Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie

Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie

Delicious, comforting Irish Shepherd’s pie.

Ingredients:

Mashed potatoes

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup milk or cream ( you can also use unflavored almond milk – any kind you like will do)

2 tablespoons light sour cream salt and pepper to taste

1 eggyolk

Filling:

1 tablespoon oil

1 pound lean ground mutton or ground lamb or ground beef *

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

½  cup dry red wine or guinness bear or broth

¾  cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½  tsp Cayenne pepper

½  tsp Paprica

½  tsp Cinnamon

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons wheat flour

2 cups frozen peas and carrots or fresh carrots cubed

1 cup frozen corn

Garnish

Fresh chives or parsley, minced

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 Celsius degrees).

Boil potatoes:

Add the peeled potatoes to a medium pot, fill with water. Turn the heat on high and allow the water to come to a boil, without the lid, reduce to a simmer. Allow the potatoes to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes from the water and place them back into the now empty pot that the potatoes were cooked in. Allow them to cool a little.

Brown the beef:

Heat a large, oven safe skillet over medium heat. Heat up the oil. Add the onion, allow it to cook until the onion is tender. Add the ground beef or lamb and break the beef up into small pieces, add salt and pepper and cook until the beef has mostly browned. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Add the rest of the spices. Add the flour over the filling and stir. Add the broth and wine or bear if you use wine or bear. If not add broth instead. Add the carrots and cook until the carrots are tender (if using fresh carrots). Add the corn.

Mash the potatoes:

Returning to the boiled potatoes. Add the butter, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper, mash until mostly smooth and the butter is melted. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in the egg and set aside. If the potatoes seem a little dry than add a splash or two more of milk.

Prepare the Irish Shepherds Pie for the oven:

Pour the filling in a greased oven proof dish. Top with the green peas evenly all over the pie. Top with mashed potatoes: Spread the filling out evenly and spoon the mashed potatoes over top of the filling. Use a spatula to spread out the potatoes evenly over the filling. Make a nice pattern with a fork.

Bake:

Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the mashed potatoes have browned slightly. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Serve: If you like garnish the top of the Shepherd’s pie with chopped parsley or chives. Spoon onto plates and serve. It is traditionally served with Irish Soda Bread.

*Traditionally Shepherd’s pie is made using ground lamb or mutton but if you live in an area where lamb is hard to come by ground beef works great. However, it is technically called a cottage pie if you use ground beef.

Link to Irish Soda Bread

Crusty French Bread Rolls an Bagels

Crusty French Bread Rolls an Bagels

Ingredients Crusty French Rolls:

20 rolls

600 g (about 1 liter) Wheat flour special

50 g (1 pct) yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

70 g butter or margarine, room warm

4 dl water, 37ºC (finger warm)

Directions:

Crumble the yeast into a dough bowl. Add the water and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Click in the margarine. Mix flour and salt. Add the flourmix to the liquid. Work dough with your fingers or machine, at least 5 minutes by machine or 10 minutes by hand, until the dough feels smooth. Add more flour if needed.

Allow the dough to rise under a baking cloth for about 10 minutes.

Work the dough down smoothly on the floured table and divide into pieces.

Divide the dough into 20 pieces and shape them into round or oval buns.

Lay the lengths or buns on a sheet, lubricated or with baking sheet paper and allow to rise for about 25 minutes under the baking cloth.

If you want a notch in the middle, cut with a knife along the middle after 10 minutes of rising and then place them on the plate with the notch facing down. Allow them to rise covered for another 15 minutes. Then turn the rolls carefully so the notch face up.

 Preheat oven to 220 ° C.

Don't forget to put a pan with hot water in the oven to get a moist heat. It is only then that the bread is rising and gets its characteristic crunchy surface.

Bake at 220 º C in the middle of the oven, 18-20 minutes or until the breads have a nice golden color.

Let the buns cool on the grill without a back cloth.

