St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, is the anniversary of the death of the patron saint of Ireland. To many in that country, it is a religious holiday observed with solemnity, a holy day of obligation. To other native Irish and especially to many Americans, the holiday is non-liturgical, marked by celebrating the shamrock, rainbows and leprechauns—popular symbols of Ireland.
Among the staples of Irish cuisine are potatoes, oatmeal and stout such as Guinness. Ireland was once a poor country, and the traditional recipes reflect the nation’s frugality.
A traditional Irish breakfast known as a fry is served with pork sausage, rashers (bacon), eggs, tomatoes and potato bread, which is what we know as a potato pancake.
Stout breweries abound in the country, and Guinness is one of the most popular. It is a rather contemporary notion to cook with Guinness, but the brew is popular in dishes such as Guinness Stew.
However you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, include some delicious recipes featuring budget-friendly potatoes, oatmeal and the stout of your choice.
Shepherd's Pie
Makes two 9-inch pies, one 10-inch cast-iron skillet, or one 13x9x2-inch casserole dish
Mashed Potatoes:
8 large or 12 medium potatoes
Salt, to taste
Brown Gravy:
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
Filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
2 cups grated carrots
1½ cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketchup
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1. Peel, cube and place potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 25-30 minutes. If you don’t have a large enough pot, divide potatoes between two smaller pots and proceed. Drain water from potatoes and mash while hot. It’s OK if a few lumps remain. Season with salt and set aside.
2. While potatoes are cooking, make the brown gravy by whisking together oil and flour in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk mixture constantly until it reaches the color of peanut butter and smells toasted, about 15 minutes. This is called a medium-dark roux.
3. Pour in a cup of beef stock and whisk furiously. Pour in another cup and whisk until smooth. Pour in the last cup and whisk until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat until ready to use in filling.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. For the filling, heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy sauté pan or skillet until it shimmers. Add beef and break up into pieces. Cook until no longer pink, about 7 minutes.
5. Stir in 1½ cups of brown gravy. Keep remainder of gravy warm to serve on the side. Stir in carrots and onions. Cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste or ketchup, parsley, thyme, pepper and salt.
6. Spoon a generous amount of mashed potatoes into the dish(es) of your choice. Spread potatoes with a rubber spatula over the bottom and up the sides of the dish, making about ¼-inch thickness of potatoes. Spoon in the filling. Plop remaining potatoes over top of filling and gently spread out to edges of dish. Run a large serving fork through the mashed potatoes to create a roughened texture.
7. Bake to set the pie and brown the top, about 20 minutes. Serve hot with the remaining gravy on the side.
Recipes provided, prepared and photographed by Janine Washle of Cloverfields Farm & Kitchen and K’s Café & Catering in Clarkson.