Two tender loaves of slightly sweet soda bread are speckled with raisins for the perfect Saint Patrick’ Day treat. (Serves: 2 Loaves)

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flower sifted
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 1/2 cups raisins mixed light and dark

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter two 9”x5” inch bread pans. Soak the raisins in hot water for 15-20 minutes, then drain well.
2. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut the butter into cubes and mix very thoroughly with the flour, by hand, until it looks grainy. Stir in the drained raisins.
3. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture. Stir well. The dough should resemble thick cake batter. Equally fill 2 loaf pans. With a knife cut a cross on top because this means “I have done my best and the rest is up to God”
4. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool in the pans for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Irish Egg Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 cups coarsely chopped cooked cabbage (about 7 ounces)
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely chopped cooked corned beef (about 5 ounces)
• 1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped cooked carrots (about 3 ounces)
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 6 wonton wrappers
• Neutral oil (for frying; about 4 cups)

Egg Roll Assembly

1. Place cabbage, corned beef, and carrots in a food processor; season with salt and pepper. Pulse until pieces are slightly smaller than pea-size.
2. Working one at a time, place wonton wrapper on a work surface with 1 corner facing you. Place 2.5 oz. (about 1⁄3 cup) filling in center of wrapper and shape into a horizontal 4″-long log. Dip your fingers in water and lightly brush top, left, and right corners of wrapper. Roll bottom corner up and over filling, then tuck under filling. Fold left and right corners tightly over filling to enclose, then continue to roll bundle away from you, tucking as you go, to create a classic egg roll shape. Both sides should be as close to sealed as possible; use a little water to pinch and patch.
3. Fit a medium pot with deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to come halfway up the sides. Heat over high until thermometer registers 350°. Reduce heat to medium. Working in batches, fry egg rolls until lightly browned and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving; the finished texture should be crispy but still have a little chew to it. Serve with sauce alongside.

Egg Roll Horseradish Mustard Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1⁄4 cup shredded horseradish
• 2 tablespoons French’s yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Egg Roll Horseradish Mustard Sauce

• Whisk Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, rice vinegar, mustard powder, horseradish and cayenne in a small bowl until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
• Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 2-days ahead; cover and chill.

Note: You’ll need to have a deep-fry thermometer

Boiled Corned Beef Dinner

Corned beef can be pretty salty, so if you are making boiled dinner with corned beef you may want to put it in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and then discard the water before starting the recipe. If the broth ends up being too salty, you can serve just the meat and vegetables, without the broth, or add water to the broth to dilute it.
Cook Time: 4-hours, 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds corned beef brisket or plain beef brisket
• 15 peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 medium sized turnips, peeled and quartered
• 4 red new potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 large carrots, cut into thirds and the thickest pieces quartered lengthwise
• 1 small head cabbage, cut into fourths

Instructions

1. Put corned beef in a pot, cover with water, add seasonings, simmer: Put the brisket in a 5- or 6- quart Dutch oven and cover with an inch of water. If you are using corned beef brisket and it does not come already packed in seasoning, add peppercorns, cloves, and a bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a simmer and then cover, lower the heat until it is barely simmering. Keep at a low simmer for four hours or until the meat is tender (a fork goes through easily).
2. Remove meat, add vegetables, simmer: Remove the meat and set aside, keeping the meat warm. Add the vegetables to the pot. Check the broth for taste. If it is too salty, add a little more water to taste. Raise the temperature and bring the soup to a high simmer. Cook at a high simmer until done, about 15-30 minutes longer, depending on the size of the cut of your vegetables.
3. Slice meat across the grain: Slice the meat in thin slices across the grain. You may find it easier to slice if you first cut the roast in half along the same direction as the grain of the meat. Then slice smaller lengths across the grain.