Irish Soul Food

Great Grandma Farrell's Lamb Stew

Time: 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours

1-2 lbs of lamb shanks, neck, or breast (note from Mom-she uses about twice as much meat)

Marrow bone            

3 carrots

1 big onion

5 or 6 stalks of green celery

medium bunch of parsley

2 potatoes

6 or 7 bay leaves

medium can of tomatoes

Wash meat and cover with cold water-put in onion chopped up when it begins to boil, then bay leaves-1/2 hour later chopped up parsley, celery and carrots (which have been soaking in cold water before this).  In about another 1/2 hour add tomatoes and potatoes-when potatoes are done, use about 1 T. of flour for thickening, simmer awhile, cool and refrigerate.  Great Grandma (AKA Nanny Farrell) did not skim off all the fat because a little fat never hurt anyone.  P.S. from Mom-Dad loves this!

Sounds lovely. I do a soup with similar ingredients but add pearl barley and either green split peas or a tin of lentils and beef stock.

Beef Guinness Stew

1kg gravy beef, diced into 1 inch cubes.
Plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
3 carrots, diced roughly
1 brown onion, diced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 375 ml bottle of guinness
Cooking oil

Toss the beef in seasoned flour. Fry lightly in a little oil in batches until brown and sealed on the outside. Set aside.
Add a dash of oil and fry onion and carrots lightly.
Stir in tomato paste.
Add guinness and stir mixture.
Place all ingredients in a casserole dish, cover and cook in oven on slow heat for 2 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes and green vegetables.

Very tasty, my family love this.

My mother always made the BEST cole slaw, a recipe she had learned from her Irish mother.  The dressing was a mixture of mayonaise and vinegar with just a pinch of sugar to cut the tartness of the vinegar.  We all loved it and continue to do so, but it is a cole slaw not found here in the United States.  Whenever I order cole slaw here in the States, it come sickeningly sweet, as Americans seem to prefer most of their food.  I never understood that the recipe my mother and grandmother were using was from Ireland until I took a trip to Ireland myself.  We stopped at a small restaurant to eat lunch, and the sandwich I chose came with a side of coleslaw.  The very first bite of that slaw let me know that I was HOME!  It was like a hug from my ancestors that I will never forget.

I have no idea if the original recipe for this candy is from Ireland, but it was handed down through all of my Irish mothers...who ALL were grand!

Sponge Candy

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1 Tablespoon baking soda

Prepare a 9"x9" metal pan by coating the sides and bottom with butter.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a saucepan. 

Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. 

Continue cooking without stirring until mixture reaches "hard crack stage" when a small bit dropped in cold water becomes brittle.

Remove candy from heat and quickly stir in baking soda.  Mix well and quickly as it will foam up.

Pour quickly into buttered pan.  Do not spread.  Let cool completely.

Dump the cooled, hardened candy onto wax paper and whack it with something hard to break it into pieces, or simply whack it in the pan to break it up.  Enjoy!

(note: here in the U.S.A., the pieces are often coated with chocolate for an equally enjoyable treat.)

Yum, I will try these out!

Personally, I have a soft spot for Irish cuisine, especially those traditional recipes that have been passed down through generations. There's something magical about recreating a dish that has been cherished by our mothers, fathers, and grandparents.

Speaking of trying out new flavors, if you ever find yourself in Germany, make sure to check out riwa-restaurant.de. They serve up some incredible dishes that will take your taste buds on a wild ride!