Irish American Mom

Celebrating Our Irish Heritage Together

Irish American Mom's Recipes

Here you will find all of the recipes I share on my website. They're listed in publication order, with my most recent recipe appearing at the top of the list. For a categorized index check out my "Recipe Index" tab listed under the "Cooking" category. Happy Irish cooking.

Cod and Parsley Sauce

by 6 Comments

Cod and parsley sauce is a simple, traditional Irish meal, often eaten on Fridays in years gone by when fish was off limits for Catholics.  This is a taste of my childhood, and when made with really fresh fish it’s truly satisfying.

The cod is dredged in seasoned flour before frying, then smothered in a creamy white sauce infused with parsley and a hint of onion. Simply delicious.

Parsley sauce is a white sauce made form a roux with chopped fresh parsley added.  It’s often used in Irish dinners and is perfect for topping ham, bacon or corned beef especially when served with cabbage.

I served this cod and parsley sauce with a side of champ, a delicious mixture of mashed potatoes with milk and green onions.  A few steamed carrots gave this dinner a real Irish taste and look, with it’s green, white and orange color theme.  An Irish flag dinner if you don’t mind, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s my recipe for this traditional Irish lunch or dinner favorite.

 

Ingredients for Cod and Parsley Sauce:

For the fish:  

4 cod fillets

1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

salt and pepper to season

2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of butter

 

For the parsley sauce:

2 and 1/4 cups of whole milk (500 mls / 16 fluid ounces)

1/2 onion – peeled and sliced

1 bay leaf

8 whole peppercorns

pinch of nutmeg

2 ounces of butter (1/2 stick or 50 grams)

1/4 cup of all purpose flour (2 ounces or 50 grams)

salt to season if desired

 

Directions for Cod and Parsley Sauce:

 

The first step is to infuse the milk you are going to use to make the sauce with a lovely variety of flavors.  Onions provide the first flavor layer.

Peel the onion and slice half of it. 

A rough chop is fine. Don’t worry about presentation since the onion will be discarded after it has infused the milk.

I only use half an onion since I like a subtle hint rather than a bold blast of onion in my sauce.

Next add the sliced onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and nutmeg to the milk in a saucepan.

Bring it to simmering point over medium heat, then turn off the burner and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

Do not boil the milk, since the flavor will change slightly if it is boiled for a while.  The purpose of this step is to infuse the milk for the parsley sauce with the subtle flavors of onion, bay, pepper and nutmeg, taking your sauce from bland to something extra special.

Be sure to use whole milk for the best sauce.  Low fat milks just make thin sauces, so I must recommend whole milk.


While the milk is infusing with those lovely flavors you can get started cooking the cod.

Season the flour with salt and pepper and mix it through in a flat bowl or on a plate.  Then dredge each of the cod fillets in the flour.

No need to dip the cod in an egg wash before coating in flour.  The flour just helps to give the fish a nice brown color when it is fried.

Add the oil and butter to a pre-heated skillet over medium heat.  When the pan is hot and the butter is melted add the fish pieces to the skillet.

Fry the cod for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning when the first side is a lovely golden brown.

Once the fish is nearly cooked it’s time to finish the parsley sauce.

Strain the infused milk and discard the onion, peppercorns, and bay leaf.  Keep the hot milk ready for making the sauce.

Melt the butter in the bottom of a saucepan. Then add the flour.

Stir the butter and flour together over the heat for at least one minute.

This step is extremely important so that you won’t get a taste of uncooked flour from your parsley sauce.

Gradually add the hot milk to the roux whisking all the time over medium heat.

Bring to simmering point while whisking to avoid any lumps forming.

The sauce should be a relatively thick, yet pourable consistency.

If the sauce is too thick for your liking just add some more milk and stir it through.

Finely chop the fresh parsley.

Add the parsley to the white sauce and stir it through.

And then you’ll be ready to plate. Lay a piece of the cooked cod on a plate and smother it in this lovely creamy parsley sauce.

Here’s my Irish dinner complete with a side of champ and steamed carrot batons.

 

Printable Recipe for Cod and Parsley Sauce Using American Measurements:

 

Here’s the printable recipe for those who would like American measurements.

Print
Cod and Parsley Sauce

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

Cod and Parsley Sauce

Cod and parsley sauce is a simple, traditional Irish meal. The cod is dredged in seasoned flour before frying, then smothered in a creamy white sauce infused with parsley and a hint of onion. Simply delicious.

