maleficent

Ok so authentic Irish cooking is pretty much throwing taters and a hunk of beef and some cabbage into a pot and boiling it until dead... I like my corned beef. with saurkraut on good Jewish Rye bread as a Reuben.. .but not boiled out of a pot...

There was this recipe for Shepherd's Pie that sounds quite tasty, though not overly authentic...

I'm in the market for some tasty pseudo authentic Irish vittels to serve on St Patty's Day.. (While Guinness's will be opened... food will need to be served at some point..)

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Anxst

The secret is to also put beer IN the food:

Glens of Sligo Irish Stew

1 oz butter
2 lbs Lamb or Beef (I use a mix)
1 large onion, coarse chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 tbsp flour
1/2 pint beef stock
2 tsp sugar (omit if using wine)
2-3 large potatoes, cubed
1 pint Guinness or Beamish or 1 large glass red wine (beer for a dark stew, wine if you like sweet stew. Beamish is slightly less bitter than Beamish for stew base)
1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, and 2 bay leaves tied in muslin)
Salt and pepper to taste
A splash of tabasco sauce

Melt the butter in a large pan. Fry the meat until browned on all sides. Don't crowd the pan, do the meat in batches. Remove the meat from the pan with a spoon, leaving the juices behind. Add the onions and carrots and cook until softened.

Return the meat to the pan. Add the flour, then the stock, then the sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add the potatoes, beer, bouquet garni and salt and pepper.

Cook over low heat for 1-1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. Add 4-5 drops tabasco sauce. Remove bouquet garni and serve.

Serve with:

Granddam's Soda Bread

3 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Belnd egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. If it seems very sticky, add the extra half cup of flour. Stir in butter. Shape into a round, and cut a cross on top of it with a floured knife. Bake on a pizza stone or cookie sheet for 65-70 minutes. For best flavor, wrap in aluminum foil and let it sit overnight.

My grandmother and mother made this ever year for St. Patrick's day, and I've carried on the tradition. Usually served with Whiskey Punch for afters. If you want my whiskey punch recipe, gimme a PM.

Slainte!

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maleficent

oooh i forgot about soda bread - my grandama's recipe - which i've made for years - has caraway seeds and sultanas in it....

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Blackthorn

Colcannon is a good Irish traditional dish that leaves you wanting more but stuffed so full you'll wish you stopped at your second helping. I usually serve it with ham steaks, pork chops, or pork tenderloin (each done on the grill) which are not Irish I know but still darn good. Enjoy....

Colcannon

Ingredients

3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups hot half & half or for decadence heavy cream
10 – 12 Cloves roasted garlic (see notes)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 (1-pound) piece ham or bacon (I use both, 1 lb. diced pre-cooked ham and ¼ to ½ lb. thick sliced bacon – crispy!)
6 scallions, finely chopped
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Preparation

Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes or until soft. Peel them using a knife and fork (I leave the skins on about half of them for color and taste). Chop with a knife before mashing. Mash potatoes thoroughly to remove all the lumps.

Add up to 1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk or cream, stirring all the time. Season mix with a few grinds of black pepper.

Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize it. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop into small pieces.

Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes (unless you are using pre-cooked then warm to lightly brown in a skillet before using) until tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop into small pieces.

Add cabbage, scallions, roast garlic, and ham (and bacon) to mashed potatoes, folding them in gently.

Serve individual portions. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put a dab of (real) butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.

Notes:

1) Roast garlic: wrap cloves in foil pouch and roast in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, clip one end and squeeze roasted garlic paste out into small dish

2) Steeping the milk or cream prevents lumps from forming in your mash!

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Sultana

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