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Posts Tagged ‘Irish Food’

Dublin Coddle

Posted in Food, Irish Food, Pork, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 20 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

We’ve never tried Dublin coddle, mainly because it tends to be served with anaemic sausages. In this recipe by Neven Maguire you brown them; a far more sensible approach altogether.

Wine Suggestion: This dish works perfectly with a Grenache blend. For us this time, a current favourite as they’re drinking so well, Romain Roche’s Côtes du Rhône. So well balanced and smooth, but with a warmth of sunshine and gentle, velvety spices.

Dublin Coddle – serves 4 to 6

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • top-quality pork sausages – 2 per person
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 150g dry-cured bacon lardons
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 750g potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you’ve got one)
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 15g butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Heat half the oil in a large casserole dish and brown the sausages on all sides. Transfer to a board and cut each sausage into three chunky pieces, then set aside.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and sauté the onions and bacon for 6-8 minutes, until lightly golden. Stir in the flour and thyme and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the sausages, carrots and half of the potatoes. Season generously, then shake to get everything even in the dish.

Turn off the heat and arrange the rest of the potatoes on top. Stir the Worcestershire sauce into the stock, then pour over the potatoes. Dot with the butter and season.

Cover the casserole with a lid and bake for 1 hour, then remove the lid and cook for another 30 minutes or until the topping is tender and golden brown. Scatter over the parsley to serve.

(Original recipe from More Midweek Meals by Neven Maguire, Gill Books, 2022.)

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Sausage & Mash Pie

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 November 2022| Leave a Comment »

We’re starting to switch to more autumnal dishes. This is thoroughly traditional in style and will put a bit of warmth in your belly. The best side for all pies is peas to which we added a few glazed carrots. Comfort food for cold weather.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve gone a bit mad for Portuguese reds the past while and for this it was no different as we opened, and enjoyed the Herdade do Sobroso Red. From the Alentejo this is an Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blend, having the joy of having a rich core, alongside an elegance and freshness that sits very nicely with the sausages and gravy.

Sausage & Mash Pie – serves 4

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 8 large pork sausages
  • 25g butter
  • 2 onions, finely sliced
  • a pinch of golden caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 500ml beef stock
  • frozen peas, cooked to serve

FOR THE MASH:

  • 1.25kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or Roosters, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 150ml whole milk
  • 25g butter
  • 25g mature cheddar, coarsely grated

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently cook the sausages over a medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan and heat until sizzling, then add the onions and sugar and cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Scatter over the flour and stir to make a paste, then add the tomato purée and cook for a minute. Add the vinegar, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Tip any juices from the sausages into the pan, then slice the sausages into chunky pieces and add these too. Simmer for 5 minutes or until you have a rich and glossy gravy. Tip the mixture into a large baking dish.

Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until just cooked. Drain and leave to steam dry for a minute. Pour the milk into the pan and bring to a simmer, then tip in the drained potatoes and butter, and mash. Season to taste.

Top the sausages with the mash, starting at the edge and working into the middle, careful not to leave any gaps or the gravy will bubble through. Use a fork to scrape lines along the surface and sprinkle with the cheese.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned. Remove the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the peas.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Venison with Sweet Potatoes and Butter beans

Posted in Food, Irish Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 29 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

It seems very odd posting a venison recipe in the summer months but our butcher, Paul, mentioned that some fresh venison had just arrived and we couldn’t resist! Serve with some nice potatoes and greens on the side. Delicious at whatever time of the year you come across some nice venison.

Wine Suggestion: We think this combination of ingredients and flavours works best with a refined Rioja, like the Cantos de Valpiedra. From a passionate family that has a truly special vineyard on a sharp bend of the Ebro River so that the vineyards have moderating water on two sides of the triangle this bend forms. Refined, elegant and sophisticated, with characteristic strawberry and hints of vanilla this is a wine worth searching for.

Venison with sweet potatoes & butter beans – serves 6 to 8

  • 50g butter
  • 900g venison haunch, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 50g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 300ml red wine
  • 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
  • 1 litre of chicken or beef stock
  • 450g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
  • 1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Heat the butter in a large casserole with a lid, that you can put in the oven. Season the venison and tip it into the casserole. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Add the flour and paprika and stir for another minute or two to combine. Pour in the wine and stir constantly until it combines with everything else. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and cover with just enought stock to cover the meat.

