To celebrate the luck of the Irish this fine Sunday morning I’ve decided to make two famous (and delicious!) Irish dishes! On Saint Patrick’s Day, the Irish celebrate their saint with festivals and feasts so it only seems fitting that this tradition continues, even here in the US. I have taken out the butter for both recipes and used Kelapo Ghee instead.

Colcannon

This potato dish is heavenly! I only found out about it recently and it goes great with lamb chops or a marinated steak.

Ingredients needed:

1 medium head cabbage (shredded)

4 lbs. of medium potatoes (peeled and quartered)

2 cups of whole milk

1 cup of chopped green onions

1 ½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of pepper

¼ cup of Kelapo Ghee (melted)

Minced fresh parsley

Crumbled cooked bacon

Add 2 cups of water to a large saucepan and then place the cabbage in it to bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and let the cabbage simmer until it becomes tender (about 10 minutes). Once tender, place the cabbage in a separate bowl and keep the liquid inside of the same saucepan. Add in the potatoes and add more water if needed to make sure the potatoes are completely covered. Bring the potatoes to a boil then reduce the heat and let the potatoes cook until they are tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). In a small saucepan, add in the milk, green onions, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once it reaches a boiling point. Drain the potatoes, place them in a large bowl and use a potato masher to mash them. Next, add in the milk mixture and beat until everything is mixed in thoroughly. Lastly, stir in the cabbage. You can top with bacon and fresh parsley but it is not required.

Shepherd’s Pie

In reality, this is actually going to be a Cottage Pie because I’ll be using beef instead of lamb but since most people don’t know the difference in the name change of this dish, I’ll keep it as is!

Ingredients needed:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion (finely diced)

3 large carrots (finely diced)

1 cup of frozen peas

4 strigs of thyme (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons of flour

1 tablespoon of Kelapo Ghee

1 glass of red wine

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup of chicken stock

1 egg (beaten)

Mashed Potatoes

1 large quantity of mashed potatoes (6 cups)

4 to 6 tablespoons of Kelapo Ghee (melted)

1 cup of milk

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Begin preheating your oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, add in the olive oil and heat up the carrots until they’re tender. Once the carrots have softened, add in the chopped onions and saute for a couple of minutes (2 to 3 minutes). Add the desired seasoning in for the meat, in this case, salt, black pepper and thyme. I usually add in a bit of adobo, but that’s the Latin culture strictly embedded in me. Otherwise, salt, pepper and thyme will do just fine! Once you’ve mixed that in well and the meat has browned, you can drain the fat. Once placed back on the stove, add in the Kelapo Ghee and flour then stir. Next, add the tomato paste, wine, and Worcestershire sauce and stir. Let the liquid reduce a bit with the heat, then pour in the chicken stock and toss in the peas. Once the liquid has reduced and created a thick meaty gravy, you can transfer the meat to a deep oven-proof baking pan.

To make the mashed potatoes, grab a large saucepan, add salt (to taste) and bring to a boil. Next, add in the potatoes and cook until they are tender/a little firm (about 15 to 20 minutes). Make sure not to overcook them! Drain the saucepan and transfer the potatoes to a large bowl where you can mash them. You’ll want to melt 4 to 6 tablespoons of Kelapo Ghee and add that in. As well as 1 cup of warm milk, salt and pepper. Now, take your potato masher and make the mashed potatoes. Now, you’re ready to add the potatoes on top. I transferred the mashed potatoes with a spoon and used a fork to spread them evenly across the pan. Once you’ve done that, dip into the beaten egg with a small pastry brush and lightly brush the top of the mashed potato layer. My boyfriend prefers parmesan cheese on top as well but that is completely optional. Pop your dish into the oven and bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until the potato is nice and browned on top. Last but not least, serve and enjoy!

I hope these Irish dishes inspired you to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with food in mind! If you have any more Irish dishes you’d like me to try, write a comment below.

Peace, love and Kelapo ♥

-Gabriella