Traditional Irish dishes for St. Patrick’s Day

Plates, bowls and pots of gold

Local chefs and restaurants share their favorite traditional Irish dishes for St. Patrick’s Day.

Story By Bailey Gilliam

There’s more to Irish cooking than potatoes and cabbage. Add a pinch of authenticity to your St. Paddy’s Day meals with these comforting classics from local chefs and restaurants. 

Chop, chop

SERG Group tasked their chefs and sous chefs with creating delectable dishes in multiple categories for a contest with LOCAL Life to expand the chefs’ horizons and capabilities while gaining exposure in the community. The winner of the Irish-inspired category is sous chef Normarie Velez of Poseidon with this hearty veal chop.

 Poseidon 

Galway Veal Chop

Ingredients

10-ounce bone-in veal chop

3-4 rainbow carrots

2 tablespoons honey

Ingredients (mashed potatoes)

1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes

4 ounces kale

2 ounces chopped bacon

3/4 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Directions

[1] Peel potatoes and place them in a pot of cold water. Place heat on high and add a dash of salt and pepper. [2] Heat a sauté pan on medium. Once hot, add vegetable oil to the pan; then garlic. Heat until cooked. [3] Add raw chopped bacon to the pan, occasionally stirring to avoid sticking. Once the bacon is rendered, add kale, and allow the bacon fat to coat the kale. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. [4] Heat a medium cast iron skillet to medium-medium high. Once the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the butter has melted, place the veal chop (seasoned with salt and pepper) in the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and continue to ladle the butter in the pan over the veal. [5] For the carrots, peel them and place them in boiling water until tender. Finish off by glazing the carrots with honey and cooking them in the oven at 400 until the honey has caramelized. You can add a charred yellow onion to your dish as a complement. 

It’s soda-licious

Irish soda bread is the perfect tribute to Irish history. Soda bread was created during times of famine when yeast wasn’t readily available. This recipe shared by Cassandra’s Kitchen rises to all occasions.  

 Cassandra’s Kitchen 

Ina Garten’s Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch diced

1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup dried currants

Directions

[1] Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. [2] Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed with the flour. [3] With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet. [4] Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface 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. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound. [5] Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

In a stew 

Chef Josh O’Neill of The Golf Club at Indigo Run shares his Irish stew recipe just in time for St. Patty’s Day. Although the recipe calls for 12 ounces of Irish stout, you probably want more to sip on while the stew is simmering. 

 The Golf Club at Indigo Run 

Irish Stew

Ingredients 

5 pounds lamb shank

2 ounces canola oil

4 quarts chicken stock

12 ounces Guinness Irish Stout

2 large white onions

1 pound parsnips

1 pound carrots

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

4 ounces tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried thyme

3 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions (roux)

[1] Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan or stock pot over medium heat. [2] Add flour to melted butter and stir with a wooden spoon or a high-temperature rubber spatula until the roux is the color of peanut butter (approximately 10-15 minutes). [3] Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Directions (braise)

[1] Heat the oven to 325. [2] Peel and chop carrots, parsnips and onion. Pat dry lamb shanks and season with salt and pepper. [3] Add oil to a Dutch oven or braising pan. Sear the lamb on high heat to brown all sides. Remove the shanks from the pan. [4] Turn the heat down to medium-high, add the vegetables and sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften and slightly caramelize the onions. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Add dried thyme, tomato paste and garlic. Sauté for an additional 3 minutes. [5] Add beer and chicken stock to deglaze. Then add the lamb shanks and cover with a lid. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack. Braise for 2 1/2 hours until meat is fork tender and easily pulls off the bone.

Directions (stew)

[1] Scrub and rinse the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch dice. [2] Remove the shanks from braising liquid; set aside on a cooling pan. Strain the liquid through a sieve, reserving the liquid into a medium stock pot. [3] Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add potatoes. Cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. [4] Pull lamb meat from bones and chop it into 1-inch chunks; add to the stew and simmer until the stew has thickened to cover the back of a spoon, 15-20 minutes. [5] Ladle into bowls. Serve with your favorite bread.

Leave no scone unturned 

Coming from a café with “Scone Saturdays” every week, this Irish Cheddar Scone recipe from Odd Birds Café is definitely worth making. Savory scones are the perfect treat for any St. Patrick’s Day plans.

 Odd Birds Café

Irish Cheddar Scone

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

5 tablespoons Irish butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

4 ounces Irish cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 teaspoons hot sauce 

Egg wash (1 egg + 2 tablespoons heavy cream)

Directions

[1] In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugars, salt and baking powder. Add the butter and pulse about five times until the mixture is crumbly. [2] Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and toss in the shredded cheese to combine. [3] Mix the heavy cream, dijon mustard, and hot sauce. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until a rough mass begins to form. There should still be some dry flour bits and loose crumbs. [4] Dump the mixture onto a lightly floured counter. Knead gently until the dough comes together. It will still be slightly shaggy and rough looking. [5] Form into a 7-inch circle and slice into 6 wedges, or use a biscuit cutter for round scones. Place the scones on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze for at least 30 minutes. [6] When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash or top with more cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.

Hash things out 

Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe is the ultimate breakfast and brunch destination for a reason. Try its recipe for corned beef hash and delve into delicious Irish heritage this month.

 Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe 

Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients

1 5-pound raw corned beef brisket (Grobbel’s)

5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled

1 gallon water

1 can ginger ale

2 quarts beef stock

Directions

[1] Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan, add brisket, fat side up. Add ginger ale and enough water to fill the pan halfway. Cover with foil. Cook for 3 1/2 hours. [2] Uncover. Cook for 30 minutes more. Let brisket cool. [3] Remove fat from the brisket and chop it into 1/2-inch chunks. Chop potatoes into large dice. [4] Pour the liquid in the roasting pan into a large stock pot. Add beef stock and potatoes. Cook the potatoes until tender (20-30 minutes). Add corned beef. Stir. Try not to break up potatoes too much. [5] Heat in a heavy sauté pan or griddle. Spoon on corned beef. Cook to desired crispness.