Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

April 13, 2012
Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

Me: Sweetie... since you are going to Ireland, shall we try some Irish food at home?
E: oh OK... by the way what do you have in mind?
Me: Perhaps Irish Stew served with either Colcannon or Champs...
E : and what's in the Irish Stew?
Me: Lamb's neck with lots of vegetable like swede, potatoes, carrots, peas... etc etc etc
E: Lamb's neck?...errr... Its OK mom... you can enjoy Irish Stew when I am not around
So my plan to have Irish Stew was derailed .... until she has landed safely in Ireland...

Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

She's so looking forward to this Music Tour ...and she is thrilled to be travelling with her friends and 140 other students...  (no mom or dad to nag). Yippee .. Freedom for 3 weeks. But her personal highlight would be ~ she could proudly claimed that she's the "FIRST and only ONE" in the family... that had been there, as none of us had ever step foot in Ireland before!!!



The day E stepped foot and entered the Music programme in her current school ( Education Department 'Gifted and Talented Programme' ... under Music Scholarship...to play harp)... there were 'talk' that they might be going to Europe (Ireland-France-Belgium) for their 2012 Music Tour... that was in 2010...

Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

Itinerary were finalised by mid 2011...Needless to say ... E was so excited when the school confirmed the trip...
She has been counting down starting from years then months then weeks then days then hours till take off last Thursday.


Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread
She's been away for a week now... we texted each other almost everynight (for me) and morning (for E)...

She is enjoying her time in Ireland visiting castles, performing either for schools or for the county officials, and the highlight of their Irish tour was the Titanic 100 years Rememberance in Cobh, County of Cork (she was so chuffed... telling D that George Clooney was in the same town... at the same time, however, she didn't get the chance to meet him......awwww)
but for me ....the most worrying part is ... she has found shops..."TOP SHOPS" and the "like"...aaarggghhh Habis!!! *facepalm*she'll come home with heavy luggage and empty purse

Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

Recipe

Irish Stew (adapted fr Super Food Idea Mag ~ July 2009...)

1 kg lamb's neck (get your Butcher to cut into 1 inch thickness)
1/4 cup plain flour
1 brown onion chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
1 swede, peeld and cut into 2 cm chunks
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
1 turnip, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
8 baby potatoes, washed peeled
500g mushroom (optional)
2 beef stock cubes (I used Massel ~ beef flavoured vegetarian)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 frozen peas
4 cups of water
1/4 cup of cornflour
  1. In a zip lock bag, place the lamb's neck with plain flour, shake to evenly coat.
  2. Shake of excess flour.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy base saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Saute onion until soft. Dished out and set aside.
  5. Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the lamb pieces (few pieces at a time)about 2 minutes oon each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining lamb pieces.
  6. Using the same saucepan, place all the lamb pieces into the pot.
  7. Add in swede, potatoes, turnips and parsnips into the pot.
  8. Add water and beef stock. Bring to boil, lower the heat to a simmer.
  9. Cover and gently simmer for 2 hours and skimming off the fat with large metal spoon.
  10. Add mushrooms, peas and corn flour (mix with 1/4 cup of water). Increase the heat and stir occasionally for 5 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
  11. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Serve with Irish Soda bread. 

Irish Soda Bread (adapted from Traditional Home Baking)

450g plain flour
1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate
1 teaspoon salt
40g butter
300ml milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
  2. Mix the milk and lemon juice in a jug to make buttermilk (alternative buy buttermilk). Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. Sift flour and soda bicarbonate into a mixing bowl.
  4. Add salt and rub in the butter until resemble crumbs.
  5. Make well in the middle and pour in the milk mixture.
  6. Mix/knead the dough until smooth.
  7. Divide into 3 portions (or one) and shape into a round, about 5 inches in diameter.
  8. Place onto baking tray.
  9. Score into quarters and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Serve with Irish Stew.

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Comments

  1. TorviewtorontoApril 13, 2012 at 10:56 AM

    lovely meal flavours and presentation

    ReplyDelete
  2. lemongrassApril 13, 2012 at 11:28 AM

    Lucky Girl!
    I would have been over the moon as well to be ther first one in the family to go to Ireland :-).
    How are you coping though with her being away for 3 weeks?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rosa's Yummy YumsApril 13, 2012 at 2:14 PM

    Delicious and so comforting! Lovely pictures too.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lisa HoApril 14, 2012 at 6:58 AM

    Torviewtoronto
    Thank you :)

    Lemongrass
    If i were in her shoes... I would too ;)

    Thanks for asking. Sleeps dont come easy... :(
    House is so much quieter ... as she is the livewire(my son is the opposite)...the comforting part is that she communicates whenever she could get wifi (unlike abang dia - total silence when he was away)

    Rosa
    Thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nami | Just One CookbookApril 14, 2012 at 4:40 PM

    Hi Lisa! Ahhhh you know how to present the stew - so beautiful!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. mycookinghutApril 15, 2012 at 4:33 AM

    Lovely stew!
    Oh I am sure your daughter is enjoying her moment!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lisa HoApril 16, 2012 at 10:39 AM

    Nami
    Arigato :)

    Leemei
    Terimakasih :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Reem | Simply ReemApril 16, 2012 at 11:17 PM

    Beautiful!!!!
    Such gorgeous presentation, this stew looks lovely!!!
    The bread itself is very tempting...
    Gorgeous Meal!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. BenApril 16, 2012 at 11:23 PM

    That's beautiful! And the lamb neck stew doesn't sound bad at all!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Angie's RecipesApril 17, 2012 at 12:43 PM

    A hearty and comforting meal. Soda bread buns look so cool.
    Two more weeks, E will be home. Try not to miss her too much.

    ReplyDelete
  11. kankanaApril 19, 2012 at 4:35 AM

    Such exciting time for her :) I am sure she is have the best time and enjoying every bit just like how I am enjoying the looks of this stew! I don't enjoy lamb but I am sure it will taste good with some other meet too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. OlaApril 19, 2012 at 11:39 PM

    it looks deliciuous and I definietly would not mind to try it:)

    Life and travelling
    Cooking

    ReplyDelete
  13. WokandSpoonApril 20, 2012 at 5:39 AM

    Hope your daughter enjoys her trip! Love the photos....even though I don't eat meat.

    ReplyDelete

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