Ingredients

  • For the fish:
  • 4 cod fillets
  • 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper to season
  • 2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • For the parsley sauce:
  • 2 and 1/4 cups of whole milk
  • 1/2 onion – peeled and sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 whole peppercorns
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 ounces of butter
  • 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
  • salt to season, if desired

Instructions

  1. Peel and slice half the onion.
  2. Add the sliced onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and nutmeg to the milk in a saucepan. Bring it to simmering point over medium heat, then turn off the burner and let it stand for 10 minutes.
  3. Season the flour with salt and pepper and mix it through in a flat bowl. Dredge each of the cod fillets in the flour.
  4. Add the oil and butter to a skillet heated over medium heat. Fry the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
  5. Strain the infused milk and discard the onion, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Keep the hot milk ready for making the sauce.
  6. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Then add the flour. Stir the butter and flour together over the heat for at least one minute.
  7. Gradually add the hot milk to the roux whisking all the time over medium heat. Bring to simmering point while whisking.
  8. Finely chop the fresh parsley, then add to the sauce and stir it through.
  9. Place each piece fish on a serving plate and cover in parsley sauce.
  10. Serve with mashed potatoes or Irish champ.
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Printable Recipe Using Metric and Imperial Measurements:

Cod and Parsley Sauce

Print recipe
Cod and Parsley Sauce
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Total time 35 minutes
Allergy Fish, Milk, Wheat
Meal type Main Dish
Misc Serve Hot
Cod and parsley sauce is a simple, traditional Irish meal. The cod is dredged in seasoned flour before frying, then smothered in a creamy white sauce infused with parsley and a hint of onion.

Ingredients

For the Fish

  • 4 cod fillets (deboned and skinless)
  • 50g flour (2 ounces)
  • salt and pepper to season
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1oz butter

For the Sauce

  • 500ml whole milk
  • 1/2 onion (peeled and sliced)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 whole peppercorns
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 50g butter (2 ounces)
  • 50g flour (2 ounce)

Directions

Step 1 Peel and slice half the onion.
Step 2 Add the sliced onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and nutmeg to the milk in a saucepan. Bring it to simmering point over medium heat, then turn off the burner and let it stand for 10 minutes.
Step 3 Season the flour with salt and pepper and mix it through in a flat bowl. Dredge each of the cod fillets in the flour.
Step 4 Add the oil and butter to a skillet heated over medium heat. Fry the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Step 5 Strain the infused milk and discard the onion, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Keep the hot milk ready for making the sauce.
Step 6 Melt the butter in a saucepan. Then add the flour. Stir the butter and flour together over the heat for at least one minute.
Step 7 Gradually add the hot milk to the roux whisking all the time over medium heat. Bring to simmering point while whisking.
Step 8 Finely chop the fresh parsley, then add to the sauce and stir it through.
Step 9 Place each piece fish on a serving plate and cover in parsley sauce.
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If you would like to serve champ with your cod and parsley sauce just click here for my Irish champ recipe.

Happy Irish cooking to all.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Irish Champ

by 6 Comments

Champ is a potato specialty in Ireland and is one of my favorite side dishes. Delicious and easy, champ is made by warming chopped green onions in milk before mixing them through mashed potatoes.  Topped with a knob of melting butter these onion laced spuds ooze with buttery goodness. 

We Irish love our spuds and as a result we expertly serve potatoes in many different ways. Champ is made throughout Ireland, but especially in the northern counties. It’s a great alternative way to serve mashed potatoes, and very easy to make from scratch.

By warming milk with chopped green onions, or scallions as we say in Ireland, the milk becomes infused with a subtle onion flavor, that once combined with mashed potatoes, takes those taters to a whole new level of tastiness. 

Colcannon combines mashed potatoes with curly kale, while champ is a green onion and potato combination. There are many variations of champ throughout Ireland, and the green onions can be substituted with leeks, chives, parsley, parsnip, garlic or even young nettles.

A bowl of Irish colcannon – mashed potatoes with curly kale.

However, for today’s recipe I’m going to stick with the more traditional version of champ, using green onions and potatoes.  So if you’re ready for an Irish twist on mashed potatoes, let’s learn how to make champ.

 

Ingredients for Irish Champ:

6 to 8 unpeeled potatoes

4 ounces or one bunch of green onions

1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of whole milk

Salt and pepper to season

2 to 3 ounces of butter

 

Directions for Irish Champ:

 

Here’s a short video to summarize the steps, or follow the step-by-step photos and instructions below.

The first decision when making champ is whether to peel your potatoes before or after you boil them.  I like to use unpeeled potatoes since I think boiling them in their jackets helps to retain some of their floury texture and also helps seal in their flavor.

If you can use a floury potato that would be wonderful.  You can check out my post about floury potatoes if you don’t understand this ever so Irish term for describing potatoes.

In America I use Yukon Golds or russet potatoes, but when I’m in Ireland Golden Wonders are my favorite potato variety for champ.

Scrub the potatoes and place them unpeeled into a saucepan.  Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking prepare the green onions or scallions.

I cut off and discard the bottoms and the upper third of the green stalks.  The lower white onion bulb and lighter green stalks are the tastiest.  

Finely dice the remainder of the green onions.

Place the chopped scallions in a saucepan and cover with one cup of whole milk. 

Reserve the additional 1/2 cup of milk, only to be used if needed.  The exact amount of milk required is dependent upon how floury a potato variety you use.  I don’t use all the milk when softening the green onions, since it is better not to add too much milk to the potatoes initially, just in case you make them too sloppy.

Turn the heat to a low setting and slowly bring the milk to simmering point.  Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it stand so the onion flavor can infuse the milk.

Next it’s time to get mashing the potatoes.  Once they are cooked, drain the water and let them cool slightly.

Peel the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

Use a potato masher to smush the potatoes.

