Dublin Coddle.
Traditional Saturday-night supper in our nation's capital. Plain family food, local ingredients and simple equipment.
Quantities are approximate, as always: this is a rough guide for about four people.
Half a pound of pork sausages
About 6 bacon rashers
Five large potatoes, peeled, or more if small.
2 or 3 onions
A handful of pot-herbs
Pepper but not salt
A good large saucepan that will hold them all with enough water to boil them.
Cut up one of the potatoes into cubes about the size of Monopoly dice and put these into the pan first. Then chop the onions roughly and put them on top. Cut the sausages into one-inch lengths, approx - maybe, thirds? and cut the rashers into similar-sized squares. Add to pan. Then a small handful of parsley and thyme on the stalk, known in Dublin as "pot-herbs", and pepper. Cut the remaining potatoes into quite large chunks and balance on top of the other ingredients. Cover carefully with hot water just up to the spuds but barely to cover them. Bring to the boil on a brisk heat and as soon as it boils, immediately turn the heat down to simmer: cook gently until the potatoes are soft.
Do Not Stir!
(Because that would break up the spuds, which should stay on top and remain whole)
If it has turned out right, the small cubes of potato at the bottom of the pan will have disintegrated and thicken the liquid, while the large ones on top retain their shape and firmness.
Ladle into wide deep soup plates, eat with a spoon.
Traditionally serve with bread and butter, (batch loaf, of course) and stout for those who like it!
It is permissible in certain circles to sprinkle in some commercial brown sauce such as Kandee, to season each bowlful as the diner may wish. However no other additions are correct in my opinion. Carrots in particular are often suggested, but they contribute a watery sweetness which does no favours for the firm, earthy, salty flavours already present.
At a pinch, I would permit the inclusion of some pearl barley; but it is not the purest form of the dish.
Above all, the dish must be gently simmered - "coddled" - and must not be too watery: it is something between a soup and a stew and a substantial meal in its own right: cheap, too!
