How about an Irish Stew???
Allrecipes:

Special Irish Beef Stew

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Servings: 6
"This savory recipe is a complete meal in itself. Don't forget the beer as it's what makes this recipe unique."
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound lean beef stew meat
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout
beer
4 cups sliced carrot
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Coat beef cubes with flour, shaking off the excess. Fry beef cubes until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot. Add the onion and mushrooms to the pot, and cook stirring constantly until onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Return beef to the pot, and stir in tomato paste, beef broth, and beer. Add potatoes and carrots, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Mix together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir into the stew, and simmer until thickened. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2009 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 3/17/2009

Corned beef and cabbage isn't really a typical Irish dish anyway. Irish immigrants to America sort of adopted it from Jewish Americans when they found their preferred type of bacon wasn't readily available...link below. Beef was very expensive in Ireland, historically speaking, and mostly kept for milk, mutton and pork being more common foods.

I looooove cornde beef and cabbage....perhaps you are not cooking it the best way if it stinks so. Over cooked cabbage always smells sulfur-ish.

An alternative might be mutton stew.
1 1/2 pounds of cubed mutton...meat from the loin will be tender.
I don't brown it because I prefer a light broth.
Cover with water and add
2 small onions quartered and either put into a slow cooker or a Dutch oven in a 250 oven for about 3 housrs.
Add 2 pounds of peeled carrots adn 1 1/2 pounds of small red potatoes.
Add 1 1/2 tsps of salt, or to taste and a generous amount of black pepper.
Thicken the gravy with a slurry of 1/2 cup water and 2 of flour.
This is something my mother made and a family favorite.
Linda C

I cook my corned beef in ginger ale- it is so yummy. The cabbage gets added quite late in the piece so it doesn't overcook. That said, I don't make it for St Patrick's Day, which we don't really celebrate apart from a desultory "Happy St Patrick's Day" if we remember :-)

Linda I always do the cabbage last, it's not that. My little guy has sensory integration issues [autism] so I always cook aromatic stuff outdoors if possible. But thank you for the mutton stew recipe, I'll log that one for next year!

Happy SPD all

As rachellen said, "corned beef and cabbage" isn't Irish. It's American(-Irish).

But it's THE dish on St. Patty's Day in the U.S.

In Ireland, they've feasted on Dublin Lawyer (lobster served in a heavy, whiskey-infused cream sauce), Irish Stew (lamb, beef or mutton or a mix, in a Guiness-infused broth, with veggies and served over mashed potatoes and a bowl of "coddle" on the side) and trotters (salted pigs-feet).

But too late for all that good stuff here.

Me and caabage aren't friends, by the way. I like it but it doesn't like me.

Joe
(whose real name is Giuseppe Luigi Pasqaule Seals but on St. Paddy's Day, I'm Joseph Louis Patrick Seals, with Seals being an old Celtic name)

You need to expand your horizons for sure! We love CB & C (or at least I do) but there are so many great Irish Dishes, shame on you for not investigating them sooner! I've made all of the following with enthusiastic response.

Just to list a few:

Atlantic Salmon with Guinness Glaze

Serves 4

For the glaze:

11/4 cups (300 mL) Guinness ale, plus 1 tablespoon (15 mL) to mix with cornstarch
1 teaspoon (5 mL) cornstarch
For the salmon:
4 boneless salmon fillets, each 6 ounces (170 g)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons (25 mL)
vegetable oil

Make the glaze: Place 11/4 cups (300 mL) of Guinness in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (125 mL). In a separate, small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of Guinness with cornstarch until no lumps remain, then add to saucepan with reduced Guinness, stirring to thicken to a syrup consistency.

When thickened, remove sauce from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Prepare salmon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180C). Season fillets with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat vegetable oil in saute pan until hot, place salmon in pan and brown on one side; turn salmon over and brush the browned side with Guinness glaze. Place glazed fillets in roasting pan, glazed-side up, and bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until salmon is done to your liking

Serve with steamed basmati rice and fresh vegetables.

