Idea for St Pat's Dinner

Well done! Maybe you'll consider writing up that salad and posting it for everyone?

You all are AWESOME... Here's what I ended up making: Bakedsome Irish brown breaddanc served that with smoked salmon & butter. Then I made what I will call a Shepard's Cottage Pie ...Using ground Lamb & Beef slowly braised in Guinness, Red Wine, Beef stock with heirloom carrots, onions & peas topped with Mashed Yukon Golds & Rutabagas and I topped that with a bunch of Scallions Sauteed in Butter (Sort of a faux Colcannon)

For my salad...I was in one of those moods where another trip to the market would make me throw myself on the floor and weep tears of frustration, so I took stock of my depleted veggie bin and found 2 beets, yellow carrots, a daikon radish, a few brussels sprouts and some celery.

So I shaved the beets & marinated them in sherry vinegar, honey , bit of salt bit of orange zest S& P

Shaved down the rest of the veg in strips and bits and gave them a quick pickle in rice wine vinegar, bit of garlic, bit of sugar, dash of mustard oil and S&P

Tossed it all together at the last minute with lots celery leaves & flat leaf parsley and it was perfect counterpoint to the rich pie & Corned Beef and Cabbage.. there were no leftovers! Even the veggie haters ate it!

I think Hunter's Pie is venison. Not many macho points for hunting down a lamb.

I thought Hunter's Pie was lamb? That's what we just had for our St. Pat's dinner. Aliwaks, I hope your dinner turned out delicious, if not fantastic!

Happy St. Patrick's to you too, Bugbitten. I did a search for the C.I. recipe and found this: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=38491
It uses 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to help keep the meat tender "because it raises the pH and that keeps the proteins from bonding too tightly." I presume the same technique would apply for ground lamb.

Hey, Pegeen, and happy Pat's day, our usual meet. Cook's Illustrated (and on the TV show) just did one of their usual "Saving" episodes on the pie. It was most interesting in that they thought a large lump of baking soda would be what is right to tenderize the chopped chuck. Best

Here's the cabbage:
http://www.thekitchn.com/a-homemade-life-stories-and-re-77964

Molly Wizenberg has a recipe for cabbage wedges sauteed to caramelize (also keeping stem-end intact), then braised in a little bit of cream. She calls for lemon juice but now I'd like to try it with a splash of malt vinegar.
p.s. Shepherd's Pie is lamb and Cottage Pie is beef

Molly Wizenberg has a recipe for cabbage wedges sauteed to caramelize (also keeping stem-end intact), then braised in a little bit of cream. She calls for lemon juice but now I'd like to try it with a splash of malt vinegar.
p.s. Shepherd's Pie is lamb and Cottage Pie is beef

I wish there was an edit button. The tech of slicing cabbage into wedges..with stem intact and pressing soft butter into the wedges. Salt pepper and steaming them is still something I use.
But now, I add a bit of caraway seed to the butter. The wedges are intact...and knife fork kinda thing. Simple steamed, lightly seasoned, and crispy.

Well this is College dorm room stuff. But I used to do a cheapo St. Pats meal with wedges of cabbage. Keeping the stalk intact and pressing in butter, salt and pepper. Then Roll up some deli corn beef in tight little rolls, secure with toothpicks. Nuke a few small potatoes to get them started. and Arrange the cabbage in a 'pinwheel' in a rice cooker, layer on the corn beef rolls, the potatoes. and Steam it in the cooker. Why yes, that's not excellent stuff...but heck it's a rice cooker and microwave and a dorm room.

Good, fun, cooks in this annual exchange for a change. Going back to classic recipes, is shepherds' pie traditionally made with ground beef? I would think of lamb, but since I don't care for mashed potatoes, maybe I should recuse myself. I think beef with mashed on top should be called cowboy pie. With maybe coffee in the sauce?

If authenticity were not a requirement, I'd serve this favorite in our house: http://food52.com/recipes/1692-not-too-virtuous-salad-with-caramelized-apple-vinaigrette . I use half the sugar called for, preferring a sharper dressing. And I like Pink Lady apples best, with Braeburns as my second choice, but of course, it all depends on what's available. It's a fresh, delightful salad that everyone loves! ;o)

Sorry, meant to add this link to earlier post:
Even if you can't commandeer the dinner, it's a pleasure to read this recipe by Suzanne Goin for an updated corned beef & cabbage.
http://food52.com/recipes/16596-suzanne-goin-s-corned-beef-and-cabbage-with-parsley-mustard-sauce

I like Pegeen's choice of honey. I'd try baby spinach with sliced strawberries, toasted almonds and toasted sesame seed. A little honey in the dressing, and maybe mustard if you think so. I'm guessing that more people will appreciate the variety than you think, and sweet is the stuff of sedition.

Well, a big bowl of mashed turnips (or parsnips) with butter, half-and-half, and salt and pepper, would only put you on the good side of "me Ma." Since there's minimal sun there, there are few brightly colored vegetables grown locally, not counting golden stout. ;-) But beets, cooked or pickled, and carrots are common.

Both sound delicious! Great ideas...I'd love to make both! Ahh if only I could take over the whole meal. Veggies are as welcome on that table as Protestants were in Dublin in 1900.

How about something like a beet and carrot slaw, tossed with a lemon or orange vinaigrette. (You might need to add a teaspoon of honey.) You could mix in some shredded kale or else serve plated on a bed of arugula or mixed greens. It will add some nice color to the table, plus beets and carrots are popular fare in the northern isles. Slainte!

The first thing that comes to mind is a crunchy bibb lettuce salad with April Bloomfield's lemon caper dressing! http://food52.com/recipes/16940-april-bloomfield-s-lemon-caper-dressing