Charlotte's Irish Boxty My World Kitchen

Whose kitchen are we going to today?

Hi. My name's Charlotte. Come in.

-This is my dad.

-Hi.

Hi, Dad.

Today I'm going to be making an Irish boxty

because the main ingredient is potatoes,

and I love potatoes.

Charlotte has learned how to make boxty from her family.

Her family are from Ireland,

and boxty is a traditional Irish potato dish.

Ireland is a country in Europe.

It's named the Emerald Isle because it has so much green countryside.

It has beautiful green hills, trees, grass and meadows,

and is good for farming crops and animals.

One of Ireland's most important crops are potatoes,

where they've been grown for hundreds of years.

Potatoes are one of the main ingredients in many Irish recipes,

such as Irish stew, shepherd's pie and a potato pancake called boxty.

Charlotte has washed her hands, put on her apron,

and she's ready to cook.

I'm going to make a boxty for my friends.

And she's invited Jasmine, Caleb and Alexis

to taste a special ingredient in her Irish boxty

before they come round for an Irish meal later.

What's that?

What's this?

Flower? Oh.

It's rosemary.

Ugh.

Oh, no. They don't seem all that keen on the taste of fresh rosemary.

I don't like it.

Let's see if Charlotte can change their minds...

Oh... That tastes gross.

I don't really want any more.

..because rosemary is an important ingredient in her recipe.

As well as fresh rosemary, you will need salt, tomatoes

vegetable oil, potatoes, fresh parsley,

black pepper, tinned corned beef and eggs.

First, I'm going to wash my potatoes.

I'm just giving them a pat dry.

Now I'm going to pierce the potatoes.

It helps them cook all the way through.

Dad, can you put these in the oven, please?

Now, ask a grown-up to cook them for you.

While they're cooking, take some peeled uncooked potato pieces

and grate them.

My nan from Ireland taught me to make boxty.

I've got lots of family who live in Ireland.

When the potatoes from earlier have baked in the oven,

ask a grown-up to take them out.

-I'll just leave the potatoes here to cool down.

-OK.

When the oven-baked potatoes have cooled,

twist them...

..and scoop out the insides with a spoon.

Pop them into a plastic food bag...

..and mash with your hands.

This is the really fun bit. You have loads of fun doing this.

Yeah, it does look fun.

I'm putting the mashed potato with the grated potato.

Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Now I'm going to mix it.

Now it's time for my special ingredient.

And you know what that is, don't you?

It's rosemary.

Rosemary is a plant with lots of small green leaves

that look like little needles.

Rosemary is mostly used as a herb, which can add flavour

to both sweet and savoury recipes.

Rosemary has a very pleasant smell and is often used

in the making of perfumes and cosmetics.

Rosemary attracts bees,

and gardeners plant it to encourage them into their gardens.

Now I'm going to put the rosemary

into the mashed potato and the grated potato.

Mm, it smells like fresh air.

Give it another mix...

..then crack an egg...

..check there's no shell in it, wipe your hands...

..and beat it with a fork.

Add it to the bowl and give it another mix.

Then oil two Yorkshire pudding trays.

Fill one with the potato mixture, just like this.

Then carefully crack four eggs to fill the cups in the other tray.

I've got a special Shamrock surprise for my friends.

A shamrock is a kind of leaf

that represents Ireland.

Remember to wipe your hands.

Dad, can you put the eggs and the boxty in the oven, please?

Sure, Charlotte.

Yes, and ask a grown-up to pop everything in the oven for you.

Now I'm going to mash the corned beef.

That's brilliant. And carefully chop up the parsley.

Dad, can you take the egg and the boxty out the oven, please?

Sure.

When everything's cooked,

ask a grown-up to take it all out of the oven for you

and help you to build the boxty.

-Careful, they're hot.

-OK.

Now I'm going to put the corned beef on.

It's like building a castle.

Ha-ha! Now pop the egg on top.

Now I'll put the parsley on.

And you can add some sliced tomatoes.

If you want to make Charlotte's Irish boxty,

first wash and dry potatoes,

prick them with a fork and place them on a baking tray,

asking a grown-up to put them in the oven for you.

Grate peeled, uncooked potato pieces like this.

And tip them into a bowl.

When your potatoes are baked and cooled,

twist them and scoop the insides out with a spoon.

Pop them into a plastic bag.

Mash the potatoes with your hands,

and tip this into the bowl.

Add salt and pepper.

And then pull the leaves from fresh rosemary

and add them to the bowl.

Give it a good mix.

Crack an egg.

Beat it with a fork...

..and tip it into the bowl, mixing again.

Oil two Yorkshire pudding trays.

Scoop the potato mix into one of them, just like this.

Get a grown-up to put them in the oven for you.

Now, time to crack more eggs.

Put these in the other Yorkshire pudding tray,

and ask a grown-up to put them in the oven as well.

Mash up corned beef with a fork...

..and carefully chop up some fresh parsley.

When the potatoes and eggs are cooked,

ask a grown-up to take your trays out of the oven.

Now build the boxty by putting corned beef on top

of the potato base,

adding an egg on top, chopped parsley

and, yes, some sliced tomato.

Now there's just enough time for Charlotte to get the table ready

for her delicious Irish meal.

Those are packets of shamrock seeds.

I'm giving my friends shamrock seeds

so they can grow their own shamrocks at home.

DOORBELL RINGS

Oh, good, my friends are here.

The table decorations look fantastic, Charlotte.

Orange, white and green are the colours of the Irish flag.

-ALL:

-Hi, Charlotte.

-Hi, guys. Come in.

Now everyone's washed their hands, we're ready to eat.

Charlotte's left you a little Irish gift.

These are seeds so you can grow your own shamrock at home.

What's a shamrock?

It's like a kind of leaf that represents Ireland.

-It looks really nice.

-It's astonishing.

-Are you all hungry?

-ALL:

-Yeah!

Here's Dad with the finished boxty.

Thank you.

Wow, that looks really delicious, with all those lovely layers.

Now when they first tasted fresh rosemary, no-one was very sure

about the taste. Do you think they'll change their mind

when they taste it in Charlotte's boxty?

-Yes!

-Thank you.

My thumb is up.

-Charlotte, the flavours really come together.

-Thank you.

-It tastes really nice.

-Thank you.

What do you think the special ingredient is?

-Rosemary.

-That's right.

That's brilliant, Charlotte. They do like the taste of rosemary,

thanks to you and the lovely Irish boxty.

Thanks for coming to my world kitchen.