Stew, shepherd's pie and soda bread among customary Irish foods

Traditional Irish Stew

• 3 (3 1/2-pound) shoulder lamb chops, about 1 inch thick, trimmed and cut into small pieces
• 1 pound of traditional Irish bacon, chopped
• 4 medium onions, sliced thinly
• 6 carrots, sliced
• 4 potatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 potatoes, halved
• 2 1/2 cups water
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium-size pot, put down a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, onions and carrots. Top with a layer of bacon and lamb. Sprinkle liberally with pepper and salt.

Continue building in this manner until all the ingredients are used. Add the water until it barely covers the ingredients. Arrange the halved potatoes on top of the stew, but not in contact with the water, so they can steam as the rest is cooking. Simmer over a very low heat for about 2 hours or in a moderate oven for the same length of time.

Serve in shallow soup bowls and sprinkle liberally with parsley.

Serves 4 to 6.

- Irish Food Board

Shepherd’s Pie

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup cooked mixed vegetables (frozen or left over)
• 5 medium potatoes, baked and mashed
• 1 tablespoon butter

Brown meat in oil. Drain fat. Stir in onions and carrots. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, flour and broth. Add cooked vegetables. Transfer to casserole dish. Top with potatoes. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk and oil together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Add the caraway seeds and raisins. Stir until a soft dough has formed.

Shape the dough into a large ball on a lightly floured board (flour hands if necessary). With a sharp knife, make a cross on the top. Place on the prepared pan. Brush the top with the milk. Bake in the center of the oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Serves 12.

- Irish Food Board

Irish Brown Bread

• 15 ounces seedless raisins
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In saucepan, place raisins then cover with water. Gently boil for 15 minutes.

Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. In large bowl, add raisins and reserved cooking liquid. Add butter and cool. Mix in eggs.

Sift all remaining ingredients. Stir in to raisin mixture. Bake in a greased 10-inch tube pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn out on rack to cool.

Smoked Salmon on Potato Cakes

• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices smoked salmon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon horseradish root
• 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• 1 lemon, cut as wedges

Heat olive oil in large frying pan until smoking hot. Add the slices of potato in a thin layer and fry on one side until golden brown. Flip over and brown the other side. Cut the pancake into triangular wedges.

Mix mayonnaise, whole grain mustard and horseradish together.

Fan two pancake wedges on each serving plate and dab with horseradish/mayonnaise spread. Arrange a slice of smoked salmon on each triangular pancake and decorate with lemon wedge.

Serves 4.

- Irish Food Board

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