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St Patrick’s Day observes the death of the patron saint of Ireland, and the day has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture.
Today – Sunday, March 17 – there will be Irish-themed parades, music, food and beverages enjoyed by many.
If you fancy a truly delicious dish that is warming for the drizzly wet and cold weather, then an Irish stew will do the trick.
Donned as a “classic” by BBC Good Food, the “trick with this classic one-pot is to use a cheaper cut of meat” to save on money, but not quality of taste.
Serving up to six people, requiring 30 minutes of prep time and two hours of cooking, here’s how to make a classic Irish stew.
Irish stew recipe
Ingredients:
One tbsp sunflower oil
200g smoked streaky bacon, preferably in one piece, skinned and cut into chunks
900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
Five medium onions, sliced
Five carrots, sliced into chunks
Three bay leaves
Small bunch of thyme
100g pearl barley
850ml lamb stock
Six medium potatoes, cut into chunks
Small knob of butter
Three spring onions, finely sliced
Method
Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Sizzle the bacon for four minutes until crisp.
Turn up the heat, then cook the lamb for six minutes until brown. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon.
Add the onions, carrots and herbs to the pan, then cook for about five minutes until softened.
Return the meat to the pan, stir in the pearl barley, pour over the stock, then bring to a simmer.
Sit the chunks of potato on top of the stew, cover, then braise in the oven, undisturbed, for about one-and-a-half hours until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender.
The stew can now be chilled and kept in the fridge for two days, then reheated in a low oven or on top of the stove.
Remove from the oven, dot the potatoes with butter, scatter with the spring onions and serve scooped straight from the dish.
Having followed the recipe, Che Guevaraa said: “Went down a storm in my house. Followed the recipe to the letter and it was absolutely delicious.”
Sam Comgall said: “This recipe is excellent – I speak as an Irishman who was raised on Irish stew.
“This stew was so good, I even gave some to my sainted mother, who has now decided to amend her own ancestral recipe.”
