Irish Coffee

Guinness (shown with Bailey's for scale)

It is in the larger hours of the evening, I have had to correct three typos in this sentence so far (ok make it four) and it's Saint Patrick's Day. I must be a little hammered. But let's discuss how my present level of mild intoxication started. Yes, it was a simple cocktail with dessert: Irish Coffee. Alcohol to get the night started, and caffeine to.. um... get the night started. (I mentioned I've been drinking?)

Anyhoo, if you want to learn of the long and vivid history of the Irish Coffee from birth to its present state of maturity, do a Google search and be done with it. I'm dealing purely with the two types I put together tonight. Both have their own unique charm, both allow for a good amount of customization. Let's start with the Traditional.

Irish Coffee in the traditional method - Good Irish whiskey, strong black coffee, brown sugar, and lightly whipped cream floated across the top. Just like Mom used to make. Seriously. Mom was Irish, and strong in the ways of Mixology. In brief:

Irish Coffee, Traditional

1 cup Strong Black Coffee
1 shot Jameson Irish Whiskey
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
2 oz Heavy Cream (whipped into soft peaks)

-Pour hot coffee into a tall, clear glass. There are specialized glasses for this, but it really doesn't matter a whole lot unless you're one of those sticklers for details.

-Add Whiskey and Brown Sugar. Stir until fully incorporated.

-Add whipped cream. If very thick, place a dollop in the middle. If thin enough to pour, do so over a spoon to prevent mixing. The heat from the coffee will bring thicker whipped cream down to a good consistency. Otherwise, you're good to go.

Irish Coffee in the more Americanized Method -  Bailey's & Coffee style. Everything is uniform and it takes additional flavoring well. At least, better than the traditional method. The recipe is easy, too.

6 oz Strong Black Coffee
6 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 shot Irish Whiskey (optional)

-Mix all ingredients in a clear glass. Yay. Add other stuff to alter/enhance flavor such as mint, chocolate, vanilla, or something fruity if you're feeling particularly, well, fruity that night.

Irish Coffees, for contrast

Now, to view the rest of the culinary festivities that have taken  place for the holiday, give a look at Surreal Confections here: http://surrealconfections.blogspot.com/2012/03/st-patricks-day.html

The Irish Coffee can be expertly used to start a night of drinking, as a pick-me-up during a night of drinking, as a dessert cocktail, and for those "Hair of the Dog" mornings. Very tasty, very versatile. It deserves a second look by the imbibing community. Slainte!

Braised Irish Lamb

Braised Irish Lamb With Root Vegetables

So, today is a very cold, windy day in the middle of March. This means two things: 1) The groundhog is a LIAR, and 2) St. Patrick's Day is upon us. Being as I am a man of Irish descent and a Chef, not to mention the fact that it's too frigging cold to do anything outside, I think I'll cook something appropriate to the holiday. Today's recipe is Braised Irish Lamb.

Colcannon

Now, I'm originally from the American Southeast. Atlanta area, specifically. We have our own way of preparing food that is very unlike the rest of the country. Trust me, I've seen most of the rest of the country. We're kind of unique, culinarily speaking. BUT, one of the founding influences on cuisine of the Deep South was that of Irish immigrants. It makes the concept of Irish Cuisine (no kidding, it exists) easy to comprehend if you already know Southern. Point of fact, a LOT of the traditional Irish recipes I've been researching have made me stop and say,"Hey, my Mom used to make this all the time! She just called it something different."

Surreal Confections Irish Treat

Irish Cuisine has been receiving a second look in recent years. The ingredients are simple, high quality, and easy to work with. Rule One of cooking and eating well: Start with good, fresh ingredients. With this cuisine, it's almost impossible not to. It allows for a great deal of variation and customization, it is very unpretentious, and can be really amazing as my wife and I are proving all this week. For a closer look at hers, check out her work at Surreal Confections. Make sure you tell your loved ones and keep those tissues handy.

Braised Irish Lamb 


Boneless Leg o’ Lamb, about 3 – 4 lbs
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Sea Salt (TT - To Taste)
2 stalks of celery, medium dice
2 medium turnips, large dice
1 large onion, yellow, large dice
2 medium parsnips, bias sliced
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
1 pint beef stock, strong
2 pints Guinness (One for you, one for the pot. YES, you have to share)
½ cup cooking oil, something unassuming like canola
2 tbsp cooking sherry
1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
Another part cooking oil
AP Flour, as needed for roux

-For starters, make sure your boneless Leg o’ Lamb is actually boneless. Machine aided processing plants may leave shavings or shaggy bits of bone for your dining enjoyment and/or dentist’s fees. Pour a bit of oil into a sauté pan and preheat low. Also, decide if you want to use a large pot for this enterprise or a slow-cooker. I used a slow cooker (those things are amazing), but the same effect can be had from a good pot on low heat.

-Sprinkle salt over the whole of your Legolamb (he’s like the elf  from that series of really famous movies based on those books by that British guy that we can’t reference because of copyright laws, but much chunkier) and rub it in. Do likewise with your Thyme, Dill, and Garlic.

-Crank up the heat in your pan until your oil wants to smoke, then quickly sear off your Lamb on all sides. There may be a bit of charred material in the bottom, don’t worry about it. Deglaze with Sherry and place the contents (Lamb, Sherry, Herbs and Black Stuff) into your pot.

-In the same pan, add a touch more oil and bring up to temperature. Add all of your veggies (Celery, Turnip, Carrot, Onion, Parsnip, and Mushrooms) and caramelize lightly. Deglaze with a bit more Sherry and add to your pot along with the Lamb.

-Add all remaining ingredients except for remaining oil and flour to the main pot, stir gently to incorporate, and cover. Set a three hour timer (at least) and let it ride.

-When the timer approaches doneness, heat the remaining oil in a small stockpot , add desired flour, and stir constantly. When it approaches a light brown, remove from heat.

-When your Lamb is done cooking, strain out the meat and veggies, reserving the liquid. Pour said liquid in with your oil/flour mix, return the pot to heat, and whisk until thoroughly combined. Continue to cook until thickened, strain, and hold.

-Slice the Lamb into 2 oz portions. It should be barely fork tender but still solid enough to hold up to slicing. If you’ve gone too far, mix Lamb, Veggies, and Gravy. Call it stew, and call it a day. If you didn’t screw it up, proceed to the next step.

-Serve the Lamb with the reserved Root Vegetables, top with your newly made Lamb & Guinness Gravy, and enjoy. That extra pint? Crack it open. You've earned it.