Landscape near Killorglin in County Kerry
Serves 4
Cist is not a stew nor is it a true meat pie. It is just a sort of meat and vegetable “thing.” The meat and vegetables are partially cooked on top of the stove, then “ciste” or crust is placed on top and it is finished in the oven. It has long been a favorite with West Country farm wives. Don’t expect to find it in any Irish restaurant, or even many contemporary homes. It is one of those hearty old time comfort foods that are now an endangered species, if not extinct. The original recipe uses kidneys. If, like most Americans, you absolutely abhor organ meats, then feel free to leave them out and replace them with two or three more chops.
1 recipe Irish Soda Bread
8 lamb chops, trimmed
2 or 3 lamb kidneys or about 1/2 a beef kidney
About ½ cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon mixed dry herbs -(Italion Seasoning)
1 teaspoon dry powdered mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil *
1 medium size yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 or 2 carrots, diced |
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1 small parsnip, peeled and diced
1 small leek, including some of the green, chopped small and chopped
About 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
Beef Broth - (Homemade or commercial)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 500°. Make the dough for the scones, reducing the amount of sugar to 1 tablespoon and adding a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon mixed dry herbs. Pat out into a disk about 1 inch thick and refrigerate while you continue with the preparations for the dish.
Trim the lamb chops of excess fat, and scrape away any meat and fat that are on the top end of the bone. Trim any fat off the kidneys and cut into ½ inch thick slices. Mix the flour, herbs, mustard, pepper and salt together and put into a small paper bag. Shake to distribute will. Add the chops and kidneys, a few pieces at a time and shake gently to coat with the seasoned flour. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and a few at a time, brown the chops and pieces of kidney. Set aside. Add the diced onion and sauté in any remaining oil and fat until just beginning to brown. Add a bit more oil if necessary. Add the remaining vegetables and about ½ a cup of broth and cook for about two or three minutes or until hot through and beginning to soften. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Set aside.
Set the lamb chops around the outer edge of n 8 or 9-inch casserole dish so that the bones stick up around the edge making a sort of a spiked crown. Put the sauteed kidneys, if using in the bottom of the pan and add the vegetables. Add enough additional beef broth to just cover the vegetables. Set aside and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, remove the dough from the refrigerator and gently pat out to be about half an inch thick. Cut a circle that is the same size as the circumference of the top of the casserole. When the vegetables are cool, lay the disk of dough on top in such a manner that the bone ends of the lamb chops stick up around the edge. Paint the top with 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 500°, then reduce the heat to 350° and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes.
To serve, cut the ciste or crust into wedges. Serve each person 1 or 2 wedges of ciste, 1 or 2 chops and spoon vegetables and gravy over the ciste.
* In the original recipe drippings are used.
County Kerry |
