St Patrick's Day: indulge in Irish delights

Many people will use the day as "an excuse to attend a parade, visit an Irish pub, drink a Guinness, or maybe even dye a well-known river green", said USA Today, but St Patrick's Day has a long history as a holiday in Ireland. 

While traditionally a "solemn and religious day", St Patrick's Day has now become an opportunity to celebrate Irish culture in wider ways. Many will take this as a chance to share food and drink with one another. The Week has compiled some recipes inspired by the day that you could try. 

Guinness pie

Rich Irish flavours burst from this Guinness pie by Sophie Carey, a bakery development manager for Matthews Cotswold Flour. With tender beef, hearty vegetables and Guinness stout, this piping hot pie promises to satisfy cravings for traditional Irish fare.

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For the filling:

• 500g beef shin, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 440ml can of Guinness 
• 500ml beef stock 
• 2 tbsp Matthews Regenerative All Purpose Flour
• 1 sprig of rosemary 
• 1 bay leaf 
• Salt and pepper 
• 1 egg, for glazing

For the pastry:

• 100g lard 
• 100g water
• 280g Matthews Regenerative All Purpose Flour

Method:

• Season and fry the beef shin in a few batches in a heavy-based casserole dish or dutch oven until well browned on all sides.
• With all the beef in the pan, sprinkle over 2 tbsp flour and stir until no lumps remain.
• Slowly pour in the Guinness and stock, then add the vegetables and herbs.
• Cook on medium low for at least 3 hours – or until the beef is tender and falling apart, and the sauce is a thick gravy. (Alternatively, you could place the dish in the oven on a very low temperature overnight.)
• Remove the stems from the rosemary and the bay leaf. Leave the beef to cool.
• To make the pastry, heat the lard and water in a saucepan until boiling, then take off the heat and add the flour to the pan.
• Stir vigorously until a soft dough has formed. Leave the dough to cool for at least 20 minutes, or until cool enough to touch.
• Split the dough in half, then cut a third off of each half (this will make the lids for the pies).
• Roll out the pastry for the base and line individual pie tins (or you can use mini springform cake tins). Press the pastry down into the edges for neat pies.
• Spoon the filling in, leaving about 2cm room for the lid.
• Roll out the lid to the same thickness as the base pastry, making sure you have plenty of overhang for crimping. Brush the tops of the pies with egg wash and cut a hole in the centre of the lid to allow steam out.
• Crimp to your liking, then trim the excess. Bake in the oven at 170°C for 45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
• Enjoy with green vegetables and extra Guinness.

Twice-baked Colcannon potatoes

This crispy, crunchy jacket potato recipe by Harry Hookoffers a twist on the classic Irish dish, colcannon. Infused with creamy mash, tender kale and savoury bacon, this is proper comfort food.

Ingredients:

• 3 large floury baking potatoes
• vegetable oil
• sea salt flakes
• 100g Trewithen Dairy salted butter
• 4 smoked bacon rashers, sliced into lardons
• 1 large bunch of kale, washed and roughly chopped
• 75g Trewithen Dairy Cornish clotted cream
• 4 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 50g Cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper 

Method:

• Preheat oven to 190°C.
• Prick potatoes all over, coat with oil and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle generously with sea salt flakes. Bake for 1 hour, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Increase oven temperature to 220°C.
• When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthways and carefully scoop the flesh into a bowl, taking care to leave the skins intact. Place the skins back on the baking tray. 
• Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the lardons. When they are golden brown, add the kale and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour the buttery mixture into the bowl of mashed potatoes. Stir through until thoroughly combined, before adding the clotted cream and spring onions. Season to taste, bearing in mind the bacon will also add saltiness.
• Carefully spoon the filling back into the potato skins. Sprinkle with the cheese, then return to the oven for 10 or so minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the potato skins are gloriously crispy.
• Enjoy with a side of kimchi for a spicy contrast.

Irish potato soup

Embrace Ireland's cosy flavours with this potato soup recipe by Chris Clyburn, project manager of the FullCrumb Kitchen at FareShare Yorkshire. Chris teaches frontline charity workers and individuals how to cook nutritious meals on a budget with a focus on surplus ingredients. This soul-warming delight is simmered to perfection, and made with humble ingredients.

Ingredients:

• knob of unsalted butter
• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 celery stalks, washed and chopped
• 700g potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 750ml boiling water
• 150ml milk
• salt and pepper
• optional toppings: smoked bacon, flat-leaf parsley, croutons or Irish cheddar cheese

Method:

• Place the butter in a large saucepan on a medium heat.
• Add the onion and celery and cook until the onion is translucent. 
• Add the potatoes and garlic and stir well. Pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boil, put on a lid, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
• Pour in the milk and return to the boil. Remove from the heat and carefully blend the soup.
• Correct the seasoning if needed.
• Serve in warm bowls alongside crusty buttered bread and your choice of toppings.

Guinness cake

This chocolate Guinness cake recipe by Ben Ebbrell, the chef and co-founder of Sorted Food, is made in a Guinness glass, combining the distinct taste of the Irish stout and the rich flavours of chocolate for a delicious treat that looks just like the creamy drink.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 75g salted butter
• 125g Guinness 
• 150g dark brown sugar 
• 50ml sunflower oil
• 40g cocoa powder 
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 75ml natural yoghurt 
• 125g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the frosting:

• 150g cream cheese 
• 200g icing sugar
• 25ml shot of Guinness
• green fondant icing or mint leaves, for decoration

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Melt the butter in a pan along with the Guinness.
• Beat in the sugar, oil and cocoa powder until smooth and lump free.
• Mix the eggs with the yoghurt and vanilla in another bowl.
• Whisk in the chocolate and Guinness mixture.
• Fold in the flour and baking powder.
• Divide between 4 half-pint Guinness glasses so that they are about three-quarters full, allowing for a rise and frosting.
• Bake for 40 minutes until risen and cooked right through. Test with a skewer in the centre of each glass: push it in and if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
• Allow to cool fully.
• Level off the top of the cake where it may have risen unevenly and blitz the cake pieces to a crumb and wedge back into the gaps in the glass.
• Put all the frosting ingredients into a bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy.
• Spoon the frosting onto the top of each cake to look like the head on a pint.
• Decorate with a shamrock made from fondant icing or mint leaves.