[hippyhabibi]

My mom is visiting Ireland and I would like to surprise my parents with an Irish meal before she goes. I've been to Ireland myself, but I would appreciate your feedback on what I should include in the menu!

Some options I am considering...
- colcannon
- bubbles and squeak
- leek soup
- soda bread

Please help me work out a menu! Thanks!

 

[wombjuice]

I lived in the North of Ireland with my Irish (now) husband for a year, and this is what my MIL always made us for dinner:

boiled spuds, bacon, cabbage fried in bacon grease
boiled spuds, sausage, peas fried in sausage grease
boiled spuds, mince, Heinz beans fried in mince grease

So, as you might imagine, my favorite Irish meal went something more like this:

fried eggs, Heinz beans, fried potato farls, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, and chips (thick french fries).

:

All that fancy stuff, while definitely tasty, is not really standard fare, although I did eat my fair share of leek and potato soup...while living in Scotland!

You can definitely find it in the pubs, though. God I miss pub grub. Mmm...

:

Oh man, do tell your mom to make sure she tries the coleslaw. I never in my life liked coleslaw until I moved to Ireland. It is SOOOO good, and nothing like coleslaw here. It is creamy and sweet and wonderful, and so good on a sandwich with Dubliner cheese. Oh my...I am drooling here!

 

[paquerette]

If you have time, you could corn a beef.

I've been meaning to try the corned beef recipe in NT for a while but never gotten around to it. It's one of the ones where you deal with the meat raw and so have to freeze it 14 days first, plus the curing time which I can't remember.

I'm also a big fan of colcannon.

: But most of my familiarity is with Irish-American pub food, so I don't know how appropriate things really are.

 

[frog]

PM Irishmommy. She knows things.

 

[Irishmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frog PM Irishmommy. She knows things.

 

[Irishmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hippyhabibi My mom is visiting Ireland and I would like to surprise my parents with an Irish meal before she goes. I've been to Ireland myself, but I would appreciate your feedback on what I should include in the menu! Some options I am considering... - colcannon - bubbles and squeak - leek soup - soda bread Please help me work out a menu! Thanks!

Bubble and squeak is English.

 

[Irishmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feminine_earth I lived in the North of Ireland with my Irish (now) husband for a year, and this is what my MIL always made us for dinner: boiled spuds, bacon, cabbage fried in bacon grease boiled spuds, sausage, peas fried in sausage grease boiled spuds, mince, Heinz beans fried in mince grease So, as you might imagine, my favorite Irish meal went something more like this: fried eggs, Heinz beans, fried potato farls, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, and chips (thick french fries). : All that fancy stuff, while definitely tasty, is not really standard fare, although I did eat my fair share of leek and potato soup...while living in Scotland! You can definitely find it in the pubs, though. God I miss pub grub. Mmm... : Oh man, do tell your mom to make sure she tries the coleslaw. I never in my life liked coleslaw until I moved to Ireland. It is SOOOO good, and nothing like coleslaw here. It is creamy and sweet and wonderful, and so good on a sandwich with Dubliner cheese. Oh my...I am drooling here!

No. Don't fry the beans.

But the rest, yum. Though if you mean potato bread for the farls (1/4 circle, really thin) or soda bread (1/4 circle, an inch ish thick, fried), then they are Northern Irish things. We don't have them in the South. At least I never did. Our soda bread (southern) is a cake of bread, cut and buttered.

 

[Irishmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hippyhabibi My mom is visiting Ireland and I would like to surprise my parents with an Irish meal before she goes.

Okay, realistically, what kind of meal are you thinking? Gourmet or regular? If gourmet you need salmon/lamb/stuff like that, so look elsewhere than to me. If you want regular, feminine_earth has some good ideas. And a mixed grill is also good - basically every type of grilled meat - sausage, bacon, chops, with a veg and potato.

 

[Thystle]

You can serve Guinness.

That counts as a meal right?

 

[homewithtwinsmama]

In Ireland food is served in pubs and restaurants on HOT plates, so you might want to serve the food after putting plates in oven to heat them up.

 

[Cisne]

mmmmmmmmm, irish food. Gosh, I miss Belfast! For really simple Beans on toast goes down a treat! My DS LOVES to gross out his friends in America by eating this (we're now back in the us). Soda farls are awesome! How about an Ulster Fry? Sausages and mash?
Michele
Former expat in Belfast, now dreaming about Belfast Lough from Indiana

 

[spiderdust]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feminine_earth So, as you might imagine, my favorite Irish meal went something more like this: fried eggs, Heinz beans, fried potato farls, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, and chips (thick french fries). :

You forgot the black or white pudding!

(I prefer the white)

For a non-gourmet meal, you could always make a hearty lamb stew.

 

[wombjuice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irishmommy No. Don't fry the beans. But the rest, yum. Though if you mean potato bread for the farls (1/4 circle, really thin) or soda bread (1/4 circle, an inch ish thick, fried), then they are Northern Irish things. We don't have them in the South. At least I never did. Our soda bread (southern) is a cake of bread, cut and buttered.

Yep, I mean potato bread! (They actually call it "purdy bread", but I didn't say that because I have no idea how to spell it (perty? purty? party?

). The Husband is from Tyrone.

We got soda bread there, too, and omg, so good. That and wheaten loaf. With Flora and jam. Holy crap, I'm starving!