St. Patrick’s Day is not just a day to drink and party.
For Irish people, this holiday is a week-long celebration of Saint Patrick who was considered a champion of Irish Christianity. It is celebrated with many festivals, the biggest of which is held in Dublin where Saint Patrick is said to be buried.
One of the most important things about this holiday is the food; here are some delicious and hearty Irish culinary recipes provided by Allrecipes.com!
1. Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 10 small red potatoes
- 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges
Directions
- Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.
- Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.
- Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.
2. Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 quart milk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175° C). Butter a 2 quart baking dish.
- In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk and remove from heat. Add the rice, sugar and salt. Mix well and slowly add the eggs, vanilla, and butter. Pour mixture into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Stir pudding after 20 minutes.
3. Irish Stew
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound lean beef stew meat
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout beer
- 4 cups sliced carrot
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Coat the beef cubes with flour, and shake off the excess before continuing. Fry the beef cubes until they are browned on all sides and then remove from the pot. Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic to the pot, and cook stirring constantly until onion is tender which will take approximately 3 minutes.
Return beef to the pot, and stir in tomato paste, beef broth, and beer. Next add potatoes and carrots. Cover it up and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Next mix together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir this mixture into the stew, and simmer until it is thickened. Sprinkle with parsley as a garnish and serve to your guests.
4. Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup margarine, softened
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet using butter or spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on a prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
