Colcannon
Colcannon is perhaps the ultimate comfort food. This traditional Irish dish is made with potatoes, kale, green onions, parsley and butter. There are variations made with cabbage or Brussels sprouts. All of those versions are pretty good. This is a great side dish for your St. Patrick’s Day dinner. It’s pretty, too.
I have made colcannon with Brussels sprouts, chives and even used ramps one time. For the version I made last night I used kale. I wonder why I don’t make colcannon more often. It is so good- and simple to make. A friend said she uses it to top her Shepherd’s Pie. I’ll have to try colcannon on Shepherd’s Pie soon.
Here is the version I made last night.
Colcannon
1 1/2 lbs. potatoes
1/4 lb. kale, or a bit more
3/4 c. finely chopped green onions or chives
1/2 c. chopped parsley
4 oz. butter
salt and fresh ground pepper
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Boil in salted water until very tender. Meanwhile, trim the stems out of the kale and blanch in boiling water for a few minutes. Remove kale and drain. Rinse with cold water to cool down. Squeeze out excess water and chop the kale finely. Set aside. Once the potatoes are tender, drain well and place in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and mash the potatoes until pretty smooth. A few lumps are not a problem. Stir in the kale, green onions and parsley. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Corned Beef – Reuben Strata
If you need a new recipe for corned beef- I would suggest making this strata. It contains all the ingredients found in a traditional Reuben sandwich, but with a twist. These “Reubens” are baked, after being soaked in an egg custard.
The dish is assembled at least a few hours before baking, so you can make it the day before, or in the morning. Just pop in the oven about an hour before you want to serve it.
Strata just means layers. Ingredients are layered before pouring over an egg/milk mixture. These layers add flavor to the final dish. In this strata, layers include rye bread, Swiss cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing. Of course, you can play around with the ingredients you use. If you don’t like sauerkraut, you can leave it out- or only put in on some of the sandwiches. Strata can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
I used very thinly sliced corned beef from the deli. You can also use home-cooked corned beef. Just dice it or shred it up. If you have leftover corned beef from St. Patrick’s Day, this is a great recipe for using it. I also used homemade Thousand Island dressing, but use what you like. You can also serve extra dressing on the side.
Reuben Strata
12 slices rye bread
6 slices Swiss cheese
12 oz. thinned sliced corned beef- or 2 cups chopped corned beef
1 c. sauerkraut, squeezed dry
½ c. Thousand Island dressing*
3 eggs
2 c. milk
½ t. salt
½ t. hot pepper sauce, or to taste
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place six slices of bread on bottom of the dish. You might have to trim the bread to fit. Top each slice of bread with a slice of cheese. Top cheese with the corned beef and sauerkraut. You can use a little more or less sauerkraut, depending on your taste. Spoon about a tablespoon of the dressing over each “sandwich”. Top with remaining six slices of bread, trimmed to fit pan, if needed. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over sandwiches. Cover dish and let stand in the fridge, several hours or overnight. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until puffed and set. Let sit a few minutes before serving. Serves 6.
*Homemade Thousand Island Dressing is just equal parts of sweet pickle relish, ketchup and mayo. You can make your own pretty easily.
Irish Soda Bread- Bread Pudding
This is a great dessert for St. Patrick’s Day. Simple and not too sweet, it is a perfect way to finish your holiday meal. It is made with a traditional Irish soda bread. I used a loaf of soda bread I had baked the day before. You could buy a loaf of soda bread, if you prefer. I included the recipe for soda bread at the bottom of this post, in case you missed my post yesterday.
The bread was cubed up and allowed to sit around for a day, to dry out a little. You can also cube the bread and toast it in a low oven for 10-15 minutes. A slightly dried bread will stand up better to the custard.
For the custard I used milks, eggs, flavorings and a little whiskey. I would have added Bailey’s, if I had it. The addition of alcohol is optional.
Store cooled bread pudding in the fridge, but take out before serving- or warm a little before serving. It is great just as is, but you could dust with powdered sugar, or top with a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream.
Irish Soda Bread – Bread Pudding
6-8 c. cubed, day-old soda bread- recipe follows
2½ c. milk or half and half
5 eggs
½ c. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top
¼ c. whiskey, optional
1 T. vanilla
1 T. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9×9-inch baking pan. Place cubed soda bread in prepared pan. Set aside. Beat together remaining ingredients and pour over the soda bread. Sprinkle top with a little extra sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bread pudding is set and a little golden on top. I used a glass pan- it might take a little longer in a metal pan. Bread pudding should be golden around the edges, too. Cool a bit before serving. Serve as is, or with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 6-8.
