
Irish Pork Stew with Colcannon
A hearty stew that will banish the cold of any winter’s evening.
- Serves: 6 |
- Difficulty: moderate
- Prep Time : 30 mins |
- Cook Time : 2:0 hours


Ingredients
Irish Pork Stew
oil for frying
salt and pepper
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 baby leeks, cleaned and chopped into 2 cm chunks
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp (15 ml) caraway seeds
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp (30 ml) flour
1 x 440 ml can of Guinness
½ litre (500 ml) chicken stock
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, chopped into chunks
5 sprigs of thyme, picked and chopped
10 fresh sage leaves, chopped
¼ C (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
200 g shiitake mushrooms, halved
Colcannon
6 large potatoes, peeled and diced
½ C (125 ml) cream
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard
splash of olive oil
250 g baby spinach, washed
5 spring onions (green tops only), chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Irish Pork Stew
Set a large pot over medium-high heat and add a splash of oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper, then fry it in batches to sear and caramelise the exterior. Do not crowd the pot with too much meat. Set the meat aside once seared.
Add another splash of oil to the pot then add the onion and leeks. Fry until they soften and begin to colour. Add the bay leaves, caraway seeds and garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant. Add the flour and fry for another 2 minutes to cook out the flour. Add the Guinness to deglaze the pot and then add the stock and balsamic vinegar and mix to combine.
Add the carrots, celery, thyme and sage and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover with the lid at an angle and simmer for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. At the 1 ½ hour mark, add the mushrooms and cook for another 30 minutes or until the meat is fork-tender.
Colcannon
Place a medium-size saucepan, ¾ full with salted water over high heat. Add the potatoes and boil for about 15-20 minutes or until soft. Use a colander to drain well and then return the potatoes to the stove; reduce the heat to medium and allow the potatoes to steam for about 3 minutes. Lightly crush the potatoes in the pot with a large spoon to break down. Any remaining water will cook out during this process. Remove from the heat and add the butter, cream and mustard. Mash until smooth.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a large frying pan and then add the spinach. Wilt for a minute or two and then remove from the heat. Place the spinach into a colander and gently squeeze out any excess moisture. Fold the wilted spinach and spring onion greens into the mash and season to taste
Serve a hearty portion of Irish pork stew spooned over a bed of colcannon.