A Fabulous Irish Recipe

By Camyrn Rhys

To kick off the blog launch of the fabulous RWA chapter I love so much, I am going to reveal my most cherished Celtic recipe. You see, I'll be on this blog regularly (one a month or so) and will be posting some of my favorite Celtic recipes with a little bit of food background. So instead of saving the best for last, I'm saving the best for first: DUBLIN CODDLE.

If you've never had Coddle before, you are missing out. My Irish-Canadian grandmother used to make this for me every year on my birthday, and when it came time to pass on my Celtic-inspired recipes, were my friends in for a treat! I used to run a cooking class for kids in my restaurant, and after school, we would do what I called the "International Cooking Club". Well, when we got to Ireland, on the map, we happened to have a large group of male volunteers there, and I made my Coddle.

Now, understand, Coddle is comfort food. Meat & potatoes. So already, high points with the male of the genders. But specifically, the combination of ingredients is like some kind of crack cocaine for men. Not only did they eat me completely out of it, but I got four marriage proposals that day.

So if you've got some hungry bellies around and you're looking for a way to comfort them, or you've got a significant other who likes meat and potatoes, or have to feed a lot of men, try this one. It's a simmer-cook, and best in a dutch oven. The crisp you get on the bottom is unbelievable.

Without further ado, here's my Coddle.

DUBLIN CODDLE
1 lb. pork sausages
½ lb. thick sliced bacon
2 cups ham or beef stock
2 lbs. potatoes (peeled, sliced into ½ in. rounds)
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
Salt & pepper to season

Simmer the sausages and bacon in the stock or water over low flame for 5-10 minutes. Remove the meat to a bowl, reserving the broth.

Spread one-third of the potatoes on the bottom of a stovetop casserole dish or a large saucepan. Add a layer of half the onions and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cut the sausages in 3 or 4 pieces and spread a layer of half the sausages and bacon over the onions. Follow by another layer of potatoes, onions, sausages and bacon and finally a top layer of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the reserved broth.

Cover and simmer for about an hour. Serve with a green vegetable and a slice of soda bread to mop up the gravy. You won't believe how incredible this tastes. Seriously, you have to try this today.