Something Different for Saint Patty’s Day

This year, with all the public gatherings canceled, it looks like tomorrow’s Saint Patrick’s Day is going to be a somber time. Interesting since for most of Ireland, it’s a religious holiday. Families attend Mass, and then spend quality time together. They aren’t dying their rivers green or having giant balloons of Leprechauns floating above their city streets. So I guess the rest of the world will be taking Emerald Isle approach to Saint Patrick’s Day.

That’s okay by me, we’ve always spent the day with family. And just between us, I’m not a big fan of Corned Beef and Cabbage. If you want to eat like Saint Patrick did, you might want to try Salmon. I have a lovely Salmon Feast that I’ve prepared when Saint Pat’s has fallen on a Friday – it being Lent and all. Or you could enjoy a nice, simple supper of chicken, potatoes and carrots. Another favorite in our house.

And just so we don’t loose sight of our sense of humor . . .

A Priest was driving down the highway when he was stopped for speeding. The state trooper smelled alcohol on the priest’s breath, then sees an empty bottle next to him.

The trooper asks “Father, have you been drinking?”

The priest smiles innocently and replies “Nothing but water my son.”

The trooper is not amused. “Then explain to me why I smell wine?”

The priest sniffs the bottle and exclaims “Good Lord, He’s done it again!”

 

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Saint Patrick’s Day Chicken Supper
Roast Chicken Breasts with Irish Whiskey Sauce
Irish Champ Potatoes
Whiskey Glazed Browned Butter Carrots

Irish Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce
Irish Coffee

 

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Roast Chicken Breasts with Irish Whiskey Sauce
Irish Whiskey Sauce
1 Garlic Head, roasted
1-1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1/3 cup of Irish whiskey
3 tablespoons Stone Ground Dijon Mustard
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste

To Roast the Garlic
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the head of garlic on a piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in the foil and place in the heated oven for approximately 45 minutes or until very soft. Remove from the foil, cool. Once cooled, remove cloves from their skin. Place peeled cloves on a small plate and mash with a fork. Set aside until ready to use in the sauce.

To Make the Whiskey Sauce
Deglaze the sauté pan with the whiskey, scraping up any brown bits. Boil until reduced by half, then add the stock. Return to the boil; let cook until reduce by half. Add heavy cream. Just before serving whisk in the garlic puree & the stone ground mustard, season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, add a bit more chopped rosemary.

Chicken Cutlets
1-1/2 tablespoons Fresh Rosemary
3 large boneless-skinless Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter

Roast the Chicken Cutlets
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Finely chop the rosemary, set aside.

Pound chicken with a mallet until the breasts are of equal depth; season with chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil Sauté chicken until golden on both sides, remove to a baking sheet. Place breasts in the oven and roast for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through and juices run clean. Remove from oven, tent to keep warm until ready to serve.

To Serve the Chicken with Whiskey Sauce
Cut the chicken breasts into cutlets and place on either warmed individual serving plates, top with the sauce or for family style, serve on a large platter.

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Irish Champ Potatoes
3 lbs Potatoes, Russet
1 bunch Green Onions
1 cup Milk
Salt to taste
1 cup Butter, divided
White Pepper to taste

Peel and cube potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place potatoes into large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, chop green onions and set aside until ready to use.

Drain potatoes well. Return to very low heat and allow the potatoes to dry out for a few minutes.

As the potatoes dry, heat the milk and green onions gently in a saucepan, until warm.

Rice or Mash the potatoes, salt and 1/2 cup butter together until smooth. Stir in the milk and green onion until evenly mixed. Season with freshly ground pepper.

Place mashed potatoes in a serving bowl. Create a well in the center of the potatoes. Melt remaining 1/2 cup of butter and pour into the well.

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Whiskey Glazed Browned Butter Carrots
2 Bunches Baby Carrots, tops intact
4 tablespoons Water
Salt to taste
1 stick (8 tablespoons) Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Whiskey

Trim the tops of the carrots, leaving about 1-inch of the green intact.

Wash and peel carrots. Place in a microwave-safe dish. Add water and a pinch of salt.

Microwave on HIGH for about 4 or 5 minutes, until carrots are tender-crisp. Check after 3 minutes and adjust timing accordingly.

Heat an empty skillet until almost smoking hot. Remove the skillet from the heat, add butter. The butter will begin to brown almost immediately. Add the brown sugar, stir until the sugar has dissolved, creating a nice glaze. Add whiskey to the pan, swirl to blend.

Place the carrots in the pan with the browned butter glaze. Swirl to coat carrots with glaze.

Return pan to low heat and continue to cook, swirling the pan, until the carrots are nicely glazed and everything is bubbling hot.

Transfer to a serving platter. Pour browned butter over the carrots, and serve immediately.

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Irish Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce
Apple Cake
3 cups plus 3 tablespoons Flour, divided
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground Allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup cold Butter, cut into small cubes
3 large Eggs
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 large Granny Smith Apples
3 tablespoons Raw Sugar, for topping

To Make the Cake
Heat oven to 350-degrees. Butter a 9-inch spring form pan and line the sides and bottom with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar. Cut cold butter into small cubes, incorporate butter into the flour mixture with your hands until no large pieces remain and mixture resembles sand. Whisk in eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla.

Slice apples into thin, 1/4-inch pieces. Toss sliced apples with remaining 3 tablespoons flour until evenly coated, then fold into batter. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and sprinkle evenly all over with Raw Sugar. Bake until apples are very tender and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Let cool completely in the pan before removing.

Vanilla Custard Sauce
1/3 cup Sugar
4 large Egg Yolks
1-1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1 Vanilla Bean, halved

To Make The Vanilla Custard Sauce
In a heatproof bowl, whisk sugar and yolks until lightened in color, about 6 minutes. In a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium-low heat, add vanilla bean seeds and pod and heavy cream. Cook mixture, watching carefully, until just boiling. Remove from heat, and whisk a few tablespoons of hot cream into sugar-yolk mixture. Gradually add in remaining cream, whisking constantly.

Return custard to pot and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until just thickened (do not boil!) — check consistency by dipping a wooden spoon in, then running a finger along back; the streak should stay intact.

Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Let cool. Once cool, serve over slices of apple cake.

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Irish Coffee (per glass)
1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 Shot Irish Whiskey (double if desired)
6 oz Hot Black Coffee
Heavy Cream, unwhipped, optional to lighten
Sweetened Whipped Cream, optional to top off the glass

In a footed Irish Coffee Cup, add brown sugar, whiskey and hot coffee. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

To lighten, add a splash of unwhipped heavy cream. Float a dollop of whipped cream on top if desired. Serve hot.