Recipe Calendar- October

Hi everyone,

Sorry we've lapsed in keeping up with the blog. It's been a crazy few weeks. Now we are coming to the end of the autumn into winter, we all like hearty meals that give us comfort and keep us going.

One of my favourite recipes around this time of year is my Granny's Irish Stew. This remains a top secret family recipe but I have found one similar to hers in a recipe book my dad gave me a few years ago. It's called 'A Taste of Ireland in Food & Pictures' by Theodora Fitzgibbon.

So for this scrumptious Irish stew you will need:

Ingredients:

3Ib Best end of Neck Chops- trimmed of fat, bone and gristle

2Ib Potatoes

1Ib Onions

1 tbsp Chopped Parsley & Thyme mixed

3 Quarters of a Pint of Water (2 Cups approx.)

Salt & Pepper

There are two methods you can use to make this Irish Stew.

First Method:

1. Cut the meat into fairly large pieces and see that the fat, bone etc. is trimmed off. Peel and slice the potatoes and onions.

2. Put a layer of potatoes in a pan, then herbs, then sliced meat and finally onion.

3. Season each layer well and repeat this once more, finishing with a thick layer of potatoes.

4. Pour the liquid over, cover with a sheet of foil, then the lid, and either bake in a slow oven (250 degrees Fahrenheit, Electric; Gas Regulo 1-2) or simmer very gently on top of the stove, shaking from time to time, (so that it does not stick) for about 2 hours. Add a very little more liquid if it seems to be getting very dry.

Second method:

1. Another method is to place the trimmed neck chops around the inside edge of a sauce pan and put the sliced onions and small potatoes with herbs and seasoning in the middle.

2. Add the water, put on the lid and then cook very slowly for about 2 hours until the meat is quite tender.

3. If the meat is so placed, you will have no difficulty in serving.

Tips:

1. You can use a sauce pan, deep crock pot or a slow cooker to make this.

2. You can add vegetables to the recipe, but cook them first and only add them when serving (so as not to spoil the stew.)

Enjoy!

Lily xxx