Boxty with Fresh Crab

This weeks post is dedicated to the memory of my great-aunt Maura who passed this week in Ottawa, Canada at the age of 97. As a child my great-grandfather took her to Ireland to learn the art of step dancing and spent many years practicing her craft. Maura had an amazing life that contained none of the things that normal people were supposed to do and apologized to no one.  She was everything from a loving wife, a friend of the Windsors and traveling companion to the widow of one Dr. Scholls. Our relationship included only a few brief meetings, letters and the sad little boxes of tea I used to send her. I had always wished I had known her better.

My great-grandfather came from Ireland.

He left Ireland in 1903.

He taught school in Canada.

That was from a family history project I did when I was in kindergarten. It is probably the most thorough account of my grandfather’s crossing from Ireland and as you can see it isn’t much. What I do know is that despite the 106 years since my great-grandfather’s immigration to Canada, it remains one of the most well known and yet unknown pieces of my family history. The only part we are certain of is that he was from a little town in the county Roscommon on the banks of the Shannon River. From there the lines are blurred and other than a few slip ups by my grandmother the only thing I have discerned is that there is much more to the story that we will never know.

All of my life I have felt drawn to the Irish part of me, perhaps it has something to do with my name, I’m not sure. But while my heritage remains a mystery, the history, music, and literature of this multi-faceted land have always been a passion of mine. From afar, I’ve skipped school with Joyce’s wild west loving schoolboys, wandered the broad and narrow streets of Molly Malone, and felt the injustice of the world with Bono and Larry. Even as I type this, I continually lose focus and feel compelled to sing along with The Waterboys blaring from my ipod. I am immensely proud of the cultural and culinary movements going on in Ireland today. More school children are learning the Gaelic tongue*, and items such as locally raised meat, cheese, and vegetables are gaining worldwide renown and Irish pride is surging. Although only a part of my background, it is a part I am exceptionally proud of.

But there is more to the story the story of an immigrant and his or her descendants.

There is a great misconception out there about the American view of Irish culture and we take a fair bit of ribbing about our corned beef and cabbage suppers on St. Patrick’s Day. The general thought is that we all believe that the Irish tuck into large plates of it every evening, when it is in fact (especially back east), a way to remember our immigrant roots. After all, the United States has the largest population of Irish outside of Ireland itself, with about 40% of all Irish in the world living here. When most Irish came to this country at beginning of the 20th century, they had little money and very often corned beef and cabbage was what they turned to for sustinance. As they became more American, these foods fell out of step with the life and food in Ireland, but this dish remained the very thing that Irish/American descendants turned to remember the land of their forbearers.

Now after my grand defense of the corned beef and cabbage supper, I must confess to you that I have never actually eaten it. My St. Patrick’s Day supper was (is) a warm sandwich that I grew up believing was straight from Ireland, but with the exception of the mustard, was actually from the Carnegie Deli; it was the Reuben sandwich. Who knew that sauerkraut wasn’t Irish? My grandmother was German, what can I say, we are a motley crew. That gross ignorance aside, I have decided that it is high time that I explore the foods of Ireland and have chosen boxty as my starting point.

Boxty is the lovechild of a blini and a latke after a particularly good vacation to Ireland. This pan fried treat can be served as (as far as I know) a crisp little cake, a dumpling and as sort of a wrapper or crepe. The boxty is potato perfect with local potatoes, creamy and flavorful on the inside with crispy edges. I’ve decided to make sort of a napoleon out of mine, using the more wrapper-like form and stuffing it with a few things from my American side, fresh crab, avocado and cayenne pepper. The combination is fantastic and would be perfect for brunch, lunch, dinner or even made smaller for an appetizer. Enjoy!

The Boxty

3 Medium Russet Potatoes, roasted and peeled

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

2 Red Potatoes, grated

1/2 cup Flour

2 Eggs, beaten

Few pinches Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 recipe Crab Filling

Creme Fraiche

A few Whole Chives, to garnish

Place the russet potatoes and the buttermilk in a bowl and mash until smooth, then stir in the grated potatoes. Stir in the flour a little at a time. After it is completely incorporated mix in the eggs, salt and baking soda.

Heat a well seasoned or non-stick pan over medium to medium high heat and add in butter, bacon fat or olive oil. Add in a ladle full of batter and cook each side until brown and crispy on the edges. Drain on paper towels and layer with the crab filling and creme fraiche.

The Crab Filling

12 oz Cooked Crab, shelled and broken up

1 Avocado, diced

2 TBS Lemon Juice

1-2 TBS Chives, snipped

A pinch or so Sea Salt

A pinch or so Cayenne Pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl and toss gently so as not to demolish the avocado.

Serves 4

*My Gaelic is extremely limited. But if I feel the occasion calls for it I know how to say, “Ta mo bhriste tri thine” .