The Irish Pub Cookbook

INTRODUCTION

A good puzzle, mused Leopold Bloom,

would be to cross Dublin without passing a pub.

—James Joyce’s Ulysses

The pub, short for public house, is one of Ireland’s most beloved institutions. There are an estimated 11,000 pubs in the Republic of Ireland, 1,650 in Northern Ireland, and more than 1,000 in Dublin alone. These licensed premises—part clubhouse, part town hall, part church—have served for years as venues for social events, sporting news, local gossip, music sessions, literary soirées, real estate deals, political debates, revolutionary plots, and, lest we forget, for knocking back a pint of Guinness or a ball of malt, also known as a glass of whiskey.

Public houses date back to medieval taverns, coaching inns, and shebeens—illegal drinking dens that flourished under colonial rule. In Victorian times, brewing and distilling were major industries in Ireland, and many city pubs, especially those in Dublin, Cork, and Galway, still retain their mahogany and marble counters, carved woodwork, gaslights, and period mirrors. The Crown Liquor Saloon, in Belfast, architecturally distinguished with its stained and painted glass, plasterwork ceiling, marbling, and mosaics, is so revered that it’s even a member of Britain’s National Trust!

A rural Irish pub might be an extension of the village shop, or it might serve as the local post office or, in the case of a pub in Wexford, an extension of a funeral parlor; many traditional ones still feature intimate, partitioned booths or cubicles called snugs, and others have boldly painted or black-and-white beamed exteriors with thatched roofs.

Regardless of design, Irish pubs are perhaps the best expressions of Irish life and culture and are true keepers of the spirit of the land. No visit to Ireland is complete without at least a visit to one to see firsthand how a barman draws a proper pint of Guinness; to experience the craic (pronounced crack), the Irish expression for fun; and, of course, to sample the food the country is renowned for—pub grub.

Long before Michelin began anointing Irish chefs with stars and red M’s, pub grub—simple sandwiches, thick soups, hearty stews, jacket potatoes, salad plates, and big joints of meat sliced at the carvery—was considered to be the quintessential Irish food. Writing about it twenty years ago, tourism expert Arthur Frommer commented: The Irish never were great eaters. Big eaters, yes, gourmets, no. Potatoes and buttermilk were the great staples before the Famine, and even in current, more prosperous times, the Irish have prided themselves on being meat-and-potato people—‘nothing fancy’—with a great taste for thick slabs of brown bread and apple tart.

What Frommer was talking about was pub grub, hearty food that despite its apparent simplicity has developed into a cuisine in its own right. The term gastropub was recently coined in the United Kingdom to describe those pubs that turn out good meals as easily as they pour good drinks. Much like a French bistro or an Italian trattoria, where natives gather for unpretentious and hearty food, the Irish pub (of which there are thousands worldwide) is, undoubtedly, the country’s leading exponent of good-value meals, hospitality, and tradition.

From Davy Byrnes in Dublin to Kehoe’s Pub and Parlour in Kilmore Quay, and from Durty Nelly’s in Bunratty to Grace Neill’s in Donaghadee, you’ll find traditional country-style cooking along with a few surprises. You’ve come to expect bacon and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, seafood chowder, and apple tarts, and now you’ll be delighted by salads spiced with Asian dressings, tortes filled with cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes, risottos topped with basil or black pudding, and cheesecakes marbled with Irish cream and stout. The best part: you can easily make these at home. The Irish Pub Cookbook transports these dishes into your kitchen in seven chapters, each with photos, history, folklore, and blackboard specials from some of the country’s most famous licensed premises.

In The Story of the Irish Pub, author Cian Molloy says, The Irish pub is part of a living tradition; it is part of our unique culture and it deserves to be cherished and celebrated. Spice it up with some serious cooking, and it’s no wonder the pub is such a beloved institution.

Sláinte agus go marfaidh sibh an céad. Good health and may you outlive one hundred years!

CHAPTER 1

STARTERS

Originally, an appetizer, or starter as it’s called in Ireland, was confined to the realm of soup or salad—a small portion of food to whet one’s appetite before the main meal was served. In most households, however, one course, and only one course, was served, and the practice of offering something to start was reserved for more affluent Irish families or for restaurants. When the idea of several courses, or removes as they were called in ancient times, entered the dining scene, the first course was generally something simple, such as potted fish, poultry, or meat; smoked salmon; raw or fried oysters; cooked prawns with sauce; or some type of cheese. Today’s restaurant and pub starters are in the same vein, with variations of potted meat or pâté, steamed seafood, and cheese dishes among the most popular offerings.

