Aherne’s Seafood Bar - Ardtara Country House 

               Ballylickey Manor House - Ballymaloe House

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Barberstown - Belle Isle Castle - Blairs Cove

                                                    
                        Bushmills Inn

                       Caragh Lodge - Cashel House - Castle Durrow

          Chapter One House - Coopershill House - Cromleach Lodge


 Currarevagh House -  Doyles Seafood Restaurant - Dunbrody House

                    Enniscoe House


                    St. Ernans House - Glassdrumman Lodge

            Glin Castle - Gregans Castle Hotel - Hunter's Hotel

              St. John’s Country House - King Sitric Restaurant  

             L’Ecrevain - Lisdonagh House  Longueville House

                 Marfield House - Moy House - Moyglare Manor

                 MustardSeed Country House - Newport House

                                                                                                Park Hotel Kenmare - Rathmullan House 

                                                                                                       
   Rathsallagh House - Restaurant Patrick Guilbaude 
                  

              Rosleague Manor - Stella Maris Hotel


            Tinakilly House Hotel - Wineport Lodge

John Linnane, BSc, MSc, PhD

Lecturer in Food Production
Dublin Institute of Technology
Cathal Brugha St., Dublin, Ireland

Author of: A History of Irish Cuisine (Before and After the Potato)

In Ireland Smoked Fish is the usual starter.

Smoked Salmon cut very thin served with brown bread and sour cream.

Black and white pudding fried, then served on toasted brown bread with a hot salad.

Smoked mackerel with gooseberry sauce (puree) brown bread and mixed salad.

Smoked eel served with sour cream and salad.

If you need any other information email me.

John Linnane PhD.

STUFFED SALMON with HONEY

One 8 lb salmon would be sufficient for 24 people.

Fillet a fresh salmon cut into long thin slices place the slices on Clingfilm make a monkfish or other suitable white fish mousseline cover the salmon with spinach (blanched) cover with the mousseline roll like a Swiss role then place the clingfilmed salmon into a sheet of tinfoil poach in warm fish stock remove from the heat chill in the fridge remove from the Clingfilm and tinfoil cut in slices and serve with the honey and garlic oil or honey and cream and a mixed salad. 

Serves 10

Method

250 g monkfish mousseline
5 potatoes
lemon juice
10 oysters
salt and pepper

Make a mousseline with the monkfish and place in fridge.

Peel potatoes and cut into thin strips (julienne) season with lemon.

Cut Clingfilm into 10 inch squares and place a three inch circle of potatoes in the middle add 50g of the mousseline on top of potatoes and place an oyster on top again cover with more potatoes draw up the Clingfilm to form a ball, freeze until it holds its shape, deep fry for one minute or until brown place in the oven and bake 3 mins.  Serve with a mixed green salad flavoured with garlic, honey (to taste) and lemon oil.

Serves 10

5 potatoes diced
1 leek diced
1 onion diced
1/2 head celery
1/4 clove garlic
4 ozs shallots
41/2 pts chicken stock
2 pts cream
15 mls oil
seasoning

Sweat vegetables in oil add stock bring to boil simmer 35 minutes, puree add cream reheat

Herb butter

100g herbs (chervil, basil, tarragon)
1 lb salted butter

Puree herbs mix with butter freeze, when frozen cut into slices and place a slice on the top of the soup then serve with brown bread or bread sticks.

Top of Page

Ballymaloe House
Shanagarry
Midleton
Co Cork
Ireland

Many thanks for your email.  I had a quick word with our Head Chef Rory O'Connell.  He recommends simple fresh appetizers such as organic smoked salmon on fresh brown bread with horseradish cream, red onions and chives, or smoked mussels once again on brown bread, this time cut into circles with a little homemade mayonnaise and a sprig of parsley.  Another idea I had is black pudding with a grainy mustard dipping sauce.  Not a traditional appetizer, although good fun and very Irish.  We served black pudding on our dinner menu offering it as a starter course.  Another one of my personal favorites is a really good soft Irish Goats cheese served on toast with a little parsley pesto or roasted red capsicum.

I hope you find my ideas helpful and enjoy your dinner.  It sounds like a wonderful idea everyone getting together once a month for good food and a friendly catch up.

Best of luck.

