Irish Boxty

My daughter, Holly, was in town for the wedding of her best friend, Stephanie. While she was here, we celebrated her birthday at Brian Boru’s, an Irish Pub. It was there that I had my first Boxty. A Boxty, for those of you who don’t know, is an Irish potato pancake. It even has its own poem..

Boxty in the griddle,
boxty in the pan,
If you can’t make boxty,
you’ll never get a man.

It was the only vegetarian meal choice I had on the menu, and it was delish!! I’m actually glad it was my only choice. Those that know me, know I can be a little stubborn trying new things in a restaurant setting (where I’m actually paying for the meal). Brian Boru’s version was much denser and pancakey (is that even a word?). Mine was lighter and creamier inside. I hope you enjoy it as much as I!

Pancakes
3 lg potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves of garlic, cracked and skins removed
1/3 c flour, all purpose
3 tsp baking powder
¾ c milk
1 tsp sugar (yes, sugar)
1 egg
½ tsp salt
pepper to taste

Filling
2 tbs olive oil
1 lg onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, I used red
1 – 6 oz bad of baby spinach
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1 c of your favorite marinara
1 c shredded cheese (I used Kerigold Irish aged cheddar)

For the pancakes: Put the potatoes and garlic in a large pot and fill with water to about 2 inches above the potatoes. Add 2 tbs salt and put on high. Boil, cover cracked, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and garlic, put in a bowl and mash. I used a food mill. Mix the dry ingredients together and sprinkle over the potatoes. Mix the milk and egg together and pour over the potatoes. Mix to combine and set aside.

For the filling: Add olive oil to a pan and heat to medium

heat. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and saute, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, but not brown. Add the spinach, place a top on the pan and allow the spinach to wilt. Remove the cover and allow the excess moisture, from the spinach, to evaporate. Add salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add a quarter of the pancake mixture to the middle. Using the back of a spoon, or a knife, spread to batter out unit its about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch think. Reduce to medium, cover, and let cook for 3 to 5 minutes (until set and browned). Before you flip the pancake, give the pan a shake to loosen the pancake. Flip and continue to cook until browned and heated through.

To assemble: Place you pancake on a plate. Ladle some marinara on one half. Add a quarter of the vegetable filling, sprinkle with cheese and fold the pancake over on top of the filling. You can, of you wish, ladle on more marinara and sprinkle on more cheese.

Makes 4 boxtys (boxties?!)

Cate's Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

These are my daughter's signature potatoes. They're tangy, chunky, and oh so cheesy. No gravy needed here!




6 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 oz (half a small carton) of sour cream
1/4-3/4 c of milk
3/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, add potatoes and enough water to cover about an inch over the top of the potatoes. Heat to boiling over high heat. Add a good pinch of salt, reduce heat to medium and cover. Boil the potatoes until they are tender, approximately 15 minutes (when you can smash them easily with a fork against the side of the pot, they're done).

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.

Add the sour cream and cheese and smash by had using a potato masher. Add enough milk until they are your desired consistency.

Return the pot to the stove and over low heat, stir the potatoes until they are steamy and the cheese is melted.

Salt and pepper to your taste.

Serves 6.

Leek and Potato Soup

I was walking through the Produce Department of the store I help manage and I came upon leeks! I got very excited! (I'm a little strange that way) I've wanted to use leeks in a recipe for a while! Leeks are a member of the onion family. I can't think of anything that goes with onions better than potatoes, can you?! So here's my quick and easy version of Leek and Potato Soup. It's thick and creamy and hits that very special spot in your tummy that warms your soul.

7 medium potatoes

2 leeks

2 carrots

1 celery stalk

1 garlic clove

4-14.4 oz cans of low sodium chicken broth

1 cup half-n-half (I used fat free)

4 tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Fill a large bowl with water and set aside.

In a stock pot, or large pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.

Cut the leeks at the root and the tough leaves (where they're light green in color). Split the leeks in half lengthwise and slice thinly. Place the sliced leeks in the water and swish them around, breaking the layers apart. Leeks can hold dirt between the layers, so we're giving them a bath!

While the leeks bathe, peel and finely chop the carrots and celery stalk and mince the garlic. Add the carrots, celery and garlic to the oil. Using your hands LIFT the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind, shake out the excess water. Add the leeks to the pot. Be careful, the oil WILL pop because of the water. It will stop when the waters gone. Saute the vegetables until they are very soft and tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop your potatoes - I used a small dice. When the vegetables are tender, add the potatoes, bay leaves, basil, oregano, 1 tsp salt and about 15 good turns of the pepper mill. Toss to combine and then add the chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring the pot to a full boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to medium, and gently boil for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender (they can be smashed against the side of the pot without effort). Add the half-n-half, being sure to temper it first so it doesn't curdle. Remove the soup from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until thick and creamy. Taste. Adjust your seasoning if necessary.

Makes approximately 6 cups of soup

TIPS:

To temper half-n-half, pour 1 cup half-n-half in a 4 cup measuring cup. Fill the cup up with the hot soup, one ladle at a time. By slowly raising the temperature of the half-n-half you don't have to worry about it breaking (curdling).

As you chop your potatoes, drop them in a bowl of water. This stops them from turning brown while you finish chopping the rest of the potatoes.

If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender or food processor, but be careful with the hot soup!

Easy Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup is such a simple and quick fix! It can literally be thrown together in one pot and on the table in approximately 30 minutes. It goes down great on blustery cold autumn days, or after a romp in the snow! Serve it with a nice warm crusty bread and you have a meal fit for a king!








2 pounds Beef, cubed ( I use a Chuck Roast or whatever is on sale)
1 small Yellow Onion, chopped
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
32 ounces Beef Stock
32 ounces Water
1 - 29 oz. can Tomato Sauce
3 Bay Leaves
16 oz. Regular Frozen Mixed Vegetables
3 small Red Potatoes, washed and cut into small cubes
8 oz Bow Tie pasta
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a stockpot, over medium high heat, add your olive oil. When the oil's hot, add the chopped onion and beef. Cook the beef until it's browned on all sides and the onion is soft. Add the bay leaves, beef stock, tomato sauce and water. Next add the vegetables and potatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the pasta. Boil until the pasta and potatoes are tender, approximately 8 to 11 minutes.

Season to taste.

Serves about 8-10 (depending on how hungry, or how cold, you are)

Once you have basic recipe down, it's incredibly versatile also! For instance, use your left over roasted chicken (or turkey! The holidays are near!), switch the beef stock for chicken and omit the tomato sauce (or even leave it in) and viola!! You have chicken soup better than anything you would get out of a can! Or, for you vegetarians ... omit the meat, and switch to vegetable broth.

If you decide to leave out the tomato sauce, I would thicken the broth slightly by dissolving some cornstarch in cold water and stir the mixture into the soup while it's boiling. You don't want the broth too thick; just enough to give it some body.

Be on the lookout for my Olive Oil Bread! It's great for dunking and soaking up all the wonderful broth!