Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day and I thought I would gather as many of my Irish related recipes in one spot as possible so as to make it easy for you to find them. This is by no means all of them, but I do think that I am giving you a nice variety of them to choose from!
I suppose there are not too many people who cannot claim to have at least a small portion of Irish DNA in themselves, which gives most of us much to celebrate when it comes to Saint Patrick's Day. I had my DNA done several years ago with the end result that I was 27% Irish.
I would have to say that the Irish are some of the most wonderful and humble people you could ever want to know. Living in the UK, I was blessed to be able to call a few Irish people friends. You could not ask for a better friend. They are the cream of the crop.
Their food is also incredibly humble, what I would call country cooking. Straightforward and without pretense, homey fare based on unsophisticated yet delicious raw ingredients. That is what I love most about it. It is simple and wholesome food.
Aside from fresh seafood and shellfish, which you can enjoy in abundance in Ireland, dried fruit and potatoes figure massively in Irish cooking. A goodly portion of their breads, cakes and desserts make fabulous use of this. You won't see any of the shellfish on here as I am allergic to shellfish and typical Irish seafood is just not easy to come by here in Canada.
I do hope that you will enjoy the examples of recipes I have shared with you however. I know that I certainly have!
BREADS & SCONES
WHITE IRISH SODA BREAD (NON-FRUITED) - Quick, easy and very delicious, this is the white bread version of a non-yeasted Irish quick bread. You will see some versions containing dried fruit and you are certainly welcome to add some. Having said that, it is pretty tasty just on its own. I enjoy it sliced and spread with butter and jam or with soups, or stews for mopping up all that delicious gravy.
TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD - A simple classic bread in Irish households. This yeast free whole meal bread is perfect served with soups and stews, salads, etc. Its also pretty delicious served sliced and spread with butter and jam, marmalade and honey.
SMALL BATCH IRISH SODA BREAD - This is a small batch version of the traditional Irish soda bread, made for the smaller family to enjoy without having a lot of waste or leftovers. Every bit as delicious as the full batch.
BOXTY - This delicious potato bread/potato cakes is also known as Potato Farls. This is a very simple recipe and very authentic in its simplicity. Composed of only three ingredients. Potatoes, flour and salt. These are traditionally cooked on the stove top in a flat surfaced griddle pan. At one time they would have been baked on a grill pan over an open fire.
IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS - Small individual soda breads baked in a muffin tin. Loaded with plenty of dried currants and caraway seed. These are fabulously easy to make a incredibly tasty! Again, quick and easy to make, bake and eat!
IRISH TEA BRACK - A non yeasted heavily fruity bread. You begin the night before by soaking a quantity of dried fruit in Irish breakfast tea overnight. The next morning you add the remaining ingredients and bake. This is heavy, yet beautifully fruited bread that is fabulous thinly sliced, spread with butter and served up with copious amounts of hot tea.
TRADITIONAL IRISH BARMBRACK - A fruity yeasted bread that is traditionally enjoyed sliced and buttered. This makes for a fabulous tea time treat, or even a breakfast treat. Its delicious any time you choose to enjoy it.
IRISH HONEY SCONES - These lovely scones are filled with the nuttiness of whole wheat and are gently sweetened with honey. They are simple, but don't let that simplicity fool you into thinking these are nothing special.
SOUPS, STEWS & MAIN DISHES
BALNAMOON SKINK - A delicate Irish version of a delicate soup made with fresh vegetables, enriched and lightly thickened with a mixture of cream and egg. This makes great use of the early Spring Vegetables and is light enough that although satisfying, it leaves you with room for the main course.
SMALL BATCH IRISH STEW - A delicious lamb stew for the smaller family. Cubes of lamb are layered in a casserole with onions, carrots and seasonings, then topped with wedges of potato and covered with stock. Cover tightly, pop into the oven and then let the oven do the work. Quite simply delicious.
