Irish Food

March has arrived, and with it the beginnings of spring flowers, some warmer weather, and St. Patrick's day!  From fish in summer, stews and soups in winter and, of course, potatoes any time of the year, Irish food involves simple, hearty, family cooking that follows the seasons.  We've scoured the internet for healthy vegan and vegetarian takes on classic Irish dishes such as Boxty (traditional potato cakes), Colcannon (from the Gaelic word, cal ceannann, which means white-headed cabbage), Shepherd's Pie and more.  Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

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Vegan ‘Corned Beef’ and Cabbage   from Peta.org

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 1/2 medium head of cabbage
• 5 carrots, shredded
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp. English-style hot mustard
• 1/2 tsp. mild horseradish
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 8 oz. prepared seitan, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup water 
• 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 200°F. 
2.  Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft, then add the cabbage, carrots, 1 cup of the vegetable broth, mustard, horseradish, and vinegar and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 
3.  Add the seitan, salt, and pepper and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables and seitan to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and keep them warm in the oven. 
4. Mix the flour with the water, add to the pot with 2 cups of the broth (add more water if necessary), and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the gravy over the cabbage mixture in the serving dish. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

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Irish Boxty Potato Cakes with Avocado Basil Ranch  from veganricha.com
Servings: 2 
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Ingredients
Irish Pancakes:

• 2 large russet potatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt plus more for seasoning the potatoes before cooking
• 1/4 teaspoon or more freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp flax seed meal
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4-1/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour or use a gluten-free flour which is neutral tasting
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• oil for cooking

Avocado Basil Ranch:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tbsp fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp or more ranch seasoning
• generous dash of black pepper and salt
• 2 tsp lime juice
• water as needed

Directions:

1. Chop 1 potato and add to a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil then continue to cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until done. Drain, cool slightly, add salt, pepper, milk, flax, nutritional yeast, oil and mash well. Taste and add salt if needed to keep the mixture saltier than regular mashed potatoes.
2. Grate the other potato. Add a 1/2 tsp lemon juice and mix in. Squeeze the grated potato with paper towel to remove some of the excess moisture..
3. Mix the grated potato with mashed potatoes.
4. Mix the baking powder in 1/4 cup flour and add to the potato bowl and mix in. If the mixture is too stiff, add another tbsp of non dairy milk.
5. Heat a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add a few drops of oil to grease. Drop dollops of the potato mixture on the greased pan. Shape and flatten and cook 4 to 5 minutes each side. 
6. ​Garnish with scallions and vegan butter. Serve with avocado ranch.
7. For the avocado ranch: Blend all the ingredients. Add water if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add some fresh dill, more onion powder if needed. 

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Vegan Colcannon  from thespruceeats.com

Ingredients:

• 5 large potatoes
• 1 head cabbage (chopped)
• 3 leeks (sliced)
• 1 cup soy milk
• Optional: 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (for a slightly sweet, nutty taste)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

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​Ingredients:

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for at least 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. In a separate pot, boil the cabbage in water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In another pot or skillet, cook leeks in soy milk until tender, about 15 minutes.
4. When potatoes are done cooking, mash them together with leeks, soy milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
5. Add cabbage and stir to combine.
6. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

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Vegan Corned Beef Reuben with Russian Dressing   from veganosity.com

​Ingredients:

• 2 cups vital wheat gluten (such as Bob's Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills brands)
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• ½ tsp ginger
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup water
• ½ inch slice of a raw beet
• 2 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp Tamari

Russian Dressing

• ½ cup vegan mayo
• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp horseradish sauce
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small pan on medium heat, toast the spices (excluding the mustard and salt and pepper) until they release their oils and become fragrant.  Approximately 2-3 minutes.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, add the vital wheat gluten and the spices, mustard, and salt and pepper, whisk until well combined.
4. In a blender, blend the beet and water until it turns to juice.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and tamari and blend until combined.
5. Pour the beet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined and it turns into a stretchy ball.  Knead the seitan for 2 minutes and roll it into a 8 to 10 inch log. Wrap it in a piece of parchment paper and roll it up tight in aluminum foil.
6. Bake on the middle rack for 50 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes.  
7. Unwrap it and when it is cool enough to work with, thinly slice it with a mandoline or the large part of a box grater.  If you don’t have either one of those, shred with a chef’s knife
8. ​For the Russian Dressing:  In a small bowl, stir all of the ingredients together until well combined.  Add more of any ingredient to suit your taste.

To Make the Reuben Sandwich:
Cover the bottom piece of rye bread with as much corned beef as you like.  Put the slice of vegan swiss cheese over the corned beef, then the sauerkraut on top of the cheese, and finally , dress the top piece of bread with as much Russian dressing as you like.
Heat the sandwich on both sides, in a large skillet with a touch of vegan butter.
Serves: 8

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Slow Cooker Vegan Corned Beef   from plantpowercouple.com

Ingredients:
For the beet puree:

• 2 15 oz cans sliced beets (NOT candied beets)

For the Seitan:

• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground mustard
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ⅔ cup beet puree
• ⅓ cup refined coconut oil, melted

For the rub:

• Ground black pepper
• Salt
• Ground mustard
• Ground allspice

For the brine:

• Reserved water from the canned beets
• 1 cup water
• ⅔ cup beet puree
• 1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped (optional)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp allspice berries
• ½ tsp ground mustard

Directions:
For the beet puree:  Open cans of beets, drain and reserve the liquid.  Put the sliced beets in the food processor and blend until a puree is formed.  Set this aside for now.

For the seitan dough:  

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten, flour, and all of the spices  Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the melted refined coconut oil and ⅔ cup of the beet puree.  Stir until combined Then knead the dough with your hands for about 1 minute.
2. Cut a piece of plastic wrap into a large rectangle and sprinkle on a pinch of black pepper, ground mustard, ground allspice, and salt.  Place the seitan dough on top of the seasonings and sprinkle the spices again on top of the loaf. The, wrap the seitan dough tightly and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight
3. While the dough rests, get your brine ready by adding all the ingredients to your slow cooker and turn it on low.  Take seitan out of the fridge, unwrap it and add to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours. Then flip the roast and cook on high for another 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 275 degrees and grease a 9x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle 1 tsp black pepper and ½ tsp salt onto the bottom of the baking dish and carefully place the roast on top of it.  Take ¼ cup of liquid from the slow cooker and pour it on top of the roast. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes.
5. Use spatula to carefully flip the roast, pour another ¼ cup of liquid from the slow cooker on op, and bake for another 45 minutes.
6. Allow roast to cool for about 20-3- minutes before you slice it.  Serve with cabbage and boiled potatoes.

Serves: 4-6

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