Courtesy of Geri Ziemba
Here in Dublin, celebrating all things Irish is core to our culture, so St. Patrick’s Day is an especially important holiday.
This time of year is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with some traditional Irish foods and even try your hand at making a modern update to those recipes.
Call it the luck of the Irish that you don’t have to go far to get great Irish cuisine.
Fado Pub & Kitchen features meals popular in Ireland including fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. McClellan’s Pub lays claim to one of the largest whiskey selections in Ohio with more than 500 bottles on hand. At Dublin Village Tavern, the menu includes traditional fare and riffs on Irish cooking such as Irish egg rolls, Irish sliders and a whiskey glazed salmon.
Making Irish food at home, however, can seem like a challenge. The multiple layers of a shepherd’s pie or the long brining process of corned beef might not fit into a busy schedule.
Dublin Village Tavern general manager Geri Ziemba has suggestions for what to try: In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, start easy but get creative with his recipe for Irish smashed prata with an Irish cheddar cheese sauce.
Megan Roth is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Receipes
Práta
• 1 ½ lbs. small red potatoes
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Fresh chives, minced
In a large pot of water, add potatoes and bring to a boil. Bring heat down to a simmer and cook until they can be pierced easily with a fork, about 15- 20 minutes. While simmering, begin preheating oven to 450 degrees. Drain and set aside.
Place a double layer of paper towels on the counter and set the drained potatoes on top to cool.
Using a clean dish towel or paper towel, gently smash each potato with the heel of your hand, then place potatoes on a baking sheet.
Season potatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, making sure that a bit of oil gets under each potato so they are entirely coated. Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes, flipping once with a spatula halfway through.
Roast until the edges are crispy and brown.
Garnish potatoes with pepper and chives.
Irish Cheddar Sauce
• 1 tbsp. Irish salted butter
• 4 tsp. flour
• 12 oz. evaporated milk
• 1 ½ cups grated Irish aged cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup cooked and diced Irish bacon or regular bacon
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for one minute.
Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.
Add cheese by the handful and stir until cheese is melted.
Stir in the cooked diced bacon. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Recipe courtesy of Geri Ziemba, general manager, Dublin Village Tavern
