Pop quiz. Which of these dishes is more Irish: mutton broth, Dingle pies, or mutton curry? Answer: they all are. Even though they are part of different heritages, they have all been made on this island at some time or another. Mutton broth, a classic peasant dish, was probably made Europe-wide at some point in time. When mutton meat was in short supply, the heads of the animals would be stewed instead.
Dingle pies are as close as Ireland gets to an eponymous dish. These pies, which most likely originally came from northern England in the 17th century, settled in Kerry for centuries and are now part of the culinary fabric of the country. Though the pie itself, made with mutton, may seem innocuous in the grander world of Anglo Irish pies, the historical act of dipping it into lamb gravy during the Puck Fair every August, has made it part and parcel of the Kingdom.
Curry may seem a little removed from Irish food, but with our connection to the British Empire many mutton curries found their way into 18th and 19th century households. Indeed, the Irish have had a penchant for curry and almonds since the days of the Raj. Though many would argue that this imperial tradition is not ours, it is up to us to own all culinary aspects of this island, whether we want them or not.
How to make a mutton curry
Marinate four mutton chops in a tablespoon of curry powder with some oil and fresh thyme for a few hours. Fry the chops on both sides and set aside. In the same frying pan, fry two sliced onions and two minced garlic cloves in some butter. When nicely caramelised, add another tablespoon of curry powder, with 250ml of cider and 250ml of cream. Bring the lot to the boil and reduce by half. Return the chops to the sauce and warm them through.
I like to finish the curry with some toasted flaked almonds, sheep’s yoghurt and a large handful of chopped coriander, which incidentally grows very well in Ireland.
