“It ain’t Jewish or Muslim-friendly, but it’s still pretty good…”
On this week’s JOE Show, we had brilliant music from a rising star on the Irish music scene and exclusive interviews with the stars of Spider-Man: Homecoming and Halal Daddy.
We also had a healthy dose of culture shock as I, a humble Sligo-dweller, attempted to make a bona fide Dublin coddle, a classic dish reflecting the culture of our national city.
At first, I thought I had misheard the word ‘cuddle’. I have never eaten or even seen coddle before, but after some hefty Googling I had an idea of the task that lay ahead.
What is coddle? The specifics inspire controversy (carrots or no carrots?) but everyone generally agrees it’s a stew of potatoes, bacon, sausages and onions, boiled with stock and parsley. Inexpensive, filling comfort food, even if it looks a bit grey.
I set out and ploughed into the heart of the Liberties, buying ingredients, exploring the area and asking a few locals how best to tackle the dish. My notions of adding chillis to make phall coddle were quickly quashed as nonsense and soon, I had a few vital tips in the bag.
My mastery in the JOE kitchen was evident – I’m expecting a Michelin inspector to drop by any day now. Potatoes were sliced, diced and layered with carrots and shredded onions, before being topped with the porcine triad of sausages, bacon and pork pieces.
A rogue dash of cheese and herb sauce later, and the coddle was ready for the oven. I took some artistic licence here, choosing to gently cook it in the oven for two hours rather than the traditional boiling.
A short while later, the coddle emerged, brown on top and giving off a glorious scent of fatty pork and carbohydrates.
Does the coddle deserve the seal of approval? Let us know!
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