Bring the casserole to the boil, then season. Cover with a lid and put into the oven for 1 hour. After the hour is up, stir in the sweet potatoes and butter beans, then return to the oven for a further hour. The venison and sweet potatoes should be tender.

Spoon the casserole into warm bowls and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley. We like some potatoes and greens on the side too.

(Original recipe from Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, Gill Books, 2016.)

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Beef Shin with Dulse

Posted in Beef, Food, Gluten-free, Irish Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 December 2020| Leave a Comment »

We had to try this idea from Gill Meller’s book Gather in order to use some dulse flakes from Aran Islands Seaweed. The dulse flakes give a smoky umami flavour to the dish. It takes a while in the oven but it otherwise very simple and tastes even better if made in advance, as stews often do. We served with creamy mash, cabbage and turnip for a hearty Sunday lunch.

Wine Suggestion: A dish that needs a suitably rich red wine to match; one where the rich fruit has high levels of anthocyanins and phenols in a ripe framework. The Altosur Malbec from Tuppangato (the highest part of the Mendoza area) in Argentina came out of the rack and its blackberry, blueberry and plum flavours with brambly, rich tannins was an ample choice.

Beef shin with dulse – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 800g beef shin, sliced thickly
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 sprigs of thyme
  • ½ a glass of red wine
  • 2-3 tsp powdered smoked dulse (we used dulse flakes, see note above)
  • 300ml chicken stock or water

Heat the oven to 120C/Gas 1.

Heat the oil in a heavy flameproof casserole. Season the beef shin well with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides until it takes on a really-good colour all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion, garlic, celery and thyme and cook gently over a low heat until the onions are soft but not coloured. Return the meat the pan, then add the wine, dulse and stock or water and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover the casserole with a lid and place in the oven for 4-5 hours, or until the meat falls apart easily. Season to taste and leave to rest for 25 minutes before serving with mash and other veg.

(Original recipe from Gather by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2016.)

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Paddy’s Day Potatoes!

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Irish Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 15 March 2017| 2 Comments »

Champ

This is how Julie’s Granny served champ, with a great big lump of Irish butter in the middle!

Irish Champ – serves 4 as a side or 2 on it’s own

  • 700g potatoes – it helps if they are roughly the same size
  • salt and white pepper (no black pepper please)
  • 6 tbsp milk
  • 4 scallions, finely chopped
  • 50g butter (plus extra to serve)

Put the potatoes (unpeeled) in a pot and cover with cold water and a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer until completely tender (usually about 20 minutes but keep checking and don’t let them go to mush).

Heat the milk with the scallions for about 5 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and peel while still hot. If you have a potato ricer you could use that but we tend to use a standard masher.

Beat the butter into the mashed potato with a wooden spoon, then stir in the warm milk and scallions. Season well with salt and white pepper.

Serve the potatoes in a warm bowl. Make a dip in the middle with the back of a spoon and add a lump of good quality (preferably Irish) salted butter.

 

 

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Good Old Bacon & Cabbage

Posted in Food, Irish Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 14 January 2017| 1 Comment »

Kassler roasted with cabbage & potatoes

Our mate Brett got us this genuine Kassler, a pork loin expertly cured and lightly smoked by Ed Hicks in Dun Laoghaire. If you can’t find Kassler use a smoked bacon loin or rack and prepare yourself for the best bacon & cabbage ever.

Wine Suggestion: We chose a classic white Burgundy, 100% Chardonnay made in oak from a winemaker in Meursault, Patrick Javillier. He makes a couple of Bourgogne Blanc’s from a couple of very particular sites in Meursault and boy are they good. This time we chose his Cuvée Oligocene which is a vineyard partly in Meursault and partly in the ordinary Burgundy classification (despite it being the same soils and aspect). This makes this wine a bargain and we love it.

Roast Bacon with Cabbage & Potatoes – serves 6-8

  • 1kg potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 450g savoy cabbage, cored and roughly chopped
  • 1kg boned kassler/smoked bacon loin or rack
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Sauce

  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 600ml chicken stock
  • 50ml Madeira or Port
  • 1-3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then drain.

