clodagh recipes

foodrecipe

EASTER
FEAST

Make this Easter holiday a culinary
celebration with inspiring traditional
Irish recipes with a twist from
celebrity chef Clodagh McKenna.

BEEF AND GUINNESS PIES SLOW-ROASTED LAMB SHANKS WITH CREAMY GINGER
WITH CHOCOLATE POTATOES

SERVES 4 (PICTURED, LEFT) SERVES 2

You might not expect to find chocolate in a Lamb shanks, when cooked slowly on a a medium heat. Stir in the onion, sweet
beef and Guinness pie, but it is a match made low heat, become so tender and juicy. potatoes, cinnamon, chilli flakes, ground
in heaven. The chocolate gives a silky smooth You do need to prop them with lots of ginger and garlic, cover and simmer for 5
texture and deep richness to this pie filling and flavoursome ingredients and I love these minutes. Remove from the casserole dish
cuts across the bitterness of the stout. I serve sweet and spicy cinnamon, chilli, honey
these pies with slow-cooked red cabbage. and Marsala flavours with mine. The 2and set aside.
ginger creamy potatoes add both soft Add the lamb shanks to the casserole
YOU WILL NEED: texture and a subtle zing. dish and brown them on each side.
650g organic beef steak, cubed Season with salt and pepper. Return the
2 tbsps plain white flour, plus extra for dusting YOU WILL NEED: onion, sweet potatoes and spices to the
2 tbsps olive oil 2 tbsps olive oil casserole dish, along with 500ml cold
6 shallots, peeled and diced 1 onion, finely chopped water, along with the honey and Marsala.
2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced Stir, cover and bring to the boil. Transfer
1 stick of celery, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp chilli flakes 3dish to the oven and cook for 2 hours.
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme 2 tsps ground ginger While the lamb is cooking, place the
4 field mushrooms, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in a
400ml Guinness 4 medium-sized lamb shanks large saucepan, with the largest potatoes
Beef stock or water, as required 2 tbsps clear honey at the bottom. Fill halfway with water.
2 tbsps grated dark chocolate or nibs 3 tbsps Marsala wine Cover and place on a high heat. When
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper water begins to boil, drain half, leaving
FOR THE ROUX FOR THE POTATOES
20g butter 500g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, 4just enough for the potatoes to steam.
35g plain white flour washed When the potatoes are cooked (30–40
FOR THE PIE CASES 70ml milk minutes, depending on their size), peel
430g ready-made puff pastry 30g butter and place in a warm bowl. Put the milk,
1 egg, beaten 2 tsps freshly grated ginger butter and fresh ginger in a saucepan over
a low heat. Stir to warm through the milk
METHOD: METHOD: and melt the butter. Pour the warmed
Put beef in a bowl and sprinkle with flour. ginger milk onto the warm potatoes,
1Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark season with salt and pepper and mash
1Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. 2. Heat the oil in a casserole dish over well. Spoon the creamy ginger potatoes
Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan or onto 2 warmed plates and place the lamb
shanks with the sauce on top.
2casserole dish over a medium heat and

pour in a tablespoon of the olive oil. Add half
the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5
minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate.

3Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
Add the shallots, carrots, celery, garlic,
thyme and mushrooms to the pan. Stir and
cook for 5 minutes, then add the browned
beef and stir. Pour in the Guinness and, if
required, add beef stock or water to cover the
ingredients. Bring to the boil and simmer for

41½–2 hours or until the meat is tender.
Make a roux by melting the butter in a small
saucepan with a spoonful of the liquid from

5the cooked meat. Stir in the flour.
Strain the liquid off the meat, then return
it to the casserole dish. Slowly whisk the
juices into the roux to make a sauce. Add the
dark chocolate and stir to melt. Pour the sauce

6back over the meat and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Roll
the puff pastry on a floured surface and use
to line your pie dishes. Cut four 15cm circles
from the remaining pastry to make the lids. Fill
each pie to the top with the meat filling, then
cover with a lid. Criss-cross the lids lightly with
a sharp knife. Brush the tops with the egg, then
bake the pies directly on the bottom of the
oven for 45 minutes until the pastry is cooked,
puffed and golden. De-mould and serve.

foodrecipe

Clodagh’s Irish Kitchen by SALTED CARAMEL WHISKEY
Clodagh McKenna, (€25) BREAD AND BUTTER
published by Kyle Books, on PUDDING WITH RAISINS
shelf 12 March. Photography
by Tara Fisher. SERVES 6

You could say that I grew up on bread and
butter pudding. My mum or dad would prepare
it at least once every two weeks. It is so simple
to make and great for using up stale bread. I
believe that it can also be a very elegant dish
– in fact, I served this very recipe at my pop-up
restaurant in NYC a few years back and it was
the most requested dessert on the menu. The
salted caramel whiskey sauce could also be
poured over ice cream to make an Irish sundae.
This pudding can be made a day in advance
and warmed in the oven before serving.

YOU WILL NEED:
100g raisins
120ml Irish whiskey
5 large eggs
480ml double cream
225g granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
8–9 slices of firm white bread, crusts left on
400g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus
extra for greasing
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL WHISKEY SAUCE
110g unsalted butter, cubed
225g granulated sugar
1 dss sea salt
600ml double cream

METHOD:

1In a medium mixing bowl, combine the
raisins and whiskey, and soak for 1 hour.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs,
cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla
to make the custard. Spread one side of each
slice of bread with butter. Cut the slices in half
diagonally and arrange half the bread in the
bottom of the baking dish, overlapping the
slices. Drain the raisins and sprinkle half over
the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread
and raisins. Pour the custard over the bread

2and soak for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.
Butter a 22cm square non-reactive baking
dish. Place the baking dish in a large baking
pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway
up the sides of the dish. Bake for 50 – 60
minutes, or until the pudding is set and the
top is golden. Remove the baking dish from
the water bath and leave to cool slightly on a

3wire rack.
To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter
in a small saucepan over a medium heat.
Whisk in the sugar, salt, cream and whiskey.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10
minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Serve the
pudding warm with the salted caramel whiskey
sauce spooned over the top.