An Irish Sunday Supper

Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Irish food has not had the same impact on America as the Irish people have. Whereas Italian immigrants brought a diverse food culture that can be found in any major American city, Irish food culture has become tied to pubs, and it often comes with some strange associations. The quintessential “Irish” dishes in America are corned beef and cabbage, soda bread with raisins, mozzarella sticks, chicken wings and shepherd’s pie—made with beef. A traditional Irish meal would not include any of these. In Ireland, a dish of stewed cabbage would have been cooked with a bit of back bacon, but American bacon was different, and so 19th-century Irish workers went to Jewish delicatessens where they found corned beef to be the closest alternative to their familiar cuts. Soda bread in Ireland is typically eaten with butter for breakfast or with a stew, as a real country dish. No raisins; not sweet. Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb (not beef), hence its name. And mozzarella sticks? Your guess is as good as mine.

My passion for food started with my family growing up in County Donegal, where I had a unique food experience because my father is both a chef and farmer. We had duck eggs, fresh milk in a glass bottle, freshly made bread or porridge for breakfast. Every household would make different varieties of bread. Even sliced bread from the shop was locally made. Meals were communal experiences involving multiple generations, a visiting aunt who was a nun, and neighbors. I went into cheffing because I wanted people to feel that same sense of comfort and belonging, since that is what I associate with Irish food.

Given the huge Irish community and families with Irish roots in the area, Boston is a natural home for introducing a more authentic and modern take on Irish food. New England has a similar food ethos to Ireland: a focus on farmers and artisan producers, pastures and following the proper seasons. Seafood—and especially an abundance of lobster, crabs and oysters—supported by a strong fishing community, is a major commonality between Ireland and New England. Marrying these two places through food is a huge goal of mine, not only for pubs but also in a fine dining setting.

This collection of recipes is a crossover of traditional Irish farmhouse meals in autumn with New England products: freshly baked bread, root vegetables, the best of Irish lamb with simple oats and cheese. This is the time for sharing stories about days gone by at a communal table with family and friends.

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