Eat the Emerald Isle

With its lush green pastures, sparkling seas and fertile soil, Ireland produces wonderful food. There's the rich, yellow butter, artisan cheeses, abundant fresh produce and sensational seafood. Then there's the rich heritage of traditional recipes and, of course, famous Irish tipples from Guinness to whiskey. Our recipe collection has everything you need to sample this incredibly varied cuisine – from traditional recipes to new twists, with classic soda bread, hearty soups and stews, tasty fish ideas and divine desserts.

Read on as we reveal the best Irish recipes everyone needs to try.

Colcannon

A traditional Irish side, colcannon consists of potatoes mashed with milk to which blanched shredded cabbage or kale is added. To serve, make a little hollow in the centre of the colcannon and add a large knob of butter, which should melt beautifully over the dish. Any leftovers are great fried up for breakfast or brunch, perhaps topped with a fried egg.

Potato farls

An essential part of an Irish fried breakfast, potato farls (meaning 'fourths', as the dough is cut into four) are basically thick potato pancakes. To make the dough, add a knob of butter, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and two tablespoons of flour to 250g (9oz) of mashed potato. Shape into a 15cm (6in) circle, 1cm (1/2in) deep, cut into four triangles, then fry in butter until golden and crisp.