Looking for "Light" St. Patrick's Day Menu Ideas

[gulfporter]

The traditional boiled corned beef dinner or a steak & Guinness Pie will be too heavy for us this year as we're in Central Florida with highs in the 80s.  

 

I have access to excellent smoked salmon from a local fish-only smokehouse; also have access to fresh salmon at local markets.  

 

Is there any particular Irish fashion to serve smoked salmon as a meal; i.e., with soda bread (??) and other specific condiments??  Or any interesting but light meal with fresh salmon that's an Irish tradition? 

 

How about a light(ish) Irish dessert idea?  

 

 

[Smithy]

Irish Cream mousse?

[cyalexa]

I just saw Bobby Flay serve smoked salmon on potato cakes made with a combination of mashed and grated potatoes. Looked good. 

[Shelby]

What about corned beef sandwiches and fries?  Grasshopper pie?  

[gulfporter]

What about corned beef sandwiches and fries?  Grasshopper pie?  

Sadly, we've yet to find decent corned beef locally.  Grasshopper pie??  It's green but is it Irish 

[Lisa Shock]

Fish cakes and fish pie are common. How about salmon with cabbage, or Irish roasted salmon with some roasted vegetables?

 

An easy light dessert that is an Irish tradition is a berry cream. Simply take some fresh, washed blackberries, raspberries or strawberries, mash or juice some of them and add to fresh cream in a ratio of ¼ cup juice to  ¾ cup cream and add a tablespoon of sugar per cup of liquid. Whip the cream, and serve over more washed berries.

[djyee100]

Colman Andrews said it's Irish to serve smoked salmon with brown bread or soda bread. From his cookbook The Country Cooking of Ireland. Go to page 115. Also links to some other salmon recipes in the book.

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=nKBdBblqiX0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=colman+andrews+irish+country+cooking&hl=en&sa=X&ei=oQQFVfrHFZCMoQS_goDICQ&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=snippet&q=salmon&f=false

 

good luck with your Irish feast!

Edited March 15, 2015 by djyee100 (log)

[Mjx]

How about this recipe, from an actual Irish food site: https://www.goodfoodireland.ie/recipe/burren-salmon-summer-salad-asparagus

 

Although I'd skip the crème fraîche/sour cream, since that just sems to add needless heaviness to a summer dish.

[BKEats]

Along side the salmon you can serve something green. Mashed potatoes with kale (or a number of green vegetables from scallions to cilantro), parsley and garlic lime juice rice, or mashed peas. You can make a watercress soup, a parsley soup, a spinach soup, as it is green, you can add a piece of salmon in the middle. Maybe try to make a healthy sheoards pie using cauliflower to top and mushrooms, mixed with some vegetables as the base.

Instead of lots of lamb, you can make little skewers on the BBQ.

[gulfporter]

Thanks for all the suggestions and links. 

 

Going with smoked salmon on Irish soda bread: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-on-irish-soda-bread-with-chive-butter-recipe.html  mainly because I sampled some Irish soda bread at a local bakery and it was quite good.  We'll have a platter of chilled asparagus on the side.  Not sure if asparagus is "Irish" but it is green

 

For dessert, my DH opted for Irish Coffee with Jamesons and fresh whipped cream.  

[gulfporter]

Thanks BKEats; we posted simultaneously.  I like the peas idea; so instead of aspargus, maybe a pea salad with some mint.  

 

Lamb will be on our table for Easter (up north with family) which is just around the corner (4/5).  

Edited March 15, 2015 by gulfporter (log)

[jmacnaughtan]

Jameson's and ice. 

 

Not sure you need much else for a warm St Patrick's day.

[gfweb]

Sadly, we've yet to find decent corned beef locally.   

 

Yes. Me too.

Not hard at all to make your own. I keep some frozen for when I need a reuben or an Irish stir fry for breakfast.