(In case you are wondering what to serve for dinner tomorrow.)
When you think of Irish food the first thing that comes to mind is potatoes. Certainly the history of Ireland has one of its most tragic times during the Great Famine of 1845 to 1850 that saw the death of millions and millions more emigrating many to the United States. Irelands history is one of extreme poverty while landlords became rich and ate well.
Traditional Irish cooking is of the meat and potatoes variety. Cattle, sheep and pigs were all used for meat. Fishing provides a good portion of the Irish diet. Grains were mainly grown for cash crops. Green vegetables like cabbage and kale are frequently part of the Irish diet. While many continue to think of Irish cooking as bland there are now chefs that are showing a new side of Irish cooking to the world.
Irish stew is traditionally little more then mutton or lamb, potatoes, carrots and water. Potatoes are often paired with cabbage, kale or green onions. There are many recipes that use Guinness. Irish like to fry their meats and sausages and go for a hearty breakfast.
I am having family over for dinner tonight to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Here are some of recipes that go well with an Irish dinner.
Corned Beef with Orange-Honey Glaze
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
3 pounds corned beef brisket — lean
½ cup honey
¼ cup orange juice
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 medium onion
30 whole cloves
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon coenstarch
Stud the onion with cloves. In a large pot place corned beef brisket, onion, bay leaves, mustard seeds and peppercorns. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook around 2½ hours or until tender
Heat oven to 350°F.
In a small saucepan combine honey, Dijon mustard, orange juice, cornstarch and ground cloves. Heat until boiling stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until thickened.
Put meat in an oven proof dish and spread with honey mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until glaze is just brown and crisp. Halfway through brush meat with glaze.
Irish American Shepherd’s Pie
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1¼ pounds ground beef, extra lean
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces carrots — diced
8 ounces mushrooms — sliced
1 cup celery — diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 small onion — diced
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup red wine or beef broth
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ pounds potatoes — peeled and cubed
½ cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup low sodium cheddar cheese — shredded
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. In a separate pan cook carrots in boiling water. Drain.
Mash potatoes with sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and white pepper.
Add olive oil to large frying pan and heat. Cook beef, onions, mushrooms and garlic until no pink remains in beef and vegetables are softened.
Add carrots, peas, celery and corn. Cook until vegetables are softened.
Mix cornstarch and wine. Add to beef and vegetables. Add Dijon mustard, seasoned salt, seasoned pepper and allspice. Mix well and cooked until gravy has thickened.
Put meat and vegetable mixture in a 2 quart casserole. Cover with mashed potatoes.
Bake uncovered at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Vegetarian Irish American Shepherd’s Pie
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1¼ pounds vegetarian burger mix — Morning Star Crumbles
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces baby carrots — diced
8 ounces mushrooms — sliced
1 cup celery — diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 small onion — diced
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon A-1® Steak Sauce
¼ cup red wine
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ pounds potatoes — peeled and cubed
½ cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup low sodium cheddar cheese — shredded
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. In a separate pan cook carrots in boiling water. Drain.
Mash potatoes with sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and white pepper.
Add olive oil to large frying pan and heat. Cook crumbles, onions, mushrooms and garlic until no pink remains in beef and vegetables are softened.
Add carrots, peas, celery and corn. Cook until vegetables are softened.
Mix cornstarch and wine. Add to crumbles and vegetables. Add dijon mustard, A-1 Sauce, seasoned salt, seasoned pepper and allspice. Mix well and cooked until gravy has thickened.
Put crumble and vegetable mixture in a 2 quart casserole. Cover with mashed potatoes.
Bake uncovered at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Sour Cream Potatoes
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1½ pounds potatoes — golden, cubed
1 medium shallot — minced
1 cup sour cream, light
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon butter
Put potatoes in boiling water to cover. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
Melt butter in small saucepan. Add minced shallots and cook until tender. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix until heated through but not boiling.
Toss potatoes with sour cream sauce.
Sweet Onions and Potatoes
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freeze-dried chives
1 medium Vidalia onion — sliced
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes — sliced
½ cup water
Melt butter in large frying pan. Layer onions and potatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil and chives.
Pour water over onions and potatoes. Cover and cook on medium for 30 minutes.
Irish Champ
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
8 large russet potatoes — peeled and cubed
8 whole green onions — finely chopped
⅔ cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup butter
Place potatoes in boiling water and cook 18 to 20 minutes or until tender.
Heat milk and butter until warm and butter melts. Add green onions.
Drain potatoes and mash.
Add milk and onion mixture with salt and pepper and mix until combined.
Irish Soda Bread
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 whole eggs
3 tablespoons buttermilk, dried
¾ cup water
⅓ cup golden raisins
Heat oven to 375°F.
Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.
Cut in butter until crumbly.
Combine 1 egg and water and stir into dry mixture just until moistened.
Fold in raisins.
Knead on floured surface for abut a minute.
Shape into a round loaf and place on greased cookie sheet.
With sharp knife or razor blade cut a ¼ inch cross on top of loaf.
Beat remaining egg and brush over bread.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: You can substitute ¾ cup of buttermilk for the water and buttermilk powder.
Guinness Cake
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1¼ cups Guinness
1½ cups raisins
1½ cups golden raisins
1 cup candied fruit
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 whole eggs — beaten
Heat oven to 325°F.
Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Place butter, sugar and Guinness in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar and butter have melted. Mix in the raisins and dried fruit and bring mixture back up to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
Sift the flour, spices and baking soda into a large bowl.
Stir in the cooled fruit mixture and beaten eggs.
Put into prepared pan and bake for 2 hours.
Cool in pan before removing cake.
Michele’s Irish Scones
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 cups all-purpose flour — sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder — sifted
2 teaspoons light brown sugar — sifted
¼ teaspoon salt — sifted
3 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish Butter — at room temperature
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup golden raisins
Heat oven to 350°F.
Sift dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.
Add butter and work in with hands until the consistency of fine sand.
Add cream and raisins and work just into dough comes together.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Pat into a circle one inch thick and cut into eight wedges.
Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes.
NOTES : If you can find Irish butter use it. If you can’t use unsalted butter and increase the salt to one teaspoon.
You can also bake on a lightly greased baking sheet if you don’t have parchment paper.
Potato Scones
Makes 12 farls
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 pound boiled — mashed potatoes
3 ounces flour
3 tablespoons melted butter or bacon fat
½ teaspoon salt
Mash potatoes well, add melted fat and salt. Add as much flour as potatoes will take without becoming too dry.Turn out onto a floured board, roll until ¼ inch in thickness. Cut into circles, then into farls (quarters). Prick all over with a fork. Cook on a griddle or heavy pan dusted with a little flour. When they brown with small darker spots appearing, they are cooked.
They can be refrigerated, wrapped in grease-proof paper like crepes. They can be eaten immediately, hot, with butter, honey or syrup. They are delicious reheated in bacon fat until crisp with bacon and eggs.
Flour amount varies with potato used; the floury kind needs less than others.
Notes : This treat is eaten for breakfast from the Shetland Islands to the North of Ireland and is simple yet tasty. It is sometimes called Potato Farls or Potato Farrs (quarters).
Barm Brack (Traditional Irish Bread)
Makes 9 pieces
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2½ cup mixed dry fruit-currants, dark and golden raisins.
1 cup boiling black tea
1 egg
1 teaspoon mixed spice (see note)
4 teaspoon marmalade
1 cup (heaping) superfine sugar
2½ cups self rising flour
Place dried fruit in a bowl, cover with the hot tea and let soak overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Preheat oven to 375° F. Pour batten into greased 7 inch square pan and bake in the center of oven for 1½ hours. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve buttered with tea.
Note (Mixed spices: equal parts of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and mace.
1. In Northern Ireland and in the Republic, Brack is the Celtic word for salt and is used to mean “bread”. Barm brack is leavened bread, the word Barm meaning yeast.
2. The term “barmbrack” for an Irish fruit loaf or cake does not derive from barm or leaven. It is a corruption of the Irish word “aran breac” (Speckled Bread).
