St. Patrick’s Day celebrated on March 17, is an Irish tradition. A representation of Irish patriotism, the day marks the death of Saint Patrick, a patron saint. The story goes he was the person who explained the Holy Trinity using the three leaves of the shamrock.
Honored in different countries, the special day is celebrated with parades and traditional food. If you want to celebrate the Luck of the Irish, here are 5 easy recipes you can make at home.
Irish Soda Bread
The Irish Soda Bread is a simple bread to prepare. It has a soft and tender crumb, and the best part is that you don’t need to use yeast!
Ingredients:
4 Cups all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 Cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 Extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp grated orange zest (optional)
1 Cup dried currants (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and put a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Pro Tip: Use an electric mixer to blend ingredients. Add butter to the mixture or mix. Beat the cold buttermilk, egg and orange zest, and slowly add to the flour mixture. Finally, if you opt for the dried currants, add to the flour mixture and combine with dough. Turn the dough out and knead, shaping it into the format of a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and bake it for 45 to 55 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten via FoodNetwork
Colcannon
The Colcannon is a mixture of potato and cabbage. It pairs perfectly with bacon, boiled ham, and corned beef!
Ingredients:
3 Pounds potatoes scrubbed
2 Sticks butter
1 1/4 Cups hot milk
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Head cabbage, cored and shredded
1 (1-pound) Piece ham or bacon
4 Scallions, chopped
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Steam the potatoes for 30 minutes, then peel them using a knife and fork, chop it, and mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add 1 stick of butter, stirring, and gradually add hot milk. Season with a few grinds of black pepper. Boil the cabbage until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tbsp butter and cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop them into small pieces. Put the ham in a large pan and cover with water, let it boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and cut into pieces. Add everything together: the cabbage, scallions, ham and mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently. Put 1 tbsp of butter on top and sprinkle with parsley.
Recipe courtesy of Christabel Rossiter, via FoodNetwork
Irish Stew
The Irish Stew is a mix of vegetables and meat. It is perfect to eat on a cold night!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 Pound lamb cutlets with bones removed and cut into 2-inch/centimeter chunks.
2 Pounds waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 Cup of chopped carrots
1 Cup chopped onion
1 Cup sliced leeks
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Cups dark beef stock
3 Cabbage leaves sliced (optional)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil until hot; add half of the lamb pieces and brown all over by turning in the hot oil. Remove the lamb pieces and place them in an ovenproof stockpot. Cover with half of the potatoes, carrots, onion and leeks. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and add the remaining lamb. Brown all over and add to the ovenproof stockpot. Cover with the remaining potatoes, carrots, onions and leeks. Add the flour to the pan and stir really well to soak up any fat and juices; cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock a ladle at a time and mix until you have a thick sauce. Pour the sauce on the ovenproof, over the lamb and vegetables. Add the remaining stock to the ovenproof stockpot, cover with a lid, and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Add the cabbage if using, and cook for another hour. Ensure the stock hasn’t reduced too much. Add a little boiling water if needed. The stew should always be covered in liquid.
Recipe courtesy of Elaine Lemm via The Spruce Eats
St. Patrick’s Day Fried Cabbage
Fried Cabbage is a fast and easy dish to make. Cabbage, which is very popular in St. Patrick’s celebrations, is an ingredient that is used very often during special occasions. The fried cabbage recipe is intended to make you appreciate the vegetable more and fall in love with cabbage.
Ingredients:
1 Package bacon
¼ Cup bacon drippings
1 Small head cabbage, cored and finely chopped
Ground black pepper. to taste
Directions:
Cook bacon in a deep skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve ¼ cup drippings in skillet. Add cabbage to hot bacon drippings, cook and stir over medium heat until cabbage wilts. Crumble bacon over cabbage and stir and simmer until bacon is warmed. Season with black pepper.
Irish Cream Jelly Shots
The Irish Cream Jelly Shots is an adult treat popular in St. Patrick’s Day Parties. It is a mixture of coffee, liquor and whipped cream. Cut it into small squares, and you will have a sweet jelly cocktail in your hand!
Ingredients:
Hot coffee or hot espresso
5 Packets of unflavored gelatin
Bailey’s Irish Cream
3 Tbsp sugar
Whipped cream
Directions:
Whisk the hot coffee with 2 packets of unflavored gelatin and the sugar. Pour the coffee gelatin mixture into a plastic-lined baking dish and let it chill. Heat a portion of Baileys Irish Cream. Don’t let it boil; just get it hot enough so it can dissolve the gelatin. Whisk 3 packets of gelatin into the hot Baileys. Make sure there are no clamps. Whisk in the remaining bottle of Irish Cream. Pour the Irish Cream Gelatin over the firm coffee gelatin and let it chill. Once both layers are firm, cut the Irish Cream Jello Shots into squares or small circles. Top them with a dollop of whipped cream, and they are finished!
Recipe courtesy of A Spicy Perspective
With these 5 traditional Irish recipes, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a delicious menu can be easy! If you are planning to throw a themed party or just celebrate, we hope this little guide was able to give you some ideas!
Photo courtesy of Delish
