How to make tripe and drisheen as traditional Cork dish sees rise in popularity 

Last week, the dish got people talking on social media as the Today Show hosts Dáithí Ó Sé and Maura Derrane took on a “Cork Bushtucker Trial” live on air, featuring the Cork classic. 

The Farmgate Café at the English Market in Cork City has been serving tripe and drisheen for over 30 years. Their traditional recipe was given to Kay Harte by Declan Ryan of Arbutus Bread in Cork (formerly Arbutus Lodge where Declan and his brother Michael received their first Michelin star in 1974). 

Rebecca Harte of Farmgate says they carry the dish on their menu “out of loyalty to it”. Keeping with tradition, they serve tripe and onions with drisheen.

“It wouldn’t have always been a great seller, but it was never about profit, it was more about Cork and cultural identity and a celebration of what’s good about Cork and trying to get that mix on the menu between old and new," she explains.

"We’ve always felt a real fondness for tripe and onions with drisheen.” 

Donagh O'Reilly of A. O'Reilly's Butchers — who specialise in tripe and drisheen — has been a butcher for almost 40 years.

When he started, the dish was in its heyday, and a staple for many families across Cork and other cities.

“Nearly every family used to eat it around Cork and all big cities around the country really. It was like a staple diet at one time whereas now it’s more of a niche market. It’s more of a delicacy these days,” he says.

However, in recent years Rebecca Harte has noticed an increase in popularity, with more people opting to try tripe and drisheen.

“It’s becoming more popular again. My observation over the last 30 years is that it was mainly an older cohort of Cork people, and they came in specifically because it was how their mother or grandmother made it for them when they were children. It was definitely an older clientele that enjoyed it," she says.

“Now, more recently we have a much more international customer base…we have a lot of Asian customers coming in in their 20s and they’ll enjoy it. They’ll go for it because they’re used to it. Then often at times in the summer, a lot of the French will go for it and Spanish.”

When her mother first opened the Farmgate Café, she was keen to keep classic Cork dishes on the menu, which included tripe and onions with drisheen.

Harte says: “It’s a tradition. I know it’s a different tradition, but people are attached to the idea of it like spiced beef because it is very Cork City."

Tripe and onions, with drisheen

recipe by:Farmgate

The Farmgate Cafe at the English Market, Cork has been serving traditional tripe and drisheen for over 30 years.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Cork

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) tripe

• 1 large onion, peeled and sliced

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Cold milk (full fat!) - sufficient to cover

• Thyme

• Bay leaf

• Irish (English) Mustard – to taste

• Corn flour or roux

• Parsley – chopped

• Drisheen – optional

Method

1. Put the tripe into a saucepan, cover with water and a lid, then bring to the boil then simmer for around 1 hour (approx.).

2. Discard the liquor in the pot, add the sliced onion and cover with cold milk, bay leaf and thyme.

3. Simmer gently for 1 hour approx. until the tripe is tender.

4. At this stage remove thyme, bay leaf etc, season with salt and pepper and mustard. 

5. To thicken the sauce, use either some corn flour, or roux. If using cornflour, approximately a dessert spoon, made into a paste with some water, add to pot, and stir.

6. Serve with a knob of butter and some chopped curly parsley, and either some buttered white soda bread, or steamed jacket potatoes on the side.

7. With drisheen

8. We add drisheen at the end to our tripe and onions.

9. Peel and slice drisheen, as much or a little as you want, add it to the tripe, and heat through before serving. Sprinkle with generous amount of chopped curly parsley and a knob of butter.