Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Irish Fare
Here are some recipes for celebrating the Irish on St. Patty's Day!
When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around each year, many of us (Irish or
not) indulge in some Irish traditions. Whether you're having your family dinner
or celebrating with a get-together of family and friends, add to the fun with
some traditional Irish dishes.
A good place to start is with one of the most traditional Irish dishes of
all — potato soup. Potatoes are the foundation for many Irish dishes.
Introduced into Ireland in the late 1500s, at first the potato was a garden
crop. As it grew abundantly, it soon became the main crop grown in Ireland — and
the most commonly eaten food, especially by those who couldn’t afford
meat. The potato is a good source of many vitamins and minerals, vitamin C
in particular.
This Potato
Corn Chowder is hearty and versatile, full of lively seasonings.
More potato main dishes to start your St. Patrick’s Day meal:
Cheesy-Yogurt Potato Bake
Butternut, Parsnip and Potato Pancakes
Vegan Stuffed Potatoes
Vegetable Potpie
Or try this refreshing Roasted Potato and Cucumber Salad to complement another main dish.
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The savory Irish pie made with meat and a mashed potato crust known as shepherd’s pie is a a time-honored Irish tradition that has become an American favorite as well.
This Shepherd's Pie is a vegetarian twist on the original. The inside-out technique of putting the green vegetables on top of the casserole, instead of inside, adds color to the dish. Also, the vegetables pick up crunchiness as they bake.
Bread making has been, and continues to be, a meaningful part of daily life in almost every Irish home. Irish cottage kitchens had only open hearths, not ovens, so the bread recipes that were created were baked on griddles or in large kettles over the fire. Ireland is known for traditional soda bread, with its distinct aroma and taste. It's a favorite with locals and tourists alike. 
These Irish Soda Bread Rolls are
easy to make and will fill your kitchen with sweet aroma. Buttermilk gives
soda bread it's famous crumb. These rolls are best served hot from the oven,
with plenty of butter. Enjoy them alongside dinner, or for breakfast with a
cup of Irish
Breakfast Tea.
Eat Your Greens!
Colcannon,
a traditional Irish dish, is a delicious combination of cabbage and potatoes, served well blended, with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and butter. Serve with a green salad and you have yourself a complete vegetarian meal.
If you're making traditional corned beef this year, whip up this delectable Hot
Horseradish Mustard as a condiment. (It's also delicious on ham sandwiches
and Reuben's.)
Using beer as an ingredient in this main dish qualifies it as a good bet for
Saint Patty's Day, don't you think? Pot
Roast rubbed with spices and grilled over beer makes a complete, delicious
meal when you toss some veggies on the grill, too.
If you're going to be out of the house all day, you can still serve up a traditional
Irish dinner by enlisting the help of your crockpot. This Easy
Hearty Beef Stew celebrates chunky cuts of meat and vegetables, simmered
with seasonings. It takes just minutes to assemble and will greet you with
enticing aroma when you get home!
Also the perfect dish for serving alongside Irish dishes, this Rhubarb
and Orange Chutney, simmered with cinnamon, mace, and allspice, will
hold its own!
Margaret M Johnson, author of
The New Irish Table, says that this
Spicy
Pear Tart is one of the luscious desserts you might find at an Irish craft/clothing/food
shop such as Avoca Handweavers.
Puddings are the kinds of hearty desserts traditionally served by the Irish.
Here's a Surprise
Sour Cream Pudding that would traditionally accompany
an Irish meal nicely. Ditto this rich Chocolate-Brandy
Pudding Cake.
Don’t forget to add to the fun with some decorations; shamrocks, Irish flags, and little pots of gold (chocolate coins, of course) create a merry setting. Let yourself get in the spirit of the holiday, and make this the most enjoyable — and most delicious — St. Paddy's Day ever.
