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Stirabout

Posted under: Recipe Archive

Featured in several of James Joyce’s works, the stirabout is a delicious Irish breakfast. Checking out the ingredient list, it’s hard to understand why Stephen Dedalus was so mopey. We can only guess that he didn’t add enough cream & brandy to his bowl.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Irish steel cut oats
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup Irish whiskey or brandy
1 cup raisins
8 Tbs cream
4 Tbs brown sugar
4 Tbs butter
1 cup fresh berries

METHOD

The night before, boil two cups of water and salt, add oatmeal, stir and turn off the heat.
Cover the pot and leave overnight.
In a second pan, bring corn syrup and brandy to a simmer over medium heat.
Add raisins and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.
Cover and set-aside until morning.
The next morning, bring oats to a brisk boil and cook until they are just tender.
Meanwhile, place 2 Tbs of cream, 1 Tbs brown sugar, 1 Tbs butter, and 1 Tbs drained raisins in each bowl.
Add hot cooked oats and top with fresh berries.
Serve, allowing each person to unveil the tasty surprise awaiting below.