Tag: Brussels Sprouts

Irish Pork Stew with Baby Cabbage – What We Should Be Eating on St. Patrick’s Day

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that corned beef and cabbage is not authentic St. Patrick’s Day food. It wasn’t until Irish immigrants, fleeing the great potato famine, arrived in New York, and started hanging out in delicatessens that brisket became the cabbage-adjacent meat of choice.


I assume it was the potato knishes’ siren song that initially drew them in, but eventually they got hooked on the corned beef, and the rest is history. So, I decided to do a little mash-up (and mash-under), and this Irish pork stew with baby cabbage was the result. By the way, “baby cabbage” can be a little hard to find, but you can use Brussels sprouts, and no one will know the difference…mostly because there isn’t one.

You can cook them in the stew if you want, but the timing can be tricky, and trust me, you don’t want to eat “baby cabbage” that’s been cooked too long; no one does, So, I highly recommend blanching them first, and warming through at the end.


Since we are using Guinness, I will admit this isn’t a beginner’s stew. The stout gives a ton of flavor, but also a slightly bitter note, which some people do not enjoy. I balanced it with the balsamic vinegar and caraway seed, and it was absolutely wonderful, but I think it’s worth mentioning.

You can leave it out, use a lighter beer, or just splash in some extra stock. Anyway, if you’re looking for beautiful alternative to that traditional “authentic” St. Patrick’s Day meal, then I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 6 portions Irish Pork Stew:
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
2 generous tbsp flour
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon caraway seed
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Draft or other dark beer
3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth, more as needed
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
12 Brussels sprouts, halved, blanched
mashed potatoes to serve over

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Duck Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts – P.H.A.T. with an “F”

With all the rich and decadent football party food I’ve been
sharing lately, I’d thought I’d take a little break, and post a nice, simple
green vegetable side dish. Of
course,
these beautiful roasted Brussels sprouts were just a prop so I could demonstrate using leftover duck fat, but still.


If you watch any amount of celebrity chef TV, you’ve
undoubtedly heard them going off on the virtues of duck fat. They mostly pontificate
on its deep, palate-coating richness, which is true; but they also like to point
out the health benefits. That part is a little cloudy…you know, like saturated
fat when it cools down.

Duck fat does have much less saturated fat than butter, and
is higher in oleic acid, the stuff that makes olive oil so popular with the
healthy eating gurus, but make no mistake, this is still an animal fat, and
should be used in moderation. The good news: “in moderation” totally works!

A few tablespoons and a very hot oven is all you need to
turn some sleepy vegetables into something much more special. As I mention in
the video, bacon grease will make a fine (and even more flavorful) substitute,
but if you do cook duck, saving the leftover fat is nothing short of mandatory.
I hope you give this technique a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts (about 4-6 per person)
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
enough melted duck fat to coat vegetables generously (about
2-3 tablespoons per pound of sprouts)
fresh squeezed lemon to finish
*Roast at 450 degrees F. until tender but still a little
firm, about 15-20 minutes

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