Kind regards,

Ballymaloe House

Irish Banquets at

Barberstown Castle



Groups of up to 30 People
€60 per person to include

A Glass of Mead on Arrival

Five Course Banquet

Entertainment

The Entertainment Charge is €500 and this includes:

Irish Piper on Arrival

Harpist During the Banquet

After Dinner Entertainment with Irish Musicians

All Accounts are Subject to a 10% Service Charge

 

Starters

Salad of Smoked Salmon, Herb Crème Fraiche, Lemon & Caper Vinaigrette

Galia Melon marinated in Schnapps with Fresh Fruit & Berries, Mango Sauce

Smoked Chicken Salad, Sundried Tomatoes, Garlic Croutons & Basil Pesto

Poached Salmon and Herb Ballontine, Lime & Dill Crème Fraiche

Confit of Duck Leg, Potato & Celeriac Salad, Grain Mustard Dressing

Grilled Homemade Black & White Pudding, Toasted Pine Kernels, Walnut Vinaigrette

Marinated Turkey in Feuille de Brick, Toasted Sesame Seed & Thai Dressing

Baked Codling & Smoked Haddock en-croute, Aubergine Salsa

Grilled Tiger Prawn Kebab, Ginger & Citrus Fruit Sauce (€4.50 extra)

 

Soup or Sorbet

Carrot, Orange & Coriander

Tomato & Courgette, Basil Pesto

Broccoli & Cashel Blue

Celeriac, Mushroom & Smoked Bacon

Potato & Leek, Herb Croutons

Watercress & Smoked Salmon

Curried Parsnip

Sorbet Flavours include, Champagne, Pineapple, Lemon & Thyme, Pink Grapefruit, Peach (extra flavours available to order)

 

Main Course

Medallions of Pork Glazed with Honey Mustard & Cider

Chargrilled Escalope of Salmon with a Saffron Rice & Dill Sauce

Peppered Sirloin of Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Shallot & Wild Mushroom Jus

Barbary Duck Breast, Red Onion Mash, Maderia Jus

Roast Guinea Fowl Supreme, Braised Savoy Cabbage, Cognac Sauce

Rack of Lamb, Potato Dauphinois, Rosemary & Garlic Jus

Pan Fried Sea Bass Fillits, Roast Peppers, Pernod Beuree Blanc

Vegetarian Option Available

All Main Courses are inclusive of a selection of Fresh Vegetables & Potatoes

 

Desserts

Tuille Basket Filled with Crème Fraiche, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream & Glazed Sabayon

Warm Apple & Almond Tart, Vanilla Ice Cream, Hot Butterscotch

Brown Bread Ice Cream served with Barberstown Shortbread

Dark Chocolate Bavarois, Grand Marnier Cream, Chocolate Sauce

Carmelised Pineapple Clafoutis, Mango & Passion Fruit Coulis

Iced Lemon Mousse, Praline Crust, Chilled Suzette Sauce

Bread & Butter Pudding, Honey Parfait

Top of Page

Bushmills Inn

The Bushmills Inn
9 Dunluce Road
Bushmills
Co Antrim
Northern Ireland
BT57 8QG

Ingredients:

Serves 4

For the soup

400 grams of sliced large white onion
150 grams of sliced red onions
45 grams butter
40 grams plain flour
100 ml. Guinness
1.25 lt. good beef stock
Bouquet garni
Seasoning to taste

For the garnish

Crusty bread – baguette
150 grams grated Irish cheddar
Clove of garlic

Method:

For the soup

Melt butter in a thick-bottomed pan over a medium heat withal the onions, until the onions start to caramelize and go golden grown. This gives the soup its colour.

Add the flour and stir till the butter is absorbed – leave out, or reduce the amount of flour, for a lighter soup. Add the stock and then the bouquet garni for extra flavour.

Simmer for 30-45 minutes, skim off any excess fat if necessary, now ad the Guinness, simmer for a further 5-10 minutes and adjust the seasoning as required.

For the garnish

Slice the bread into round croutes and toast the croutes on both sides

Rub one side with a clove of garlic, add the grated cheese and bake in the oven to melt the cheese.

To present

Ladle the soup into a soup bowl, place the bread croute in the centre and serve piping hot.

