The New Irish Table: 70 Contemporary Recipes

by Margaret M. Johnson, Christopher Hirsheimer (Photographer)

In The New Irish Table , author Margaret Johnson's love of Ireland permeates page after glorious page of mouthwatering Irish dishes. The 70 recipes reflect the traditions of the national cuisine and also showcase the most exciting new tastes from the home cooks and professional chefs who're part of the culinary renaissance in Ireland today. The time-honored fruits of land and sea, such as fluffy potatoes, plump fish, tender meats, and berries bursting with flavor, are interpreted anew in such dishes as Smoked Salmon Chowder, Filet of Baby Beef with Spinach-Bacon Stuffing and Guinness Mustard Sauce, and Raspberry Buttermilk Tarts. Lavish color photographs of the food, the landscapes, and the people are woven through the text, making The New Irish Table the next best thing to sitting down at a table in Ireland itself.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Ireland

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book full of delicious recipes from some of Ireland's best chefs. The book is broke down into regions like Munster, Dublin, Belfast, Kerry etc. There are just some breathtaking shots of the various regions and then, of course, the mouth watering food. There are lots and lots of recipes for potatoes and, oddly to me, goat cheese salad. Goat cheese salad must be hugely popular in Ireland.

It does refer to restaurants and when I enquired about one, Roscoff's in Belfast, I was told that it had been closed for years. I went back to the book and discovered that it initially been published in 2003 so the restaurant recommendations would be sadly out of date. Then as I read along I found some references to 2015 so this must be an update. I wouldn't trust the restaurant information but the lovely pictures and recipes never go out of style.

There are recipes for food I have never eaten and for ingredients I've never eaten. One that stands out in my mind is Carragen Moss Pudding. Another is Sweaty Betty with barley and seaweed. I'd love to dig into a Beef and Wicklow Wolf Stout Casserole with Dumplings or Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes.

If you're looking for a wonderful cookbook of Irish recipes with delightful pictures, this is the book for you.

Thank you Net Galley for this book in exchange for a fair review.

[TheConsultingWriter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially sought out this book because of the title alone. It is the NEW Irish Table, so don't expect traditional dishes.

The recipes contained within are broken down to the following areas: Leinster(Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow), Munster(Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford), Connacht(Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo), and Ulster(Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Monaghan, Tyrone). In case the reader forgets where any of these are located, there's a simplified map at the front. Recipes come from restaurants, resorts, and cookery schools. Each section includes beautiful pictures of the region. I really appreciate this because Ireland is such a beautiful place, one must always take advantage and show it off.

Recipes range from really difficult (at least for me) to mostly manageable. I've tried (and successfully executed) Julia Childs' Beef Bourguignon, so I think I can handle a lot of these. Within the pages of this book are mouth-watering soups, stews, desserts and so much more. It may not contain traditional dishes, but certainly is influenced by them. I'd love to try the Beef and Wicklow Wolf Stout Casserole, especially now that the weather is changing. Sadly, it isn't available in the states. And there in lies the rub. The farther from Ireland you are, the most difficult it will be to complete some of these recipes. It isn't all hopeless. I'd say a majority of the recipes are doable.

For those meat lovers, there is plenty to choose from. For those that prefer seafood, not to worry as they've included salmon, lobster, crab, mussels...even octopus. For the vegetarian, most chefs include a salad or soup that, even if it does feature meat, could easily be altered. And dessert connoisseurs, don't despair! There are a lot of recipes for you that include chocolate, cream, raspberries and more.

Ultimately, I think what really sold me on this book were the stunning photos and information on the various parts of Ireland.

Looking at the slow cooked pork shoulder with stuffing, sautéed potatoes and apple compote....my mouth is watering. I've got to try at least one of these recipes!

