St.Patrick's Day Feast

                       

                               " Laughter is brightest where food is best." - An old Irish proverb

                                 

 May the blessings and love of Saint Patrick fall on yourself, on your home, on your dear ones and all

When we think of Ireland, it is not difficult to imagine the  green rolling hills,  steep cliffs with the waves crashing below,  ghostly castles and the bittersweet medley of lamenting ballads. But on St. Patrick’s Day I have lively thoughts of what I can prepare for dinner.   I had a conversation with a nice gentleman living in Dublin who conveyed to me that St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is the opening to the tourist season and is a significant day with a large celebratory parade in Dublin and also in other towns and villages across Ireland.  

The simplicity of Irish cooking remains the same on this day in Ireland : some nice boiled or mashed potatoes with butter, a loin of bacon and some green cabbage.  I overheard a conversation many years ago, that the North American  tradition of having corned beef is strictly an American one.  In the 16^th & 17^th century, beef and meat was generally was allotted for the rich while the poor made due with butter, milk, cheese and grains.  Cattle was kept, but it was for their milk and why slaughter a cow for a week of feasting when the cow can provide months of nourishment.  The potato, as we know, played an influential role in Irish cooking.  The first Great Famine in 1739  was the result of extreme cold temperature, however,  the second Great Irish Famine , from 1845-1849 was caused by potato blight, resulting in millions of souls lost and causing millions more to emigrate to the New World. Even through trials and tribulations, people still gathered around a table and share in the delights of food.  For this St. Patrick’s feast I have prepared an Irish Onion soup, a modern take on Shepherd’s Pie and my version of Colcannon and Corned Beef Brisket.  To finish off the dinner… a nice hot cup of Celtic Cream Coffee.

Irish Onion Soup 

1 sweet onion, cut in half, slice thinly

1 red onion, cut in half, slice thinly

4 TB Butter

3 Tb Olive Oil

1 TB brown sugar

1 TB flour

2 cup beef stock

1 cup of dark Irish ale - I used Smithwicks

1/4 tsp Thyme

1 Tsp Garlic

1 tsp Kosher salt, season according to taste

1tsp cracked black pepper

1-2 cups Kerry Gold Aged Cheddar

8 slices of baguette - two slices per soup bowl

How To:

In a pan, melt butter and add olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until onions become translucent.

Spinkle with Brown sugar, cook until onions become golden. Add thyme and garlic.

Sprinkle with flour and combine well, cook over medium-low heat.  You want to cook off the flour taste.

Pour in beef stock and beef, raise the heat and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 3-4 minutes.  

Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low let the liquid reduce and become slightly thickened.

Divide the soup among four  oven safe soup bowls, place two baguette slices on top of soup.   Place some of the shredded aged cheddar on top.  Place in broiler until cheese becomes melted and golden.

Irish Onion Soup with Ale and Aged Cheddar

Shepherd's Pie in Puff Pastry with Potato Crisps.

I wanted to do something a little different for the second course.   I didn't want the usual mashed potatoes in the shepherd's pie as I was using mashed potatoes for the main course.  I thought the potato crisp were a good idea and the crunch added another dimension the the dish.

1 lb ground beef ( or ground lamb)

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup, small diced carrots

1.2 white onion, fine diced

1 Tb butter

1 TB olive oil

1 cup beef stock

1/2 cup of dark ale - again I used Smithwicks, ( I have used Guinness before)

2 TB flour

1 peel potato, sliced very thin - use a peeler for crispy ones.

Two sheets of prepared puff pastry ie: Pepperidge Farms

In a pan, add the oil and butter melt, then add beef. Add carrots at this time so they can cook.  Cook until the meat is done, about 8-10 minutes.

To the meat, add the peas and onions.  Mix in the 2 TB of flour.  Cook 1-2 minutes.  Add the beef stock and beer. Reduce the heat med-low until the sauce thickens.  Set aside.

Prepare the puff pastry.  Cut 2-3" circles in the puff pastry.. cut out 3 circles per one individual serving.  With one of the circles, cut out a circle within that circle of pastry, place the outlining circles on top of one of the full circles - as pictured below.

Bake each pastry shell for about 10-12 minutes or until golden.  Push down center  of the pastry gently so you will be able to put in the beef mixture.

Before placing the beef mixture inside each shell, prepare the potato crisps.  In a deep pot, add canola oil, about 1-2 cups.  Heat oil, do not boil.  Add the sliced potatoes  in the oil and cook until gold and crispy.  Do not over crowd the oil with potatoes.

Place  a few of the potato crisps on top of the meat shells.

Colcannon with Braised Cabbage, Corned Beef Brisket with Mustard Ale Gravy 

3 lb corned beef brisket - prepared with pickling spices as instructed on package- takes about 2-3  hours to cook on stove top.

4 large russet potatoes

2 leek stalks, cleaned, cut in half and sliced, not the tough green part.

1  stick of butter,  ( or 1/2 cup)

about 3/4 cup of cream, depends on how creamy you like them

1 cup of shredded aged Irish Cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes until done.

While the potatoes are cooking prepare the cabbage, the leeks and the gravy.

Savoy Cabbage

Cut cabbage in half, remove woody, thick center stalk.  Shred the cabbage.  To a  pan on medium heat, add 3-4 TB of butter.  Add the cabbage, sautee and turn over the cabbage continuously while cooking.

While the potatoes are cooking.. lightly saute the leeks in a pan with 1 TB of butter, for about 3-5 minutes.  Don't brown them.

When potatoes are done, mash them, add leeks, butter, room temperature cream, cheese and blend until creamy and smooth.  Add salt to season.

Gravy 

In a pan add :

1 cup of beef stock, 

1/2 cup of dark ale

1 tsp ground mustard

2-3 TB of butter

Mix 1 tsp of  Better Than Bouillon beef paste with TB of flour

Heat on med -high heat, until gravy becomes thicker.   You may have to adjust more broth if too thick.  Add 1 TB of butter to finish off the sauce.

To assemble, place a large dollop of mashed potatoes on a plate, then place the sauteed cabbage on top of the potatoes, place a thick slice of the corned beef on top... drizzle some gravy over top.

Celtic Cream Coffee

A nice way to end a meal or an evening.  A Celtic Cream Coffee..

This is for one serving, adjust accordingly for more.

1 cup fresh brewed coffee

1/2 shot of Jameson whiskey or more...

1/2 shot of Cognac of choice or more...

2 TB of Honey

2-3 TB of cream... I added a little more

Mix all in a glass.. enjoy 

Sláinte