With St Patrick’s Day upon us and diplomatic trips to Washington DC and other US cities under way, thoughts turn to the modern take on Irish food in 2025. I’ve taken some inspiration this week from the classic American bar for my first recipe, while upgrading a classic for my second.
Traditional Irish cuisine is a much discussed topic among those connected with food or hospitality in this country. What is it? What are the dishes? What ingredients do we consider ourselves best in class at? While we still have a long way to go, the interest and conversation around food in Ireland is way ahead of where it was 20 years ago. Through the stellar work of many, down the generations, food culture has never been stronger. We just need to keep the momentum alive. When I began cooking in professional kitchens in 2008, Ireland was home to a single two-star Michelin restaurant, along with seven one-star restaurants. Seventeen years on, and that tally has grown to five two-star restaurants and 18 one-star restaurants. Not to mention countless neighbourhood restaurants, hotels, bistros, cafes, bakeries and festivals that make up a dynamic and creative industry we can all be a part of.
St Patrick’s Day and its “Global Greening” in recent years means that Ireland reaches so many eyes around the world during the festival, shining a light on all that we have to offer on our small island. This week, two recipes with wide appeal that use great Irish ingredients and can be re-created anywhere in the world. The first is a take on the mini burger or slider – bringing a touch of Irish flair to this American staple. In place of the conventional burger patty, I’ve used a piece of Irish beef cheek that has been slow-cooked and glazed in stout and treacle, then topped off with crispy onion rings, a parsley salad and some horseradish cream.
The second recipe is a new take on bacon and cabbage, designed to be prepped in advance and cooked off as a starter or light main course. The recipe takes elements from the Spanish croquette, using a cheesy béchamel as its base to bind together slow-cooked ham hock and cabbage before being highly seasoned. It’s topped with a gribiche sauce, a fancy name for an egg salad, packed with parsley, lemon juice and capers to cut through the richness of the cake. It may not look like your traditional fare, but on the palate it hits all the touchpoints of a plate of bacon, cabbage and parsley sauce.
