As summer graces us with its warmth and abundance, there’s no better time to explore the summer recipes, flavours and freshness that Cavan has to offer. This blog is your gateway to a collection of seasonal recipes that highlight some of the best local recipes, crafted with love and tradition. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a kitchen novice, these dishes are designed to bring joy, nourishment, and a touch of Cavan’s unique produce to your summer table.
Drummully Boxty Scrambled Eggs And Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
2 eggs lightly whisked (knob of butter for cooking – optional)
2 slices of Drummully dumpling boxty
2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
100g Smoked salmon
Chilli flakes (if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add some rapeseed oil, place two
slices of Drummully boiled boxty onto the pan and cook until lightly-browned
and crispy – about 3-4 minutes per side. Alternatively, you can use Drummully
pan boxty cooked in the toaster.
2. While the boxty is cooking you can start making the scrambled eggs. Heat
a pan over a low heat and add butter (optional), once melted, add the whisked
eggs. With a spatula stir occasionally and turn the heat off just before the eggs
are cooked to your desired firmness.
3. When the boxty is cooked, place on a heated plate and top with smoked salmon
and scrambled eggs.
4. Flavour with salt and pepper and chilli flakes (if desired)
Nettle and Wild Garlic Soup – Crafts of Ireland
Ingredients
1 carrot
1 onion
1 potato
2 sticks celery
1 litre vegetable stock (made with 2 stock cubes)
280g nettle leaves or tops
160g wild garlic
Oil or butter to sauté vegetables
Salt and pepper to season
Method
1. Wash, peel and chop the vegetables.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion, carrot, potato and celery.
3. Turn heat down, place lid on pot and gently sauté vegetables until soft, about
20 minutes.
4. Add the stock to the pot, bring back to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add the nettles and wild garlic and cook till reduced and soft.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Take off the heat, allow to cool slightly and using a hand blender blend till
smooth adding more water if required.
Egg Boats – Crafts of Ireland
Ingredients
2 eggs
Dash of milk or cream
Salt and pepper to season
Small handful of grated cheese
Finely chopped sweet peppers
Smoked salmon or cooked ham chopped
Demi baguettes or seeded bread buns
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl or jug, add the milk or cream and seasoning.
3. Beat lightly together, then add the remaining ingredients.
4. With a knife carefully cut away the centre of the roll and unstuff as much
as possible but keep the shell intact. The removed bread can be used to make
stuffing.
5. Place the bread on the baking tray and carefully pour the mixture into the bread
cases.
6. Bake in the oven until golden brown and eggs have set.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving.
New Potato Salad – SeanNua Farm
With Red Onion and topped with a Poached Egg
Serves 2
Ingredients
3-5 medium sized new potatoes
4 pasture raised eggs
½ red onion
Dill
Salt & black pepper
For the Dressing
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Good quality olive oil to thicken
1 tablespoon honey
Method
1. Boil or steam your new potatoes until cooked, they need to remain a little firm
for potato salad. Allow to cool and then chop into large cubes.
2. Slice the red onion thinly, you can use the green part also for extra texture and
flavour.
3. Chop your dill and mix with the potatoes and red onion, season to taste.
4. Make your dressing by combining mustard with apple cider vinegar until
smooth. Gradually stir in the olive oil until the dressing comes together and
thickens. Finally stir in the honey. I usually add a little water here too to thin the
dressing slightly, this will depend really on the olive oil used.
5. Place a medium saucepan on to boil for your poached eggs. Add a little vinegar
to the water and once it has started boiling turn right down until there are no
further bubbles. Create a whirlpool using a tablespoon and crack in your eggs.
The whirlpool will shape your poached eggs like a pro. Allow to cook to your
liking, 3-4 minutes will keep the egg soft.
6. Plate up your potato salad and top with the poached eggs.
Smokey BBQ Sausage Lasagne – Barry John Sausages
This is a delicious twist on an original lasagne dish, we’ve added our tasty Smoky
BBQ sausages to add that extra flavour.
