A day to celebrate my smidgen of Irish ancestry, the potato, beer and Celtic punk music! Sweet!
I know corned beef, cabbage and potatoes are "traditional" but they are not what I am making for dinner. (Okay, okay ... there are plenty of potatoes and cabbage involved, but not in their plain, boiled form!) When I was a teenager, I stopped eating red meat. It isn't because "meat is murder" or for a spiritual belief ... I just found that I didn't care much for the taste (exception = venison!) and I just felt so much more energetic and ache-free after I stopped. So, no judgement here if you are a carnivore ... just no red meat recipes either! But until about 6 or 7 years ago, I would "cheat" on St. Patrick's day because I loved corned beef! But sadly, it was corned beef that taught me that after a while without meat, it's best to stay that way.
I know corned beef, cabbage and potatoes are "traditional" but they are not what I am making for dinner. (Okay, okay ... there are plenty of potatoes and cabbage involved, but not in their plain, boiled form!) When I was a teenager, I stopped eating red meat. It isn't because "meat is murder" or for a spiritual belief ... I just found that I didn't care much for the taste (exception = venison!) and I just felt so much more energetic and ache-free after I stopped. So, no judgement here if you are a carnivore ... just no red meat recipes either! But until about 6 or 7 years ago, I would "cheat" on St. Patrick's day because I loved corned beef! But sadly, it was corned beef that taught me that after a while without meat, it's best to stay that way.
So, what do non-(red)meat-eaters eat on St. Patrick's Day? I spent some time poking around the internet looking for other Irish foods to make and stumbled upon Colcannon - I had never heard of it before, but was intrigued! Potatoes, leeks, cabbage all in one dish! I made it for the first time last year and Scott and I loved it! And even better, I panfried the leftovers into little colcannon cakes. Delicious!
But what protein to replace the corned beef with? Last year I cooked a whole bunch of Italian sausage in Guinness to go with the colcannon, but ... I was looking for something a little more ... not Italian! Well ... Ireland *is* and island nation ... why not fish? A few years ago I was watching a program on the Food Network about food from around the world and an Irish chef was using the most beautiful seafood that was caught right off the coast! We tend to think of corned beef and lamb and such when we think of Irish food, butnow I think of fish. So, tonight there will be some cod on the plate! Cooked simply - baked in a 425 oven for about 15 minutes, tossed in olive oil and perhaps some sea salt, pepper and marjoram with a squeeze of lemon to finish it off!
Well, the cabbage is already covered in the colcannon, but the idea of "Protein/Starchy side/Veg" is so firmly ingrained in me that I can't leave well-enough alone. And the Japanese principle of having 5 colors in a dish has rubbed off on me (note: the purpose of the 5 colors is nutritional, not just aesthetic. It's not a perfect system, but chances are if your plate has 5 different colored foods on it, you are getting a good range of nutrients! Trufax!) Well - I don't know if I can make it all the way to 5 on this plate, but some carrots would round out the white and green nicely! I mean, it's good enough for the Irish flag and all. And there is something ... blah ... about a plate of beigey white.
So, when I get home tonight, the first order of business is to fire up the stereo, get some Flogging Molly and Pogues going, wash those leeks, peel the potatoes and pour myself a beverage! But I think I am going to stop reserving colcannon for St. Patrick's Day only - it's too good to see on the plate only once a year!
Slainte!
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