Add one ounce of butter to the hot milk and green onion mixture, and allow it to melt.

While the milk and potatoes are still hot mix them together. Use the potato masher to combine them fully.

If your potatoes are very floury you may need an additional 1/2 cup of milk.  If so heat it slightly in a microwave for about 20 seconds, then gradually add it to the potatoes until you achieve a loose consistency.

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.  White pepper would be used in Ireland rather than black pepper.  I prefer not to see black specks of pepper in my champ.

Serve the champ in a bowl as a side dish, or spoon it onto the plate beside a meat or fish dish.

Most importantly use the back of a spoon to create a little hollow in the top of the champ. Then place a knob of butter right on top of the hot champ. 

The butter will melt and start to ooze down the sides of the champ.  Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!

Champ is an economical, nutritious and extremely tasty side dish. It can be made in advance, and can be reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.  Place it in an oven proof dish, but be sure to cover the top with foil. Otherwise a hard skin will form on top as it is reheated.

Champ and colcannon can be made using left over mashed potatoes.  Simply heat the milk and green onions and add it to the cold mashed potatoes.  Then, transfer to an oven proof dish and reheat for about 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. This tastes lovely, but champ is best when made with freshly boiled potatoes.

Champ is a great side for cod and parsley sauce, fish cakes, lamb chops or pork chops.

One great tip is to substitute some cream for some of the milk, or use half and half instead of milk for creamier champ.

You could also use red potatoes and mash them skin and all. The red flecks of the potato skins look lovely with the green onions.

And if you like to spice things up a little more than the typical Irish palate is accustomed to, why not try a dash of cayenne pepper instead of regular pepper. That’s altogether delicious, and kicks this champ recipe up a notch or two in its flavor profile.

 

Printable Recipe for Irish Champ Using American Measurements:

 

Here’s the printable recipe using American measurements:

Print
Irish Champ

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

Irish Champ

Champ is a traditional Irish potato side dish. Mashed potatoes are mixed with green onion infused warm milk, and served with a knob of butter melting in the center.

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 unpeeled potatoes
  • 4 ounces or one bunch of green onions
  • 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of whole milk
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 2 to 3 ounces of butter

Instructions

  1. Scrub the potatoes and place them unpeeled into a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
  2. Cut off and discard the bottoms and the upper third, dark green section of the green onion stalks. Finely dice the remainder of the green onions.
  3. Place the chopped scallions in a saucepan and cover with one cup of whole milk. Reserve the additional 1/2 cup of milk, only to be used if needed. Turn the heat to a low setting and slowly bring the milk to simmering point. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it stand so the onion flavor can infuse the milk.
  4. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and let them cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.
  5. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
  6. Add one ounce of butter to the hot milk and green onion mixture, and allow it to melt.
  7. While the milk and potatoes are still hot mix them together. Use the potato masher to combine them fully. If the potatoes are too dry, gradually add the remainder of the milk to achieve a slightly loose consistency.
  8. Season the champ with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Spoon the champ into a bowl to serve. Use the back of a spoon to create a little hollow in the top of the champ. Place a knob of butter in the hollow on top of the hot champ, and allow it to melt slightly before serving.
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Printable Recipe for Irish Champ Using Metric and Imperial Measurements: 

 

Irish Champ

Print recipe
Irish Champ
Serves 4
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
Allergy Milk
Meal type Side Dish
Misc Serve Hot
Region Irish
Champ is a traditional Irish potato side dish. Mashed potatoes are mixed with green onion infused warm milk, and served with a knob of butter melting in the center.

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 unpeeled potatoes
  • 110g scallions (4 ounces or 1 bunch)
  • 250 to 350ml whole milk (8 to 12 fluid ounces)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 to 3oz butter

Directions

Step 1 Scrub the potatoes and place them unpeeled into a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 2 Cut off and discard the bottoms and the upper third, dark green section of the green onion stalks. Finely dice the remainder of the green onions.
Step 3 Place the chopped scallions in a saucepan and cover with two-thirds of the whole milk. Reserve the additional milk, only to be used if needed. Turn the heat to a low setting and slowly bring the milk to simmering point. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it stand so the onion flavor can infuse the milk.
Step 4 Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and let them cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.
Step 5 Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
Step 6 Add one ounce of butter to the hot milk and green onion mixture, and allow it to melt.
Step 7 While the milk and potatoes are still hot mix them together. Use the potato masher to combine them fully. If the potatoes are too dry, gradually add the remainder of the milk to achieve a slightly loose consistency.
Step 8 Season the champ with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 9 Spoon the champ into a bowl to serve. Use the back of a spoon to create a little hollow in the top of the champ. Place a knob of butter in the hollow on top of the hot champ and allow it to melt slightly before serving.
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And so, there you have it. An introduction to traditional Irish champ. If you like potatoes, like me, and especially if you like mashed potatoes and onions, then champ is the perfect recipe for you.

Happy Irish cooking to all.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

 

 

Baileys Crème Brûlée

by 16 Comments

Crème Brûlée is a classic French dessert consisting of baked cream custard with a crispy caramelized sugar top layer, that simply cracks with lusciousness once you break it with the side of your spoon.

