Guinness Irish Stew For St. Patrick's Day

Ahoy Foodies!

Today is a big day for Irish Americans, including me. Which is kind of funny since we're celebrating a man of Roman descent who came to Ireland as a slave. Our holiday celebrating one Magonus Saccauts Patricius, son of an official working for the Romans in Britain in the 5th century, has become about all things Irish--none of which are green beer, corned beef, or silly shamrock festooned hats. Funny that.

Ol' St. Pat was brought to Ireland as a slave (before he was a saint, of course) by a group of marauding pirate types in 416 AD . Contrary to popular belief, he didn't exactly bring Christianity to Ireland, but he did make it much more popular. As for driving the snakes out of Ireland? Well, that's probably myth. But, he did herd sheep, so he would probably appreciate this lamb stew recipe, which I'm reprinting from a previous post, cuz heh, the recipe is still great, and very timely, too.

So tonight, there's no need to go out to the overcrowded pubs with all the other "Irish for a day" types and drink watery green beer. Stay home, crack open a Murphy's or Guinness, and dig into this little bite of Irish soul food instead.


Manning's Irish Pub Guinness Irish Stew
Serves 6

3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled
2 cups Guinness stout
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons minced herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups beef stock
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar

Heat half of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, season a big handful of meat with salt and pepper and dredge it in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and brown meat in sauté pan until burnished on 2 sides. Transfer browned meat to a large Dutch oven or pressure cooker* with tongs and continue browning remaining meat, adding oil if necessary, and adjusting heat if flour begins to burn.

Chop 1 carrot finely, cut the others into 2-inch long sticks. Add more oil to pan, if necessary, and add the onions and chopped carrot. Saute until the onion begins to brown. Add 1/2 cup of the Guinness and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Put mixture in pot with lamb. Add the remaining Guinness, bay leaf, herbs, tomato paste, and enough stock to the pot to cover the meat. Bring to a simmer over medium low and cover. Cook until the meat is nearly tender, 40 minutes.

Add the potatoes, remaining carrots, and parsnips and continue to simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 30 minutes more. *If using a pressure cooker, make the stew up to the point where you add the stock, bring up to highest pressure (2nd ring on most models) and maintain pressure for 40 minutes. Release pressure, remove lid and skim any fat off top. Add the potatoes, remaining carrots and parsnips and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Season the stew with salt and pepper and brown sugar, if needed.

Sushi and Sake for Hounds!

Ahoy Foodies!

It's not every day you get to boost your good karma and drink premium sake while petting retired racing greyhounds and nibbling on appetizers made by yours truly. So here is your big chance.

All proceeds from the upcoming Greyt Culinary Delights benefit at Furever Pets, including all my book sales and 10% of store sales that evening go to GPA Northwest, a local organization that rescues and finds good homes for great hounds like my dear Mini (pictured above).

Good karma, good sushi, premium SakeOne beverages, and greyhound love. Really, what better way is there to spend a Friday evening?

Register by clicking here or calling the number below:

Next week we'll get back to the recipes with a hum dinger: Sticky Finger Orange Tassies. Thank you for your attention!

Bucatini all'Amatriciana, Two Ways

Ahoy Foodies!

People are always asking me if I cook fancy meals for Mr. Tofu and myself every night. I guess folks assume that just because I'm a food writer/recipe developer, I breeze into the kitchen nightly and whip up insanely complicated meals all the time.

Um, no. There are often nights when I make the 5-pace commute from my office to our outdated kitchen and can barely get up the gumption to use a can opener. Which is fine, except Mr. Tofu's bar is set pretty high (as is mine) when it comes to food, so Spaghetti-O's aren't ever going to cut it.

Enter Bucatini all'Amatriciana. It's one of my favorite dishes when I want something quick, interesting, and kind of spicy. From the town of Amatrice in Lazio, this quick little number highlights what Southern Italians do best—pecorino, vine ripened tomatoes, red chile flakes, bucatini (thick, hollow spaghetti), and guanciale.

Wait, what's that last ingredient? Guanciale (look away now dear vegetarian readers) is unsmoked bacon made from the cheeks of hogs. (Guancia is cheek in Italian.) It's got a yummy, peppery bite, and the texture is much meatier than bacon. You can find it at gourmet shops, or substitute pancetta.

