It is hard to resist writing about a holiday when one falls on the same day this column is published. And while St. Patrick’s Day might not seem like the fishiest holiday, there are actually some connections to be made. Corned beef and cabbage comprise the traditional meal, but several types of seafood can also be included either as a main or as side dishes. This speaks to the similarities between the coastal aspects of Ireland and New England, not to mention the actual connections between the people who came form Ireland to New England and their descendants who live here and celebrate their heritage here.
Ireland is on the other side of the Atlantic, but like New England, fish like cod, haddock, and hake are an important part of the cuisine. Both Maine and Ireland share a rocky coast full of the nooks and crannies and deep cold water that these species require. They also share the traditions of preserving fish in different ways through salting and smoking that evolved in the era before refrigeration.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the differences between haddock and hake and how one of the traditional methods of preparing hake is to “corn” or salt it. This made me think about adding corned hake to my St. Patrick’s Day menu. I typically have included smoked salmon, another common seafood type served in Ireland, but I prefer to choose the local wild caught species when I can since we have access in Maine to a nice array of local options.
One of the most popular dishes in Ireland and beyond is fish and chips which utilizes any of several types of fish as well as potatoes – another similarity to Maine in being a dominant local crop. With a little research, I found that this combination of fried fish and potatoes apparently began in the 1880s when Giuseppe Cervi, an Italian bound for America, stopped in Ireland and ended up cooking up “chippies” from a food cart that he parked outside of several pubs in Dublin. So, while we may think of fish and chips as having Irish origins, they also have Italian heritage.
From its beginnings as a street food, fish and chips is now served in many variations with any number of sauces and batters (including Guinness, a particular favorite this time of year). One other iteration of fried fish is to serve it at community suppers, or Friday night Fish Fries. This is an amazing way to celebrate the bounty of local seafood and also to gather communities together to share food and sometimes provide it to those who might be in need of a nice hot supper.
These Fish Fry gatherings are common in the Catholic church as a regular way to bring people together in celebration of good food. In fact, there is even a website called “Cod for God” where you can look up the locations of the Friday Fish Fry closest to you. It is based in Cincinnati, but there are plenty of these fish suppers throughout New England, particularly during the season of Lent when fish are part of the Lenten celebrations.
Part of the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day is to gather your friends and family and celebrate and share food. Why not diversify your menu this year to include some local seafood? It could be fish and chips, a cup of clam chowder, or Irish Fishermen’s Pie featuring your favorite seafood type along with potatoes and cream. Or it could be an hors d’oeuvre of smoked fish on toast. Or, if you’re up for a main dish, you can give corned hake a try either alongside the corned beef or on its own. I’m going to give it a try this year and invite some friends to introduce them to the fishy side of the Irish menu while simultaneously cooking up a delicious local Maine fish.
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