The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook Sample Recipes:
Scallop Chowder
Scallops are fished around the Irish coast, especially in winter and spring. With their dense flesh and delicately flavored corals, they are particularly good in creamy chowders, either on their own or mixed with other seafood. Be careful to avoid overcooking them, otherwise the flesh will become rubbery.
Serves 6
3 ½ tablespoons lightly salted butter
9 ounces large scallops, quartered
4 bacon strips, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 starchy potatoes, such as russets,
white round or Yukon gold, diced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups whole milk, scalded
9 ounces mixed cooked seafood, such as
shrimp and mussels
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When is sizzles, add the scallops and cook, in batches, for 5 minutes, until lightly colored. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until it starts to color.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
Add the thyme and 2 tablespoons of the parsley to the pan of vegetables. Pour in the stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Lightly crush some of the vegetables with a masher or the back of a wooden spoon to thicken the liquid. Pour in the scalded milk.
Add the scallops and the mixed seafood to the pan. Cook until heated through but without letting the mixture boil.
Check the seasoning, and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Ladle into warm bowls and serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley.
Roasted Banana Shallots with Breadcrumbs & Cheddar
A stalwart of Irish cuisine, onions take pride of place in this tasty gratin. Topped with crisp breadcrumbs and Irish cheddar cheese, the dish is equally suitable as a vegetarian main course or an accompaniment to roast beef or lamb.
Serves 4 – 6
8 banana shallots or small-to-medium onions
2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate
6 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
sea salt flakes
2/3 cup coarse stale breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded mild Irish cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 425 ℉. Peel the banana shallots, slice in half lengthwise, an put in a shallow bowl.
Whisk together the apple juice concentrate, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the thyme. Pour the mixture over the shallots, turning to coat well.
Transfer the contents of the bowl into a small nonstick roasting pan in which the shallots fit in a single layer. Turn the shallots cut-side up and season with the pepper and a good pinch of sea salt flakes. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and the remaining oil.
Roast in the preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the shallots are soft and the edges are beginning to blacken. Scatter the shredded cheese over the top, and roast for an additional 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.
