Irish Feast!

  in Blog

Ring out some Irish cheer by whipping up one of these blarney-inspired recipes for St. Patrick’s Day.

Colcannon

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish consisting mainly of potatoes and cabbage. The ultimate comfort dish.

1 1/2 pounds (about 2 large) russet potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 savoy or napa cabbage, trimmed, pale-green leaves finely shredded (4 cups)
1 leek, pale-green and white parts only, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Sea salt

  1. Preheat broiler. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; add enough cold water to cover and some sea salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Mash with a potato masher; cover pan to keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine cabbage, leek, milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and nutmeg; season with salt. Cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cabbage and leek is soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Stir into potatoes. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
  3. Spread mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish. Make a small well in the center, and place under the broiler until lightly browned on top, about 5 minutes. Remove from broiler. Place remaining 4 tablespoons butter in well. Serve immediately, spooning melted butter from well onto each serving, if desired.

Kale and Potato Soup with Sausage

1 lb pork sausage
1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, washed, cubed
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
sea salt and white pepper to taste

Brown the sausage in a large soup pot over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Drain fat if desired. Place remaining ingredients in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Taste and add additional salt and white pepper if needed.

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs

2 cups cooked leftover corned beef, chopped
2 cups cooked leftover potatoes, chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 eggs
1 tablespoon clarified butter or bacon fat
1/2 cup chicken broth or water

  1. Beat 2 eggs, then add the corned beef, potatoes, onions, garlic, and thyme. Add the broth or water and mix.
  2. Heat a large cast iron frying pan over high and add the fat. Allow to melt and tip the pan so it coats the bottom.
  3. Add the hash mix and pat it down with a spatula. Cook until the eggs in the mix set. Flip carefully using a spatula. If it seems dry, dribble in more broth.
  4. Crack the remaining 2 eggs on top of the hash and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until the whites have set but the yolks are still runny, 10 minutes or more. Serve immediately.

Vinegar Potato Wedges

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, washed well, dried
1 teaspoon sea salt 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 tablespoon malt vinegar 

  1. Cut the potatoes in half and then cut the halves into wedges.
  2. Heat oven to 450°F. Toss potatoes with olive oil and salt. Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven, turn the potatoes, and return to oven. Continue cooking another 20 minutes until golden brown and tender. 
  3. Remove from oven and drizzle with malt vinegar. Serve immediately.

Fried Green Meatless Balls

1 bunch greens (can be a mix of beet, turnip, kale, chard, mustard, etc.) about 10 cups total
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup basil
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1 or 2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

  1. Pulse greens in a food processor or finely chop with a knife—they should be small but not puréed or mushy. Set aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes, then add the greens to the pan and sauté for a minute or two, until they have wilted.
  3. Turn the mixture into a large bowl and let cool for five minutes, then add the basil, breadcrumbs and feta. Mix well and taste for seasoning. Crack one egg into the bowl and mix with your hands to incorporate. Squeeze a small ball of the mixture. If it holds together, begin portioning out the remaining mixture into small balls. If it doesn’t hold together, add another egg. It will depend on the type and amount of greens how many eggs you might need. Refrigerate for a few minutes to firm up.
  4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add balls to pan—they should sizzle when they hit the oil—then turn heat down to medium-low. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Use a fork to flip the balls to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes or so. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Potato Kale Cakes

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 leek (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, rinsed well, thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1/2 pound bacon, diced medium, or 6 strips Fakin Bacon
2 tablespoons butter

  1. In a large pot, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water. Reduce heat to a rapid simmer. Add leek and kale and cook until potatoes are tender about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. In a large cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium-high until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Mash potato mixture until a few lumps remain. Form into 12 patties.
  3. Add butter to pan and melt over medium heat. In batches, cook cakes until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes, flipping once.

Easy Irish Soda Bread

4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
3 tablespoons natural cane sugar   
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons cold butter
1 1/2 cups currants (you may substitute raisins)
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups Shetler’s buttermilk

  1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the currants and caraway seeds. Set aside 1 tablespoon beaten egg.
  2. In a bowl, combine the buttermilk and remaining beaten eggs; stir into crumb mixture just until flour is moistened (dough will be sticky). Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead about 10 times, adding extra flour as needed. Shape into a ball.
  3. Place in a greased round 9-inch baking pan. Cut an “X” in the center of the ball. Brush the top with reserved egg.
  4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil during the last 20 minutes if top browns too quickly. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

from chow.com

For the cupcakes:
Unsalted butter, melted, for coating the muffin pans
1 (11.2-oz) bottle Guinness stout
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the frosting:
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, at room temperature
Pinch fine salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound powdered sugar

For the cupcakes:

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place cupcake liners in two standard muffin pans; alternatively, coat the wells with melted butter. Set the pans aside.
  2. Whisk together the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Whisk in the sour cream.
  3. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a second large bowl to combine. Gradually fold this mixture into the wet Guinness mixture. Divide the batter among the muffin wells.
  4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely before removing from the pans.
  5. For the frosting: Place the cream cheese and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in the heavy cream until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually mix in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes.
  6. Top each cupcake with frosting.