Bagels

Ingredients:

14 st

About 11-12 dl wheat flour special

50 g fresh yeast

2 tbsp salt

4 1/2 dl water

50 g of margarine

For cooking

2 liters of water

Salt to lightly salted water

Garnish

sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Directions:

Crumble the yeast in a bowl. Melt the water to about 37 ° C. Pour the water over the yeast and stir it out.

Melt the butter. Mix flour and salt. Mix the liquid with yeast and butter in the flour and work the dough for about 5 minutes, it should be quite firm. Allow the dough to rise for about 10 minutes under the baking cloth.

Pick up the dough on a floured bench and work it together with the rest of the flour. Divide the dough into 14 pieces for 14 bagels. Roll out each piece about 25 cm long. Shape into round wreaths, tie the ends together with some water.

Place them on floured baking sheet paper. Allow to rise for 30 min. Set oven to 200 ° C.

Boiling: Boil the water with the salt in a saucepan. Carefully place 2-3 pieces of bagels at a time into the boiling water. Let simmer for about 4 minutes. Turn them once in the meantime.

Garnish: Pick them up with a hollow spoon and place them on plates with baking sheet paper. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool on grill.

If you do not want to cook them, you can just let them rise on the plate, brush with water and sprinkle over sesame or poppy seeds and bake in the oven.

For serving: Feel free to serve them with cream cheese and smoked salmon, boiled egg, ham, cheese, cucumber and tomatoes, yes everything you like.

If you want a spicy flavor on your bagels, add 1 teaspoon of aniseed dough to the dough.

Crusty French Bread Rolls

Crusty French Bread Rolls

Ingredients:

20 rolls

600 g (about 1 liter) Wheat flour special

50 g (1 pct) yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

70 g butter or margarine, room warm

4 dl water, 37ºC (finger warm)

Directions:

Crumble the yeast into a dough bowl. Add the water and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Click in the margarine. Mix flour and salt. Add the flourmix to the liquid. Work dough with your fingers or machine, at least 5 minutes by machine or 10 minutes by hand, until the dough feels smooth. Add more flour if needed.

Allow the dough to rise under a baking cloth for about 10 minutes.

Work the dough down smoothly on the floured table and divide into pieces.

Divide the dough into 20 pieces and shape them into round or oval buns.

Lay the lengths or buns on a sheet, lubricated or with baking sheet paper and allow to rise for about 25 minutes under the baking cloth.

If you want a notch in the middle, cut with a knife along the middle after 10 minutes of rising and then place them on the plate with the notch facing down. Allow them to rise covered for another 15 minutes. Then turn the rolls carefully so the notch face up.

 Preheat oven to 220 ° C.

Don't forget to put a pan with hot water in the oven to get a moist heat. It is only then that the bread is rising and gets its characteristic crunchy surface.

Bake at 220 º C in the middle of the oven, 18-20 minutes or until the breads have a nice golden color.

Let the buns cool on the grill without a back cloth.

Bagels

Bagels

Ingredients:

14 pieces

About 11-12 dl wheat flour special

50 g fresh yeast

2 tbsp salt

4 1/2 dl water

50 g of margarine

For cooking

2 liters of water

Salt to lightly salted water

Garnish

sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Directions:

Crumble the yeast in a bowl. Melt the water to about 37 ° C. Pour the water over the yeast and stir it out.

Melt the butter. Mix flour and salt. Mix the liquid with yeast and butter in the flour and work the dough for about 5 minutes, it should be quite firm. Allow the dough to rise for about 10 minutes under the baking cloth.

Pick up the dough on a floured bench and work it together with the rest of the flour. Divide the dough into 14 pieces for 14 bagels. Roll out each piece about 25 cm long. Shape into round wreaths, tie the ends together with some water.

Place them on floured baking sheet paper. Allow to rise for 30 min. Set oven to 200 ° C.

Boiling: Boil the water with the salt in a saucepan. Carefully place 2-3 pieces of bagels at a time into the boiling water. Let simmer for about 4 minutes. Turn them once in the meantime.

