# Irish Food?



## kmat6 (Jan 22, 2008)

Anyone have any good Irish recipes?


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## ghettoracingkid (Feb 19, 2007)

take some meat and potatos and boil them, lol Sorry as a 1/2 Irish Im allowed too


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Portergaff  Take a bottle of guiness stout, mix 1/2 guiness to 1/2 lemonade (e.g.7-up). Drink :beer:

Ok its more an Aussie/Irish than pure Irish...but it really mellows the taste of the stout. Best on a really hot day.

Plenty of sites on the web if you google "Irish Recipes". I had a quick look and found this one, pretty traditional recipes:

Irish Recipes and Baking

Slainte!


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## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

This is funny. I was going to post the same reply. And I'm also half Irish!


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

You could always try Crubeens. Irish finger food :- Take a hind pigs trotter 1 each(more meat on the back legs) Stick it in a pot, cover with cold water. Add an onion a carrot, seasoning Thyme and a bay leaf and boil thebejeezuz out of it for 3 hours. Then you have the joy of sucking the bones clean. As a kid I loved it, you eat every thing, but its been a while. I'd give it a go tho


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

Bushmills black plus a shot glass


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

I get a bottle of Paddy's every year for my birthday. Blended, But the biz


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## rouxtheday (Jan 5, 2008)

The first few that come to mind...
Irish Stew
Colcannon or Champ (my personal faves)
Soda Bread or Farl
Boxty
Guiness
Whiskey
Boiled Bacon and Cabbage
Black Pudding
And don't forget some truly amazing Irish cheeses!!!

I know I'll think of some others, but you get the picture.


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## siopa (Feb 25, 2010)

good start: rouxtheday. alot of the traditional Irish food these days revolve around Guinness. Over the last few years it seems that every pub has Traditional Guinness Irish Stew. Guinness type dishes were never part of any traditional Irish disk. To be honest it's something concocted for tourists and fake Irish Bars!

here's a quick recipe for a good ole fashioned Dublin meal :

*Dublin Coddle:*
1lb of bacon pieces
1lb of sausages
1 large onion
4 large carrots
1 tblsp of barley soup mix
6 large potatoes
3 tsp of corn flour
3 black pepper corns
1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf, basil, sometimes rosemary)
1 litre of pre boiled water.
1 knob of butter

Cook off the bacon in the butter and then add in the chopped onion ( if you wish or leave and put in whole when the water is added ) when it is sauteed
add in the water. Add the rest of the ingrediants except for the corn flower and how to simmer for an hour. Then add the cornflower to thick over the next 1/2 hour eat then or leave for as long as you wish.

Delish man!


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## chefguy (Nov 16, 2009)

I got 2 recipes for you:

Irish Lamb Stew
www.bethecook.com/recipes/Irish-Lamb-Stew
[h2]Irish Corned Beef with Vegetables 
www.bethecook.com/recipes/Irish-Corned-Beef-with-Vegetables



Ingredients[/h2] 
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 lbs lamb shoulder
1 onion - chopped
2 rib celery - chopped
2 carrots - chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
3 cups chicken stock
water as needed
1 1/2 lbs potatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
[h2]Instructions[/h2] [h3]Step 1[/h3] Season both sides of the lamb shoulder with salt and fresh ground black pepper. 
Add some oil in a pan over high heat. Brown both sides of the lamb shoulders. 
Transfer the lamb shoulders to a stock pot. Add the chopped rib celery and chopped carrots into the pot. [h3]Step 2[/h3] Add the chopped onion into the pan, reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes. 
Add 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour, and cook for 1 minute. [h3]Step 3[/h3] Add 3 cups chicken stock (or sub 1 bottle dark beer plus 1 1/2 cups stock), and 1/2 tsp dried rosemary. 
Stir well. When it comes to a boil, Pour the whole mixture to the pot with the lambs. 
Add more water if needed. 
Simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours. [h3]Step 4[/h3] After 1 1/2 hours, pull the lambs out, add 1 1/2 lbs potatoes. Return the lambs on the top of pot. Simmer for another 40 minutes or until tender. Then Remove only the lambs. Turn the heat high, bring it to a boil. Take off the fat on the top. Reduce for 10-12 minutes. 
Return the lambs to the pot, add 1/4 cup chopped green onions, salt and pepper to taste.


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## lovetobake45 (Feb 4, 2010)

I always think of corned beef and cabbage when I think of anything Irish.And of course Irish Soda Bread is go good.I found a really good recipe for this bread on www.havefunbaking.com and check out www.lovetobakeandcook.blogspot.com. A lot of the recipes now for Soda Bread have been changed,once they hit the Americas, they are still good but not necessarily traditionally Irish.


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## amazingrace (Jul 28, 2006)

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/aCBeefCabge.html


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

bughut said:


> You could always try Crubeens. Irish finger food :- Take a hind pigs trotter 1 each(more meat on the back legs) Stick it in a pot, cover with cold water. Add an onion a carrot, seasoning Thyme and a bay leaf and boil thebejeezuz out of it for 3 hours. Then you have the joy of sucking the bones clean. As a kid I loved it, you eat every thing, but its been a while. I'd give it a go tho


I live in the very deep south near the Okeefenokee and today it's boiled pig's feet. Boiled in white wine, white vinegar, leeks, carrots, celery, onion poked with cloves, bouquet garni and water - for 6 hours. Along with an onion sauce flavored with juniper berries, there'll be on the side some mashed potatos and Hoppin' John.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

lovetobake45 said:


> I always think of corned beef and cabbage when I think of anything Irish.And of course Irish Soda Bread is go good.I found a really good recipe for this bread on www.havefunbaking.com and check out www.lovetobakeandcook.blogspot.com. A lot of the recipes now for Soda Bread have been changed,once they hit the Americas, they are still good but not necessarily traditionally Irish.


King Arthur Flour sells some whole wheat flour that's both soft and low in protein that makes a really kick *ss loaf of soda bread.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Come on, it's not possible there aren't more Irish dishes.  Isn;t lamb a big thing in Ireland?  Fish?  A lot of Ireland is on the sea!  Come on, guys, now i'm curious.  
And potato recipes - there have GOT to be lots of those, i can't believe everyone just boils them, right?   
Is there anyone from Ireland (rather than tenth generation american) on the forums?  Or anyone who's recently been there? I refuse to believe there isn't an interesting cuisine there.

And what are the characteristics of the cooking?  Is grilling big?  boiling?  Is beer used in cooking?  (I remember years ago translating a travel article about ireland and there were dishes like oysters cooked with beer - it was a long time ago, but i do remember there were more things than corned beef and cabbage and my mouth was watering.  

OUT WITH THE RECIPES!


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

I don't think Ireland is really known to be a Culinary Mecca. I'm half Irish, and didn't grow up with anything Irish,except Corned beef and cabbage. I would say a good corned beef on rye, and a 12 pack of Guinness, will do fine, and that's no Blarney................Chef Bill


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

ChefBillyB said:


> I don't think Ireland is really known to be a Culinary Mecca. I'm half Irish, and didn't grow up with anything Irish,except Corned beef and cabbage. I would say a good corned beef on rye, and a 12 pack of Guinness, will do fine, and that's no Blarney................Chef Bill


Yeah, chef BillyB but I'm imagining you grew up in North America, not in Ireland. But the wave of Irish immigration was well over a century ago, and the Irish immigrants were assimilated into American culture long before other groups, so the original cuisine was probably not maintained. 
I don;t believe the stereotypes of countries with "bad cuisine" - there must be dishes that are traditional and tasty, at least among those groups who were well off enough to be able to have a choice of food. It's true that the Irish were forced to limit their crops to potatoes because they were colonized, and that makes the food source artificially limited, at least among the poor. But I've met people who travelled in Ireland and said they ate really well. Lamb stews, for sure, but what else? fish pies? fried stuff? I'm curious.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

siduri said:


> Yeah, chef BillyB but I'm imagining you grew up in North America, not in Ireland. But the wave of Irish immigration was well over a century ago, and the Irish immigrants were assimilated into American culture long before other groups, so the original cuisine was probably not maintained.
> I don;t believe the stereotypes of countries with "bad cuisine" - there must be dishes that are traditional and tasty, at least among those groups who were well off enough to be able to have a choice of food. ...


