St. Paddy's Day Dilemma

[Elora]

My BF just swore off cow. See, he's Hindu and him eating beef was somewhat contradictory to his religion. So much for that.

I have no problem with this at all. Of all foods, I can do without beef easiest. And he's already told me it doesn't bother him if I feel the need to indulge now and then myself - so all is well.

However, St. Patrick's Day present's a problem. I had every intention of cooking us a typical meal which of course could consist of corned beef as the main dish.

We love corned beef, and I rarely make this, let alone I'd never made it for him. I was even going to do it from scratch this year. Being as my background is most definitely not Irish, and he isn't well versed in the food end of his heritage; neither of us can come up with an alternative dinner idea for that night.

So, I leave it to you brilliant folks to come up with a different game plan, something which will be very Irish, but not a cow. Anything else goes, we both eat everything else you can think of.

[Elora]

Wow! You all gave me an amazing amount of things to consider and I appreciate all of it.

Shepards Pie, might be a good one to do. We both love it, and it's something i've never made on my own. We have an authentic Irish bar/restaurant across the street that makes it topped with champ, and if I could duplicate it as well as they cook it, he would be really impressed. I already have him bowled over, but this could really seal the deal :)

[coll]

Lamb or salmon is the main dish you find the most in Ireland.
Myself, I ALWAYS make Shepherd's Pie and soda bread.

[janniecooks]

Perhaps a baked ham or boiled ham and cabbage, or a roast chicken, or a roast spring lamb?

[podunkboy]

Well, I'm neither Irish (although I cook a corned beef around March 17th because I like it for sandwiches during the basketball tournament) or a big fan of lamb, but a nice rich lamb stew or something with fish should do fine, if you have to celebrate a largely Irish-American holiday.

[thursday]

Boxtys (Irish potato pancakes), smoked salmon on brown bread (at least as an appetizer), oysters all come to mind...

[MacTAC]

I don't really care for corned beef (except in a Reuben). Every St. Patty's Day and several other times a year, we have Freirich's Porkette with the cabbage and boiled potatoes. Everybody in our family loves it...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/mag...

[bigfellow]

I hate to be the one to tell you this...but corned beef is a North American Irish immigrant tradition. Corned beef in Ireland only comes in a can.
Try Irish Stew (lamb) or just try this link for the Irishabroad website recipe page http://www.irishabroad.com/Culture/ki...

[alwayscooking]

If it's more than the cow and you want to do vegetarian - cooked cabbage slaw with apples and tofu; pan roasted potatoes; beer steamed kale or chard. Or a Irish vegetable stew made with Guinness.

[todao]

http://anotherhuntingwidow.blogspot.c...

[Elora]

Nope it's just the cow :)

[todao]

Potato and Bacon Cakes; Colcannon; Champ; Coddle. There's a million choices. I like the Bangers, traditionally a steamed pork (and other ingredients) sausage and Champ along with a six pack of McGuinness with Carrageen pudding for dessert is about as Irish as you can get.

[Glencora]

Hmmm. Bangers and mash or maybe cottage pie or fisherman's pie (fish, prawns with a mashed potato crust), or how about mussels in beer?

[rob133]

I think you mean Shepards Pie (made with lamb) - cottage pie is made with beef

[Glencora]

Oops, you're right.