[roxi Net · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, full of amazing photos of Ireland, food, and great recipes. "Irish cuisine" is no longer an oxymoron, and these celebrated chefs have proved it once again. The recipes are fairly simple to make with ingredients common to find (which is fantastic, even on a budget), and the instructions are not too overwhelming. The Chocolate Mousse with Walnut Ganache will be my first attempt at a walnut ganache (never even heard of it), and I'm really hoping that by some miracle, it'll look like the picture. If not, at least my hope is that it'll be edible :D

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

What exactly comes to mind when you are thinking about Irish cuisine? Personally, not too much, as I rather imagine a scarcity of ingredients - potatoes, maybe - and some touches of fish. So bad that you rarely find anything Irish beyond Ireland's borders but an Irish pub - which does not serve typical food as far as I remember. (Oh, there is a Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes recipe in the book so be aware, very aware).
The New Irish Table covers recipes recommended and prepared by local chefs, which makes the book a good companion for your gourmet travels in Ireland. I've found relatively difficult to think about reproducing the recipes at home as it requires cooking skills beyond the average. The recipes use local ingredients but I am not sure that in fact they are typical Irish recipes either. However, it offers an interesting view of the local expectations and standards therefore it is worth exploring, especially if you are looking for some high-level experiences of the country.
The pictures are highly professional, completely discouraging the hobby cook to ever try to recreate the original recipes. But as usual, I will ignore all the warning and will dare to prepare some of them - like the Ballyknocken Tea Scones, using the Kerrygold salted butter or some salmon-based recipes).
A good source of inspiration if you are looking to challenge your cooking skills and the usual menu once in a while.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know that there's a fish called a Sweaty Betty?

I kid you not.

Can you really go into a shop in Ireland, or at least in County Galway, and ask the fishmonger for Sweaty Betty?

And why am I not surprised that such a creature shows up in the chapter that features the county my grandmother came from?

This is a gorgeous cookbook, an exploration of recipes from restaurants across Ireland which all appear to be places I could never afford to see the insides of. Accordingly, a hefty percentage of the recipes include ingredients I'll never be able to afford, even if I could find them, and a few require equipment I'll never be able to afford, even if I wanted to. And, honestly, there are some that are far too haute cuisine for my tastes.

That being said, there are also quite a number of keepers, both entrees and desserts I am very interested in trying. The recipes are challenging, but seem achievable on the whole – but even if every recipe called for larkspur tongues and nuclear fission reactors, the photographs of Ireland would be well worth a look. It's stunning. It's Ireland.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.

[Cherise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting cookbook. I love Irish food and this takes traditional Irish staples (Lamb, Guinness, potatoes, Seafood, cheeses) and kicks it up a bit. It serves up elegant and delicious recipes, for the cooking novice or expert.

Most of the recipes are dishes that are currently being served in popular restaurants, pubs, and hotels/inns in Ireland.

At the end of the book it gives you a detailed list of resources so you can order hard to find Irish food items, such as Bunratty Meade, Irish Honey and many of the Irish cheeses.

The pictures are beautiful, and each recipe is forwarded by a brief description of where the recipe came from and the tradition behind it. The food is truly delicious and the history mixed in with the colorful photos and recipes makes it enjoyable to read.

This is a cookbook I will use again and again. Some of my favorite recipes are Cornish Hens with Apricot, Port and Balsamic sauce, Grace Neill's Chocolate and Guinness Brownies, and the Cashel Blue Cheese Potato Cakes.

This is definitely one of my favorite cookbooks, I have never prepared a dish from this book I didn't fully enjoy.

[Dayna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought I would love this, but wasn't inspired to make anything from it when I got it from the library a while back. Could be because I was pretty busy, but mostly I just wanted to look for different recipes. Maybe something more traditional. I have a couple of Margaret Johnson's cookbooks, which are a little more traditional, and I like them both much more.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This recipe book was a good read! I plan on trying a few of the recipes out on my family very soon! I never really thought the cooking of Great Britain was all that interesting, boy was I ever wrong! It has come a long way from when I first started to look into recipe from the region. Irish chefs are creating some wonderful dishes!

[Elizabeth Olson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for lighter and fresher in these recipes, but they all feature the same few ingredients (mostly cabbage, potatoes, cream, fish) over and over with the same herbs, spices, and condiments. Too little variety and too heavy for my taste.