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

siduri said:


> Yeah, chef BillyB but I'm imagining you grew up in North America, not in Ireland.


Yes, corned beef is an American Irish thing, not something usually found in Ireland. They boiled pork belly, not beef. But the immigrants in New York had trouble, for some unknown reason, finding pork belly in the Jewish markets. So they used the closest approximation, beef brisket.

At least that's the way I heard how corned beef came to be associated with the Irish.

mjb.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

How about desserts?  All thoughts seem to be focusing on savoury pretty much.  Ideas?  Would be really interested to know from someone who lives/has lived there.


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## amazingrace (Jul 28, 2006)

You might look at these three cookbooks at Amazon.com: 

1. Celtic Folklore and Cooking

2. The New Irish Table:  This book in particular has a number of recipes for crumble, cakes, custards, puddings and tarts. 

3. Feasting Galore Irish Style


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Or you can take a look at those and other Irish cooking books right here at Cheftalk: http://www.cheftalk.com/products/category/regional-international

One of the nice things about our new platform is that you can find information about virtually any cookbook without wandering away. Just click on the reviews button, then on the appropriate category, and read away.

Should you decide that you want to buy a book you're reading about, you can then link directly from our page to Amazon and make your purchase.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

It would be interesting though, to hear some recipes of things people really like.  I doubt I'll buy a cookbook without having an idea about the kind of cooking it is, which is what makes a forum so interesting to me.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

siduri said:


> It would be interesting though, to hear some recipes of things people really like. I doubt I'll buy a cookbook without having an idea about the kind of cooking it is, which is what makes a forum so interesting to me.


Ditto for me, Siduri.

I like to find out what the real Irish is and what has been tried and tasted and enjoyed. Seems to be mostly lamb and potato so far.

Surely somone has to have had a uniquely/clasical (I prefer that to "authentic") dish in front of them and has chowed down into it. An Irish Mist Fool? ( is there such a thing I have no idea...BTW it's the most delicious liquer, need just a tbsp and you are *in the mist)

So - not to stress about it but gently & generally enquiring - an Irish desert that someone has tried (apart from Irish coffee ) Now that *is* nice, but to me it follows dessert, surely?

What has somebody tried that they believe to be an Irish dessert? Just curious is all.


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## charron (Feb 3, 2010)

http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/culture/recipes/index.shtm

This site boasts of traditional Irish recipes. I stumbled on it while wandering the 'net in search of specials ideas for St. Paddy's Day. Some of the desserts include curd cakes, fruit fools & crumbles. I'm afraid I haven't tried any yet (not sure where to find Gooseberries this time of year)/img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif

A rhubarb crumble, I have had. It was quite tart and tasty (I often like tart better than sweet) I didn't know it to be an Irish dish but apparently it is so...


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Charron - that does sound good, especially with some custard on top.  I didn't realize that was Irish either.  Thanks


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## coulis-o (Jan 23, 2010)

i made Colcannon yesterday - mash potato, cabbage, and scallions, with some butter, milk, cream, and seasoning.


Irish Stew is the only other irish dish i know off the top of my head.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

siduri said:


> Come on, it's not possible there aren't more Irish dishes. Isn;t lamb a big thing in Ireland? Fish? A lot of Ireland is on the sea! Come on, guys, now i'm curious.
> And potato recipes - there have GOT to be lots of those, i can't believe everyone just boils them, right?
> Is there anyone from Ireland (rather than tenth generation american) on the forums? Or anyone who's recently been there? I refuse to believe there isn't an interesting cuisine there.
> 
> ...


Hi I am Irish and there is more to Irish cuisine. Ireland was marketed as 'the food island' some years back - its meat, dairy and seafood enjoy a great reputation, perhaps more so in Europe than in America. The quality is there, however almost all of the Irish 'cuisine' and related recipes and techniques have been lost. Anyone who knows something of Ireland's history will understand this- I won't get into in here but for example most of the population died or emigrated due to the great famine. Most of the smoke houses, the farmhouse cheeses, bakery recipes and techniques, died or left with the people. The dishes that are well known today are what the poor would have scrapped together after the famine-soda bread is a great example of this.

Personally, (although I am biased obviously) I think Irish food is great, cheeses, bakeries ect are making a come back. But with a small population, widely spread over the island, it is hard to make a living from the artisan food section or even restaurant section outside Dublin or the other cities. Despite this, restaurants produce great food-often a mix of Irish and European Cuisine.

Guinness and Baileys have become part of modern Irish cusine. Zest is an Irish cook book in aid of the Irish Hospice Fondation-it is a collection of recipes from some of irelands top recipes. This should give an idea of the kind of food cooked in Ireland.

Phew, what a long post!


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Not all that long, cakeface, and welcome to the forums.  I know that most of the people here know only the cuisine the Irish immigrants brought to the states, but of course, they didn't have the cheese, smokehouse meats and baked dishes, probably because in those days, like in Italy then, people didn;t bake at home, few people had ovens, and the ingredients for baking were luxuries. 
But the artificial economy imposed on the Irish did a lot to destroy the food culture.  (Luckily not the poetry though!)

If I ever get enough money to travel, Ireland is on my list.  

Can you post a couple of your favorite recipes?


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Boxty is one that (I think) has not been mentioned. Potato based dish, you can Wiki or Google it.

Went looking for Irish Desserts, came up with this site:

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/saintpatdess/saintpatdess.html

Seems to be interesting.....


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## freshbaker (Mar 4, 2010)

Wowzers, I cannon get enough of this! thank you so much!


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

_Come on, it's not possible there aren't more Irish dishes. Isn;t lamb a big thing in Ireland? Fish? A lot of Ireland is on the sea! Come on, guys, now i'm curious.

_The story goes... That the irish did land a lot of fish. Herrings i think.But they didnt like it, or thought it nasty somehow...Anyhoo, the used it as fertiliser for the spuds.Well as we know there was a tattie famine and as they wouldnt eat the plentiful supply of fish, the rest is history. True.

There wasnt much beef around back in the day. Mostly for the gentry.In fact there wasnt much meat around full stop.Except for the lucky few who .kept pigs.

Just as a btw, the irish cuisine along with our own Scots, contains a huge French influence.

Seafood is superb in Ireland now. Crab, lobster and salmon are all used, As is game.

Smoked salmon with potato cakes, served with sour cream,I can recommend.
Game broth
mussel soup with saffron and garlic
Veg stew with herb dumplings

Irish stew made with scraggy neck of lamb, floury potatoes, carrots and onions is always a winner. Cooked for 3 hours or more. You can buy it in Scotland in tins???

Has anyone tried Dulce...Its a dried seaweed that's eaten like sweeties in Northern Ireland.My inlaws swear by it...Theyre from Belfast. In my opinion, it's just nasty!


