Green beverages, shamrock-shaped cookies with green icing, mischievous leprechauns, stew, Irish coffee and lively music are some of the symbols of the North American celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
It is the one day of the year that everyone wants to have some connection to the Emerald Isle and while some of the North American traditions might be challenged by the true Irish, those traditions are observed religiously every March 17.
To help with this year’s celebrations, the following recipes are offered as ideas for getting in the St. Patrick’s day spirit.
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Turnip Stew
2 lbs. turnips, peeled and diced
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
1 qt. milk
2 tbsps. flour
1/2 cup cream
salt, pepper to taste
Put turnips, potatoes and onion in a large heavy stockpot. Cover with water and cook until soft. Add milk, salt and pepper.
Mix flour with cream and add to pot. Cook until thick.
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Lamb Stew
3 to 4 lb. leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 tbsps. butter
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 to 2 tsps. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
4 medium potatoes, quartered
8 small white onions, peeled
1 pkg. frozen peas, (16 oz)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup milk
1/3 cup flour
Over medium heat, brown lamb in butter and oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add water, broth, and seasonings; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove surface fat.
Add potatoes and onion; simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add peas and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine milk and flour; stir until smooth. Add to simmering stew and simmer for about 1 minute, or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serves six.
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Potato Onion Stew
1/4 lb. salt pork, cut in 1-inch strips, or about 5 to 6 slices bacon, diced
1 large onion, cut in 1-inch chunks
4 to 6 green onions, sliced
1 1/2 tbsps. flour
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried leaf thyme
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 lbs. potatoes, cut in 1-inch chunks (red, yellow, or variety)
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp. pepper
sweet ground paprika, optional
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the salt pork or bacon until crisp. Add onions and cook until they soften somewhat, about 4 or 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions, add bay leaves and thyme; increase the heat to high.
Pour in wine and stir to loosen brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until wine has evaporated.
Add potatoes, broth, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 45-60 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serves 3 to 4.
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Irish Soda Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour.
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsps. butter
3/4 cup non-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cups raisins
vegetable cooking spray
Combine the all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Combine buttermilk and egg, stir until well blended. Add to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Drop mixture by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet that is well coated with cooking spray. Make sure there is two inches between the biscuits or they will cook together.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned. Yields approximately 16 biscuits. Baking time can vary depending on oven and altitude.
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Irish Coffee Cake
Cake:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup fine sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsps. instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsps. hot water
2 eggs
Syrup:
2/3 cup fresh, strong coffee
1/2 cup fine sugar
3 tbsps. Irish whiskey
Topping:
2/3 cup whipped cream
1 heaping tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. Irish whiskey
Grated chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch bundt cake pan and coat well with flour (or spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray).
In a bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar then add the eggs one at a time.
Sift the flour and baking powder and fold in 2/3 of it then add the 2 tbsps. strong coffee. Fold in the remainder of the flour.
Place in the prepared cake pan and bake in a pre-heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the syrup heat sugar in coffee until it has all dissolved then boil rapidly for one minute. Remove from the heat and beat in the whiskey.
Return the cooled cake to well washed and dried pan and pour the syrup over the top of it. Leave it to soak for several hours.
Beat whipped cream with powdered sugar and whiskey. Turn the cake out onto a serving plate and decorate with cream and chocolate shavings.
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Thought for the day: “The most flammable kind of wood is the chip on your shoulder.“ — E. Joseph Cossman
Joyce Walter can be reached at 691-1259 or jwalter@mjtimes.sk.ca