IRISH STEAK AND GUINNESS STEW - A hearty stew made with lean cubes of stewing steak, carrots, parsnips, turnips and onions, cooked in a delicious Guinness gravy until deliciously fork tender. Plan ahead as this takes a good 2 1/2 to 3 hours to cook, but then again the best things in life are worth waiting for.
IRISH HUNTER'S PIE - Buttery mash lines a pie dish that is filled with chunks of simmered lamb. The juices of the lamb are then made into a gravy which is poured through the top of the pie to moisten the filling, with any excess being served on the side. Simple vegetables accompany this tasty dish.
BOILED BACON AND CABBAGE - There is nothing out of the ordinary here . . . it's just simple imgredients . . . cured pork, a few vegetables, water . . . pepper. Cabbage.Simple ingredients put together in a simple way with extraordinarily delicious results! I made a mustard sauce to serve with it, and boiled new potatoes . . . but a parsley sauce is just as delicious.
CORNED BEEF WITH PARSLEY SAUCE - Tender slices of juicy perfectly cooked corned beef, served thinly sliced with a variety of fresh and tasty vegetables on the side and a deliciously lush and creamy parsley sauce!
DUBLIN CODDLE - A Coddle is a traditional Irish dish usually associated with the city of Dublin. Hearty and delicious it is a stew-type of dish created with good pork sausages, salty bacon, pearl barley, onions, potatoes and herbs.
POTATOES
CRUSHED NEW POTATO COLCANNON - There is something pretty wonderful that happens when you combine cabbage and potatoes and Ireland. Humble ingredients put together in a most delicious way, this is considered haute cuisine in many multiple Michelin star restaurants. In short this is a beautiful side dish well deserving to be served on any table!
TRADITIONAL IRISH CHAMP - Mashed potatoes with warm milk, spring onions and butter beaten into them. It's so tasty. The Irish know how to do potatoes and do them well!
PUDDINGS AND CAKES
IRISH WHISKEY AND GINGER CAKE - A dense and moist cake chock full of lovely ginger flavor! With the consistency of a pound cake, this cake is studded with plenty of candied ginger and loads of ginger flavor that really shines through.
IRISH MARMALADE CAKE - A sweet and moist marmalade flavored loaf studded throughout with sticky sweet sultanas. A delight when sliced, buttered and enjoyed with a nice refreshing hot drink.
IRISH BOILED FRUITCAKE - A plain cake, beautifully moist and stuffed with loads of fruit. Dried Currants and sultana raisins are boiled in a mixture of golden syrup and tea. A few other simple ingredients are added prior to baking in the oven to create a delicious moist and fruity cake that is a great keeper, and quite simply delicious.
IRISH BLAEBERRY PUDDING - A sweet blueberry/blaeberry/billberry fruity filling is topped with a light and delicious cake batter then baked to perfection. Delicious served warm and spooned out into bowls with a topping of cream, custard or ice cream.
IRISH APPLE CAKE - A delicious apple cake with a cake/scone base, topped with plenty of sliced apples. A topping of crumble is sprinkled on top prior to baking to perfection. Delicious served warm and sliced in wedges, along with lashings of warm custard.
BERRY BUTTERMILK COBBLER - Frozen fruit baked into a buttermilk batter, served up warm, with a simple custard flavored with Irish Cream. Not only is this simple to make, but also very quick. You can have everything ready to mix together ahead of time and just do the final mixing at the last minute so that it can bake while you are enjoying your main course.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH A BAILEY'S CHOCOLATE SAUCE - You will want to make the cake for this the day before. It needs several hours in the refrigerator to set up properly for cutting. (I like to leave it overnight.) It's rich and delicious. Top with a scoop of really good Vanilla ice cream and a spoonful of Bailey's Chocolate sauce for the perfect finish.
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*Crock Pot Barbeque Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Tender, sticky delicious chicken. You can use only breasts or a combination of breasts and thighs. Delicious.