Servings 8
30 mins preparation time
30-45 mins cooking time
Ingredients
1 packet of Barry Johns gourmet smoky bbq pork sausages
750g of mince beef
1 jar of white lasagne sauce (maybe a 2nd jar needed, if you like your lasagne nice
& creamy)
1 jar of tomato pasta sauce
8 lasagne sheets
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
Grated mozzarella cheese
Small amount of oil for frying
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Remove skins from smoky bbq sausages and in a
heated frying pan, add a little oil and fry up the sausages until golden, approx.
3-4 minutes. Set aside.
2. Cook the mince and add the finely chopped garlic and tomato pasta sauce. Stir.
3. In a large lasagne dish, begin to layer up the lasagne, 1) put mince into the
bottom of the dish, 2) next put 4 sausages – spaced out, 3) sprinkle a small
amount of white sauce, 4) put 4 lasagne sheets on top, 5) add some more white
sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat steps 1 to 5, finishing up with a
full covering of white sauce and cheddar cheese.
4. Bake for 30-45 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.
5. Let stand for 10 mins before serving, Serve with crisp salad and/or garlic bread.
Classic Irish Seafood Chowder – Sushi-Mania
Serves 4
Ingredients
1200ml fish stock
¼ of celery
2 carrots
4 small potatoes
½ bunch parsley
75g roux
50g Lakeland butter
½ cup white wine
100g fresh salmon
100g fresh cod
100g smoked haddock
100g smoked coley
100g mussels
75g pink shrimp
75g smoked salmon
Pepper/salt
Method
1. Chop all carrots, celery and potatoes in ½ × ½ cm cubes.
2. Add butter in a large pan and braise the veggies and potatoes until lightly
coloured.
3. Add fish stock, bring to boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Thickening the
broth with the roux until smooth and shiny. Add the fish and simmer for another
5 minutes.
4. Finish the chowder with the wine and chopped parsley.
5. Season with pepper and salt. Served in the bowl.
Norbert Neylon’s Chocolate Delice Honeycomb Crème fraiche – Oak Room Restaurant
Ingredients for the Base
100g toasted hazelnuts
100g sugar, melted over a low heat until a caramel forms
150g bran flakes, slightly crushed
For the Delice
140ml full-fat milk
325ml double cream
2 free-range eggs
340g good-quality dark chocolate (e.g. Aine’s chocolate), minimum 60 per cent
cocoa solids, roughly chopped
For the Honeycomb
100g caster sugar
30g honey
100g liquid glucose
10g bread soda
To serve
3 orange segments scorched with a chef’s blow torch. A portion of crème fraiche
ice cream.
Method
1. For the base, blend the hazelnuts and caramelised sugar in a food processor
until you have a smooth paste. Heat the paste in a small pan on a gentle heat
until warmed through.
2. Place the bran flakes and warmed praline paste into a mixing bowl and scrunch
them together, using your hands, until the bran flakes have broken down and
been incorporated into the paste.
3. Line a baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper, then transfer the praline
mixture onto it. Cover the praline mixture with a second sheet of greaseproof
paper, then roll the mixture out until it measures at least 14cmx 20cm and is
0.5cm thick.
4. Remove the top sheet of greaseproof paper, then push a 14cm x20cm x3cm
rectangular pastry frame down onto the praline mixture and trim off any excess.
5. Cover the mould with greaseproof paper and chill the praline in the fridge for 30
minutes, or until set.
6. Meanwhile, for the delice, heat the milk and cream in a saucepan and heat
gently over a medium heat until it just reaches boiling point.
7. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a bowl.
8. As the milk and cream mixture comes to the boil, pour it over the eggs, then
whisk the mixture constantly until smooth and thick.
9. Stir in the chopped chocolate and whisk again until the chocolate has melted
and the custard is smooth.
