Of course we all think of corned beef and cabbage as “Irish” and eat it at many a St. Patrick’s Day dinner or celebration. Actually this is more of an American invention or a food used by many Irish immigrants in the last couple of centuries. Not that it isn’t good and traditional, at least by modern custom but there are other great dishes as well!

BTW the recipes I am going to share today come from a neat set of cookbooks that I purchased thru Dover Books many years ago. They are A Taste of Ireland, A Taste of Scotland and A Taste of Wales compiled by Theodora FitzGibbon and liberally illustrated with neat old photographs!  I have not checked but they might be available on Amazon or elsewhere if they are out of print. Those I have were published by Avenel Books of which I have heard nothing lately!

Note these are not exactly ‘heart healthy’ meals by modern standards but they are good!!

Here’s a recipe for “Boxty” a real tradtional Irish dish. Yes, potatoes have been an Irish staple ever since they were imported from the Americas after colonization began!

Boxty/Boxty Pancakes

1 lb raw potatoes

2 cups mashed potatoes

4 cups flour

4 oz (1 cup) melted butter or bacon fat

salt and pepper–1 tbsp each

Peel the raw potatoes and grate into a clean cloth. Wring them tightly over a large bowl, catching the liquid. Put the grated potatoes in another bowl and spread the mashed potatoes over. When teh starch has sunk to the bottom of the raw potato liquid, pour off the water and scrape the starch onto the potatoes. Mix well and sift the flour, salt and pepper over it. Finally add the melted butter/fat. Knead, roll out onto board and shape into round flat cakes. Make a cross over each so when cooked they will break into quarters. Cook in greased baking sheet at 300 F for about 40 minutes. Serve hot, split and buttered.

For pancakes, used in many Irish dishes and  often filled with meat and veggies, add 1 tsp of baking soda and enough milk to make a batter.  Drop onto greased skillet or griddle and cook over moderate heat on both sides.

Potato Soup

2 lbs potatoes

1 heaped TBSP butter

6 cups –half milk and water or half broth and milk

2 medium sized onions

1 cup light cream

6 rashers of bacon, fried crisp

chopped chives or parsley, salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions, sliced and peeled, cook gently. Do not let them brown. Ass the potatoes, peeled and sliced, season to taste and the pour the milk mix in. Cover and cook gently for about an hour. Puree with a blender (modern) or force thru a sieve or collander. Add the cream and reheat but do not boil. Serve with freshly chopped parsley or chives and crumbled bacon. Leeks may be used instead of onions.