Approximate nutritional content per serving: Calories 290. Protein 32 g. Fat 15 g. Carbohydrates 2 g. Dietary fibre 0 g. Sodium 300 mg.
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Lamb and Guinness Stew

3 pounds lamb shoulder with a little fat, cubed
1/2 cup flour
3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2" slices
2 large yellow onions, cut into large dice
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh parsley
2 quarts lamb or beef stock, or as needed
12 ounces Guinness stout
1 cup pearl barley (optional)
2 teaspoons corn starch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For a real Irish country touch, include the barley -- cook it for 20 minutes in 3 cups of lamb or beef stock, then add when you return the meat to pot with the vegetables.
Cut off some of the parsley leaves and chop enough to make 2 tablespoons; reserve. Cut off some parsley stems, and tie them into a bundle with a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme; reserve.

Season the meat with salt and brown the meat in a little oil. Remove and reserve, and sprinkle with a little flour, shaking off excess. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery to the pan and sauté, tossing to coat with the fat. Add the Guinness and deglaze, scraping up any caramelized meat juices. Add the potatoes, return the meat to the pot (and the barley if you're using it). Add enough stock to barely cover, cook over medium heat until just boiling, then reduce heat to very low and simmer 2 - 3 hours, until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

Check seasonings, add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat, stir in parsley and the cornstarch (mixed into 4 teaspoons water) and stir. Cook over low heat for a few more minutes to thicken. Serve with plenty of Irish brown or white soda bread, tea and more Guinness if you like.

YIELD: 6 generous servings

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DUBLIN CODDLE 6 Back to Top

2 pounds pork sausages-bangers
seasoned flour
bacon fat
sunflower oil
2 large onions diced
2 garlic cloves
1 pound lean bacon slices or thinly sliced smoked pork or ham
4 large potatoes thickly sliced/peeled
2 carrots thickly sliced peeled
bunch of fresh herbs to taste
black pepper
hard cider
chopped parsley

Dip sausages into seasoned flour and seal in hot bacon fat. Soften onions and garlic cloves in the oil. Put sausages bacon and onions in large sauce pan with potatoes and carrots and herbs. Cover with cider. Cook over moderate heat for at least an hour-do not boil. Garnish with parsley. Wash down with mugs of Guinness stout and soda bread serves 6.
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I've also made a variation on fish pie, fish cobbler, fish in a creamy sauce with a crust top or whatever you want to call it... using finnan haddie (which I think is actually Scottish, but a lot of Irish friends of mine rave about it). I also have a recipe for Finnan Haddie with a Thatched Roof (which is creamed finnan haddie with a potato pacake sort of shredded top bakes on it) If you want that recipe too, I will dig it out of my file and type it for you.

Alexa

Thanks Alexa those are great ideas for next SPD for sure. I have been remiss in exploring other recipes only because I go for the dumb traditional route and we're happy with the great Irish Soda bread I make, Thank you Lyndaluu too!

You guys sure make being wrong an opportunity to do things better the next time around - and that's why I come here for your advice! Thank you! I think my St Pats day menu next year will be much tastier!

Oh my gosh, we do love corned beef and cabbage. I cook mine in homemade beef broth with allspice berries, peppercorns, fresh bay leaves and thyme.

Speaking of Irish cookbooks, take a look at Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cookbook (which has no corned beef and cabbage recipe).

Carol

I love cabbage and broccoli and Brussels sprouts and all those "stinky" veggies, so to me, they don't smell!! If you like cabbage, how can the smell of cabbage be offensive? I never understood that. It's not stronger a "stink" than garlic, which I could live on - you can NEVER have too much garlic imo, or onions, or fish or any other number of foods.

We don't celibrate St. Patrick's Day in any way either - even by making a boiled dinner as we call it around here.

Again - I love cabbage so to me the smell of cabbage cooking is a delicious smell!

Lisa

Well, you could always make meat loaf.. :)

I cook my corned beef in ginger ale also..

And I do my cabbage sauteed in bacon drippings with onions and powdered mustard...still throw some in the pot for the traditionalists..

And yes, Corned beef is American..
And the true color of Ireland is BLUE! I remember one of the nuns in High School telling us that, and yesterday the narrator of the parade in NYC mentioned the same thing..

Hope anyone who celebrates had a good one!

I lived in Dublin for 5 months during my jr. year in college. During that time, I learned a few things; french fries and mashed potatoes are considered different vegetables and can be served at the same meal, guiness goes with everything, and I like curry, (or at least the Irish version which included a toppings lazy susan). Overall, I was underwhelmed by the quality of food and by the lack of fresh produce. Back in 1985, a salad bar in Ireland meant the choice between egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad...The family I lived with knew I loved fresh salads, so we sometimes had it at dinner (very $$ to buy lettuce there). Any leftover salad was sandwiched between slices of buttered bread and served the next day for lunch. Despite the bland food, I did manage to gain 10 pounds there due to the fact that Guiness does go with everything.
Jo

Sands, I have to agree with you. I don't make this dinner every year ,but when I do I remember why I don't make it often.

