Last year, I noticed some exquisitely planned and decorated dinners held for St. Patrick’s Day and was disappointed by the menu items chosen. Either ingredients rarely used here or recipes no one in Ireland would be familiar with. Honestly, I was way more annoyed by the selections than I had any right to be. But it also made me realize that I probably would have made a similar mistake prior to living in Cork, so I set about to create the perfect 8-course Irish menu for St. Patrick’s Day.
8 Courses
Traditionally, an 8-course menu includes these courses in this exact order: an hors d’oeuvre or amuse-bouche, soup, appetizer, salad, main course, palate cleanser, dessert, and mignardise (bite-sized post-dessert nibble). I am sticking to this structure.
I’ll delve into each course and describe its traditional elements. This will give you the framework to decide your own 8-course menu. But rest assured, I will also describe what Irish (and in some cases seasonal) ingredients would be my ideal to use. I will, of course, link to a few recipe suggestions (not just within my blog, but other Irish sites too).
You may be surprised to know I wrote this entire post and thought of the courses before searching for the related recipes. I wanted to choose the ingredients deliberately then look for a corresponding recipe. This created an intentional selection for each course’s options, but also means that sometimes a dish links to two separate recipes if the cake recipe, for example, didn’t include the topping I had in mind. There was also a very deliberate choice to only link to blogs within Ireland for the recipes. No shade for recipe sources outside Ireland, but I thought of all posts to promote Irish recipes from the source, it’s this one. Sadly, my idea for dishes didn’t always already exist as recipes online, so some don’t link to anything but I’ll add links as I find them or I’ll make it myself and post it on EvinOK.com
*V* – For each course, I will include a vegetarian option as well. For the fish course, this will be seaweed focused so it still reflects the seafood element. For the main/meat course, this will be vegetable-based.
Hors d’oeuvre or Amuse-bouche
This is a small, bite-sized appetizer that is meant to awaken the taste buds and set the stage for the rest of the meal. It might feature a combination of flavors and textures, such as a crisp pastry shell filled with a savory mousse, or a bite of tart fruit paired with a creamy cheese. Suggestions include:
Miniature Irish soda bread with a topping of smoked salmon, cream cheese, and dill.
Bite-sized Irish brown bread with a topping of smoked salmon, horseradish cream, and fresh dill.
Neven’s Spiced Beef Potato Croquettes with Celeriac Remoulade (Neven Maguire)
Wild Mushroom Arancini with Truffle Mayo. (Claire Hanley of The King’s Inn, Dublin) *V*
Chilled beetroot canapés (EvinOK) *V*
Soup
A soup course can be light or hearty, depending on the season and the overall theme of the menu. Some classic soup options include a creamy mushroom soup, a spicy tomato soup, or a comforting chicken noodle soup. The soup might be garnished with fresh herbs or croutons to add texture and flavor. Suggestions include:
Leek, potato, and blue cheese soup (Darina Allen) *V*
Wild garlic & potato soup (Chef Alan Clarke )*V*
Smoked haddock, dulse, and watercress soup (The Seaweed Site). *V*
Curried parsnip & apple soup (Clodagh McKenna) with crispy fried shallots *V*
Seafood chowder (Chef Tim O’ Sullivan of Renvyle House Hotel, Connemara) with gin & beetroot cured salmon (Chef Kate Lawlor-Lyne)
Salad
A salad course typically features fresh greens and vegetables, dressed with a flavorful vinaigrette or creamy dressing. Some traditional salad ingredients might include crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and tangy pickled onions. The salad might also be topped with nuts, seeds, or crumbled cheese for added texture and flavor. Suggestions include:
Mixed green salad with Irish cheddar cheese, toasted hazelnuts, thinly sliced apples, and a dressing made with Irish honey and apple cider vinegar. *V*
Fig, burrata & rocket salad (EvinOK) *V*
Irish goat’s cheese, fig & apple salad (Fiona Uyema) *V*
Thinly sliced fennel, mixed greens, and chopped seaweed, dressed with a lemon vinaigrette.
Roasted beetroot salad with whipped goats cheese, rocket/arugula, candied walnuts, and a dressing made with Irish honey and apple cider vinegar. *V*
Beetroot, orange, and radish salad with feta & fennel (Lilly Higgins) *V* or
Fish or seafood
This course might feature a delicate white fish, such as cod or halibut, or a heartier option like salmon or tuna. The fish might be grilled, baked, or poached, and served with a flavorful sauce or salsa. Traditional accompaniments might include roasted vegetables, rice, or potatoes. Suggestions include:
Pan-seared Irish salmon with a side of colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale), and a lemon-caper sauce.