THE BRAZEN HEAD, DUBLIN

MUSSELS IN GARLIC AND GUINNESS

PRAWN COCKTAIL WITH MARIE ROSE SAUCE

SALMON CAKES WITH DILL AND WINE SAUCE

SMOKED SALMON PÂTÉ

OYSTERS WITH MIGNONETTE SAUCE

OYSTERS BAKED WITH GARLIC AND HERBS

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ WITH RED ONION MARMALADE

DEEP-FRIED ST. KILLIAN CHEESE WITH CUMBERLAND SAUCE

ESTHER DUNNE’S BACON-POTATO CAKE

BLACKBOARD SPECIAL: BLUE CHEESE–STUFFED MUSHROOMS

WITH MARMALADE-MUSTARD SAUCE

Mussels in

GARLIC AND GUINNESS

The Brazen Head, on Lower Bridge Street, in Dublin, has been trading for 800 years. It is reputed to be not only the oldest pub in Dublin, but also one of the oldest pubs in all of Ireland. It stands on the site of a twelfth-century tavern near the River Liffey, and started serving the public before Ireland’s first licensing laws were passed in 1635. Like many inns of that era, it had a courtyard for catering to visiting coaches and rooms for overnight accommodation, and like many humble Irish establishments, good food and wine. Merchants, smugglers, rebels, and patriots were counted as patrons of the Brazen Head, including leading figures in Ireland’s independence movement, such as Robert Emmet, Wolfe Tone, and Daniel O’Connell. No longer a hotel, the Brazen Head remains one of Dublin’s most distinctive public houses and has an enviable reputation for providing good food and drink, traditional Irish music, and lively conversation. These mussels, steamed in garlic and Guinness, are one of the pub’s most popular starters.

SERVES 4

2 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed, debearded, and rinsed in cold water

1 shallot, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish

1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme

½ cup Guinness

½ cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter

Lemon wedges for serving

French bread for serving

1 Put a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the mussels and remaining ingredients and cover immediately. (The mussels will make a sizzling sound.) Cook, stirring once or twice, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mussels open. Discard any that do not open.

2 To serve, divide the mussels among shallow bowls and ladle the broth over them. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon and slices of bread to sop up the juice.

PRAWN COCKTAIL

with Marie Rose Sauce

Prawns, which are the equivalent of jumbo shrimp, are found on virtually every pub menu in Ireland. They’re served simply on a bed of mixed salad greens with a cocktail sauce known as Marie Rose sauce and a few slices of brown soda bread (see Mac's Pub Brown Soda Bread and Hargadon's Brown Soda Bread). Make the sauce at least an hour before you plan to serve it.

SERVES 4

MARIE ROSE SAUCE

2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons ketchup

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sherry

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 ounces mixed salad greens

24 prawns or jumbo shrimp, cooked and peeled

Lemon wedges for serving

Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

1. To make the sauce: In a small bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. To serve, divide the mixed greens among 4 salad plates. Arrange 6 prawns on top of each serving and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with a lemon wedge and sprinkle with parsley.

CELEBRATING SEAFOOD IN GALWAY AND CORK

PADDY BURKES OYSTER INN, CLARENBRIDGE, COUNTY GALWAY

The Irish are very celebratory when it comes to food, especially with the arrival of the first oysters of the season in September, after their long nap through late spring and summer, and the beginning of the mussel harvest in May.

Two locations in County Galway—Clarenbridge and Galway City—host three-day extravaganzas honoring the oyster, which include shucking contests and black-tie balls. The residents of Clarenbridge (nine miles south of Galway), who proclaim, the world is your oyster and Clarenbridge its home, have held their festival on the first or second weekend of September since 1954. This weekend of craic (Irish for good times) includes cooking demonstrations, oyster-opening competitions, and seafood luncheons held under a festival marquee around Paddy Burkes Oyster Inn. But the festivities also spread to the pubs and restaurants throughout the village: Moran’s, Raftery’s Rest, O’Donaghue’s, Sherry’s, and Jordan’s bars among them. The traditional accompaniment for the oyster fare is Murphy’s, a County Cork–brewed stout produced by the main sponsor.

Also founded in 1954, the Galway International Oyster Festival, sponsored by Guinness, takes place on the last weekend of September, undoubtedly to allow a sufficient time for locals to recuperate from the Clarenbridge bash. The word Guinness precedes the name of most events at the fest, since the company hosts many of them, including the international oyster-opening championship, which draws aficionados from all over the world. Guinness also supplies libations at events held under the festival marquee pitched at the historic Spanish Arch and along the pub trail throughout the city. Music, parades, an elegant lady competition, receptions, brunches, and balls add to the general revelry. During the festival weeks, more than 10,000 people converge on these two Galway venues, and an estimated 40,000 oysters are consumed. No one keeps track of the pints!

On a slightly smaller, but no less boisterous, scale, a mussel festival takes place in Bantry, Country Cork, during the first weekend in May. Here it’s nonstop mussels, Murphy’s, and merrymaking when a similar round of events pays homage to the local shellfish. For details, see Resources.

SALMON CAKES

with Dill and Wine Sauce

The O’Crowley family has operated An Súgán in Clonakilty, County Cork, for more than twenty-five years. As the locality has grown, so, too, has An Súgán, a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. Situated in the scenic region of West Cork, the pub offers a traditional menu with innovative additions made with local ingredients. The pier in Ring, a short distance from town, provides the catch of the day, like this salmon dish, which is served with an herby wine sauce.

SERVES 4

SALMON CAKES

1 pound salmon fillets, poached (see Note)

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

⅓ cup mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

All-purpose flour for dredging

Fresh white bread crumbs for dredging (see Note)

Canola oil for frying

DILL AND WINE SAUCE

1 tablespoon unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter

⅓ cup minced shallots

1 cup dry white wine

¾ cup homemade fish stock or bottled clam juice

¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tomatoes, plunged in boiling water for about 15 seconds, peeled, quartered, seeded, and chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

Mixed salad greens for garnish

1 To start the salmon cakes: With a fork, flake the salmon in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, ginger, relish, and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.

2 With floured hands, shape the mixture into four 3-inch cakes. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each cake in the flour, then in the egg wash, and then coat in bread crumbs. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

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