Irish Sampler Recipe
Guinness Beef Stew, Shepherd's Pie, Corned Beef & Cabbage, Whiskey Chicken Boxty
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Ingredients
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Guinness Beef Stew
Shepherd's Pie (lamb)
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Whiskey Chicken Boxty
Method
Guinness Beef Stew
- 1
Prep and brown beef
Pat beef cubes dry. Toss with flour, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side). Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.
- 2
Sweat aromatics
Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pot. Reduce heat to medium; add diced onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until softened 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3
Deglaze and simmer
Add Worcestershire sauce, scrape up browned bits, then pour in 12 oz Guinness and 2 cups beef stock. Return beef to pot along with thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 hour.
- 4
Add vegetables and finish
After 1 hour, add pearl onions and baby potatoes. Continue simmering, partially covered, until beef is fork-tender and sauce is reduced and glossy, about 30–40 more minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley before serving.
Shepherd's Pie (lamb)
- 5
Make mashed potato topping
Place peeled russet potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water plus 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes. Drain, return to pot, mash with 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg yolk until smooth. Season with 1/2 tsp salt. Keep warm.
- 6
Cook filling
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add ground lamb, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until browned, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, cook 1 minute. Pour in red wine (if using) and simmer until mostly evaporated, then add 1/2 cup stock, frozen peas and chopped rosemary. Simmer 3–4 minutes. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 7
Assemble and bake
Spoon meat mixture into a 9-inch pie dish or small baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top, ruffling with a fork to create peaks. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter if desired. Bake 20–25 minutes until topping is golden and filling bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Corned Beef & Cabbage
- 8
- 9
- 10
Finish with cabbage
In the last 10–12 minutes, nestle cabbage wedges into the simmering broth so they steam and become tender-crisp. Remove corned beef to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing across the grain. Transfer vegetables and cabbage to a serving platter. Sprinkle parsley over vegetables and serve with mustard or horseradish on the side.
Whiskey Chicken Boxty
- 11
Prepare grated potatoes
Coarsely grate 2 peeled russet potatoes. Place grated potatoes in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Reserve the starchy liquid and let sediment settle; you can add a tablespoon of that starchy water to the batter if desired.
- 12
Make boxty batter
In a bowl combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix in the squeezed grated potatoes, 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup buttermilk to form a thick batter. If batter is dry, add a splash of the reserved potato liquid or more milk to reach a spoonable consistency.
- 13
Cook whiskey chicken filling
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely diced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Add chopped chicken thighs, season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Pour in 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey, cook 1–2 minutes until alcohol mostly evaporates. Stir in chopped chives. Remove from heat and set aside.
- 14
Assemble and fry boxty
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a little butter or oil. Spoon about 1/3 cup of potato batter into the pan and flatten into a 4-inch pancake. Cook 3–4 minutes until golden, then flip and cook 2 minutes more. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the whiskey chicken onto one half of the pancake, fold over (or stack two boxty with filling between), press gently and cook another 1–2 minutes to warm through. Repeat to make 6–8 boxty pancakes. Serve hot with sour cream for dipping.