Now to give this famous French dessert an Irish flair I decided to add a little of Ireland’s favorite cream liqueur to the custard, taking this classic dessert to decadent new heights.

If you like crème brûlée, and you like the rich, creamy tones of Bailey’s Irish Cream, then I think you will love Baileys Crème Brûlée.

What really gets me excited about this dessert, and I do have a tendency to get excited about desserts, is that it can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until just before serving.  It makes impressing guests with a show stopping dessert at the end of a meal a little bit easier.

The final sugar torching step needs to happen within an hour of serving, but other than that these little babies can be chilling out in the fridge, while you’re sweating it out over the main course.

Now baking a good Crème Brûlée is actually simpler than you may think.  However, cooking success is dependent upon following a few basic rules.  I would say this recipe is medium on a low to high difficulty scale, but if you are a novice cook, don’t shy away.

Follow my instructions and don’t break my Crème Brûlée rules and you’ll have your guests licking their lips.

And so let’s delve into this recipe together ….

 

Ingredients For Baileys Crème Brûlée:

 

1 cup of whole milk

1 cup of heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of Baileys Irish Cream

6 egg yolks

1/4 cup of white sugar

4 tablespoons of brown demerara sugar or turbinado sugar.

 

Directions for Baileys Crème Brûlée:

 

Preheat the oven to 300°F or 150°C or Gas Mark 2.  

This dessert is cooked slowly with the heat set relatively low when compared to the temperature for cooking cakes.

Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.

Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

 

Rule 1:  Do NOT boil the milk. 

 

Simply heat it until it just begins to simmer and small little bubbles form on the milk at the side of the pan.  Turn off the heat at this stage and once again, I cannot stress enough…. DO NOT BOIL THE MILK.

Boiled milk gives the final custard a burned taste.

In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg yolks and the white sugar together with a balloon whisk for about 2 to 3 minutes.

 

Rule 2: Use egg yolks only, not whole eggs.

 

Whole eggs are never used in crème brûlée, only the yolks. Egg whites would over set the pudding and it wouldn’t have that tender, trembling texture while still rich and creamy. And so, separate your eggs carefully and use the whites to make pavlova or meringues, or even an egg white omelette.

Next, add the vanilla extract to the eggs and whisk again.

I highly recommend using a good quality vanilla extract and not fake vanilla essence.

 

Rule 3:  Temper the eggs.

 

You may ask yourself what on earth I mean when I say temper the eggs.  The term “tempering” in cooking refers to mixing two liquids of differing temperatures together without altering the consistency of the liquids.

Eggs are highly sensitive to heat and can cook and curdle quickly when exposed to heat. Therefore you need to carefully add hot cream to cold eggs to literally avoid scrambling the eggs.

To temper eggs you must avoid pouring the hot cream into the egg mixture all at once. You must add a very small amount of the hot cream into the eggs while constantly whisking the eggs. Then you continue to slowly add the hot cream all the while whisking the eggs. After a few small additions that are well whisked through the eggs you can safely add the remaining hot liquid.

For this recipe you need to add a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture to the eggs stirring constantly. Gradually add more milk stirring all the time.

If you lash the hot cream in too quickly the eggs will show their temper and curdle.  So be ever so patient with this step and gradually add the milk initially, stirring vigorously and you will create the perfect custard.

When all the milk is added and combined the mixture should coat the back of a spoon.

Add the Baileys Irish cream to the egg and cream mixture.

If you like an intense burst of Irish cream liqueur flavor, then add the full 4 tablespoons called for in the recipe.  If you would prefer a more subtle hint of liqueur then halve the amount to 2 tablespoons.

And if you would prefer a plain, more traditional Crème Brûlée, just follow this recipe and omit the Baileys Irish Cream altogether.

Next, if you think there may be some lumps in your custard you can pass the egg and cream mixture through a fine strainer. Sorry, I forgot to photograph this step.

Pour the mixture into 4 individual ramekins, filling the ramekins to 3/4 full.

 

Rule 4:  Use the correct ramekin.

 

Crème brûlée is traditionally baked in a wide, shallow ramekin rather than the taller ceramic pots. The most important feature of a good crème brûlée is the caramalized sugar crust and the more expansive this crust is the better. Also the wider, flatter ramekins ensure the pudding is cooked to perfection. The narrower, taller pots mean the the custard will be overcooked at the edges and even undercooked at the centre.

And so for an optimal pudding to sugary-crust ratio, use wide, flat ramekins.

This recipe is for 4 servings, but depending on the exact size of your ramekins you may have a little custard mixture left over. Just pour it into another ramekin and cook away, even if it is a little shallower than the others. It may cook 5 minutes quicker than the others.

Place in a bain marie. This is a baking tray half filled with warm water.

 

Rule 5: Always cook custard in the oven using a bain marie.

 

A bain marie (pronounced ban-mahree) is a fancy term for a hot water bath.  These ramekins of custard are placed in a baking tray with sides.  Warm water is poured into the baking tray to reach about half way up the side of the ramekins.

The water helps to cook the puddings evenly.

