoes on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the top. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Garnish with extra basil leaves. Serve with fresh focaccia or crusty bread.\"FocacciaFocaccia with rosemary, onions, garlic, olive oil and sea salt. Brenda WatsonHead chef at Crave at the Cottage, Ballintubber, Co Mayo\"BrendaBrenda Watson: Summer is always about the people you share it with <\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in South Africa so braais, a South African style of cooking similar to a barbecue, played such a big part of my childhood memories. Nothing says summer to me like a braai by the pool with family and friends.\u201d <\/p>\n

Summer tasted of fresh local fruits such as peaches, mangos and watermelon and the smoky taste of wood-flamed sosaties (meat skewers), lamb chops and boerewors (sausages) cooked on the braai, she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mum\u2019s baking shaped a lot of how I cook today. She always made everything from scratch and I think that\u2019s where my love of comforting home-made food comes from. I naturally lean toward fresh seasonal ingredients, especially fruit, because those flavours feel familiar and nostalgic to me.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal is to keep the comfort and familiarity people love (with classic dishes) while gently refining it with seasonal produce and lighter touches. <\/p>\n

For Watson, summer is \u201calways about the people you share it with. Family, friends, good food and a relaxed atmosphere, and a table that nobody wants to leave.\u201d <\/p>\n

Crave at the Cottage\u2019s Peach and Burrata Salad\"PeachPeach and burrata salad from Crave at the Cottage Ingredients4 peachesCherry tomatoes1 red onionWalnutsBurrata cheese1 bag rocket or mixed leaves2 tsp brown sugarMaple syrup to drizzle1\/3 cup extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp lemon juice1 tsp Dijon mustard1 tsp honey 5 fresh basil leavesSalt and pepper to tasteMethodFor the vinaigrette:Using a stick blender, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard and honey. Add the five basil leaves.While blending, slowly drizzle in a quarter cup of the olive oil until the dressing is fully incorporated and emulsified, reserving some olive oil for the peaches. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.For the peaches:Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.Cut the peaches into wedges and drizzle with olive oil until lightly coated.Place peaches on the hot grill pan to achieve charred grill marks.Once grilled, remove and drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with 2 tsp of brown sugar.Place on a baking tray and cook at 180 degrees for 5\u201310 minutes until the peaches are soft.Remove from the oven and let them cool.To dress and assemble:To dress the salad: In a large bowl, toss the salad leaves with the lemon and basil vinaigrette. Set aside.Transfer the dressed leaves to a serving bowl. Add more fresh basil leaves if desired.Top the leaves with the cherry tomatoes, sliced red onions, walnuts and the prepared peaches.Place the burrata in the centre of the salad.Finish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper.Serving suggestion<\/p>\n

Serve with some crusty sourdough or flatbreads to soak up the dressing and creamy cheese.<\/p>\n

Paul BrennanCo-owner of Otto Pizza, Sligo\"DavidDavid Dunne and Paul Brennan of Otto Pizza in Sligo <\/p>\n

\u201cLamb on the barbecue was always a big one in my house. Every now and again we would have lobsters dropped to the house from the boats in Rosses [Point] and that was always a treat on the barbecue too. Summer meals often turned into long evenings with family and guests at our house. <\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up around hospitality in Sligo, food was always tied to atmosphere and the people as much as the dish itself. Barbecued lobster with a potato salad is the ultimate summer dish for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brennan\u2019s most vivid summer memories consist of Atlantic air, lots of shellfish and seafood, with smoky barbecue smells, and ice cream after the beach. \u201cThere\u2019s a very specific west-of-Ireland summer feeling that\u2019s relaxed but social at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Classic dishes he reimagines are, \u201cpotato, leek, smoked flavours, great dairy, seafood, good bread \u2013 they\u2019re all flavours that feel very familiar and Irish, even when interpreted through Italian cooking.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up around restaurants definitely shaped everything. There were lots of knowledgeable and inspirational food lovers in my family, especially my mum. There was always a home-made meal every day regardless of the situation, and we always sat down and ate together at the table. That idea of food bringing people together for a meal probably influences Otto more than any single recipe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to keep the spirit of those classic flavours while approaching them through a Neapolitan-style pizza dough. Fresh herbs, lighter toppings, good olive oil, seasonal vegetables, great cured meats and Irish cheeses \u2013 things that feel bright and relaxed rather than heavy. The long-fermented dough also gives the pizzas that lighter, summery feel too.\u201d <\/p>\n

What makes summer days memorable \u2013 beyond the plate? \u201cGood conversation and company, music at the right volume, warm evenings sitting outside, sharing plates and the perfect wine combinations. The best summer meals feel effortless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Otto\u2019s Mushroom and Taleggio Pizza\"MushroomMushroom and taleggio pizza from Otto, Sligo IngredientsNeapolitan-style pizza dough Grana padano cheeseHandful of fresh spinach Portobello mushroomsTaleggio cheeseToonsbridge fior di latteMethodStretch your dough to your desired size and cover with a Grana Padano base \u2013 there is no tomato sauce for this pizza.Cover with a handful of spinach.Braise the mushrooms in the pizza oven in a little garlic oil and smoked sea salt before adding to the base. Soften the Taleggio with a little cream and dot around the base. Add the fior di latte. Add garlic oil and a sprinkling of Grana Padano before baking in the oven. Bake to your liking. Gemma RingFounder of Pig\u2019s Lane, Killarney, Co Kerry\"GemmaGemma Ring, Pig’s Lane, Killarney <\/p>\n