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi, thanks for the welcome,
 Well one dish no-one mentioned is barm brack.  It is a very old tradition in Ireland and is traditionally eaten around Hallowe'en.  It is basically a like a brioche but with dried fruit soaked in tea added.  A ring is placed inside the cake and whoever gets the ring is king or queen for the day (a coin, stick, and pea can also be added with the following meanings: a coin:you will be rich, a stick:your husband or wife will beat you and a pea:you'll be poor)
 Here is my recipe: It is very large quantities so divide by 5 if you want to yield 2/3 barm bracks 

5kg T65 or strong flour
225g milk
175g fresh yeast-half this if using dried yeast
125g salt
600g sugar
3kg eggs
3kg butter
approx 2kg mixed peel and sultanas, soaked in black tea the night before and drained

make as like a  brioche-dont forget to add the ring! Make into large rounds about 450g each Glaze with honey when ready and return to oven briefly.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

oh and another one not mentioned is a blaa- it is a Waterford bread.  I'll have a root around for the recipe for that and post it.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Waterford Blaa
 

1kg t65 or strong flour
20g salt
45g honey
50g yeast
600g milk
100g unsalted butter, soft

flour temperature + room temperature + milk temperature =  56 Celcius
e.g. if flour temp + room temp is 21 +23= 44 then milk temp should be 12 degrees celcius (56 -44=12)

mix all ingredients except butter for 5 minutes with dough hook on speed 2 or medium speed
add butter while mixing and continue to mix another 5 minutes

turn dough on to floured table,  dust with flour and cover with plastic sheet
leave 45minutes-1 hour.
cut dough into 90g pieces,
rest 15 minutes
shape into rounds, flatten slightly
arrange on tray, closer together than usual.  Dust with plenty of flour. 
Allow to prove, lightly covered with plastic sheet.
cook at 170-180 for 25 minutes approx.  Don't cook with steam-you dont want them crusty
The blaas will be quite close together but you cut to separate and this will give the square shape, but you can place them further apart to get a rounder shape
allow to cool on wire racks


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Here are some more irish dishes I'm not claiming them all Irish inventions-gingerbread and appletart for example are old staples of many countries but there certainly were and are, Irish versions. (being a pastry chef and baker-I came up with sweet only- apologies)-
gingerbread -Norman roots, the normans introduced spice in 12th century.
fraughan tart - tradition during Lunasa. Fraughans are bilberries-a type of wild blue berry
soda bread-a produce of famine times-the poor quality flour sent by Brits did not raise until the people discovered bicarbonate of soda did the trick
brown scones
buttermilk scones- Little Christmas of 6th January was known as Nollaig na mBan or womans christmas-the day was filled with all of the above delicacies women would enjoy
apple cake and tart- apples are bounty full in Ireland
brown bread
currant bread
tarts-rhubarb, gooseberry, blackberry etc
jams-rhubarb, blackcurrant, blueberry, gooseberry etc
Barm brack- for Hallowe'En
blaas - Waterford traditon
yellaman-Northern Eire tradition
Hot cross buns- Easter Anglo norman, tudor roots
Simnel cake- Easter. Norman roots
christmas pudding and cake-prior to Anglo Norman invasion this was know as cutlin.
hasty pudding- made during mayday fesitval
bread and butter pudding -a pudding such as this was traditional during St Johns Eve
pancakes-For Shrove Tuesday
oatcakes-oat bread was very popular as oats grow well in the wet climate
carrageen pudding-made with carrageen moss
steamed pudding
porter cake-often made with stout/guinness
Dont forget the potato did not come to ireland until 1585, it was first a specimen plant in the gardens of the rich and then used to feed pigs and other farm animals but by 1675 the millions of suppressed poor in Ireland found it an invaluable food supply, it took little space, not much effort to grow and could feed many.
There was a rich culinary tradition in Ireland before supression and the famine and there still is - it has taken on a more modern approach. Irish food isn't all about potatoes, cabbage or bacon - it has gone beyond that-it is alive today and like all living cusines its a mix of new and old and still evolving. If anyone would like some recipes for any of the above let me know.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I didn't know much about Irish food. I knew there were a lot of potatoes involved (and I love potatoes). 

There's also some pretty damn good fish and sausages.

Here in the USA I worked with some people from Ireland. A couple of them were pretty good friends, here for training at HP and then going back to Ireland soon. They got a Christmas package, which included black 'n white pudding, and Irish cold-smoked salmon. They thought it was just ok and they didn't care for salmon. I was saying how it was "pretty good" and they let me have most of it.

I ended up with a couple pounds of some of the best smoked salmon I ever had (cold smoked), and some of the best sausage ever. Woo hoo! Looking to make more Irish friends :^)


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Lucky you!  Its true you can get great sausages, rashers and black and white pudding here- all the ingredients for a hearty breakfast.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Irish and Scottish recipes are often very similar.

As has been said, Corned beef and cabbage is an americanism - but is now available in Ireland, simply because many of the American tourists who visit Ireland expect to see it on an Irish menu!

They make great cakes - and soda breads- and boxty, colcannon and other sides.  Irish stew, using good Irish lamb is a great dish.

Have a google, look up Irish chefs like Paul Rankin, Darina Allen (I've attended a number of courses at the Ballymaloe cookery school) and her daughter in law - Rachel Allen. All great Irish cooks.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Got to disagree with you there, Rachel Allen is not a great cook-sure she was only a student in Ballymaloe herself and thats where she met Darina Allen's son.

She is easy on the eye and  offered a new way to remarket themselves after the whole child porn on the computer scandal, but a good cook, no way! Sure when she started out on her RTE  shows she was making things like sandwiches and putting shop bought icecream in a glass, sprinkling on a few nuts and a bit of sauce and calling it cooking!


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

I don't know Rachel's background - but I've used a number of recipes from one of her books (a Christmas gift from a family member) and they have all worked quite well.  I don't know her RTE programmes - only her appearances on the UK's 'Market Kitchen'.

Darina Allen is/was a good cook.  Fairly plain Irish food, but using good, local ingredients.  Paul Rankin is another matter.  I've attended a couple of his courses at the Nairn cookery school in Stirlingshire.  Richard Corrigan is another great Irish chef.  I've eaten at a couple of his restaurants in London.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

I agree with you on all the other chefs and there are alot of other great chefs too that would be only recognised in Ireland. I'm sure Rachel Allen does have good cook books-but I'd say she had very little, if any input into any recipes - she is just a face.

Read this http://www.forkncork.com/content/showthread.php?t=1300&highlight=rachel+allen for a funny insight into her early tv series in Ireland- I wasn't joking about the sandwich - in fact has her own range of sandwiches in O'Brien's sandwich bars!)

still- fair dues and all that


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## emily123 (Feb 9, 2012)

Try searching at http://www.gourmetrecipe.com


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

cakeface said:


> Hi I am Irish and there is more to Irish cuisine. Ireland was marketed as 'the food island' some years back - its meat, dairy and seafood enjoy a great reputation, perhaps more so in Europe than in America. The quality is there, however almost all of the Irish 'cuisine' and related recipes and techniques have been lost. Anyone who knows something of Ireland's history will understand this- I won't get into in here but for example most of the population died or emigrated due to the great famine. Most of the smoke houses, the farmhouse cheeses, bakery recipes and techniques, died or left with the people. The dishes that are well known today are what the poor would have scrapped together after the famine-soda bread is a great example of this.
> 
> Personally, (although I am biased obviously) I think Irish food is great, cheeses, bakeries ect are making a come back. But with a small population, widely spread over the island, it is hard to make a living from the artisan food section or even restaurant section outside Dublin or the other cities. Despite this, restaurants produce great food-often a mix of Irish and European Cuisine.
> 
> ...


It's great to know there are actual Irish cooks here! Although not Irish, my mothers entire family is Irish and I have been on a quest lately to learn all the Irish recipes and cuisine I can. In the hopes of one day opening an Irish restaurant here in the states somewhere. I think its a crime that Irish cuisine as you say has been lost. I have found very few cookbooks with anything remotely resembling traditional Irish food. I believe there is an organization there in Ireland that is trying to restore and research the culinary history of the island. It's my hope to get back over there within a year to spend some time in Tipperary or Donegal volunteering at some local butcher shops and bakeries in order to learn their ways and recipes. For instance I have been searching for a white pudding recipe for ages now and have come up with nothing usable. I am still searching for a good cookbook with traditional Irish food in it. A lot on the market today are not traditional Irish recipes. I have dreams of revitalizing Irish cuisine in my own small way. It's been horribly neglected by the culinary world I feel and I think thats a shame. While Italian, French, Indian, Asian, you name it has been studied to death Irish cuisine has been ignored. You can't even find an Irish restaurant anywhere in the states. "Pubs" here do not count  So it's good to see someone in the forums representing Ireland.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

I was recently given a wonderful book by an Irish author, Darina Allen called Forgotten Skills.  Has anyone seen it? The whole book radiates wholesome food, wonderful surroundings, great ingredients.  She has a cooking school in the country, where she raises her own animals, grows her own food and does everything from smoking to salting to just plain cooking. 

Haven't made anything from it yet, but it's a beautiful book.  Nice just to leaf through it.


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

siduri said:


> I was recently given a wonderful book by an Irish author, Darina Allen called Forgotten Skills. Has anyone seen it? The whole book radiates wholesome food, wonderful surroundings, great ingredients. She has a cooking school in the country, where she raises her own animals, grows her own food and does everything from smoking to salting to just plain cooking.
> Haven't made anything from it yet, but it's a beautiful book. Nice just to leaf through it.


Yeah I have heard of the book, but after the first book of hers I bought titled "Irish Traditional Cooking" I won't buy anymore of her books. Seriously that cookbook is the most atrociously error riddled book ever. My biggest beef is her recipes. I dont think she has ever used a single one of those recipes in that book. The amounts given are so wildly wrong and off that nothing made from that book would ever turn out right. I would be appalled to put my name on something so full of errors. She obviously never proofed that book before publishing it. So I wont be buying her books again. However there is a good one called "Elegant Irish Cooking" by Noel C. Cullen. That has some great Irish fare in it. Albeit more modern Irish food but still rather good recipes. It's definitely worth having on your bookshelf if you are interested in Irish cuisine.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

X86, that's interesting.  I'll have to try something from it to see.  Strange that she would have bad recipes, since she seems to have a school, and in a school you have to have recipes that turn out.


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

siduri said:


> X86, that's interesting. I'll have to try something from it to see. Strange that she would have bad recipes, since she seems to have a school, and in a school you have to have recipes that turn out.


Agreed but this is not her schools cookbook. I dont even think she looked at the recipes in there. Look at the bread pudding recipe for instance.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

I don't have that cookbook so i can't look at the recipe.  Could it be that she uses imperial measures and they're not the same as the american measures?  The british fluid ounce is smaller than the US one, and many other measures are different.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

7 course Irish Banquet   a 6 pack of beer and a boiled potato.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

As I've said, I've attended a number of cookery courses at Ballymaloe (Darina Allen's school) - she is/was (she may have retired now, because it's been a few years since my last visit there) a great Irish cook, cooking with Irish ingredients in Ireland.  Can't get much more Irish than that!

The problem may be that, as suggested by Siduri, the recipes are written in either litres etc (metric) or in Imperial measures (pre decimalisation) - I know that years ago, when giving American friends some of my Scottish recipes, they claimed the results were unsuccessful - it turned out they were using US measurements (for example, an Imperial pt and a US pint are not the same).


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

There is an attempt to introduce a type of_ appellation controlee_ here in Ireland. And a few foods have been given PGS -Protected geographical status, Timoleague brown pudding, Clare Island salmon, Imokilly Regato cheese and Connemara hill lamb, as has a type of potato and eel, I think the Waterford blaa and Clonakilty blackpudding are going for it too. There are some great artisan producers here and I heard on the radio today that more artisans are opening business now partly because the recession has lead to a reduction in rents and other costs that were too prohibitive for small producers during the boom.There is a positve outlook for the farming and argicultural sector regarding exports too. So all in all, things are looking up for Irish food I think!


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Good for them - ensuring that some foods have a protected status can only help to ensure that the product remains true to its roots.

I know that Scotland has tried to ensure that many of its 'native' and 'special' foods and drinks have some kind of protected status, too.

I've been amazed at the strides that have been made in Irish foods as served by pubs/small cafes in recent years.  So much of it used to be heavy, stodgy, badly prepared foods.  Nowadays, so many take a real pride in the produce and how it is cooked and served.


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

cakeface said:


> There is an attempt to introduce a type of_ appellation controlee_ here in Ireland. And a few foods have been given PGS -Protected geographical status
> , Timoleague brown pudding, Clare Island salmon, Imokilly Regato cheese and Connemara hill lamb,
> as has a type of potato and eel, I think the Waterford blaa and Clonakilty blackpudding are going for it too. There are some great artisan producers here and I heard on the radio today that more artisans are opening business now partly because the recession has lead to a reduction in rents and other costs that were too prohibitive for small producers during the boom.There is a positve outlook for the farming and argicultural sector regarding exports too. So all in all, things are looking up for Irish food I think!


That is GREAT news! I found a recipe for the blaa on Wikipedia of all places. Now if I could find a recipe for making the cheese and the brown pudding I might have some worthwhile additions to my Irish menu


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

X86BSD said:


> That is GREAT news! I found a recipe for the blaa on Wikipedia of all places. Now if I could find a recipe for making the cheese and the brown pudding I might have some worthwhile additions to my Irish menu /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


Ah yes, but don't forget the:

Vegetarian
Vegan
Raw food
Low Carb
Low Fat
No sodium
Gluten Free
and all the rest of the choices that potential customers have
options as well /img/vbsmilies/smilies/talker.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/laser.gifyou cannot afford to miss anyone, right?


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

indeed. The Cafe paradiso-a restaurant in cork- cook books would cover you in vegan and vegetarian cooking. Other good books would be an irish butchers shop by pat whelan. Neven McGuire has some very popular cookbooks, other IRish chefs with books are 
Richard Corrigan, Kevin Thornton,Conrad Gallagher, Derry Clarke, Georgina Campbell .

i5f you are heading to ireland to work, go to cork for the butchers-you'll get great black or white pudding recipes there. We're planning on opening a new bakery-if we get the location we want and the rent and rates are right we will-we're just waiting on confirmation.if it goes ahead you can call into us for the bread lessons!


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

and look at the cais website www.irishcheese.ie and the irish food board site www.bordbia.ie you'll get loads of recipes on there. your restaurant idea sounds great and I wish you all the sucess with it,good luck


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

I've eaten at Richard Corrigan's restaurant a few times and have to say, IMO, he is THE best Irish chef I've ever come across.  Mind you, I still like Paul Rankin, too!


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## rmullins (Jan 13, 2012)

At the risk of stirring up trouble (something I seem to have no problems doing here) being full Irish I can tell you there is no real Irish-centric cuisine.  Now, If you want to count the fact that the 'gaels' pretty much owned all of spain, France, etc, etc, then I guess we do have something of a culinary history.  Most of what you see as 'Irish' cuisine today is really adaptations of what you see in the United States.  

Of course there are the regulars like Boxty, Colcannon, champ, etc, etc, however most of historic Irish cuisine was nasty, nasty stuff.  In my own research I turned up the fact that most of Irish cuisine was whatever could be hauled out of the sea and boiled to hell.  Most vegetables in Ireland were introduced there including the potato.  In addition birds were sometimes caught and they were slathered with clay and then baked whole in a fire, guts, feathers and all.  On the upside, once the bird was done, all you had to do was crack the 'clay pot' and the feathers came off with the clay.  Nicely done!

500 years of British assault and tyranny really ripped the heart and soul out of the Irish culture.  There was a very rich and vibrant beginnings of culture through their music and language, and were beginning to develop more organization as such when the Irish were subjected to slavery and abuse from other cultures, IE. beginning with the spanish invasions and then of course British colonization which I will avoid for political reasons.

Once Great Britain had cut-down all Irelands trees, (thank you Cromwell the Butcher) burned all of Irelands beautiful harps and burned all of the music for harps, and cut the hands off all known harpists in the land they had effectively begun to change and destroy her culture forever.  To this day none of Irelands original musical subculture has been re-gained.

All that being said, once you destroy a people-groups culture nothing much else can really emerge.  The Irish were scatterd to the four-corners of the globe, and generally followed the Brits as they tried to colonize (read subjegate) other cultures.  As slaves they populated the Barbados and other sugar-rich colonies, (hence why you still see black people with stark red hair and freckles there at times) Africa, and India.  Where-ever the British tended to go, not long after they would bring the Irish to be the 'sub-culture' in the area filling the roles such as nurses, butchers, housemaids, bakers, and other support functions.

my two cents worth.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

WOW.

Just....

WOW.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Thanks, Rmullins, for that.  I was thinking actually, how Ireland was forced onto a single-crop agriculture (hence famine when that one crop, not even native to the land, the potato, failed) and how could any actual native cuisine survive?  Though i presume that there were, as there always are, people who sided with the invaders and got advantages and had the money to buy food that most people couldn't get, but then it would have been strongly influenced by british cuisine, i guess. 

You forget, among the invaders, the Vikings, who used Ireland as a supermarket and playground - for slaves, slaughter, rape and silver.   When things got bad back home, they would go a-viking, though not only to ireland.  Britain had managed to keep out much of the Viking invasions for a time, had a viking king for a while, but then were definitively invaded by the Normans, who were --- Vikings who had taken over Normandy and then came in to England speaking french leaving the language completely transformed (hence we say pig and pork, cow and beef, house and mansion - guess what the aristocrats spoke and what the peasants spoke!!

Not meaning any slur on modern-day members of any culture.  Look what the ancient Romans did!  Look at Alexander the great, Napoleon, and all these so-called heroes, who basically were bullies and warlords, under the guise of "civilization".  So can we all be, alas.  I can talk about history, but not current events on this forum so i will say no more.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

but ireland did indeed have a 'cuisine!' Some of it was rough, and ready but if you go back far enough in all cultures you will find that.

Years ago i researched irish food extensively for my thesis, and found that there were detailed descriptions of irish food recorded by travellers to these shores. There are descriptions from the 15th century of 'white meat' goods this was the name given to dairy by the irish. Cheese and a sort of clotted cream is mentioned. Another recounts the impressive array breads and cakes available in the 1600s. And yet another talks of the many taverns and food establishments and the booming trade they were doing in irish towns up until the famine. I have the sources on a disk somewhere i will try find it.

With the famine we lost much of our food culture, recipes and traditions. And what we have left is often a result of the famine soda bread being a prime example of this. But the cheesemakers, smokers,butchers,bakers, publicans were there and they were producing irish food, yes influenced by former invaders and colonisation but what culture hasnt been?

Dont forget too ireland was involved in slave trading especially along the british coast. saint patrick was welsh, snatched by irish slavers and brought to ireland


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

siduri said:


> Thanks, Rmullins, for that. I was thinking actually, how Ireland was forced onto a single-crop agriculture (hence famine when that one crop, not even native to the land, the potato, failed) and how could any actual native cuisine survive? Though i presume that there were, as there always are, people who sided with the invaders and got advantages and had the money to buy food that most people couldn't get, but then it would have been strongly influenced by british cuisine, i guess.
> 
> You forget, among the invaders, the Vikings, who used Ireland as a supermarket and playground - for slaves, slaughter, rape and silver. When things got bad back home, they would go a-viking, though not only to ireland. Britain had managed to keep out much of the Viking invasions for a time, had a viking king for a while, but then were definitively invaded by the Normans, who were --- Vikings who had taken over Normandy and then came in to England speaking french leaving the language completely transformed (hence we say pig and pork, cow and beef, house and mansion - guess what the aristocrats spoke and what the peasants spoke!!
> 
> Not meaning any slur on modern-day members of any culture. Look what the ancient Romans did! Look at Alexander the great, Napoleon, and all these so-called heroes, who basically were bullies and warlords, under the guise of "civilization". So can we all be, alas. I can talk about history, but not current events on this forum so i will say no more.





rmullins said:


> At the risk of stirring up trouble (something I seem to have no problems doing here) being full Irish I can tell you there is no real Irish-centric cuisine. Now, If you want to count the fact that the 'gaels' pretty much owned all of spain, France, etc, etc, then I guess we do have something of a culinary history. Most of what you see as 'Irish' cuisine today is really adaptations of what you see in the United States.
> 
> Of course there are the regulars like Boxty, Colcannon, champ, etc, etc, however most of historic Irish cuisine was nasty, nasty stuff. In my own research I turned up the fact that most of Irish cuisine was whatever could be hauled out of the sea and boiled to hell. Most vegetables in Ireland were introduced there including the potato. In addition birds were sometimes caught and they were slathered with clay and then baked whole in a fire, guts, feathers and all. On the upside, once the bird was done, all you had to do was crack the 'clay pot' and the feathers came off with the clay. Nicely done!
> 
> ...


Well said!


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

So this takes us back to the original question? Is there no hope of recovering Irelands gastronomic heritage? Are we now relegated to inventing Irish cuisine for the current era? 
If so what classifies as "Irish cuisine"? Who decides that? If I serve lamb chops with a Guinness cream sauce is that irish? Do we create dishes in the "spirit" of Ireland? Using only grass fed/finished cow milk for cream and cheeses? Seafood dishes using Ingredients that are common to Irish waters? My goal is to in the not to distant future open a truly authentic "irish" food establishment. But it's been very difficult finding historical Irish fare to prepare. There are a handful of items mentioned like boxty and soda bread, and champ etc. But its the same handful of recipes you get from anyone you ask. I feel like my best bet is to head back to Ireland and go to the Gaeltacht regions and simply work in the bakeries, butcher shops and cheese makers there to learn how to make their goods and bring that back and produce those items here. Very interesting discussion going on here. One I am very interested in! Keep the discussion going


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## rmullins (Jan 13, 2012)

@Cakeface: It would be awesome to see whatever research you turned up. The fact you had a thesis on the topic makes my own research seem quite paltry.  I would love to try to bring some of that cuisine into my home and have tried to inculcate a kind of Irish Heritage in my home with my children.

On a slightly other note, it is true that even the Irish went 'a-slavin' and those were such brutal times I think we try to forget them. And while every culture or land has it's own turn at throwing rocks at the other cultures of the world, I still mourn the historic authenticity of a true Irish Heritage and that one of the brightest days of Irish History was the day JFK was elected to the presidency. That says something about the tyranny imposed upon them for well over 500 years.

Africa still has her music, India still has her trees, but Ireland....poor Roisin Dubh. Tiocfaidh ar La! Sinn fein. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crying.gif


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

I have removed my post content - I should just be content to keep biting my tongue about the direction this thread seems to have taken.