 

Rule 6: Avoid splashing water into the custards before they cook.

 

Moving the baking tray with the ramekins surrounded by water takes skill.  If any water mixes into the puddings they will be ruined.

Be careful walking with the baking tray if there is warm water in it.  It’s safer to pull out the oven wrack, place the baking tray without the water on the rack, then pour in the water for the bain marie.  Be careful not to splash as you slide the rack back into the oven.

Place the tray of ramekins into the pre-heated oven and allow to cook for about 40 minutes until the puddings have set and are slightly golden.

If you only have smaller ramekins the custards will take longer to set.

Remove from the oven and the bain marie and allow to cool completely.  Chill the baked custards in the refrigerator for at least four hours at this stage.  They can be covered in saran wrap and left in the refrigerator overnight.

Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with brown demerara sugar and melt the sugar with a kitchen blow torch.

Alternatively you can place the ramekins on a tray beneath a hot broiler or grill for about 2 minutes to allow to bubble and brown.  This is difficult to time exactly right, so if you have a culinary torch do use it for this step.

This crispy brown sugar crust will soften within an hour or two. I highly recommend leaving this step until a short time before serving these desserts.

Demerara sugar is best for this step.  It has larger crystals and so melts to crispy perfection under the heat of the torch.  Fine sugars do not melt as well as larger crystal sugars such as demerara or turbinado.

And there you have it.  My version of this iconic French dessert with an Irish twist.

When using Baileys in the custard the liqueur flavor in the sugary crust becomes very intense. Be fair warned. This is a luscious and rich dessert.

Here’s the printable recipe using American cup measurements:

Print
Baileys Crème Brûlée

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

Baileys Crème Brûlée

Baileys Crème Brûlée adds an Irish twist to a classic French dessert consisting of Irish Cream Liqueur infused baked cream custard with a crispy caramelized sugar topping.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons of Baileys Irish Cream
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup of white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of brown demerara sugar or turbinado sugar.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F or 150°C or Gas Mark 2.
  2. Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Do not boil the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.
  3. In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg yolks and the white sugar together with a balloon whisk for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Next, add the vanilla extract to the eggs and whisk again.
  5. Add a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture to the eggs stirring constantly. Gradually add more milk stirring all the time. When all the milk is added and combined the mixture should coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Add the Baileys Irish cream to the egg and cream mixture.
  7. Pass the egg and cream mixture through a fine strainer.
  8. Pour the mixture into 4 individual flat, wide ramekins, filling the ramekins to 3/4 full. Place the ramekins in a baking tray with sides.
  9. Add warm water to reach half way up the sides of the ramekins creating a bain marie.
  10. Place the tray of ramekins into the pre-heated oven and allow to cook for about 40 minutes until set.
  11. Remove from the oven,and the bain marie, and allow to cool completely.
  12. Chill the baked custards in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
  13. Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with brown demerara sugar and melt the sugar with a kitchen blow torch.
  14. Alternatively you can place the ramekins on a tray beneath a hot broiler or grill for about 2 minutes bubble and brown the top layer.
  15. Allow to cool before serving.
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And for readers in the UK or Ireland here’s a metric version of the recipe which is printable.

Baileys Crème Brûlée

Print recipe
Baileys Crème Brûlée
Serves 4
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 50 minutes
Total time 1 hours, 20 minutes
Allergy Egg, Milk
Meal type Dessert
Misc Serve Cold
Occasion Formal Party
Region French
Baileys Crème Brûlée adds an Irish twist to a classic French dessert consisting of Irish Cream Liqueur infused baked cream custard with a crispy caramelized sugar topping.

Ingredients

  • 250ml whole milk
  • 250ml heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon `vanilla extract
  • 60ml Baileys Irish Cream
  • 6 Medium egg yolks
  • 50g white sugar
  • 50g demerara sugar (brown or turbinado sugar can be substituted)

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 300°F or 150°C or Gas Mark 2.
Step 2 Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Do not boil the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 3 In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg yolks and the white sugar together with a balloon whisk for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4 Next, add the vanilla extract to the eggs and whisk again.
Step 5 Add a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture to the eggs stirring constantly. Gradually add more milk stirring all the time. When all the milk is added and combined the mixture should coat the back of a spoon.
Step 6 Add the Baileys Irish cream to the egg and cream mixture.
Step 7 Pass the egg and cream mixture through a fine strainer to remove any lumps.
Step 8 Pour the mixture into 4 individual flat, wide ramekins, filling the ramekins to 3/4 full. Place the ramekins in a baking tray with sides.
Step 9 Add warm water to reach half way up the sides of the ramekins creating a bain marie.
Step 10 Place the tray of ramekins into the pre-heated oven and allow to cook for about 40 minutes until set.
Step 11 Remove from the oven,and the bain marie, and allow to cool completely. Chill the baked custards in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
Step 12 Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with brown demerara sugar and melt the sugar with a kitchen blow torch. Alternatively you can place the ramekins on a tray beneath a hot broiler or grill for about 2 minutes make the top bubble and brown.
Step 13 Allow to cool before serving.
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Happy baking to one and all.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Eve’s Pudding

by 6 Comments

Eve’s pudding was a favorite dessert in Ireland when I was growing up.  A baked sponge tops deliciously sweetened and stewed apples, making it a comforting winter treat. 

