Potato for breakfast! (Week 30 - Ireland)

I wasn’t too sure about Irish food, all I knew was it was famed for its potatoes; so not surprisingly that is what we had a lot of! I even convinced my son that all we would eat were different varieties and ways of cooking potato; which was a little mean both to my son and Ireland. The Irish stew was delicious, the lamb was so tender and the potatoes were really nice too – and I am not really a potato lover! The Apple baskets were simple apple tarts, stewed apple, with a touch of cinnamon inside a pastry tart with a lattice top. They tasted good both hot and cold (hot with custard!). The potato cakes were eaten, although I am not sure they are as they should be – I did them with sausages and a fried egg – which will probably send the Irish into a rant; but we liked it (and I do have some Irish blood, or should I keep quiet about that!) I have done Soda bread before and it does taste good if eaten as soon as it is made (although not straight from the oven as it is too hot!). We didn't have an opportunity for this, hence why there is no score and just the recipe.  Next week it is my birthday and we are off to Persia / Iran, food I love so I am very pleased! 

Cooked with score (out of 100):

Potato Cakes…………………………………………………………86

Apple Baskets…………………………………………………………83

Irish Stew.....………………………………………………………….77

 

Wanted to cook:

Irish Soda Cake

Colcannon

 

Irish Stew

Source: britishfood.about.com

Ireland's National Dish national dish is an Irish stew and was traditionally made with mutton, but more often nowadays, is made with lamb. Controversy reigns over whether vegetables other than potatoes should be added; adding onions, leeks and carrots not only adds extra flavour but also nutrition to the stew. The choice is yours. It is traditionally eaten on St Patrick's Day as well as Samhain , but I think it should be eaten at any time as we thought it was lovely.

 

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb/500g mutton or lamb cutlets (bone removed) cut into 2"/5cm chunks

2 tbsp plain flour

2lb/ 1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

1 cup/115g onion, roughly chopped

1 cup/ 100g leeks, cleaned and finely sliced

1 cup/170g carrots, roughly chopped

1½ pints / 750 ml dark beef stock

2 or 3 cabbage leaves, thinly sliced (optional - I didn't bother)

Salt and Pepper

 

1. Heat the oven to 350  F/180°C/ Gas 4. In a large frying pan heat half the oil to hot but not smoking. Add half the lamb pieces and brown all over. Remove the lamb and place in a casserole, cover with a half of the potatoes, onions, leeks and carrots.
2. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan, heat again then add the remaining lamb and brown all over. Add to the casserole and cover with the remaining vegetables.
3. Add the flour to the frying pan and stir really well to soak up any fat and juices. Cook on a gentle heat for 3 minutes then add stock a ladle at a time until you have a thick, lump-free sauce. Pour this sauce over the lamb and vegetables.
4. Add the remaining stock to the casserole, cover with a tight fitting lid, and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Add the cabbage (if using) replace the lid and cook for another hour. Check from time to time to make sure the stock isn't reducing too much, if it is add a little boiling water. The meat and vegetables should always be covered by liquid. If the sauce is too runny at the end, cook a little longer with the lid removed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve piping hot.
    
    

Colcannon

Source: “Woman’s Own Cook Book” 1964

Serves 4

1 lb boiled cold potatoes

8oz boiled cabbage

2oz bacon fat

Salt and pepper to taste 

1. Mash the potatoes, chop the onion finely and fry gently in the bacon fat.
2. Add the potatoes and cabbage, season and mix well together. Turn into a greased pudding basin and reheat in the oven.
    

Irish Soda Cake

Source: “Woman’s Own Cook Book” 1964

 

1 lb plain flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

4oz marg

4oz sugar

4oz sultanas or raisins

2oz mixed chopped peel

½ pint and 6 tbsp sour milk.

 

1. Turn on the oven heat, and set to fairly hot. Brush a 7in cake tin all round inside with melted marg.
2. Sieve the flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, and salt together into a mixing bowl. Cut the marg into pieces, add, and rub in until the mixture looks crumbly.
3. Stir in the sugar, fruit and peel. Add the milk and mix with a knife to make a fairly soft dough.
4. Turn out on to a well floured board, sprinkle with flour, knead very lightly and form a round. Put into the prepared tin; press out with the knuckles to the sides; mark a cross or squares etc on the top with a knife, and bake for 1 hour on the middle shelf of the oven.
5. Turn the heat down to moderate and bake for a further half-hour.
   NB: If sour milk is not available, use ½ pint and 5 tbsp fresh milk and 1 tbsp vinegar, mixed together, and if necessary, heated very gently until the milk curdles. Cool before using.
    
    

Potato Cakes

Source: “Woman’s Own Cook Book” 1964

6 boiled potatoes

2 tbsp flour

Butter

Salt

 

1. Mash the potatoes and add the salt and sufficient flour to make a stiff dough.
2. Roll out on the board ½ in thick, cut into squares and bake on a griddle.
3. Split butter immediately and serve hot. 
4. 
   

Ireland is known as the ‘Emerald Isle’, because it rains a lot and makes the landscape a brilliant green. Its most important agricultural product is the humble potato. It is also known for its meat and dairy products as well as salmon and Trout Rivers. Ireland is also famous for its St Patricks Day celebrations, on 17^th March with celebrations taking place around the world, traditionally with a pint of stout – the almost black beer made from roasted malt barley; the most famous one is Guinness.

Ireland, like New Zealand, is a snake-free nation. Due to its isolation from the European mainland, Ireland lacks several species common elsewhere in Europe, such as snakes, moles, weasels, polecats or roe deer. It also boasts the largest zinc mine in Europe – and 5^th largest in the world – called The Tara mine near Narvan. The famous RMS Titanic, the ship that sank in its maiden voyage, was built in Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. Titanic's last port of call was Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland

 

CUISINE

Irish food is known for the quality and freshness of its ingredients. Most cooking is done without herbs or spices, except for salt and pepper. Foods are usually served without sauce or gravy. The staples of the Irish diet have traditionally been potatoes, grains (especially oats), and dairy products. Potatoes still appear at most Irish meals, with potato scones, similar to biscuits or muffins, a specialty in the north. The Irish have also been accomplished cheesemakers for centuries. Ireland makes about fifty types of homemade "farmhouse" cheeses, which are considered delicacies.

Soups of all types, seafood, and meats also play important roles in the Irish diet. Irish soups are thick, hearty, and filling, with potatoes, seafood, and various meats being common ingredients. Since their country is surrounded by water, the Irish enjoy many types of seafood, including salmon, scallops, lobster, mussels, and oysters. However, meat is eaten more frequently at Irish meals. The most common meats are beef, lamb, and pork. A typical Irish dinner consists of potatoes (cooked whole), cabbage and meat.

Irish stew has been recognized as the national dish for at least two centuries. A poem from the early 1800s praised Irish stew for satisfying the hunger of anyone who ate it:

Then hurrah for an Irish Stew
That will stick to your belly like glue.

Bread is an important part of Irish culture. Fresh soda bread, a crusty brown bread made from whole-wheat flour and buttermilk, is a national dish of Ireland. Irish bakers don't stop with soda bread, however. They bake a wide variety of other hearty breads and cakes.

Source: www.foodbycountry.com