Bacon & Cabbage

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The dinner that says home more than any other. What Irish-Americans call corned beef and cabbage started here — with bacon, not beef, because bacon was what people had. It's on the menu at Cupán Tae most weeks.

Ingredients

• 3 lb loin of bacon or gammon
• 1 head of green cabbage, quartered
• 6 potatoes, peeled
• 4 carrots, halved
• For the parsley sauce: 2 tbsp butter — Kerrygold
• 2 tbsp flour — Odlums
• 1½ cups milk
• Large handful chopped parsley

Method

1. Put the bacon in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring slowly to the boil. Pour that water off — it takes the excess salt with it.
2. Cover again with fresh water, bring back to a simmer, and cook gently for about 20 minutes per pound.
3. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot for the final 25 minutes.
4. Add the cabbage for the last 10 minutes only — it should still have some bite.
5. For the sauce, melt the butter, stir in the flour, and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and thickened, then stir in the parsley.
6. Lift the bacon out, rest 10 minutes, slice thickly, and serve with everything else and plenty of sauce.

Tip: That first boil-and-drain is not optional. Skip it and the whole dinner comes out too salty to enjoy.