A traditional British pudding, it was cooked in Ireland too and probably brought across the Irish sea by the many wonderful Irish cooks who worked in the kitchens of England’s aristocratic homes.

Also known as Mother Eve’s pudding, as a shout out to the mother of all apple pickers, Eve herself, it’s best served warm and smothered in hot custard sauce.

And so today’s recipe is a little bit retro, and a tribute to the hearty food of my 1970’s childhood.

Chefs and cooks today often turn their noses up at the food of this era, but I still love the delicious puddings of my childhood.  Here’s to the food of the ’70’s and down to the food snobs of today.

For anyone who hasn’t eaten Eve’s pudding in years, I hope this recipe and photos get your mouth watering.  It’s a great alternative to another oldie but goodie, apple crumble.

When in Ireland I use cooking apples to make this dessert.  The Bramley apple is used for most dessert and cake recipes in Ireland.  I miss these cooking apples in the United States. They cook down to a lovely soft consistency, and with a little sugar they’re just perfectly tart.

I substitute Granny Smith apples in America. They work pretty well in this recipe, but if you’re in Ireland do use good old Bramley cooking apples.  The end result is far superior. Well, at least, when judged by this Irish palate.

Anyway, that’s enough reminiscing about cooking apples, and so it’s time to cook our Eve’s Pudding.

 

Ingredients for Eve’s Pudding:

 

For the base or filling:

2 pounds Granny Smith apples (5 medium apples) – peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 to 1 cup of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your apples
2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)

For the topping:

4 ounces butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup of cake flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
3-4 tablespoons of milk

Baking Dish:

2 quart casserole dish.

 

Directions For Making Eve’s Pudding:

 

Preheat oven to 350°F of for those in Ireland or Europe go with 180°C/Gas 4.

Grease a 2 quart ovenproof dish with a little bit of butter. 

I bought this lovely enamel ware dish in Dublin and I love it.  These blue rimmed dishes served my granny well for many decades.  Everytime I take it out to cook, I smile and think of days gone by.

I like to start making the topping first and while the butter and sugar are creaming together I prepare the apples.

So add the butter and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and start beating them together until the mixture is light a fluffy.

If you don’t have a stand mixer and need to hold the beater while creaming the butter and sugar, then prepare your apples before you get started on the sponge mixture.

Peel, core and slice the apples.

Layer the apples in the base of the prepared dish, adding a little of the sugar between each layer.

Lemon juice is an optional ingredient. If using it sprinkle it over the apples in the dish. It helps to keep the apples from browning when while preparing the topping, but it does add an extra depth of flavor to the apple base. 

I actually prefer Eve’s Pudding without any lemon, so I don’t waste any time to make sure I get the apples into the oven as fast as possible.

Many Eve’s Pudding cooks stew the apples on the stove top before putting them into the base of the casserole dish.  I find this technique makes the apples a little mushier, and my motto is always to keep things simple. Why add an extra step when it’s not absolutely necessary?

Put the casserole dish with the apples to the side, and let’s return to the topping.

The sugar and butter is creamed until it is a pale yellow in color.

Next, sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into another bowl.

Add one egg, a spoon of flour, and the vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and beat it on a medium speed.

My mother never used vanilla extra when making Eve’s pudding. However, it adds a lovely flavor to the sponge so do feel free to add a little. It’s totally up to you.

Add the other egg and a little more flour and mix it well together on medium speed.

Reduce the speed to low and start adding the flour spoon by spoon.

Add the milk a tablespoon at a time to give a soft, dropping batter consistency.

Spread the sponge mixture over the apples.

Pop it into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until the sponge is golden brown. 

If it starts to go too brown cover it with an aluminium foil tent to stop the top from burning.

Remove from the oven and cool for a little while before serving. 

The apples will be piping hot and you don’t want to burn any tongues by serving it too soon.

This dessert is best served warm, and custard is my favorite accompaniment.

It does taste good with whipped cream or ice cream, but as far as I am concerned you can’t beat a delicious custard.

 

Printable Recipe Using American Measurements and Ingredients:

 

Here’s the printable recipe using American measurements ….

Print
Eve’s Pudding

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Eve’s Pudding

Eve's pudding is a traditional British dessert consisting of apples covered with delicious sponge. Best served warm with custard it's perfect for cold winter evenings.

Ingredients

  • For the base or filling: 2 pounds Granny Smith apples (5 medium apples) – peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your apples
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)
  • For the topping: 4 ounces butter (1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 cup of cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon of salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons of milk
  • Baking Dish: 2 quart casserole dish.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 2 quart ovenproof dish with a little bit of butter.
  3. Peel, core and slice the apples. Layer the apples in the base of the prepared dish, sprinkling the sugar between each layer. Drizzle with lemon juice if using. Set aside.
  4. Cream the butter and sugar together on high speed using an electric mixer until a pale yellow color.
  5. Add one egg and the vanilla essence, if using, with a spoon of flour and mix together at medium speed.
  6. Add the other egg and a spoon of flour, then mix until combined.
  7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and start adding the flour spoon by spoon.
  8. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time to give a soft, dropping batter consistency.
  9. Spread the sponge batter over the apples,
  10. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden brown.
  11. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Best served warm with custard sauce or whipped cream.
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https://www.irishamericanmom.com/2012/01/10/egg-custard-sauce/

 

Here’s my recipe for egg custard sauce for anyone that’s interested in adding the finishing touch.

