St. Patrick's Day is this Friday and a true celebration of Ireland's patron saint wouldn't be complete without a hearty meal of corned beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes and buttered Irish soda bread.

Local groceries have stocked their counters with the staples for a simple and easy Irish meal. Just remember that beef brisket will shrink significantly after being boiled and simmered for a few hours. Selecting a larger cut with less fat, which is typically more expensive, can ultimately be the better buy.

Boiling wedges of cabbage with the meat can add to the overall flavor of both ingredients. Just add the cabbage the last half hour or so for a side that is slightly crisp.

Most cooks have items necessary for a nice loaf of soda bread right on their shelves. Flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk are the key ingredients. After forming the loaf, don't forget to slice a cross on the top to “let the fairies out.”

Below is a sampling of recipes to make your St. Patrick's Day delicious:

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Sauce

Yield: 8 servings

1 onion

4 cloves, whole

4 lb. corned beef

2 parsley sprigs

8 peppercorns, whole

2 lb. cabbage

1 cup sour cream

1 tbsp. prepared horseradish

Peel onion and stick with cloves. Put corned beef, onion, parsley and peppercorns in a large pot and cover with water. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook gently until tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Cut cabbage into wedges and core. Add to the pot, cover and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Combine sour cream with horseradish. Serve the meat and cabbage with some broth ladled over all and the horseradish on the side.

Mary Lee's Irish White Soda Bread

3 1/4 white flour, preferably unbleached

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2- 2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sieve the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk as necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet or sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a floured board, kneading lightly, just enough to tidy it up. Pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches deep and cut a cross on it. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes, then turn down heat to 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until baked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread; if it is baked, it will sound hollow.

Irish Omelet

4 large eggs, separate out yolks

1 large potato, mashed

1 squeeze of lemon juice

1 tbsp. chopped chives

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. butter

Separate the eggs and beat the yolks, add to the mashed potato, mixing thoroughly. Add the lemon juice, chives and salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the omelette pan. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and stir them into the potato mixture. Cook the mixture until golden, then run under the broiler to finish and puff it up. Serve at once.

Irish Marmalade Cake

4 oz. or 1 stick butter

4 oz. or 1/2 cup sugar

4 oz. or 4 tbsp. whisky marmalade, or Irish Mist

8 oz. or 2 cups of self-rising white flour

2 eggs beaten

2 1/2 tbsp. milk

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the marmalade or Irish Mist and beat well. A little at a time, add the flour, beat eggs and milk. Spread the mixture evenly into a 7-inch baking pan lined with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees to 400 degrees for about 1 hour. Cool in baking pan.

St. Pat's Potato Pizza

Servings: 1 round 14 in. pizza

25 minutes baking time after prep time

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves

2 medium Wisconsin red potatoes sliced 1/8 inch thick

ground pepper

3 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 pkg. Fleischmann's rapid rise yeast

3/4 tsp. salt

1 cup very warm water (120-130 degrees F)

1-1/2 to 2 cups (6-8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

4 oz. corned beef, sliced 1/8 inch thick and cut into strips

2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, cook onions in 1 tbsp. oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until soft. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle thyme over onions and layer with potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with pepper if desired; reserve.

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast and salt. Stir water and remaining 1 tbsp. oil into dry ingredients. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface for 10 minutes.

3. Punch dough down, form dough into smooth ball. Roll or pat dough to 15-inch round. Place on greased 14-inch pizza pan or baking sheet. Turn up edge and pinch to form 1/2-inch rim. Layer half of Swiss cheese and reserved potato mixture on dough. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes on lowest oven rack. Top with corned beef, remaining half of Swiss cheese and parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese melts.

Irish Hot Pot

6 medium potatoes peeled and sliced thin

2 medium onions sliced thin

3 carrots scraped and sliced thin

1/4 cup cooked rice

1 can 14.5 oz. peas with liquid

1 pkg. 20-ounce sausage links or ground chuck, browned

1 can 15 oz. condensed cream of tomato soup diluted with a can of water

Salt and pepper to taste

In a buttered, 4 qt. casserole dish, layer the potatoes, onions and carrots, season each layer as you go with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with rice, then the peas with their liquid and top with meat. Pour the diluted soup over all. Bake covered in a 375-degree oven for 1 hour. Remove cover, turn sausages over and bake an additional hour, uncovered.

