Greener St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Go green this St. Patty's Day by using organic or locally sourced ingredients in these Irish recipes

By Annie Bell Muzaurieta

The Irish are lucky people: their country's endless green pastures translate into grass-fed beef, stand-out artisan cheeses, and creamy butter. In addition, the slow food and local food movements are gaining recognition in Ireland. This St. Patrick's Day, shun the stereotypical plate of corned beef and cabbage (and the bad jokes about Irish cuisine), and try one of these traditional Irish dishes made with organic or locally sourced ingredients.
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A classic Irish comfort food that, like most stews, tastes even better one day after preparation. Consider sprinkling thinly sliced scallions and fresh parsley on each bowl.

GRANDMA KELLY'S ORGANIC BEEF STEW

Organic pale ale and caraway give this rich potato soup a layer of malty, earthy flavor.

Creamy Potato Soup recipe.

Courtesy of Wolavers Organic Beer

Here's a savory take on the often sweet scone. These can also be used to top casseroles and stews.

HERB AND CHEESE SCONES

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This simple, modern take on the traditional Fisherman's Pie uses fresh and smoked salmon.

SALMON PIE

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This hearty, classic dish is satisfying, easy to assemble, and a great use for leftovers.

SHEPHERD'S PIE with BROWN ALE

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Made with mostly whole wheat flour, this soda bread is rich and dark.

WHOLE WHEAT IRISH SODA BREAD

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Pair local-to-you beers with these delicious artisan cheeses, handcrafted in Ireland. Sean Faeth, fromager at Artisanal Bistro in New York City, suggests trying Ardrahan (pictured), which is a pasteurized cow's milk cheese from County Cork. It's meaty, aromatic, nutty and toasty, has a dense semi-soft texture, and can be quite rich and buttery. Faeth suggests pairing this cheese with Brooklyn's Sixpoint Diesel Stout, a thick oily, chocolatey stout, or a Guinness-like stout - something with low alcohol that is dry and roasty - such as the Victory Donnybrook Stout from Pennsylvania.

Durrus is a raw cow's milk cheese made in Coomkeen, Ireland. It is slightly fruity, has a nice buttermilky finish, and a somewhat chewy texture. Faeth suggests trying this with a fresh, fruity ale, such as Dominion Ale from Virginia, which he describes as crisp and slightly malty, with nice fruit notes. Another option is Red Rocket Ale, a red ale that has nice citrusy hops, and is slightly fruity with some caramel notes, from the Bear Republic Brewery in California.

Finally Cashel Blue, made in Tipperary, is a cow's milk cheese and was the first Irish blue cheese made. Cashel is made with a vegetarian rennet and can be soft, crumbly, and mild when young or soft and piquant when it is older. Faeth says he would go for something similar to a Belgian Tripel - high ABV, fairly sweet with good acid from the hops. Allagash Tripel Reserve from Portland, Maine or Anderson Valley's Brother David's Triple Abbey Style Ale from California would work well.