Vegetarian recipes for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration
Editor’s Note: This story was originally published March 11, 2015.
St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating Ireland’s patron saint, is the perfect time to gather with close friends or family around a table decorated with hearty food and inspiring drinks. But Irish cuisine is usually unwelcoming to vegetarians, making liberal use of firecrackers (sausage), lamb and slices (aka bacon).
As a vegetarian with a deep appreciation for Irish culture and history, much of the signature cuisine is off limits to me. Or it would be, but with a little work, you can put a vegetarian spin on many classic dishes to make this holiday meal more vegetarian.
In addition to meat, many dishes include all kinds of root vegetables, from potatoes to parsnips and everything in between. Stews cooked with pints of Guinness are also common. Then there’s the Irish penchant for quick breads that dip deliciously. While it may not be as exotic as, say, Punjab cuisine, it still has plenty to offer.
Whether you’re gathering for the fun of time together or the revelry of the occasion, this selection of vegetarian fare is worthy of Ireland’s patron saint, resplendent in hardy greens and the occasional pint of Guinness without a drop of green food coloring. There is something good for the morning, afternoon and evening, plus a soda bread to serve with it.
But very strict vegetarians and vegans beware: Guinness Draft is made with isinglass – fish bladder – which filters out unwanted particles. There are stouts that don’t use isinglass, which can be substituted. Guinness Extra Stout has been declared vegan-friendly, so it’s still possible to get St. Patrick’s Day right.
Good health!
Breakfast
Irish baked beans
serves 6
Unlike our Boston baked beans which use molasses or maple syrup, Irish beans are made with tomatoes, honey and garden herbs. This dish is often eaten as part of a full breakfast – beans, sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, sausage, slices and tea – eaten in preparation for a long day’s work.
2 lbs. navy beans
1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 tbsp. ground sage
2 tsp. white or black pepper
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups of water
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Soak the navy beans overnight, under at least an inch of water and lightly salted.
Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet. Add onion, stir to coat oil, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Once the onion softens, add the sage and pepper, stir and cook for 1 minute. Then add the honey and tomato paste, stir until the mixture turns deep red. Remove from heat.
Drain and rinse the beans and combine with the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, water, and onion mixture in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir, cover and cook for 5 to 7 hours.
When most of the water has boiled off and the beans are nice and soft, add the chopped parsley. Let cool before enjoying.
Lunch
spoiling Dublin
serves 4
Dublin coddle is a traditional Irish hotpot dish typically made with root vegetables and Irish firecrackers, a flavorful sausage. For this vegetarian version, I used a vegan sausage to mimic the dish’s usual taste and texture.
1/4 cup olive oil
4 SmartLife vegan sausages, sliced
4-5 red potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 cups of water
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 12-oz. Guinness Extra Stout
Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Cook the vegan sausage for about 5 minutes. Turn to avoid burning.
In a slow cooker, layer the ingredients in this order: half the potatoes, half the carrots and celery, half the onion and parsley, black pepper and salt, all the vegan sausage, the rest of the potatoes, the rest of the carrots and celery, the rest of the onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix the liquid smoke in the water. Pour over the mix, cover and cook for 4 hours. Don’t worry that the mixture will boil down, but feel free to add water if needed.
When it’s ready, pour a bottle of Guinness over it and cook for another 10 to 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Dinner
Stew of barley and vegetables
serves 4
Before going out for a night out, it doesn’t hurt to whip up something fun and good for you. This delicious soup is packed with the root vegetables and herbs you need.
1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 parsnip, sliced
2 red potatoes, cubed
1 turnip, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
4 cups vegetable stock
1 12 ounces. Guinness Extra Stout
1 tsp. Marmite
1 cup of pearled barley
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cover and cook for 5 minutes until softened. When the onions are cooked, add the rest of the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
Now add the broth, Guinness, Marmite, barley and spices to the pot. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for an hour or until the vegetables start to soften. Add additional water if necessary.
When the stew is ready, add the pepper. Let cool and enjoy.
Out of the way
Egg Free Irish soda bread
yields 1 loaf
There’s little fuss or hassle with this bread recipe. You don’t need much and if you’re feeling adventurous you can customize it as you see fit.
3 cups of flour
1 tsp. sodium carbonate
2 tablespoons. flax seed
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and flax seeds. Add the buttermilk in ½ cup portions (more or less may be needed than called for above) until the flour becomes doughy and sticky. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
On an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan, work the dough into a disc shape, about 6 to 7 inches wide and 2 inches long. Take a knife and carve a big X in it.
Slide into the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes.