Celebrating St Patrick’s Day with your own St Patrick’s Day Feast

St Patrick’s Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick as it is sometimes known is celebrated on the 17th March all around the world. Traditionally an Irish celebration to mark the death of St Patrick and to celebrate Irish heritage and culture, it is widely celebrated in the UK as well as in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

Celebrations often involve public parades and festivals with traditional Irish music and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. While this year’s celebrations may be a little different, it will no doubt still be celebrated with just as much enthusiasm.

Soda bread, hearty stews and corned beef with cabbage have all become traditional dishes included in St Patrick’s Day feasts. And while celebrations may not be as big as previous years there are still plenty of ways you can join the festivities at home by creating your very own St Patrick’s Day feast, enjoying some traditional Irish music and donning a green outfit.

St Patrick’s Day Recipe Ideas

If you are planning on celebrating St Patrick’s Day at home this year, here are a couple of recipe ideas to get your celebrations off to a great start.

Irish Soda Farl

This popular bread in Northern Ireland is quick and easy to make and is perfect for a traditional St Patrick’s Day feast.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (250g)

¹⁄₂ teaspoon natural salt (3g)

1 teaspoon baking soda (5g)

1 cup buttermilk (240ml)

Directions

1. Place flour, salt and baking soda in mixing bowl and stir to combine.

2. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix dough quickly until combined.

3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and gently knead.

4. Form dough into a circle and lightly flatten with a rolling pin into an 8-inch (20.3 cm) round.

5. Score soda bread into quarters with a knife; do not cut through.

6. Preheat flatbread pan over medium heat. When several drops of water sprinkled on pan skitter and dissipate, carefully transfer soda bread to the pan using a metal spatula. Cook for 6 - 8 minutes until golden brown, shaking pan occasionally during cooking.

7. Turn farl over with a metal spatula, turn heat to low and cook for an additional 15 - 20 minutes, until skewer inserted into centre of bread comes out clean.

8. Remove farl from the pan, wrap in a clean cloth and let soda bread rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Corned Beef Brisket & Vegetables

Corned beef brisket, cooked long and slow is great for special occasions and is a classic St Patrick’s Day meal.

Ingredients

6-pound corned beef brisket with spices (2.7kg)

1 large onion, processed, use Cone #3

12 ounces light lager beer (350ml)

2 cups chicken of beef stock (475ml)

3 bay leaves

1 large green cabbage, cut into 12 wedges (leave core intact)

1 pound carrots, trimmed and cut in half (454g)

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in half or quarters (1.4kg)

Directions

1. Trim excess fat from corned beef brisket.

2. Preheat pan over medium heat. When several drops of water sprinkled on pan skitter and dissipate, approximately 5 - 7 minutes, place corned beef in braiser pan, fat side down. Place cover on pan slightly ajar and cook corned beef until browned on all sides, approximately 15 minutes. If corned beef does not fit in pan, cut into 2 pieces, browning each piece separately.

3. Add onions, beer, stock and bay leaves. Cover.

4. When Vapo-Valve™ clicks, reduce heat to low and cook for 4 hours.

5. Add cabbage, carrots and potatoes in pan around corned beef and cover. Cook for an additional 1 - 1 ¹⁄₂ hours until meat and vegetables are tender.

6. Slice meat on the diagonal into thin slices and serve with some of each vegetable and a little bit of braising liquid.