It’s St Patrick’s Day – a whole weekend of Irish and green-themed revelry in NYC.
Oreos have green fillings, my Starbucks this morning was swirled with a shamrock, fiddle music blared over our regular office Friday beer hour. It’s a time when everyone likes to explain to everyone else exactly how Irish they Really Are, and How Much More Irish they are than everybody else, including actual Irish People.
Sure, you may live in Clare or Cork or Kerry, but hand on your heart, are you as Irish as Jean Marie who’s daughter’s name has 12 vowels in it, or as Irish as Anne Marie who plays the tin whistle, fiddle and harp and composes modern folk songs in Irish and other Celtic dialects?
Console yourselves by drinking the Guinness that everyone suspects tastes different in Ireland -“So much better! Why can’t we buy it like that in America? Is it a corn syrup thing?” – and don’t give it too much thought.
It’s time for a proper beef stew, for mashed potatoes, and cabbage.
Roasted Cabbage.
Bear with me.
You remember a few years ago when everyone started roasting Brussels Sprouts and saying things like, “Wow! I had no idea these horrible slimy things could be so delicious!†Well, this is a bit like that for Cabbage.
1 1/2 lb of cabbage will feed about 6 people.
- Slice the cabbage thinly.
- Toss it in a little light olive oil. Season well.
- Roast it. 400f. 20 – 35 mins, depending on how thickly it’s sliced, tossing about half way through.
- Spritz with lemon juice to serve. Use plenty of black pepper.
- For added brownie points, chop up some bacon or pancetta and toss into the cabbage before roasting.
Pour yourself a Guinness. Job done.