Vegetarian Irish Boxty for St. Patrick's Day

Looking for an alternative to corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes boiled to mush to serve up on St. Patrick's Day? Irish boxty is an easy delicious alternative. Boxty is pronounced bocht ti and roughly translates to "poor house bread." They are Irish potato pancakes that originated north Connacht and south Ulster. Some versions are thick like German potato pancakes and others thin like crepes. If made from a thin batter, they can be stuffed with meat or vegetables. This recipe is a vegetarian version. If your family loves their meat, then you can simply add any type you like to the base filling recipe.
 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 cup prepared mashed potatoes, found in the refrigerator section
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/8 tsp pepper, if desired
• butter
• 2 shallots, peeled and diced
• 2 small containers of baby bella mushrooms (16 oz total), sliced

 Directions:

First prepare the boxty mix by combining shredded potatoes, mashed potatoes, flour, milk salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir until completely combined. The batter should be close to the consistency of pancake batter. If too thin, more flour can be added, one spoonful at a time to thicken the mixture. If too thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat with butter as if you were cooking pancakes. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour a ladle full of batter in the center of the skillet and gently press ladle, moving in a slow circular motion, and spread the batter outward to make a large thin pancake. Cook for 2 minutes and flip to cook the other side, approximately 2 more minutes. Remove from the skillet and place on a baking sheet or plate in the oven, set to low, to keep warm. Repeat the process with remaining batter.

To prepare the filling, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat, add diced shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 6 more minutes. Stir in chives or parsley. Pour half and half over mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, place plain boxty on a plate and spoon some of the mushroom mixture on half of it. Fold the boxty over and spoon a little more of the mushroom mixture on top. Sprinkle with extra parsley or chive as a garnish.

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