10. Remove the base from the fridge and pour in the chocolate delice to fill the
mould. Gently tap the sides of the mould to release any trapped air bubbles,
then smooth the surface using a palette knife. Chill in the fridge for 6-12 hours,
or until completely set.
11. For the honeycomb add the sugar, honey and glucose and heat to 155°C
then add the bread soda and mix well. Place the honeycomb in a deep bowl
lined with greaseproof paper. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before breaking into
bite size pieces.
12. To serve, heat the outside of the mould using a chefs’ blow torch to loosen the
base of the delice. Carefully remove the pastry frame from the delice.
13. Heat the top of the delice very quickly using a chefs’ blow torch to make the
surface glossy,
14. Plunge the blade of a knife into boiling water to heat the metal, then slice the
delice into six to eight pieces, Place a slice of delice on each plate, scorch the
orange segments with the blow torch and place on the delice. Add 3 small
pieces of honeycomb and serve with crème fraiche ice cream.
Apple Dessert Cake – The Keepers Arms
This is delicious served warm with cream, custard of crème fraiche.
Ingredients
450g self-rising flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
450g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon almond extract
300g melted butter
700g cooking apples
50g flaked almonds
Method
1. Pre heat oven to 160°C.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, almond extract and melted butter. Beat
well.
3. Spoon half of mixture into a greased floured cake tin.
4. Cover with sliced apples.
5. Cover with other half of mixture mostly towards the centre.
6. Sprinkle with almonds.
7. Cook for 90 minutes.
Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie – Vanilla Bean Patisserie
Ingredients for Italian Meringue
100g egg whites
200g sugar
For Sponge Croutons
50g vanilla sponge cake
Vanilla essence
For Brandy Snap Discs
50g unsalted butter
50g sugar
50g glucose syrup
50g plain flour
Curd Whipped Cream
100ml fresh cream
10g sugar
50g Vanilla bean patisserie premium
lemon curd 290g
Method
1. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl, add 100g sugar and start whisking. Mix
the rest of the sugar with a small amount of water and cook until thick (115°C).
Drizzle the hot mixture into the meringue and continue mixing until the
meringue is smooth and glossy. Be careful of splashes.
2. Cut the sponge into small squares and drizzle with vanilla. Bake for a few
minutes, until golden brown with the oven set to 180 degrees (160°C fan).
3. Combine butter, glucose and sugar and bring to a boil. Add flour and cook for
2-3 minutes. Put the mixture in a small container and chill until solid. Form
small balls and press lightly on to the silicone mat or a piece of baking paper.
Bake until golden brown and cool before using.
4. Whip the cream with sugar until soft peaks, add the curd and whip until the mix is firm.
5. Assemble as desired.
We hope you feel inspired to bring a taste of Cavan into your kitchen! These recipes showcase some of the best of local ingredients, reflecting the rich culinary heritage and vibrant community spirit of our region and members. Whether you’re hosting a barbecue, enjoying a family gathering, or savoring a quiet meal at home, these dishes are sure to add a delicious and refreshing twist to your summer dining. Happy cooking!
The Created in Cavan recipe book is available to purchase now at
- Tourist Office – Cavan Library Building
- Cavan County Museum – Ballyjamesduff
- Oak Room Restaurant – Cavan Town
- Connolly Brothers – Cavan Town
- MacNean House & Restaurant – Blacklion
- Hawthorn Lodge B&B – Belturbet
- Candle Light Book Shop – Cavan Town
- Cavan Crystal Hotel – Dublin Road, Cavan
- Chapter One – Dublin Road, Cavan
- Breffni Arms Hotel – Arvagh
- Sushi Mania – Virginia
- Dinkins Bakery – Cavan & Cootehill
- The Keepers Arms – Bawnboy
- Herd Butchery – Butlersbridge
- Latte Da – Cavan Town
For more information on our recipe book, visit: https://www.createdincavan.ie/2023/07/03/created-in-cavan-launch-their-new-recipe-book/