Irish Echo Online

When I first visited Ireland, in 1984, I began a love affair with the place where my grandparents and great-grandparents were born. I loved the people, the landscape, the history, the folklore, and the music, but I must admit the affection didn't extend to my palate.

My children, aged 9 and 7 at the time, were enchanted by the wooly sheep and languid cows that slowed traffic on country lanes and brushed by our car close enough to touch. My husband developed an insatiable appetite for the golf courses of the west of Ireland -- Ballybunion, Lahinch, Waterville -- and for pints of Guinness at pubs named Donahoe's, McCarthy's, and Hennessy's. We all treasured Ireland for reasons of our own, but none of us thought much about the food, except breakfast, perhaps, when we would sit down with total strangers and be fussed over about how we wanted our eggs cooked, and did we want a bit of porridge to start, or did we need more toast and jam?

To be honest, when you travel to a foreign country with young children, you look more for golden arches than for Michelin stars, so our 1984 visit to Ireland was not exactly a gourmet tour. We ate simple foods like Irish stew, fish 'n' chips, and sandwiches made with thick slabs of ham and slices of Cheddar cheese, and we still came home raving about all things Irish. Serious food was irrelevant.

For years after that first trip, a day never passed when I didn't think of Ireland. Thanks to my Irish-born grandmother, I eventually had my name registered in the Foreign Births Record and was issued an Irish passport. I've traveled there more than two dozen times in the last 15 years, and with each new visit I've grown to love Ireland more: the people, the landscape, the history, the folklore, the music, and, finally, the food.

Finally, the days of the bad jokes about Irish food are over, and the inert image of Irish cooking -- its legacy of famine, emigration, wars, and the Troubles -- is being eclipsed by a more modern, inspired, and cosmopolitan approach. Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, people are, at last, buzzing about a "new" Irish cuisine, a style of cooking that uses local ingredients and is based on traditional dishes, a script that Irish food writer Theodora FitzGibbons suggested nearly a half century ago when she wrote: "The best food of a country is the traditional food which has been tried and tested over the centuries. It's food that suits the climate and uses the best products of that country. . . . It's part of its history and civilization, and, ideally, the past and the present should be combined so that traditional food is not lost under a pile of tins or packages."

Contemporary Irish chefs realized she was right. After all, no one could fault the basic ingredients of Irish cooking -- some of the best beef, lamb, and pork in the world; fresh fish; incomparable dairy products; wild fruits and berries; vegetables, especially the potato, the country's great staple -- but they had to learn to broaden their tastes and apply more sophisticated, international cooking techniques to the marvelous bounty of their homeland. Eventually, more and more chefs have come to embrace and develop this style of cooking, experiment with new dishes based on traditional foods, and serve them with touches from Asian, Mediterranean, even Latin American cuisines.

In a country that has become perhaps the most dynamic place in Europe, it comes as no surprise that food in Ireland has kept pace with these dynamics and has taken on a distinctive identity. The food of Ireland has indeed at last moved boldly into the new millennium, no longer, as James Joyce once wrote, "an outcast from life's feast."

For a new and improved St. Patrick's Day meal, this year start with a smooth paté of smoked salmon; some roasted new potatoes topped with caviar, blue cheese, or chopped salmon; or an all-Irish adaptation of Oysters Rockefeller flavored with bacon and cabbage instead of spinach. Replace worn-out corned beef with Braised Lamb Shanks and Roasted Garden Vegetables or Loin of Bacon with Cranberry-Cider Jus. Serve main dishes with Champ, Murphy's in a Clogher Valley Mist, or Turnips Anna Livia, a spin on the classic French dish Pommes Anna.

Finish with a spirited dessert like Grace Neill's Guinness and Chocolate Brownies, Bailey's Baked Alaskas, or Pears Poached in Bunratty Meade and you too will celebrate what's new on the Irish table.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the fillets and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning once, or until opaque throughout. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into pieces.

In a food processor, combine the fish, pan juices, lime juice, parsley, chives, and dill and process for 20 to 30 seconds, or until smooth. Add the cream cheese and salmon, and process again until well combined. Divide the mixture among 4 lightly oiled 6-ounce ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, unmold onto serving plates and garnish with dill sprigs. Spread on cracker or biscuits. Serves 8

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the potatoes in a shallow baking dish. Add the olive oil and sea salt and toss until well coated. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each potato so that it will stand upright. With a teaspoon-sized measuring spoon or a melon baller, scoop out a hollow in the center of each potato. (The potatoes can be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature, then reheat in a preheated 425 degrees oven for 15 minutes before filling.)

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, chives, pepper, and dill. Stir to blend. Put a teaspoonful into each hollowed potato and top with caviar, chopped smoked salmon, or blue cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 24

To make the sabayon: In a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks, Guinness, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together. Place over barely simmering water and whisk for 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and gradually drizzle in the melted butter until the sauce is well blended.

