Try these Irish meals this March

Whether you are setting up a leprechaun trap or not, March and St. Patrick’s Day is a time to enjoy traditional Irish meals. Skip the corned beef and cabbage this year and try out these Irish recipes from the United Kingdom’s BBC, with American conversions and additions. You won’t be sorry!

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda bread is an Irish staple. The fortified bread is delicious for breakfast or with tea for a snack. All ages enjoy it. Have Irish Soda Bread all month long with the traditional and other varieties.

Ingredients

1 cup plain white flour

1 cup plain whole wheat flour

½ cup oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

¼ cup butter, diced

2 cups of buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients, and then mix in the butter, making sure it is added throughout. Slowly add in the buttermilk. Once the dough is brought together, pour it onto floured baking sheet. Shape the bread into a round loaf making sure to put a deep cross on top. Bake for 40 minutes. You will know the bread is ready when tapping on the bottom produces a hollow sound. If it needs more time, flip the bread and bake for a few minutes. Once baked through, cool on a cooling rack covered in a tea towel. Serve warm or cooled.

For the next variety of Irish Bread, mixed spice is needed. Mixed spice is a staple in British spice aisles, but is not commonly stocked in the US. To make mixed spice, mix 1 tsp of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander and Ginger with 2 tsp of ground mace.

Fruit Spice Irish Bread

Ingredients

½ cup oats

¼ cup butter, diced

1 cup plain white flour

1 cup plain whole wheat flour

1 cup of granulated sugar (if you can get superfine sugar, that is even better)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp mixed spice (recipe above)

½ cup of raisins

½ cup of craisins

½ cup chopped date

2 cups buttermilk

3 tsp coarse sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place oats and butter in a blender until a fine powder is made. Pour the powder into a bowl and add in flour, sugar, baking soda, mixed spice, salt, raisins, craisins, and dates. Once combined, pour the buttermilk and mix it into the mix with a knife.  Pour the mixture onto a floured baking sheet. Shape the dough into a ball and top it with coarse sugar. Place a deep cross on top. Bake for 40 minutes until crusty on the outside.

Rustic Oat Molasses Soda Bread

Ingredients

1 cup flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 TBL honey

1 TBL molasses

1¾ cup plain yogurt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Mix the honey and molasses into the yogurt until combined well. Mix both together until the dough is combined and is a soft, sticky dough. Put the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a circle. Cut a deep cross and sprinkle with oats. Bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

One-Pot Irish Stew

This one is a favorite because it is all in one casserole and once in the oven it is baked to perfection!

Ingredients

2 ½ cup chopped lamb

4 medium potatoes – peeled and chopped

3 medium carrots – peeled and chopped

2 onions – peeled and chopped

2 sticks celery – sliced

2 dried bay leaves

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 cups beef stock

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put all ingredients into a casserole dish and cook for one hour. And voila!

Colcannon

This one is a bit more traditional and may not be commonplace as an Irish dish in America. The United Kingdom serves up this side dish regularly, and this is the year to join in.  This goes great with any roast or meat dish or even as a side to a delicious roasted mushroom or squash. Or if you are using leftover corn beef and cabbage, this is a great way to use extra cabbage and add variety to leftovers.

Ingredients

4 cups of potatoes, washed and cut in half

½ cup butter

4 slices of thick-cut bacon

1 small cabbage, shredded

½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Boil the potatoes until they are tender. While the potatoes are boiling, heat ¼ of the butter in a saucepan to fry up the bacon and cabbage. Once prepared, turn off the heat and set it aside. Once tender, mash the potatoes until smooth. Heat the cream with the remaining butter and add the combination to the potato mash. Add the bacon and cabbage to the mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.