Par-boil the cabbage in another large pan of lightly salted water for 2 minutes. Drain into a colander and refresh with cold water, then use your hands to squeeze out the excess water.

Put the bacon into a large roasting tray and place in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes before adding the butter. When the butter has melted, add the potatoes and roast together for 20 minutes, turning the bacon & potatoes in the butter now and then.

Now push the potatoes and bacon to one side and add the cabbage. Season the potatoes and cabbage with salt and roast for another 10 minutes, turning everything in the smoky butter.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by melting the butter in a small pan and adding the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then take off the heat and whisk in the chicken stock until smooth. Place back on the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 40 minutes in total remove the bacon from the oven and check that the potatoes and cabbage are cooked. Transfer the vegetables to a warm serving platter, then slice the bacon and arrange on top. Keep warm.

To finish the sauce, de-glaze the juices in the roasting tin with the Maderia or Port and add to the sauce. Whisk in the mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper.

(Original recipe by Paul Rankin.)

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Beef & Guinness Stew

Posted in Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 6 March 2013| 1 Comment »

A simple thing to make, and always well enjoyed. It’s a bit difficult to take nice pictures of brown dishes – we’ll have to work on it. This is an absolute doddle to make and a very appropriate dish for the 17th March!

St Patrick’s Day Beef & Guinness Stew – serves 4-6 

  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 500-750g diced stewing beef
  • 500ml Guinness

Preheat the oven to 160ºC Fan/180°C/gas 4.

Roughly chop the celery, onions and carrots.

Heat the olive oil in a large casserole on a medium heat. Add all the vegetables and bay leaves and fry for about 10 minutes.

Add the meat, flour, Guinness and tinned tomatoes. Stir and season well with salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, put a lid on the casserole and cook in the oven for approximately 3 hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.

Check about half an hour before the end of the cooking time and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry. Season to taste again before serving with potatoes in the proper Irish fashion.

Wine Suggestion: Something equally hearty, perhaps an Australian Shiraz, or if you’re going really in for the Irish theme you could try a wine called Sásta by Niepoort. This wine, from the Douro in Portugal, sports a great label depicting a drunken Saint Patrick chasing the snakes out of Ireland (available from The Wicklow Wine Company or Mitchell & Son).

(Original recipe from Jamie’s Ministry of Food by Jamie Oliver, Penguin 2008.)

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Irish Potato & Bandon Vale Vintage Cheddar Cheese Tart

Posted in Cheese, Food, Irish Food, Potato, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 5 March 2011| 2 Comments »

It’s another Irish Food Bloggers Association Cookalong and this time the theme is Irish. We were tempted to do an Irish stew but thought that was a bit obvious, we thought about beef and Guinness but that’s not all that original either and then to make things more difficult we invited a vegetarian for dinner.  It was then that we thought about using some Irish cheese as the base for a dish and after eating many variations of cheese and pastry all week we came up with this. Irish potatoes, leeks and a west Cork Cheddar all baked up in a pie. Delicious!!

Serves 4-6

  • 650g waxy potatoes
  • 750g leeks
  • 50g butter
  • 200ml creme fraiche
  • 180g Bandon Vale Vintage Cheddar, grated
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • 500g puff pastry
  • beaten egg for glazing

Heat the oven to 200C.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices. Boil in plenty of salted water until tender (it’s ok if they go a bit mushy).

Meanwhile, throw away the very green bit of the leeks and slice the rest into rings. Wash really well in cold water to get rid of any grit.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the leeks. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until tender – about 20 minutes.

Mix the  leeks, potatoes, creme fraiche and cheddar and season well with salt, pepper and a little bit of nutmeg.

Roll the pastry into two rectangles (about the size of your baking sheet).

Pile the potato mixture into the middle  of one sheet and leave a good rim around the edge. Brush the edges with beaten egg and lay second piece of pastry over the top and press the edges down, pinching firmly to seal. Trim off any excess.

Brush all over with the egg and cut 3 or 4 slits along the width of the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.

(Original recipe from Nigel Slater Tender Vol 1 – A tart of leeks and cheese)

Wine suggestion: A full-bodied white was nice with this. We had a Santenay Blanc followed by an oaked Semillon from the Clare Valley.

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