A traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner in the United States might consist of CornedBeef and Cabbage with boiled potatoes. It is interesting to know that corned beef in Ireland isn’t exactly what we have here. They have an Irish Bacon similar to Canadian Bacon except there is a thick layer of fat all around the meat. Irish Bacon comes from the back of the pig while bacon in the US comes from the belly. Irish bacon is boiled in most cases and not crisp. This is what would come with the cabbage and potatoes in Ireland instead of the specific cut and spiced meat we have in the United States. Since Irish bacon is difficult to find and when you can it is pretty expensive, here is a modern recipe for corned beef.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, whole but peeled
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 pound Corned Beef (commercially spiced)
- 2 Fresh parsley sprigs
- 8 whole peppercorns
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 pounds cabbage
Directions:
- Peel the onion and stud it with the cloves. In a large pot place corned beef, onion, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns.
- Pour in beef broth. Pour in enough water to cover the mixture if there isn’t enough broth to do so.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Turn to a simmer and cook until tender 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
- Cut cabbage into wedges and core.
- Add to the pot, cover, and simmer until cabbage is tender (about 30 more minutes).
- Remove cabbage to a serving boil and place meat on a cutting board.
- Let sit about 10 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.
- Try adding a little American bacon to the cabbage if you would like, but it is better with butter.
Parsnips are a popular root crop in Ireland and are very inexpensive. You may not think parsnips would taste very good , but you will change your mind with this recipe.
Baked Irish Parsnips
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds parsnips
- 3 tablespoons chicken or beef stock
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
- Peel, quarter, and core parsnips.
- Drop into boiling water and boil for 15 minutes.
- Remove from stove and place pan in sink running cold water into it until parsnips are slightly cooled.
- Drain and place in casserole dish. Add stock and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Dot with butter and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
You cannot get by a St. Patrick’s Day dinner without having potatoes. You could just boil them and serve or you can make a traditional Irish dish called Colcannon or Champ. It is a mashed potato dish with cabbage that has a little trick to eating it. You mound the serving up and make a well in the middle so it kind of looks like a volcano. A chunk of butter goes into the well and then it is filled with milk. You eat from the outside, dipping the potato into the well until you get to the middle and then mix it all up and eat.
Colcannon
Ingredients:
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 4 cups shredded cabbage (some use kale)
- ¼ cup butter
- about 1 cup milk
- 6 green onions, diced
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
- Boil the peeled quartered potatoes in lightly salted water until mashable.
- At the same time shred cabbage and boil in a pot, uncovered, about 5 to 8 minutes or until tender.
- Drain the cabbage well.
- Add half the butter and the green onion to the cabbage and return to the heat for a few minutes.
- When the potatoes are done drain well and then shake pan over the heat until potatoes are very dry (just draining doesn’t get them dry enough)
- Mash adding up to 1 cup of milk to make a smooth consistency (a little thinner than regular mashed potatoes.
- Add remaining butter, cabbage mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Check out other Irish recipes like Irish Stew or Irish Soda Bread. You can even see how to make an entirely green dinner for St. Patrick’s Day
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