Food for Thought: How to Make a Proper St. Patrick's Day Meal

As the Hazelwood Patch editor, I'm not Irish, but I'm always game for a good recipe. I love to cook, so on the eve of this St. Patrick's Day I decided to see what people should be eating this March 17 in honor of the Irish celebration.

Here's what I found in my research. The recipes are below the descriptions and more are available here.

Irish Farmhouse Breakfast: Feel like you are back in the old country once you've had this, you may need a nap.

 Stew It Up: Guinness Beef Stew has all the makings of a good St. Patrick’s Day meal. I make beef stew oftern during he winter as it's one of those warm, comfort foods that sticks with you on a cold day. This rendition which features a beer broth isn't bad either and is a well-known tradition.

Dublin Lawyer: A little more expensive, this Irish dish features lobster in all its glory.

BarmBrack: This traditional sweet yeast bread is typically a Holloween custom, but I hear once spread a little butter on top, it's so good that you want to eat it anytime.

Country Rhubarb Cake: This may be something older Irish Americans may have grown up eating. The recipe isn't too difficult and seems to be held in high respect.

Irish Coffee: Hey, every dessert needs a counterpart.

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5-2 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 large onion, roughly sliced
• 1-2 baking potatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16 oz.) Guinness
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (15.5 oz) can low-sodium beef broth
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• salt & pepper, to taste

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. After cleaning beef and patting to dry, toss with 2 remaining 2 tbsp oil. Sprinkle with flour, salt, and pepper, making sure all pieces are coated. Cook meat just until browned on both sides (2-3 minutes a side). (Beef will still be raw). Add all vegetables to the crockpot, followed by the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce. Add thyme and bay leaf. Add broth and tomato paste to the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape the browned meat bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the entire mixture into the crockpot, stirring to combine everything. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours until meat is tender and vegetables are fork tender. remove bay leaf and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or bread.

• 1 live lobster, about 2 lb
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Irish whiskey
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• salt and pepper

Serve in the half shells with plainly boiled fine beans.

• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fresh yeast
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice, pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cups mixed fruit
• (currants, sultanas, raisins, candied peel)
• 1 gold ring (in greaseproof paper)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar

Cream the yeast and the sugar and allow to froth up in the milk, which should be at blood heat. Sieve the flour, caster sugar and spice and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and the egg, beaten. Beat with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes until a good dough forms. The fruit and the salt should be worked in by hand; the gold ring wrapped in greaseproof paper should then be added, and the whole kneaded. Put in a warm bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.

Knead lightly and place in a lightly-greased 7 in cake tin and allow a further 30 minutes rising time. Bake near the top of a pre-heated oven 400° for 45 minutes. On removing from the oven the brack can be glazed with a syrup made from 2 tsp sugar dissolved in 3 tsp boiling water.

• 1 lb fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups), or 3 cups frozen rhubarb, thawed after measuring
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs (1 separated)

• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon whiskey (preferably Irish)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate or a 2 1/2-quart oval gratin dish and chill.

Toss rhubarb with brown sugar in a bowl until coated.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together milk, whole egg, and yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add milk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate flour and form a soft, sticky dough.

Transfer half of dough to chilled pie plate and pat out over bottom and halfway up side with well-floured hands, then spoon rhubarb and any juices onto dough. Using a tablespoon, spoon remaining dough in small mounds evenly over top. Lightly beat egg white with a few drops of water, then lightly brush cake with egg wash. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over top.

Bake cake until top crust is golden and rhubarb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.

Make whiskey cream:
Beat cream with confectioners sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature with whiskey cream.

• 1/4 cup hot, strong, black coffee
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• 1 large measure Irish whiskey
• 1-2 tbsp double cream

Have fun making this St. Patrick’s Day meal. Let the scent of Guinness and beef fill your home and picture yourself far away in this green land. Let us know how the recipes turn out.