Soda Bread
2 c. flour
½ t. each baking powder and baking soda
¼ t. salt
2 T. butter
¾ c. raisins, currants or golden raisins, optional
2 t. caraway seeds
1 egg, beaten
1 c. buttermilk
melted butter, optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dust a baking sheet with a little flour. Combine dry ingredients in bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Add raisins and caraway seeds. Combine egg and milk and set 2 tablespoons of this mixture aside. Add remaining milk mixture to flour mixture and combine just until dough forms into a ball. Place on baking sheet, brush with reserved egg mixture and cut a crisscross on top of loaf. Bake about 25 minutes or until bread sounds hollow. Place on rack to cool. You can brush the loaf with a little melted butter, if you like. Makes 1.
Irish Soda Bread
It’s that time of year. Irish food in on the mind. This soda bread is a classic. Simple and fast to make, it can be served with breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The soda bread is like a big scone or biscuit. It has a crisp, outer crust, with a crumbly, soft center. I like to serve soda bread with butter and jam.
I used raisins, but you can substitute currants, golden raisins, or just leave them out, if you prefer.
I make soda bread all through the year, not just for St. Patrick’s Day. Right from the oven with some butter and jam. Yum.
Irish Soda Bread
2 c. flour
½ t. each baking powder and baking soda
¼ t. salt
2 T. butter
¾ c. raisins, currants or golden raisins, optional
2 t. caraway seeds
1 egg, beaten
1 c. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dust a baking sheet with a little flour. Combine dry ingredients in bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Add raisins and caraway seeds. Combine egg and milk and set 2 tablespoons of this mixture aside. Add remaining milk mixture to flour mixture and combine just until dough forms into a ball. Place on baking sheet, brush with reserved egg mixture and cut a crisscross on top of loaf. Bake about 25 minutes or until bread sounds hollow. Makes 1.
Roasted Corned Beef
After hearing about roasting corned beef, I finally did it. I can see why those who have raved about the results were so excited. The end result was a roast that was tender, flavorful and kind of pretty, too. I had searched the internet for directions and found a wide assortment of recipes. Most of the roasting temps were in the 300-325 degree range. Cooking times varied from 2-6 hours. All of the recipes I found added water to the roasting pan- but amounts varied widely – from a few tablespoons to several cups of water.
There were also all sorts of options for a spice/sweet rub. I used ingredients I thought would work with the corned beef and I was not disappointed. I used maple syrup, za’atar spice and some brown sugar. Recipe for the za’atar follows after the roasting directions.
I was concerned that the roasted corned beef would be too salty. It was not. A lot of the salt comes out in the water used in the roasting process. I tasted a piece of the roasted onion in the pan and it was super salty. The cooking liquid was, too. The roast was not too salty.
Roasted Corned Beef
4-5 pound corned beef
1/2 c. maple syrup
2-3 tablespoons za’atar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 cups water*
Remove the meat from packaging. Rinse with cool water and pat dry. Discard the seasoning packet. Place a wire rack in a roasting pan and place the roast on the rack. Brush the roast with about 1/4 cup of the maple syrup. Sprinkle the za’atar over the meat and rub to cover evenly. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Rub the sugar into the roast. Place onions in the roasting pan and add about two cups of water. The meat should be above the water. Seal the roasting pan with foil or cover with a tight fitting lid. Place in a preheated 325 degree oven and roast for 2 1/2- 3 hours. Add more water, if needed. See note below. Pierce roast to make sure it is tender. Brush with the rest of the maple syrup and sprinkle with the rest of the brown sugar. Return to oven, uncovered, and cook until top of roast browns nicely, about an hour. Remove from oven. Let rest 15-20 minutes before slicing.
* The water amount became an issue for me. I thought the pan was sealed tightly, but at 2 hours, I smelled a faint burning smell. The roasting pan was just out of water. I added more, replaced the foil and returned the roast to the oven for another hour. I had used a pretty big pan, in relation to the size of the roast- and obviously, the foil was not sealed as tightly as I thought. Check the roast a time or two – to be sure the water does not run out. By the same token, you don’t want the meat sitting in water. If you use a smaller roasting pan, or use a tight fitting lid, you might not need to add more water at all.
