The platter of shepherd’s pie above is all that’s left from my authentic Irish dinner party on Saturday night…I think my plan to convert friends, family, and neighbors to the comforts of authentic Irish cuisine was a success. Maybe it was all the black and tans and snake bites (best drink ever: a pint glass filled with half Harp, half hard cider) that primed their appetites, but the plates were licked clean. Part of the credit has to go to my wonderful guide for this meal, the book The Country Cooking of Ireland by Colman Andrews (and beautifully photographed/styled by my friends from Canal House: Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton).
So here was the menu:
For the appetizer I served Smoked Irish salmon purchased at the famed smoked fish emporium Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side. This fish was outstanding, silky and absolutely delicious (if you can’t go in person they do mail order…it’s worth it). I baked two loaves of dense brown Irish soda bread in the morning and used one for serving with the salmon as an appetizer with a side of soft Irish butter or creme fraiche, lemon, and thinly sliced red onion. The other I sliced and served with dinner.
I always forget what a great thing Irish soda bread is; there’s is no yeast, the baking soda does the rising, and no kneading. I used a combination of white flour, whole wheat pastry flour and some steel-cut Irish oatmeal and it turned out very well. The bread was even better the next day toasted. 
For the dinner I made two corned beefs, cooked with some bay leaves and juniper berries and only carrots and onion, covered with water and simmered for 7 hours (each piece was 7 pounds so figure an hour a pound). The result was falling-apart tender (someone asked if I braised the meat first but this was the Irish way, so no fancy braising, just boiling), and although the meat had a lot of flavor I followed the cookbook’s instructions for a white gravy with parsley to serve alongside: a roux of melted butter mixed with flour and chopped onions, and then whisked in English mustard, milk, some of the beef cooking liquid, and chopped parsley.
To soak up the meat and gravy I made a mash of parsnips and carrots, which was sweet and bright
