Wee Lassie Sloane

With her Mom's Gaelic heritage, and St. Paddy's just around the (chilly) corner, Cafe Drake posts a couple of favorite recipes below in honor of Sloane Lily McKeever-Duys. Enjoy with a few pints of Guiness to keep those Irish eyes a-smiling.

BAKED PARSNIPS

Good with any roasted meats or fish. If extra richness is desired, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream before baking.

2.5 lbs of good quality Parsnips / 2 tablespoons Butter / 1 cup of Beef Stock / Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg

1. Peel and quarter the parsnips and boil for 15 minutes, but do not let them cook completely (par-boil).
2. Place in a large dish and add the Beef Stock , salt, pepper and nutmeg as required.
3. Spread with Butter and cook for 30 minutes on a lowish oven heat.

IRISH OMELETTE

This is so nice as a starter alongside a simple salad of shredded cabbage and sliced apples (dress with a vinegarette). Also great sliced into wedges and served with beef stew. Figure one omelette per two diners.

4 large eggs /1 large mashed potato /some lemon juice /1 Tablespoon of Chives /Salt and Pepper /1 Tablespoon of Butter

1. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks.
2. Add them to the mashed potato, mixing thoroughly and then add the lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper.
3. Melt the butter in a pan.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and stir them into the potato mixture.
5. Cook the mixture until golden and then run under the broiler to finish and puff it up.
6. Serve immediately

WOODLAND SALAD

This is an adaptation of a dish we sampled at a Bed & Breakfast years ago in the Scottish Borders country. It seems appropriate enough for an elegant St. Patrick's Day dinner, given the two countries' geographic proximity.

Ingredients: Champagne Vinaigrette • 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil• 1 tablespoon walnut oil• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 duck breasts, or 1 pound chicken or duck livers • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 2 tablespoons cooking oil• 2 slices bacon, chopped • 2 tablespoons chopped chives • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions • 8 mushrooms, sliced • Mixed greens • 1 cup croutons

1. In a small jar with a lid, combine the vinegar, oils, garlic, shallots, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake to blend and reserve.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Sprinkle the breasts with salt and pepper. In a frypan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the breasts and cook on both sides until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer breasts to a baking pan and cook in the oven for about 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
4. Return the frypan to stove top, add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel to drain.
5. Reduce heat, add chives, scallions, and mushrooms to the pan, and cook to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to paper towel to drain.
6. In a saucepan over low heat, warm the vinagirette for 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Arrange the lettuces on 4 salad plates. Divide the bacon and vegetables over the lettuce. Slice the breasts and arrange on top of salad.
8. Pour the warm vinaigrette over the meat and garnish with croutons.