IRISH STEW
Stobhach Gaelach

There are many different recipes for this famous Irish dish. Some people suggest that mutton was originally the main ingredient, others believe it to have been kid. Nowadays, since mutton is hardly available, lamb chops from the neck or shoulder, or stewing lamb taken off the bone are used. Although it is not truly authentic, many restaurants and indeed homes, including my own, serve what they call Irish stew but made with stewing beef. It would also appear that in the north of Ireland another type of Irish stew was made, using spare pork ribs instead of the mutton or lamb chops.

Basically, Irish stew is a peasant dish, made with the cheapest and most readily available ingredients. The meat is combined with onions, potatoes, parsley, seasoning and water and when correctly made should be rich and thick and not watery like soup.

Irish stew is traditionally served on its own with mushroom ketchup or with pickled red cabbage and accompanied by a glass of stout. This is my version:

Serves 4
2 pounds neck of lamb, cut into slices about 3/4 inch thick or 2 pounds stewing lamb cut into large pieces
2 large onions
2 pounds potatoes
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 2/3 cups water

Wipe the lamb, peel the onions and cut into rings. Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices. Layer the meat and vegetables in a deep pan, seasoning well with salt, pepper and parsley between each layer, and ending with potatoes. Pour over the water and cover with a piece of buttered paper, either waxed paper or aluminum foil, and then the lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender and the liquid well absorbed. Alternatively, the stew can be cooked in a pre-heated 325 degree oven once it has come to a boil.

Serve with additional chopped parsley and a glass of stout.

NOTE: Many people also add sliced carrots to the stew, although they are not thought to have been part of the original ingredients and are rather frowned upon by the purists. Their addition does, however, produce a very tasty stew.