Irish Whiskey Cake
Servings: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Cake
8 ounces raisins
grated rind of 1 lemon
⅓ cup whiskey
6 ounces softened butter
3 eggs
6 ounces soft brown sugar
6 ounces plain flour
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
Icing
juice of 1 lemon
8 ounces confectioners’ sugar
warm water as needed
crystallized lemon slices, as garnish, if desired
Put the raisins and grated lemon rind into a bowl with the whiskey, and leave overnight to soak.
Grease a 7 inch cake pan, and line the bottom with parchment; preheat oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Separate the eggs and sift the flour, salt, cloves and baking powder into a bowl. Beat the yolks into the butter and sugar one by one, including a spoonful of flour and beating well after each addition. Gradually add the whiskey and raisin mixture, alternating with the remaining flour. Do not over beat at this stage. Finally, whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture with a metal spoon. Turn into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 1½ hours, or until well risen and springy to the touch or test with a skewer: when it comes out clean, the cake’s ready. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the icing by mixing the lemon juice with the sieved confectioners’ sugar and just enough water to make a pouring consistency. Put a dinner plate under the cake rack to catch the drips, and pour the icing over the cake a tablespoonful at a time, letting it dribble naturally down the sides. Don’t worry if a lot of it ends up on the plate underneath — just scoop it up and put it on top again. When the icing has set, it can be decorated with crystallized lemon slices if you like.
“Irish Coffee” Cake
Servings: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Cake
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces granulated sugar
2 eggs
4 ounces self raising flour
2 tablespoons coffee essence
Irish Coffee Syrup
⅓ cup strong black coffee
4 ounces sugar (for coffee syrup)
4 tablespoons Irish whiskey
Icing
⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
confectioners’ sugar to taste
1 tablespoon whiskey, or to taste
chopped nuts or grated chocolate
This is a concentrated, liquid coffee easily found in Ireland, but probably not in the States. I would dissolve 2 tablespoon of a good instant coffee (Taster’s Choice or something similar) in an equivalent amount of water, and use that.
Grease and flour an 8 inch cake pan (preferably a springform cheesecake pan). Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, adding a little flour and beating well after each addition. Stir in the coffee essence, and mix thoroughly. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until springy topped with strawberries.
As garnish, if desired. — In saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over milk. Let stand about 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate and continue cooking, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted: stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and stir occasionally, adding Bailey’s about five minutes after removal from heat. When mixture forms mounds when dropped from spoon, fold in whipped topping. Turn into crust. Garnish with more whipped topping (or real whipped cream, later, by preference) and strawberries (if desired). Chill at least 4 hours before serving.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake
Serving Size: 12
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Crust
1½ packages graham crackers — crushed
6 tablespoons butter — melted
⅓ cup sugar
Filling
24 ounces cream cheese
5 jumbo eggs — separated
1½ cups sugar
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons cocoa
½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 pint whipping cream
For crust mix graham crackers, butter and sugar together. Pat into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Soften the cream cheese in microwave. Soften gelatin in small saucepan with ¾ cup water.
Stir egg yolks into 1 cup sugar. Add to gelatin mixture and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles. Cool. Beat cheese in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add cocoa and beat again. Add Bailey’s and beat some more. Slowly add gelatin mixture an blend well. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining ½ cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into cheese mixture. Whip cream and fold into cheese mixture. Pour into crust and refrigerated several hours or overnight.
Sticky Toffee Pudding (Irish Style)
Serves 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
unsalted butter for baking dish
1 cup & 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup pitted dates (Medjool would be fine)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cups boiling water
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream
whipped cream for topping or ice cream
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8×6 inch baking dish or 8 inch round cake tin. Sift the flour and baking powder onto a sheet of waxed paper or into a bowl; set aside.
Chop the dates fine; toss with 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl. Beat 4 tablespoons of butter and ¾ cup sugar in large bowl until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg along with a little of the flour mixture; beat for 1 minute. Beat in remaining flour mixture. Add dates, baking soda and vanilla to the 1¼ cups boiling water, stirring to combine; add to batter, beating until well blended. Pour batter into a greased and floured baking dish; bake until set and well browned on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack.
