It's the middle of March, that maddening time of the year when winter just won't give up and spring just won't get here. One of the few saving graces of mid-March is Saint Patrick's Day, with all its festivity and traditions. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, its a perfect time to delve into the deeply satisfying culinary traditions that make up Irish Cuisine.
First of all we will stipulate that Irish cuisine is not at all haut cuisine. It's a way of cooking that has not moved far from the rustic cottages of the Auld Sod. the ingredients tend to be very simple, and definitely right at hand. And the food itself is most definitely tasty and satisfying.
Here are a few recipes Jerry has collected.
Irish Brown Bread – adopted from the Ballymaloe House recipe
Ingredients
400g (3 ½ cups) whole-wheat flour, preferably stoneground
50g (½ cup) white flour, all-purpose or bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
150ml (generous ½ cup) plus 275ml (1 ½ cups) tepid water - 425ml/scant 2 cups total
1 tablespoon dark molasses or 1 teaspoon treacle
30g fresh yeast (see headnote and note after the recipe, for instructions using active dry or instant yeast - Use 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast when not using fresh yeast)
Mix the flours with the salt in a medium bowl. Pour 150ml ( ½ cup) of water into a small bowl and stir in the molasses, then crumble in the fresh yeast, stirring a couple of times. Let stand until it starts to foam on top, about 10 minutes. Pour the yeast mixture and the remaining 275ml (1 ½ cups) water into the flour and stir until a batter is formed, which will have the consistency of oatmeal. (If using standard whole-wheat flour, the dough will be sticky, and rather wet.) Let stand 10 minutes. Spray a nonstick 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan with nonstick spray and cut a piece of parchment or wax paper to line the bottom of the pan. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula or if it’s sticky, dampen your hand and use that then drape a kitchen towel over the top (so it’s not pressing down on the dough, but just lightly over the top) and let rise in a warm place until the dough reaches the top of the pan, about 20 minutes – although it can vary so just keep an eye on it. Before the dough has almost reached the top of the pan, preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). When the dough has reached the top of the pan, bake the bread for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, decrease the heat to 400ºF (200ºC). Run a knife around the outside of the bread to release it from the pan, tip the loaf out of the pan, remove the parchment paper, and place the loaf upside down directly on the baking rack and let bake another 15 minutes, or until done. The bread is ready when you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. If using an instant-read thermometer, the temperature should read 190ºF (88ºC). Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Potato Boxty
Ingredients
1 medium potato
¾ cups mashed potatoes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¾ cup buttermilk
butter or oil (to fry pancakes)
Peel the potato and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated potato in a strainer. Rinse under cold running water and place in a clean dish towel. Squeeze as much liquid out of the potato as possible and mix with the mashed potato in a large bowl. Sift the flour, salt, pepper and baking soda onto the potato mixture. Add the butter milk and mix together the ingredients with a spoon until well combined.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup of batter and tilt the pan to spread it evenly. Cook until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes then flip and brown the other side. Slide the boxty out of the pan and keep warm until use.
Creamed Bacon
Ingredients
1 lb slab bacon cut into ½ inch dice
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium leek, chopped up to the dark green part
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
¼ cup chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a large sauté pan set over medium heat, cook the bacon to render the fat and allow it to get brown on the edges. Add the mushrooms and leeks and cook until the leeks are translucent. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk and stock and stir until the mixture starts top thicken. Add the heavy cream and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and stud between potato boxtys.
Irish Stout Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 lbs. boneless beef short ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces
4 medium leeks, chopped to the dark green part
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium carrots, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
¼ cup chopped garlic (5 to 6 large cloves)
2 cups beef broth
2 bottles stout
2 cups diced tomatoes
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
Stir together brown sugar, paprika, curry powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and mustard in a small bowl until combined. Pat ribs dry and arrange in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan or a shallow dish, then generously coat all sides of ribs with spice mixture. Marinate, uncovered and chilled, 1 hour. Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating water, then lift out leeks and drain in a colander.
Heat oil in pot over high heat until hot but not smoking and quickly brown ribs on all four sides without crowding, in batches if necessary, about 1 minute per side. Transfer meat to a large plate, then add leeks, carrots, celery, and bay leaves to pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, beer, and tomatoes with their juice, then add ribs with any juices and remaining spices accumulated on plate and bring liquid to a boil, uncovered. Cover pot and transfer to oven, then braise until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Skim off excess fat from surface of sauce. Discard bay leaves.
Crispy Cabbage
Ingredients
2 heaping cups raw cabbage, chopped small
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoon butter
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Olive oil
Salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cabbage with olive oil and spread evenly on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, stopping once to toss. While the cabbage is roasting, melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the thyme, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Remove the cabbage from the oven and place in a mixing bowl. Toss the cabbage with the dressing, season with salt and pepper and serve warm.
