ST. PADDY’S DAY DINING
Irish recipes to get in the spirit
Nutty, hearty and at its best slathered in the Emerald Isle’s trademark golden butter. Irish brown bread is a special loaf indeed.
If you’ve been lucky enough to enjoy this classic while in Ireland, chances are very good that you’ve developed a taste for it.
“It’s world-renowned,” writer Imen McDonnell says of Irish baking. “I think people leave here with the memory of that brown bread and butter very, very often.”
Originally from the United States, McDonnell lives with her husband and son in rural Ireland where they run a family farm.
She documented traditional cooking skills and enduring recipes in The Farmette Cookbook (Roost Books, 2016) and has been sharing tales of farm life on her blog, Farmette, since 2009.
“In the Irish countryside, the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day really lives on,” McDonnell writes.
When she first moved to Ireland, she says it took her some time to adjust to the low-key nature of the festivities. While in the cities, there are parades and other celebrations, she and her family typically mark the day by collecting fresh shamrocks, going to Mass and enjoying a feast for lunch.
“It is a national holiday, but it’s also a religious holiday. In the countryside, everybody just takes it easy … but it’s nice. It’s just really different from corned beef and cabbage, and dyeing the river green. It’s a lovely day.”
St. Patrick’s Day is this Friday, March 17.
This simple and festive dinner menu captures the Irish spirit without the crowded pubs and green beer.
Our wine-marinated lamb chops are easy to prepare and make an elegant entree to share with guests.
While many recipes use red wine, we use white wine with lemon juice and peel to bring brightness to the dish.
Potatoes are often used in traditional Irish fare, while spinach adds flecks of green in our mashed potatoes with spinach and bacon.
In case anyone turns their nose up at it being “too healthy,” we’ve added sharp cheddar and crispy bacon for good measure.
End the meal on a sweet note with our Irish satin cheesecake.
This smooth and tangy cheesecake lives up to its name, and is delicately flavoured with the rich coffee flavour of Irish cream liqueur.
Erin go Bragh!
Calgary-based ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen has been providing advice on food, cooking, recipes and other household topics for more than 80 years. Their cookbooks include Everyday Delicious and From the Grill.