Like all other cuisines worldwide, Irish Cuisine has evolved along with history. The abundance of resources available in Ireland, including the cattle, the crops, and the fresh fish, caught in the Atlantic Ocean surrounding the island, is the basis for the Cuisine.
After the Tudor invasion, there was a significant shift in Irish Cuisine and diet. Potatoes became more critical after grain and meat were adopted for cash crops. Traditional Irish dishes have been making their way into the modern lives of Irish people in recent years.
Baking is an incredibly warm way to cook. Irish Cuisine offers a wide variety of baked dishes, from desserts to bread and full meals, which sets it apart from other cuisines.
This article introduces you to the main Irish dishes, assortments, and baked goods. Prepare to be stuffed!
Irish Stew Pie
This hearty dish is the national dish of Ireland. The traditional recipe uses root vegetables and sometimes potatoes or onions. Irish Stew usually contains lamb, mutton, or kid. Mutton meat is fattier and more challenging to cook than lamb, but its flavors are more robust.
Recipe
Cooking time: between 1 1/2 and 2 hours
Ingredients
- Cut into cubes 1/2 kg boneless lamb shoulder roast.
- One medium-sized onion, sliced.
- Chop two medium carrots.
- Peel and cube two medium potatoes.
- 1 puff pastry package at room temperature.
- 1/2 all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp.
- Whipping cream, two tablespoons
- Fresh mint chopped to 3 tablespoons.
- Use one teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce.
- One tablespoon of tomato salsa
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp oil of vegetable.
- One thyme stems.
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Salt and black pepper, one teaspoon each
- Optional: 1 large yolk of egg for glazing.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius.
- Add 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to a bowl. Coat the lamb pieces with the mixture, then dust off the excess flour.
- Brown the meat in a pan.
- In the same pan, add the carrots and onion. Cook them for 6-8 minutes until they are crisp and tender.
- Mix well the flour with 1 tbsp.
- Add the stock slowly until the flour dissolves.
- Add the potato to the mixture when it starts to boil. Also, add the bay leaf, the thyme, and the tomato salsa.
- Add the lamb and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat so that it simmers.
- After 30 minutes, remove the bay leaves and thyme, and add the mint.
- To make the puff pastry stick, use the cream and egg yolks to grease the edges of the pie plate.
- Transfer the lamb mixture to the pie dish.
- Roll out the puff pastry lightly on a dusted table to the same size as the pie plate.
- Seal the pastry edges with a fork after placing the pastry over the pie plate and filling.
- Use a knife and make small slits to allow the heat to escape as the pastry bakes.
- Use the egg yolk-cream glaze to brush the pastry top.
- Bake between 35 and 40 minutes, until the pastry turns golden brown.
- Allow the pie to breathe for at least 10 minutes before eating.
You’ll love Irish Stew even more!
Asparagus Swiss Quiche
Although quiche originated in France as a tart, it has been used extensively in British and Italian cooking since the 14th century.
In a vegetarian version, Quiche is usually made with a pastry base and a protein, such as cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables. Quiche is available in three different temperatures: hot, cold, or warm.
Recipe
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilo-trimmed asparagus.
- Ten strips of diced bacon
- Half a cup of chopped onion.
- One cup Swiss Cheese, shredded.
- 1 tbsp of regular flour
- One sheet of pie dough
- Three large eggs.
- Half-and-half cream, 1/2 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius.
- Cook the bacon strips in a pan until crisp. Remove them from the pan and place them onto a paper towel.
- Add the onions to the fat and cook until wilted. Remove the onions from the pan and place them on a paper towel.
- For garnish, cut a few asparagus spears into 1cm pieces.
- The remaining spears can be cut into the same size and blanched in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes until they are crisp-tender. Remove.
- Combine the bacon, asparagus, flour, salt, pepper, and cheese in a large bowl.
- Add the pie crust to the baking dish and press it into the pan. Pour the asparagus mixture on top.
- Pour the cream and eggs into a bowl.
- Add asparagus spears to the dish.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust turns golden brown. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
Enjoy the pie after 10 minutes of resting.
Rutabaga Pie
Rutabaga is often forgotten, and it’s a root veggie that’s a cross between turnips & cabbage. Rutabaga is a root vegetable with a sweet earthy taste. It’s packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins C and E. They can prevent chronic health problems.
The leaves and roots of Rutabaga can both be eaten. However, in the north and west of England, Scotland and Wales, Ireland, and the Isle of Man, it is a Halloween tradition to carve the roots of Rutabaga into lanterns.
This recipe is excellent if you’ve never had Rutabaga!
Recipe
Cooking time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Ingredients
- Peel and dice 3 cups of Rutabaga.
- Peel and dice 2 cups of potatoes.
- Water 2 liters.
- Half a kilo of ground beef.
- Half a cup of chopped onions
- Slice 1/2 cup celery.
- 1/4 cup steak sauce
- Double-crust pie pastry.
- One teaspoon of salt
- Half a teaspoon of black pepper
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Celsius.
- Add the Rutabaga to the large pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain the water.
- Add the celery, onions, and ground beef to a large skillet. Cook until the meat is browned and the vegetables crisp and tender.
- Add the Rutabaga and potatoes to the mixture of ground beef. Also, add the steak sauce, black pepper, salt, and the sauce.
- Add the bottom pie crust to the pan. Then add the rutabaga mix and then the top crust.
- Cut four small slits and seal the edges with a fork.
- The crust should be golden brown after 35-40 minutes of cooking.