Irish Summer Eating – Alfresco at Last

Easy, summery dishes made for golden Irish days—no stress, just good food and sunshine.

A sunny Irish day is pure magic. This week’s recipes are for those glorious days. The ones where dinner takes its lead from a day spent in the garden and ends in a table full of good things, a bottle of something chilled, and hopefully someone else doing the dishes. Relaxed, summery cooking that suits our little corner of the world perfectly.

No-Knead Red Onion Focaccia

Start with a No-Knead Red Onion Focaccia. This one’s no stress at all, thanks to an overnight dough and no kneading required. A garlicky olive oil drizzle seeps into the indentations, while sweet red onions caramelise and rosemary gets crisp and golden in the oven. It’s great as a side, but also excellent as the main event with a few salads and cheeses.

Prawn Pil Pil Pasta

Next a no fuss Prawn Pil Pil Pasta, which is quick, punchy, and just a bit indulgent. You get that sizzling garlic and chilli oil base, fresh cherry tomatoes that burst in the pan, and prawns that take minutes to cook. Toss it all with al dente linguine, a shower of parsley and peppery rocket, and you’ve got a dish that tastes like it was made to be eaten outdoors with a fork in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

Strawberries & Elderflower Cream Pavlova

And to finish, a perfect Strawberries & Elderflower Cream Pavlova. It’s peak Irish summer on a plate- crisp, chewy meringue layered with soft elderflower cream and macerated strawberries. A few mint leaves and a scattering of elderflowers if you can find them, and suddenly dessert feels like a bit of a showstopper. It’s the kind of sweet treat that looks impressive but feels easy. So if you are embracing Irish summer while it lasts- picnic blankets on the grass, long lunches that drift into the evening, and food that celebrates the season without making you miss a second of it. Rain jackets… on standby.

Photography Credit: Donal Skehan

Food Styling Credit: Charlotte O’Connell