GO IRISH

 

Colcannon is an Irish version of mashed potatoes made with sauteed cabbage or kale, green onions, and bacon. Pair this hearty side dish with corned beef slices and Irish Soda Bread, adding a wee bit of Irish to your March cooking.

Colcannon with Kale and Cheddar 

Cook's notes: Use a food processor to shred cabbage or kale. A cheese grater also works to shred cabbage. Recipe serves 4-6.
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cups finely shredded cabbage or kale
• 2 green onions, diced
• 3/4-1 cup half and half (warmed)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt e.g.Lawry's
• 1-1/2 cups grated white cheddar
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• Bring water to a boil, add in potatoes and simmer until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain potatoes.
• Fry bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and reserve 1 TB. bacon drippings.
• Saute onions on medium high heat for 2 minutes in bacon dripping. Add in shredded cabbage/kale and green onions, cook until cabbage is tender about 5-8 minutes.
• Stir in cheddar and mix well.
• In a large bowl, add potatoes, onions/cabbage mixture, cream, bacon bits, parsley, butter, salt, and pepper. With a hand mixer, beat the potato mixture until well mixed. Serve immediately or keep warm in an ovenproof pan or bowl. 

Irish Coffee

Perhaps the most famous Irish drink is the Irish coffee. Over 100 versions of this popular drink exist, including non-alcoholic Irish drink recipes.
Irish coffee was invented by Limerick chef Joseph Sheridan in 1942 to welcome Americans visiting Ireland. The travelers arrived in the west of Ireland on a cold winter night, so Sheridan added whiskey to their coffee to warm them up, telling the Americans it was Irish coffee.
A San Francisco Chronicle travel writer, Stanton Delaplane, brought the recipe back to the U.S. after drinking Irish coffee at Shannon Airport.
It was first served at the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco on November 10, 1952.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. of Irish whiskey e.g. Jameson
• 5-7 oz. hot coffee or 2 shots of espresso
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• Fresh whipped cream

Directions:

• Run hot water slowly over a glass mug until it’s at room temperature or hotter, and then dry it (pouring hot coffee into a cold glass could cause it to crack) or use a regular coffee mug.
• Add brown sugar to the mug
• Pour in whiskey
• Add coffee or espresso, leaving room at the top for whipped cream
• Stir until sugar is completely dissolved
• Top the drink with whipped cream. 
• Do not stir (drink stays warmer longer with the cream sitting on top)
• To make cold Irish coffee, chill the sweetened coffee before adding the whiskey.

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Did you know Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish author, poet, and playwright? After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential dramatists in London in the early 1890s.