The Luck of the Irish

St Patrick's Day yesterday and, although not Irish, I decided it was a great excuse to make a Vegetarian Irish Stew and Champ. Not to mention Irish Barmbrack cake. 

The stew was made from onions, mushrooms, celery, carrots, turnips, potatoes and lentils with Guinness*, paprika, bay leaves, Dijon mustard and seasoning and slow cooked for several hours. Irish Champ is mashed potato creamed with spring onions, milk, butter and seasoning. It was a truly heartwarming lunch for such a cold, snowy day.

*Guinness may contain isinglass, a fish product, in its filtration process.

I have to confess this meal left me stuffed and satisfied. It was several hours later that I managed a slice of Barmbrack (rich fruit loaf). I'm not a Guinness drinker and only have a very occasional "water of life" aka Irish Whiskey. Slainte!