After enjoying the St. Patrick’s Day parade festivities it’s great to come home to a traditional Irish Family dinner. To celebrate your Irish heritage, consider serving comforting warm Irish Stew, or a hearty Irish American dish of Corned Beef and Cabbage served with Brown Irish Soda Bread. Some Irish families enjoy an Irish version of mashed potatoes called Champ with their meal. To top off the meal try a traditional Irish Family dessert of homemade Bread Pudding.
Irish Stew
2 pounds boneless lamb, cut into 1” pieces
4 cups chicken stock
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut to 1” pieces
1 tablespoon of each; fresh minced thyme, parsley and rosemary
1 bay leave
3 stocks celery, cut into 1 ½ ” pieces
6 carrots, cut into 1 ½ ” pieces
2 onions, cut into a large dice
Salt and pepper to taste.
Place lamb in a large stockpot, cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add herbs and vegetables, simmer uncovered 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
2-3 pound corned beef brisket (with spice packet)
2 pounds new red potatoes, washed
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
1 large head of cabbage, cleaned and cut in wedges
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large stockpot combine corned beef, spices from spice packet and cover with water. Cover and simmer one hour per pound. Add vegetables simmer about 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove corned beef and let stand for 15 minutes. Slice against the grain. Serve with potatoes, carrots and cabbage.
Brown Irish Soda Bread
3 cups whole whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups buttermilk or sour milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. In a small bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk. Pour egg mixture into a well in dry ingredients and stir to combine. Place into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Champ
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut to large dice
½ cup half and half
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup fresh chives or scallions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender when tested with a fork, drain. Mash potatoes. Combine half and half and butter in a saucepan heat through until butter is melted. Add chives or scallions to saucepan cook 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir mixture into potatoes and serve.
Irish Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce
¼ cup butter, melted
1 small loaf of French bread, sliced 1” thick
½ cup raisins
¼ cup Irish whiskey or apple cider
3 cups milk
1cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Caramel-Whiskey Sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. Brush melted butter on one side of bread slices. Bake on baking sheet until lightly toasted. Cut into 1” cubes, set aside.
Combine raisins and whiskey or cider in a small bowl; cover set aside.
Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl, stir in bread and raisins with liquid. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, sprinkle over pudding. Bake 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Caramel-Whiskey Sauce
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup water
¼ cup butter
¼ cup cream cheese
¼ cup Irish whiskey or 1 T imitation rum extract with 3T water
¼ cup milk
Whisk together sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook additional 15 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and cream cheese. Cool slightly whisk in whiskey and milk.
Pour Caramel-Whiskey Sauce over warm squares of bread pudding.