Rhubarb is the flavour that instantly brings Gemma Ring, of Pig\u2019s Lane cocktail bar, back to childhood summer. <\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up in hospitality, I spent a lot of my childhood summers in bars and restaurants exploring various nooks and crannies. A simple rhubarb fool with fresh cream was always such a treat. It\u2019s still one of my favourites today. Rhubarb, raspberries, lemonade and melting ice-cream, usually enjoyed outdoors if we were lucky with the Kerry weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nostalgia, folklore and local storytelling play a big role in her menu formation, alongside the use of seasonal ingredients. \u201cThe Origin of Killarney Lakes is one of our signature serves, made with home-made raspberry sorbet, cold brew vanilla tea, cava, ruby port and raspberry cordial. There\u2019s a little bit of eating and drinking in this one,\u201d Ring says. <\/p>\n

In reinterpreting classic cocktails, Ring\u2019s approach is to take something familiar and elevate it through quality ingredients, balance and a contemporary approach. \u201cFamiliarity is important, but so is creating something distinctive that can\u2019t be found anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fresh berries signal the start of summer. \u201cWhen they\u2019re properly in season, you can really taste the difference,\u201d says Ring. <\/p>\n

\u201cAtmosphere is everything. Great food and drink are important, but it\u2019s the combination of energy in the room, warm service and that relaxed summer feeling that people really remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pig\u2019s Lane Enchanted Stag cocktail \"TheThe Enchanted Stag cocktail from Pig’s Lane <\/p>\n

Serves: 1<\/p>\n

Course: Cocktail <\/p>\n

Ingredients15ml Istil 38 Pot Still Vodka40ml Jack Daniel\u2019s Honey15ml jasmine bee pollen ap\u00e9ritif wine20ml verjus20ml rue berry cordial100ml Attyflin Estate apple juiceMethodCombine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass (a tea strainer can be used for this).<\/p>\n

[\u00a0The best places around Ireland for summer dining al fresco: From ice cream to fish and chipsOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Susan O\u2019SullivanOwner at Farmhouse Caf\u00e9 & Bakery, Walkinstown, Co Dublin\"SusanSusan O\u2019Sullivan, owner of Farmhouse Cafe & Bakery, Walkinstown, Co Dublin <\/p>\n

\u201cTomatoes from Daddy\u2019s greenhouse in Wexford\u201d is O\u2019Sullivan\u2019s childhood food memory. \u201cMy daddy worked for years in Wexford so he used to bring up asparagus, tomatoes, grapes and strawberries from his garden. Summer was real tomatoes, salad, fresh mackerel, new potatoes and real strawberries.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll food was seasonal back then \u2013 fresh food picked in your own garden. My father had a \u2018plot\u2019 in Clontarf too so we had Kerr\u2019s Pinks and British Queens and fish came from the trips to the pier in Howth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Summer for O\u2019Sullivan is eating outdoors with good company. \u201cAfter working all day in the garden \u2013 a glass of white wine and food from the garden.\u201d<\/p>\n

Farmhouse Cafe & Bakery\u2019s Traditional Irish Scones \"TraditionalTraditional Irish scones, Farmhouse Caf\u00e9 <\/p>\n

Makes: 24<\/p>\n

Course: Afternoon tea<\/p>\n

Ingredients500g self-raising flour 2.5g baking powder50g caster sugar 250ml butter milk (less than 5% fat)113.5g butter, cold, cubed1 egg MethodLine a baking tray.In a large bowl, add self-raising flour, sugar and baking powder.Add in chopped cold butter and rub in until you have small lumps of butter.In a side bowl mix buttermilk and eggs together.Make a well in the centre of your big bowl and pour in your wet mix.Mix everything together with your hands until just combined. Don\u2019t overmix \u2013 lumps of butter are okay.Place dough on to a work surface and bring together, roll out until the height of the scone cutter.Use your circle cutter to make the scones. Place scones on to a baking tray and brush with an egg wash. Add any topping on at this stage \u2013 try mixed berries or pear and almond. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 160 degrees.Leave to cool.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Paul BroganHead chef at Cora, Lucan, Co DublinPaul Brogan, head chef at Cora restaurant in Lucan, Co Dublin…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":574803,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[72,631,61,60,102,5861,14169,257,2846,9270],"class_list":["post-574802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-for-you","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-italy","tag-restaurant","tag-sligo","tag-south-africa","tag-spain","tag-wexford"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=574802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574802\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/574803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=574802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=574802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=574802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}