Again - Gamer Recipes

[Windhaven]

Well, this year St. Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday, which happens to be a game day for me (We swapped the regular D&D game from Sunday to Saturday.)

Since that's a pretty good excuse for a gamer meal, I'm seeking suggestions.

There are 8 or 9 of us.

So far I have Onion Roasted potatoes on the list. I'm trying to avoid the classic/cliche Corned Beef and Cabbage.

Perhaps a good brisquet of beef... Or ... the weather is warming up rapidly here in SoCal, so I could break out the barbeque grill and do a cookout.

Stews work, since I have a pretty good sized crock-pot.

Ideas?

[TinSoldier]

You know we have a foodie forum, right?

[Amso]

I was so thinking the same thing.

[BattleNymph]

I love corned beef and I cook it with a brown sugar/mustard glaze that really is awesome with the salty corned beef.

[Amso]

I would listen to BN, she does have to eat it.

[BattleNymph]

I would listen to BN, she does have to eat it.

I'm cooking it for Friday so I'm fine not having it on Saturday. I'm also fine HAVING it again on Saturday cause I love it!

[Windhaven]

Well, it sounds good, except that I'm diabetic and allergic to mustard.

We may yet do the corned beef thing though. Some recipes are classic for a reason.

[BattleNymph]

Well, it sounds good, except that I'm diabetic and allergic to mustard.

We may yet do the corned beef thing though. Some recipes are classic for a reason.

Mulligan stew is also good. :D And soda bread!

[marmalade]

Spanakopita (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spanakopita-Greek-Spinach-Pie/Detail.aspx) isn't Irish, but it's green. I would substitute some of the parsley in the recipe for dill.

[BattleNymph]

Ballymaloe Irish Stew
Ingredients
2-1/2 to 3 lbs (1.35kg) lamb chops (gigot or rack chops) not less than 1 inch (2.5cm) thick
8 medium or 12 baby carrots
8 medium or 12 baby onions
8 to 12 potatoes, or more if you like
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-1/4 to1-1/2 pints (750 ml-900 ml/3-33/4 cups) stock (lamb stock if possible) or water
1 sprig of thyme
1 Tbsp (1 American Tbsp + 1 tsp) roux, optional - see recipe
Garnish
1 Tbsp (1 American Tbsp + 1 tsp) freshly chopped parsley
1 Tbsp (1 American Tbsp + 1 tsp) freshly chopped chives

Roux
4 ozs (110g/1 stick) butter
4 ozs (110g/scant 1 cup) flour

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4. Cut the chops in half and trim off some of the excess fat. Set aside. Render down the fat on a gentle heat in a heavy pan (discard the rendered down pieces).

Peel the onions and scrape or thinly peel the carrots (if they are young you could leave some of the green stalk on the onion and carrot). Cut the carrots into large chunks, or if they are small leave them whole. If the onions are large, cut them into quarters through the root, if they are small they are best left whole.

Toss the meat in the hot fat on the pan until it is slightly brown. Transfer the meat into a casserole, then quickly toss the onions and carrots in the fat. Build the meat, carrots and onions up in layers in the casserole, carefully season each layer with freshly ground pepper and salt. De-glaze the pan with lamb stock and pour into the casserole. Peel the potatoes and lay them on top of the casserole, so they will steam while the stew cooks. Season the potatoes. Add a sprig of thyme, bring to the boil on top of the stove, cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and the lid of the saucepan. Transfer to a moderate oven or allow to simmer on top of the stove until the stew is cooked, 1 to 1-1/2 hours approx, depending on whether the stew is being made with lamb or hogget.

When the stew is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid, de-grease and reheat in another saucepan. Slightly thicken by whisking in a little roux if you like. Check seasoning, then add chopped parsley and chives. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Bring the stew back up to boiling point and serve from the pot or in a large pottery dish.

Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.

Irish Stew with Pearl Barley

Add 1-2 Tbsps pearl barley with the vegetables. Increase the stock to 2 pints (1.2L/5 cups) as the pearl barley soaks up lots of liquid.

Yield: 8 servings

[marmalade]

How about stuffed green peppers or cabbage rolls?

[BattleNymph]

How about stuffed green peppers or cabbage rolls?

Oooo those sound good! Recipes?

[marmalade]

I have never made either dish, but here is the Austrian recipe that I plan to try soon for cabbage rolls... http://www.bernhards.at/recipes/cabbagerolls.html

And another one... http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slovak-Stuffed-Cabbage/Detail.aspx (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slovak-Stuffed-Cabbage/Detail.aspx)

And a gazillion stuffed pepper recipes... http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=stuffed+peppers (http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=stuffed+peppers)