Let’s Celebrate St. Patrick’s with Local Veggies

With Sunday being St. Patrick’s Day, and this week’s crate being filled with potatoes and many green veggies, it’s all too perfect not to make it the theme for this week!

Did you know the first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in 1631 to honour Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick. Surprisingly though, the first recorded St. Patrick's Day parade was held not in Ireland but in New York City in 1762.

This week’s bundle also includes parsnips and carrots, which you may not know are also commonly grown in Ireland! Whether you are Irish or not I hope you enjoy this week’s recipe inspirations!

 

 

Recipes

 

Irish Baked Eggs with Spinach

Created By: Tara's Multicultural Table

Start your day with this Irish breakfast. It also makes a delicious and easy lunch!

 

Ingredients:

1 TBSP unsalted butter plus more for greasing

8 ounces spinach

2 bacon strips cooked until crisp, and chopped

2 ounces (57 grams) Dubliner cheese shredded

4 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly chopped chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Grease 4 ramekins with butter and set aside.

2. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter.

3. If the spinach is large, remove the tough stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Add to the hot skillet with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, just until wilted.

4. Transfer to a colander. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out any excess moisture and evenly distribute among prepared ramekins.

5. Divide the chopped bacon among the ramekins along with the shredded cheese.

6. Crack an egg into each ramekin and top each with 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of cream.

7. Top with a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.

8. Bake in preheated oven just until the egg whites are set, 12-15 minutes. Serve warm.

 

 

Irish Vegetable Stew

Created By: Thyme and Love

I couldn’t share St. Patrick’s Day inspired recipes without Irish Stew, the national dish of Ireland.

 

Ingredients:

2 TBSP Avocado Oil

8 ounces Cremini Mushroom, cleaned and sliced

1 Leek, cleaned and thinly sliced

2 Celery Stalks, diced

1 cup Carrot, diced

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped

¼ cup Flour

1 Bottle Stout Beer

2 TBSP Tomato Paste

2 cups Parsnips, peeled and diced into chucks about 1 ½ inches

2 cups Potatoes, peeled and diced into chucks about 1 ½ inches

3 cup Vegetable Broth

¾-1 tsp Salt, or to taste

¼ tsp Black Pepper

½ cup Parsley, minced

Instructions:

1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook 4-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms start browning.

2. Add the sliced leek, celery and carrots, Stir and cook for 8-10 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and thyme; stir. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Lower heat to medium. Sprinkle in the flour; stir, and cook for a few minutes.

5. Pour in the beer, making sure to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add in the tomato pasta and stir until incorporated into the beer.

6. Add the diced parsnips, potatoes, broth, salt and pepper to taste. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and lower heat to low.

7. Cook until the parsnips and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

8. Once the vegetables are tender add in the parsley. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

9. Serve!

Tip: If the stew thickens up too much, add in some additional broth or water to loosen up the stew.

 

 

Easy Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

Created By: The Fiery Vegetarian

Crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside and even better when cold, make this delicious recipe for St. Patrick’s Day or any day! Can be served for lunch or as a side dish for dinner.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed potato

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1.5 cups grated potato

1 cup plain plant-based or dairy milk

Up to ¼ cup butter or oil of choice (for frying)

Instructions:

1. If you don't have any mashed potatoes on hand, boil potato chunks for ten minutes in salted water until tender and mash.

2. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder.

3. Add the mashed potato and milk and whisk until smooth.

4. Add the grated potato, mix, and let the batter rest five minutes.

5. Heat a large frying pan on low-medium heat, add butter or oil and allow to melt/heat.

6. Place dollops of 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the batter in the pan with a little space between as they will spread slightly.

7. Cook four minutes on one side and four on the other.

8. Serve or allow to cool and store in the fridge, and warm up in the pan again to serve later.

 

 

Spinach Artichoke Hummus

Created by: Whitney Bond

What’s a party/celebration without dip?! A delicious green twist on a favourite.

 

Ingredients:

15.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp tahini

1 cup spinach

½ cup artichoke hearts, drained from can

3 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

¼ cup olive oil

For Serving: green peppers and carrots, also in this week’s bundle!

Instructions:

1. Add the garbanzo beans, garlic, tahini, spinach, artichokes and lemon juice to a food processor.

2. Place the lid on the food processor and begin to puree. Drizzle the olive oil through the top of the food processor as you blend.

3. Blend for 30 seconds or until the hummus is smooth and creamy.

4. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

5. For added fun: serve with Shamrock shaped green peppers for St Patrick’s Day or sliced bell peppers, carrot sticks, celery sticks or pita chips anytime of the year.

Shamrock Shaped Green Peppers

1. Remove the tops of each bell pepper and clean the seeds and membranes out of the middle.

2. Use the palm of your hand to gently smash the bell pepper flat.

3. Slice the bell pepper in half, then use a shamrock shaped cookie cutter to cut the bell pepper.

 

 

Irish Carrot & Parsnip Mash

Created By: Kayley, The Kitchen McCabe

This is a simple, classic dish served in Ireland. Two of my favorite root vegetables, carrots and parsnips, come together in a sweet and savory combo that makes a lovely side dish. The Irish call this dish ‘Sunshine’ as well as ‘green, white, and gold’. And it absolutely does taste like sunshine.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Carrots, peeled, cut into ½" slices

1 ½ cups Parsnips, peeled, cut into ½" slices

3-4 TBSP Butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

Parsley, chopped, to garnish

Instructions:

1. Place the carrots and parsnips in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

2. Drain the vegetables and place them back in the pot.

3. Add the butter (reserving a little for garnish, if desired) and the salt and pepper. Mash the vegetables together. Check seasonings.

4. Place in a serving dish and garnish with a little butter and chopped parsley.

 

 

 

Recipes curated by Lauren