Chefs see a more confident, local Irish cuisine going well beyond meat and potatoes

By ALBERT STUMM
Associated Press

Even in Ireland many people have thought of their cuisine as basically stews, meat pies and potatoes. But contemporary chefs and a renewed focus on local producers have changed minds. Jp McMahon opened his Galway restaurant, Ainar (ah-NYEER), with innovative recipes that rely on traditional cooking methods like curing, pickling and smoking. And cookbook author Imen McDonnell says people have shown more interest these days in the seafood around the island. Her creamy seafood chowder includes mussels, smoked fish and a bounty of root vegetables. It pairs well with homemade soda bread.