by Joan Saunders | photos by Amanda Cribdon Photography –
While we’re not travelling as much these days, we can explore the world through our taste buds by trying out new recipes from around the globe. I have been to Ireland once, to Belfast specifically, on a whirlwind trip. One day I will definitely return to this beautiful country. Until then? It’s time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
This recipe combines two things I love: a theme and a casserole. I come by my affinity for themes naturally, as my mom was a kindergarten teacher, so we celebrated seasonal holidays with the appropriate food, whether it was heart-shaped cakes in February or Irish soda bread in March. And casseroles? They were always a treat as we were a meat, starch and two veggie type of family. Mixing the components together was exciting and vaguely exotic. As a kid I always requested a casserole for my birthday made with, believe it or not, macaroni, cheese and hot dogs. Fabulous.
The Dublin Coddle is a classic pub-style casserole that got a big thumbs up from all of my taste testers. The dish gets even better on the second day as the flavours intensify, so don’t worry if you think you’ve made too much. You’ll be glad you cooked the full recipe, as it does feed five to six people. It’s a wonderful choice if you’re having friends or family over for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner, and it’s one that people might not have had before.
The dish does include Guinness, but don’t worry about it tasting like beer. What the stout does is give the base a savoury richness and depth which pulls the ingredients together. The name comes from the process of “coddling” the casserole; it’s simmered on top of the stove with the lid on for half an hour before putting it in the oven to finish cooking. I did find that the potato topping was still a bit pallid after baking, so sticking it under the broiler to give it a richer colour finished the whole casserole off nicely.
I used British-style bangers, but feel free to use whatever type of sausage you prefer. Something with added flavours in the meat, like leeks or onion, would only augment the recipe. Some coddles don’t have veggies, but I like having more in my casseroles, rather than less. Add a slaw or salad, biscuits or Irish soda bread and you’ve got a thematically correct, fabulous coddle. And who doesn’t have time for a little coddle?
Dublin Coddle
10 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into chunks
10-12 fresh pork sausages (or whatever sausage you prefer)
½ large onion (or 1 small), diced
3 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced into rounds
5 carrots, peeled, sliced into rounds
½ cup uncooked barley
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup dark beer (I used Guinness)
3 bay leaves
salt, pepper
5 large Yukon gold potatoes
2 tbsp melted butter
parsley, chopped
Peel the potatoes; place them in a large bowl filled with cold water.
In a Dutch oven, fry the chopped bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a plate with paper towel but leave the extra grease in the pan. Brown the sausages on both sides, take out and put on the plate with the bacon.
Add the onions, carrots and leeks to the pan mixed together in an even layer. Season veggies lightly with salt and pepper.
Arrange sausages and bacon over vegetables. Add barley and bay leaves.
Pour beer over top. Pour broth over all as well. Season with salt, pepper.
Thinly slice potatoes. Arrange in overlapping layers on top of meat and veggie combination.
Bring dish to a boil. Turn down heat to low, cover pan; let simmer gently for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425° while dish is simmering.
Uncover pan and brush potatoes with melted butter. Put uncovered dish in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Check potatoes with tip of a sharp knife to ensure they’re tender. If potatoes aren’t as golden as you would like, place pot under broiler to get more colour. Watch carefully so potatoes don’t burn.
Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with a salad or slaw (if you want more veggies), Irish soda bread or biscuits.
If you want to get the dish ready ahead of time, layer everything up except potatoes. Refrigerate until ready to cook, then slice and arrange the potatoes on top and continue with the recipe from there.
Recipe combined and adapted from:
www.theviewfromgreatisland.com/dublin-coddle-recipe/
www.wholefully.com/dublin-coddle-7/ www.allrecipes.com/recipe/178742/dublin-coddle/
