This week I’m focusing on the perceived staple of Irish food: meat and potatoes. While we have moved light years beyond this stereotype in our restaurant industry in the last couple of decades, there’s still a lot to be said for it when it comes to cooking at home. In fact, with some of the best dairy in the world, which has always had a link with good potatoes, and top quality meat widely available, there’s no reason why we can’t celebrate this winning combination. If you’re expecting light, fresh and fragrant food, these are not the pages for you.
First up is “saucisson with pomme mousseline” as some highfalutin chefs would call it, or “bangers and mash” to you and me. This is wholesome, cost-effective cooking that can be brought together in minutes, particularly if you already have the mash made.
I have given you the recipe of my favourite way to make mash. Yes, it takes a little longer than normal but the results are beyond anything you’ll have tasted. By baking the potatoes on salt, we draw out any excess water in the starch as they bake. Water of course, tastes of nothing, so is useless in the flavour stakes; this dry potato pulp is able to soak up more of the cream and salted Irish butter we are going to feed it when we mash it up. A good handful of sea salt and you’re good to go. This will also keep in the fridge for up to three days.
Use the best quality sausages available, I love Italian-style with some fennel seeds if you can find them. These are cooked off in a pan with some sliced onion and then we create the sauce around them. Butter and flour act as the thickening agent, with brown chicken stock the base. The addition of mustard, capers and some cider vinegar at the end just brings it to the next level. These are the small moments that turn a good dish into a great one.
Mark Moriarty: If you’re seeking light, fragrant recipes, look away now
Mark Moriarty’s recipe for roasted lamb rack with herb crumb and dauphinoise potato
Mark Moriarty’s recipe for perfect bangers and mash with onion and mustard gravy
Two warming and affordable soups that make simple ingredients sing
The second recipe is a little fancier, and definitely one for the weekend. I’m cooking lamb rack here, which has a great depth of flavour at this time of the year. The racks are generally bigger as well, offering better value for money. A simple herb crust uses up leftover herbs and breadcrumbs, while the ovenproof pan allows us to create the whole dish with only one pan.
Dauphinoise is the ultimate comfort food, and always brings me back to my first job where it was made every day and served with Blasket Island lamb and rosemary jus. The key is to heat the sliced potato in the cream and milk. This activates the natural starch in the potatoes and thickens the sauce before they are roasted until golden brown on top.
If you’re afraid of the cream and milk burning the base of the pot, add a splash of water before anything else. The fat in the cream will sit on top, creating a barrier to the base of the pan while still heating the mix. All that’s left to do is slice up the lamb and bury it in those creamy, garlicky potatoes. Delicious.
Recipe: Perfect bangers and mash with onion and mustard gravy
Recipe: Roasted lamb rack with herb crumb and dauphinoise potato