-  with a pineapple chutney and beetroot vinaigrette

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

For the terrine:

3-4 smoked male duck breasts (skin removed)
large savoy cabbage leaves (with main spine removed)
3 chicken breasts (skin removed and roughly diced)
1 pt. whipping cream
2 eggs
salt and pepper
little chopped parsley

For the vinaigrette:

4 bulbs beetroot – cooked, peeled and finely diced
3 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly
¼ pt balsamic vinegar
½ pt vegetable oil
3 stalks rosemary
zest and juice of 1 orange

For the chutney:

1 pt white wine vinegar
250 g light brown sugar
2 cloves
½ cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon ground ginger
125 g sultanas
1 large pineapple

Method

For the terrine:

In a food processor puree the chicken till smooth then add the cream, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper and blend again till it forms a smooth mousse.

Line a terrine mould with cling film – this will help you turn it out later – then line with the cabbage leaves blanched for 10 seconds in boiling water to make them pliable. Fill the mould with half the mousse mixture then lay the duck breasts, trimmed as required, in the centre of the mould and top with the remaining mousse. Fold over the cabbage leaves to cover the top then cover with a tight layer of cling film.

Steam for approx. 40-50 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through with the duck retaining a little pink.

Leave to cool then turn out in fresh cling film and wrap tightly to hold the shape and store in fridge.

For the chutney:

Peel and core pineapple and roughly dice.

Heat all the ingredients in a heavy pan and gently reduce till almost caramelized and allow to cool

For the vinaigrette:

Heat the redcurrant jelly, vinegar, orange and rosemary until all the acidity has been driven of the vinegar.

Leave to cool then add the oil and finely diced beetroot and check for seasoning.

To present

Peel back cling film from the terrine and slice to desired thickness, position on plate.

Beside the terrine, spoon a little of the chutney into a small scone cutter to form a small tower and drizzle the vinaigrette around the outside finishing with a few mixed leaves if desired.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

For the fish cream:

6 shallots finely diced
¼ pint dry white wine
1 pint good fish stock
1 pint double cream
A few strands of saffron
20 g butter

For the skink:

2 sinless fillets of natural smoked haddock
12 boiled baby potatoes, sliced into thirds
1 bunch roughly chopped spring onions

For the garnish:

A few finely chopped spring onions

Method:

For the fish cream:

Sweat the shallots in the butter over a medium heat. Increase the heat and add the wine, reduce by about ½ (enough to drive off the alcohol).

Add the stock and simmer gently till it has reduced by ½ again. Finish by adding the cream and saffron and leave to thicken over a low heat.

For the dish:

Cut the fillets in ½ and in a heavy bottom pan poach in the fish cream for 5-8 minutes, depending on their size.

Meanwhile, sauté the potato slices in a little butter and toss with a scattering of scallions.

To present:

Place 6-8 slices of potato in the centre of a large soup plate then carefully lift out the haddock fillets and place on top.

Spoon a little of the fish cream around the outside and sprinkle with the remaining spring onions.

Top of Page

Caragh Lodge

Caragh Lodge
Caragh Lake
Killorglin
Co Kerry
Ireland

SEARED SALMON WITH POTATO PANCAKES AND SPRING ONION CRÈME FRAICHE

FOR THE PANCAKE:

12 oz floury potatoes
2 tbsp. plain flour
2-3 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. double cream
2 med eggs
2 tbsp. sunflower oil

FOR THE CRÈME FRAICHE:

4 spring onions
4-oz crème fraiche
1-tsp. lemon juice
A few drops Tabasco sauce

FOR THE SALMON:

1-2 tbsp. sunflower oil
4 thin slices of salmon
salt & pepper

TO SERVE:

Salad of herbs
I spring onion, cut in strips and curled in ice water.

Peel the potatoes, cook in boiling salted water until tender, then drain and mash. Beat in the flour with a wooded spoon, add the milk and cream and mix well. Beat in the eggs, season and work it all through a sieve to remove any lumps. Heat the sunflower oil in a small frying pan until hot and pour in the pancake mix, it should be about ½ inch thick. As soon as it starts to bubble and brown around the edges, put the frying pan into the top of a hot oven for 10 mins to finish the cooking process.

Make the spring onion crème fraiche, lemon juice, Tabasco & seasoning.

Heat a frying pan until very hot. Add the sunflower oil and flash fry the salmon for about 2 minutes, transfer to a baking sheet and season the cooked side of the salmon only.