Irish Clear Lamb Stew

Servings: 6

2 1/2 lb Lamb: "neck chops"

4 ea Medium-sized onions

4 ea Medium-sized carrots

1 x Salt and pepper

1 tbsp. Lamb fat

1 tbsp. Butter

2 1/2 c Stock or water

1 tbsp. Chopped parsley

1 tbsp. Chopped chives

Don't let the butcher trim the fat off the lamb chops! Shred some of it and render it down in a heavy casserole. Peel onions and potatoes, scrape carrots. Cut the meat into 8 pieces; only excess fat is cut away. Bones need not be removed. Cut the carrots and onions in quarters. Toss the meat in the hot fat until its color changes; repeat with onions and carrots. Add stock and season carefully. Put whole potatoes on top. Simmer gently until the meat is cooked, approximately 2 hours. Pour off the cooking liquid: degrease it, and reheat in a saucepan. Check seasoning. Then swirl in butter, chives, parsley, and pour back over stew meat. Pour the diluted soup over all. Bake covered in a 375-degree oven for 1 hour. Remove cover, turn sausages over and bake an additional hour, uncovered.

Apple Fritters

Servings: 4

5 oz Flour

5 fl oz Water

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 Eggs (separated)

1 tbsp. Melted butter

2 Large cooking apples

4 oz Sugar

1 x Lemon juice

1 x Oil for deep frying

Make batter at least an hour before required, using following method: sift together flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Add the cooled melted butter and some of the water and egg yolks. Work in the flour and beat until smooth. Add remaining water. Leave to stand. Just before using, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.

Fold into batter mix. Peel, core and slice apples (slices about 1/4-1/2 inch thick). Dip into batter and deep fry in very hot oil (175-180C) until golden. Drain and serve dredged with sugar and sprinkled with lemon juice.

Oat Cakes

Servings: 8

6 oz Oatmeal (preferably fine)

2 oz Flour

1 tsp. Salt

10 fl oz Warm water

Mix flour and salt together. Slowly add warm water. Roll out on a floured board to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles. Cook on a pan or griddle until golden on both sides. Dry out in a cool oven (150 C / 300 F) until crisp. These cakes are eaten buttered, with a glass of milk, for supper, but are also good with oily fish such as herring or mackerel. (They are also terrific with wine and cheese.)

Tipsy Cake

Servings: 4

1 lb Stale cake (pound, angel)

3 tbsp. Jam

1 x Measure whiskey

5 fl oz Sherry

1 pt Warm custard

10 fl oz Whipped cream

Break up the cake or cakes and gently mix the jam through — the mixture does not have to be completely even. Place in a glass bowl. Mix sherry and whiskey and sprinkle over cake. Press down lightly. Pour custard over the cake, and chill. Then spoon whipped cream over top and serve.

Festive Irish Cream Cheesecake

1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Margarine, melted

1 envelope Unflavored Gelatin

1/2 cup Cold Water

1 cup Sugar

3 Large eggs, separated

16 oz Cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp. Cocoa

2 tbsp. Bourbon

1 cup Whipping Cream, whipped

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Soften gelatin in water, stir over low heat until dissolved. Blend in 3/4 cup sugar and beaten egg yolks; cook stirring constantly, over low heat, 3 minutes.

Combine cream cheese and cocoa, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add gelatin mixture and bourbon, mixing until well blended.

Chill until thickened, but not set. Beat egg whites until foamy; gradually adding the remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites and whipped cream into cheese mixture and pour over crust. Chill until firm. Garnish with chocolate curls and small silver candy balls, if desired.

VARIATION: Substitute 2 tbsp. cold coffee for bourbon.

Potato Pie

Servings: 4

1/2 lb Boiled potatoes

1/4 lb Butter, melted

3/4 lb Sugar

3 x Almonds, pounded

1 tbsp. Orange extract

6 Eggs

4 fl oz Whiskey

Mash the potatoes until lump-free. Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs and beat separately; the yolks until lemon-colored, the whites until stiff. Add the almonds, orange extract, sugar and egg yolks to the potatoes; mix well, then add the glass of whiskey, and when combined, fold in the egg whites. Have ready a greased and floured cake pan with a greased piece of butcher paper/baking parchment in the bottom. (Or alternately, prepare 2 pie crusts and fill them with the mixture.) Bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes.

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