Are you planning on hosting family and friends on St. Patrick’s Day? It’s always a great idea to have the closest people in your life gather at your place during holidays and other special occasions. Make this year’s celebration even more special by preparing some simple yet delicious St. Patrick’s Day recipes.
Stews and Soups
You can’t celebrate the popular Irish holiday without traditional St. Patrick’s Day recipes such as the classic corned beef and cabbage soup. Irish teacher and author Frank McCourt talked about how he and his family rarely enjoyed this soup. In fact, they were lucky to have cabbage and potatoes back then.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Most prefer the slow cook version of this recipe but for those pressed for time, you can make this dish in about 15 minutes or so. For the quick corned beef and cabbage soup, you’ll need a chunk of corned beef, preferably from the deli counter. The corned beef brisket in the raw meat section takes a lot longer to cook. Of course, if you want the slow cooker corned beef and cabbage experience, you can go ahead and make it the night prior to your St. Patrick’s Day feast.
Aside from the corned beef, you can also add salami, ham, chicken, or turkey breasts to add more meat to your dish. You can also use other vegetables other than cabbage to give it more color and nutrients.
For your 15-minute corned beef and cabbage soup, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot then add around 16 ounces of shredded cabbage. Add 2 cups carrot matchsticks followed by 1 chopped onion. Stir then cover the pot.
Poke holes in a couple of potatoes using a fork then place it in a microwave for 3 minutes. Flip the potatoes over then heat for another 2 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic into the pot followed by 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper. Pour 6 cups low or no-sodium chicken broth and cover.
Add 1 pound of deli corned beef chopped into half-inch cubes. Take the potatoes out of the microwave and chop them into half-inch cubes, as well. Add the corned beef and potatoes into the pot once the broth starts to boil. Stir occasionally as it cooks for 2 to 3 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.
Coddle
Stews are a staple in Irish dining tables. Aside from the corned beef and cabbage stew, there’s also the lesser-known coddle. If you happened to forget you’re having guests over, don’t worry. As long as you have leftovers in the fridge, you can make St. Patrick’s Day recipes such as the Dublin coddle.
Peel and cut 2 kilos of potatoes into three or four pieces. Dissolve 1 piece of a stock cube in 500 ml of boiled water. You can use chicken, beef, or ham stock cube.
Grill the sausages and bacon. Make sure you don’t dry them out. Chop the bacon into 1-inch pieces and the sausages into bite-sized pieces. You can also leave them whole.
Layer the bacon, sausages, potatoes, and 2 large sliced onions in a large ovenproof casserole dish. Season each layer with chopped fresh parsley and ground pepper. Pour the stock over the top.
Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce the heat and cover the pot immediately. Make sure the lid is closed tightly. Place a layer of foil under the lid if necessary.
Put the covered pot in a preheated oven. Let it bake for three hours to five hours. Check the liquid level after a couple of hours. Add more water if necessary. Make sure there’s at least an inch of liquid at the bottom of the pot at all times. Serve hot. Coddle goes well with fresh soda bread.
Potatoes, Potatoes, and More Potatoes
The Irish simply love ‘em potatoes. There are tons of traditional St. Patrick’s Day recipes which involve potatoes. Colcannon is just one of them.
Colcannon
Place 2 pounds of shredded cabbage and 2 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the cabbage turns tender. Drain and set aside the liquid. Place the cabbage in a separate dish.
Place 4 pounds of peeled and quartered potatoes into the same pan and add water to the cooking liquid to cover them. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
In a small saucepan, mix 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup chopped green onions, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Drain then mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the milk mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the cabbage. Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter then top with fresh parsley and crumbled bacon before serving.
Dessert
An Irish feast is not complete without a traditional dessert. There are some popular St. Patrick’s Day recipes for desserts that you could whip out to impress the elder members of the family. It’s also a nice way to introduce the young ones to these sweet treats.
Barmbrack
The barmbrack is a traditional Irish fruitcake that’s also known simply as brack. To make one, you first have to mix 1 tablespoon of dried yeast with 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar and set aside.
Mix 5 cups of flour, 1/4 cup butter, and a pinch of salt in a large baking bowl. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour. Work fast so the butter doesn’t get too warm. You want to have a sand-like consistency.
Add 1/4 cup mixed candied peel, 1 1/4 cups raisins, and 1/4 cup sugar to the flour mixture. Stir then make a hole in the middle. Add 2 beaten eggs then the yeast mixture then mix them together until they form a soft dough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a floured worktop. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover it with a clean cloth. Set aside and wait for the dough to rise. This will take about an hour.
Divide the dough into two and place both on your worktop. Knead each one for a few minutes, forming a round shape about 7 inches in diameter. Put them side-by-side on a greased baking sheet and let them rise for an hour. Bake them in a preheated oven for half an hour or until golden brown.
More St. Patrick’s Day Tips
Fill your home with anything green and Irish to complete the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. Have everyone come in a green ensemble. And don’t forget to pack your fridge with beer, especially the Irish kind. If you prefer to add something different to your usual St. Patrick’s Day recipes, why not make something you would’ve ordered from your favorite restaurant? Recipe Secrets lets you make the most guarded secret recipes from different popular restaurants in your own kitchen. You can also check out The Gentleman Pirate for other delectable recipes.
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