Having a paddy

Happy Saint Patrick's Day. We celebrated with a dinner party, serving veggie Irish Stew with champ potatoes and soda bread followed by Irish Cream (Baileys) Tiramisu for dessert. After that, copious amounts of Jameson whiskey and Baileys were consumed. A good night - to be sure.

Pre-drinks included Guinness and nibbles in the form of Guinness flavoured crisps - a recent find and completely vegetarian. 

The Luck of the Irish

St Patrick's Day yesterday and, although not Irish, I decided it was a great excuse to make a Vegetarian Irish Stew and Champ. Not to mention Irish Barmbrack cake. 

The stew was made from onions, mushrooms, celery, carrots, turnips, potatoes and lentils with Guinness*, paprika, bay leaves, Dijon mustard and seasoning and slow cooked for several hours. Irish Champ is mashed potato creamed with spring onions, milk, butter and seasoning. It was a truly heartwarming lunch for such a cold, snowy day.

*Guinness may contain isinglass, a fish product, in its filtration process.

I have to confess this meal left me stuffed and satisfied. It was several hours later that I managed a slice of Barmbrack (rich fruit loaf). I'm not a Guinness drinker and only have a very occasional "water of life" aka Irish Whiskey. Slainte!