Time to peel the potatoes and cook the corned beef. And don’t forget the cabbage. The culinary trinity that fills plates each St. Patrick’s Day is a must for many who think they’re eating a real Irish meal. But they’re not. Corned beef isn’t traditionally Irish. It’s Jewish.
Corned beef, usually made from beef brisket, was a specialty of the Eastern European Jewish immigrants who introduced it to the Irish with whom they shared New York’s tenement neighborhoods during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Corned beef was cheap and the Irish embraced it, simmering it with Irish potatoes and a head of cabbage. It’s been the ultimate one-pot boiled dinner Irish Americans have served on St. Pat’s Day since.
No matter where or how the tradition evolved, I want my corned-beef fix. To get your it, you have two choices: Cook it yourself or order it out. I plan to enjoy some while dining in, and plan on a take out.
If you prefer not to cook, corned beef is easily found on the menu at countless eateries and bars. The standout this year is SqWires, where chefs are offering plates for dining in or for takeout from its marketplace.
When dining in this St. Pat’s Day, I plan to come for the Irish Brunch and indulge in an order of shredded corned beef hash and eggs draped with hollandaise alongside sweet potatoes, grilled onions and spinach. Maybe I’ll sample the Baileys Irish Toast, laced with Bailey’s and topped with caramelized apples.
If you plan to cook at home and looking for something green to add to the menu, consider asparagus. Try this elegant Spring Asparagus Tart, a gourmet addition to your St. Pat’s table that doesn’t require the luck of the Irish to make.
Spring Asparagus Tart
2 tablespoons flour
1 package (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
18 thin spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
3/4 cup shredded gruyère cheese
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sprinkle the flour on the work surface. Unfold one pastry sheet on the work surface, and cut the pastry sheet into three strips along the fold lines. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet. Brush the pastry strips with the mustard. Fold over the edges of the pastry strips 1/8 inch on all sides, crimping with a fork to form a rim.
Place the pastries onto the baking sheets. Prick the pastries with a fork. Arrange three spears of asparagus on each pastry and sprinkle each with two tablespoons of cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes.
