Taste

Kate O’Connor’s Irish Stew

Dave Smoroske has been at the helm of Kate O’Connor’s kitchen since it opened in 2007. His interpretation of Irish stew has earned him a loyal following and you’ll find it the perfect dish to warm chilly Beach Coast nights.

5 lb. chuck roast cut into 2” cubes
1 lg. yellow onion
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic (approx. 2 tbsp. chopped)
5 tbsp. beef base*
3 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
3-4 stalks celery
4-6 carrots peeled
water or beef stock
2 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. tomato paste
2-3 tbsp. Worcestershire
corn starch
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven, add onions and garlic and cook until transparent. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides. Add enough water or beef stock to cover; then add beef base and tomato paste. Cover the pot and simmer for about an hour. Cut celery on the diagonal in 2-3” lengths. Cut peeled carrots in the same way and add both vegetables to the pot. Place lid back on pot and continue to simmer for another 30-40 minutes. Add potatoes to the pot, cover and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Before serving, combine 2-3 tbsp. cornstarch in 1 cup cold water. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into pot and cook over medium heat until gravy has thickened to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings and serve in shallow bowls with a crusty bread to sop up the gravy in the bottom of the bowl.

*Various brands of beef base can be found in the soup section of your grocery store. These are paste or powdered products used to impart beef flavor to soups and stews. Dave uses a paste-type beef base and prefers it over bouillon cubes, which are often very salty.

McGinnis Pub’s Irish Soda Bread

This recipe was passed down to Terry McGinnis by her mother, Winifred Duggan, who got it from her mother, Mary O’Connor of Galway. Terry says if you plump the raisins in Jameson’s it makes the bread (which is also delicious toasted) even more special.

3 ½ c. white flour
1 egg
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
4 oz. raisin (soak for a few moments to “plump”)
½ stick butter, melted
buttermilk
sugar

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and stir. Stir in the melted butter and a slightly beaten egg. Add raisins and buttermilk until you get a sticky dough. Flour a board and knead the dough. Form dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased cast iron skillet and flatten. Using a sharp knife cut a cross in the dough. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once removed from the oven, top with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Allow bread to cool slightly and serve with butter while still warm. Slainte!

McGinnis Pub’s Dublin Lawyer

Serves 6-8

This rich and decadent dish is one of the most popular items on the menu. Use bread to sop up the extra sauce—you won’t want to miss a single drop.

10 oz. lobster meat
½ gallon of heavy cream
2 oz. cayenne pepper
1 oz. curry powder
8 oz. butter
¾ c. flour
4 c. cooked white rice
10 oz. sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan melt 2 oz. butter. Add mushrooms and diced lobster meat. Sauté until lobster is cooked. Add heavy cream and reduce to half. Add curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. In a separate pan, melt the rest of the butter. Add flour and stir to form a roux. Add the lobster mix and stir until thick. Serve over rice. Enjoy!