Vegetables and meat feature in many recipes from Ireland, as do potatoes, because these are Irish staples and can be used to make stews, soups, casseroles and more. Carrots, parsnips, cabbage, and other vegetables, which grow well in the cool climate, are popular additions to these meals and they add plenty of nutrition as well as color and flavor.
A lot of people assume that Irish food must be bland but the liberal addition of fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, or rosemary to many dishes, or spices like mace, cloves, and ground pepper give the meals plenty of mouthwatering flavor.
Popular Soups from Ireland
Mulligatawny is a popular dish in Ireland and this is made with neck of lamb, potatoes, vegetables and usually some mace, parsley, and thyme for flavor. Homemade bread and butter is great with recipes like this, for soaking up every last delicious bit of juice.
Potato and leek chowder is another popular lunch or dinner and this is every bit as creamy, thick and rich as you would imagine it to be. Since a lot of Ireland is bordered by coastline, dishes such as fisherman’s chowder are well loved and these contain ingredients like crab, prawns, and haddock. A lot of the fish-based dishes also contain bacon, for a touch of saltiness and meatiness.
Recipe for Classic Irish Oatmeal Soup
This soup is made with steel-cut oats, or Irish oatmeal, as well as potatoes, mushrooms, spinach and onions. A sprinkling of ground cloves gives it a nice flavor and a dollop of whipped cream is a lovely garnish.
What you will need:
- 1 cup diced potatoes
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
- 1 lb fresh spinach
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup sliced onions
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Unsweetened whipped cream, to serve
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to make it:Melt the butter in a skillet over a low heat, and then add the onions, mushrooms, and diced potatoes. Cook them until soft. Wash the spinach and take off the tough stems and stalks.
Chop the spinach leaves finely and add them to a pot with the onions, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, ground cloves, broth, salt and pepper. Stir in the steel-cut oats and let the mixture simmer for twenty minutes.
Puree it with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in small batches. Divide the soup between four bowls using a ladle, and then top each one with some whipped cream and serve right away.
