At Ward's Publick House in Cowesett, they do St. Patrick's Day up big

08:40 AM EST on Wednesday, March 10, 2004

BY GAIL CIAMPA
Journal Food Editor

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers Ward's Publick House offers all the regulars for St. Patrick's Day, including (foreground) corned beef sandwich, (top) mixed grille with bangers, Irish bacon and tomatoes, and (right) Guinness beef stew.

WARWICK -- By 9 a.m. next Wednesday, the St. Patrick's Day party will be in full swing at Ward's Publick House.

Guests will be dining on a breakfast of Irish banger sausages, eggs, black and white pudding (really more sausage) and Irish bread. By 12:30 the music will start and the corned beef sandwiches will be served for lunch.

But Thomas J. Ward's pub will get beyond the traditional corned beef and cabbage with some distinctively Emerald Isle dishes of Guinness stew and mixed grille come the dinner hour. Diners can wash it all down with one of the many Irish or British beers on tap.

The pub is housed in a 200-year-old building in the Cowesett section of Warwick. Ward opened the spot seven years ago after leaving a 20-year career in the men's clothing business.

"At least I never get any exchanges in this business," he jokes.

Ward came to Rhode Island in 1963 from his home in Leitrim, Ireland, when he was 19, to live with an uncle residing here.

"It kind-of was a dream" to have his own pub, but it wasn't like he had a pocketful of recipes saved. He didn't. Once he made the decision to open, he got the recipes and put his son, Thomas J. Ward Jr., in the kitchen to cook. The chef is currently ill and Ward's daughter Kristen has come down from her New Hampshire home to help out, keeping it all in the family.

"It's a nice place to get traditional fare,"she said.

It's also the right spot to try a pint or two. On tap is the pub's signature Ward's Lager and local favorite Newport Storm. From Ireland comes Smithwick Irish Ale, Kinsale's Irish Lager, Harp Irish Lager and Guinness Stout. From Great Britain, Ward offers Double Diamond, Tetley's English Ale, Old Speckled Hen, and Bass.

Smithwick's Irish Ale is Ireland's oldest, brewed since 1710 by the same makers of Guinness and Harp. Smithwick's is only now becoming available in the U.S. at hundreds of Irish pubs nationwide. Ward's is among the first to pour the ale.

Most of the menu is American (Black Angus burgers, grilled steak and chicken), but it won't be on St. Patrick's Day. Nor would Ward's patrons want it to be.

"I think there is more interest in Irish food than there used to be," he said. "Look at Kinsale -- a lot of people think it's the food capital of Europe."

The Guinness stew that is common in Ireland's pubs all year will anchor Ward's holiday menu. Kristen Ward will share her brother's recipe for the hearty dish that includes top sirloin chunks slow cooked in beer and pearl onions and carrots for a one-pot meal.

Ward has also imported the ingredients to make a mixed grill, another Irish pub favorite over the pond. It features three sausages (bangers from Ireland), imported galtee bacon (sliced like Canadian bacon), and a piece of pork loin. It's served with thinly sliced grilled tomatoes and potatoes, roasted, mashed or French-fried.

There will also be a salmon special for the day.

Always on the menu is an Irish Creme torte (with Bailey's Irish Creme) made by the Pastry Chef of Pawtucket.

Ward's usually opens each day at 4:30 p.m., so that 9 a.m. breakfast opening is a once-a-year event. The St. Patrick's Day breakfast has a fixed price of $8.95 for those who want to start the day with a hearty bit of Irish cooking.

Ward's Public House, 3854 Post Rd., Warwick, (401) 884-7008.

Kristen Ward shared the family recipe for Guinness Beef Stew.

WARD'S PUBLICK HOUSE GUINNESS BEEF STEW

3-4 pounds top round roast or other boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large bottle of Guinness beer (1 quart, 6 ounces)

2 1/2 cups water, divided

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons honey

1 Knorr Beef Bouillon cube

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound baby carrots, peeled

1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled

In a large heavy pot over medium heat, brown beef in olive oil and butter for a few minutes. Next, add garlic and saute for a minute or two before adding the beer, 1 1/2 cups of water, carrots, onions, thyme and bay leaves. Loosely cover pot and allow beef and vegetables to simmer for approximately 3 hours over a low heat. In the meantime, make a flour slurry in a small bowl by slowly whisking 1 cup of water into the flour and set aside.

When the beef is tender, remove beef and vegetables from stock and reserve. Discard bay leaves and crumble bouillon cube into stock. Turn the heat up to medium-high and slowly whisk the slurry into the stock. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens and just begins to boil. Decrease heat to low and add honey, salt and pepper to taste before adding the beef, onions and carrots. Serve over mashed red bliss potatoes and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Serves 6-8