Garnish: Pick them up with a hollow spoon and place them on plates with baking sheet paper. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool on grill.

If you do not want to cook them, you can just let them rise on the plate, brush with water and sprinkle over sesame or poppy seeds and bake in the oven.

For serving: Feel free to serve them with cream cheese and smoked salmon, boiled egg, ham, cheese, cucumber and tomatoes, yes everything you like.

If you want a spicy flavor on your bagels, add 1 teaspoon of aniseed dough to the dough.

Oven Omelette with Shrimp or Mushroom Stew

Oven Omelette with Shrimp or Mushroom Stew

Ingredients Omelette

5 eggs

1, 5 tbsp wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

6 dl milk

Pepper

Ingredients Shrimp or mushroom stew

Prawns or Mushrooms

2 tablespoons margarine

1, 5 tbsp wheat flour

milk

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

salt

pepper

Directions Omelette:

Boil the milk. Let it cool.

Whisk together eggs and wheat flour. Add milk, salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into a greased, oven-proof mold, bake in the oven at 200 Celcius degrees until the batter solidifies and the surface turns color, about 20 minutes.

Directions Stew:

Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Stir in the flour. Add milk, a little at a time until it has the right consistency. Let the stew cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and dill, or mushrooms, whatever you prefare. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the stew on top of the omelette and serve as a sole dish or on a buffé or instead of potatoes or rice with meat, chicken, meatballs, or with a green sallad and bread.

I mostly use it on a buffé table for Christmas, Easter, Midsummer or any festive occation here in Sweden.

Swedish Oven Pancake

Swedish Oven Pancake

Ingredients:

4 servings

3 eggs

8 dl milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 dl wheat flour

1 package bacon

For serving

Lingonberry jam

Directions:

Shred the bacon directly down into a large ovenproof mold or small pan. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes, 225 ° C.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and wheat flour to create a smooth and non-sticky batter.

Take out the pan with the bacon and pour the batter over the bacon in the pan. Set the oven to 225 ° C and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with lingonberry jam. It is also great to serve with shredded carrots and cottage cheese in addition to Lingonberry Jam.

In Sweden Ovenpancake is often served with soup made from yellow peas. I have added two recipes here. One with Split Peas and Ham and one with Chickpeas.

Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

1 large onion, medium diced

6 to 8 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 heaped tsp sweet paprika

400 g tinned chopped tomatoes

425 g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

1 l vegetable broth

1 tsp sugar

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

140 g pre-washed baby spinach

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur.

Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is low, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes. Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups dried split peas

2 quarts cold water

1 ½ pounds ham bone

2 onions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pinch dried marjoram

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 potato, diced

Directions:

In a large stock pot, cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and soak overnight. If you need a faster method, simmer the peas gently for 2 minutes, and then soak for l hour.

Once peas are soaked, add ham bone, onion, salt, pepper and marjoram. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove bone; cut off meat, dice and return meat to soup. Add celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook slowly, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Irish Stew with Lard Pie Crust

Irish Stew with Lard Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

1/2 cup lard

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, a tablespoon at a time, until pastry holds together. Shape into a ball; chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Transfer to a 10-in. pie plate. Flute edges; fill and make a lid with pastry. Decorate if you wish and make a small hole in the middle. Bake in preheated oven at 350 Fahrenheit ( 175 - 180 Celsius degrees ) for about 30-40  minutes, until golden brown.

For the recipt to the

Traditional Irish Stew

Colcannon

Colcannon

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients:

4 pounds moderately starchy potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks 

4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced

2 cups chopped kale

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 medium leek, chopped, thoroughly rinsed and drained

1/2 cup quality unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed

1/2 cup whole milk, warmed

3 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Fry the bacon in a large pan until crispy then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate until ready to use.  Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan.

Add the chopped greens to the pan and saute them in the bacon grease until soft, 7-8 minutes.

While the greens are cooking, start the potatoes boiling.  Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Thoroughly drain all water from the potatoes.