Unfortunately, I did make it last night. I just find it a very unappealing dinner. Both Moe and I like certain parts of the meal. We both like the corned beef. I like the cabbage and Moe loves the potatoes and the carrots. The best thing about the dinner is that I have leftover corned beef to have in a sandwich today.

Ann

I like corned beef and I really like cabbage but they just seem too "strong" to be together, I guess. So I make it the corned beef which I use for corned beef hash because I like better than just plain corned beef and I make cabbage sauteed with onions and bacon, which I like better than the boiled stuff.

I also like all the "stinky" vegetables like brussels sprouts and cabbage, and that includes sauerkraut. One of my secretaries mentioned my "stinky" broccoli a while ago and I replied that I detest pizza and she has it at least twice a week, so if she stops making me smell pizza I'll stop making her smell vegetables!

The only thing I cook outside because of smell is lamb because I just don't like lamb and Elery loves it, so I cook it. Outside, where I don't have to smell it, LOL.

As has been mentioned, corned beef is not Irish food, Ireland was a pauper nation for a long time and beef was far too expensive for most people. Green was actually considered an unlucky color in Ireland because the "little people" loved the color green and you chanced being taken away by them if you wore too much green!

So what do I really like about Irish cooking? Potatoes in any form, including Colcannon. Oat farls and scones and Irish oatmeal. Bacon, lots and lots of bacon, yum. And, of course, fish. There are lots of Irish fishermen and in many places they eat a lot of seafood.

No Irish cookbooks? Of course there are Irish cookbooks and most of them don't include corned beef and cabbage or any green cookies shaped like shamrocks!

Kathleen, I love the meatloaf, BTW! I'll bet you have Irish plates and serving pieces, don't you?

Annie

Ahhh, but you know tey do eat corned beef and cabbage in modern Ireland. They adopted it! Just tink...tare are 40-60 million Irish....everywhere else and only about 4 million in Ireland!

So, The Emerald Isle's color is blue? Who knew?

Maybe we can send St. Patrick down to Wall Street to drive the snakes out ;O!

Maggie, I got a St. Patrick's Day card that said "Celebrate the day St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland". On the inside it said "Too bad they all came to America and became bankers and lawyers". LOL

Of course I got it because I work in a law office, but it was still funny.....

Annie

LOL, Annie!

Some of the best food I had in my life I ate in Ireland.
Carol (readinglady) mentioned the Ballymaloe cookbook; the food there is absolutely wonderful. Longueville House was in the same league. Irish cooking is based on the freshness of local ingredients. Even the bed-and-breakfasts served excellent food. A cheap, fluorescent-lit fish and chips place in Belfast had some of the best fish we'd ever eaten. Breads are great. I really wished I'd brought home suitcase full of Irish flour.

cloudy christine - King Arthur used to carry Irish Wholemeal Flour that was a coarse grind of soft wheat that was perfect for all those traditional Irish quick breads.

I only have 6 Irish-specific cookbooks - all with traditional recipes in them. Some include a recipe for corned beef and it's always pointed out as the Irish-American dish. I've fed hundreds of people over the years using great recipes out of those books for our St. Patrick's Day Hooley (party).

Colconnon is the National dish in Ireland; and Colconnon and Limerick Ham seem to be favorites at our house.

-Grainlady

I remember well the Irish bacon. It was thick and very tasty. I nearly had a fit when someone burst into my hotel room in Dublin one morning many years ago, and I was ready to scream when it turned out it was not only the morning tea being brought to my bedside, but a big plate of Irish breakfast: eggs, bacon and other things being put onto the dressing table.
It was a middle range, economical tourist hotel but the morning bedside tea and breakfast was an ingrained custom.

I don't know if they still do that now.

SharonCb

Yes, the bacon is wonderful!
Grainlady, I tried the King Arthur "Irish flour" and didn't think much of it.

Some Irish recipes don't transpose well; sometimes the disappointment in the final product comes from an inability to find comparable ingredients or a misunderstanding of measures.

