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viewsIrish Food for St. Patty's Day
By skirtySteph, Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Why is it that we only want Irish food near St. Patty's Day? Celtic chefs have a long history of tasty staples. Here are 2 of our faves: Grilled Corned Beef and Fontina Sandwiches and Braised Pork Shoulder with Potato-Fennel Puree we got from Bon Appetit. Click here for more of their St. Patty's Day recipes.
Grilled Corned Beef and Fontina Sandwiches:
Ingredients
- 8 slices Jewish-style rye bread, divided
- Dijon mustard
- 1 pound thinly sliced corned beef
- 8 ounces thinly sliced Fontina cheese
- 1/2 sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia), thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
Preparation
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Place 4 bread slices on work surface. Spread mustard on 1 side of each. Divide corned beef among bread slices. Top with cheese and onion. Cover with remaining 4 bread slices, pressing slightly to adhere.
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Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat. Place 2 sandwiches in each skillet and cook until golden brown on bottom, pressing occasionally with spatula, about 3 minutes. Turn sandwiches over and cook until golden on bottom and cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Transfer sandwiches to plates, cut in half, and serve.
Braised Pork Shoulder with Potato-Fennel Puree:
Recipe by Daniel Patterson
Ingredients
- 3 medium fresh fennel bulbs with fronds attached, all fronds trimmed and reserved, each bulb cut through root end into 8 wedges
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 1 4- to 4 1/3-pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
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Ingredient Tip
This recipe calls for fennel fronds, the green leafy tops of the fennel bulb. Look for fennel with the fronds still attached at some farmers' markets or ask the produce manager at your supermarket to set some aside for you.
Preparation
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Chop enough reserved fennel fronds to measure 1 cup; set aside remaining fronds for garnish. Place chopped fronds in blender. Add olive oil, orange juice, orange peel, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper; blend to paste, scraping down sides of jar occasionally. Sprinkle pork roast on all sides with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Spread fennel paste on all sides of pork to coat. Place pork on plate; chill uncovered overnight.
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange pork, fat side up, in large roasting pan. Cover pan with foil. Roast pork 1 hour. Add broth to pan. Arrange potatoes and fennel wedges around pork. Cover pan again and roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 190°F to 200°F, about 2 1/2 hours longer.
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Using slotted spoon, transfer fennel wedges to processor; blend to almost smooth puree. Transfer potatoes to large microwave-safe bowl; mash until smooth. Mix fennel puree and extra-virgin olive oil into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Return pork to oven. Roast until top browns, about 20 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, rewarm vegetable puree in microwave; transfer puree to serving bowl. Rewarm pan juices; season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Slice pork and arrange on platter. Spoon some pan juices over. Garnish platter with fennel fronds. Serve pork with puree, passing pan juices.
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Spoon pan juices from roasting pan into small saucepan. Spoon off fat and reserve.
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