St. Patrick's Potato

Here it is St. Patrick’s Day again. Last year I wrote about the traditional corned beef and cabbage and soda bread. But while we’re on all things Irish, how about the potato? Some could argue that the potato is the basic food of the Irish—and of many of us in this country as well. But whether or not it’s the foundation of their cuisine, the Irish have some pretty wonderful potato dishes.

Ever since the potatoes washed up on the Irish coast from the wrecks of the Spanish Armada returning from Peru in 1565, it has been that island’s staple food and one they claim as their own. Indeed, the common white, round potato is called” Irish potato,” even though the potato’s original habitat was Peru. The climate of Ireland was so suitable that potatoes replaced almost all other crops. They were eaten for breakfast lunch and dinner. Even whiskey was made from potatoes and named “poteen” after the small pots used for making it. The Irish loved the potato so much that they had pet names for it such as “Flowery” or “Laughing Potato.” Unfortunately, it was so successful that when blight killed all the potatoes in 1846, 600,000 people died.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the Irishmen’s propensity for the potato, I came across an unusual project to do with your kids:
Scoop out a bit of pulp from the top of a large potato and stuff in a little moistened cotton. Stick in some cloves for eyes, a snip of the potato top
for a nose, and a sliver of carrot for a mouth. Slice off the bottom of the potato and set it in a small dish of water on the window sill. Sprinkle some grass or bird seed on the cotton and water daily. Soon green hair will sprout.
(from The Potato Book by Myrna Davis)

Boxty is a mixture made of cooked and raw potatoes, created to use a few readily available ingredients to produce different results. It can be used for bread, pancakes or dumplings and has been popular so long in Ireland that a song goes, “Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can’t make boxty, you’ll never get a man.” It was named so because a box made of tin had holes punched in it with nails to create a grater to make the “boxty”.

Here is a recipe for boxty as a griddle bread, served with bacon and eggs for breakfast:

1 9-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ¼ cups grated peeled russet potato (about 1 9-oz potato), squeezed dry in kitchen towel
¾ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 tsp salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300. Cook cut potato in saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Return to saucepan and mash. Transfer 2 cups mashed potato to large bowl; reserve any remaining mashed potato for another use. Mix grated potato, flour, baking soda and salt into 1 cup mashed potato. Gradually mix in enough buttermilk to form texture of firm mashed potatoes.

Heat heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Brush with oil. Drop 2 heaping Tbsp. potato mixture into skillet. Using back of spoon, flatten mixture into 2-inch round. Repeat, forming 4 more rounds. Cook over medium-low heat until boxty is golden brown on bottom and slightly puffed, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until second side is brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining mixture in batches, brushing skillet with more oil as necessary. Makes about 18

Champ (Green Onion Mashed Potatoes)

Champ is traditionally served with a well in the middle that has a dab of butter melting in it. The potatoes are usually eaten from “outside” to “inside,” dipping each bite into the butter.

4 servings
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup whipping cream
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced (about 1 ½ cups)

Cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Mix in green onions. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep while potatoes cook. Drain potatoes. Return to same pot and mash. Add cream mixture and stir until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bon Appetit—or bain taitneamh as do bheile! (in Gaelic) and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!