St. Patrick's Day Favorites - Beef & Smithwick's Stew & Irish Soda Bread

Beef and Smithwick's Stew

I love St. Patrick's Day!  What a great holiday - no pressure, just good traditional food, festive music, the "wearin' of green", and a beer or two.  Since I am half Irish (my mother is 100% Irish), I like to celebrate each year.  Oh, and a great way to start the day is a green bagel (not Irish but very Jersey Shore)!   This year I made an Irish stew instead of the Irish-American classic of corned beef and cabbage.  I saw the recipe for Beef and Guinness Stew in the March issue of Cooking Light and decided that would be dinner on St. Patrick's Day.  I followed the recipe fairly closely but substituted potato for the turnip and Smithwick's for the Guinness Extra Stout.  Smithwick's (pronounced smitiks) is an Irish Ale from the Guinness Brewery in Dublin.  When we were in Ireland, it was the favorite of the local pub goers (it is a lighter ale).  My husband prefers it to the Guinness, so I figured why not try it in the stew.  It was absolutely delicious! 
 

Irish Soda Bread

What would St. Patrick's Day be without a slice of Irish Soda bread slathered with Kerrygold butter?  I have been searching out a good Irish soda bread recipe and finally found one that I loved.  I prefer a moist and slightly sweet soda bread that I can enjoy with my Bewley's Irish tea.  This family recipe is courtesy of  Kathleen Reynolds, an editor for Edible Jersey Magazine.  I am so glad that Kathleen shared it in her e-newsletter!

3 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar (scant)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 TBS carroway seeds
1 cup raisins
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350
Grease loaf pan.
In large bowl, mix dried ingredients well- including raisins.
Add buttermilk, stir until blended.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes.