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and ignore my ramblings This food page is dedicated to traditional working class foods that I had the pleasure of living on as a young man in Dublin. I used to believe that food had to be either boiled to a pulp, stewed or covered in grease. It was only when I came to Australia that I was able to eat vegetables that had a crunch to them (I still prefer my veggies boiled to a pulp). Food was easy to prepare then, pop it in the pan and forget it. A dinner was not a dinner without a potato on the plate. I remember when Spaghetti Bolognaise was introduced to my home; my father had to have potatoes instead of spaghetti. Today Irish cooking is becoming as famous as French cooking, thanks to the likes of Mary Kinsella for her book "An Irish Farmhouse Cookbook"; Keith Floyd for "Floyd on Britain & Ireland" and numerous magazines like Family Circle's "Step by Step Irish Cooking. As I said previously this is a page of working class foods, you will find no Lobster of Pheasant recipes on this page. Billy Connolly tells a story of how he was reading a Scottish cook book and he came across a recipe for left over pheasant, but as Billy said most people in Glasgow had never even seen a pheasant let alone had some left over. Some of the entries on this page are memories of what I ate as a child. If you have any simple foods that you would like entered on this page please E-mail me @ kirwilli@bigpond.net.au |
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Quantities have not been given for some recipes, use your imagination |
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kirwilli@westnet.com.au |
Ingredients 1kg potatoes3 onions 6 cups of half milk and water Chives or parsley Rashers (streaky) Salt and pepper 1 cup light cream. Cooking Chop all above into chunks, except milk and cream. Put chunks and milk into a large pot, cover and simmer gently until it goes to a pulp. Put pulp in a blender and puree, add cream. Reheat; place parsley or chives on top. Fried crispy bacon is added to the top on serving. Other methods see cook books |
A traditional meal from the northern counties of Ireland often served on Halloween. Ingredients 1/2 kg raw potatoes 4 cups of flour Salt & pepper 1/2 cup cooked mashed potatoes1/4 cup of melted butter or bacon fat. Cooking Peel raw potatoes and grate into a cloth. Squeeze and catch liquid in a bowel. Mix the grated potatoes with the mashed potatoes. When the starch has gone to the bottom of the potato liquid pour of water and put starch on potatoes. Mix well sieve in flour, salt and pepper. Add melted butter or fat. Knead on a floured board. Shape into cakes. Cook on a greased baking sheet in a moderate oven. |
A favourite of mine, my cooking method is the method my Mother used, the cook book way takes too long and doesn't taste as good. Ingredients Ham or bacon slices as suit you Onions as required Chopped parsley Potatoes Salt and pepper Pork sausages CookingCut ham or bacon into small pieces Cut potatoes into quarters Cut onions into quarters or leave whole Put all ingredients into large boiler. Cover with water Simmer until it becomes soupy |
It was not until I left Ireland that I realised that there was a real dish called Irish Stew. We just called it stew and for better of for worse it was a dish that could change in contents from one preparation to another. Anyhow here is one of the recipes. Ps it can be cooked like the Coddle above and it will still taste great. Ingredients Best end neck chops no fat, bone or gristle (Mutton) Potatoes Onions Parsley & thyme mixes Salt & Pepper Cooking Cut meat into medium pieces Peel and slice potatoes Peel and slice onions Layer of potatoes in pan add herbs, salt and pepper Layer of Meat Layer of Onions Repeat as long as ingredients last Cover with water Cover with foil then lid Simmer as long as you like or until every thing is cooked.
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Ingredients 2 Cups of self-raising flour 1 1/2 cups of mashed potato1/4 cup of milk 2 heaped tablespoons of butter or fat Salt Cooking Mix butter or fat into flour Add salt to taste Mix in mashed potato and milk to make a soft dough Roll out on a floured table Cut into cakes Bake in hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Eat hot with butter |
| Take one garden-variety rabbit (free from whatever virus they are
using now to kill them) pop it in a pot with veggies and hey presto Rabbit Stew.
Ingredients
1 rabbit 2oz Butter or marge A couple of onions A few mushrooms A bunch of carrots Parsley and Thyme 1/2 litre stock CookingCut rabbit into manageable pieces Fry rabbit in pan using butter or marge for a couple of minutes Place remaining ingredients in a large saucepan (hold the mushrooms) Add stock Add Rabbit Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours When cooked add the mushrooms |
Just thinking about this dish makes my mouth water. Maybe it's because my Mother only made it at Halloween. I suppose its like only having turkey at Christmas, something to look forward to. Anyhow you are supposed to place money or a ring in the prepared dish. Each item represented, wealth or marriage. My Mother only put money in the dish. Six pennies so all the kids got something, no fighting, clever Mother. This dish is supposed to be made using kale but cabbage will do nicely. Kale was once called borecole, the word kale was bestowed by the Scots who are the champion kale consumers. IngredientsKale or cabbage to suit Potatoes Scallions (shallots) Milk Plenty of butter Salt & pepper Cooking Chop up the kale or cabbage Cook kale or cabbage Cook potatoes Drain potatoes season and mash them up well Chop up the scallions or shallots and add to mash Add the kale to mash Add the milk to mash Finally melt plenty of butter and add to the mash Place the mix in a serving dish
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Hollywood loved this dish. All the priests in their pictures, who were usually Irish loved this dish, I think it even got a mention by John Wayne in the "Quiet Man". Anyhow a real favourite when I was a lad. IngredientsCorned Beef Sliced carrots Cabbage Onions Cloves Parsley and thyme Salt & pepper CookingPlace all the ingredients in a saucepan (hold the cabbage) Cover with water and bring to the boil Cover and simmer for three-quarters of an hour Cut cabbage up into manageable lumps Place in pan with the other ingredients Cook for a further 45 minutes Serve with the ever-present plate of spuds. |
A simple but tasty way to use up your old bread and grease. This is my idea of how fried bread should be made. A word of warning though, it may be detrimental to your health if you attempt this recipe. Ingredients Old or fresh bread Left over grease from rashers, sausages, kidney, liver etc Cooking Melt the grease in a solid bottomed pan Dip each slice of bread into the grease and allow it to soak up the grease. Place each slice of bread on a plate Turn up the heat on the pan Place each grease soaked slice back in the pan until golden brown Garnish with salt Pour a cup of tea and enjoy each unhealthy slice. |
Well I think that we used to call this dish goody, if I am wrong please let men know. It was also a good way of getting rid of old bread and probably shutting up kids who were looking for more to eat. IngredientsOld bread Milk Sugar CookingBreak up the bread into small pieces and place in saucepan Add milk and mix until the contents are mushy Add sugar to taste Boil contents Eat from pot at a temperature to your liking
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| Also known as Pigs trotters or pigs feet. A
great dish after or with a feed of
Guinness. Before
I give the recipe a story. Many years ago one of the hotels down in the Rocks, a well know
part of Sydney decided to cash in on St Pat's day. They served Guinness in plastic
glasses, with collars like turn downs on football socks, Irish stew and cruibins. The stew
was reasonable, the Guinness drinkable after 3 or 4, but as for the cruibins. They had
decide to roast them and tough is not the word. To day they serve a nice Guinness but not
a trotter to be seen.
Ingredients Pickled pork pigs trotters Carrots Onions Parsley and thyme Salt and pepper Cooking Place the lot in a pot Bring to the boil Simmer for 2 hours Eat the hot or cold Supply guests with plenty of paper towels or bibs |
Described by some an offal dish, but beautiful to eat. Ingredients Hearts Margarine or butter Onions Breadcrumbs Eggs Herbs Salt & pepper Cooking Chop the onions and fry lightly in some butter or marg Added the chopped up apple Make the stuffing and add the fried onions and apple Add salt and pepper to taste Mix in eggs Wash and dry heart Cut heart open fill with stuffing Put in a baking dish and brush with cooking oil Baste as you would a chicken Cook until tender |
Now this is a dish that I have never been able to stomach, but some of you out there may have a stronger constitution. Before eating this dish, massage and exercise your jaws. Ingredients Tripe Onions Milk Salt and pepper Cooking Cut tripe in to small pieces Slice onions Place tripe and onions in a pot cover with milk Add plenty of salt and pepper Simmer for 2 to 3 hours Serve and chew like hell. |
