Chunky Winter Vegetable Soup

This is a hearty vegetable soup, laden with vitamins and wonderful for a healthy winter meal.

A hot bowl of soup during winter and cold weather is always welcome. Soup helps prevent cold and sneezes by naturally keeping your body warm, it’s not just healthy and nutritious but a tasty meal too.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola oil

1 onion

1 leek, white part only, sliced thinly

2 carrots, sliced thinly

2 potatoes peeled and chopped into cubes

Bay leafs, thyme, and parsley sprigs, salt and cracked black pepper to season

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened but not browned.

Add the leek, carrot, swede and potatoe, then cook for a further 5 minutes until slightly softened. Tie the bay leaf, thyme, and parsley sprigs together into a bouquet garni. Add to the pan, together with the stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil, then cover the pan, together with the stock and tomatoes. Season to taste and bring to the boil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer gently for 45 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

Remove the bouquet garni and check the seasoning. Sprinkle the soup with snipped tennel leaves and serve piping hot.

Roast loin of lamb with Ballymaloe Mint Jelly

Brand new in stock, we have some exciting new ranges from Ballymaloe. Here is our Roast Lamb recipe, ideally served with some yummy Mint Jelly, straight from East Cork, fresh off the boat this morning!

Ingredients:
One boned and rolled loin of lamb
Salt and Pepper
Sprigs of rosemary
Garlic
Sunflower Oil

Directions:
Season with salt and pepper and place on a roasting tray. Slit little holes on top of lamb and insert pieces of rosemary. Rub with garlic.
Place in a pre-heated oven, 190'c/360'f for 35 minutes. Cook until the skin is nicely browned and a little crisp. Allow to rest for 10/15 minutes before carving. Serve with Ballymaloe Mint Jelly.

Boxty (Irish Potato Griddle Cakes)

Traditional Irish boxty potato cakes make use of both fresh potatoes and leftover mashed potatoes. This Irish potato recipe is also traditionally prepared as part of an "Ulster Fry", the hearty Irish breakfast, with loads of bacon, fried sausage, fried eggs, black pudding, and fresh Irish soda bread.

Ingredients:

300g of raw potato
300g of cooked mashed potato 
300g of plain flour
Milk (as needed, see directions)
1 egg
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
A pinch of sugar, optional

Directions:

Grate raw potatoes and mix with the cooked mashed potatoes. Add salt, pepper, onion and flour. Beat egg and add to mixture with just enough milk to make a batter that will drop from a spoon.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook over a moderate heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serves 4.

An old Irish poem says:

Boxty on the griddle,
Boxty in the pan,
If you can't make boxty,
You'll never get a man

Easy to prepare Lamb Casserole

A favourite family recipe, perfect for a hearty meal as temperatures begin to dip.

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:      

4 Gigot lamb chops (approx 600g)

1 Chopped onion

2 Thinly sliced carrots

1 packet of Knorr Mealmaker for Lamb Casserole

425ml of water

4 Small onions - peeled

8 Small potatoes (approx 900g) – peeled

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180’C/350’F/Gas Mark 4

Place the chops in a casserole dish; scatter the chopped onion and carrots on top.

Mix the Knorr Mealmaker for Lamb Casserole with water and pour into the dish.

Cover and cook in the over for 45 minutes. Remove and add small onions and potatoes and return to oven for a further 45 minutes.

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Corned beef has a distinctive regional association with Cork City. Between the late 1680's and 1825, the beef-corning industry was the most important asset to the city and the country. In this period, Cork exported corned beef to England and much of Europe and as far away as Newfoundland and the West Indies. During the Napoleonic wars, corned beef exportation from Cork was at all time high and the British army was principally supplied with corned beef from Cork.

Although this dish is eaten less frequently nowadays in Ireland, for Irish-emigrants it conjures up powerful nostalgic images of a rural Irish past. Originally it was a traditional Easter Sunday dinner. The beef killed before the winter would have been salted and could now be eaten after the long Lenten fast with fresh green cabbage and floury potatoes. Our local butcher corns beef in the slow, old-fashioned way which, alas, is more the exception than the norm nowadays.

Serves 6-8

4 lbs (1.8kg) corned silverside of beef
3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
6-8 small onions
1 teaspoon dry Colman's English Mustard
Large sprig fresh thyme and some parsley stalks, tied together
1 cabbage
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A knob of Kerrygold Pure Salted Irish Butter

Directions:

Put the corned beef into a saucepan with the carrot, onions mustard and the herbs. Cover gently in cold water, bring to the boil, covered and simmer for 2 hours. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut in quarters and add to the pot. Cook for a further 1-2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender.

Serve the corned beef cut into slices surrounded by the vegetables. Serve lots of floury potatoes and freshly made mustard as an accompaniment.

Ballymaloe Hot Buttered Lobster

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs (1.8 kg) live lobster

Court Bouillon

• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 pint (600 ml/2½ cups) water
• 4 ozs (110 g/1stick) butter
• 1 pint (600 ml/2½ cups) dry white wine
• Bouquet garni
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Garnish

• Lemon segments
• Sprigs of watercress, flat parsley or fennel

Directions:

One of the most exquisite ways to eat fresh lobster, but for perfection the lobster must come straight from the sea.

