The Irish Cookbook

by Jp McMahon

Overview

The Irish Cookbook showcases the true depth of Irish cuisine, its ingredients and its fascinating history, as never before

Ireland's remarkably rich food heritage dates back millenia and, in The Irish Cookbook, acclaimed chef Jp McMahon captures its unique culinary origins and varied influences. Irish food is the summation of what the land and sea gives; the book's 480 home-cooking recipes celebrate the range and quality of Ireland's bounty, from oysters and seaweed on its west coast to beef and lamb from its lush green pastures, to produce and forage from throughout the island. Presenting best-loved traditional dishes together with many lesser-known gems, this book vividly evokes the warmth, hospitality and culinary spirit of the Emerald Isle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781838660567
Publisher:	Phaidon Press
Publication date:	02/26/2020
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	282,553
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 10.70(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Jp McMahon is a chef, restaurateur, and author. He is culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group and runs the Aniar Boutique Cookery School. Founding chair and director of the Galway Food Festival, Jp is an ambassador for Irish food. He organises an annual international chef symposium entitled ‘Food on the Edge' in Galway and writes a weekly column for the Irish Times.

Editorial Reviews

McMahon is scholarly, but also personal and inclusive. The variety of recipes here is part of the charm…The recipe for soda-leavened brown bread alone is worth the price of this book. One thick slice, barely sweet and packed with seeds, is a full meal.

The New York Times Book Review - Jennifer Reese

03/02/2020

McMahon, a Galway chef and restaurateur, takes a comprehensive look at the past, present, and future of Irish cooking in this thoroughly researched collection of more than 500 recipes. An advocate for using wild and sustainable ingredients, McMahon is especially inventive when it comes to fruit: duck breasts are served in a port and red currant sauce, crab is prepared with curry mayonnaise and pineapple, and a haunch of venison gets treated with with plums, port and cinnamon. Some desserts are literally earthy: carrageen moss pudding combines seaweed with honey and milk, while hay ice cream is flavored with toasted hay and sugar. The vegetable chapter includes such standouts as spinach with hazelnuts and wild garlic; steamed asparagus wrapped in sea lettuce; as well as many a potato side dish (curried potatoes; hasselback potatoes with smoked bacon and beer). The book is pleasantly laid out with two to three recipes per page opposite a spacious full-color photo of a plated entrée. In addition to the recipes, McMahon provides a useful field guide for foraging plants, seaweed, and mushrooms (for more adventurous cooks), as well as a succinct history of food in Ireland. With an eye on terrain, McMahon offers both authentic and innovative approaches to modern Irish cooking. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

'A monumental tome on Irish cuisine.' – Food & Wine

'Scholarly, but also personal and inclusive. The variety of recipes here is part of the charm.' – New York Times

'A celebration of the country's amazing food heritage going back to hunter-gatherer settlements 10,000 years ago.' – BBC Good Food

'St Patrick's Day is coming - celebrate with Jp McMahon's revived classics, with not a spud in sight.' – Sunday Times Magazine

'The new story of Irish food.' – Irish Times

From the Publisher

04/01/2020

Chef and restaurateur McMahon wants home cooks to take Irish cuisine seriously. Beyond corned beef and cabbage and soda bread, this guide by McMahon, culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group and founder of the Galway Food Festival, showcases Ireland's rich and inviting culinary history. McMahon draws upon personal experiences as well as his country's history, framing many of the recipes with welcome detail. Complementing the writing are numerous gorgeous photographs of finished dishes, including leek and oatmeal soup, traditional lamb stew, and porter cake. The clear organization will make it easy for home cooks to find recipes that might appeal. VERDICT A highly recommended cookbook that will change minds about Irish cooking for the better, and a welcome addition to any culinary collection. There is no going wrong with this delightful book.—Peter Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA

Library Journal