Well, to make decisions harder, here are some ideas from the about.com newsletter this a.m.....
St. Paddy’s Day Ideas from about.com
Irish Potato Cakes with Sour Cream Sauce
* * * * Sour Cream Sauce * * * *
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (about 2 onions)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Few drops hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
* * * * Irish Potato Cakes * * * *
1 1/4 pounds yellow flesh potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (about 4 medium potatoes)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup grated mild Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 4 onions)
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
To make Sour Cream Sauce: In mixing bowl, gently whisk together all sauce ingredients. Refrigerate.
To make Irish Potato Cakes: In medium saucepan cook potatoes in 2 inches boiling water, covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, then shake potatoes over low heat 1 to 2 minutes to dry thoroughly. With electric hand mixer or potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth. Beat in butter, milk and garlic until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Allow potatoes to cool; mix in cheese and green onions.
To form potato cakes, shape 1/2-cup portions of potato mixture into patties; coat on all sides with bread crumbs. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
In heavy non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add potato cakes and cook about 5 minutes, turning once, or until heated through and golden on both sides. Place on serving platter or 6 individual plates; top each potato cake with 1 tablespoon Sour Cream Sauce. Serves 6.
Monk’s Famous Seafood Chowder
Monks Bar and Restaurant is a famous Irish landmark in the village of Ballyvaughan, in County Clare, located in the West of Ireland. The Seafood Chowder is their signature dish.
8-10 fresh mussels (discard any that are open)
1 pint fish stock or clam juice
1 pint milk
1 pint heavy cream
½ lb total mixed fresh diced carrots, diced green beans, peas and corn
1 Tbs flour, dissolved in 3-4 Tbs water
1 lb mixed fresh fish fillets, such as hake, scrod or salmon, cut into coarse chunks
¼ lb fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
Lemon wedges to garnish
Bring 1/4-inch water with a splash of white wine to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add mussels, cover, and steam until just open, about 2-3 minutes. Remove mussels with slotted spoon (discard any that don’t open) and when cool, remove from shells, coarsely chop and set aside.
Combine the fish stock and milk in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Add the mixed vegetables and simmer until just beginning to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the fish and shrimp and simmer until almost cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cream, then slowly stir in the flour/water mixture to thicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors.
Add mussels, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve in soup bowls garnished with a wedge of lemon.
Beef and Guinness Pie
Beef and Guinness Pie brings together two of Ireland's most famous products, beef and Guinness in a hale and hearty pie. The long-slow cooking of the filling creates not just perfectly tender beef, it also allows the flavor of the Guinness to permeate the meat and the vegetables and produce a thick, luscious sauce.
FOR THE PASTRY
7 oz/200g all purpose/plain flour
pinch of salt
4 oz/ 110g butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
2-3 tbsp cold water
1 egg, beaten for glaze
FOR THE FILLING
1oz/25g all purpose/plain flour
1 ¾lb/900g chuck steak cut into 1"/2.5cm cubes
¾z/ 20g butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots chopped in to 1"/2.5cm cubes
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp tomato puree
17 fl/oz/500 ml Guinness or stout
1 ½ pints/300ml hot beef stock
2 tsp sugar
Salt and ground pepper
Place the flour in a large bowl and season with salt and ground black pepper, add the cubes of meat and toss well in the flour until evenly coated.
Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based, flameproof casserole dish until the butter has melted. Add the meat to the fat in small batches and brown quickly all over for just a minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onions and carrots to the pan and fry gently for about 2 minutes then return the meat to the pan with the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, ale stock and sugar. Grind in plenty of black pepper and a little salt, stir well and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook slowly for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened and is glossy. Remove from the heat, place into a 2½ pint/1.5 liter deep pie dish and leave to cool completely.
Heat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6.
Roll out the pastry to 1/8"/3mm. Cut a ¾"/2cm strip from the rolled-out pastry. Brush the rim of the pie dish with water and place the pastry strip around the rim, pressing it down. Cut out the remaining pastry about 1"/2.5cm larger than the dish. Sit a pie funnel in the center of the filling; it will support the pastry and stop it from sinking into the filling and becoming soggy.
Place the pastry lid over the top and press down to the edge and seal. trim off any excess pastry an crimp the edges with a fork or between your thumb and forefinger. Brush the top with beaten egg and make a hole in the center to reveal the pie funnel. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.
Optional - You can decorate the top of the pie with pastry trimmings as you like.