Heat broiler. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the brown sugar and the 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat to simmering; simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; pour topping over pudding. Place pudding in broiler, about 4 inches from source of heat; broil until top is bubbly, about one minute. Serve warm. You can use enough sauce to cover the pudding for bubbling” and reserve the rest for pouring! These can also be baked in individual small pudding tins for about 20 minutes. Everyone gets their very own little toffee pudding.
Dublin Coddle
Yields 4 servings
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
8 ounces thick bacon slices
1 pound pork sausages
1½ pounds potatoes
1 pound onions
salt and pepper
Place the bacon and the sausages in a saucepan. Cover with boiling water. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain off the liquid into a bowl and reserve.
Peel and slice the potatoes and onions, and place them, with the meat, in a heavy saucepan or greased casserole dish. Cover with the reserved stock, season with salt and pepper before putting on the lid. Simmer on top of the stove in a moderate oven, 350°F, for about one hour.
Spiced Beef
Serves: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Spicing
6 pounds beef brisket
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole cloves
¼ teaspoon mace
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
⅓ cup coarse salt
Cooking
1 celery stalk, coarse chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ pint stout
Blend the spicing ingredients together in a small bowl, making sure to break up the bay leaves and garlic. Stand the beef brisket in a large dish, and rub the spice mixture all over the meat. Wrap the beef, and refrigerate for one week. Turn the brisket each day, rubbing the spice mixture at the bottom of the brisket back up to the top.
At the end of the week, rinse the beef brisket with water and tie it for roasting. Place the celery, onion, and carrots on the bottom of a pot large enough to accommodate the brisket. Add the whole cloves, ground cloves, and allspice to the vegetables. To cook the brisket, place the beef on top of the bed of vegetables and add enough water to the pot to cover the brisket. Bring the kettle to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 hours, or until the brisket is cooked through and tender. Add the half pint of stout to the kettle during the last hour of cooking. Place the brisket on a meat platter and carve to serve warm.
Irish Lamb Stew
Serves: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 small onions, cut into rings
3 medium carrots, diced
2 turnips, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small cabbage, cut into pieces
2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 3 inch pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 small potatoes, diced
2 teaspoons marjoram
Put lamb into large stock pot and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add the vegetables, garlic and potatoes and simmer another 25 to 30 minutes covered. Season with marjoram and additional salt and pepper and serve.
Irish Rover’s Unicorn Pub Shepherd’s Pie
Recipe By: Vincent Lee of the Irish Rover’s Unicorn Pub
Serving Size: 6
The Irish Rovers, of “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “The Unicorn” fame, own a very successful “Old Country Pub” in Calgary, Alberta. Their Shepherd’s Pie is justly famous. Vincent Lee, kitchen manager at the Unicorn says the recipe came directly from Ireland via the Irish Rovers more than 20 years ago.
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 pounds ground beef, lean
1 cup onion — diced
1 cup carrots — diced
1 cup celery — diced
1½ cups corn — fresh or frozen
2 cloves garlic — minced
salt — to taste
pepper — to taste
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅞ cup beef broth
2 tablespoons butter — mixed with 2 tablespoons flour
2 pounds potatoes — cooked and mashed
butter
Cook ground beef in frying pan until brown. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add beef broth, bring to a boil. Stir in enough of the butter/flour roux to make a thick gravy to bind the filling. Pour into large shallow baking pan and cool. The filling should be about 1½ inches deep.
Cover the meat mixture in the pan with the corn and then top with the hot mashed potatoes. Smooth potatoes evenly, brush surface with butter. Bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Dublin Lawyer (Irish)
Yield: 2 servings
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2½ pounds fresh lobster
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons Irish whiskey
⅝ cup cream
salt and pepper
The lobster should be cut in two down the center. Remove all the meat from the lobster, including the claws: retain the shell for serving. Cut the meat into chunks. Heat the butter until foaming and quickly sauté the lobster chunks in it, until just cooked but not colored. Warm the whiskey slightly, then pour it over the lobster and set fire to it. Add the cream, mix with the pan juices, and taste for seasoning. Put back into the half shells and serve hot.
Beef Braised in Guinness
Makes 4 servings.
