The Wandering Kitchen: Ireland
In the Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s Wandering Kitchen Travel Blog Series, we’re taking you on a virtual trip to some of the best places on Earth for world-class cuisine. Whether it comes from your backyard or a different continent, good food has the power to transport you anywhere you want to go. So while you might not travel to the heart of India, the Caribbean, or the boot of Italy by plane, train, or automobile, you can take your taste buds on a trip simply by turning your dining table into a delicious destination for some of the world’s best food.
We’ll be featuring locations near and far known for their food, inspirational recipes to try in your own kitchen, as well as products you can find in the Co-op to give you a taste of the cuisine.
In this edition of The Wandering Kitchen, we’re taking a virtual trip to a scenic, old-world destination full of rolling green hills, dark blue waters, and breathtaking cliffs. Grab your best walking shoes and a warm jacket because this time around we're visiting Ireland!
Why Ireland?
While most people travel to Ireland for its rich cultural history and sweeping landscapes, we're featuring Irish cuisine because much of it is inspired by the crops and livestock the Irish have been farming for millennia.
And at the Co-op, we love encouraging members to eat locally and seasonally, which is exactly what they do in Ireland.
Irish Inspired Recipes
Interestingly enough, corned beef isn't a traditional Irish recipe. It's an American-Irish dish that is most common in North America around St. Patrick's Day. However, corned beef was typically used as a substitute for bacon by the Irish in the 19th century, so that is likely where the association comes from.
That said, there are plenty of other common meals and side dishes that are traditionally enjoyed in Ireland. Here are a few Irish recipes to bring the Emerald Isle home to your own kitchen!
Photo Courtesy of Baking a Moment
Irish Soda Bread
In every part of the world, you'll find some kind of bread that's made by virtually everyone. In India it's naan, in the Mediterranian it's a pita, in France it's a baguette, and in Ireland, it's Irish Soda Bread.
There are many variations of Irish soda bread available online, but if you want to go the traditional route, all you need is 4 ingredients: flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and buttermilk.
Whether you opt for the traditional recipe or not, the main ingredient that sets Irish soda bread apart from other quick breads is the baking soda. It's used as a leavening agent in place of yeast.
Soda bread doesn't require any kneading either. In fact, kneading should actually be avoided as it can result in a tough dough.
Photo Courtesy of Feasting at Home
Irish Stew
Because Ireland tends to have mildly crispy weather that calls for a jacket, of course warm and cozy Irish stew is a staple meal.
Traditionally, Irish stew is made out of either lamb or mutton (they're commonly raised in Ireland), potatoes, onions, and parsley. But as with any 'traditional' recipe comes dispute over what the correct ingredients are.
Many Irish folks claim the only ingredient are mutton chops, potatoes, onion, and water, while other people are in the camp that Irish stew also includes carrots, turnips, and barley.
Nowadays, many people cooking up an Irish stew utilize beef stew meat because its easier to find at the store and is generally more affordable, too. This recipe calls for either lamb or beef and incorporates a few extra herbs.
Photo Courtesy of Bon Appetit
Colcannon
Simply put, colcannon is a traditional Irish side dish consisting of mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. Just like Irish soda bread, a traditional colcannon is made up of just 4 simple ingredients: potatoes, butter, milk, and cabbage or kale.
And also like soda bread, more modern takes on colcannon can incorporate salt and pepper, scallions, leeks, garlic, and bacon.
This simple Irish side dish also has a unique tradition associated with it. According to Smithsonian Magazine:
Colcannon is indeed a traditional dish for Halloween, a holiday which has ancient Celtic and Irish origins. The food joins a litany of fortune-telling snacks always served that day. For colcannon, in particular, a coin, rag, stick or other item was cooked inside, and whatever “trinket” you found in your potatoes predicted your future. A coin meant wealth in the coming year and a rag meant poverty.
The recipe we're featuring here is from Bon Appetit and incorporates the aforementioned traditional ingredients as well as heavy cream, leeks, garlic, and scallion provide for a well-rounded and richly-flavorful mashed potato side dish for ham or bacon.
Photo Courtesy of Food52
Irish Boiled Bacon & Cabbage
While corned beef might not be a staple in Ireland, boiled bacon and cabbage is! There isn't much to explain about how this dish is made, mostly because all the ingredients and the cooking method are included in the recipe title.
But! It's worth noting that in Ireland 'bacon' is what we in America would probably consider a thin cut of pork or Canadian bacon. In fact, the term 'bacon' is used interchangeably in Ireland as a term that means any joint of pork except the leg.
This simple recipe calls for just (you guessed it) 4 ingredients and is an easy weeknight meal to enjoy for St. Patrick's Day or really any time of year.
Find the full recipe at Food52
Irish Food Staples Available at the Co-op
Irish Beer - Including Guinness and Kulshan Dry Irish Stout
Irish-Style Cheese - Including Kerrygold Irish Cheddar, Kerrygold Dubliner, and Irish Porter Cheddar
Corned Beef & Cabbage, Colcannon - Seasonally available in our Deli
The Co-op's Own Corned Beef - Seasonally available in our Meat Department
Irish Breakfast Tea