They say that everyone is a wee bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, but regardless of whether that is true, everyone can eat like an Irishman.
Traditional Irish cuisine is hearty, healthy and filling, perfect for a blustery March day. Since ancient times the Irish have relied on milk, butter, buttermilk and cheese as dietary mainstays. Potatoes were added to that list when they were brought to the country in the 1600s by the Spanish.
Any home cook can make Irish soda bread, which uses baking soda instead of yeast for leavening. Other Irish favorites include beef or lamb stew, colcannon (chopped cabbage with bacon or ham and mashed potatoes), potato bread, Ulster fry (bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes soda bread and potatoes), barmbrack (raisin-studded yeast bread), and the charmingly named bubble and squeak (mashed leftover potatoes and chopped cabbage mixed up and fried as a single round cake).
In Ireland lamb is more likely to be used in stew, while here in the States we prefer beef. All versions call for Irish stout ale, usually Guinness, although any type will do. This recipe is from simplyrecipes.com.
1 ¼ pounds well-marbled chuck beef stew meat, cut into 1 ½ -inch chunks
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups beef stock
2 cups water
1 cup Guinness extra stout
1 cup hearty red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½ -inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped (1 ½ to 2 cups)
3 to 4 carrots or parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. Brown the beef: Sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt over the beef pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large (6 to 8 quart), thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Pat dry the beef with paper towels and working in batches, add the beef (do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and not brown) and cook, without stirring, until well browned on one side, then use tongs to turn the pieces over and brown on another side.
2. Add garlic and add the other stock ingredients, then simmer: Add garlic to the pot with the beef and sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the beef stock, water, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, then cover and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Sauté the onions and carrots in separate pan: While the pot of meat and stock is simmering, melt the butter in another pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots. Sauté the onions and carrots until the onions are golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside until the beef stew in step 2 has simmered for one hour.
4. Add the vegetables to the beef stew and simmer: Add the onions, carrots, and the potatoes to the beef stew. Add black pepper and two teaspoons of salt. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off any excess fat. Transfer stew to serving bowls. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
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