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## linny29 (Oct 9, 2010)

Mmmmm .... soda bread! We would eat it for breakfast and dessert on St. Patty's day (and the next day) as kids. I will have to dig up my (grandmas) recipe and post/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

My best friend's mother made THE greatest soda bread in Scotland!  Mrs Leneghan's Irish breakfasts were legendary amongst our group during our teenage years.  Just the thing to act as a cure-all on Sundays after a good night out on a Saturday.


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## caroline123 (Feb 3, 2013)

Irish Desserts

Homemade Rice Pudding

Apple Crumble 

Apple Tart


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Did i mention i received as a gift the beautiful book

Forgotten Skills by Darita Allen

It's not exactly an irish cookbook, because it has recipes for many other kinds of food, including how to make prosciutto, but it's a beautiful book for finding traditional recipes but maybe even more, the old ways of farming, raising animals, cooking with local products, and doing everything from scratch. 

She's irish and has a cooking school in ireland, and has many recipes from her mummy that are all good indications for anyone looking for real irish cuisine. 

And anyway, like language, cooking changes over time, influenced from abroad change it and not necessarily for the worse.  English got a great boost as a language with the introduction of norman french (where most of our words come from) and italian cooking from the arrival of the tomato, potato, corn and other new world discoveries.  And irish poets are no less linguistically gifted when they write in English

so,  back we go to the nine bean rows in the bee-loud glade and with the golden apples of the sun and the silver apples of the moon, and make ourselves an irish meal (and those are the words of only one irish poet)


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

I've done three courses at Ballymaloe over the years.  I have most of Darina Allen's recipes.  

I also have a couple of books by her daughter in law, who contines the Allen cooking traditions!


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Ishbel said:


> I've done three courses at Ballymaloe over the years. I have most of Darina Allen's recipes.
> 
> I also have a couple of books by her daughter in law, who contines the Allen cooking traditions!


Now why am i not surprised, Ishbel?

It sounds like a wonderful place.

For a moment while looking at her home chicken coops i was half tempted to try on my terrace... but then i remembered what comes out of the chicken besides eggs - they'd run me out of the building!


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## chocolatediva (Dec 4, 2012)

kokopuffs said:


> King Arthur Flour sells some whole wheat flour that's both soft and low in protein that makes a really kick *ss loaf of soda bread.


The February 2013 KAF catalog lists "Irish-Style Wholemeal Flour" along with an Irish Soda Bread recipe. Haven't tried it yet, but think I'll order some and try it out!


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## chocolatediva (Dec 4, 2012)

chefedb said:


> 7 course Irish Banquet a 6 pack of beer and a boiled potato.


Well, being Irish, I'd have to think about this one!! ROFLMAO Hummmmm...nope....don't think so! LOL


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

rmullins said:


> @Cakeface: It would be awesome to see whatever research you turned up. The fact you had a thesis on the topic makes my own research seem quite paltry.  I would love to try to bring some of that cuisine into my home and have tried to inculcate a kind of Irish Heritage in my home with my children.
> 
> On a slightly other note, it is true that even the Irish went 'a-slavin' and those were such brutal times I think we try to forget them. And while every culture or land has it's own turn at throwing rocks at the other cultures of the world, I still mourn the historic authenticity of a true Irish Heritage and that one of the brightest days of Irish History was the day JFK was elected to the presidency. That says something about the tyranny imposed upon them for well over 500 years.
> 
> Africa still has her music, India still has her trees, but Ireland....poor Roisin Dubh. Tiocfaidh ar La! Sinn fein. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crying.gif


Are ya still around rmullins? sorry I never replied to your post - almost a year ago now, I moved house and had sporadic internet connection (thats Ireland's rural infastructure for ya!)

Was thinking about your post since and I don't really agree, Ireland's culture is still alive and well and we still have our music and language - English and Irish is compulsory in school and schooling can be all in Irish or all in English depending on the school. OF the 4 tv stations here, one is in Irish only, and two others offer programs in both languages. There are also Irish language radio stations. I suppose its general apathy that makes Irish a secondary language outside the gealtachts (Irish Speaking Regions)

And I wouldn't be a sinn fein supporter myself (more of a mé féiner!) and as or _tiocfaidh ár lá - _well the Republic's government has messed up big time and it seems that most people in the North will vote to remain part of Britain in the upcoming vote for independance-and I would'nt blame them to be honest!



Basically, what I 'm saying is that Ireland is a beautiful country and it still has its own great culture and language and music, and there is great food produced here but if there is any decline then we would only have ourselves and not our history to blame. Those of us outside the Gealtachts could make a greater effort in speaking Irish, people could give more support to their artisan food producers - but I don't think these problems exists just here - apathy is worldwide and probably accentuated by the modern lifestyle. There is my tirade over!


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Interesting History lesson. Since I know little about Irish cuisine. Thank You


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Welcome back cakeface


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Thanks Siduri, I missed Cheftalk!


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## wyandotte (May 24, 2011)

There may or may not be economic/historical reasons, but the Irish diet doesn't seem to have a "fresh and light" component at all. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif Might I be incorrect, though?


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

There are some wonderfully light dishes in the Irish culture. Apple snow for instance. Some of the seafood dishes as well like sole with cider sauce. These are examples of lighter Irish fare but your definition of lighter and mine may differ


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## chocolatediva (Dec 4, 2012)

X86BSD said:


> There are some wonderfully light dishes in the Irish culture. Apple snow for instance. Some of the seafood dishes as well like sole with cider sauce. These are examples of lighter Irish fare but your definition of lighter and mine may differ


Oooooooo...do you have a recipe for the Apple Snow?? I would LOVE to try that one!


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

ChocolateDiva said:


> Oooooooo...do you have a recipe for the Apple Snow?? I would LOVE to try that one!


Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs apples
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg whites
optional toppings
whipped cream (optional)
brown sugar (optional) or crumbled vanilla wafer cookies (optional)
Directions
Peel and core apples.
Slice into a saucepan.
Add water and lemon juice.
Cook covered on low heat for about 15 minutes until apples are soft.
Put apples and sugar in a blender and mix into a puree.
Set aside until mixture is cool.
Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff, and fold them into the apple mixture.
Divide into serving bowls and allow to chill in refrigerator.
Before serving, top with whipped cream and either brown sugar or crumbled vanilla wafer cookies (or both!).

I didn't have my cookbook in front of me but this is from food.com and is almost identical. It's basically apples cooked down until very soft with some sugar, a splash of lemon juice and puréed and then egg whites folded in to lighten it up, makes it look like "snow"  really easy to make, and can be churched up easily. Maybe crumble your favorite biscuit on top or whatever you like.


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

Wyandotte said:


> There may or may not be economic/historical reasons, but the Irish diet doesn't seem to have a "fresh and light" component at all. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif Might I be incorrect, though?


Well being an island there is always plenty of great, quality seafood available, and that is often kept fresh and light. We don't have much of a Summer in Ireland so I suppose alot of the food would be traditionally classed as ' heavy'.

There is a programme on telly at the moment called Ó Cuisine, and it features Irish chefs cooking three courses, these are chefs with their own restaurants but not celeb chefs, so you get an idea of the kind of food served up in some restaurants here.

If anyone interested, the wed site is http://www.tg4.ie/ie/tg4-player/tg4-player.html?id=2099079596001&title=Ó Cuisine

with English subtitles, but the player may not be available outside ireland. Only one programme of it is on youtube, but this version has no English subtitles.


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## chocolatediva (Dec 4, 2012)

X86BSD said:


> Ingredients
> 1 1/2 lbs apples
> 3 tablespoons water
> 1 teaspoon lemon juice
> ...


