The springtime presents us with St. Patrick’s Day. I do not pretend to be Irish. I was born in Colorado. Do I make ‘Irish’ food on St. Patrick’s Day? Yes. Do I make it every day? No. I make beans, tacos and green chili much more often. I do eat a lot of potatoes and cabbage in my regular everyday cooking, something that pegs me as stereotypical Irish-American. My St. Patrick’s Day celebration is to marvel at the history and hardship that resulted in migration of groups of people that ended up with me being in Colorado and the resulting cuisine from my kitchen.

Part of the beauty of being included in a diaspora group is the way that food grows and changes with history and migration, and these recipes are just that. These recipes could be considered traditional Irish American fare, and I did eat very similar things in Ireland. However, I cannot claim these recipes to be authentically Irish. But just like cultures that grow and change with history and migration, ways of cooking grow and bloom into delicious things whether or not it is authentic. Acknowledging the history and ties of culture that food can represent in our lives is beautiful. It reflects the vast ties between humans of different places and times, and highlights the beautiful diversity and differences we all have.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

SERVES 8

3 lbs potatoes, mashed with milk and butter, kept warm

1 Tbsp oil

2 lbs ground lamb

2 medium onions

4 cloves garlic

1 cup Guinness stout beer (or beef stock)

2 cups beef stock

4-6 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp marjoram

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups frozen or fresh vegetables (usually peas and carrots) in small pieces

8 oz sharp Irish cheddar or Gruyère cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to bake this in an oven-safe skillet, use a very large skillet. My skillet is 12 inches in diameter and very deep. If not, you can use an oven-safe Dutch oven or everything can be transferred into a large casserole to bake.

2. Sauté the onions in a little oil until they sweat. Add the garlic and lamb and brown. Drain most of the grease off the lamb, reserving about a tablespoon or two.

3. Add four tablespoons of the tomato paste and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add Guinness, beef stock and spices and simmer about 20 minutes or until slightly reduced. If needed, you can add the other tomato paste to make it a little thicker. Add the veggies and cook until hot. If you need to transfer pans, do so now.

4. On top of the lamb and gravy, spread the mashed potatoes as evenly as possible without sinking them in the gravy. Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake 25 minutes until bubbly. Brown the cheese under the broiler for a few minutes, until crispy.

5. Serve with bread and Irish beer. Enjoy!

WHOLE WHEAT QUICK BREAD

SERVES 8

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

3 Tbsp wheat germ

3 Tbsp wheat bran

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 to 2½ cups buttermilk

¼ cup melted butter

1. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Sift together dry ingredients, then combine with wet ingredients. Dough should be like a very stiff muffin batter — scoopable, but not pourable. Bake about one hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Originally published in the Spring 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Unique Spring Recipes