But Mr. Tofu would rather eat sand than partake in guanciale. So, I add Peppadew peppers to his pasta. Peppadews, in case you aren't familiar, are cherry-tomato sized seedless pickled peppers that have a nice balance of sweet and spicy flavor, and a juicy texture you can really sink your teeth into. I get them in bulk from the olive bar at my local market.

With such a simple dish (just 5 ingredients), it's important to buy the very best you can. I use super-ripe tasting San Marzano tomatoes; you'll know them by the "D.O.P" on the label (which assures they're coming from a controlled growing area of southern Italy). I get imported Pecorino Sole di Sardegna, a mildly salty sheep's milk cheese that doesn't overwhelm like some pecorino romanos do, and, most importantly-- the best pasta I can find. The rest is just a flick of the wrist. Buon Appetito!

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces diced guanciale

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 ounces (about 4 to 5) Peppadew peppers, roughly chopped

One 28-ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes, squished, with juice

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 pinches red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper

1 pound bucatini or fusilli

6 tablespoons grated Pecorino Sole di Sardegna cheese

2 tablespoons minced Italian Parsley

In a large sauté pan with lid, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the guanciale and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Add 1 1/3 cup of the diced onion. Sauté until the onions are translucent, 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onions and sauté until translucent, 8 minutes. Add 1/4 of the garlic and half of the Peppadew peppers to the pan, sauté 45 seconds. Add 1/4 of the tomatoes and juice, 1 teaspoon of the oregano, and a small flick of red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cover.

Add the remaining tomatoes, oregano, Peppadew, and a good pinch of pepper flakes to the pan with the guanciale, bring to a simmer, and cover. Simmer the sauces for 20 minutes (adding water or stock if they get too dry) . Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, times vary on thickness of pasta.

Drain the pasta. Add 1/4 of it to the pan with the vegetarian sauce. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese and a pinch of the parsley, toss with tongs. Toss the remaining pasta, cheese, and parsley with the guanciale sauce. Serve right now.

Twice Baked Irish Potatoes with Kale and Stout Onions-Video

Ahoy Foodies!

St.Patrick's Day is creeping up fast (March 17th), and if you're even a little Irish you're likely beginning to hatch plans to make homemade corned beef and cabbage, or Irish stew for the big day. But what on earth are you going to serve your vegetarian and vegan friends? You can give them a slab of soda bread and an extra pint'o'stout, but that's not really fair, now is it?

May I suggest twice baked potatoes? It doesn't sound terribly Irish (well, except for the potatoes part), but add sauteed kale to the potatoes, mash them, and you've got colcannon, a rustic Irish dish that's been served for as long as any Irishwoman can remember. Add some caramelized onions deglazed with Murhpy's Irish Stout to the colcannon mixture, stuff it back into the potato jackets, cover it with Irish cheddar, bake it again, and you've got a very Irish vegetarian main course that will likely capture the interest of the stew and beef eaters, too.

Thanks to a collaboration with the folks at Cooking Up A Story, I am presenting my recipe for this dish in VIDEO FORM! I'm still finding my feet on camera, so be kind. Stay tuned, there will be more cooking videos with seasonal vegetables to come, thanks to Rebecca and the talented team at Cooking Up A Story!

Happy St. Pat's (early)!


Twice-Baked Irish Potatoes with Stout Onions and Kale
(from The Farm to Table Cookbook, by Ivy Manning)

4 servings

“What’s your favorite potato story?” Gene Theil, the spunky potato farmer nicknamed “ Gene the Potato Machine," asked me one crisp November morning as I chose from his table of russets. I drew a blank. “Everyone has a potato story,” he assured me. It finally dawned on me: colcannon. My grandmother used to make the satisfying mash of kale or cabbage and potatoes for me when I was a kid. She said its origins came from necessity when times were tough in Ireland. Women would add kale, cabbage, or even seaweed to their mashed potatoes to stretch the meager harvest;-- the greener the colcannon, the tougher the times. Gene was happy to hear that he was right again, we all have a potato story.

My love of simple but comforting colcannon inspired this satisfying variation of double- stuffed potatoes; it's a sort of Irish soul food, if you will.


