Delicious and comforting Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for a cold March or any chilly evening. iStock

St Patrick's Day recipes to fill you with Irish cheer on March 17. 

Trawling around the Internet on various sites and engaging with our readers over the last ten years we’ve come across some interesting recipes for St. Patrick’s Day.

Some of them are simply classics and unchangeable like the Full Irish breakfast but some like the Dubliner Shepherd’s Pie recipe gives a new twist to a much-loved comfort food from home.

You can read more from our St Patrick's Day section here. 

Here are our top ten favorite Irish recipes for St. Patrick’s Day this year:

Irish Breakfast

A full Irish breakfast. Image: iStock.

Lay six thick slices of Canadian bacon in a single layer in a large skillet. Fry on both sides until medium brown then remove from the skillet (place somewhere warm), but leave the grease in the pan.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and crack 4 eggs into the pan, try to avoid breaking the yolk.

Add 2 small tomato slices and 4 slices of soda bread to the pan. Fry gently, occasionally stirring the tomatoes.

Keep everything separate with the brown the bread to either side.

When the egg whites are set and the yolks are still a bit runny, place everything on two plates.

Serves 2.

Dublin Coddle with Irish sausage

Brown 4 Irish sausages sliced half an inch thick in a nonstick skillet.

Layer 3 or 4 potatoes sliced ½ inch thick, salt and pepper, half a sliced onion, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, and the sausages in a Dutch oven. Add stock.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to the lowest heat setting and cover tightly.

Cook for an hour or until potatoes are tender.

Ladle into bowls and serve with Irish soda bread.

Lucky Leprechaun Lime Drink

Combine 1 quart of lime sherbet, 0.5 cups softened frozen limeade concentrate, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 (12 ounces) cans of lemon-lime carbonated beverage, and 1-2 cups of ice.

Gold Irish butter and oats sandwich cookies

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Combine 1.33 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of quick-cooking oats, 0.25 cup of sugar, and 0.25 teaspoon salt.

Add 0.5 cup of unsalted Irish butter (such as Kerrygold) and combine until dough forms.

Pour onto a plastic wrap, pound it into a round disc, and wrap.

Refrigerate for at least an hour.

On a floured surface, roll dough to ⅛ inch thickness and cut out 2-inch round cookies.

Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

Melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips in a double broiler and using a pastry brush, paint the backside of each cookie and sandwich them together.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes for the chocolate to harden and then spray edible paint on each cookie one side at a time.

Makes 24 single cookies or 12 sandwich cookies.

Potato leek soup with cheddar cheese chips

Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add 2 peeled and minced garlic cloves, 1 pound of leeks (white part only thinly sliced), 1 pound of peeled and sliced russet potatoes, and cook for about 8 minutes.

Add 4 cups of vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add 1 cup of heavy cream and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool.

Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Ladle into 4 bowls.

Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Grease a baking sheet and cut a pastry sheet into an 8x6 inch rectangle.

Brush the surface with water and spread ½ grated Irish cheddar cheese and ¼ teaspoon paprika.

Cut the dough into 3 x ½ inch wide strips and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Chocolate Irish cream cheesecake

Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit.

In a medium bowl combine 1 ½ finely crushed chocolate wafers (about 18 cookies), 6 tablespoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Toss gently to mix and press into a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. In a large bowl combine 24 ounces of softened cream cheese, 8 ounces of dairy sour cream, 1 cup sugar, and 6 tablespoons of melted chocolate until smooth.

Stir in 3 eggs until combined and add ½ cup Irish cream liqueur, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Pour into the crust-lined pan and place the pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small knife to loosen from the side of the pan and cool for 30 more minutes.

Remove the side of the springform pan and cool for 1 hour. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours before serving. Serves 16.

Chocolate Guinness cake

Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup Guinness and ½ cup butter until butter is melted.

Remove from heat and whisk in 2 cups of sugar and ¾ cup baking cocoa until blended. Add in 2 beaten eggs, ⅔ cup sour cream, and 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Combine 2 cups of all-purpose baking flour and 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Whisk this into the beer mixture until smooth and pour the batter into the pan.

Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes and cool on a wire rack. In a large bowl, beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese until fluffy.

Add 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar and ½ cup of heavy whipping cream and beat until smooth.

Place the cake on a platter or cake stand and ice the top of the cake so it resembles a pint.

Serves 12.

Dubliner Shepherd’s Pie

Preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit and lightly butter an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.

Cook 1 ¼ pounds of peeled and cubed russet potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes. Mash with 2 tablespoons of Kerrygold Irish butter and ⅓ cup milk until smooth, then stir in 1 cup of shredded Kerrygold Dubliner cheese and ½ teaspoon salt and set aside.

Crumble 1 pound lean ground beef into a skillet and cook until no longer pink and set aside. In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter and add one medium chopped onion and 4 small peeled and ¼ inch sliced carrots.

Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for one more minute.

Add ¾ cup of Guinness, ¾ cup beef stock, 1 teaspoon dried thyme and ½ teaspoon salt.

Cook until mixture is slightly thickened and then add ½ cup thawed frozen peas and cooked beef.

Spoon into baking dish and spread potato mixture on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Colcannon

Colcannon.

Boil 4 cups of 1 inch chopped potatoes in salted water. In a separate pot, add 3 tablespoons and if you’d like, 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook until the butter is melted.

Add 4 cups of chopped cabbage or kale and toss well to coat.

Add 1 cup of chopped seitan, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and cook over medium heat until cabbage or kale is tender and reduced in size.

Add the potatoes to the cabbage or kale and mash as you would mashed potatoes. Add 3 sprigs of thyme (leaves only) and 2 tablespoons of soy milk.

Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm. Serves 4 as a side dish.

Corned beef and cabbage sandwich

Corned Beef and Cabbage. Image: Getty.

Layer thinly carved corned beef brisket on a slice of marbled rye bread.

Top with drained sauerkraut, a drizzle of Thousand Island dressing, and sliced Swiss cheese.

Top with another slice of marbled rye bread and grill in a heated nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

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* Originally published in 2011.