Top o’ the mornin’ to ye, collegiettes! In my family, we tend to go all out with feasting on Saint Patrick’s Day because we have a heavy Irish heritage. I’m actually named after the Ring of Kerry in County Kerry, Ireland. Since today is the 17th, here are some traditional Irish dishes for you to celebrate along with this week’s movies:
In the charming film The Secret of Roan Inish, a young girl named Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village in Ireland. While there, she discovers that an ancestor married a selkie (a seal that can turn into a human) and that it may have something to do with the disappearance of her younger brother. She then seeks to understand her family’s ties to the island of Roan Inish, which they were forced to move away from.
The Secret of Kells is an animated movie that was nominated for an Oscar in 2010. It tells the story of a young boy who helps a master illuminator working on the famous Book of Kells. With help from a mysterious girl, he faces his fears in the mystical forest in order to collect supplies to complete the book before Barbarians overtake his village. As an art history minor, I find this flick especially enjoyable.
My last recommendation is the 1952 film, The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne. It’s about a retired American boxer who returns to his village in Ireland and falls for the sister of a troublesome landowner who is reluctant to bless their union and later refuses to give his sister her dowry. At its heart, the movie is about upholding Irish tradition and custom, as well as honor.
In keeping with Irish tradition, I’ve chosen recipes for Shepherd’s Pie, Calcannon, and Soda Bread this week. Calcannon is a traditional dish with potatoes and kale as the main ingredients; however, I’ve chosen a recipe that uses cabbage instead of kale. Feel free to pair a pint of Guinness or an Irish Car Bomb, if you’re feeling brave, with the meal. As it says on a beam in the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin — everyone is Irish on March 17th.
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
- 1-1/2 tsp. butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef or lamb
- 2 tbsp. and 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp. minced rosemary
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1-1/2 tsp. ketchup
- 1-1/2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/4 cups water, or as needed
- 1/2 (12 ounce) package frozen peas and carrots, thawed
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
- 1-1/2 tsp. butter
- 1/2 pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp. cream cheese
- 2 ounces Irish cheese (such as Dubliner®), shredded
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp. milk
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place olive oil and butter in large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and ground beef/lamb; brown the meat, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes.
- Mix in flour, salt, pepper, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, ketchup, and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in water and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring mixture to a simmer; cook and stir until thick, about 5-6 minutes.
- Take the pot off the burner and stir in peas and carrots. Dump into a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Place potatoes into a large pan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return potatoes to pan.
- Mash together butter, cayenne pepper, cream cheese, and Irish cheese with the potatoes until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Whisk together egg yolk and milk in a small bowl; stir into the potato mixture.
- Spread potato mixture evenly on top the beef/lamb mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling up around the edges.
NOTE:
- If it’s too much potato for you in one meal (in addition to the colcannon), it’s possible to just skip the potatoes in this recipe. If you decide to do this, you may want to make up for it by adding a bit more cheese.
- You can choose to use a different type of cheese if you desire. Try a mix of sharp cheddar and parmesan.
- If you’ve never tried lamb before but are willing to use it for this recipe, just know that it tends to a have a very distinct, strong flavor. Therefore, tread lightly with spices and season to taste to be sure it isn’t to overpowering for you.
Calcannon
Ingredients:
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 cups green cabbage (cored and thinly sliced)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. thyme, chopped
- Salt
- Ground pepper
- ½ to 1 cup of chicken broth
- 1 tbsp. butter
Directions:
- Boil potatoes in salted water (1/4 tablespoon) until fork tender. Drain in a colander.
- While potatoes are boiling, saute the sliced cabbage in the olive oil on medium heat with the thyme. Cover and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
- In a small saucepan, warm the broth. Return the cooked potatoes to the pot they were boiled in and mash with butter added in. When the cabbage is cooked, fold into the potatoes. Add the broth, a ½ cup at a time, using only what’s needed to make them creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
NOTE: When mashing the potatoes, they can be a bit chunky or smoother, depending on your preference. Personally, I prefer them slightly chunky so that the consistency matches the cabbage.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for raisons and dusting
- 4 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
- 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp. grated orange zest
- 1 cup raisons
- 2 tbsp. caraway seeds
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and caraway seeds with a spoon. Add the butter and continue to stir until the butter is mixed into the flour.
- Lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a small bowl. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring slowly. Add the raisons with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough.
- Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Dust lightly with flour.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
About the Book of Kells:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells
Recipes adapted from:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/irish-soda-bread-recipe/index.html
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Irish-Shepherds-Pie/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/colcannon-recipe4/index.html