4 to 6 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken
1 bottle barbeque sauce (I used the Jack Daniels one)
1 ounces white vinegar (1/4 cup)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 ounces soft light brown sugar (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 tp 1 tsp garlic powder
Place your chicken pieces into the slow cooker. Stir together the barbeque sauce, vinegar, pepper flakes, brown sugar and garlic powder. Pour this over top of the chicken and give it a stir. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
The next recipe I tested on it was for a Crock Pot Beef Dip Sandwich. I love Beef Dip Sandwiches. It was always one of my favourite things to order when I lived in Canada and we would go out for supper. I remember having a particularly delicious one in Winnipeg Manitoba back in 1977 whilst we were waiting to board a train for Calgary. (You know something is good when 30+ years later you are still thinking about it!)
This recipe is one I found online (forgive me as I can't remember where right now). The meat turned out deliciously tender and we both enjoyed this very much. I will make again. It was almost as good as that one back in 1977, and I loved that I could brown the roast a bit first by using that function in the Flavour Savour.
*French Dip Sandwiches in the Slow Cooker*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe
Easy to make and oh so delicious with meltingly tender beef tucked into a soft roll, topped with cheese and then served with a beef broth for dipping.
1 medium brown skinned onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6 fluid ounces beef broth/stock (3/4 cup)
2 fluid ounces dark soy sauce (1/4 cup)
4 fluid ounces water (1/2 cup)
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS grainy mustard
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 pounds beef roast for braising (I used a rolled brisket)
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
6 to 8 soft sandwich rolls
6 to 8 slices of provolone cheese, or an equivalent
amount of grated emmenthal cheese
one pint of beef broth (about 2 1/4 cups)
Rub the beef all over with some salt and pepper. Place the onion slices in the bottom of the crock pot. Stir together the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard, garlic and water. Put the beef into the crock pot on top of the onions. Pour the broth mixture over top. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours until meltingly tender.
To serve, warm the rolls and cut open. Shred the cooked beef and pile onto the warmed rolls, top with some of the onion and a bit of the juice from the pan, along with a slice of cheese. Close over, cut in half diagonally and serve along with a small bowl of beef broth for each person to dip their sandwich in.
I then decided to test out it's normal cookery function and did a tasty stew in it. I was able to brown my meat and vegetables perfectly and then proceed as per the recipe. At the end we were rewarded with a deliciously tasty Irish Lamb and Barley Stew.
As you can see the lamb was beautifully browned. Stews gain a lot of their flavour from the browning step. All those rich caramelized meat juices really add a lot of taste and colour to the gravy.
*Irish Lamb and Barley Stew*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
A delicious stew that cooks either on top of the stove or in the slow cooker.
2 TBS olive oil
1 kg (2 pounds) diced lamb shoulder
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped coarsely
1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped coarsely
1/2 small swede, peeled and chopped coarsely
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 litre of chicken stock (4 cups)
1/2 litre of boiling water (2 cups)
200g of pearl barley (1 cup)
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped coarsely
1/2 of a small savoy cabbage, finely shredded
a handful of flat leaf parsely, coarsely chopped
Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan; cook the lamb, in batches until browned. Remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil and heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften. Return the lamb to the pan, along with the stock, water, barley and thyme. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, for 1 hour, covered. Add the potato and simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered, until tender. Add the cabbage and simmer for about 10 minutes longer, uncovered, or just until the cabbage is tender. Discard the thyme. Serve the stew ladled out into heated bowls and sprinkled with the parsley.
Note: if using the slow cooker, brown the meat and vegetables and then put them into the cooker along with the barley, hot stock and water and the herbs. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add the potatoes and recover. Cook on high for 35 to 40 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, uncovered on high for 10 to 15 minutes.
*Crock Pot Butter Roasted Pecans*
Makes 6 cups
Printable Recipe
Moreishly buttery and scrummy.