TO SERVE:

Place a pancake on a warmed plate; put a piece of salmon on top and then a dollop of crème fraiche. Top with salad; scatter onion curls round the edge and drizzle with herb oil.

HERB OIL:

1 ½ oz mixed fresh chives, parsley, tarragon, and 10 fl oz olive oil.

Drop the herbs in heavily salted boiling water for 10 second; refresh under cold running water. Dry well and chop roughly. Put the herbs into a liquidiser with the oil and blitz for 1 minute, pour through a fine sieve into the sterilised jar. Leave for a day, pour of clear oil into a jar and refrigerate.

 

Cashel House Hotel

Cashel House Hotel
Cashel
Co Galway
Ireland

 

WARM TROUT SMOKIES with LEMON SAUCE

Ingredients: Serves 8

11/2lb of Smoked Trout
1/2 pint of Cream
1oz of Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 pint of Fish Stock

For Lemon Sauce:

1/2 pint of Cream
1/2 pint of Fish Stock
1/4 pint of White Wine
Zest of 1/2 a Lemon, finely chopped
Salt and Black Pepper

Method:

Preheat Oven to 180 C., 350 F. or Gas Mark 4.

Skin and break up the Trout, remove Bones

Place Trout in a pan with the cream. Cook over a medium heat until cream thickens, stir frequently.

Butter 8 (21/2inch) round ramekins. Pour in the trout cream mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Place the dishes in a bain marie and bake in oven for 30 mins.

Prepare sauce ~ in a pan heat the cream, fish stock and white wine. Reduce by half. Add lemon peel , season with salt and pepper. Stir.

When Smokies are cooked, pour sauce on to the plate and place Smokie in the centre . Garnish with lemon slice and serve

Serves 4

1 Shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
8 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon white wine
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 oz smoked haddock, diced
2 oz smoke trout, diced
1 oz smoked salmon, diced
½ teaspoon paprika
2 peeled and seed tomatoes
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425F. Fry shallots, shrimp and parsley in the butter for 1 minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Place the diced fish with the other ingredients into the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the paprika, mix in the tomatoes and then the cream. Fill 4 ramekins with mixture and top with the grated parmesan and bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until golden and bubbling on top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Make white wine sauce as follows: Place wine, fish stock and shallot in a pan, cook and reduce by half, add the cream and reduce again. Add the cubes of butter beating well. Season and add the lemon juice.

Liquidise the salmon with the shallots, add 3/4 of the cream and continue to liquidise a little more.

Take 6 ramekin dishes. Grease and half fill with the salmon mixture.

When cooked, remove from ramekins and serve with Lime Butter.

Lime Butter Ingredients:

4oz/100g plain flour
1 rounded teaspoon bread soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ¼ pints/ 675 ml buttermilk
1oz/25g melted butter

Preheat a hot oven, 425F, 220C, gas mark 7. Heat a 3-31/2 pint/1.7- 2 litre casserole with a lid, or use loaf tin. Mix the flours, soda, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl, Add the buttermilk and mix thoroughly to make a very wet mixture. Mix in the melted butter and turn into the hot casserole, then cover with the lid and bake in the hot oven for an hour, removing the lid for the last 10 minutes to allow the top to brown. Remove from the oven and turn the loaf onto a rack; wrap in a damp tea towel and leave to cool. Makes a 3 lb/1.4kg loaf.

250g fresh salmon (boned, trimmed & skinned)
200g oyster mushrooms
1 tsp chopped shallots
1head cabbage
1 desert spoon of olive oil
1 knob of butter
3 pints of fish stock

Remove leaves from cabbage one by one and wash in cold water taking care not to break or damage them. Blanch in boiling salted water for 5 mins. Then place them in iced water to stop the cooking.

Heat the olive oil on a pan and fry off the mushrooms. When nearly cooked add the shallots, knob of butter, seasoning and then allow to cool.

Cut filet of salmon in two lengthways. Season the cabbage and salmon. Cover top of salmon with mushrooms and wrap in the cabbage. Repeat for second piece.

Then place some of the greenest leaves flat out (6"square) on a piece of muslin (12" square) or a clean piece of cloth. Season the cabbage with salt & pepper.

Place the cabbage, salmon & mushroom roll at the edge of the square muslin or cloth and roll in the muslin until the roll is covered. Place the second roll on the cabbage parallel to the first and continue rolling tightly. Close each end with a string. Then, using the string, wrap it around one end as many times as it take to ensure that the roulade is firm to touch.