Serves 4 as a main course

Cook the lobsters steaming them until they are just beginning to change colour and are speckled with red.

As soon as they are cool enough to handle split them in half and extract all the meat from the body, tail and large and small claws. Scrape out all the soft, greenish tomalley (liver) from the part of the shell nearest the head and put it with the firmer meat into a warm bowl wrapped in a tea towel.

Heat the lobster shells. Cut the meat into chunks, melt half the butter and when it is foaming toss the meat and tomally in it until the meat is cooked through and the juices turn pink.

Spoon the meat into the hot shells. Put the remaining butter into the pan, heat and scrape up any bits. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour the buttery juices into small heated ramekins and serve beside the lobster on hot plates. Garnish with sprigs of watercress, flat parsley or fennel, and lemon segments. Hot buttered lobster should be eaten immediately.

Irish Roast Pork with Potato Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin, or 6 to 8 boneless lean pork chops
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons hard cider (apple wine) or water
• Salt and pepper

Stuffing
• 4 1/2 cups potatoes, coarsely mashed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion
• 2 large cooking apples, chopped
• 1 handful chopped fresh sage and thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions: Make stuffing: To potatoes, add butter, onion, apples, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Rub meat with salt, pepper and butter. Pour cider or water into 3 -quart casserole dish. Place meat along edges of dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees (F).

Irish Stew

A flavorful lamb stew recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 lbs leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2" cube
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 to 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed & minced
• 4 medium potatoes, quartered
• 8 small white onions, peeled
• 1 package frozen peas, (16 oz)
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup flour

Preparation:

Over medium heat, brown lamb in butter and oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add water, broth, and seasonings; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove surface fat. Add potatoes and onion; simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add peas and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine milk and flour; stir until smooth. Add to simmering stew and simmer for about 1 minute, or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serves 6.

Popular with locals in Ireland the Irish potato soup receipe is well worth trying. It has been part of Ireland’s custom foods for many years and is still traditional made as it would many years ago. Ingredients for Irish traditional potato soup and how to make it Like most of our meals there are many variations of for the potato soup recipe as most of us tend to use our imagination when it comes to cooking. We suggest trying the below soup recipe and even attempt to create your own variation of this great tasting soup. 2 tablespoons of Irish butter 2 medium sized onions 3 large potatoes, washed & peeled 1 cube chicken bouillon 2 cups of milk 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon dried parsley 3 pieces of celery, chopped 1 pinch ground black pepper & salt 1 ½ cup of grated cheese Method Thinly slice the onions and potatoes and add to a pan with melted Irish butter. Add the chicken bouillon, celery, dried parsley, garlic and season with salt & pepper. Cover the pan allowing the vegetables to soften under a low heat, do not let them brown.  Add milk and mix until soup becomes thick then stir in cheese until fully melted.   Serve piping hot with a few slices of buttered bread and enjoy. Irish potato soup is extremely cheap and easy to make which makes it a great dish to cook and serve to family and friends. Dublin Coddle This is a very popular dish, especially in Dublin, and has been so for many years. It is nourishing, tasty, economical and warming - what more could you ask? Although it is best made with a good stock - water in which a ham has been boiled, or even a ham bone - a light stock cube will substitute. 1lb/ 500g Sausages 8oz/ 250g Bacon                        1/2pt/ 300ml/ 1 cup stock or water 6 medium potatoes 2 medium onions salt and pepper (serves 4) Cut the bacon into 1in/ 3cm squares. Bring the stock to the boil in a medium saucepan which has a well-fitting lid, add the sausages and the bacon and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the sausages and bacon and save the liquid. Cut each sausage into four or five pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into thick slices. Skin the onions and slice them. Assemble a layer of potatoes in the saucepan, followed by a layer of onions and then half the sausages and bacon. Repeat the process once more and then finish off with a layer of potatoes. Pour the reserved stock over and season lightly to taste. Cover and simmer gently for about an hour. Adjust the seasoning and serve piping hot. Old-fashioned Fish Bake Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons butter • 1-1 1/2 pounds haddock (or other thick, white fish), boned and cut into 2-inch chunks • 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thoroughly washed and sliced • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 1/4 cups milk • 2 tablespoons of cream • Salt and pepper, to taste • 1 bay leaf • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley • 2 tablespoons grated Irish cheddar cheese • Fresh parsley, for garnish Serves 4 Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease an ovenproof casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Lay in the fish, skin side down. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining butter, add leeks and cook gently until the leeks begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook until smooth, another 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream, add the bay leaf and parsley, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. When sauce is smooth, remove from heat and spoon over the fish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle cheese over the fish and place under the broiler until browned. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with boiled potatoes and a fresh green vegetable or salad. Variations: For a fish bake with spinach, layer 1 pound of fresh spinach, steamed for 1 to 2 minutes in 2 tablespoons of water, over the haddock and cook as above. For a fish bake with potato crust, bake as above for 15 minutes, omit the grated cheese, add a layer of mashed potatoes and return to oven for final 10 minutes. Place under the broiler until browned.