9 Delectable Irish dishes to make for St. Patrick's Day
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Recipes
From time-tested classics to traditional fare with a modern twist, here are our favourite Irish dishes, some are as old as country’s ancient Celtic roots themselves.
Beef and Guinness stew
Image via Donal Skehan
Tender veggies, succulent beef and a thick, hearty sauce—not to mention the Guinness! Make this classic Irish dish a must-have on St. Paddy’s day. Serve it with mashed potatoes or soda bread (see below), and use the leftovers for a delicious pie the next day—if there are any.
Soda bread
Image via Cooking On a Bootstrap
Ireland’s bakers have made soda bread since the mid-19th century, and it’s become one of the country’s most treasured staples. With this simple recipe—featuring self-raising flour—even inexperienced breadmakers can cook up a fluffy, airy, almost cake-like loaf in just under an hour.
Celeriac, parsnip and leek soup
Image via A Taste of Ireland
The seasonal, flavoursome root vegetable celeriac takes centre stage in this simple recipe, calling for just a handful of ingredients. In under an hour, you’ll have a creamy, rich soup that can be served alone or with a light entrée—a perfect counterpart to a traditional beef pasty (below).
Irish beef pasty
Image via Heather Likes Food
These light, fluffy, savoury pasties make for a great afternoon snack—say, if you need a small break from the Guinness you’ve been drinking all day. What’s more, they’re out of the oven in 15 minutes and keep well if you’ve made too many. A killer midnight meal for the young and young at heart.
Shepherd’s pie
Image via Brown Eyed Baker
Michelle Lettrich of the food blog Brown Eyed Baker claims to have found the “best ever” recipe for this classic pie, topping lamb, onions and carrots simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce with fluffy mashed potatoes baked to a crisp golden brown. Swap the lamb for beef if you’re worried about appeasing the youngsters.
Corned beef and cabbage
Image via The Pioneer Woman
Though cooking this dish is a bit of a commitment, the payoff is well worth the wait. The tender, juicy brisket and seared, Guinness-steamed cabbage (drizzled with an inventive balsamic reduction) make this creative take on a St. Patty's mainstay to die for.
Colcannon
Image via Bon Appétit
A dish so good they wrote an awesome song about it. Colcannon traditionally combines mashed potatoes and cabbage with milk, butter, salt and pepper. This recipe calls for soft, crunchy Savoy cabbage and adds leeks and garlic to the mix for added flavour.
Dublin coddle
Image via Simply Scratch
Laurie MacNamara of the food blog Simply Scratch calls this time-tested, flavour-packed meal “cozy-comfort in a pot.” Her easy, one-pot recipe combines bacon, pork sausage, potatoes, onions and parsley—perfect for a hearty supper.
Irish car bomb cupcakes
Image via Brown Eyed Baker
If you’re looking for a lighter alternative to Guinness-and-chocolate cake for St. Patrick’s day, look no further... Just kidding—these things will get you drunk.
They’re a true triple-threat: a chocolate Guinness base with whiskey-spiked chocolate ganache filling, topped with Baileys-infused vanilla buttercream icing. You’ll be dizzy by the time you finish your first cupcake—but you might not be able to resist helping yourself to a second.