Sounds great! Think I'll make this one today...and color it red or pink for Valentine's Day! (and a green one for St. Patty's Day!)


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

MyMum used to make apple snow regularly when we were children and I still make it occasionally.  Mum always said it was an English pudding, but frankly, the various parts of the UK and Eire are a fairly small geographic area!


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## caroline123 (Feb 3, 2013)

I'm from Ireland heard of Apple snow but never made it apple desserts are very popular .u couldn't beat bacon cabbage floury potatoes and good butter that to me is a good Irish meal .


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

Caroline, my understanding is that co. Armagh is where the good apples are to be had. It's what Armagh is known for among other things. I have several apple cakes and desserts n my cookbooks most of which are from co. Armagh. I'd love to get your collection of traditional food recipes you ate growing up


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

Interesting. I've never heard of it referred to as a pudding. English or otherwise. But it's not like I hang with a lot of Irish nationals here in kansas in the states. You learn something new every day!


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## sergeantpepper (Jan 22, 2013)

So I was too impatient to read all of these posts, but I couldn't believe fish and chips wasn't mentioned right off the bat?!

I'm half Irish, second gen. I've found the stereotypes to be true- enough booze by dinner (or lunch for that matter), the cuisine is not so cherished. I say this half jokingly of course, as there is plenty of good Irish food: 

Corned beef and cabbage
Irish soda bread
Things with bacon and sausage
Stews, fish, cabbage, kale
Plenty of dairy (great cheeses)
Beer 
Whiskey
Barley, grains
Breads and cakes aplenty 

Was shooting the shit with a guy from Dublin, I asked him what he missed from home that we don't have here in the states.
"I tell ya bloke, a good fokin potato!"


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

X86BSD said:


> Interesting. I've never heard of it referred to as a pudding. English or otherwise. But it's not like I hang with a lot of Irish nationals here in kansas in the states. You learn something new every day!


"Pudding" simply means desert in uk and i imagine also ireland - probably in some of the other english-speaking countries in the world too.

As in

Q. "what are you having for pudding?"

A. "chocolate cake"

A. "apple pie"

A. "Ice cream" etc

What americans call "pudding" is called - hmm, i think "custard" if it has eggs, and blancmange if it doesn't - but correct me if i'm wrong


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## wyandotte (May 24, 2011)

Thanks to all of you for your information on lighter Irish food.  The apple snow sounds very nice indeed.  I love apple anything!


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## cakeface (Mar 20, 2010)

[h2] [/h2][h2] [/h2]
Interesting programme on Irish food on http://www.tg4.ie/ie/tg4-player.html (Bia Dúchais-Native Food)

Type in Bia Dúchais into search box on top right-hand corner
[h2] [/h2][h2] [/h2]


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

A 6 pack and a boiled potato   = 7 course Irish dinner( In my old neighborhood)


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## wyandotte (May 24, 2011)

ED BUCHANAN said:


> A 6 pack and a boiled potato = 7 course Irish dinner( In my old neighborhood)


Ha ha ha!


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## olmoelisa (Sep 11, 2011)

First time I went to Ireland, I was a  student with a backpack, good legs and few money.

I survived with soups and soda bread in the pubs.

Then, one of the last evening, I spent quite all my money in an Indian restaurant in Galway.

It was the first time I ever eat Indian cuisine and it was love at first sight.

For me, Irish cuisine is soda bread dipped in a hot curry.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

olmoelisa said:


> For me, Irish cuisine is soda bread dipped in a hot curry.


While I make lots of soda bread and curry, I would never have imagined dipping the former into the latter, at least not when I have chapati and naan at hand! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif


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## jessicaskyler83 (May 7, 2013)

I was reading on an Irish forum and saw fish pie mentioned a few times. I believe chef Ramsey had a recipe they were all impressed with. I joined that forum specifically for food ideas lol. I like to hear what the people are cooking at home on regular days,what they feed their kids etc.


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## damon otan (Feb 25, 2013)

beef and guiness pie?

1kg beef

1 lg onion

2 carrot

2 garli clove

1 tsp of cloves

2 pint of guiness

pastry sheet

an egg

sear the beef onion garlic and carrot  add cloves lower heat

add guiness and slow cook for about half hour till thickens

place in oven proof dish and cover with pastry and use egg to glaze pastry


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## olmoelisa (Sep 11, 2011)

kokopuffs said:


> While I make lots of soda bread and curry, I would never have imagined dipping the former into the latter, at least not when I have chapati and naan at hand! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif


You don't remember how hungry you can be at 20 years old, after a day of walking.

I clearly remember we took out our leftover from the restaurant, only curry, naan was finished.

We ate the cold curry with stale soda bread during the night in our B&B.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

olmoelisa said:


> You don't remember how hungry you can be at 20 years old, after a day of walking.
> 
> I clearly remember we took out our leftover from the restaurant, only curry, naan was finished.
> 
> We ate the cold curry with stale soda bread during the night in our B&B.


We all do what we can in order to survive!


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## ifortuna (Jun 29, 2013)

!


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

IFortuna said:


> I am Scot/Irish Spanish so I feel obliged to make this statement so there is no stereotype cast here.


Seriously... I reckon you did a pretty good job of that yourself

Cant really see me following a recipe from a seriously drunk anyone.

Failte


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Traditional Irish Stew is made with lamb, and potatoes. Not beef, beef was always in short supply.


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

chefedb said:


> Traditional Irish Stew is made with lamb, and potatoes. Not beef, beef was always in short supply.


True. But even then it was only for them-as had, 'cos most of the population hadn't and they survived on just the spuds and we all know where that ended eh?


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

bughut said:


> Seriously... I reckon you did a pretty good job of that yourself
> 
> Cant really see me following a recipe from a seriously drunk anyone.
> 
> Failte


That's a bit harsh, bug.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

IFortuna said:


> Hey no problem I have unsubscribed from this forum and this thread. Goodbye and thanks for the warm reception. As I was new, I expected a little more consideration.
> 
> My fault for foolishly putting anything on this site.


Please stay as you add insight to some culture and I know it's tough.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

IFortuna said:


> Hey no problem I have unsubscribed from this forum and this thread. Goodbye and thanks for the warm reception. As I was new, I expected a little more consideration.
> 
> My fault for foolishly putting anything on this site.


Please stay.


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

My apologies to IFortuna and Chef talk . No offence was meant.


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## rkeville (Apr 28, 2013)

I'm first generation and my family has a cottage  in a small town outside of Galway.  I've never seen a grill or corned beef in our town.  The closest thing to corned beef and cabbage is slab bacon and cabbage. 

When we go out to dinner, No matter what we order, there are at least three different potato dishes on the table.  Hate to say it but my favorite food in the world (and I've traveled a lot) is a boiled rooster potato IN IRELAND smothered in Kerry Gold butter.  There are no potatoes anywhere else that come close.

My mom makes the best Soda Bread and my dad's 92 year old cousin makes the best brown bread.  I don't think I've ever entered a house in Ireland where the kettle wasn't on for tea before the door shut and the bread or a plate of biscuits was put out.

Salmon is big and lamb is also.  Braised lamb shanks are popular.

The favorite breakfast is the "fry".  Fried eggs, toast, home fries, rashers, Irish breakfast sausage and blood pudding (both black and white).

If you get a chance to go to Ireland, do some of the touristy things but make sure to visit a real Irish pub in a small country town and talk with the locals.


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

I'm with you on the Roosters and Kerrygold butter. We can buy roosters in most supermarkets here in Scotland, I like them for baking, you get a lovely crunchy skin. I wish Kerrygold was as easy to find. It's my favourite commercially made butter.