There are a number of variations of this recipe. This is the version that I made.
Za-atar Spice Mix
1 T. whole coriander
1 T. whole cumin
2 T. dried marjoram- you could use thyme instead
2 T. sumac- available at some specialty stores
2 T. sesame seeds- I toasted mine.
in small skillet, toast coriander and cumin until you can just start to smell them. Let them cool, then grind them up in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Combine this mixture with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine well. Store in a cool, dry place.
Reuben Calzones
There is more than one way to enjoy corned beef. This time of year, because of the St Patrick’s Day specials, corned beef is on sale at lots of stores. These calzones are a fun way to serve corned beef.
While more often made with Italian ingredients, you can make calzones with other fillings, too. I made these for a friend a while back and we were talking about them the other day. I decided to make them again.
These are a fun way to make a Reuben, but with a twist. You can leave the sauerkraut out, if you like. I add some thousand island dressing to the calzones, but serve extra on the side. They also freeze well, so you can make a batch, enjoy some fresh, and freeze some for later. I thought I would share the recipe with you.
Reuben Calzones
3 ¼ c. flour
1 c. rye flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 package quick-rising yeast
1⅓ c. hot water
1 T. oil
1 c. Thousand Island dressing, recipe follows
1 lb. thin sliced corned beef
8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
1 c. sauerkraut, squeezed dry
1 egg , beaten
Caraway seeds, optional
Set aside 1 cup of the all-purpose flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 20 minutes. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll one piece into a 6-8 -inch circle. In the middle of the dough, add a spoonful of Thousand Island dressing, place 1 ounce of the Swiss cheese and 2 ounces of the corned beef. Add a tablespoon or two of the sauerkraut, if using. Brush the edge of the dough with water. Fold over the dough in half and press the edges to seal. Brush the edge again with water and roll the edge over again. It will give you a prettier look and seal the calzone better. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings. Place calzones on greased baking sheets- or on a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper liner. You will end up with 8 calzones in all. Only put 4 on one baking sheet. Cover and let rest 15 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Before placing calzones in the oven brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with the caraway seeds, if you like. Also poke a few holes in the tops with a fork to help steam to escape while baking. I put both baking sheets in the oven at the same time and switch them halfway through baking. Bake in a preheated 400-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If baking both at once switch them after 10 minutes or so. Cool slightly before eating. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.
If you want to use regular yeast use warm, rather than hot water. Also, allow a little more time for the dough to rise the first time, about 40 minutes. Everything else will work the same.
If you want to make your own dressing, here is the recipe
Thousand Island Dressing
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sweet pickle relish
Mix ingredients together and serve, or chill until needed.
Irish Soda Bread Scones
If you are in the mood for Irish Soda Bread- you can get the same wonderful flavor in a scone.
Scones don’t take a lot of time or effort to make. These would be a wonderful addition to your St. Patrick’s Day meal.
While traditionally served for breakfast or tea time, scones are really good any time of the day. They certainly can be served with dinner.
I used golden raisins, but you could use regular raisins, currants or cranberries, for a less traditional scone.
Irish Soda Bread Scones
2 c. flour
3 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1/3 c. butter
½ c. golden raisins, raisins, or currants
1 t. caraway seeds
2/3 c. buttermilk
1 egg
Milk
Extra sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Beat together buttermilk and egg and add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until mixture just coming together. Turn onto floured surface and knead 5-6 strokes or until ball of dough holds together. Dust an 8-inch round cake with flour. Press dough into cake pan. Invert pan over onto prepared baking sheet. I find if I do this quickly the dough comes out more easily. Remove cake pan. This will give you a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. With a sharp, floured knife cut dough into 8 wedges. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with extra sugar. Bake 14-16 minutes. Makes 8.
Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are one of those foods I save for special occasions. I had a good friend over for dinner one time. I wanted to make something special- so I made him crab cakes. He loved them.
The secret to crab cakes it adding just enough ingredients to hold the crab meat together, without losing the beautiful texture of the crab in the process. These crab cakes did all that.
I used a little sour cream to help hold them together and to add moisture. I know many who prefer mayo as a binder. Either works, I just like sour cream.
I have pan-fried them in the past, but decided to bake these in the oven. Either method works. It just comes down to what you prefer. By baking them, I had more time to get the rest of the dinner together. We had them with a veggie frittata and coleslaw. I was making the frittata on top of the stove. It was a truly special meal.
