Traditional Irish Stew and Soda Bread

 Welcome to Irish traditions!

Tonight we are planning another trip to Ireland for 2021, in honor of that I am cooking some traditional foods from a cookbook I picked up when I was in Ireland in 2015. It's the Irish Pub Cookbook

Traditional Irish Stew

4 tbsp                Flour

3 LB                 Middle neck of lamb*

3 large              Onions chopped

3                       Carrots, sliced

1 lb                   Potatoes, quartered

1 1/2 pints        Hot beef stock

salt and pepper

2 tbsp                Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the flour in a bag and season well with salt and

pepper. Add the lamb to the bag. Tie and shake well until coated. Do this is Batches, if necessary. Arrange the lamb in the base of a casserole. 

Layer the onions, carrots, and potatoes on top of the lamb.

Sprinkle in the thyme and pour int he stock, then cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours. Garnish with the parsley and serve straight from the casserole. 

*I used lamb shoulder and while I was prepping I put the bones in the broth to boil to get the flavor from the marrow. 

Irish Soda Bread 

vegetable oil, for oiling

1 lb                Flour - plus extra for dusting                

1 tsp              Salt

1 tsp              Baking Soda

14 fl oz         buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Oil baking tray.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in most of the buttermilk. Mix well together using your hands. The dough should be very soft but not too wet. If necessary, add the remaining buttermilk. 

Turn the cough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it lightly. Shape into 8-inch round.

Place the loaf on the prepared baking tray and cut a cross into the top with a sharp knife. According to Irish Folklore, this is to either ward off evil or to let the fairies out. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rach and leave to cool slightly. Serve warm. 

Enjoy, 

You can also find my own recipes at The After Work Cookbook. 

More details here....

Shrimp and veggie skillet

Welcome to The After Work Cook. On the way home from work today I had no  idea what to make. I just knew I forgot to take out some meat for dinner. I did however, have some shrimp. The amount depends on how many you're cooking for.

 

Shrimp and veggie skillet

5-10       Small potatoes halved
2            Carrots cut into chunks
2 Stalks Celery sliced

1/4         Onion chopped

1 cup     Broccoli florets 

1            Medium Tomato cut into large pieces

1/2 pkg  Argentina Red Shrimp (thawed)

2 TBSP  Olive Oil (options, chili or garlic oil)  

2            Roasted Hatch Chili chopped (optional) 

1/4        Jalapeno chopped (optional)

Cajun spice to taste. Pepper to taste

Mix potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and oil, mix thoroughly add to oiled skillet. Cook on med-high until onion and celery are tender and translucent. Mix the broccoli and tomato in the same bowl and add a little oil, then add to the skillet. Cook a few minutes and then add shrimp to skillet. Cook until shrimp is pink. 

Serve with a green salad. Pairs well with a crisp rose wine.  

My book is out, you can check it out on my website:

https://www.marymartinez.com/afterwork.html

Or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C24SKPP