When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around “Everyone is Irish.” At least that is the way it is around our dinner table.

In Connecticut, at my parent’s house, the day wouldn’t pass without my dad making corned beef and cabbage. I remember getting off of the bus. We could smell our Irish dinner cooking before we ever reached the door. Yummmm.

Only second to that would be a good Irish stew. Here are recipes for both, along with a loaf of Irish soda bread.

Irish stew

This is a wonderful recipe for the first-time cook and a great recipe for the experienced cook to play around with. The flavors intensify overnight so it is a great make ahead dish.

1/4 cup olive oil (Dad would use vegetable oil)

2 lbs. stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces, dredged in flour

6 large garlic cloves, minced

6 cups beef stock or canned beef broth (or you could use 1 1/2 cups of a good red wine and 4 1/2 cups stock.)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.) Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Traditional corned beef

and cabbage

The Irish have been preserving meat in corns (i.e., grains) of salt since the 11th century, and have long served this homey dish on special occasions.

2 medium yellow onions, peeled

6 whole cloves

3 1/2-lb. piece corned beef, preferably bottom round

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

2 bay leaves

8 black peppercorns

1 medium head green cabbage

4-6 russet potatoes, peeled and halved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stud onions with cloves. Rinse corned beef in cold water to remove brine. Put beef in a large pot and add onions, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming occasionally.

Wash cabbage, remove core and any torn leaves, cut into 6 wedges. Add cabbage and potatoes to beef, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.

Transfer beef to a cutting board and cover with a plate weighted with heavy cans (weighting makes meat easier to slice). Transfer onions, carrots, cabbage, and potatoes to a platter. Remove cloves from onions. Strain cooking liquid, discarding bay leaves and peppercorns. Return liquid to pot and cook over high heat until reduced by one-third, 20-30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return vegetables to stock and heat through for about 5 minutes. Remove plate and cans from meat and cut across the grain, in 1/4″-thick slices. Arrange beef and vegetables on warmed platter. Moisten with stock. Serve with additional stock and hot mustard if you like.

Irish soda bread

Soda bread, invented in the 1800’s is a staple of the Irish dining table. There are as many recipes for soda bread as there are Irish families. Recipes range from a simple concoction of flour, baking soda and buttermilk, to more elaborate versions with additions of various fruits and spices. This version, embellished with raisins is from my “Only Irish on St. Patrick’s Day” friend.

4 cups flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 tbsp. butter

1 cup raisins

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives, work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then stir in raisins.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir. Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf.

Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about 1/2′ deep in an “X” shape. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped with a knife, about 40 minutes. Transfer bread to a rack to let cool briefly. Serve bread warm with butter, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted. Makes one loaf.

Saint Patrick’s Day Toast

Saint Patrick was a gentleman,

Who through strategy

and stealth,

Drove all the snakes

from Ireland,

Here’s a toasting to his health.

But not too many toastings

Lest you lose yourself and then

Forget the good Saint Patrick

And see all those snakes again.

‘Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!’

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!