| Irish Boiled Bacon
1 kg Irish bacon suitable for boiling You can substitute ham for bacon, I suppose, but this is the way it is prepared in Ireland or wherever you can get proper boiling bacon. It is simple, common and tasty fare you'll find on home tables and in pubs anywhere in Ireland. Soak the bacon overnight in water in the fridge to reduce its salt. Put bacon in a stew pot and cover with cold water. Chop the onion finely and add it to the pot. Bring to a rolling boil and then adjust to a slow boil. Partially cover and top up water to keep bacon covered with water. Allow the bacon to simmer for about two hours, checking after an hour and a half to see it if is tender. When bacon is ready, reduce heat. Pour off any foamy sediment from the water. Cut peeled potatoes into one-inch chunks and add them with the parsley to simmering pot. Potatoes should cook until they can be probed with a fork, but don't let them go to mush. When potatoes are just about done, cut the cabbage into quarters and add to the boil. Pick the cabbage apart with a fork. It will quickly soften and break up. Remove pot from heat. Slice bacon as you would a ham and serve with potatoes and cabbage on a plate. Garnish with mustard, if desired; butter and salt for the potatoes.
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