As most of you know or will come to know, we at Sterling Engagements love holidays! If we could celebrate every single one, we would, and so very often we do.
From Saint Patrick to Snakes, there is a whole rich history of how this day came to be, including the St. Patrick's Day parade which truly introduced the idea of celebration to America. But what many remember most about St. Patrick's Day, is the spirit, wearing green and pinching those who don't, the extra luck and of course fabulous food and drinks!
So in honor of one of our favorite holidays, here are some of the best recipes around from
Epicurious that we believe contribute in making this day so great!
Corned Beef Hash with Fried Eggs
2 russet (baking) potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 large onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 green bell pepper, chopped coarse
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons bottled beet horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound cooked corned beef (from a 3- to 4-pound corned beef brisket), cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
fried eggs as an accompaniment
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Add potatoes to a large saucepan of boiling water and boil 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain. In a large non-stick skillet cook onion and garlic in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is golden. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Add corned beef, potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste and cook over moderate heat, turning hash, until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Serve hash with fried eggs.
To make corned beef:
In a kettle combine beef with cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring water to just a boil, skimming froth. Simmer beef, covered, 3 hours, or until tender. Remove kettle from heat and let beef stand in cooking liquid 20 minutes. Transfer beef to work surface and trim fat. Use beef as part of a boiled dinner and/or for making corned beef on rye. Corned beef keeps, covered and chilled, 4 days.
Irish Soda Bread
4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup dark raisins
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 cup cold milk
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it lightly with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together into a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Add the raisins, caraway seeds, and milk. Mix the dough until just combined; avoid overmixing as this will cause the dough to toughen. Turn the dough into a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a ball. Form the dough into two equal loaves, or cut into sixteen equal pieces to make rolls. Dust with flour and lightly score an "X" across the top of each roll or loaf with a sharp knife. Bake the soda bread until it is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about eight to ten minutes for rolls and twenty-five minutes for loaves. Wrap the bread in a tea towel directly out of the oven. Cool the soda bread in the tea towel on a wire rack before serving. It can be held at room temperature for up to two days or frozen for up to four weeks.
Corned Beef with Cabbage
4 lb corned brisket of beef
3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
6 to 8 small onions
1 teaspoon dry English mustard
large sprig fresh thyme and some parsley stalks, tied together
1 cabbage
salt and freshly ground pepper
Put the brisket into a saucepan with the carrots, onions, mustard and the herbs. Cover with cold water, and bring gently to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut in quarters and add to the pot. Cook for a further 1 to 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender. Serve the corned beef in slices, surrounded by the vegetables and cooking liquid. Serve with lots of floury potatoes and freshly made mustard.
Chocolate-Whiskey Soufflé Tarts
For crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon (scant) salt
For filling
10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
Pinch of salt
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
Sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate shavings (optional)
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend all ingredients in processor just until dough gathers together. Shape dough into log. Cut into 8 equal rounds. Press 1 round over bottom and up sides of each of eight 4 1/2 x 3/4-inch tartlet pans with removable bottom. Pierce crusts with fork. Bake crusts until pale golden, about 18 minutes. Cool in pans on rack.
For the filling:
Set aside generous 1/3 cup chopped chocolate. Place remaining chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk in whiskey, vanilla, coffee and salt, then yolks. Beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold half of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in reserved 1/3 cup chopped chocolate, then remaining whites. Divide mixture among crusts. Freeze at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep frozen.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Push bottom of frozen tartlets up to release from pan sides. Arrange tartlets on pan bottoms on baking sheet. Bake until filling puffs and begins to crack, about 20 minutes. Place tartlets on plates. Spoon whipped cream alongside. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired.
