Luck of the Irish!



shamrock and hat wednesdaymenu-1-1

Welcome to the St. Patrick’s Day Edition of What’s On the Menu Wednesday.  I know that I say it every week, but I really do look forward to what you have to say.  I hope you will plan to link up your terrific menu ideas below.  Thanks for joining me.

Every year my students do a novel study on Patricia Reilly Giff’s Nory Ryan’s Song which is set in Ireland during the time of the Great Famine.  It’s a terrific little novel and one that provides so much opportunity for discussion about one of the reasons why America has such a large Irish population.  Since I have written about it before, I won’t go into detail here, but I really do encourage you to read it and the two others that follow:  Maggie’s Door and Water Street.
It always me in the mood for typical Irish foods, especially potatoes.  I’m always on the lookout for a good potato dish that will please the majority of my family members.  This one does that.
potato ham-1
SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH HAM
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Each of the potatoes should yield about 1 1/2 pounds.
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped cooked ham
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
1 3/4 cups whipping cream (I use half and half.)
2 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Sauté onion in oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender.  Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Place potatoes in a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine flour, salt and pepper; sprinkle over potatoes, tossing to coat.
Arrange  half of potato mixture in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish or a 3-quart gratin dish.  Top with onion, ham and 1 cup cheese.
Top with remaining potato mixture.  Pour cream over potato mixture.  Dot with butter and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.  Uncover and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese.  Bake for an additional 20 more minutes or until potatoes are tender and cheese is browned.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Yield:  6 (I think generous) servings.
You might be interested in some previous St. Patrick’s Day related posts: