A real Irish stew

By Tim McTague and Ann Katzenbach

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in this country and abroad, wherever Irish folk live. It’s a happy holiday, signified by green clothing, green beer, parades, and corned beef. Almost none of these modern activities or menu items have much to do with Saint Patrick, or even Ireland, but historic correctness would spoil the fun.

Steamed, boiled, mashed, or brined –it’s all delicious when you make it right!

Tim McTague, who has lived under a toadstool in Little Compton for many years, has Irish blood that comes here by way of Ontario, Canada, where his Irish ancestors emigrated in 1827.

Tim, a chef, poet, musician, mimic, comedian, carpenter, welder, and artist, has studied his native culture and declares that corned beef is a fictitious Irish dish and that Irish stew served with the potato dish called colcannon is a far better example of what the Irish would cook for a celebration.

Irish stew is made with lamb, an easier meat to get hold of than a steer or cow. It also incorporates Guinness stout, an Irish staple. Tim has his own version of this winter stew that he refined for you so you can have a real Irish meal on Saint Paddy’s day. Serve it with Irish soda bread and perhaps a leprechaun will stop in for supper.

Authentic Irish Soda Bread

Nothing fancy here, but you can add raisins if you’re feeling expansive. Best eaten hot from the oven.

n 3½ cups all-purpose flour

n ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

n ¾ teaspoon baking soda

n 1½ cups buttermilk (buttermilk reacts

with the baking soda to provide the bread’s leavening and adds a wonderful flavor)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Use your hand or a large spoon to mix the flour into the milk and make a soft dough that will be a little sticky.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Wash your hands if you used them. Knead the dough lightly for a few seconds, then pat the dough into a round (about 1.5” thick). Place it on a buttered baking sheet and using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center reaching all the way to the sides. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 and continue to bake until the top is golden brown – about 30 more minutes.

Four ample servings

n 3 lbs. bone-in lamb shoulder chops

n 1 lb.each, carrots, parsnips – cut into

large chunks

n 1 large onion diced

n 1 leek rinsed and the white part cut into

small slices

n 1 piece of bacon

n 1 Tbs. each, mustard, tomato paste

n 2 Tbs. flour

n 4 sprigs thyme

n 2 bay leaves

n 1 bottle or can of Guinness Extra

Stout

n Salt and pepper

n Parsley and scallions for garnish

*Cooking this stew with the lamb bones adds great flavor and after long slow cooking, the meat falls right away from the bones.

Cut lamb from bones, and cut into large chunks (about 2”). In a large pan, fry the bacon some of the lamb fat. Brown the bones and bacon and fat well and remove to a large bowl.

Salt and pepper the lamb chunks well and brown them in the fat. Note: it’s important to sear them well, so don’t crowd the pan. Remove the seared lamb to the bowl with the bones and bacon. Add the onions and leeks into the hot fat and stir to pick up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

After 3 minutes, add the flour and stir it into the onion/fat for another 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook that in for 2 minutes. Boost the heat to high, add the mustard, and pour in the Guinness, stirring everything together and totally deglazing the pan.

At this point, transfer the contents of the frying pan into a large, heavy pot that has a decent cover, and throw in the carrots, parsnips, sliced leek, and the bones and meat from the bowl.

Add 4 cups of water and turn the heat to high and bring it all to the boil, immediately lowering it to a simmer. After a few minutes, you can skim off any scum that comes to the surface.

Simmer this on the stovetop or in a 300-degree oven for 2 ½ hours. Check from time to time and if it seems too thin towards the end, take the lid off to let the liquid boil down.

EST. 1900

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Colcannon

3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes

3 kale leaves with ribs removed

3-inch bit of leek, finely chopped Half-slice of bacon

Dice the potatoes and cook in boiling salted water

Fry the bacon and add the leeks and kale until they are soft and flavored.

Throw this mix into the drained potatoes and add enough cream and butter to render a decent mash. That’s colcannon!

Put a bed of colcannon on each plate, making sure there is a good ring to contain the stew and ladle stew inside this ring.

Sláinte! If you want to try making your own corned beef, there are great resources on YouTube. You’ll need to start brining the beef on March10.

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