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

rkeville said:


> I'm first generation and my family has a cottage in a small town outside of Galway. I've never seen a grill or corned beef in our town. The closest thing to corned beef and cabbage is slab bacon and cabbage.
> 
> When we go out to dinner, No matter what we order, there are at least three different potato dishes on the table. Hate to say it but my favorite food in the world (and I've traveled a lot) is a boiled rooster potato IN IRELAND smothered in Kerry Gold butter. There are no potatoes anywhere else that come close.
> 
> ...


I would kill for a good white pudding recipe. They are not easy to find. The one I have assumes you have an entire pig to use. A more modern one anyone wishes to share would be very appreciated


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## wyandotte (May 24, 2011)

Lamb? How can anyone kill a baby animal, esp. a mammal? Those of you who eat lamb flesh, have you ever seen baby lambs? They gambol about happily. Then the next thing you know they are being led into a disgusting place of slaughter and being pole axed between the eyes. Yes, I don't eat meat./img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif It is shameful to raise a baby for the sole purpose of killing it. Ugh.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Wyandotte said:


> Lamb? How can anyone kill a baby animal, esp. a mammal? Those of you who eat lamb flesh, have you ever seen baby lambs? They gambol about happily. Then the next thing you know they are being led into a disgusting place of slaughter and being pole axed between the eyes. Yes, I don't eat meat./img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif It is shameful to raise a baby for the sole purpose of killing it. Ugh.


You can't understand and relate to other people's philosophies, but I imagine you expect them to understand and relate to yours.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

X86BSD said:


> I would kill for a good white pudding recipe. They are not easy to find. The one I have assumes you have an entire pig to use. A more modern one anyone wishes to share would be very appreciated /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


There are Boudin Blanc recipes aka White Puddings in Jane Grigson's book entitled *CHARCUTERIE AND FRENCH PORK COOKERY*, reprinted in 2003 with *ISBN 978 1 902304 88 5*. And living in America and with nothing else to compare to, I've used her recipes since the late 70's. Get the british (hard cover) and not the american (soft cover) version or the book which, ultimately, could have been better organized in terms of its recipes.


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## x86bsd (Dec 9, 2011)

kokopuffs said:


> There are Boudin Blanc recipes aka White Puddings in Jane Grigson's book entitled *CHARCUTERIE AND FRENCH PORK COOKERY*, reprinted in 2003 with *ISBN 978 1 902304 88 5*. And living in America and with nothing else to compare to, I've used her recipes since the late 70's. Get the british (hard cover) and not the american (soft cover) version or the book which, ultimately, could have been better organized in terms of its recipes.


Thanks for the lead!! I'll order that and try it out. Thanks so much!


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## suki1964 (Jul 16, 2013)

There was a tv programme here last year. 10 top fav meals in Northern Ireland. I can't remember then all but it would be steak at the top of the list. Cod and chips, Irish stew( made with beef up here on the NW as no one here will. Touch lamb) and chicken were up there Champ is a huge favourite, add cheese and its a meal on its own. An Ulster fry is eaten morning noon and night. Very high carb with soda bread, pancakes and potato bread all fried 

Vegetables are rarely eaten. They say here a roast with five veg is beef, Mash, roasties, garlic fries,chips and champ. 

We even have plates returned because we have added a wee garnish of lettuce etc

There are artisan shops, bakeries and restaurants but mostly in the cities. Rural people tend to like huge portions of beef or chicken with a lot of potato however it's cooked

Up here in the NW of Northern Ireland, being a veggie is hard work


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## christina71 (Jun 27, 2013)

I found this lovely recipe the other day and it turned out really well, not quite like in the photo on the website where I found it but we can't always get what we want. Anyway potato bread is pretty Irish!

http://www.gourmandize.co.uk/recipe-46584-potato-bread.htm


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## wyandotte (May 24, 2011)

cheflayne said:


> You can't understand and relate to other people's philosophies, but I imagine you expect them to understand and relate to yours.


Nope. I expect nothing of the sort. In any case, Cheflayne, I've been duly spanked and warned by the person in charge here to not insult choices of others and I will obey.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

X86BSD said:


> Thanks for the lead!! I'll order that and try it out. Thanks so much!


Didja' get the book, yet, X86?


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

christina71 said:


> I found this lovely recipe the other day and it turned out really well, not quite like in the photo on the website where I found it but we can't always get what we want. Anyway potato bread is pretty Irish!
> 
> http://www.gourmandize.co.uk/recipe-46584-potato-bread.htm


In the recipe are *"4 dl flour"* approx 400 cubic centimeters? Approx 1.5Cups amerikano?


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

kokopuffs said:


> In the recipe are *"4 dl flour"* approx 400 cubic centimeters? Approx 1.5Cups amerikano?


1 cup = 2.365 dL

Therefore 4 dL = 1.69 cups, say 1 11/16 cups or a scant 1 3/4 cups.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

PeteMcCracken said:


> 1 cup = 2.365 dL
> 
> Therefore 4 dL = 1.69 cups, say 1 11/16 cups or a scant 1 3/4 cups.


thanks!


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

That recipe looks like a flatbread.


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## suki1964 (Jul 16, 2013)

Nothing at all like flat bread. Here we don't cook them in the over the are cooked on a griddle or dry fry pan. When needed we cook them either in the pan to soak up bacon fat. Or on the grill with with a drop of oil.

They are served crispy outside but soft and fluffy inside

As a child we would often have these for supper, fried in butter or along with bacon if we had some


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Sort of like our tattie scones, although TS don't have eggs and are cooked on a girdle (griddle) or in a frying pan.


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## chefnickgunn (Jul 3, 2013)

I don't understand why most people are not anwsering the question, and why it has become a somewhat of a joke?! Yes Ireland in years past has not been known for great food cooking. But they are great farmers, and they are some of the best at farmering, and using what they have to survive.I am and Executive Chef and C.O.O. of a young and fast growning company in the midwest, and our flagship location is a very successul Irish Pub. So I do have many Irish recipes for kmat6. It all depends on what area of the menu you are looking for.Some classics:Shep PieFishermans PieCottage PieBangers & MashFish & ChipsChampSteamed MackeralGuinness StewSausage and Potato stewSpiced Beef Sandwichkmat6 fee free to email me if you are interested in some recipes.I do have to be honest there are times in poke fun at Irish food too. I do tell people that if I cooked true Irish food people in my town won't eat it. But there are some really good traditional recipes and some so so ones. But once you make a recipe a few times and taste and understand what it is trying to do then you can change, but not until you studied it. A recipe is just a road map it is up to you on how to get there.


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## subchef (Jul 16, 2013)

Jameson on the rocks!


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## donaldosborne78 (Jul 15, 2013)

DC Sunshine said:


> Boxty is one that (I think) has not been mentioned. Potato based dish, you can Wiki or Google it.
> 
> Went looking for Irish Desserts, came up with this site:
> 
> ...


Thanks - it was useful.


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## wyandotte (May 24, 2011)

Was just looking thru my recipe drawer with its thousands of little pieces of paper and lo & behold, what do I find but this, which I'd forgotten about. I changed the bacon to fake bacon bits, used vegetable oil or butter, and enjoyed eating this, as *rutabaga* is one of my fave vegetables.

http://southernirish.com/?p=166

And I just found this in my recipe drawer, because I wanted to make* swiss chard soup* due to having too much in the garden. Seems to be an Irish recipe, too, as it was published in a newspaper as a St. Patrick's Day food.* S**wiss Chard and Potato Soup*

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/recipes/swiss-chard-and-potato-soup/article647798/


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