St. Patrick's Day Countdown: Potato Crepes and Asparagus
Written by Ciaran on Mar 05, 2026 | 0 Comments
We’re counting down the days to March 17th with an offer and a potato-stuffed recipe for you every day until St. Patrick's Day! Check back in with us each day to see what’s up next!
Yesterday, we stretched the bounds of what counts as a “potato recipe” or an “Irish recipe." Today we are venturing even further into France, with yet another "pancake" - yes, it's crepes! We're including these French staples here as their key ingredient is potato. They are also delicious, relatively easy to make, and they are also one of Jane's favourites - specifically those made at her favourite restaurant in the entire world, Paradiso.
Jane introduced me to Cafe Paradiso in Co. Cork back when we first met (a very long time ago). A place focused on veggies, Jane will argue to the end that Paradiso is one of the best restaurants, not just here in Ireland, but in the world! We've made the trip down to Cork several times over the years for special occasions. We recommend checking it out if you plan to be in the area. I'm confident even avowed carnivores will be impressed.
Jane in her happy place, Paradiso, after a special babymoon + birthday dinner back in 2011.
We were very lucky to chat to Paradiso's founder chef, Dennis Cotter, many years ago when staying at Gort na Nain Farm in Co. Cork. The veggies for Paradiso are grown at Gort na Nain, with farm owners Ultan Walsh and Lucy Stewart fantastic and generous hosts. The collaboration between farm and restaurant is a fruitful one too, producing not just delicious veggies and food but also a "Collaboration of the Year prize" prize at the World Restaurant Awards in Paris in 2019.
Gort na Nain farm is tucked away in Nohoval on the south Atlantic coast near Kinsale in Co.Cork - a quietly stunning part of the world. We were very lucky to stay there a handful of times, back when Lucy and Ultan were running a B&B as well as their farm!
Photo Credit: Vince O'Sullivan (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Potatoes taste good in anything
This potato crepe recipe is a version of Chef Cotter’s, from one of his many excellent cookbooks that we use at home. We are quoting him directly when he says "potatoes taste good in anything" and that "asparagus loves potato." Who are we to disagree with the expert? This recipe certainly proves his point!
Asparagus season doesn’t really get going here in Ireland until early April, so we are pushing it a little for a mid-March meal. Even still, it would make a very impressive lunch or light dinner. And it has the green covered for St. Patrick's Day! Just be confident in your crepe flipping! The potato in the mix makes this feat a little trickier.
Ingredients
For the potato crepes
- 3 eggs
- 300ml full-fat milk
- 200g sour cream
- 150g plain flour
- 300g cooked and mashed potatoes
- large pinch of cayenne pepper
- Large pinch of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- A little more butter for frying
- 24 asparagus spears
- 160g thinly sliced brie
For the butter
- 60g or half a stick of room temperature butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
For the lentils
- 80g puy lentils
- 200mls vegetable stock or water
- 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 medium beetroot, cooked & peeled
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Method
- Start by making the crepe batter: first, whisk the eggs, milk, and sour cream together; then whisk in the flour; finally, add the mashed potato, cayenne pepper, chives, and sea salt. Leave the batter to sit in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.
- Make the tarragon butter by mixing in tarragon and lemon juice. Set aside in a warm place so the butter stays soft but not melted.
- Heat a 20cm or 8-inch crepe pan over medium-high heat and brush it with melted butter. Pour in enough batter to make a thinnish crepe, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the crepe over and cook the other side for a minute, then slide it onto a warm plate, and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cut the asparagus into about 20cm long pieces and peel off any tough ends. Drop the spears into the water and boil for 3-4 minutes, until just tender but still crisp. Drain and cool in cold water, then pat dry.
- Place a crepe on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Put a line of brie slices across the centre and of the crepe and top with three spears of asparagus.
- Fold over the crepe to make a tight parcel, and repeat with the other crepes to get eight in total. Arrange them on the lined oven tray, with the asparagus side down. Brush the parcels with melted butter and store them in the fridge until needed.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C
- Make the lentils by adding them to a pot with the stock, thyme leaves, and garlic, bringing them to a boil, then lowering the heat to a simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the lentils are just tender.
- When the lentils are almost done, put the crepes in the oven for 5-7 minutes, removing them when the brie starts to melt.
- Drain any remaining stock from the lentils and return them to the pan. Dice the beetroot into small cubes and add it to the pan with the spring onion, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Depending on how hungry everyone is and whether this is a St. Patrick’s Day lunch or dinner, serve one or two pancakes on each plate, each topped with a generous dollop of tarragon butter and a generous tablespoon of the lentil mixture.
What's Next?
Check back in with us tomorrow for Day 6 of our St. Patrick's Day countdown, or open Door Number 5 of our 17 Days of celebratory offers!
Your own Irish treasure
We love sharing Irish treasures dear to our hearts like Paradiso and Gort na Nain. Another Irish treasure we get great joy from sharing with friends around the globe is our Ogham collection. Certainly more Irish than potatoes, ogham is a script that is has been used in Ireland for over 1000 years. Find your Irish treasure today.
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Ciaran
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
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