4 ounces butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 pounds pecan halves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Optional ingredients:
garlic powder
onion powder
dried herbs (savoury, basil, oregano)
Place the butter into a 4.5 litre slowcooker. Heat on high for about half an hour to melt the butter. Add the pecans and toss to coat with the butter. Cover and cook on high for 1/2 hour. Uncover and cook on high for another 2 1/2 hours, giving them a stir every 1/2 hour. (You want to keep an eye on them and stir them often so that they don't catch as you are cooking them on a high temperature.) At the end of that time they should be nicely roasted. Spread out onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with the sale and pepper, and any optional ingredients you wish to use. Give them a good stir together and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.
All in all I am very pleased with this machine. It has a lovely round shape which fits well into my kitchen. The cord is of a nice length and also stores very easily in the base when you want to put it away. I love that the cooking pot and lid wash up beautifully in the dish washer. I love that I can brown and stew with it, as well as slow cookin on a low, medium or high temperature . . . and I just adored the keep warm function, which means that it will hold your food for a further 2 hours at a warm temperature without over cooking it.
Saint Patrick's Day is coming up just a week from Monday, and I was recently challenged by Ocado's Irish Shop to take the Saint Patrick's Day Feast Challenge, by coming up with a celebratory 3 course feast for four, for £50 or less. Something which was not only a bit innovative, but also simple and easy enough for loyal Ocado fans to replicate at home.
Initially I had the idea in mind to do a simple vegetable broth soup, with colcannon filled steamed dumplings as a starter, followed by a Boiled Bacon and Cabbage Lasagne for the main, and a dessert using Bailey's Irish Cream. I did test recipes of both the starter and main, but in all truth, I felt they were a bit too stodgy and . . . yes, a bit time consuming and fiddly. So I went back to the drawing board and this is what I came up with. I think my feast embraces some Irish ingredients which are unique to Ireland and delicious, and yet at the same time the menu maintains the simple integrity of what makes a St Patrick's Day Feast . . . well . . . a St Patrick's Day Feast!! (Somehow I don't think Saint Patrick would have quite embraced a Boiled Bacon and Cabbage Lasagne. )
♣♣STARTER♣♣
A St. Patrick's Day Salad of Apple Dressed Pears
with Cashel Blue Toasties
♣♣MAIN COURSE♣♣
An Irish Stew of Beef and Guinness
Irish Colcannon
Whole Wheat Soda Bread and Butter
(Using the bread you didn't need for the starter)
♣♣DESSERT♣♣
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Sauce
Of course there will be lots of Bailey's leftover for your guests to enjoy over ice after dinner while you just sit around and play the fiddle, sing Irish Songs, Step Dance and talk about Leprechauns and Pots of Gold.
Apple Dressed Pears with Cashel Blue Toasties*
4 baby gem heads, washed and leaves separated, the larger ones torn into smaller pieces
4 thin slices of Irish Brown Soda Bread
75g of mild cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (3/4 cup)
75g of Irish cashel blue cheese, cut into small cubes
2 ripe dessert pears
dash of lemon juice
100g of whole walnuts (A scant cup)
DRESSING:
1 cooking apple, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 TBS cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat a TBS of the oil in a small skillet and cook the shallot and apple in it, stirring, until golden. Remove from the heat and put into a blender along with the other dressing ingredients. Blitz until smooth. Check for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and set aside.
2. Cut each slice of soda bread in half and toast under the grill on one side only. Mix the cubes of cheese together and then divide amongst the slices of bread and toast under the grill until the cheese is all melted and bubbling and starting to brown just the slightest. Take out and set aside.
3. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for about 30 seconds.
4. Peel, core and slice the pears. Toss the sliced pears with a dash of lemon juice to help keep them from turning brown. Toss the pears with the lettuce leaves, toasted walnuts and apple dressing. Divide amongst four chilled plates, garnishing the top of each with two slices of the cheese toasts.