I must admit I have only tasted this dish once. It was a few years ago when we had a St Pat's party and all the food was Irish based. To tell the truth I prefer my Guinness in a glass. I suggest that you use bottled Guinness for the cooking and have a can, the ones with the widget for drinking, whilst your cooking. Ingredients Stewing steak Onions Carrots Soaked Prunes (soak in Guinness) Parsley Water Good drop of Guinness Salt and pepper Cooking Cut meat into serving pieces Chop carrots and onions Add all to a pot Cook until all ingredients are tender Add prunes just before serving Set a roster for the toilet for the next morning. |
A favourite of mine when served hot and covered in butter. Left overs that go a bit stale are beautiful if fried or toasted. Ingredients 500 g Flour 1/2 teaspoon breadsoda 275 ml buttermilk Pinch of salt Cooking Flour a baking tin Sieve flour, salt and breadsoda into bowl Add 200 ml of buttermilk Mix to a loose dough Add remaining buttermilk if necessary Knead on board until smooth Shape dough into a circular shape, mark a cross on the top Place on floured tin Bake for 40 to 45 mins at 200° C. |
Ingredients Lotsa strong tea (two pints at least with two + teabags soaked for 5 minutes if the teapot is empty) 1 kg mixed dried fruit 1 cup brown sugar 3 eggs, lightly beaten enough white self raising flour 3 or 4 tsp. mixed spice and or cinnamon Preheat oven (middle shelf gas) at 350 degrees. Use 3 pound loaf tins. Put fruit, sugar and mixed spice in large bowl, pour tea over. and go to bed. Next mornin' add beaten egg and mix in with large fork. Fold in flour until it looks right (Julia will know). Place in 3 greased tins (no point in making only one cake) Cooking Bake for 1 1/2 hours approximately. Leave for 10 minutes in tin after cooking, turn out. Eat one and freeze two. Keeps for ages. Lovely spread with butter or marmalade. An Irish Fruit Cake 1 cup of butter Method: Sample the whiskey and check for quality. Take a large bowl.Check the whiskey again to be sure it is of the very highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in large fluffy bowl. Add one spoon of sugar and beat again. Make sure whiskey is still OK. Have 'another sup. Turn off mixer. Break two eggs and add to bowl. Chuck in cup of dried fruit. Take out cup. Mix on the turner. Sample whiskey again to check for consistency. Next, sift two cups of salt, sugar or something, who cares? Check whiskey. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one tablespoon of brown, white, black sugar, or whatever colour you can find. Wix mel. Grease the oven. Turn the cake pan to 350 gredees. Slide into oven. Get out of oven. Do not forget to beat off the turner. Throw bowl out of window, check last of whiskey and go to bed. Thanks to Kevin Gilmore for this gem
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How they got the name:
Leave the lid OFF of the pot so the liquid in the potatoes will cook down to form a little sauce with the potatoes. Place on a medium fire and let cook until you can insert a fork into a potato chunks. Some of the potatoes will cook down to make a light potato sauce. Serve hot. Outstanding. After eating some you will understand why uncle Dan love
them so much. Thanks to Cy Gilson for this little bit of history
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| Irish Stew from Buenos Aires |
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Cut the meat
of leg of mutton into chunks.
Put the bacons into a frying pan. Let the grease down, and remove the bacon, reserve, then fry the meat into the grease. Prepare a soup with the bones and grease of the lamb.
Cut the
onions and carrots into small pieces.
Cut the bacon in fine pieces too.
Put the half
of meat and bacons with pepper, salt and thyme then all the vegetables and
other part of meat, add the the strain soup and steam, simer for 20
minutes and then add the potatoes
Thanks to
Alicia Devoto
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Ingredients:
1 quarter pint of pig's blood
8 oz. bread cut into cubes
1 quarter pint of skimmed milk
1 lb. cooked barley
1 lb.fresh beef suet
8 oz. of fine oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsps. ground black pepper
2 tsp. dried mint
Directions:
Put the bread cubes to soak in the milk in a warm oven. Do not heat the
milk beyond blood temperature. Have the pig's blood ready in a large
bowl, and pour the warm milk and bread into it. Stir in the cooked
barley. Grate the beef suet into the mixture and stir it up with the
oatmeal. Season with salt & pepper & mint.
Have ready 2 or 3 large roasting pans.
Divide the mixture between them...they should not be more than 3/4 full.
Bake in a moderate oven (350F) for about an hour, or until the pudding is
well cooked through.
This makes a beautifully light pudding which will keep well in the fridge
or freezer.
Cut into squares and fry in bacon fat or butter until heated through and
the outside is crisp.
Serves 6....it is normally fried and an essential part of a traditional
Irish Breakfast.
Or...for supper, with fried apple and mashed potatoes.
WHITE PUDDING
This is a variety made using minced liver instead (my favourite)
Thanks to Lynn...Queensland
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Last Updated 19-Apr-09