Traditional Irish Food

Much of Irish traditional food owes its existence to the difficulty in growing crops in Ireland's relatively poor soil, better suited to growing grass for sheep and cattle. Thus traditional Irish food is viewed with great suspicion as largely consisting of root vegetables and overcooked meat – the iconic Irish Stew, being a prime example.

In fact, Irish Stew, when made well, is as tasty a dish as you could wish to eat.

However, here's an Irish dish with no meat in sight. Granted there is a root vegetable. But what Irish meal would be complete without the potato?

Colcannon

Serves four

• 3/4 lbs (340 gms) kale or cabbage

• 1 1/2 cups water (375ml)

• 3/4 pounds (340 gms) peeled and quartered potatoes

• 1/2 cup chopped leeks (white part only)

• 1/2 cup milk (125 ml)

• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Simmer kale or cabbage in 1 1/2 cups water for 10 minutes. Drain and chop fine.

Then boil potatoes until tender.

Meanwhile, simmer the leeks in milk for ten minutes until tender.

Drain and chop potatoes into chunks.

Heat up a frying pan (skillet) add a little oil and add the drained leeks, cabbage or kale and the potatoes and cook for three or four minutes only. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.

I add some cooked mushrooms and melted cheese, although this is not really traditional.

Much of Irish traditional cuisine grew out of the need to use every scrap of food – even if past its best. So here's a bread I remember from my youth. Made by my mother, it was always called "Granny Loaf", because the recipe has been handed down from my Irish Grandmother. 

If you have Irish ancestors, the chances are high they also baked this bread. It's more commonly known as Irish Soda Bread. It used to be made with sour milk, in the days when there no refrigerators, and can also be made with buttermilk.

You can make this savoury or sweet. Below is the recipe for a savoury loaf. If you want it sweet, add 2 oz (50 gms) of both sugar and currants, raisins or sultanas.  

Irish Soda Bread (Granny Loaf)

• 1 lb (500 gms) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) sour milk or buttermilk
• Pinch of salt
Flour the baking tin and kneading board, whilst you have the flour to hand.
Sieve flour, salt and soda into bowl
Add ¾ cup (175 ml) of sour milk/buttermilk and mix to a loose dough
Add remaining sour milk/buttermilk if necessary, and knead on board until smooth
Shape dough into a circular shape, mark a cross on the top
Place on the previously floured tin and bake for 30 minutes at 200C (400F)

With such fine beef cattle and one of the world's best beers, it's no surprise when we put the two together, we get one of the world's great dishes. Some times they also add oysters!

Beef and Guinness

Ingredients: 1/4 lb. Butter,1 pound beef chuck cut into 1x2 inch pieces.1 large sweet onion-sliced thin, a bouquet garni:thyme,sage,parsley,bay leaf,1/4 teaspoon salt.1/4 teaspoon black pepper,1 cup beef stock, 1 pint guinness stout,4 medium potatoes(1 lb peeled)2 tablespoons parsley,large manly sweet carrots.
Instructions:heat butter in skillet brown the beef in batches-set beef asside.2.cook onion in hot fat for 3 minutes-just soffened,return meat to pan add bouquet garni,salt,pepper,stock and stout and bring the mixture to a boil.Cook stew uncovered in preheated 350 degree oven for about one hour add potatoes and bake e for 45 minutes till all is tender.add salt and pepper to taste. Thicken sauce with butter and flour.Garnish with parsley.

Ok, no list of Irish traditional recipes would be complete without . . .

Irish Stew

Best end neck chops no fat, bone or gristle (Mutton)
Potatoes
Onions
Parsley & thyme mixes
Salt & Pepper
Cooking
Cut meat into medium pieces
Peel and slice potatoes Peel and slice onions
Layer of potatoes in pan add herbs, salt and pepper
Layer of Meat
Layer of Onions
Repeat as long as ingredients last
Cover with water
Cover with foil then lid
Simmer as long as you like or until every thing is cooked.

© 2007 Joseph Donegal and The-Best-Of-Ireland.com