If anyone knows how to celebrate Irishness in London, it’s Richard Corrigan. For decades now, the Irish chef-restaurateur behind seminal London diners like Bentley and Corrigan’s has made a point of advocating for Ireland’s produce and cuisine. So, we asked him for his top picks for a hit of Irish culture in the lead-up to St Patrick’s Day on March 17. Plus, he shares a recipe for a seasonal sweet treat.
Irish music
“The London Irish Centre in Camden is the beating heart of the Irish community in the city. There are weekly sessions, a community choir, and a stage that has welcomed everyone from Imelda May and Liam O’Maonlaí to Maverick Sabre. Shane MacGowan and The Pogues even shot a video there back in 1984. Today, patrons like Ed Sheeran and Dermot O’Leary continue to keep it alive through fundraising and support. Be it Irish language classes or dancing and live music, it’s a place that keeps Irish culture living, breathing and shared, just as it should be.”
Irish food
“I’m a big fan of Hugh’s food at The Yellow Bittern [in Kings Cross]: simple, honest Irish fare – pies, stews, soda bread and good wine. There’s a take on Dublin coddle and the whole experience is refreshingly unpretentious. Myrtle [in Chelsea] is another excellent option and, while the food isn’t strictly Irish, a visit to Darby’s [in Nine Elms] by Robin Gill will absolutely give you the warmth and hospitality of an Irish home.”
Irish art
“Over at Daffodil Mulligan [Corrigan’s Old Street bar and restaurant] we have acquired several works by the photographer Jane Bown, who worked at the Observer for over 60 years. Her most celebrated portrait is of [playwright] Samuel Beckett, famously captured darting down the side of the Royal Court Theatre in London. We also display portraits she took of other Irish cultural figures including Edna O’Brien, Bono and Sinéad O’Connor. Bown’s portrait of the late Queen was the image used by the Palace to announce her death. Alongside these are original prints from Perry Ogden’s Pony Kids series, as well as artwork by the Dublin-based collective Subset. Together, the collection reflects my enduring love of Anglo-Irish history, music and sport.”
Richard Corrigan’s honey and stout tart
Serves 8–10
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients
Filling
80ml stout. Use a quality stout for beautiful depth of flavour
1 Bramley apple (approx 150g), peeled and grated
90g golden syrup
50g rolled porridge oats
90g honey
90g stale breadcrumbs
2 eggs
Zest and juice of half a lemon
Zest of half an orange
Pastry
250g plain flour
1 pinch salt
125g butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
50g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
Method
Pulse together the flour, salt, butter and sugar in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then transfer to a bowl. Add two eggs and form into a ball of dough. Do not overwork, just mix enough to bring the dough together. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2. Grease a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin and set aside. Once the pastry has chilled, lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the pastry out into a large circle, 5cm bigger than your tin. Loosely roll the pastry around the rolling pin, then carefully drape over the tin and lightly press into the edges to fit. Trim the edges of the pastry using a sharp knife. Line the pastry with some greaseproof paper, then pour in baking beans (rice will work as a substitute, if necessary). Blind-bake the pastry case in the oven for around 45 minutes, until pale golden. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Discard the greaseproof paper and baking beans, and brush the entirety of the pastry case in egg wash – this will help to prevent cracks appearing in the pastry.
To make the filling, add the stout and grated apple to a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave the liquid to reduce by half, then remove from the heat and set aside until warm. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well and pour into the pastry case. Bake the tart for 20–25 minutes until the filling is set.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool and cut the tart into slices. Serve with a good dollop of double cream or some sweetened buttermilk.
This article first appeared in the third issue of Broadsheet London's magazine. Here's where to find a copy.
