To prepare kale ahead of time, simply tear fresh kale to measure 1 cup and boil until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well, squeezing until dry. You can also use other cooked greens as well, such as spinach, purple or white cabbage coleslaw mix or turnip greens, just to name a few.
Coddle means to barely simmer, so this recipe is a true Irish Coddle.
2 pounds potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1/2-pound turnip, diced
3 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
2 links precooked bangers, diced, or sliced *
2 strips bacon, cooked and diced
1/2 teaspoon ground or cracked black pepper
1 recipe Green Soda Bread Dumplings, recipe below
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Dice potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place in a large saucepan with onion, carrot, turnip, broth, bangers, bacon, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and carefully transfer to a casserole dish, or high-sided baking pan. Make sure you have two inches from the rim after transferring. Place in oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, at the hour mark, start making the Green Soda Bread Dumplings.
Green Soda Bread Dumplings
In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 beaten egg whites, 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda, 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup well drained, cooked kale. Stir well.
When coddle has 20 minutes left to cook, gently pull oven tray out and dollop dumplings on top of coddle using two spoons. Place back into oven and continue cooking an additional 20 minutes, or until dumplings are well browned on top. Remove from oven to serve immediately.
Makes about 4 bowls.
* Or use other types of precooked sausages, such as Chorizo, any type of ham or even vegetarian sausages, which are quite popular in Ireland.