Crab salad on toast (Kate Lawlor-Lyne)
Seared scallops with black pudding crumb, pea puree, and a cider beurre blanc.
Mussels with Irish cider cream sauce (Donal Skeehan)
Pan-fried hake with a side of Colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale), and a lemon-herb butter sauce.
Pan-seared monkfish with roasted cauliflower, pickled seaweed, and a lemon-butter sauce.
Sweet potato and seaweed cakes, lightly fried and served with a dollop of herb-infused yogurt.
Pan-fried Irish halloumi cheese with a fig and balsamic glaze and toasted hazelnuts. *V*
Palate cleanser
A sorbet course is a refreshing palate cleanser that is meant to cleanse the palate and aid in digestion before moving on to the heavier meat courses. This may be a seasonal sorbet or include liquor like in a Trou Normand. The name “Trou Normand” translates to “Norman hole,” referring to the supposed practice of creating a hole in the stomach to make more room for the rest of the meal. To incorporate this into an Irish combination of flavours, I strongly recommend serving:
Apple sorbet made with locally-grown apples, served with a drizzle of Longueville House Irish Apple Brandy. *V*
Hard Cider Ice Pops (Kate Lawlor-Lyne) *V*
Blood orange and rosemary sorbet with a splash of Irish gin. *V*
Wild elderflower sorbet with a splash of Irish gin. *V*
Granny Smith apple sorbet with a splash of Irish apple cider and a sprig of mint. *V*
Pear and ginger sorbet with a splash of Irish whiskey. *V*
Main course
For the main course, a classic meat option might be a perfectly cooked filet mignon, served with a rich red wine sauce. Other options could include roast pork, lamb, or beef, accompanied by seasonal vegetables or a gratin dauphinois. Suggestions include:
Roast deboned leg of lamb marinated in mint & Dijon (Kate Lawlor-Lyne) with a side of roasted root vegetables and a mint pesto.
Braised featherblade of beef with red wine and vegetables (Trevis Gleason)
Slow-cooked lamb shank with colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale) (Trevor Thornton) or Rich Marsala-Braised Achill Lamb Shanks (Imen McDonnell)
Confit pork belly with parsnip purée (Kate Lawlor-Lyne)
Slow-cooked Irish beef & stout with root vegetables (EvinOK) and served with Irish soda bread (Ballymaloe).
Cider Braised Pork Belly with Apple Sauce (Bord Bia).
Ballyhoura mushroom pots with Carrigaline Farmhouse Dillisk Cheese & Cooleeney Camembert with toasted soda bread (Kate Lawlor-Lyne) *V*
Mushroom risotto (Joe Swash). *V*
Mushroom Barley Risotto with Ballyhoura Mountain Mushrooms (Caroline Bibliocook) *V*
Butter bean, chickpea, squash, and seaweed ragu (Connemara Seaweed Company) *V*
Cheese
A cheese course is a classic way to end a meal, featuring a selection of artisanal cheeses from around the world. Though this is more French in nature, given the wealth of Irish cheeses to enjoy, I firmly believe that if you’re hosting a decadent Irish dinner, you need to make room for cheese. The cheeses are served with Irish soda bread, tomato chutney, figs, and honey. Some perfect options might include:
Dessert with coffee or tea
The final course is the dessert course, which might feature a decadent chocolate cake, a light and airy mousse, or a classic crème brûlée. The dessert might be garnished with fresh fruit or a drizzle of caramel sauce, and served with a sweet dessert wine or a cup of coffee. Suggestions include:
Strawberry passion fruit white chocolate cream (Kate Lawlor-Lyne) *V*
Warm sticky toffee pudding with Irish whiskey sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Neven Maguire) *V*
Helen’s Irish Whiskey Chocolate Torte (Castlewood House Dingle) *V*
Irish Cream Baked Cheesecake (EvinOK) *V*
Warm apple tart (Kerrygold) with a scoop of Irish Stout ice cream (Guinness) and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. *V*
White chocolate mousse (Kate Lawlor-Lyne) with rhubarb compote (Ballynahinch Castle) *V*
This menu highlights some of the key ingredients and flavors of Irish cuisine, including potatoes, salmon, lamb, cheese, and whiskey. You’ll notice the innovative and modern twists on traditional Irish dishes and ingredients, such as black pudding with scallops, whiskey jus with pork belly, and Bailey’s cream with dark chocolate tart. The use of seasonal ingredients like parsnip, apple, and blood orange add a fresh and contemporary touch to the menu. This is in an effort to let my fellow Americans know that it’s ok to venture beyond corned beef and cabbage. It’s lovely, but there’s so much more.