CODDLE
Coddle is typical pub grub from Dublin, Ireland. My coddle is a little clearer than theirs, since I use ham instead of bacon (note that their bacon is not as fatty as ours, either). Anyway, pub Coddle is more gravy-ish than mine, but you can't go wrong with potatoes. This is true comfort food.
1. Combine in a large pot:
2 lb. Potatoes, diced;
4 large onions, diced;
8 1/4-inch thick slices ham or bacon (I use a big ol' ham steak, cut into bite-size pieces);
8 pork sausages, cooked & diced (I use 12-16 fresh links, myself);
4 rounded tablespoons parsley;
salt & pepper.
2. Add only enough water that you can begin to see it in the pot; do not cover the ingredients or you will wind up with very thin soup. The onions will disintegrate in cooking and thicken the soup.
Serves 4-8
And of course, you can't have coddle without soda bread!
SODA BREAD
Another Irish favorite; coddle just cries out for soda bread. So do beef or lamb stew. Soda bread is chewy and grainy, and sops up stews wonderfully. It's also marvelous with any variety of cheese.
1. Mix:
3 cups flour;
1 teaspoon salt;
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder;
1 teaspoon soda;
1 tablespoon brown sugar;
2 teaspoons sesame or caraway seed, if desired.
2. Stir in 1 1/2 cup, more or less, milk or buttermilk or sour milk to make a light dough.
3. Bake in greased loaf pan or as a round loaf on a flat cookie sheet 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool at least 2 hours.