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1½ pounds chuck or round roast
2 medium onions
½ pound carrots
2 tablespoons all purpose flour, heaping
salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil
½ teaspoon fresh basil, minced
⅔ cup Guinness
1 teaspoon honey
⅔ cup stock or water
Preheat oven to 325°F. The roast should be about 1 inch thick and cut into 12 pieces. Peel the onions and chop them fairly small. Peel the carrots and slice them into pieces about the size of your little finger. Place the flour in a flat dish and mix in a teaspoon of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Heat the oil in the pan, add onions and cook until soft. Transfer then with a slotted spoon to a large, shallow, greased, oven proof dish. Dip the pieces of meat in the seasoned flour and brown them in the fat in the pan. Remove these as they are cooked and place in the dish on top of the onions, in a single layer. Arrange the carrots around them. If necessary, add a little more oil to the pan and stir in the remainder of the seasoned flour. Cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly, then add the basil and the Guinness. Allow to boil for a minute or two and then add the honey and the stock. Return to a boil and pour over the meat. Cover and cook in a 325°F oven for 1½ hours.
Potato Soup (Anrith pra’tai’)
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 pounds potatoes — peeled and diced
6⅛ tablespoons butter
5 cups water
2 large onions — diced
3 tablespoons mixed herbs — i.e. parsley, thyme, and sage
2 tablespoons chives or green onions chopped
salt — to taste
pepper — to taste
1¼ cups milk
2 tablespoons cream
Melt butter in a pan and slowly simmer the potatoes and onions. Do not brown. Add the water and herbs, salt, and pepper and continue on a low heat until the vegetables are tender, about ½ hour. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. To make it really creamy and smooth put through a blender before adding the cream and chives. If you do not blend the soup which is the traditional method, then serve hot with the cream and chives garnishing the soup.
Saint Patrick’s Soup
Serves: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup diced raw potatoes
½ cup sliced onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 pound spinach
4 cups chicken stock
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup Irish oatmeal
salt and pepper to season
whipped cream
Melt the butter over a low heat in a skillet or pan. Add diced potatoes, mushrooms and sliced onions and fry until soft.
Wash spinach. Remove stalks and tough stems and chop finely.
Transfer carrots and onions, mushrooms and spinach to a saucepan and add the stock, salt and pepper (to taste), cloves and diced potatoes. Stir in a ½ cup of Irish oatmeal and simmer for 20 minutes.
Puree in blender or food processor.
Serve into open soup dishes with a teaspoon of whipped cream floating in center.
Colcannon
Yields 6 servings
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1¼ pounds kale, washed, with stems removed or cabbage
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1¼ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup cleaned and chopped leeks (white part only)
1 cup milk
1 pinch ground mace
salt and pepper
½ cup butter, melted
In a large pot, simmer the kale along with oil and 2 cups water for 10 minutes. Drain kale and let cool a bit before chopping it finely, then set aside and cover to keep it warm.
In a small pot, bring potatoes and water to a boil and simmer until tender.
In another small pot, simmer leeks in milk for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and puree them into the large pot. Add leeks with the milk, and cooked kale. Beat with a spoon or whisk until fluffy, then season with mace, salt and pepper. Top with melted butter and garnish with parsley if desired.
Beacan Bruithe (Baked Mushrooms)
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
16 large field mushrooms
4 ounces chopped onions
4 ounces whole wheat breadcrumbs
4 ounces sausage meat
1 teaspoon chopped sage
salt and pepper
Wash and peel mushrooms. Remove stalks and discard. Brush mushrooms with melted butter. Fry onions in remaining butter. When tender, mix onion and butter with breadcrumbs, sausage meat, herbs and seasonings. Divide among the mushrooms. Place mushrooms in a shallow ovenproof dish, pour 4 tablespoons of water into the bottom of the dish, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a moderate oven.
Boxty (Potato Griddle Cakes)
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
½ pound raw potatoes
½ pound mashed potatoes
½ pound plain flour
milk
1 egg
salt and pepper
Grate raw potatoes and mix with the cooked mashed potatoes. Add salt, pepper and flour. Beat egg and add to mixture with just enough milk to make a batter that will drop from a spoon. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook over a moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
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