Notice the differences in amounts in this recipe for brown bread.

From the Little Irish Baking Book by Ruth Isabel Ross:

Nutty Brown Bread

50 g / 2 oz / 1/2 cup pinhead oatmeal*
175 g / 6 oz / 1 1/2 cups wheatenmeal (whole-wheat) flour
75 g / 3 oz / 3/4 cup white (all-purpose) flour
1/2 t./generous 1/2 t. US t. sugar
1 heaped tsp / 1 1/4 US tsp bread (baking) soda
280 ml / 1/2 pint / 1 1/4 c. buttermilk

Put the oatmeal, flours, sugar and bread/baking soda into a bowl and sift with your fingers. Add the buttermilk. Mix everything with a wooden spoon.

Knead slightly. Place the dough in a greased tin and bake at 200°C / 400°F / gas 6 for 30-35 minutes.

Wrap the loaf in a clean tea towel/dish cloth to keep it from becoming hard. Do not cut it for a few hours but finish within 24 hours.

*pinhead oatmeal is also known as Irish or Scottish oatmeal or steel-cut oats

Irish "all-purpose white" is a soft wheat low-protein flour. So something like a bread flour or a typically high protein King Arthur flour would not yield pleasing results. White Lily or another soft southern flour like Weisenberger is a bit closer to the original.

This article from The Atlantic provides some helpful insights on Irish flour:

The Secret of the Irish Scone

For the truly authentic, Irish flours can be purchased at the link.

Carol

I had a St. Patrick's Day impulse to order from Food Ireland; apparently so do did a lot of people -- the site wouldn't work!
I will have to try some imported Irish flour. I'm sure the best of it stays home, though. I just saw something on the web that recommends Abbey Mills in Roscrea, but it doesn't come to America. Ballymaloe sold their flour in their gift shop, and I actually was tempted.

Carol, that's a fun website, it worked fine for me so all the Irish revelers must be sleeping in, LOL.

Great, thanks to you, I want scones. At 3:30 on a Thursday afternoon. Sigh.

Annie

Actually I have one Irish cookbook. I like the bread section best.

I read that Corned Beef (without cabbage) IS a traditional Irish meal and goes back to the 1600's. That the Irish immigrants took it with them to American and it became a way to remember home on St. Pat's Day.

"Irish Were the First Exporters of Corned Beef

Irish were the biggest exporters of Corned Beef till 1825. The English were serving corned beef but also the Irish. In this day and age corned beef and cabbage is not very Irish, but corned beef is. The area of Cork, Ireland was a great producer of Corned Beef in the 1600s until 1825. It was their chief export and sent it all over the world, mostly in cans. The British army sustained on cans of Corks corned beef during the Napoleonic wars."
Clare

Yes, but few Irish could afford to eat it, it all went to exports. So, is corned beef Irish? Sure it is. Was it a traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner? Nope, it was too expensive, the average guy ate potatoes.

Oh, and St. Patrick's Day is actually a religious holiday, LOL, it just turned into a drinking binge somehow, but I guarantee my mother will not be giving up her Irish Cream in her coffee. (grin)

As for St. Pat's, I always celebrate now. It's the anniversary of the day my divorce was final from my first husband, cause for celebration indeed!

Annie

Irish Bacon and cabbage is quite common. Delicious.

I can never do the "pudding" - black or white:(

Annie, I'll have "coffee" with your mom, anytime.

I do have tea everyday around 3:00 pm and it has to be Barry's:)

We never do corned beef and cabbage. DS hates cabbage. :)

Our annual meal is coddle and green beans with Guiness cake for dessert. And I thougth my coddle recipe was good, but I'm ditching it in favor of Caliloo's!

I LOVE Corned Beef & Cabbage! If made properly, it doesn't "stink-up" the house! Overcooked cabbage is one of my "pet-peeves" and really DOES SMELL BAD, and most people DO overcook the cabbage. Properly cooked cabbage is just about odorless and delicious.

I simmer the corned beef with spices and an onion for 2 or 3 hours ('till fork can be inserted into meat), and during the last 15 minutes of the simmer, I add the vegetables....cabbage, onion, celery stalks, turnips, carrots, or whatever vegies you desire.

No polluted smells in the home !

The cabbage should not be cooked until it turns a pinkish tinge.....that indicates OVERCOOKED, and does not taste very good at all !! Cook all vegies until just tender.