Polenta with Rosemary and Thyme

2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c chicken broth
1 c cornmeal
3 T butter
1 T each fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped
1/2 c Parmesan, grated
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn heat to high, add chicken broth and bring to boil. Gradually add cornmeal while continually whisking. Cover pot and place it in preheated oven. Cook 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent clumping. Once mixture is creamy, remove from oven and add butter, herbs and pepper. Gradually stir in Parmesan and stir well. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

To make Polenta cakes, pour cooked polenta into 9x13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate to cool completely. Once set, turn polenta out onto cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in nonstick skillet over medium heat until slightly browned.

Colcannon

1 1/4 pounds (about 2 large) russet potatoes
3 c thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 c milk, scalded
4 T butter, divided

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. In large saucepan, cover potatoes with salted water and simmer covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. While potatoes simmer, saute cabbage in 2 T butter over medium high heat 5 minutes, or until wilted. Drain potatoes, finely mash and stir in milk, 2 T butter, cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

Leprechaun Cupcakes

one white cake-mix, prepared to box instructions
food color; red, blue, green, yellow
16 paper cupcake liners
whipped cream

Prepare cake mix and equally divide batter into 6 bowls. Use following chart to add food color to each bowl to make rainbow colors:

Purple: 9 red and 6 blue drops
Blue: 12 drops
Green: 12 drops
Yellow: 12 drops
Orange: 12 yellow and 4 red drops
Red: 20 drops

Line 16 muffin pan wells with cupcake liners. Evenly distribute purple batter among cups, gently spreading batter to edge of cup with spoon. Follow with blue, then green, etc. taking care to cover the underlying color. Fill cupcakes no more than 2/3. Bake per box instructions.

Remove paper cupcake liners prior to serving. Top with whipped cream clouds. Yield 16 cupcakes.

Pan-fried New Potatoes

2~15 oz cans new potatoes, drained
1 pound bacon
Pepper, to taste

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until very crisp. Remove bacon from pan to paper towels to drain. Reduce heat to medium, add potatoes and cook until browned slightly and heated through. Serve with pepper to taste and crumbled bacon, if desired. Serves 4.

Irish Pork with Red Cabbage

Irish Pork Tenderloin
1\2 c Irish whiskey
1\4 c brown sugar
2 T soy sauce
1\2 c water
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 1\2 pound whole pork tenderloin
2 T cooking oil

Mix together whiskey, brown sugar, soy sauce, water and worcestershire sauce to form marinade. Place pork tenderloin in large zip-top bag, pour marinade in bag with pork. Squeeze out air, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. In large oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add pork (discard marinade) and sear on all sides approximately 3 minutes per side.

Transfer skillet with pork to preheated oven and bake pork until internal temperature reaches 160°. Remove pork from pan and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve on a bed of braised cabbage with currant glaze and pan fried new potatoes. Serves 4.


Currant Glaze
6 oz currant jelly, black or red
1 c brandy
1 c chicken broth
2 t cornstarch, mixed with 1 T water

In small sauce pan, stir together jelly, brandy and chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until liquid reduces by two-thirds. Mix cornstarch and water and add to saucepan. Cook until thickened slightly.


Red Cabbage
1 pound bacon
4 cups red cabbage, shredded
1\2 c sugar
1\2 c applesider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon (reserve for another dish) and add shredded red cabbage. Cook 5 minutes, add sugar and toss to combine. Add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste toss to combine. Cook 5 to 6 minutes more.

Shepherd's Pie

2 pounds stew beef, finely chopped
3 T all purpose flour
2 T cooking oil
1 package stew seasoning, recommended McCormick
1~12oz bottle beer, recommended Guinness
1~15oz can diced tomatoes
2 c baby carrots, cut in quarters
3 c fresh green beans, cut in 2" sections
3 pounds russet potatoes
1/2 c milk
1/2 c heavy cream
1 T butter
Mushroom gravy*, recipe to follow

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Dredge beef in flour and fry until well browned on all sides. Add beer and stew seasoning, bring to boil and lower heat to medium. Add tomato, carrots and green beans. Cover loosely and cook a minimum of 90 minutes to 2 hours.

While beef and vegetables cook, peel and dice potatoes and add to large pot of cold water, heavily salted. Cover and bring to boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, drain. Add milk and cream; coarsely mash potatoes.

After beef cooking time is complete, place beef and vegetables in 9x11 casserole dish and cover top with mashed potatoes. Dot with butter and broil until potatoes are lightly browned. Serve with mushroom gravy. Serves 8.

Mushroom Gravy
1 package brown gravy mix, recommended Lawry's
4 oz baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c dry red wine
1 c water
2 T butter

Melt butter in large saute pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook one minute; add water and gravy packet; cook, over medium low heat until thickened. Yield 2 cups.

Chef's Note: I know, stewed beef and fresh green beans are not "traditional", but I just can't stomach boiled ground meat and frozen peas. Yuck. Since it's MY recipe I can cook what I like to eat... steak and fresh veggies with an incredibly rich gravy. Now THAT'S good cookin'.

Spinach Brotchen

1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 one onion, chopped
2 T steel cut Irish oats
3/4 lbs spinach, washed and chopped
4 c chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
fresh nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
1 c heavy cream

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat and cook onion until soft, do not brown. Stir in oatmeal and continue cooking until oatmeal begins to darken slightly.

Add spinach, chicken broth, potatoes and pinch of grated nutmeg; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium low and simmer gently for 10 to 20 minutes until spinach is just cooked.

Purée with immersion blender, add cream. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Bring to a boil and serve immediately, sprinkle with additional nutmeg for garnish. Serves 4 - 6.

Chef's Note: The word "brotchen" refers to Irish soups thickened with oats. These primitive soup recipes predate those containing meat, which later became known as "broth".

Bunratty Farmhouse Scones

In my eager anticipation for the arrival of Saint Patrick's Day next week, I will be posting some of my favorite Irish recipes. Erin go bragh!



Bunratty Farmhouse Scones

3 1/3 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 T sugar
1/4 c (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 c raisins
1 c buttermilk (or sour milk)
2 eggs, beaten
2 T half and half
Condiments: clotted cream, butter and jam.

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly butter heavy large baking sheet, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine first 5 ingredient in large bowl, stir to blend. Using pastry cutter, work in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add raisins. Gradually stir in milk then add eggs. Mix just until dough forms.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll into 1-inch-thick circle. Using 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, cut scones into rounds. Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, brush tops of scones with half and half.

Bake at 400° until tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve scones warm with butter, jam and clotted cream. (And tea with milk and sugar, of course!) Yield, 18-20 scones.

Chef's Note: Since my children don't particularly like raisins, I have adapted a method for white chocolate and cranberry scones. Substitute 1/2 c white chocolate chips in place of raisins and continue with recipe. Just after mixing until dough forms, divide dough in half. Add 1/4 c dried cranberries to one half of recipe and continue to baking as directed.