Rustic Whole Grain Potato and Oat Crepe

Pratie oaten is a traditional potato and oat cake made with mashed potatoes and oatmeal cooked on the griddle.  I thought the oat and potato combo was interesting, but honestly I’m just too lazy to boil and mash potatoes and roll out dough in the morning. But then I happened to see a cute mini-sized Irish cookbook that had a thin potato pancake recipe that used uncooked potatoes right across the page from a thin oatmeal pancake recipe: I was inspired to combine the two and hope for the best.

The batter is ridiculously easy to make.  Combine three ingredients in a blender, add a little salt and then fry up in a pat or two of butter.  The result is a thin potato with a hint of oat crepe that’s both elegant and rustic at the same time.

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Whole Grain Potato and Oat Crepe

Yield: 4-5 crepes

Ingredients:

* 1 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 cup oat flour (I ground Bob's gluten-free oats in a coffee grinder)
* 2/3 cup whole milk
* salt to taste
* butter for frying

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a blender or food processor and liquefy. Add oat flour and whole milk and blend until well combined. Add salt to taste.

Heat a pat of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour some of the batter into the center of the skillet and use a spatula to spread over the entire skillet. Let cook for up to five minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.

Brown Sandwich Bread with Teff, Gluten-Free

This isn’t really an Irish recipe but last week I did promise you guys a gluten-free brown bread recipe that’s great for sandwiches, so this is what I’d consider a weekend bonus recipe.

I’ve been making gluten-free bread for several years now and this is the first one that really has that same sort of spring and texture as a regular glutinous loaf.  I think you guys will really like it…

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Gluten-Free Brown Sandwich Bread with Teff

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 cups brown rice flour
* 1/2 cup sorghum flour
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1/2 cup teff flour
* 2-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
* 2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
* 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1 cup warm water
* 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
* 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 Tablespoons honey
* 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
* 3 eggs

Directions:

Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. In a large bowl combine the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, cornstarch, teff flour, xanthan gum, yeast and salt. Mix well.

In a separate large bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer) combine the water, cider vinegar, oil, honey, brown sugar and eggs and, using the lowest speed of your mixer, mix until combined.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for two minutes.

Spoon into the prepared loaf pan and, using a wet rubber spatula, spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Let rise for an hour in a warm location.

While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for approximately 40 minutes.

Strawberry and Oatmeal Flummery Parfait

Traditional Irish desserts- does anybody know what they are?  Most people, myself included, seem to just throw Guinness or Irish Crème into a chocolate dessert and call it a day. Or there’s the other popular solution of just adding green food coloring into whatever you’re making.

This flummery is a modern take on a traditional Celtic dessert that includes two of Ireland’s favorites: whiskey and oats. The parfait comes together quickly and easily, looks and tastes great, and has just enough healthy ingredients that you won’t feel guilty taking an extra serving…

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Strawberry and Oatmeal Flummery Parfait

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
* 1/2 cup Bob’s gluten-free oats (or other brand if you don't need to be gluten-free)
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 3 tablespoons honey
* 3 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 2 cups coarsely chopped strawberries

Directions:

Toast the almonds and oatmeal in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until they begin to turn golden; set aside to cool slightly.

Whip the cream until smooth and thick- right before soft peaks form.

Combine the honey, whiskey and lemon juice and stir until combined. Carefully fold into the whipped cream. Add approximately one-third of the toasted almond and oatmeal mixture and roughly one-third of the strawberries into the cream mixture and combine.

In four servings glasses or bowls, layer the whipped cream mixture with the strawberries and oatmeal mixture. Serve immediately or chill for up to 30 minutes.

Note: Both the almond and oatmeal as well as the whipped cream mixture can be made and chilled ahead of time, but avoid stirring in the oatmeal mixture into the whipped cream until just before serving time. The moisture takes out some of the toasty crunch of the oats.

Adapted from Irish Culture and Customs by Bridget Haggerty, who adapted the recipe from Classic Irish Recipes by Georgina Campbell

Individual Shepherd’s Pies

Ground lamb with carrots, onions and peas in a thyme and tomato sauce smothered with a buttery and cheesy potato crust?  Pretty much the definition of comfort food.  Those who don’t care for lamb should try the cottage pie variation and substitute use ground beef (and beef broth) instead. It’s really the perfect cold weather meal.

I know it’s the end of March and it’s technically spring in the United States, but it sounds from weather reports that most of the mainland isn’t necessarily cooperating with the calendar.And I guess I can’t forget all of my friends in the southern hemisphere who are currently heading into fall…

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Individual Shepherd’s Pies

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

Potato Crust:
* 1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes
* 1/3 cup half and half
* 2 Tablespoons butter
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Lamb Filling:
* 2 Tablespoons oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 carrots, peeled and diced
* 1 pound ground lamb
* 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes in their juice, pureed in a blender or food processor
* 1-1/2 cup chicken broth
* 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup frozen peas

Directions:

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered until potatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add half-and-half and butter and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add the carrots and cook another 2 minutes. Add lamb and cook mixture until the lamb is cooked through, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add thyme, Worcestershire sauce, pureed tomatoes, and chicken broth and stir to combine.

Make a cornstarch slurry by combining the cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon of water and stir until there are no lumps. Add to the filling mixture and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the frozen peas.

Ladle the lamb mixture into oven and broiler-safe bowls. Top with the mashed potato mixture, spreading it evenly over the lamb and creating a seal around the edges to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and boiling over.

Place bowls on a half sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes to ensure that everything is warmed through. Top with cheddar cheese and return the bowls to the oven and broil until the cheese has browned.

Remove to a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before serving.