While the potatoes are still piping hot, add 2/3 of the butter, warm milk and cream. Use a manually masher to mash the potatoes.

Add the cooked greens, bacon, green onions. Stir to combine. Add the salt and pepper. Taste and add more salt according to preference.

Spoon into a serving bowl, make a small well in the center and add the remaining 1/3 butter in the well. Garnish with the reserved bacon and green onions. Serve immediately.

Serving with Traditional Irish Stew you can put the Colcannon into the bowl of stew. Delicious!

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

    

A good old fashioned soda bread with just the basic ingredients. Buttermilk gives this crusty loaf a good flavor. The best Irish soda bread around!

Servings: 20

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup margarine, softened

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup buttermilk

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

If you don´t have buttermilk you can make your own with  milk and some lemonjuice.

Traditional Irish Beef and Guinness Stew with Colcannon and Irish Soda Bread

Traditional Irish Beef and Guinness Stew with Colcannon and Irish Soda Bread

Irish Stew is the National Dish of Ireland and it is traditionally serwed with Colcannon and Irish soda bread. The stew can also be made with pie pastry and I have made both variations here below.

Ingredients

6 ounces bacon ,diced

2 pounds beef chuck

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 medium-large yellow onions ,chopped

3 cloves garlic ,minced

4 medium firm potatoes cut in 1-inch pieces

2 large carrots ,chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

2 stalks celery ,chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

1 large parsnip ,chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 bottle (1 pint 16 oz) Guinness Extra Stout

1 cup strong beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Cut the beef across the grain into into 1-inch pieces. Mix flour salt and pepper and toss the beef in it  to coat the pieces thoroughly. Set aside.

Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven or heavy pot until done then remove it with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon drippings in the pan.

Working in batches and being careful not to overcrowd the pieces, generously brown the beef on all sides.

Transfer the beef to a plate and repeat until all the beef is browned.

Add the onions and fry them, adding more oil if necessary, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add all the vegetables except potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Add the Guinness and bring it to a rapid boil, deglazing the bottom of the pot (scraping up the browned bits on the bottom). Boil for 2 minutes.  

Return the beef and bacon to the pot along with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Bring it to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. After two hours simmering add the potatoes to cook the last 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with some crusty country bread or Irish soda bread. This stew is even better the next day.

Colcannon

Ingredients:

4 pounds moderately starchy potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks 

4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced

2 cups chopped kale

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 medium leek, chopped, thoroughly rinsed and drained

1/2 cup quality unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed

1/2 cup whole milk, warmed

3 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Fry the bacon in a large pan until crispy then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate until ready to use.  Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan.

Add the chopped greens to the pan and saute them in the bacon grease until soft, 7-8 minutes.

While the greens are cooking, start the potatoes boiling.  Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Thoroughly drain all water from the potatoes.

While the potatoes are still piping hot, add 2/3 of the butter, warm milk and cream. Use a manually masher to mash the potatoes.

Add the cooked greens, bacon, green onions. Stir to combine. Add the salt and pepper. Taste and add more salt according to preference.

Spoon into a serving bowl, make a small well in the center and add the remaining 1/3 butter in the well. Garnish with the reserved bacon and green onions. Serve immediately.

Serving with Traditional Irish Stew you can put the Colcannon into the bowl of stew. Delicious!

Irish Soda Bread

    

A good old fashioned soda bread with just the basic ingredients. Buttermilk gives this crusty loaf a good flavor. The best Irish soda bread around!

Servings: 20

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup margarine, softened

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup buttermilk

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

If you don´t have buttermilk you can make your own with  milk and some lemonjuice.

Mom’s Lard Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

1/2 cup lard

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, a tablespoon at a time, until pastry holds together. Shape into a ball; chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Transfer to a 10-in. pie plate. Flute edges; fill and make a lid with pastry. Decorate if you wish and make a small hole in the middle. Bake in preheated oven at 350 Fahrenheit ( 175 - 180 Celsius degrees ) for about 30-40  minutes, until golden brown.