My Irish Table
Recipes from the Homeland and Restaurant Eve [A Cookbook]
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
The debut cookbook from Cathal Armstrong featuring 130 recipes showcasing modern Irish fare, along with stories about Armstrong's journey from Dublin to Washington, DC, and becoming an internationally recognized four-star chef, the owner of seven successful food and drink establishments, and a leader in the sustainable-food movement.
With its moderate climate and amazing natural resources, Ireland is a modern-day Eden, boasting lush, bountiful produce, world-renowned dairy, plentiful seafood, and grass-fed meats. In My Irish Table, sustainable food movement leader and four-star chef Cathal Armstrong celebrates the food of his homeland and chronicles his culinary journey from Dublin to Washington DC, where he runs seven beloved and critically lauded restaurants.
Featuring 130 delicious recipes—from Kerrygold Butter-Poached Lobster with Parsnips to Irish Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, and Mam’s Apple Pie—My Irish Table draws on Armstrong’s Irish upbringing as well as his professional experience and French culinary training. In his hands, Irish food is comforting yet elegant, rustic yet skillful, and My Irish Table invites you into his kitchen to explore the vibrant traditions and rich culinary landscape of the Emerald Isle.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Rare is the American cookbook that illuminates Irish cuisine, and this personal collection from a Dublin-born, Washington-based chef and restaurateur explores Emerald Isle fare with enthusiastic reverence. Armstrong recounts his early years eating out of his father's garden, and his apprenticeships in U.S. kitchens before he opened his first establishment, Restaurant Eve, in Alexandria, Va., offering the relevant recipes along the way. Beginning with Irish breakfast, including homemade black pudding and marmalade, he moves on to "Sunday" dishes such as kidneys in red wine sauce, his mother's potato pancakes and shepherd's pie on through his restaurant fare, like an Irish Caesar salad with brown breadcrumbs and Cashel blue cheese. While his Irish-American innovations such as foie gras with black pudding and pears, pan-roasted loin of venison with carrot puree, glazed baby carrots and brown bread cream are a bit precious and time consuming for the home cook, there are plenty of everyday eats here: potato leek soup; steamed mussels with lemon and bay leaf; and Bakewell Tart. Armstrong's emphasis on local ingredients, his amiable narrative and the lineup of dishes both classic and contemporary make a compelling case. Color photos.
Customer Reviews
Mostly Good Home Cooking
Haven't had a chance to try out everything yet, but if you want a good Irish version of every meal of the day with lots of choices, they're here. Some of the things he describes making require equipment the average kitchen isn't likely go have unless you have a farm. It can all be gotten if you want to order it on line. The recipes are similar to most from books of its type, if butter or cream can be added, it is. I wish there were some suggestions for alternates if you are trying to go easy on that sort of thing. I know plenty of healthy eaters in Ireland who found other ways to make things taste good.
One caution though, I tried the piccalilli recipe at the back and found the flour and turmeric proportions produced very different results from the picture, leaving a sauce more like thick peanut butter than the nice glaze shown in the photo. I threw it out, but will try again sometime, carefully adding the thickening agents until I get what I want. Something is not right with the recipe. I'd also aim for half the recipe since there is no way we'd eat that much in the time he says it will keep in the fridge. Sometimes errors can creep in if measurements are converted from metric to the U.S. System. Perhaps that might be the case here. I'll be cautious when I try the other recipes, just in case.