Irish Stew (my version)

As I was away on holiday on St David’s Day I thought I’d share a recipe with you to celebrate my Celtic cousins’ Patron Saint’s day instead – St Patrick’s Day. 

Traditionally Irish Stew contains pearl barley, but I prefer it without so this is my own particular version.  Actually, the purists in Ireland don’t use barley either and the version I had when we were in Ireland (County Mayo) contained only lamb, onion and potato.  I like to add carrot to my version and I’ve given it a little Welsh twist by using leek instead of onion but you could use onion if leek isn’t easily obtainable. 

For two to three people : 

2 lamb leg steaks

1 large or two small leeks

2 medium carrots

2 medium potatoes

1 small sprig of rosemary

1 bayleaf

1tb flour

2 pints of lamb stock

1tb olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste 

Firstly cut the leg steaks into large pieces and fry in the olive oil to brown on all sides.  Remove to a plate as they are browned. 

Slice the leek/s lengthways and rinse well under running water, then cut into slices approximately ½ an inch thick.  Peel the carrots and cut into fairly big pieces and do the same with the potatoes. 

Add a little more oil to the pan if needed, and gently sweat the leek and carrot for 10 minutes.  Return the lamb to the pan and add the tablespoon of flour, stirring well to absorb any juices in the pan.  Slowly add the lamb stock, stirring well to eliminate the risk of lumps forming.  Add the potatoes then season with salt and pepper and add the chopped rosemary and the bayleaf.  Cover and cook on a very low simmer for two hours, or pop it into the oven to cook at 150^oC for two hours. 

(150^oC = 300^oF = gas mark 2)

Sausages braised in red wine with Colcannon mash

Bangers and mash is a really classic British dish, and as a treat for my hubby, and to make it a bit special since it’s Saturday I decided to braise them in red wine.   

Colcannon mash is a traditional Irish potato dish, very simple when you know how, but so delicious that I knew I’d want to share the recipe with my friends across the pond! 

For two people you need : 

6 good meaty sausages (Cumberland are my favourite)

2 rashers of bacon

6 or 8 small shallots

6 or 8 small mushrooms

1 clove of garlic

½ tb flour

1tb olive oil

½ bottle of red wine

2 bayleaves

1 sprig of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Colcannon : 

2 big potatoes

1small leek

½ a cabbage (I like savoy cabbage or spring greens best)

2tsp butter 

Firstly brown the sausages all over and set aside. 

Dice the bacon and brown in a little olive oil and then set aside with the sausages. 

Toss the shallots around in the olive oil and sauté until they are golden, adding the chopped garlic for the last few minutes.  (It isn’t necessary to use shallots, I just had some here that I wanted to use up.  You can peel and slice or dice a large onion instead.) 

Return the bacon to the shallots in the pan and add the flour, stirring to scrape up any sticky bits on the bottom of the pan.  Gradually add the red wine, stirring well to eliminate any lumps. 

Add the sausages, mushrooms and herbs to the pan and season to taste.  Pop a lid on the pan and cook in a medium oven (150^oC) for two and a half hours.  Check on it from time to time, you want to have a nice gravy with the sausages so if it starts to look at all dry add a little beef stock (or boiling water to which you have added a little Worcestershire sauce) to thin it out a little. 

For the potatoes, peel and cut into smallish chunks and boil.  Shred the cabbage and steam over the potatoes until cooked through.   

Cut the leek in half lengthways and rinse well, then shred and sauté in 1tsp butter, adding the cabbage once it has been steamed. 

When the potatoes are cooked, mash them with the other tsp of butter, then add the cabbage and leek mixture and mix well together with a wooden spoon.