Colleen Hayes, from Seaford's Charity Committee said: "We are looking for recipes to feature in the Seaford Community Charity Cookbook, the proceeds of which will be divided between three charities for which the students of Seaford College have voted.

Sharing food is tied to memories and plays an important role in bringing people together – something that is more important than ever in times of lockdown. Food is a universal language and is a wonderful way to help us feel more connected in this time of isolation.

Cooking together provides a bonding experience, promotes emotional wellbeing and, although we cannot gather with family and friends to share a meal, the next best thing is to share your favourite recipes and allow others to create more memories associated with your favourite food. Please submit your recipe to cookbook@seaford.org"
 

For St Patrick’s Day Governor, Andrew Hayes, shares his Irish Stew recipe.

Andrew said: “My wife, Colleen, and I grew up in Irish households and Irish stew, dumplings and steamed cabbage featured heavily on the menu at home. We have both had more than enough stew and cabbage to last a lifetime (!) so we limit our intake to a couple of times a year, but we always have it on St Patrick's Day. This recipe has been cobbled together as both our mothers made the stew without following a recipe. This is a great recipe for the slow cooker, too.”

Serves 6 generously

For the Stew

2kg stewing lamb / middle neck and scrag of lamb or mutton
4 tablespoons of plain flour
500g onions sliced
500g carrots sliced
4 leeks sliced
1kg potatoes peeled chopped into large chunks
4 tablespoons pearl barley
4 pints of hot water
Salt and pepper

For the dumplings

2 tablespoons of parsley
220g self raising flour
100g suet
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper

Coat the meat in the flour and put at the bottom of a large casserole dish or slow cooker.

Tip the onions, carrots, leeks and potatoes on top then season with salt and pepper. Add the pearl barley and cover with approx. 4 pints of boiling water. Cover the pot with a well-fitting lid and leave to simmer over a low heat for about 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can pop it in the oven for 3.5 hours at 150c or a slow cooker for 6 hours.

About 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, make the dumplings. Mix the flour, the salt and pepper and the parsley in a bowl and add the suet. Slowly add cold water to make a dough and roll into 12 dumplings.

When the stew is cooked drop the dumplings on top, cover and cook them for 20-25 minutes until crusty on the top.

Steamed cabbage is optional.

Andrew added: “This stew tastes even better if Ireland has won the Six Nations!”


#stpatricksday #irishstew