Chef Shares Irish Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

Happy (early) St. Patrick's Day! For many people, holidays are all about the food. 

That's no different for Chef Sarah Mentzer, who hosts cooking classes in the Stow and Akron area. Last month, in preparation for St. Patrick's Day, Mentzer shared some of her recipes and her food with a class at the.

Mentzer shared a long list of recipes, including Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage and parsnip and apple soup.

"I got some recipes that I have used and everybody wants the recipes from me," said Nancy Ellison of Silver Lake. "I recommend her classes. All the recipes have worked and have all been good."

Chef Mentzer's Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe:

• 4 pound corned beef brisket. "Silverside" if you can get it; many butchers are familiar with the trim and can prepare your cut of brisket in this special way. But, do allow them several days to prepare it properly.
• 3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
• 6 to 8 small onions, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon powdered English mustard
• 1 large sprig of fresh thyme and several parsley stalks tied together
• 1 head of cabbage
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Put the corned beef into a large pot with the carrots, onions, mustard powder and herbs. Cover with cold water; bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for one hour. From time to time, skim fat from the top as it rises. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut into quarters, add to the pot. Cook for another one to two hours until the meat and vegetables are tender. Serve the corned beef cut into slices and surrounded by the vegetables. Serve with a generous amount of potatoes, boiled in their jackets and freshly made mustard. In addition to the English mustard horseradish sauce can be used. (1/2 pt. whipping cream, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish: whip cream until it stands in peaks, fold in horseradish.)

Mentzer's next class in Stow is at the March 21 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Call the parks and recreation department at 330-689-2700. Cost is $8.

Can't make her next class? Check out Chef Sarah Mentzer's blog or call her to schedule a personal lesson at 330-328-6085 or e-mail her.

"I do a class where you invite three or four of your friends, and we cook meals for a week for people to take home," said Mentzer. "I also teach people how to prepare three or four main meals and how to make them into something new as  the week goes on."