Food around the world - Irish Canadian combo

Maple syrup, Bailey's Irish cream, Irish potatoes and Canadian bacon. Quite the eclectic shopping list, isn't it? Well, these are the main ingredients Aileen Corrigan used to whip up a delectable Canadian-Irish combo for Food Around the World, earlier this week.

Corrigan, the charming, bubbly head of business marketing of the Digicel Group, was born in Canada, but spent most of her life in Ireland, where she fell in love with and married an Irishman who shares her love for a good meal. That's not to say Corrigan has the time to be stuck in the kitchen for hours on end.

"Anything I'm doing in the kitchen has to be quick and easy!" the working mom told Food.

But melding her Canadian heritage with her Irish tastes is something she enjoys. So, how does she do it? Simple. What's more Canadian than maple syrup? After all, Quebec is the world's largest producer of the sweet treat. Canadian bacon is a cut above the rest - widely regarded as being closer to ham than bacon, it's lean, slightly sweet, and juicier than most other bacons. And just like Guinness, Bailey's Irish cream is as Irish as it gets. It is also a key ingredient for a good time, and in this case, a hearty meal.

The triple-treat combo began with chicken wrapped in Canadian bacon and finished with a Dalkey mustard sauce, served with creamed Irish potatoes. It is served with a side salad of spinach, red onions, cranberries, feta cheese topped with balsamic glaze.

For dessert, to satisfy the Irish sweet tooth, she created a staple treat in Ireland - apple crumble with maple syrup. It's a recipe she has been making for years. And she could do it with her eyes closed. The cherry on top was a twist on a traditional winter Irish drink - Bailey's Irish coffee. This is a shot of Bailey's, black coffee with whipped cream, and shaved chocolate on top. Yum!

Traditionally, Irish cuisine is very big on custards and stews such as coddle. Canadian cuisine, on the other hand, is much like Jamaica's. It's more diverse, with a variety of ethnic influences.

As you continue to celebrate Food Month, here's your chance to send your taste buds on a culinary journey to the Irish coast by trying Corrigan's apple crumble.

Apple crumble

8-10 American apples peeled and sliced

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter (not at room temperature)

1/2 cup flour

Nuts and cranberries (optional)

splash of maple syrup (optional)

pinch of cinnamon

Method

(1)
Mix oats, sugar, flour cinnamon and butter by hand. Make sure butter is
not room temperature or it will make the 'crumble' mushy.

(2) Heat oven to 350°F.

(3) Arrange apple slices on bottom of greased pan with a splash of water on top and butter to keep slices moist.

(4) Place in oven for 10 minutes then remove.

(5) Add crumble mixture on top of apple slices and return to oven.

(6) Bake for about 8 minutes until top is golden. brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle maple syrup on top.

(7)
You can serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Can be stored in
the refrigerator and reheated each time you feel like enjoying a slice.