The definitive recipe for Irish stew simply doesn’t exist as in the past each household would have had its own family recipe. It is said, however, that people in the south of Ireland always add carrots, but people north of County Tipperary do not. Many people make their stew by placing alternate layers of meat, onions, carrots and potatoes in a pot, seasoned with salt and pepper, covered with water and stewed gently for a couple of hours. If you sear the meat and vegetables before stewing, as we do at Ballymaloe, it seals in the delicious sweet flavour.
SERVES 4–6
1.5kg (3lb 5oz) mutton chops from the neck or shoulder, still on the bone, cut about 1.5cm (¾in) thick
3 tbsp olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices at an angle, or 12 small baby carrots, scrubbed and left whole
12 baby onions, peeled, or 3–4 medium onions, cut into quarters through the root, which should keep the wedges intact
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400ml (14fl oz) lamb or chicken stock or water
8–12 potatoes, peeled and halved if very large
Sprig of thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.
2 Cut the chops in half, but keep the bones intact as they will give great flavour. Heat a medium-large ovenproof casserole pot or large saucepan with the olive oil until hot, then toss in the meat and cook for a minute on either side until it is nice and brown. Remove the meat and set aside and then cook the carrots and onions in the hot oil for a couple of minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Return the meat to the pot.
3 Add the stock and bring to the boil. Put the potatoes and sprig of thyme on top and transfer to the oven for 1½–2 hours or until the meat is very tender. When it is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid and allow it to sit for a minute until the fat floats to the top – adding a cube of ice will help speed this up. Spoon off the fat and pour the juices back over the stew. Add the chopped herbs and serve.
Rachel’s handy tip
If the potatoes are quite small, add them 20–30 minutes after the stew starts cooking to avoid them breaking up.
Pork Chops with Apple Sauce and Mustard Mash
This is just such a wonderful, old-fashioned family favourite and is destined to be so forever. I remember it well from our own family dinners. My mum used to serve the mustard and the mash separately on the plate and I would mix the mustard into the mash, even though this wasn’t her intent! It’s now evolved and I serve it as ‘mustard mash’, demonstrating that family recipes often change over time.
SERVES 4–6
FOR THE MUSTARD MASH
Follow the Perfect Mash recipe on page 27
2–3 tbsp grainy mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE APPLE SAUCE
1 large cooking apple (350g/12oz), peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 tbsp water
Tiny pinch cinnamon (optional)
25–50g (1–2oz) caster sugar
FOR THE PORK CHOPS
1–2 pork chops per person
Olive oil
1 First prepare the mash on page 27, then stir in the grainy mustard to taste and add some salt and pepper.
2 Next make the apple sauce. Place the apple in a small saucepan with the water. Put the lid on and cook over a gentle heat (stir every now and then) until the apple has broken down to a mush. Add the cinnamon, if using, and sugar to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
3 To cook the chops, remove excess fat from the chops and then drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. Place a large frying pan on a high heat. When it’s good and hot, add the pork chops and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate, cover and rest in a warm oven for 5 minutes.
4 To assemble, remove excess fat from the chops if you wish and place the chops on a serving plate with some mustard mash and a little apple sauce on the side.
These flapjacks really remind me of when I was little, cooking with my sister and mum. The flapjacks were never safe from us – we used to eat most of them before they had even cooled! Perfect with a glass of cold milk.
MAKES 25–30 FLAPJACKS VEGETARIAN
350g (12oz) butter
2 generous tbsp golden syrup
175g (6oz) light muscovado or soft light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g (3oz) plain flour
375g (13oz) oats
1 Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF), Gas mark 4.
2 Place the butter, golden syrup, sugar and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Bring up to a simmer and stir, allowing the butter to melt. When the mixture is smooth, take off the heat and add in the flour and the oats. Stir to mix and spread into a Swiss roll tin measuring 25 x 38cm (10 x 15in).
3 Bake in the oven (not too close to the top or it will burn) for 20–25 minutes or until golden. Cut into squares or fingers while still warm. Remove from the tin carefully while
