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06-03-2017, 02:53 PM
1

St. Patrick's Day Feast!

Hi everyone,Monday morning and I feel in a yackity yack mood, hope you don’t mind.Thought I would share my thoughts with you while I sip my cuppa.

Well, it’s St Patrick’s Day (17th March) coming up soon. Being a product of fine old Irish stock, I do celebrate the day by wearing my Shamrock Brooch and as usual, cook a meal consisting of a Bacon joint, Cabbage and Potatoes for dinner that evening,. I usually have 2 of my gorilla’s and their wives for dinner, but as it falls on a Friday this year, I’ve got 6 this time. I bought 2 lovely lean Bacon joints from Sainsbury’s a few weeks ago because they were really cheap, and beautifully lean. (neither of us likes fat).This, with a pork and sage gravy would normally, with certainty, ensure that every morsel being consumed.

Anyway, sitting there with my cuppa last night, I started reminiscing about my childhood and the Bacon, Cabbage and Potatoes Mum often cooked for dinner. How I miss both of them and those lovely dinners. My parents were both Irish, and boy, is it true when they say only the Irish know how to cook Bacon and Cabbage the way it is meant to be cooked. Of course, back then Mum used cured Bacon, and boiled the cabbage to death! (sorry mum) but she knew how to do the Bacon joint and Potatoes to a tee. I well remember that she and Dad always ensured we each had two huge thick slices of that beautifully lean and tender joint, Thank the sweet Lord, both she and Dad loved the (gulp) sweet fat off the joint, we kids always got very lean slices with no traces of fat. (phew!.)

Anyway, I digress. I have always steamed my Veggies, including the potatoes, but I thought to myself last night,, Sod it! It’s St. Patrick’s Day and, I’m going to cook Bacon, Cabbage and Potatoes just once the way my Mum used to make it (barring the cabbage) and with a modern twist. No fuss, no frills, I am sharing the way she made it with you, the good old Irish way.

TRADITIONAL IRISH BACON, CABBAGE AND POTATOES.


The Bacon Joint.

You will need.a nice lean Bacon joint (about 1kg to 1.5kg). If you have any left over, it goes beautiful as another meal ,perhaps cold with Branston Pickle, served with creamy Mash and Peas or green beans. Or perhaps sliced thinly and made into Sandwiches. Tastes delicious and no waste. I would give my two little pampered pups some, but doggy’s find it hard to digest pork products.

Anyway, now my mind is made up to do the above the way my lovely Irish coleen mum’s way, so here it is…

YOU WILL NEED

One green Cabbage (Savoy or Kale would be perfect)
About 1.2kg Desiree potatoes (sacrilege to use any but Red potatoes for this dish)

Soak the Bacon joint in cold water, preferably overnight. I know nowadays that most bacon joints don’t have the same salt content, but hey, I’m doing it Mum’s way.
When you are ready to cook your Bacon joint, bring the water you have been soaking your joint in, up to the boil, and while you are doing this, also boil a kettle of water. When the Bacon water has boiled, discard the water and any foam that may have formed. Now using the boiling water from the Kettle, pour over the Bacon joint ensuring you have covered it completely. now add a large peeled onion to the water.
Bring to the boil again and immediately turn down to a lively simmer, enough that you can see active bubbles but not going at a mad boil.
I usually cook my Bacon joint for about 25 minutes per 500g. I test it with a sharp knife at the end of cooking time just to ensure knife goes through easily. If it doesn’t, give it another 5 minutes or so, but don’t keep poking the knife in to test it or you will end up with a messy piece of Bacon
When the Bacon is cooked, take it out of the water, also take out the onion, but DO NOT throw the water away. I usually wrap the Bacon in foil and keep it warm in the bottom of the oven on the lowest setting until ready to carve.


Now for the Spuds!

1. I’ve always used Desiree potatoes because these
are the ones that Dad grew in the garden
but any lovely floury potato like King Edward will
suffice.
Scrub the potatoes well but do not peel them.They
have to be boiled in their skins.
Remove any eyes. Start them off by pouring
boiling water over them, Boil them for a
Minimum 25 minutes before checking they are
thoroughly cooked...Again check with a
Pointed knife to ensure tender. Drain them and put
them into a dish and keep them warm.

And finally the Cabbage!