Poach in cold fish stock, making sure that it is cover completely in the stock. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat so that it poaches very gently for 7mins. Remove from heat, open the string, remove from the muslin and cut into four portions with a knife.

CHANTERELLE, OYSTER MUSHROOMS & SHALLOT TART

Duxelle Short Pastry

22 shallots - peeled 
250g cream flour
220g chanterelles - gently brush off the dirt 
½ tsp salt
5g chopped parsley 
½ tsp sugar
1 sprig of thyme 
50g unsalted butter
100ml of cream 
2 egg yolks
100g butter 
100ml water
2 tblsp olive oil 
1 tsp vinegar

Short pastry

Add salt and sugar to the flour and mix. Then work in butter pieces with finger tips. Add water and egg yolks together. Add to the flour mixture and mix until everything comes together. Roll into a ball, wrap in cling film and rest for at least 1 hr.

Duxelle

Finely chop two shallots and 100g of chanterelles Heat a medium sized casserole with 1tblsp olive oil. Cook off chopped shallots until soft with a sprig of thyme. Add chopped mushrooms and parsley. Stir occasionally until water is cooked out. Add cream and cook until liquid is reduced. Season and leave to cool. Colour off the remaining 20 shallots on a hot pan for 1 min. Season.

Also colour the remaining 120g of mushrooms for 30 seconds and season.

Assembling the dish

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Place a buttered 2.5cm x 20cm ring on a baking sheet. Work the bottom of the pastry into the ring. Coat the bottom of the pastry with the duxelle. Then arrange the coloured shallots and mushrooms on the duxelle pressing them in close together.

Spread out knobs of butter over the shallots and mushrooms. Cover with buttered tinfoil and place another baking sheet on top of the tinfoil. Then flip over so that the pastry is on top, Prick the pastry with a fork all over.

Bake at 330 degrees for 40mins. Remove from oven and turn over so that shallots and mushrooms are on top.

Pastry Filling

250g cream flour - sieved 
3 eggs
100g butter 
150ml cream
100g icing sugar - sieved 
75g castor sugar
1 egg 
Juice of 1 lemon
1 drop of vanilla essence 
* 150ml blackberry puree - sieved
100g melted butter for greasing ring and tray

* Blackberry Puree

Place 200g of blackberries and 50ml water in a saucepan and boil until blackberries are broken. Then pass through a fine sieve.

Pastry - In a Mixer

Beat soft butter, vanilla and sugar together on high speed for 1 min. Add egg and beat for a further 10 seconds. Then add the flour and beat slowly until it all amalgamates. Make into a ball, cover with cling film and allow to rest for 1 hour minimum.

Filling

Beat eggs and sugar by hand for 30 seconds. Add cream and beat for 15 seconds Add coulis and lemon juice and beat for 15 seconds more.

Cooking

Grease 20cm x 2.5cm ring and baking sheet and refrigerate. Grease again and refrigerate.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Place the ring on the tray and work the pastry into the sides of the ring leaving no holes in the pastry. Place some kitchen paper in the pastry with some rice on the paper.

Bake for 10 mins at 300 degrees C. Remove the paper and the rice and bake for a further 5 mins.

Fill the tart with the mixture and bake at 200 degrees for 1hour.

500ml milk 
500g rhubarb 
4 egg yolks
500ml cream water 
125g sugar
250g sugar 
100ml of whipped cream
4 flowers of elderflower
½ measure of Irish Mist
12 egg yolks

Rathsallagh House
Dunlavin
Co Wicklow
Ireland

TARTARE OF DUNCANNON WILD IRISH SALMON with
LEMON BALM CRÈME FRAICHE AND CAPER-LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients for tartare:

12 oz(336gm) Wild Irish Salmon
1 Minced Shallot (very finely sliced)
2oz (56gm) chopped Lemon Balm
Finely chopped zest of 2 lemons (half reserved for vinaigrette)
4tbls (100ml) crème fraiche (substitute yoghurt for low fat diet)
Salt and pepper

Ingredients for Vinaigrette:

2tbls(50ml) white wine vinegar
8tbls(200ml) Extra virgin olive oil
1tsp(5ml) Dijon Mustard
Zest of remaining lemon
4 tbls(100ml) capers

Method for tartare:

Skin and remove grey, fatty parts of salmon fillet. (Your local fish monger should be willing to do this for you.) Finely dice the salmon into half cm cubes. Mince the shallots in a food processor. Mix these together and chill in the fridge. (N.B. This dish should be served well chilled, below 5.c)

Finely chop lemon zest and lemon balm and shortly before serving, combine zest, balm, tartare together and season to taste. (N.B. This should be done less than 15 minuets before serving. If left to long, the salt and lemon zest will start to cure the salmon. This will change the texture and look of the dish.)

