Irish recipes

Want to make something Irish for St. Patrick's Day? Here is a simple and delicious (and authentic) alternative to corned beef:

IRISH STEW
(taken from "Potato," by Alex Barker with recipes by Sally Mansfield, published by Lorenz Books (c) 1999.)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. boneless lamb chops [or beef stew meat - not traditional, but easier to find and more economical in the States]
1 T. vegetable oil
3 large onions, quartered [I don't use all 3 b/c my kids won't eat them - I put in 1 large or 2 medium.]
4 large carrots, thickly sliced
3 3/4 c. water
4 large firm potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large thyme sprig
1 T. butter
1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Savoy cabbage, to serve (optional)

1. Trim any excess fat from the lamb. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole, add the lamb and brown on both sides. [I don't use the oil; and I use a deep-dish lidded saute pan.] Remove from the pan.

2. Add the onions and carrots to the casserole and cook for 5 minutes until the onions are browned. Return the lamb to the pan with the water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

3. Add the potatoes to the pan with the thyme, cover again, and simmer for a further hour.

4. Leave the stew to settle for a few minutes. Remove the fat from the liquid with the ladle, then pour off the liquid into a clean saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir in the butter, then the parsley. Season well and pour back into the casserole. [I never do this step. I fail to see the point of skimming off the fat, just to stir in more fat (plus the with beef there isn't much anyway) so I just add the parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.] Serve with Savoy cabbage, boiled or steamed, if liked.

I put the times in bold to alert you that this does take a while to cook. If you try it in a crock pot, let me know how it turns out!

If you are looking for something vegetarian or for a side dish (or a use for leftovers), try a google search for colcannon, Irish soda bread, Irish griddle scones/cakes, rissoles, or champ. Enjoy! :)