Irish Cusine Today

As my last blog post before departing for Ireland, I wanted to explore the current cuisine of Ireland and if the potato famine had any lasting impacts. 

The Irish diet consists mostly of grains (oats), potatoes, dairy products, and bread. Seasonings and spices are rarely used, save for salt and black pepper. Dishes are also usually served without sauces or gravies. Soups are very common in the Irish diet and are typically thick and filling containing sea food, meat, or potatoes. Irish Stew is known as the national dish of Ireland (see recipe below). 

The potato itself had a huge impact on the Irish diet. As state before in earlier posts, it had such great success in Ireland because it was cheap and productive on small areas of land. Even after the potato famine, it appears the potato is still surviving as a main component of Irish recipes. The Irish people have strong ties with the potato, seeing it as a way to identify themselves and their country. Therefore, an Irish meal is often times not complete without the potato in some form. :)

Below is a list of common recipes found in Ireland:

Traditional Irish Stew

Ingredients

• 4 potatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 6 carrots, sliced
• 1 pound Canadian bacon, chopped
• 3 pounds lamb chops, 1-inch thick, trimmed, and cut into small pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2½ cups water
• 4 potatoes, halved
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Procedure

1. To make Irish stew, all the ingredients are assembled in layers in a large stew pot.
2. Begin with layers of sliced potatoes, onions, and carrots.
3. Top with a layer of Canadian bacon and lamb.
4. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
5. Repeat these steps until all the ingredients are used.
6. Add enough water to just cover the ingredients.
7. Arrange the halved potatoes on top of the stew, but not in contact with the water, so they can steam as the rest is cooking.
8. Simmer over a very low heat for about 2 hours.
9. Sprinkle liberally with the chopped parsley and serve in soup bowls.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup raisins
• 2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
• 1 cup buttermilk

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Add raisins and caraway seeds.
3. Add buttermilk all at once and mix.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board. (To knead, press the dough flat, fold it in half, turn the dough, and repeat.) Form into a round loaf on a well-greased baking sheet.
5. With a knife, carefully mark an X across the top of the loaf. Lay a piece of foil over the loaf. Bake for 5 minutes.
6. Lower heat to 250°F and bake 30 minutes more. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, until the loaf is slightly browned.
7. Cut into wedges and serve with butter.

Corned Beef with Cabbage

Ingredients

• 4 pounds corned brisket of beef
• 3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
• 6 to 8 small onions
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• ¼ teaspoon parsley
• 1 head of cabbage (remove two layers of outer leaves)
• Salt and pepper
• Boiled potatoes as accompaniment

Procedure

1. Place brisket in a large pot. Top with carrots, onions, mustard, thyme, and parsley.
2. Cover with cold water, and heat until the water just begins to boil.
3. Cover the pot with the lid, lower the heat, and simmer the mixture for 2 hours.
4. Using a large knife, cut the cabbage into quarters, and add the cabbage wedges to the pot.
5. Cook for another 1 to 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender.
6. Remove the vegetables to a platter or bowl, cover with foil, and keep them warm.
7. Remove the brisket, place it on a cutting board, and slice it.
8. Serve the corned beef slices on a platter, surrounded by the vegetables.
9. Ladle a little of the cooking liquid over the meat and vegetables.

Champ

This is one of the most widely eaten potato dishes in Ireland.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 baking potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1½ cups milk
• 4 to 8 Tablespoons butter (to taste)
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Scrub potatoes (do not peel), place them in a pot, and cover them with water.
2. Heat the water to boiling, and cook the potatoes until they can be pierced with a fork (about 25 minutes).
3. Finely chop the scallions (use both the white bulbs and the green stems) and put them in a small saucepan.
4. Cover the scallions with the milk and bring slowly just to a boil.
5. Simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and let the mixture stand.
6. Peel and mash the hot boiled potatoes in a saucepan. Add the milk and scallions mixture and beat well.
7. Beat in the butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve in 1 large or 4 individual bowls with a pat of butter melting in the center of each serving. May be reheated.

Sources:

soda bread picture: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/422696650_51e91241b3.jpg

irish stew picture: http://kitchenproject.com/StPatricksDay/images/Irish-Stew-797655.jpg

champ picture:http://www.tesco.com/recipes/p/i/recipes/2415.jpg

corned beef picture: http://hippopotamustblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/corned-beef-and-cabbage.jpg 

information: http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Ireland.html

http://www.ravensgard.org/prdunham/irishfood.html