St Patrick's Day Feast

A lot of things in this feast need to be prepared in advance but once underway can be left to their on devices - if you plan on making it for St Patrick's day tomorrow and need to work on the day I would advise making the Mousses the night before along with the starting the Stew - this means at all you is heat up the Stew and make the Drop Scones!! So not as complicated as is sounds!!

Feeds 6

* Potato Drop Scones with Smoked Salmon
* Irish Stew
* Stout & Guinness Mousse

Potato Drop Scones with Smoked Salmon

Drop Scones
- 200g of Mashed Potato (cooled)
- 1 egg
- 80g of Self-Raising Flour (sifted)
- 100ml Milk
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- Salt & Pepper to taste

Topping
- About 6 Slices of Smoked Salmon (preferably Irish for authenticity)
- ½ Granny Smith Apple (finely diced)
- ½ Red Onion (finely diced)
- Handful of Chopped Dill
- 150ml Sour Cream

Combine Apple, Dill & Onion and set aside

Mix together Drop Scone ingredients till well combined

Pan fry Drop Scones (make them about bite size) till golden on both sides

Arrange cooked Drop Scones on a plate then place a generous helping of Salmon on each, followed by a dollop of Sour Cream and finally sprinkle with the Apple, Onion and Dill mixture.

Serve as canapés or alternatively give each guest 3-4 on a plate

Beef & Guinness Irish Stew

- 800g Diced Beef (stewing beef or top-rump)
- About 20 mini Chantray Carrots (grated but tops left on)
- About 20 mini Button Mushrooms
- About 20 Shallots (peeled)
- 1 Jar of mini Pickled Onions
- 2 Cans of Guinness
- 1 Tablespoon of Horseradish
- 1 Tablespoon of Wholegrain Mustard
- About 100g of Salted Butter
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Lightly braise beef on all sides in Casserole Dish with a little butter and set aside

Add the remaining butter to the dish along with the Carrots, Shallots and Button Mushrooms and lightly fry till the vegetables start emitting a fragrant and tasty smell

Add beef to pan along with 1 can on Guinness, Horseradish, Mustard and Pickled Onions, cover and reduce heat to that it is lightly simmering or alternatively place in warm oven (about 150 degrees)

Cook for at least 3 hours (until beef and vegetables are falling apart) and add additional Guinness as needed as the juices reduce

The finished product should be dark brown and slightly thick and slightly running and melt in the mouth juicy

Serve with Buttery Mash Potato

Chocolate & Stout Mousse

(This is not my recipe, I found it in House & Garden but thought it was the perfect completion to a St Patrick’s Day Feast – alternatively you could do some kind of apple pudding – Ireland being one of the homes of Cider!!)

Note: it is essential to have all the ingredients at room temperature before starting this recipe

- 150g Plain Chocolate (70% cocoa) copped
- 35g Butter
- 8 tablespoons soft, Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 large Eggs separated
- 6 tablespoons of Stout
- 110ml Double Cream

Melt Chocolate and Butter in a glass bowl set over boiling water, then beat in 5 tablespoons of the sugar and allow to cool slightly

Beat the Egg Yolks into the Chocolate mixture one at a time, incorporating each one well before adding the next

Stir the Stout into the Cream, then using a wooden spoon add this liquid to the Chocolate mixture beating it thoroughly. It won’t come together easily but keep beating hard and it will eventually become smooth

In another bowl, whisk the Egg Whites till they form soft peaks, then add the remaining Sugar and whisk till stiff

Whisk 1/3 of the Egg mixture into the Chocolate mixture and combine really well, then using a rubber spatula fold in the rest, but be sure there are no white streaks

Pour Mousse into 6 glasses (it could be fun to use beer glasses ½ pint)

Cover in cling film and refrigerate for 6 hours till set

Serve, could be nice with a sprinkle of icing sugar or cocoa on top

Happy St Patrick’s Day!!