Cook the cabbage in salted boiling water for 1-2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Drain and immerse in cold water. Drain again. In a small skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Preheat the broiler. Shuck the oysters over a small bowl. Reserve the deeper half of each shell and rinse them under cold water. Place the shells on a bed of rock salt in a small sided baking sheet. Divide the cabbage among the shells, put an oyster on top of each, and sprinkle the bacon over the oysters. Spoon some of the sabayon over each. Place under the broiler 4 inches from the heat source and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the sauce is browned and bubbling. Serve immediately. Serves 4

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Cook the lamb on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole dish. Add the diced vegetables to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, or until soft. Add the white wine and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by half. Transfer the vegetables and cooking liquid to the Dutch oven or casserole.

Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, water, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven or casserole, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, or until the lamb is fork tender.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the turnip, carrot, parsnip, and onion in a single layer in the bottom of a roasting pan. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned.

Using a slotted metal spatula, transfer the lamb shanks to a platter, cover, and keep warm. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing the vegetables through with the back of a large spoon. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Set aside and keep warm.

To serve, place a lamb shank in the center of each serving plate, spoon the sauce over, and surround with the roasted vegetables and Champ. Serves 4

Place the bacon or smoked shoulder in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until nearly tender.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the meat from the pan, cut in half lengthwise if using bacon, and pierce the shoulder with 8 cloves or each bacon with the cloves. Put the sliced onion in the bottom of an ovenproof roasting pan, place the meat on top, coat with honey, and roast for 20 minutes, or until the meat begins to brown and the onions start to caramelize.

Transfer the meat to a serving platter and keep warm. Add the cider to the baking pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the cranberries and stock or broth and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then cook until again reduced by half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and keep warm.

Transfer the meat to a carving board and cut into thin slices. To serve, spoon some sauce into the center of each serving plate and fan slices of meat around the sauce.

Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water 12-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the milk and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Heat until the butter is melted. Add the chives or green onions, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the chives or green onions are soft.

Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper to the milk mixture and stir until blended. To serve, spoon the champ into a deep bowl, make a well in the center, and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Fivemiletown Smoked Cheddar or other smoked Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a baking dish. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for 15-18 minutes, or until tender. Drain and let cool to the touch. Cut each potato into 4 wedges. Place the wedges, skin side down, in the prepared pan and toss with the butter.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted metal spatula, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Pour the cream over the potatoes, sprinkle with the grated cheese and crumble the bacon over. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cream has thickened and the cheese has melted. Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with some of the melted butter.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cheese, salt, pepper, the 1/4 teaspoon thyme, the rosemary, and nutmeg. Arrange a single layer of the largest turnip slices in a concentric circle in the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Sprinkle some of the flour mixture and some of the crumbled bacon over the turnips. Drizzle with some of the remaining melted butter. Repeat layering turnips, flour mixture, bacon, and melted butter, ending with a layer of turnips. Pour the cream over the turnips.

Place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Spray a 9-inch square of aluminum foil with butter-flavored cooking spray and place, buttered side down, on top of the turnips. Place a heavy 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet or pie plate on top and press firmly. Fill the pan with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the bottom and sides are golden brown. (Check after 35 minutes, and if not browning, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown.)

Remove from the oven. With a spatula, loosen the turnip cake around the edges. Let cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate and cut into wedges. Garnish with minced thyme and serve. Serves 6 to 8

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-8-inch square pan. In an electric mixer, combine the eggs and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.

In a medium saucepan, melt the bittersweet chocolate, white chocolate, and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat into the egg mixture.

Sift the flour and cocoa together and beat into the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the Guinness.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. To serve, dust the cake with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares. Serves 8 to 10

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add 2 of the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1/2 cup of the flour and beat thoroughly. Add the remaining eggs, the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, lemon zest and lemon juice, and beat again.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Press the candied lemon peel into the top of the cake, sprinkle with the superfine sugar, and bake 30 minutes longer, or until the cake is lightly browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Remove the cake from the pan.

Spread the almonds out on a plate. Roll 4 scoops of ice cream in the almonds, place on a baking sheet, and freeze for 30 minutes. Cut the cake into four 1/2-inch-thick slices and trim to make each slice a square. Drizzle with brandy. Place the slices a few inches apart on a baking sheet, put a scoop of ice cream in the center of each slice, and return to the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff, glossy peaks form. With a rubber spatula, spread the meringue over the ice cream to cover. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned. To serve, place a baked Alaska on each plate and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serves 4

In a large saucepan, combine the 1 1/4 cups mead, the granulated sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes syrupy. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the pears, cover, and cook for 25-35 minutes, or until the pears are tender. Remove from heat and let the pears let cool in the poaching liquid.

In an electric mixer, combine the 2 tablespoons mead with the cream and beat until thick. To serve, pour some of the poaching liquid into the center of each serving plate, stand a pear on top, and add a spoonful of the whipped cream. Serves 6

Note: Like Irish whiskey, which is spelled with an "e" to differentiate it from Scotch whisky, Bunratty Meade is spelled with an "e" to designate it as a specific brand of mead. To find out where to buy it, phone 1 (800) 4-CAMELOT (226-3568)

All recipes are from the author's new cookbook, "The New Irish Table," from Chronicle Books.

	Est. 1928 • February 3-9, 2010 • Vol 83 No. 5 • The USA's most widely read Irish American Newspaper