Photo from The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook, Cottage Door Press
By Dawn Smith-Pfeifer
Happy St. Patrick's Day! While I don't have a lick of Irish in me, there is something about the food that warms this Scandinavian's heart. I'm not sure why I like it so much. Maybe it's the rosemary and thyme that is often used. I love the flavor those two spices add to sauces and meat, and with Irish food, it seems like it's all about the sauce and meat!
While most people think of corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, my all-time favorite Irish recipe is Dublin Coddle. I got the recipe from an Irish cookbook called The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook by Cottage Door Press that Hubs and I picked up several years ago.
Be forwarned, there's a lot of chopping and peeling involved in making Dublin Coddle, so it isn't a recipe you can just whip up in 20 minutes. But I can unequivocally say that the time invested is COMPETELY worth it! This is one of those recipes where you can eat it for a few days and it just keeps getting better tasting as all the flavors meld. I love that!
And best of all? It boasts a pound of....wait for it....BACON!
This dish goes goes great with a simple soda bread recipe that uses flour and buttermilk and not much else. That recipe can also be found in the cookbook, as can another fam favorite, Sticky Carrots with Whiskey & Ginger Glaze. I know. My mouth is literally watering thinking about it. Just buy the recipe book!! It's worth it!
Dublin Coddle
Ingredients
1 pound bacon strips
8 pork sausage links
4 onions, sliced
black pepper
1 leek, some green tops included, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
3 cups chicken stock
Instructions
Preheat the broiler to high. Broil bacon for 7-8 minutes until just starting to crisp. Drain on papers towels. Slice in half widthwise and set aside. Reserve the fat in the broiler pan.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for about 15 minutes, turning until evenly browned. (If needed, use some of the reserve bacon fat to prevent sausages from sticking.) Remove sausages from the skillet, slice in half widthwise and set aside.
Using the skillet, cook the onions for 7 minutes until soft. Add more bacon fat if necessary.
Layer the onions, sausages and bacon in the bottom of a stock pot, seasoning each layer with plenty of black pepper. Add the leek, herbs and garlic and finish with a layer of potatoes. Season with a little more black pepper, then pour in the chicken stock.
Cover the pot tightly and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Serve with soda bread.