 

 

Printable Recipe Using Metric or Imperial Measurements:

 

Here’s the printable recipe for anyone living in Ireland or Europe or anywhere in the world that uses metric measurements.

Eve’s Pudding

Print recipe
Eve’s Pudding
Serves 6
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Total time 1 hour
Allergy Egg, Milk, Wheat
Meal type Dessert
Misc Serve Hot
Region British
Eve's pudding is a traditional British dessert consisting of apples covered with delicious sponge. Best served warm with custard it's perfect for cold winter evenings.

Ingredients

Filling or Base

  • 1kg Bramley Cooking Apples (2 large or 4 medium apples)
  • 115 to 230g white sugar (4 to 8 ounces depending on how tart the apples are)

Filling or Base (Optional)

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

  • 115g butter (4 ounces)
  • 115g white sugar (4 ounces)
  • 2 Medium eggs
  • 115g self rising flour (4 ounces)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Topping (Optional)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gasmark 4.
Step 2 Grease a 2 litre ovenproof dish with a little bit of butter.
Step 3 Peel, core and slice the apples. Layer the apples in the base of the prepared dish, sprinkling the sugar between each layer. Drizzle with lemon juice if using. Set aside.
Step 4 Cream the butter and sugar together on high speed using an electric mixer until a pale yellow colour.
Step 5 Add one egg and the vanilla essence, if using, with a spoon of flour and mix together at medium speed. Add the other egg and a spoon of flour, then mix until combined.
Step 6 Reduce the mixer speed to low and start adding the flour spoon by spoon.
Step 7 Add the milk a tablespoon at a time to give a soft, dropping batter consistency.
Step 8 Spread the sponge batter over the apples.
Step 9 Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Step 10 Allow to cool slightly before serving. Best served warm with custard sauce or whipped cream.
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Happy cooking to all this week. I hope you stay warm and enjoy this comforting dessert of my childhood.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Dublin Coddle

by 14 Comments

Dublin Coddle is a traditional Irish dish primarily made by true blue Dubliners.  It’s a one-pot wonder that combines potatoes, sausages, bacon and onions.  Cooked slowly in water or broth the result is a filling stew loved throughout Ireland’s capital city.

For real Dubs, coddle is a nostalgic dish.  One that reminds them of childhood, and the tastes of home.

But this isn’t just a dish from the past. It’s alive and well and continues to be made in Dublin homes to this very day.

Confession time – I didn’t grow up eating coddle on a regular basis.  My mother was born in County Cork so coddle did not feature on our weekly dinner menus.  Now don’t panic. That doesn’t mean I never enjoyed a good bowl of coddle as a child in Dublin.  My best friend’s mam made a mean pot of coddle and I often had the pleasure of joining them for dinner on coddle nights.  In fact, I had a habit of hanging around hoping for a bowl whenever I sniffed a pot of coddle simmering away on the cooker.

Made year round in Ireland, even in the summer months when temperatures rarely hit the 70’s, it’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or on cold, rainy evenings when living stateside.

My mother’s aunt married a Dublin man and she quickly became a coddle expert. My mother married a fellow Corkonian, so my dad never requested coddle dinner.  And on the occasions I was treated to a lovely bowl of coddle by my great aunt or cousins, I devoured it, licked my lips and always asked for seconds.

Irish sausages, often called bangers, are key to a good coddle.  Their flavor is far more subtle and less spicy than an American sausage, a bratwurst or a kielbasa.

This is true Dublin cooking.  You can’t beat the healing properties of a good stew when feeling under the weather, and for Dubliners in the middle of flu season, coddle is their stew of choice when on the mend.

I call this Dublin stew, not Irish stew.  Sausages and rashers would have been readily available in Dublin in years gone by.  Real Irish stew calls for mutton or lamb and this would have been more expensive in the city than in rural areas.  As a result, lamb stew featured more often on the menu in Irish farmhouses than in the city years ago.

Back then sausages were inexpensive and when combined with plenty of potatoes and onions it was easy to feed a big family of children (or ”a big slue of childer’ as might be said in Dublin) with a simple pot of Dublin coddle.

This is a hearty dish with humble origins.  Everyday cooking at its best, and comfort food if you hail from Dublin.

Coddle lovers have their own tips and tricks, and do’s and don’ts for making this beloved dish. Everyone’s rules are based upon how their mammy and their mammy’s mammy before them made coddle.

One of the big questions is whether the sausages should be browned before stewing them.  Some coddle eaters would be aghast at the idea of first browning the sausages in a pan before making coddle.

In fact, if you ask a Dubliner how to make coddle, you will probably be told to throw sausages, rashers, onions, and potatoes into a pot, sprinkle them with pepper and half cover them with water. Boil it up, then simmer it for two hours until the spuds are tender.