So here is the recipe. Hope you try it.
Classic Crab Cakes
2 eggs
2 T. sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 t. thyme
1 t. lemon juice
½ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. dry mustard
Salt to taste
¼ c. fresh chopped parsley
¼ c. fresh chopped green onions or chives
About ½ c. breadcrumbs
1 lb. lump crab meat
Olive oil
Mix all the ingredients together, except oil. Start with about ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs and add just enough to hold the mixture together. Mixture will be crumbly. Form into patties- you can make 4 large or 8 small.
You can cook them one of two ways.
To bake: Place the crab cakes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush the cakes with a little more oil. Bake in a preheated 450- degree oven for 15 – 18 minutes, for small cakes. Bake 20-24 minutes for large cakes. Turn them once during baking to brown both sides.
To pan fry: Heat skillet to medium hot. Add oil and gently add the cakes. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Turn once, carefully, to brown on both sides.
Classic Lemon Curd
Lemon curd is one of my favorite desserts to make. Lemon curd is such a versatile dish. It’s a sort of lemon pudding and can be served plain, or with a dollop of whipped cream. It is also great in trifle or served as a topper for any number of cakes and sweet treats. I especially like to make lemon curd to serve with scones. It is also really nice served with berry shortcakes.
It is easy to make and packed with fresh lemon flavor. Lemon curd is just a few ingredients, cooked over low heat until it thickens up. You can make a batch in under 10 minutes. The longest part of the prep time is just waiting for it to cool down after cooking.
So here is the recipe for the lemon curd. If you never made your own- you might want to give it a try. Certainly worth the effort.
Classic Lemon Curd
1/2 c. lemon juice
zest from one good sized lemon- you should have 2-3 teaspoons
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
6 T. unsalted butter- cut into little cubes
In medium saucepan combine all ingredients. Whisk the mixture until the eggs are well blended. Cook over medium low heat, whisking often, until the mixture thickens. This will take 5-7 minutes. Whisk more often as mixtures warms and starts to thicken. Better to heat over lower heat and take longer than over too high a heat. You don’t want the eggs to scramble. Once the mixture is thickened , transfer to a bowl or jar. Cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to keep the surface from developing a skin- like any pudding will do. Chill until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups. Will keep in fridge a week or two.
Homemade Breakfast Sausage
I wanted breakfast sausages, but didn’t have any, so I decided to make my own.
These breakfast sausage are so flavorful. The nice thing about making your own sausage, is knowing all the ingredients that go into them. You can adjust seasonings to suit your taste. Making sausage does not have to be hard. I grew up in a family that had a sausage stuffer. So making sausage seems pretty normal to me. But if you never made sausage, you really should give it a go. I have a home movie, from before I was born, of my parents making Polish sausage. They were grinding the meat, seasoning it, prepping the casings and getting the meat into the casings. They made it look easy.
If you make sausage without the casings, like these little breakfast sausages, the process is pretty simple. You don’t need any special equipment, either. If you don’t have ground meat or a meat grinder, you can grind the meat in a food processor. Just cut the meat into cubes and place in the processor. Pulse on and off until you get the grind size you want. For these sausages, you want a pretty fine grind. Don’t put too much meat in at once. It is better to do a couple of smaller batches.
I made patties, but if you want links, just take the prepared mix, roll it out into tube shapes, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. Then just slice to the length you want. You can use ground pork, turkey, beef, chicken, venison or any combo you like. I even splurged once, and used ground duck.
Homemade Breakfast Sausage
2½ lbs. ground pork, turkey, beef, or chicken (leave on some fat)
1 T. dried sage
2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
1 t. dried marjoram
½ t. dried thyme
¼ t. allspice
¼ t. nutmeg
¼ t. dry mustard
⅛ t. cloves
pinch of cayenne pepper
⅓ c. warm water
Mix herbs and spices with water and let stand 10 minutes. Add the water and spice mixture to the meat and blend thoroughly. Form into patties, and chill, or cook immediately.* You can also form into rolls, roll in plastic wrap and chill. Then just slice your patties from the rolls. Patties can be fried or baked. This sausage can also be frozen for later use. Makes almost 3 pounds.
* I have made my own brown and serve sausages by cooking the sausage, over low heat in a large skillet. I add a little water and cover the pan, so they cook, but don’t brown. Cool and then freeze. When I want to have a few, I grab them out of the freezer and just brown in a skillet over medium-low heat.
