- Irish Stew:
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 200g smoked streaky bacon, preferably in one piece, skinned and cut into chunks
- 900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
- 5 medium onions, sliced
- 5 carrots, sliced into chunks
- 3 bay leaves
- Small bunch of thyme
- 100g pearl barley
- 850ml lamb stock
- 6 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
- Small knob of butter
- 3 Spring onions, finely sliced
- Soda Bread:
- 250g plain white flour
- 250g plain wholemeal flour
- 100g porridge oats
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 25g butter Butter, cut in pieces
- 500ml buttermilk
STEP 1
Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Sizzle the bacon for 4 mins until crisp. Turn up the heat, then cook the lamb for 6 mins until brown. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon. Add the onions, carrots and herbs to the pan, then cook for about 5 mins until softened. Return the meat to the pan, stir in the pearl barley, pour over the stock, then bring to a simmer.
STEP 2
Sit the chunks of potato on top of the stew, cover, then braise in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. The stew can now be chilled and kept in the fridge for 2 days, then reheated in a low oven or on top of the stove. Remove from the oven, dot the potatoes with butter, scatter with the spring onions and serve scooped straight from the dish.
STEP 3
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.
STEP 4
Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn’t ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.
STEP 5
Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices – or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.
Products used to make this recipe
Swan Retro Scale
Measure a whole variety of ingredients for baking and cooking with the Swan Retro Mechanical Scale. With an 8kg capacity there is plenty of space to weigh even a large…
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Swan 3.5L Retro Slow Cooker
Benefiting from three settings, low, high and automatic, the Swan Retro 3.5L slow cooker has a removable ivory colour ceramic pot, which can be taken straight to the table for…
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