Celebrate tradition with lamb for St. Patrick’s Day
DULUTH, Minn. — St. Patrick’s Day brings out green beer, shamrocks, corned beef and cabbage in the United States. This year, why not serve a traditional Irish meal featuring lamb?
Corned beef is an Irish-American creation. Immigrants found beef more available and less expensive than in their homeland. The British invented the term corned beef in the 17th century to describe the size of the salt crystals used to cure the meat. They were the size of corn kernels.
Corned beef is a processed meat that is very high in sodium; three ounces have more than 1,000 milligrams. The American Heart Association encourages us to limit our sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams per day, with only 1,500 milligrams as ideal.
Lamb is a red meat that is not widely consumed in the U.S. Americans eat less than one pound of it a year. Three ounces of lamb has only 50 milligrams of sodium.
About 80,000 small farmers in the U.S. raise lamb and sheep. Sheep are usually grass-fed, which results in a higher level of omega 3 fatty acids, which are known to be beneficial for our hearts and brains. These healthy fats reduce inflammation, and lamb is also a great source of lean protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and selenium.
Lamb has a unique flavor. If you’d like, use a mix of lamb and lean beef round steak or lean ground beef in these recipes.
Bonnie Brost is a licensed and registered dietitian in the Wellness Program at the Essentia Health St. Mary’s Heart & Vascular Center in Duluth. Contact her at bonnie.brost@essentiahealth.org.
Irish Shepherd’s Pie
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 large carrots, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 pound cubed or ground lamb
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried leaf tarragon
1 1/4 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups unsalted beef stock
2 cups mashed potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, mashed with 1/4 cup skim milk and 1/8 teaspoon salt)
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place oil in large skillet. Add carrots and onions. Saute about 2 minutes. Add meat, pepper and tarragon. Add peas, tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix cornstarch with unsalted beef stock. Add stock to meat mixture. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Place meat mixture in 9-by-13-inch pan. Spoon on the mashed potatoes and spread evenly. Brush the top of the potatoes with the beaten egg. Bake 20-30 minutes, until nicely browned on top.
Nutrition facts: servings, 8; serving size, about 1 cup; calories, 285; total fat, 9 grams; saturated fat, 3 grams; cholesterol, 60 milligrams; sodium, 170 milligrams; potassium, 650 milligrams; fiber, 4 grams; protein, 17 grams
Cabbage Hotdish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound 90% lean ground beef, ground turkey breast or ground lamb
1 1/2 cups onion, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
3 cups green cabbage, shredded
3 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger or 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or hot sauce (optional)
Add olive oil to large skillet over medium heat. Add ground meat and brown. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Cook until vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, ginger, salt, pepper and hot pepper. Cook until cabbage is soft, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition facts (calculated using lamb): servings, 6; serving size, 2 cups; calories, 215; total fat, 12 grams; saturated fat, 4 grams; cholesterol, 60 milligrams; sodium, 185 milligrams; potassium, 475 milligrams; carbohydrates, 11 grams; fiber, 3 grams; protein, 17 grams.
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