Corned Beef, Cabbage and Potatoes

410.  On St. Patrick's Day we, like most Americans, love to have the traditional Corned Beef, Cabbage and Potatoes.  In Ireland, this meal is not a tradition but was created by American chefs to celebrate this day.  That is the nuance with traditions, they don't have to be declared by anyone, only your family and what you decide to eat or celebrate on a particular day.

My recipe included a corned beef in package, whole head of green cabbage, 10 whole carrots peeled and chopped, onion quartered and about 10 small potatoes with skin on.

I always follow the package directions for the corned beef, because it is full proof.  Once the meat is tender, I add the vegetables.  Salt and pepper are neither here nor there based on your choice.  

Irish Butter and soda bread on the side is enjoyed as well.

Create traditions in your home and family by making any day a "Special Day".  It doesn't have to be a birthday or national holiday. 

"Dia duit" 

- translated,"May God be with you"

~Irish greeting

Irish Dinner

204. HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET SISTER!

Our Irish Dinner was delicious today! What an easy meal to put together with great results.

My honey picked up a flat cut beef brisket at the supermarket.

The meat was beautiful. It was surrounded with brine, beautiful layer of fat,

and, a seasoning packet was included.

What a wonderful little collection of spices...I definitely used them.

I pulled out my slow cooker, placed the meat in the bottom and sprinkled the glorious spices over the meat.

Then poured cold water and covered the meat completely. Then plugged in the pot, set it on high for 6 hours, and off I went.

This is how lovely the meat looked after 6 hours and the smell was intoxicating!

In a large pot I placed cut cabbage, potatoes and carrots.

Placed the meat on top and then poured the hot liquid over all.

I brought this to a boil till the veggies were tender.

And this was the finished product! Wonderful!

The meat just melted in your mouth.

If you've never attempted Corned Beef and Cabbage because you thought it was difficult, think again. This meal is so simple...it's stupid!

"It is easy to be pleasant when life flows by like a song, but the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong. For the test of the heart is trouble, and it always comes with years, and the smile that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through the tears."

~Irish Saying

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread with Cranberries

203. ♣ Today, my honey brought home a beautiful homemade Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread. It was still warm from just being baked. My sweet friend baked it and shared it with our family. Instead of raisins, she used cranberries. They added a sweet surprise to every bite.

It was dense and crumbly, and when slathered with butter and jam, was a delicious breakfast meal.

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread with Cranberries

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

3 Tablespoons honey

1 cup dried cranberries

Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk together the egg, buttermilk and honey. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and the cranberries. Mix together just till ingredients are combined.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with flour and place dough onto the parchment paper shaping into a circle. Bake bread at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Serve warm with butter and jam.

"I believe in the sun when it's not shining,

I believe in love even when I feel it not,

I believe in God even when He is silent."

♣ Irish Quote ♣

Beef Pot Pie

146. Our special Irish dinner was homemade Beef Pot Pie. When I saw this recipe it was a great choice for a St. Patrick's Feast. The original recipe is for Beef and Guinness Pie. It called for Guinness Irish stout...but I just can't stand the smell, taste or even the thought of it. So I substituted with an extra half cup of beef stock. Wow! Who needs the stout? This recipe was outstanding. And it is topped with puff pastry. It was such a beautiful presentation.

To save recipe just click and drag onto desktop or save as image and print.

Special equipment: 4 (14-ounce) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5 inches wide) or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5 to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl. Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.) Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F. Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough. Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

"Talk of joy: there may be things better than beef stew and baked potatoes and home-made bread...there may be."

~ David Grayson

Irish Soda Bread & Baked Cabbage with Bacon

53.  Happy St. Patrick's Day...and Happy Birthday to my wonderful sister Ruth!!!  

Because of the focus of St. Patrick, and all things Irish, I am making Irish Soda Bread. 

There are a ton of recipes for soda bread...so I am experimenting. 

This bread is a peasant bread..with very few ingredients. 

 Yesterday I tried this recipe Irish Soda Bread with Raisins from

 Bon Appétit February 2005 magazine.

 

 It was tasty...very simple...almost "too" simple and lacked flavor.  I would have liked this much more if it was in a muffin form or drop scone form and with added flavor.  Although, butter and honey dripping off made this bread delightful!!!

While reading the history of St. Patrick, I was intrigued to learn, St. Patrick was kidnapped from England, as a young boy, and taken on a ship, by pirates, to Ireland.  He was sold as a slave and worked for many years.  His birth name was Maywin Socket but his owners called him "pigboy".  Maywin was sad and lonely, and missed his home, but found comfort in talking to God in prayer.  Six years later, he escaped from Ireland and returned to England.  He dedicated his life to the service of God and over time, became a Bishop in the Catholic Church, where he received the name "Patrick".  During his life, he felt compelled to forgive the men who kidnapped him, sold him and those who used him in slavery to indulge in their own selfish pleasure and indulgences.  He decided to return to Ireland to help those same people to teach them about God.  He forgave and then began to help the people learn about God and change their lives.  He would use the three leaf clover to explain God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit...three in one.   (Amazing how this day, showing respect and homage to this man's testimony of life, forgiveness and servitude to others, has spun back to the serving of self and indulgence.)

I went onto Queen Martha's site and she has a tutorial, first, the history of Irish Soda Bread and then her own recipe here:  Martha's Irish Soda Bread

Google found this recipe for me and it looks like a winner.  It is Classic Buttermilk Irish Soda Bread from the Los Angeles Times on-line.  It was so different...and the texture was moist.

The batter/dough was very wet...and I made a note to add a little more flour to the dough next time I make it.

So, our dinner was a tribute to Irish cuisine but "reworked": 

 Instead of corned beef...bacon was our replacement with cabbage.  This recipe was amazing!

 Baked Cabbage with Bacon from Bon Appétit, May 1996 magazine,

  Roasted Chicken, Parsley Potatoes and Irish Soda Bread.

"May your blessings outnumber

the shamrocks that grow,

and may trouble avoid you

wherever you go."

 ~ Irish Blessing