Crown Vegetable Pie is a dish fit for the grand feasts of Ireland’s ancient chieftains. It beautifully reflects Irish history and culture, with ingredients that are natural, organic, and plant-based—just as they would have been for centuries.

The filling is a vibrant medley of traditional, locally sourced organic vegetables, showcasing the richness of Ireland’s agricultural heritage. Encasing it is a crown-like surround of brown soda bread, made with natural flour from organically farmed cereals and enriched with eggs from local free-range hens.

Ingredients (For Vegetable Stew)
2-3 Tablespoons Organic Olive Oil
2-3 Onions
3-4 Carrots 
3-4 Potatoes 
Fresh Thyme
Fresh Rosemary 
Mixed Dried herbs-1.5 teaspoons
3oz Pearl Barley 
Sea salt 
Black pepper 
1 Organic Vegetable Stock Cube

Method 
Peel and prepare the vegetables and chop roughly.

Add the olive oil to a large pot on medium heat, then lower temperature. 

Add the onion and carrot and pop the lid on, allow to soften or sweat.

Add the potatoes, barley, salt, pepper, and mixed herbs. Return lid and sweat for 10-15 mins. Add boiling water(1pt) to organic veg stock cube, mix, and add to pot. Top up with extra cold water (a pint depending on how much veg there is, soups and stews are dependent on the size of vegetables, etc, so tasting, seasoning, and tweaking is a must). 

Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer gently for 40-60 mins, check on seasoning, etc.

Meanwhile, get to work on the soda bread mix for the Crown.

Set oven to 180 C degrees 

Ingredients 
12 oz Whole Meal Stoneground Flour
4 oz Plain White Flour (sieved)
1 oz Soft Brown Sugar 
1/2 teaspoon Organic Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Bread Soda (sieved)
1 Free Range Egg
6 Fl oz Buttermilk

Method 
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Beat egg lightly and add to the dry mix with half the buttermilk. Mix by hand, and add the remaining liquid gradually, you need the bread mix to be thick enough to stick and hold around the edge of the casserole dish, too runny it won’t stick, too dry it will fall off.

Make a nice crown surround at the top of the casserole dish and place in the middle of the oven for about 12-15 minutes, keep check so it doesn’t burn.

Prepare the rest of the Vegetables
Extra Veggie Ingredients 
2 Carrots
3-4 Potatoes 
1 medium Turnip
2 Parsnips
1-2 Heritage Carrots (if possible) 

Method 
Peel and slice the vegetables, leaving them nice and chunky so they hold their bite and color.

Place the carrots and parsnips in salted boiling water and simmer for 6-8mins. Strain and run under cold water immediately, drain, and set aside.

Repeat with turnip.

Bring potatoes to a boil and simmer for 6-8 minutes, steam dry, with the lid half on.

Place heritage carrots in boiling water for 40-50 seconds! Run under cold water immediately, then drain. Be careful as they lose color if cooked, you could also leave them raw and slice them thinly if preferred.

Slice cabbage and place in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, run under cold water immediately and drain.

Assemble Dish
Once the Bread Crown is baked, remove it from the oven, and turn the temperature down to 130-140 C

Ladle the vegetable stew into the dish carefully, not wetting the crown.

Place on the lowest shelf in the oven.

Gently reheat the extra colorful vegetables, a bit of butter, and olive oil. Additional seasoning can be added if desired.

Remove the casserole from the oven and beautifully garnish the top with the vibrant, colorful vegetables and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. For an extra touch of elegance and flavor, I recommend using fresh rosemary—ideally with its delicate flowers, if available. Serve with the warmed, seasoned green cabbage on the side, enjoy.

Mo Stafford is the founder of Skellig Coast Kitchen, a heritage cooking and baking experience based in her home in Castlcove, County Kerry. With a lifelong passion for cooking and catering, Mo has been immersed in the culinary world since childhood. From 1994 to 2008, she co-owned and managed the Vestry and Cooperage restaurants in South Kerry, earning a reputation for exceptional hospitality and showcasing the region’s rich culinary traditions.

You can follow Mo at:
https://www.facebook.com/skelligcoastkitchen/
@skelligcoastkitchen