We can all be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
If you prefer to celebrate at home, you don’t have to miss out on traditional Irish comfort food.
Try one — or all — of these recipes from Western Wake Farmers’ Market.
Shepherd’s Pie
2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, and thinly sliced
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces)
Preheat oven to 450. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.
Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Corned Beef Brisket
1 beef brisket, 8 to 10 pounds
4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in thirds
For Brine:
2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 pinch ground cloves
For Simmering Liquid:
Water, to come up 3/4 to side of brisket
1 teaspoon peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
4 garlic cloves, sliced
Combine all of the brine ingredients and bring to a boil, then cool.
In a huge plastic roasting bag, place the beef brisket, the cooled brine and the garlic cloves. Make sure that all of the meat is covered by the brine (cutting the brisket in pieces if you need to), tie off tightly, place in a pot large enough to hold it all, and refrigerate for 6 to 7 days, turning occasionally. After the 6 to 7 days, remove brisket from the brine and discard the brine.
Rinse the meat thoroughly, then place in a Dutch oven or other large pot and add enough water to come up 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the side of the meat. Add the rest of the simmering liquid ingredients (peppercorns, mustard seeds, allspice, cloves and garlic), bring to a boil and skim off any foam.
Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, covered, for at least 3 hours, but 4 hours doesn't hurt anything.
Grasshopper Ice Cream Cocktail
1 shot green creme de menthe
1 shot white creme de cacao
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
fresh mint sprig, for garnish
Place creme de menthe, creme de cacao and ice cream into a blender. Blend until thick and creamy.
Pour into a 12-ounce glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
