THE BOXTY

No trip to Dublin is complete without a visit to Gallagher's Boxty House in Temple Bar - the heart of this lively city. Padraic Og Gallagher's passion for using natural ingredients and carefully chosen food producers from Ireland undepins the Boxty House experience. The Boxty House embraces the origins of the Boxty Pancake in all its variety and it's only here that you can find the authentic Boxty wrap.

Said to have originated during the Irish famine, these delicious pancakes use blended potatoes in a batter mix and can be made as thin or thick as you like. They are delicious served as rolled or wrapped around a savoury filling such as cooked cabbage and chopped bacon bound in a light musard sauce. The Boxty House serves 3 types of Boxty found in the Irish border counties of Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh.

• The Boiled type consists of grated raw potato, cooked mash and flour, kneaded into dumplings, simmered for 12 minutes, chilled and sauteed in a little butter. Served with a sauce of choice.
• The Baked type consists of grated raw potato, cooked mash and flour, kneaded with pure Irish butter and baked in the oven.
• The traditional Pancake type consists of grated raw potato, cooked mash and flour, made into a batter with fresh milk and slow cooked in a pan until golden brown. 

 

 At my last visit to the Boxty House in Dublin, I had a very tasty 'Traditional Corned Beef Boxty' - thick cut slices of Paddy Smith's Corned Beef served with a Rich Parsley Sauce, sauteed Cabbage and Champ Potato. My guest chose 'Boxty House Chilli' - a Vegetarian Chilli served with Grated Red Irish Cheddar, Chive Sour Cream and a Stack of Coriander and Paprika Mini Boxty Pancakes. Delicious!! 

 

Why not try making a basic traditional Boxty Pancake at home?

 

Ingredients to make 4:-

450g potatoes, peeled and chopped

75g plain flour

150m milk

salt to taste

kob of butter

 

Method:-

•  Place the peeled and chopped potato in a blender or food processor and process until the potato is thoroughly blended
• Add the flour and enough milk to the processed potato to give a 'dropping' (batter) consistency, and add salt to taste. The milk and flour can be adjusted, depended on how thin you like your pancake. Heat a little butter on a griddle or in a cast iron frying pan.
• Pour about a quarter of the mixture into the pan - if the consistency is right it will spread evenly over the base. Cook over a medum heat for about 5 minutes on each side, depending on the thckness of the boxty.
• Serve rolled or wrapped with a hot filling of your choice - try bacon and cabbage!

 
See Gallagher's Boxty House at:- www.boxtyhouse.ie