4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed (8 to 10 ounces each)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions (about 1 large)

1 cup Irish-style stout

1 bunch lacinato kale or Russian kale(about 3 ounces)

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Rub the potatoes with 1 teaspoon of the oil and place directly on the oven rack. Bake until they squish easily when gently squeezed, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add a splash of the stout and scrape up any browned bits. Continue to cook, occasionally deglazing the pan with the stout until the onions are deep brown and nearly all of the stout is used, about 30 minutes total.

3. Tear the tough ribs and stems away from the kale and discard or use for stock. Roughly chop the leaves and add half the kale to the onions, tossing with tongs to wilt the leaves. Add the remaining kale, toss, cover, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4. With a serrated knife slice off the top quarter of each potato. Use a soup spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell on the bottom and sides. Mash the flesh with the buttermilk, butter, and mustard powder. Gently fold in the onion-kale mixture and season with the salt and pepper. Mound the mixture into the potato shells, sprinkle the tops with the cheese, and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes, and serve warm as a side dish or a vegetarian main course.

Love Means Having Backup Chocolate

Ahoy Foodies!

Mr. Tofu and I just spent a peaceful four days at the Oregon coast. We're back, rejuvenated (except for shin splints) and wind blown, and the home fires are burning again. As I type, a pot of Cream of Vegetable Keeper is on the stove and a batch of Irish soda bread is in the oven. It's good to be back in my own kitchen after four days in a rental unit equipped with cookware that predates the Eisenhower administration.

Upon returning from our little getaway, I read all of your entries for the Farm to Table Cookbook giveaway. Thank you all for sharing your stories and thoughtful reflections on your vegetable crushes! It takes a brave person to admit to one's edible romances, so I appreciate your candidness! I got a lot of great ideas for veggies from all of you! Though I admired all of your posts, I am handing the prize this time to Rainy Daisy. Don't dismay, I'll do more giveaways from time to time. A humble thank you to every foodie who entered!

I know St. Valentine's was just yesterday, but if you're anything like me, you've already plowed through your box of V-day truffles. Just like any good mind altering substance- a taste only has you wanting more, so I thought you might like this recipe for Raspberry Truffle Cake, from The Farm to Table Cookbook. Please note that this incredibly smooth, rich, sexy mousse cake is a lesson in reading instructions. Don't think you've heard this recipe before, it's special.

First, you must whip the batter for 10 minutes to make it fluffy, then bake it in a water bath for just 15-20 minutes. You'll think it's crazy, because it will still be lava like in the middle, but keep the faith. Refrigerate it for at least 8 hours and the cake magically sets up. The results? Melt in your mouth chocolate ecstasy.

Oh, before you run off to the kitchen, please take a minute to follow this link >>
to The Oregon Food Bank. There's a lot of hunger all around the world, but there are also many families in our own back yard that desperately need help feeding their families. The numbers in the last year on food insecurity have been grim, so please donate, it's easy and it feels good. When donating, please type in "Blog For Food" in the "in the honor of" column, it will help track food bloggers' progress. Thanks!

Raspberry Truffle Cake

6 to 8 servings

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

5 eggs, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1/2 pint raspberries, divided

Hot water, for baking

Whipped cream, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Tightly wrap the outside of the pan with 2 layers of foil.

Place a large metal bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, add the chocolate and butter, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, whip the eggs, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract in an electric mixer on high speed until pale yellow and tripled in volume, about 10 minutes. Fold half the mixture into the chocolate mixture until no egg streaks remain. Gently fold in the remaining egg mixture (do not overmix or the batter will deflate). Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.

Set aside 1/2 cup of the raspberries for garnish and sprinkle the remaining raspberries evenly over the batter. Push them into the batter until they are almost submerged.

Place the pan in a large baking dish and transfer to the oven. Carefully pour enough hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the cake pan. Bake until the top is no longer glossy and the cake pulls away from the side if the pan is tilted slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not overbake. The cake will still be very soft but will become firmer when refrigerated.) Remove the cake pan from the water and allow it to sit at room temperature until cool. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. If you omit this step, the cake will fall apart.

To unmold, dip bottom of the pan in a bowl of very hot water for 15 seconds and run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Release the springform and shake gently to release the cake. Serve with the whipped cream and remaining 1/2 cup of raspberries.