A simple Irish feast

The Irish can make a little go a long way, write Colleen Simpson and Kate Fraser.

As with many cultures, social change had a significant impact on what ended up on Irish dinner tables. The popularity of potatoes, for example, can be traced to the early 19th century. Then, the Catholic majority were denied the right to buy or own land at the same time as the population size mushroomed. As a result, families were forced to stave off hunger by intensive cropping. Potatoes were their answer, as the vegetable not only filled empty stomachs, but provided basic nutrition. It couldn't be said that Irish food sets the culinary world alight but it does, nevertheless, include a number of delicious dishes.

The traditional Irish kitchen didn't boast a wide choice of ingredients, rather it was stocked with simple, mostly inexpensive fare: bacon, potatoes, fish, mutton, home-made butter, cheeses, and seasonal fruit and vegetables - either grown at home, or free for the taking from the countryside. Baking and preserving were everyday tasks and a little not only went a long way, it often tasted better for it.

Potato bread

Also known as potato farls or potato cake. The recipe is one of many variations on the traditional Irish breakfast inclusion, but with a modern take on the original.

1kg floury potatoes (waxy potatoes will make "gluey" bread)

Salt to taste

1-1 1/2cups flour

Oil

Peel potatoes, cut into medium-sized chunks and boil until soft but not mushy. Drain, mash until lump-free and add salt to taste. Leave to cool completely. Once at room temperature, sprinkle some flour over and mix thoroughly. Repeat process until the potato resembles a light dough and doesn't stick to your hands. Turn on to a floured bench and roll out into a disc about 5mm thick. Cut into eight wedges. Put about 1 Tbsp flour into a griddle pan or skillet and heat to a low temperature. Cook each wedge, leaving plenty of room between, until brownish but not crispy. Clean the pan and return to cooker, this time using a little oil. Cook the bread until crispy and eat immediately. The bread is traditionally served along with bacon, fried eggs, tomatoes and black or white pudding as part of a full Irish breakfast and is especially tasty when cooked in the pan with the bacon.

For a lighter, option, put the browned bread in a flat panini maker or in the toaster. Instead of the fried accompaniments try topping the bread with smoked salmon, Mandy's Horseradish Cream and chives, or smoked mackerel, creme fraiche and capers.

Porter cake

Porter is a type of dark ale. It was favoured by the "ladies in the snug" around the time Coronation Street filmed its first episode, but in the last three decades, stout, particularly Guinness, has overtaken porter both as a drink and for cooking. Its dark rich yeastiness is well suited to slow- braised meat dishes, and rich cakes but for those who like a lighter taste, water the stout. The recipe is adapted from A Little Irish Cookbook by John Murphy. The cake is large, dense and fruity and is best left for a week before eating. 150 ml Guinness

100ml cold water

250g butter

250g brown sugar

550g mixed raisins, sultanas and dried cranberries

350g mixed dried peel

100g stoned prunes, chopped small

1.5kg plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp mixed spice

Zest (grated rind) of 1 lemon

3 eggs

Put the Guinness and water in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and brown sugar, stir until the butter melts and sugar dissolves then add the dried fruit and bring to the boil. Reduce and let simmer for 10 minutes. Leave overnight to get quite cold. Next day add the sifted flour and baking soda, mixed spice and lemon zest and mix well. Beat the eggs, then mix into the cake batter with a wooden spoon, making sure the fruit is distributed evenly.

Preheat oven to 160deg C. Grease and double line a 25cm cake tin and pour in the cake batter. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 3/4 hours then test with a skewer. If it comes out clean the cake is cooked, if not, continue to bake, testing every 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool in the tin. To store, wrap in cooking foil then a clean tea towel and place in an tightly lidded tin for a week before cutting.

Knocktopher House lamb

A cheat's version of the all-day-to-cook Irish Stew. Serves 4

600ml low-salt lamb or chicken stock

1 1/2 Tbsp pearl barley

2 Tbsp light cooking oil

1kg lamb fillets or backstraps, seasoned and dusted with flour

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 bayleaf

4 potatoes, halved

2 carrots, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Bring the stock to the boil and add the pearl barley. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the stock is reduced and the barley is tender to the bite. Drain, reserving the stock and barley separately. Heat the oil, add the lamb fillets and brown in batches, putting them in a casserole dish as you go. Saute onion and garlic, add to casserole. Add the lemon juice, 3/4 cup of reserved stock, oregano and bay leaf. Cover and cook at 180degC for 30 minutes. Add the barley, potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper. Cover and return to the oven to cook for a further 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. To serve, spoon meat, vegetables and barley-thickened broth into shallow bowls or plates. Sprinkle generously with parsley. Good served with thick slices of soda bread - the slices are traditionally torn and scattered over the stew.

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