Irish Breakfast

If you’re wondering just how Irish the US is, the answer is: very. There are 34.5 million Americans who list their heritage as primary or partially Irish. In Chicago alone, Irish was estimated to be the top ancestry in 2010 according to the Chicago Tribune, followed by German and Polish. In other words, more than enough reason to embrace St. Patrick’s with a good old plate of corned beef and a frosty glass of green beer.

Or, you can also try a delicious Irish breakfast! With beer, of course. While we didn’t exactly prepare the traditional breakfast with blood sausage, eggs, and bacon, we selected some of our favorite Irish breakfast items for our Saturday brunch. Delicious potato pancakes, brown sugar beans, ham and sautéed cabbage. Here’s how we prepared them.

Irish Potato Pancakes – Ingredients:

• 1 Russet potato, shredded 
• ½ Cup of onion, shredded
• ½ Cup of Irish cheddar, shredded
• ½ Cup of scallions, chopped
• 1/3 Cup of flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Canola oil for frying
• Sour cream

Mix all ingredients. Fry mix like regular pancakes, until each side is golden. Serve with sour cream.

Brown Sugar beans — ingredients

• 1 Can of organic white beans
• ½ Cup of ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon of spicy mustard
• 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
• ½ Cup of Polish ham, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ Cup of onions, shredded

In a small pot, combine and cook all ingredients on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Both recipes could be combined with ham or Canadian bacon and sauté cabbage with butter.