St Paddy’s Day will be celebrated this year on the 17^th of March and, wherever you come from, provides a perfect opportunity to indulge in some Irish cuisine and wear any green clothing you can lay your hands on. In this article, I will share my ideas for recipes that will help you celebrate this fabulous day in style!

To begin, I think it is compulsory when honouring Irish culture to enjoy some delicious soda bread; however, I found a recipe that puts a spin on this traditional delicacy with the genius addition of Guinness and treacle. This recipe is adapted from delicious magazine and will surely bring some excitement to your dinner table this St Paddy’s Day!

Guinness and treacle soda bread

Ingredients:

• 500g wholemeal plain flour
• 500g plain flour
• 80g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 15g salt
• 120g porridge oats, plus extra for scattering over the top
• 180g treacle
• 300ml Guinness
• 80g unsalted butter, melted
• 500ml buttermilk
• One large free-range egg, beaten

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
2. Mix the flours, caster sugar, baking powder, bicarb, salt, and porridge oats in a large bowl.
3. Add the treacle and Guinness to the dry ingredients and combine. Then add the melted butter and mix well.
4. Gradually mix in the buttermilk to give a firm but sticky dough (you may not need all the buttermilk).
5. Using your hands, shape the dough into 20-25 x 100g mini loaves and place on baking sheets, brush the tops with beaten egg, scatter over a few porridge oats and cut a deep ‘X’ shape in each with a sharp knife.
6. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the base.

Next, I think it is vital to chow down on a traditional Irish stew to accompany your soda bread. This simple dish is incredibly comforting and truly encompasses the feel of Irish home cooking. This recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats is made with the traditional lamb, but beef will work just as well.

Traditional Irish Stew

By Elaine Lemm

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• Two tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound lamb cutlets or mutton (bones removed, cut into 2-inch/5-centimeter chunks)
• 2 pounds potatoes (peeled and cut into quarters)
• 1 cup roughly chopped carrots
• 1 cup roughly chopped onion
• 1 cup finely sliced leeks
• Two tablespoons plain flour
• 1 ½ litres dark beef stock
• 2 or 3 cabbage leaves, thinly sliced

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C/Gas Mark 4.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan until hot but not smoking. Add half of the lamb pieces and brown all over by turning in the hot oil.
3. Remove the lamb pieces and place them in an ovenproof stockpot.
4. Cover with half of the potatoes, half of the carrots, half of the onion, and half of the leeks.
5. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and heat. Add the remaining lamb and brown all over as before and add to the stockpot.
6. Cover with the remaining potatoes, remaining onion, remaining leeks, and remaining carrots.
7. Add the flour to the still-hot frying pan and stir to soak up any fat and juices—Cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
8. Add the stock a ladle at a time and mix until you have a thick, lump-free sauce. You will not add all the stock.
9. Pour this sauce over the lamb and vegetables.
10. Add the remaining stock to the stockpot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
11. Add the cabbage, replace the lid, and cook for another hour. Check from time to time to make sure the stock hasn’t reduced too much. If it has, add a little boiling water. The meat and vegetables should always be covered in liquid.
12. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve piping hot and enjoy.

I thought it would be only fitting to conclude this traditional Irish feast with a classic bread and butter pudding. This recipe adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking is the ultimate comfort food and will leave you feeling full and loaded with delicious carbs!

Traditional Irish Bread and Butter Pudding

By Gemma Stafford

Ingredients:   

• 350ml milk
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tbsp sugar
• Six thin slices of white bread
• 60g softened butter
• Three large eggs
• 45g raisins

Method:

1. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and milk in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, spread the slices of bread with almost all the butter, and grease the dish with the rest. Cut off the crusts and cut each slice of bread into triangles.
3. Lay the triangles, butter side up in the dish. Scatter the raisins between the slices.
4. Pour the custard over the bread soaking every slice. Set it aside to absorb for 15 minutes.
5. Bake the pudding at 180 degrees for about 1 hour or until the pudding has risen and is golden in colour. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Featured Image: daspunkt on Flickr with license.