By Brenda Hyde

"What I recall having for breakfast at my Aunt Lily's was fried eggs, (the yoke was hard), scones and tea. Uncle Fred and Aunt Lily took me out to lunch and I ordered liver and onions, the other choice was tripe, they were the specials that day."

After talking with him I did more research and looked through many recipes. The ones I chose are traditional farm recipes. If you visit Ireland now you will find a wide variety of dishes to rival those any where in the world-especially the fresh seafood dishes. However, I thought the frugal recipes from long ago when Irish homemakers used what was available to them were so much more interesting.

You will find mostly ingredients such as pork, potatoes, cabbage and herbs. Cows were used primarily for milk, and pigs were raised for food. Pork can be smoked, salted and brined-every part of the pig was used.Some farms raised sheep, and so you'll also see mutton used in Irish cooking as well. Dairy products are used a lot too, again because it was available to families. Buttermilk was used in recipes and for a beverage. Seafood was used when it was readily available to those that fished or could buy it inexpensively. Smoked fish and good aged cheese served on a nice brown bread was a nice treat to start meals.

When bacon is used as an ingredient in Irish recipes it could be any cut of salted pork. American bacon, which is thin and cooks crispy, is not really a good substitute. Look for salted pork or a piece of slab bacon. They should be fairly easy to find in the meat department near the bacon and ham hocks. A side note-if you ever see "thin streaky bacon" in an Irish recipe that refers to American bacon.

Ham and Pea Soup

Soak the peas as directed on the packet. Chop the onion and soften in a little oil or fat over a low heat. Add the peas and stock with the ham bone. Cook gently until the peas are soft - about an hour. Remove the bone and cut off any meat and dice. Set aside the ham pieces. Puree the peas in a blender or pass through a sieve. Adjust the seasoning. Add the diced ham and serve with a little cream or a sprinkling of chopped parsley on top. NOTE: My mom made a similiar soup and never pureed the peas and it was the best split pea soup I've tasted:)

Potato and Leek Soup

Sauté the leeks and onion on low heat in the butter until soft. Mix the potatoes with the chicken stock; the less stock you use the thicker the soup. Add the leeks and onion, season to taste and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into individual bowls and garnish each with a tablespoon of cream and chopped parsley before serving.

Mutton Broth (Brachan Caoireola)

Place meat in a large saucepan, with water and barley. Boil and skim the top. Add the vegetables, bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Return to boil, then simmer, covered for 2 hours. Remove the bones. Pour into soup dishes and serve hot. Note: bouquet garni is parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary. A leave of sprig of each put into a piece of cheese cloth, tied and simmered with the broth then removed. You could use a small amount of dried, crushed herb and a bay leaf top-then remove the leaf before you serve the soup.

Boxty

Soak grated potatoes overnight in cool water to remove the starch. Mix all ingredients together EXCEPT the flour-mix that in a little at a time with a wooden spoon or your hands. Add extra milk if it seems too stiff. Lightly grease a skillet or griddle. Drop the mixture onto the skillet by rounded teaspoon. Brown the bottom slightly, then flatten the tops a little bit with a spatula. Depending on what you prefer they can be thinner and crispy or thick. Cook until golden brown. Served with butter. Notes: Herbs can be added.

Champ

Ingredients:

8 medium potatoes, peeled

small bunch of scallions or green onions

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper

butter

Boil the potatoes until soft, but not mushy. Drain and return to the pan quickly-you want them to stay warm. You can have the following ready a little before the potatoes are done: add the scallions or green onion after you have chopped it to the milk in a small pan and cook for 5 minutes. Beat this into the potatoes until smooth and fluffy. Season to taste and serve with a pat of butter in each serving.

Parsnips

Peel parsnips, quarter, and remove any core. Boil in water for 15 minutes. Place in an ovenproof dish. Add the stock and sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Dot with butter and bake for 30 minutes on a low shelf in a 350 degree oven. Cook this dish at the same time you are cooking your meat.

Irish Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds mutton, cut into pieces

6 carrots, sliced

2 pounds potatoes

Salt and pepper

1 pound onions

Parsley

Place meat and vegetables in saucepan and cover with cold water. Add salt and pepper to season as well as a few sprigs of fresh parsley. Slowly bring to a boil and skim off the top. Simmer over a very low heat for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Dublin Coddle

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced thick bacon

2 pounds pure pork sausage links

2-3 large onions, sliced

4 large potatoes, thickly sliced

2 carrots, thickly sliced

black pepper

broth-chicken, ham-whatever's on hand

fresh parsley

Fry bacon until crisp in large cooking pot. Brown sausage in some of the bacon fat in another pan. Remove and add to the pot. Soften sliced onions in fat, then add to pot with potatoes and carrots. Add 3-4 tablespoons minced parsley. Season with pepper. Cover with broth. Simmer slowly 1 1/2-2 hours over low heat. Garnish with chopped parsley. Makes 6 servings

About the author

Brenda Hyde is a wife and Mom of three, a freelance writer, and editor of OldFashionedLiving.com. Her grandfather was born in Ireland and became a merchant seaman at a young age, ending up in America, where her aunt and father were born.