It’s March and that means St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching.
We all know about traditional Irish fare: Corned Beef and Cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie, etc…but there are so many more Irish seafood dishes that can be served to celebrate the “wearing of the green” this month.
You’ll find that the potato has only been around Ireland for 400 years. Farther back in Irish culinary history, the Irish were hunters, fishermen and gatherers. Fish and seafood was their main source of nutrition.
There is an old Irish legend. It tells about a young boy named Fion mac Cumhall. He was sent to live with an old man who lived along the river. His name was Finnegas. Legend has it that in the river lived the “salmon of knowledge” and if you ate this salmon you would have all the knowledge in the world. Having caught a salmon, Finnegas gave Fion an order not to taste the fish, hoping it was the magical salmon. You see, he wanted all the knowledge for himself. As Fion cooked the fish, some oil from the fish burnt his thumb. He put his mouth to relieve the pain…and the knowledge became his forever!
The reason we tell you all this story is that salmon IS an Irish dish…especially when it’s glazed with Irish Whiskey! Here’s the glaze recipe to try out on March 17th:
- 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 3 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 6 6 ounce salmon filets
Combine all ingredients and marinade for 4-6 hours.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Remove salmon from marinade and place on a foiled lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Place under the broiler for an additional 2 minutes to create a golden exterior.
Another Irish inspired seafood dish is: Irish Cod Fish Cakes
This is a perfect recipe for using leftover mashed potatoes! (does that ever happen?) See the recipe here https://www.irishamericanmom.com/irish-cod-fish-cakes/
And because it sounded too good to leave off, try this St. Paddy’s day oyster recipe — The Cliff Townhouse Grilled Oyster with Bacon and Parmesan, — courtesy of The Irish Times and Chef Sean Smith.
Now don’t forget…you might find what’s at the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold, or, if you’re lucky, it might be Irish Fish Chowder!