Now this method works well to make sure the sausages and rashers are cooked through, but there’s something about pale, anemic looking sausages that I don’t find appetizing.  My trick is to brown the outside of the sausages before adding them to the stew to make the color palate of the final product more eye appealing.

Another tip is not to bother adding salt.  The rashers are plenty salty without overdosing on Ireland’s favorite seasoning. Plenty pepper is needed to give this stew a little kick.

Also, traditional coddle was usually made with water.  I like the added depth of flavor chicken stock gives to the dish. Beef stock works well too, but if you’re a purist, then stick to plain old water for your coddle.

And so without further ado, here’s my recipe and step-by-step photo tutorial for good, old Dublin coddle.

Ingredients for Dublin Coddle:

 

8 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb. Irish pork sausages (8 sausage links)
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 medium potatoes)
3 medium onions, sliced into rings
Ground black pepper, to season
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
2 cups chicken broth

 

Cooking Directions for Dublin Coddle:

 

A quick disclosure note (legally required for affiliate links): The links below for the Food Ireland website are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you choose to make purchases using these links. Thanks in advance if you do utilize these links for your Irish shopping.

 

I always start by browning the sausages in a hot pan with a tiny little bit of oil.  I like a brown tinge on my sausages, rather than a pale white sausage in coddle.

Irish pork sausages are available from the Food Ireland website, or for anyone in Louisville you can get them at Molly’s Celtic Centre beside Molly Malone’s Pub on Baxter Avenue.

If you prefer you can brown the sausages under a hot broiler (or grill, as we would say in Ireland.  A quick vocabulary note – a grill is a barbecue and a broiler is a grill on the other side of the Atlantic).

Now be careful not to overcook the sausages.  Just a quick minute or two on all sides to brown the outer layer.  If you cook them through they’ll be a little dry in the stew.

Put the sausages to the side as you prepare the veggies and bacon for the coddle.

Peel and slice the onions, separating the pieces into rings. 

Some people like to cut the onions in wedges, but my preference is for onion rings.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into one inch wedges. 

Some coddle cooks slice the potatoes into rings but I prefer chunkier potatoes in my stews.

Now prepare the bacon or rashers by slicing them into one inch pieces.

Feel free to remove the rinds, but I like the flavor the bacon fat adds to the coddle.

Canadian bacon is a good substitute for Irish rashers, but if you like the taste of real Irish rashers they are available from the Food Ireland website.

Now it’s time to layer the ingredients.  Start by putting half the onions at the bottom of a large dutch oven or stew pot.  Next add four of the sausages and half the bacon.

You can cut the sausages into one inch pieces, but coddle purists keep the sausages whole.

Now add half the parsley and grind some black pepper on top.

Layer half the potatoes on top of the onions and meats.

Now repeat the layering again, starting with onions, then sausages and bacon, parsley and pepper, and finally potatoes.

Add the stock or water and bring to a boil.  Once the liquid boils lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours on the stove top.

Alternatively, you can transfer the oven proof dutch oven to a pre-heated 300 degree Fahrenheit oven and let it cook slowly for 2 hours.

The liquid should not completely cover the ingredients but should be about an inch below the top.  If the liquid reduces too much during cooking top it off with a little more hot broth or boiling water.

Coddle is cooked low and slow.  A gently simmer is all it takes for all these delicious flavors to meld together.

Season as you like, but the rashers are plenty salty in my book.

Coddle is often eaten with a cup of tea and soda bread.

I went for a pint of Guinness and buttered, crusty bread.

This recipe should be plenty for four good helpings.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Print
Dublin Coddle

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

Dublin Coddle

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 lb. Irish pork sausages (8 sausage links)
  • 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 medium potatoes)
  • 3 medium onions, sliced into rings
  • Ground black pepper, to season
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
  • 2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a hot skillet. Brown the sausages on all sides. Do not cook through, Set aside.
  2. Peel and slice the onions, separating the pieces into rings.
  3. Peel and cut the potatoes into one inch cubes.
  4. Slice the bacon into one inch pieces.
  5. Layer the ingredients in a dutch oven starting with half the onions, four sausages and half the bacon.
  6. Season with pepper and sprinkle half the parsley over the onions and meat.
  7. Next add a layer of half the potatoes.
  8. Repeat all the layers onion, sausage, bacon, parsley, ground pepper and potatoes.
  9. Add the stock. It should come within one inch of the top of the ingredients but not cover them.
  10. Place the dutch oven over a burner on a high heat and bring to a boil.
  11. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours.
  12. Serve in a bowl with crusty bread on the side.
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In Ireland, many like to add some brown sauce over the top of their coddle.  That’s YR sauce, Chef sauce or HP sauce is the English version.  I didn’t have any on hand for my photo shoot.  But a discussion of Ireland’s favorite condiment, brown sauce, is a good topic for a post on another day.

Anyways, there you have it.  My version of Dublin Coddle – a wholesome, hearty, everyday stew enjoyed for centuries by Dubliners.

Happy coddle making.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

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