St. Patrick's Day Boxty

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us and so the season of green beer, bagels, cupcakes and milkshakes is here. And of course you have to have corned beef and cabbage right? Wrong. While it is delicious, it is not Irish. The few cows that were raised in Ireland were used for dairy. Beef would have been prohibitively expensive, and when the good people of Ireland could afford to purchase meat, it would have been pork or lamb.

So celebrate instead by making Boxty, a truly authentic Irish dish. Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake that contains a mixture of mashed and grated potatoes, resulting in a unique texture that’s part pancake, part hash brown. It is delicious and a great way to use up those mashed potatoes from last night’s dinner. While suitable on an Irish breakfast or dinner table, Boxty pairs well with so many cuisines. For example, try topping it with smoked salmon and sour cream.

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

All you need:

1 1/2 cups grated raw potato (about 1 pound)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons butter

All you do:

1. Squeeze potatoes to release moisture. Place in a bowl with flour, mashed potato, egg and milk. Mix until combined. If the mixture is too wet, add additional flour.

2. Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Once the pan is ready, add enough butter to lightly coat the bottom when melted. Drop 3 dollops (about 1/4 cup each) of the batter into the pan and spread each to about 1/4 inch thick. 

3. Cook until the pancake bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes more.

4. Enjoy!

So have a great St. Patrick's Day and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex