What to Cook (And Drink) on St. Patrick’s Day

This year, you’re skipping the corned beef and cabbage. Chef Alec Graham has you covered.

Ingredients

Directions

Braised Lamb Shanks with Buttered Turnips Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides until golden brown.
2. Remove shanks from pot, and add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until dark brown, and deglaze with red wine. Return shanks to pot, and add beef stock, rosemary, and thyme.
3. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover with a lid and transfer to oven. Cook for 3 hours or until tender.
4. Once shanks are tender, remove the meat from the cooking liquid, and set aside in a covered container to keep warm. Strain the solids from the liquid, and return the liquid to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow to reduce by half.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel turnips, and cut into one-inch cubes. Add turnips to water, reduce to medium heat, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
6. Once turnips are tender, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with butter and salt and pepper to taste, tossing until butter is fully melted.
7. To serve, divide turnips among four plates, place a shank on each plate, and top with sauce and parsley.

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Smoked Yukon Gold Potatoes with Horseradish Crème Fraiche Directions

1. Prepare your smoker to 300 degrees F. (If you don’t have a smoker, preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Soak 2 cups of wood chips in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain the chips, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan or baking sheet, and place a rack on top of the chips.)
2. Slice the potatoes into half-inch rounds, and toss with olive oil, rosemary, marjoram, garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Smoke the potato slices for about an hour, or until lightly browned and tender. If using your oven, place potato rounds on the rack and cook for about an hour.
4. While potatoes are smoking, combine crème fraiche and horseradish in a small bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. To serve, drizzle crème fraiche over potatoes and top with chives.

Chef’s Notes

This St. Patrick’s Day, skip the corned beef and cabbage. Foley Family Wines Chef de Cuisine Alex Graham dove into his personal treasure trove of Graham-family tried and true recipes to help you up your Irish-inspired food and wine game this year.

Graham’s Braised Lamb Shank with Buttered Turnips finds a hearty companion in a Smoked Yukon Gold Potato recipe, and Chef highly recommends pairing these dishes with the 2017 Chalk Hill Carménère from the Chalk Hill AVA. With deep red color, this Carménère opens with aromas of black licorice, dried thyme, blackberry, and smoldering wood. (Paired with smoked potatoes?? Yes please!) Its soft, plush tannins meld together with flavors of toasted vanilla and raspberry providing an elegantly long finish.

Together, the wine and the food will make for one of the finest St. Paddy’s Day meals you’ve ever divined. If you don’t have the Carménère in your cellar, let’s change that. Of course, a Chalk Hill Cabernet, or even Chardonnay will do nicely.

So, tie that apron tight, and here’s wishing you luck in the kitchen! Don’t forget to snap a photo of your finished dish and tag us on Instagram @ffwsociety.