Serves: 4 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Times: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe
2. Return the beef to the pan along with the onions, turn down the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes, or until beginning to soften without browning. Stir in the tomato paste, stock and Guinness, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Stir in the raisins, caraway seeds and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover tightly and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
4. At the end of that time, remove the lid, bring to the boil and then cook for about 45 to 50 minutes at a fast simmer, again stirring occasionally.
5. Add the vegetables, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and cook for half an hour. Remove the lid and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Pass the soda bread for sopping up all of that delicious gravy!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, approximately
Printable Recipe
*Colcannon*
I can remember reading a story once about a big rough and ready Irish family. They had this for supper and it was set in a big bowl in the middle of the table, a large crater scooped into the middle and filled with melting butter. They all sat around and scooped into it, eating it together with scraps of freshly baked crusty bread. It sounded so delicious. It is delicious, truly and so very easy to make. We might not sit around scooping it up with chunks of bread now, but a dip in the middle filled with melting butter is still a pretty tasty thing to do.
1 pound cabbage, finely chopped
7 to 8 fluid ounces of milk or cream
2 small leeks or green spring onion tops, chopped
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of ground mace
4 TBS melted butter
1. Cook the cabbage in a large pan of boiling salted water until very tender. Drain well and keep warm.
2. Put the milk or cream in a small pan with the leek or spring onion and simmer until soft. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to the boil and then simmer until cooked through and they can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife or the tines of a fork. Drain well and then place back on the warm burner, giving them a good shake to dry them out. Mash well. Mix in the leeks and enough of the milk or cream to give it a creamy consistency. Add the cabbage and season with salt, pepper and mace. Drizzle with the melted butter and serve.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Printable Recipe
1. Preheat your oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. You will need a 9 inch springform pan. Remove the bottom and then place a large square of parchment paper over this bit. Replace the ring around the bottom and clamp on, making sure that the parchment paper is clamped in place. Butter the paper lined bottom of the pan and the sides. Set aside on a baking tray.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl placed over a pan simmering water, without allowing the water to touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir as it melts, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove from the pan and whisk in the sugar. Pour into a larger bowl and beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating constantly.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff using a scrupulously clean beaters. Fold these into the chocolate mixture, carefully to combine, working gently and not whisking. (You want to keep the mixture airy.) Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. The cake will rise dramatically and fall drastically when it is removed from the oven. That is ok. It's supposed to happen. Allow to cool to room temperature on the countertop then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours before removing the sides of the springform pan.
6. Dust the cake with icing sugar and cut into wedges to serve. Top each serving with a scoop of the vanilla bean ice cream. Spoon a portion of the warm chocolate sauce over top of each and serve immediately.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes, plus 4 hours for chilling
Printable Recipe
As with any challenge, there is a prize involved, a trip to Ireland. (It's on my bucket list of things to do before I die.) All of the Feasts entered in the challenge will be judged by a a panel of esteemed Judges:
Orla Broderick
Orla Broderick is a freelance food writer who lives in Dublin. After a degree in HOme Economics, she worked as a writer for BBC Good Food magazine for five years before deciding to specialize in creating recipes and preparing food for television. Orla has worked on many highly regarded productions, mainly for the BBC, but also for the first series of Masterchef Ireland. She is also the author of several cookbooks, as well as working with a number of high profile chef's on their own publications. She is also a contributing editor to the Bridgestone Irish Food Guides.
Andy McFadden
Andy McFadden was born in Ireland and from a young age was very passionate about great food. He endeavoured to make a career out of this passion. Working his way through some of the best restaurants in Ireland and on the continent, he gained a wealth of knowledge and skills that are still with him to this day, a culinary trail which inevitably took him to London, where he took up the position of chef de partie at the two Michelin starred, Pied a Terre. Andy now holds the top position at sister restaurant, L'Autre Pied, where he is showcasing his star quality and preparing creative, innovative and delicious dishes.
Wish me luck, and a Very Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you all!!
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