Celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month With the Savory Irish Cuisine That Has Influenced America's Favorites
CHICAGO, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Patrick's Day. Green. Shamrocks. Dublin. These mementos, events, and places represent a culture embraced by Americans for more than a century. As part of its "Cooking up Culture" program, a yearlong program that celebrates the various cultures that have influenced American cooking, Lawry's(R) is proud to celebrate Irish cuisine this March, which is Irish-American Heritage Month. From business and politics to entertainment to food, Irish culture truly has shaped and molded the American landscape.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080311/AQTU148) During the Great Potato Famine of the 19th century, approximately one million Irish people came to America. Over the last 150 years, millions more have come from Ireland to the United States. The Irish brought with them a plethora of cooking traditions that Americans practice today.
"Traditional Irish cuisine is rich in vegetables like potatoes and cabbage. These vegetables provide a unique culinary identity to Irish cuisine," said Lawry's spokesperson B. Smith, restaurateur and lifestyle expert. "However, vegetables in Irish cuisine play a large supporting role to the meats that make up its traditional meals. With marinades such as Lawry's(R) Steak & Chop with Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper, it's easy to add flavor quickly, within 30 minutes, to the meat used in your Irish-themed meal." Dishes such as Shepherd's pie, lamb stew and corned beef with cabbage that were popular in Ireland in the 1700s are staples in many Americans' homes today. The method of cooking Irish meals has slightly evolved with technology, but the emphasis is still the same - long and slow. Irish cuisine typically was prepared in large batches to feed groups of people. Although slightly tedious to create such large meals, Irish people prepared these feasts to perfection to the excitement of hungry diners. Many Irish dishes currently can be found on the menus of five-star restaurants across the country. In an effort to make traditional Irish cuisine healthier for the masses, chefs are preparing the cuisine in a variety of new ways. Unlike traditional Irish meals, which focus heavily on fatty meats and butter, updated Irish cuisine tends to use fresh vegetables and seafood. Some recipes, for instance, substitute fatty meats, like ground beef used in Shepherd's Pie or bacon used in Colcannon, with leaner meats such as ground turkey/chicken, or turkey bacon. Says Smith, "As a testimony to the flexibility of Irish cuisine, many ingredients used to create traditional dishes can be easily substituted for healthier choices without sacrificing taste or appeal". To bring out zesty flavor in your Irish-inspired meals, try Lawry's marinades. A splash of real fruit juice from Lawry's marinades adds outstanding flavor to chicken, meat, fish or vegetables in minutes. In celebration of Irish-American Heritage month, let these new twists on traditional Irish recipes inspire your next family meal. Also, visit lawrys.com each month for delicious, cultural recipes. COLCANNON 12 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes 8 ounces thick-sliced bacon, chopped In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings. In same skillet, heat reserved drippings over medium-high heat and cook onion, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until tender. Add cabbage and cook covered, over medium heat stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until cabbage is very tender. Stir in 1 teaspoon Lawry's(R) Seasoned Salt. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Return potatoes to saucepan, then mash. Stir in cream, Garlic Salt and remaining Seasoned Salt. Stir cabbage mixture and bacon into mashed potatoes, then turn into serving bowl. Form small well in center and add Spread. LAWRY'S SHEPHERD'S PIE 6 servings Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes 5 Tbsp. Shedd's Spread Country Crock(R) Spread, divided In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons Spread over medium-high heat and cook leek, carrots and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until slightly browned. Stir in Lawry's(R) Steak & Chop Marinade With Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper, peas, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt and thyme. Turn into 2-quart casserole. Mash potatoes with cream, remaining 3 tablespoons Spread and 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt. Evenly spread over ground beef mixture. Broil 3 minutes or until golden. STEAK & ALE 8 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours 1 Tbsp. Lawry's(R) Seasoned Salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine Lawry's(R) Seasoned Salt with flour. Add beef; toss to coat. Set aside. In deep 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until beef is browned. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in beer and brown sugar, scraping up brown bits from bottom of skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn into 2-quart casserole. Bake covered 2 hours or until beef is tender. Serve, if desired, with Shedd's Country Crock(TM) Side Dishes Homestyle Mashed Potatoes seasoned with additional Seasoned Salt.
About Unilever Unilever (NYSE:UL)(NYSE:UN), one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Knorr, Lawry's, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs approximately 13,000 people in more than 60 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2006. For more information, visit http://www.unileverusa.com/. First Call Analyst: Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080311/AQTU148 CONTACT: Ronald E. Childs, +1-312-228-8807, rchilds@flowerscomm.com, or Web site: http://www.lawrys.com/
2008-03-11 19:55:43 0310187 PRNEWSWIRE
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