The fireplace was used for heating, cooking as well as drying clothes. The babies cot was placed next to the fireplace to keep the baby away from draughts. Music was played and stories told around the fireside. The fireplace was really the centre of any every Irish home! The Irish used turf for heat and fuel for cooking. The turf would be cut by the family during the summer months in the peat bogs which are found all over Ireland, the turf was then dried before being brought home and stored for used during the winter months for heat and throughout the year for cooking. In some parts of Ireland turf is still cut and used for open fires.
Picture of Irish Turf
Traditional Irish Recipes - Gluten Free Traditional Irish Recipes
Unfortunately many traditional Irish recipes are not gluten free but they can be adapted to suit those on a gluten free diet. Soda Bread can be made with gluten free flour and other recipes for soups and stews can be made gluten free. It is important to check the labels of any additives added to food as well, many thickening agents also contain gluten. Gluten-free flour can be made from almonds, rice or corn for example. Gram flour is also a suitable alternative to normal flour which is made from wheat which contains gluten. Corn starch or eggs are ideal additives to soda bread, they act as a rising agent and give the bread its fluffy texture. Potatoes are gluten free, this is particularly good news as the potato features in many Irish recipes! Potato Starch is a great example of a gluten free additive and is particularly useful for home made soups.
Traditional Irish Recipes - Irish Stew Recipe
Irish stew is a great dish to serve on a cold winters evening! Try cooking the stew in a slow cooker, simply add the ingredients in the morning and it will be cooked to perfection when you return from work, delicious! Serve with warm homemade wheaten bread with lots of Irish butter, perfection!
Traditional Irish Stew recipe - Ingredients
1lb lean cubed beef, lamb or chicken
1lb carrots
1lb onions
1lb potatoes
salt & pepper
pinch of mixed herbs
Traditional Irish Stew recipe - Method
Put the meat in a large saucepan
Sprinkle the mixed spice over the meat
Fill the pan with enough cold water to cover the meat
Bring slowly to the boil
Simmer for an hour
Add peeled and chopped potatoes, carrots and onions
Season with salt and pepper
Continue cooking until meat and vegetable are soft
Serve with warm home made wheaten bread or cabbage
Irish Recipes - Irish Stew
Traditional Irish Recipes - Corned Beef and Cabbage
This traditional Irish recipe is unfortunately not really a traditional Irish dish at all! It is popular among many people of Irish descent but its history only dates back to the Irish emigrants to North America and Canada. In an attempt to recreate the traditional Irish dish of bacon and cabbage, the Irish emigrants substituted bacon for corned beef. Although corned beef was available in Ireland it was often too expensive for the Irish natives. Once they settled in America, they discovered that the salt used to preserve the beef and the beef itself was much cheaper than back home in Ireland, hence the invention of the 'traditional' recipe of Corned Beef and Cabbage.
Traditional Irish Recipe - Corned Beef and Cabbage - Ingredients
1 onion (medium)
4 large potatoes
1 pound baby carrots
3 cups water
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
3lb corned beef
1 cabbage
Traditional Irish Recipe - Corned Beef and Cabbage - Method
Cut the onion into wedges
Cut the potatoes into quarters
Chop the carrots into small pieces
Cut the cabbage into quarters
Place the Carrots, potatoes and onion in a large casserole dish
Add the water, sugar, garlic, pepper, vinegar and bay leaf
Place the corned beef joint into the pan
Cover with cabbage
Cook until the meat is tender
Don't forget to remove the bay leaf!
Try cooking the ingredients in a slow cooker for a hassle free dish. Add other spice according to taste, all spice, mustard and marmalade are all ways to personalise this recipe as your own.
Traditional Irish Recipes - Colcannon
Colcannon is a fantastic accompaniment to any meal. It goes well with both meat and fish dishes. Traditionally this great Irish recipe was served with even more butter but as there is already a lot of butter in this dish it its not really the most healthy choice! Traditionally, a little hole was made in the centre of the potatoes and a knob of butter was added, each spoonful of mashed colcannon could then be dipped in the butter.
Traditional Irish Recipe - Colcannon - Ingredients
1.5 kg potatoes
150g butter
210g sliced bacon (chopped)
1 Savoy cabbage or curly kale (shredded)
225 ml double cream
100mls Milk
Traditional Irish Recipe - Colcannon - Method
Peel the potatoes and cut in half
Place potatoes in a large saucepan of water and boil for 20 minutes
Melt 55g of the butter in a saucepan
Add the bacon and half of the Savoy cabbage or Curly Kale to the butter and cook for approx 6 minutes
Turn off the heat and put the pan to one side
Drain potatoes
Add the milk and mash potatoes until they are smooth
In a separate saucepan heat the cream (do not boil)
Add the warm cream to the potato and mix well
Add the bacon and cabbage mixture
Season with salt and pepper
Garnish with chopped parsley if required
Irish Recipes - Colcannon
Traditional Irish Recipes - Bacon and Cabbage
The following traditional Irish recipe for bacon and cabbage is delicious and very simple to make. For a less salty taste, cook the cabbage separately. Try serving with Steamed vegetables and new potatoes for a modern take on this typically traditional dish
Traditional Irish Recipe - Bacon and Cabbage - Ingredients
Large Piece of Back Bacon, smoked or un-smoked (according to personal taste)
1 large Cabbage
Potatoes, Carrots and Turnips (if required)
Traditional Irish Recipe - Bacon and Cabbage - Method
Place the meat in a pot (large enough for the meat and cabbage that will be added later)
Cover the meat with cold water and bring to the boil
Simmer for 30 minutes per pound of meat
cut the cabbage into quarters and add to the pot
Simmer for 30 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked (vary cooking time according to personal taste)
Drain and serve with boiled or mashed potatoes
Can also be served with Carrots and Turnips
Traditional Irish Recipes - Irish Coffee Recipe
Irish coffee is a great liqueur to serve at the end of any good meal and is served in restaurants all over the world.
Traditional Irish Recipe - Irish Coffee - Ingredients
Traditional Irish Recipe - Irish Coffee - Method
Add the measure of Irish Whiskey and sugar to a large glass
Pour in the black coffee stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved
Fill the glass with coffee leaving approximately 1 inch at the top of the glass (need room for the cream)
Hold a spoon over the glass and gentle pour the cream over the rounded part of the spoon so the cream slides slowly on top of the coffee forming a layer on top.
Serve immediately!
