KORINA MOSS here, excited to have my first Mystery Lovers' Kitchen guest, LISA Q. MATHEWS, sharing her recipe for a complete St Patrick's Day meal, plus a bonus leftovers breakfast! I'd say she's the perfect author to be joining us today. Read on to find out why! Be sure to comment to be entered in her Irish Giveaway!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, one and all! And thank you, Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, for inviting me to share my favorite holiday with you. The Jig is Up, the first book in the Irish Bed & Breakfast series, kicks off on August 20th—but it’s never too soon to start celebrating!
The bagpipes are calling and you’re donnin’ the green, ready to hit the parade. Unless…you somehow forgot to prepare the corned beef and cabbage yesterday. Or you’re still trying to banish last year’s fine aroma from your kitchen. No worries, here’s a delicious, hearty recipe that’ll have you ready for Paddy’s in a pinch—no need for the luck o’ the Irish or a prayer to St. Jude. Send the family off to save a spot at the parade, and Bob’s your uncle.
What you do need are a few simple, fresh ingredients and a can or two of Guinness to make this Irish version of coq au vin. It’s a modified version of the traditional Beef in Guinness, using chicken, which cooks faster. The alcohol burns off in the cooking, and if you don’t have Guinness on hand, you can substitute another beer (the Guinness does give a lovely taste, though.) No need to measure precisely, and if you prefer you can substitute simple boiled potatoes (add salt, butter, and parsley) for the mash. Every family has their own style of spuds, but this is our favorite—and thanks to early training, all of my kids are champion peelers. (My relatives in Ireland can peel with a knife faster than I can get a Good Grips peeler out of the drawer, but there you have it.)
Note: If you’re looking for a truly authentic taste of the Emerald Isle, Kerrygold butter is the way to go. Pure cream from happy Irish cows (all that rain and green grass to roam) and salt. Keep in mind that, due to its higher fat content, it melts faster, and you can use a wee bit less—but you won’t be sorry. (Fun fact: Kerrygold was banned in Wisconsin until 2017.)
Chicken in Guinness with Mash (serves 4)
Ingredients
(Chicken)
2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 yellow onions
6 medium carrots
Enough flour to coat the chicken
Pepper
¼ c butter
2 c Guinness and water, mixed (more as needed)
Fresh parsley
Instructions
Peel and slice the onions and carrots.
Cut chicken into chunks and toss in flour seasoned with pepper. (I shake the chicken in a brown paper bag and dump the chicken pieces into the pot, hands-free.)
Brown chicken quickly in hot butter in Dutch oven or other high-sided pot.
Remove chicken into a bowl and fry onions until transparent.
Return chicken to pot with onions, then add carrots and Guinness/water mixture.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover closely and cook for about an hour. Check periodically to make sure the dish doesn’t dry out, adding more Guinness and water if needed. (I add a little more Guinness than water.) Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
(Mash)
Ingredients
8-10 potatoes (Note: Rule of thumb is 2 medium spuds per person—but make it 3 and you’ll have leftovers. Mashed potatoes can be reheated (microwave works well if you add a little milk and stir-halfway through—but freezing is not recommended!)
1.5 c milk (I use 2%--with more added as needed for smooth consistency)
.5 c butter (more to personal taste, depending on number of spuds)
Sea salt if desired
Pepper
6-12 scallions/green onions (I don’t use the tops)
1 t nutmeg (to taste)
Instructions
Rinse potatoes in cold water, then peel and rinse again. Cut each potato into quarters, then cut any larger pieces so sizes are uniform (they’ll cook more evenly). Place in large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add water high enough so there’s liquid above the spuds, but not so high that the water is likely to boil over.
Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, leaving the lid a bit open. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, so the spuds cook evenly in a crowded pot. Lower heat, and let spuds boil until soft and mushy when pricked with a fork. (It’s okay if the water is a little murky.)
Slice scallions and butter separately while potatoes are cooking and place aside.
Drain water from the pot. Use a potato masher to give the spuds an initial smash, then mash them with a dinner fork. (This prevents hard, uneven surprise lumps.)
Add butter, a few slices at a time. Season potatoes with pepper (and sea salt if you’d like) and stir lightly with fork. Then start gradually adding the milk. Switch from fork to wooden spoon and stir, adding scallions. Then sprinkle nutmeg in, a wee bit at a time—it really “perks” the potatoes.
Serve chicken alongside or atop the potatoes, using plates or bowls. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with Irish brown bread (it has a nuttier, less-sweet taste than soda bread).
I don’t have a bread recipe because…I use a mix, just like my relatives in Ireland! During my first visit I was amazed that delicious fresh bread was served at every meal. I couldn’t stop remarking on it. Upon my return home, I discovered a family member had tucked a package into my suitcase. It just happens that the Buckley family in The Jig is Up secretly uses the same shortcut at their bed & breakfast, The Buckley House. (And so does their big competition, The Smiling Shamrock across town in Shamrock, Massachusetts.)
There's a bonus to using mash instead of boiled potatoes: You’re halfway to a delicious Irish-style breakfast (a mini version) tomorrow. Just form those leftover spuds into paddy’s patties and fry them up with a few Irish bangers (I got mine online). Bring out that trusty brown bread and serve with Irish jam. Leave the dishes to family members or the kitchen fairies (more helpful than the other kinds).
GIVEAWAY: Here's an Irish-themed giveaway for one lucky commenter, complete with an Irish tea-cozy, a tiny inspiring potato, bookmarks, and a package of Cadbury buttons. Giveaway open to US and Canada.
Sláinte, and may the spirit of St. Patrick stay with you year-round!
Readers, how are you spending this fine St. Patrick’s Day?
Irish step dance takes a deadly turn in this Celtic cozy series debut, perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor and Paige Shelton.
Single-mom and police chief’s daughter Kate Buckley is all about family. After she receives an urgent text from her younger sister Colleen, she puts her life on hold and rushes to her Irish-themed hometown of Shamrock, Massachusetts. With her two daughters in tow, she’s ready to fight if it means she can help her charming but hapless sibling.
When they arrive, Colleen claims it was all a misunderstanding. But everything changes in an Irish minute when Colleen’s best friend Deirdre, a dance show star, is found dead in the parish hall. With the discovery of a possible witness, a chilling motive, and a wee bit of incriminating evidence, Colleen quickly becomes a person of interest in Deirdre’s murder. Convinced her sister isn't a killer, Kate is determined to clear Colleen’s name.
As Kate investigates, Colleen takes charge of Shamrock’s popular Irish dance show in honor of her late friend–with disastrous results. With the St. Patrick’s Week festivities in full swing, Kate must catch the killer before the celebrations are ruined and her sister’s Irish luck runs out.
Available for preorder here.
LISA Q. MATHEWS began her publishing career editing Nancy Drew books. She also wrote for kids’ series such as
Mary-Kate and Ashley and the
Lizzie McGuire Mysteries. She now writes lighthearted mysteries for grownups with strong female characters and plenty of family, including the
Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries (Book One, THE JIG IS UP debuts 8/20/2024) and the
Ladies Smythe & Westin. Her short story “Fly Me to the Morgue” was an Agatha Award finalist. Lisa lives in New Hampshire. The “Q” in her name stands for “Quinn.”
Website & Newsletter: https://www.lisaqmathews.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LisaQMathewsAuthor
Blog: https://chicksonthecase.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaqmathews/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14418623.Lisa_Q_Mathews
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lisa-q-mathews
