If your name is Murphy, the Irish
call you ‘Spud’
St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. almost always means corned beef and cabbage, and, of course, a good brew accompanying it. In Ireland, however, pork chops might take the role of corned beef, and the real star of the dinner could be what some might call the true symbol of Irish cookery — the potato.
Chef Michael Ryan, who heads the kitchen at the award-winning restaurant of Arbutus Lodge in Cork, Ireland, and who trained in France, says potatoes are indeed an important part of Irish cooking and lore.
On St. Pat’s day: Boxty
He once told me, during a visit, that in Ireland, the potato is called a Murphy, “So if your name happens to be Murphy,” he said, “everyone simply calls you Spud.”
If you are on a low-carb diet, dining on potatoes needs some thought, because the spud (or is that the Murphy?) has built a reputation for its starchy interior.
However, there are some basic guidelines for healthful potato preparation, depending, of course, on what the doctor or dietitian orders for you.
With the help of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), we’ve designed a strategy for preparing “Boxty,” the popular Irish potato pancake dish often served at St. Patrick’s Day and other festive events.
Doctor has final say
An ADA spokesperson cautions that everyone on a restrictive low-carb diet has different needs, so the doctor has the final say. However, the general rule for cutting back carb intake is to limit consumption to 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. For a snack, hold the carb intake to 15 to 30 grams.
Translating that to potatoes, three ounces of a baked potato with the skin would be 22 grams; for a cooked and peeled potato, three ounces would be 17 grams. A half-cup of hash browns would equal 22 grams of carbs. So for an acceptable serving, you could have six ounces of a baked potato with the skin, or one cup of hash browns.
For Boxty, we’ll use finely grated raw potatoes that are strained to remove some of the water and starch. Compared to other fried potato dishes, Boxty has a smooth and fine-grained consistency.
Boxty
Traditional Irish Potato Pancake
2 pounds potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup flour
Salt to taste
6 tablespoons buttermilk, or plain milk
2 tablespoons butter
Brown sugar for sprinkling,
about 2 tablespoons (optional)
3 tablespoons butter (optional)
Grate potatoes on coarse side of grater into large bowl. Put grated potatoes into linen tea cloth and squeeze, removing as much moisture as possible. Rinse and wipe the large bowl; then put potatoes back in. Blend in flour and salt, then stir in buttermilk, using just enough to hold potatoes together. Put aside for 30 minutes.
When ready to continue, heat heavy skillet over medium high heat with butter, adjusting heat so butter doesn’t burn. When butter is melted, drop in Boxty mixture in heaping tablespoons. With spatula, shape patties and press so each is about a quarter-inch thick. Cook until brown on both sides, about five minutes per side, turning occasionally to check on done-ness. Serve with sprinkling of brown sugar and additional melted butter if desired.
Makes about 5 servings.
By The Senior Snacker
If you believe imaginative cooking, quality ingredients and great atmosphere always come with a high price, have we got a surprise for you!
Twice, we visited the XIX Nineteen Restaurant on the 19th (XIXth) floor of the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue.
The daytime view through the glass dome is light and airy, but in early evening, when the last rays of the sun hit the rooftops of the skyscrapers and the lights of the city began twinkling and glowing, it’s spectacular!
Our mission was to sample the newest of the new for trendy foodies — a really different raw bar. Yes, you can have the usual clams or shrimp or mussels — but striped marlin? Wahoo? They are delicious raw, accompanied by wisely chosen vegetables and sauces. For the slightly less adventurous, we recommend the raw tuna or salmon.
The really big surprise, which we saved for our second visit, is the mouth-watering $19 special, (Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) served in the Café with that knockout view of the city from the hotel’s top floor.
Daily selections include five fresh salads and an amazing array of desserts (take as much as you want). The attentive wait staff will serve your entrée selection. Our choices were eggplant risotto with chicken, grilled chicken breast, grilled hanger steak, halibut and salmon. Each is beautifully accompanied — the salmon with lentil curry, roasted turnips and fried okra; the halibut with stewed peppers, artichokes and white anchovy butter.
All are available on the regular menu for the same $19. This may be more than you’d like to spend for lunch, but look what you get with it — salads, an amazing assortment of desserts and a non-alcoholic beverage at no extra cost! Our waitress even offered to substitute a selection from the à la carte menu.
The salads are worth special mention. A small descriptive sign is next to each. They included grilled chicken Cobb salad with dill dressing and mixed greens; field greens with arugula; strawberries and vinaigrette; vegetable salad with tomatoes; and Caesar with shaved parmesan cheese. Try a taste of each.
Desserts included two varieties of chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake with a raspberry atop each slice, brownies, biscotti, a small banana caramel flan and heavenly chocolate truffles.
When it came time for dinner that evening, we weren’t hungry at all. We had found, possibly, the best luncheon place of the year!
XIX Nineteen Restaurant
Park Hyatt at the Bellevue
200 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
215-790-1919
Buffet Lunch:
Monday through Friday,
11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Café. Dinner:
5:30 to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, to 11 p.m. Saturday, in the dining room.
Sunday brunch:
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the dining room (no dinner on Sundays).