Community Cookbook: A time to celebrate St. Patrick and all good things Irish

Most of us are familiar with St. Patrick’s Day and the whys and hows of its celebration, so let’s not revisit them here. Instead, I’d like to mention several interesting things about the holiday’s namesake and Ireland’s patron saint. No, he didn’t invent snake repellant.

The fusion of fact and myth seems commonplace when it concerns saints, especially the earlier ones, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. We do know that St. Patrick was a fascinating individual. That is, unless you were a snake. Then he would have been thumbs-down company. It may well have been St. Patrick who first uttered the words that would later become famous, “I hate snakes!”

Forcefully taken to Ireland and enslaved there for six years, he escaped and returned to his home. He eventually entered the clergy and returned to Ireland as a missionary to promote Christianity among its inhabitants. With some difficulty, he converted thousands and constructed a religious hierarchy to expand his efforts. He rose in stature among the Irish and clergy, becoming the first Bishop of Armagh. And, of course, the snakes are history.

There’s a wee bit of Irish in all of us on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a day to celebrate all the good things Irish, including food and drink. This introduction provides a good start on the blarney, while the recipes offer a fine start on the food part. Coleslaw, crusty soda or rye bread, and a pint or two oʹ Guinness will complete the meal.

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie, also known as poor man’s pie and cottage pie, was made originally with minced lamb or mutton. Ingredients have varied considerably through the dish’s long history, including the use of cubed and ground meat. This recipe uses ground beef or lamb. Beef is less expensive and every bit as delicious.

 

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1½ cup chopped onion

¾ teaspoon salt

1½ pound lean ground beef or ground lamb

Gravy mix for 1½ cup gravy

1½-2 teaspoons Wondra flour

1½ cup water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons ketchup

¾ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon onion powder

¾ teaspoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed rosemary

1 cup cooked and drained frozen peas and carrots

½ cup drained canned whole kernel corn

4-5 cups thick mashed potatoes

½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Smoked paprika and black pepper, to taste

Very finely chopped parsley, green onion tops or chives for garnish

 

Preheat a large, high-sided skillet over high-medium heat. Heat the oil, then add the onion and salt. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the ground meat and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently to break up the larger clumps. Drain and discard the fat. Transfer to a large bowl. Combine the next 13 ingredients (through rosemary) in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer over high-medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetables and gravy to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a 2- to 2½-quart baking dish. Combine the mashed potatoes, cheese, and ½ teaspoon of paprika. Spoon dabs of the potatoes over the filling and spread them out. Sprinkle paprika and black pepper, to taste, over the top. Bake on the middle-low rack of an oven preheated to 375 degrees until bubbling around the edge and heated through, about 25-30 minutes. If preferred, brush the top with egg white and turn the broiling element on with the casserole 6 inches below (it’s safer to use a broiler-proof baking dish for this). Broil until the tops of the potatoes are golden brown, watching closely. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley, green onion, or chives. Let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into rectangles and carefully serve with a spatula for the best presentation.

Notes: Mixed vegetables can substitute for peas, carrots and corn.

Yield: About six main-dish servings

O’Dick’s Nearly Instant Irish Potato Soup

This recipe made a traditional Irish potato soup, complete with scrubbing and peeling potatoes. Then, Lazy Guy took a Sharpie to it. What remained was an ultra-quick and easy soup that’s as thick and flavorful as many from-scratch potato soups. Spinach provides a wee bit o’ green as befits a proper St. Paddy’s Day meal. A bowl of hot potato soup topped with a palmful of shredded Cheddar will make a leprechaun’s heart smile.

 

4 cups water

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Dash of ground thyme

1 cup, stems removed, large leaves torn in half, spinach leaves

1 (4 or 4.1-ounce) packet instant mashed potatoes (any variety)

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

 

Bring the first six ingredients (through thyme) just to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let sit for 6 minutes, stirring a couple of times while sitting. Taste and add bouillon powder to increase saltiness, if needed. Garnish with a dusting of smoked paprika or black pepper, if preferred. Stir well when serving; serve hot.

Notes: Use a mashed potato mix that requires only water. Cooked bacon pieces or slivers of ham would be a tasty addition. Double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd of hungry leprechauns.

Yield: About 6 cups

Pistachio Pie-zilla

Mom once called this the famous green pie. I don’t know how famous it is, but it sure is green! This monster pie requires a 9½- or 10-inch deep pie crust. The filling can also fill several smaller pie crusts (store-bought crusts are very convenient). Preparation of a homemade crust can be almost painless by using a pie crust mix. I especially like the Krusteaz brand. Add the right amount of water, and you’re on your way.

 

3 packages (4-serving size) instant pistachio-flavored pudding and pie filling

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

2½ cups milk

6 ounces (about 2⅓ cups) whipped topping

1 baked 9½- to 10-inch deep dish pie shell

2-3 tablespoons pistachio halves for garnish

 

Thoroughly combine the pudding/pie filling powder and xanthan gum in a medium bowl. Add the milk. Mix vigorously for 1 minute with a stiff wire whisk, constantly scraping the side and bottom of the bowl (the filling will set very quickly because of the gum). Add the whipped topping and mix thoroughly with a large spoon until the topping is fully incorporated, constantly scraping the side and bottom of the bowl. Plop or roll (seriously, the filling will be too stiff to spoon or pour) the filling into the pie shell and spread evenly with the backside of a spoon. Top with the pistachio halves. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Notes: In a hurry? Toss the pie into the freezer for an hour. Add a little green food coloring to the milk before mixing the filling for a more vivid color. Need an even more awesome St. Patrick’s Day pie? Make a homemade crust green by adding a little food coloring (liquid to liquid or gel to dough). Chocolate, lemon, pumpkin spice, and butterscotch flavors can substitute for pistachio. Just omit the pistachio halves. Find xanthan gum in the baking section of most grocery stores. It’s pricey but can be used in other specialized thickening applications, and a little will last forever.

Yield: Eight servings

Dick Sellers is a freelance writer. Contact him at dickskitchencorner@outlook.com