As I am using a Savoy, I just discard the outer leaves, cut the Savoy into quarters and remove the hard stalk.Then I cut the quarters into smaller pieces and place them into the bacon water (that you didn’t throw away). Normally my veggies are steamed but following Mum’s way of cooking the cabbage in water, I am going to boil my Savoy for about 10 minutes or so, drain and add a good knob of butter.

Now, Mum always used the sieved Cabbage water (yes, honestly!) to pour over their dinner, but we kids were having none of that! We usually ended up with Bacon, Cabbage and beautiful Red potatoes cooked in their skins that we peeled ourselves and good old Tomato or HP sauce! However, I don’t think he who must obey, being a Londoner, or my Gorillas would be too impressed if I served them Cabbage water or Tomato Ketchup for this meal, so I will instead make “Shamrock Sauce” which to you and me is a Parsley Sauce, to go with it.

One of the easiest meals in the world to make and I promise you, it will taste delicious. Don’t forget the extra butter for those mouthwatering potatoes, and side plates for when you fork each potato and peel the skins off yourself. The difference in the taste is unbelievable..

I hope they will enjoy the meal. I know I will.

Thanks for reading, time for a refill !


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Nom
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06-03-2017, 02:57 PM
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Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

Well as ive got a bit of the Irish in my genetic mix i will join in with some of Irelands finest product Guinness, while i listen to my Planxty albums then watch The Quiet Man.
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06-03-2017, 03:02 PM
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Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

My all time favourite film Nom! Cheers!
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06-03-2017, 03:08 PM
4

Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

You may have to make room for another Shroppy, I think I would enjoy that.

Have you ever made a coddle? I tried it in a Dublin pub and it was so nice that I asked what they had put in it , and then went home to try and reproduce it. I think I did an Ok job but I haven't done another one for ages!
Rehab44
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06-03-2017, 03:47 PM
5

Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

I did your steak recipe last night with rump steak for Mrs Rehab and myself.
It was bloody brill ..thanks SG
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06-03-2017, 04:16 PM
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Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

HI Twink, yes, I made it once for he who must obey, he said it was nice but has never asked for it to be made again so have never bothered. I thoroughly enjoyed it though.
It is a perfect meal for St Patrick’s day if you didn’t fancy Bacon, Cabbage and Potatoes though, and really tasty. It is similar to a Beef stew but you use chopped Bacon slices, pre-cooked good quality Pork Sausage, Onions, and diced Potatoes cooked in a Guinness sauce with lots of goodies in there like garlic, thyme, chicken broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper and flour to thicken. Well that’s the way I did it.
I was advised never to cook it in a Slow cooker though because of the moisture.It makes the potatoes too mushy. Coddle needs to cooked on a low heat in the oven in a casserole dish with lid on for a minimum 2 hours on (say about 300).

I have a dog-eared recipe somewhere in my old cookery file. I may fish it out again some day, but unless he who must obey raves over a meal first time, it gets relegated!
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06-03-2017, 04:19 PM
7

Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

Originally Posted by Rehab44 ->
I did your steak recipe last night with rump steak for Mrs Rehab and myself.
It was bloody brill ..thanks SG
Oh Rehab, thank you, I am so pleased your steak came out lovely, Who on earth would have thought it would be ME giving advice on how to cook a steak after being too scared to cook one for almost 40 years!!!
I'm really pleased for you because let's face it, Steak is certainly not cheap is it?
Well done indeed xx
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06-03-2017, 05:22 PM
8

Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

Start tuning up your tonsils and practice this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2M4usgh8Ss
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06-03-2017, 06:34 PM
9

Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

Originally Posted by Uncle Joe ->
Start tuning up your tonsils and practice this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2M4usgh8Ss
Lovely UJ. that song reminds me of when as kids making our yearly pilgrimage to see family in Limerick and Kerry, my dad, after a few glasses of Guinness washed down with a few glasses of Irish Whisky, would always be first up on the stage at the local pub with his brothers, to sing all of those songs. He always ended the night singing "I'll take you home again Kathleen". He was a great singer but he did tend to enjoy himself too much on these visits, although he hardly touched a drop back home.
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06-03-2017, 07:45 PM
10

Re: St. Patrick's Day Feast!

I will be at a ceilidh which - if it is anything like last year - will go on until dawn. We will be having Colcannon, guinness, Jameson's whiskey, and champagne to drown the shamrock at midnight !
 
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