With March’s hasty arrival that has us slowly transition into spring, there’s one holiday that feels as though it marks the unofficial end of winter – St. Patrick’s Day!
Observed on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day has become widely celebrated all over the world as it recognizes a beloved Irish figure – St. Patrick.
To pay homage to Irish culture, here are some recipes courtesy of BakeGood.ca and Mazola that will help paint the town green for your annual celebrations.
With green being the celebratory colour for St. Paddy’s festivities, these Pistachio Macarons from BakeGood.ca are the best of both worlds; green and flavourful, made with roasted pistachios, almond extract and topped with sea salt – you surely won’t want to miss out on indulging in these for your annual celebration.
And if you’ve not yet perfected the macaron, this Frozen Lime Cheesecake Pie is a wonderful alternative for those still honing in on their baking skills; with a graham cracker crust and lime zest filling, there’s no one who will be turning down a piece of this pie!
If you’re looking for recipes to serve as the main event, then Mazola has got you covered with some of Ireland’s most recognized staples.
With the Irish well-known for their love of Shepherd’s Pie, Mazola has created a Butternut Squash Shepherd’s Pie recipe made with ground beef and edamame, a wonderful balance between traditional and original.
And last but not least, it wouldn’t be a true Irish homage without any lamb – thankfully Mazola has a lovely Lamb Roast with Chimichurri recipe that is perfect for a lovely dinner to celebrate at home.
Made with garlic, mint, parsley, and red pepper flakes, serve this dish with your favourite side and sláinte!
Pistachio Macarons
Courtesy of BakeGood.ca
Ingredients:
Macarons:
- 1 ½ cups of icing sugar
- 1 cup of almond flour
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp of water
- 2 tbsp of light corn syrup
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 5 drops of green food colouring
Filling:
- ½ cup of roasted pistachios
- ¼ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp of almond flour
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp of unsalted butter)
- ¼ cup of almond paste
- ¼ cup of almond extract
Directions:
Macarons:
1. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the icing sugar and almond flour, and set aside.
2. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, lower to a simmer.
3. Add egg whites, sugar, and water to a larger heat-safe bowl that will sit on top of the saucepan (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).
4. Whisk eggs continuously until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Remove from heat and continue to mix with a handheld mixer or stand mixer until you get stiff, white, shiny peaks.
6. Gently fold in the almond flour mixture and corn syrup.
7. Once combined, fold in 5 drops of green food colouring or until the desired colour.
8. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
9. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ½” tip and pipe 1-inch rounds onto the cookie sheet, leaving 1” around each cookie in all directions.
10. Let sit uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes, up to 1 hour.
11. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Adjust oven racks, placing one on the lower third of the oven and the second in the upper third.
12. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the macarons have risen and are smooth with crackled edges. Remove from the oven and place the cookie sheet on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before removing the cookies.
Filling:
1. Place pistachios and almond flour in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
2. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to blend.
3. Add in the butter, almond paste, almond extract, and 3 tbsp of water. Continue to blend into a smooth paste (approx 3 minutes).
Assembly:
1. Once the cookies are cool, spread about 1 tsp of pistachio filling between 2 cookies to create the finished macaron.
Butternut Squash Shepherd’s Pie
Courtesy of Mazola
Ingredients:
Squash Topping:
- 4-1/2 cups 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubed butternut OR acorn squash
- 2 tablespoons Mazola Canola Oil
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Dash salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup shredded very sharp white cheddar cheese
Meat Mixture:
- 1 tablespoon Mazola Canola Oil
- 1-1/2 cups finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped carrots
- 1 pound/500 g extra lean ground beef
- 1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup low-sodium beef OR chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 cup shelled, frozen edamame
- Dash salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Brush Mazola Canola Oil over the squash and place face down on a baking sheet; roast for 15 to 20 minutes, just until tender.
3. While squash is roasting, heat Mazola Canola Oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes.
5. Add garlic and carrots; sauté for 3 minutes.
6. Add ground beef; cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned, breaking up meat as it cooks.
7. Stir flour into meat mixture; cook for 1 minute.
8. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, broth, and basil.
9. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
10. Add edamame; cook for 1 minute.
11. Add salt and pepper.
12. Remove from heat and set aside.
13. Place roasted squash in a bowl and slightly mash.
14. Stir in oil, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper; set aside.
15. Spoon the meat mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking dish; spoon the squash mixture evenly over the meat mixture.
16. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
17. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.