Divide the mixture evenly between four ring moulds. (A medium sized cookie cutter will suffice.)

Spread crème fraiche over the top of the tartare and garnish with a sprig of lemon balm.

Method for vinaigrette: (May be prepared several days ahead and kept refrigerated.)

Combine Dijon mustard, lemon zest and white wine vinegar in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle olive oil into the mixture while whisking vigorously.  Add the capers and season with salt and pepper.

Assembly:

Place the tartare tower in the centre on the plate. Put sprig of lemon balm over the top.

Drizzle vinaigrette around the plate and distribute the capers evenly between all 4 plates.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

280 gm Clonakilty Black pudding (cut into four pieces)
2 Granny smith apples cored and quartered
3 tbls Castor sugar (75ml)
2 tbls Butter (50 ml)
1 tbls Vegetable oil (25 ml)
1 Head Frisee lettuce (Curly Endive)

For Vinaigrette:

2 tbls(50 ml) cider Vinegar
1 tsp Grainy Mustard (5ml)
6 tbls(150 ml) olive oil

Method:

In a large skillet pan (cast iron preferred), heat oil and half butter on medium to high heat and pan fry pieces of pudding for 2 and a half to 3 minutes each side. Remove and place on kitchen towel to absorb excess fat.

Put the sugar in a lighter sauté pan and place on a high heat. When sugar begins to brown, add butter and allow it to melt, them add quartered apples. Keep turning apples until coated in caramelised sugar. (N.B. Should be dark golden brown on the outside but firm on the inside.)

For Vinaigrette:

Combine cider vinegar and grainy mustard. Vigorously whisk in olive oil until emulsified (thickened). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembly:

Place tender young frisee leaves in centre of the plate. Discard outer green leaves as they are tough and bitter. Place black pudding on bed of frisee lettuce.

Arrange 4 pieces of apple around then plate (I like to leave the skin on the apple to allow for a contrast in colour and texture) Drizzle vinaigrette over apples and around the plate. (N.B. The caramelised apples are extremely hot when coming out of the pan. Do not handle with bare hands. Use tongs or a spoon.)

Top of Page

What about some oysters, served on the half shell with lemon juice? Or prawns with a homemade mayonnaise.

Kind regards,

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaude

Stella Maris Country House Hotel

Stella Maris Hotel
Ballycastle
Co Mayo
Ireland

Ireland's primary traditional meat item is Lamb, and Ireland has always had a strong emphasis and reputation for Seafood, with many long established Annual Oyster and Mussel Festivals to celebrate the shellfish seasons.

Corned Beef and Cabbage is actually a foreign item to most Irish people, developed in the US to simulate a Boiled Dinner of Ireland, which is Cured Bacon and Cabbage.  

With our Irish eating traditions in mind, I would suggest some of the following as being traditional Irish items to feature as appetizers.

Oysters on the half shell with a small glass of Guinness. The Guinness that now sells in the US in the can, is as close as you will get outside of Ireland to the real thing. They are a great complement to each other, and traditional.

Bowls of Steamed Mussels, Steamed in Guinness and Caramelized Shallots or Red Onions, Served with your Soda bread would fit the mold, combining our Seafood and Guinness traditions.

Sautéed Lamb Kidneys served with a wholegrain Mustard Sauce would be very appropriate in view of Lamb being one of our staple meats.

A 1-inch sliver of fresh Salmon fillet, dipped in a Teriyaki Sauce and Seared in a hot skillet, then oven roasted for a few minutes to complete the cooking, would showcase our great tradition of wonderful Salmon fishing. You could serve this with a drizzle of Balsamic Glaze, Reduced Balsamic Vinegar, sweetened to taste.

A chowder of Salmon and Mussels would combine two of our much featured ingredients.

Hope one of these works for you.

Best Regards,

Stella Maris Hotel