When Irish Pies Are Smiling

It's almost St Patrick's Day.  In honor of this celebration, we are presenting two Irish pies. Bake the pies in advance and serve them with some wine and a green salad and you will have the perfect supper.

The pies are like quiche, the difference being that if you drink enough wine, you might be able to hear the Leprechauns talking about their pots of gold.


Click on the headings to be redirected to the recipes.

Erin's Irish Leek and Swiss Pie 

This recipe was featured in Murder Before The Bell. The unique part of this dish is the taste of the creamy leek and cheese custard. At the bottom of the pie is the salty deviled ham. The flavors in the pie blend and are accented by a  Rhone Blend. 

Erin’s Egg, Bacon, and Leek Pie 

This recipe was featured in Death In The Science Classroom. The saltiness of the bacon contrasts with the mellow flavors of the eggs and the leeks. Pairing with the pie is a Syrah that has meaty, bacon, and leather aromas. it's a wonderful combination.

Clos LaChance Wines Pair Well With Both Pies

Clos LaChance Winery takes its name from the small fenced-in area encompassing a vineyard (Clos) and from the maiden name of the co-owner Brenda Murphy. The Murphy's chose the hummingbird as the winery's symbol not only because of the bird's aesthetic beauty but also because of its ability to keep other birds away from the grapes.


In 1987, co-owners Bill and Brenda Murphy decided to plant a few rows of Chardonnay in their Saratoga backyard, not only for landscaping purposes but to realize their dreams of being vintners. A few years later, the wines produced from this small backyard vineyard were good enough to sell to the public, at which point Clos LaChance was formed into a full-fledged winery. The first commercially released wines were from the 1992 vintage.

In January 2009 Clos LaChance Winery was named a Certified California Sustainable Winegrower. All water used to process wines at Clos LaChance's production facilities is recycled to several on-site reclamation ponds. The vineyard team uses weather stations and soil analyzers in the estate vineyard that monitor the soils at any given time. Also, the winery uses a variety of cover crops, including legumes, barley, and clover to protect and enhance the productivity of the soil and to keep the vines healthy.

Clos LaChance Winery produces affordable wines from 150 acres of Estate Vineyards. They specialize in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Semillon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Meritage, and several Rhone style blends.

St Patrick's Day

There is no better way to celebrate St Patrick's Day than with a traditional  Irish Lamb Stew and some wine.  Consider a Merlot or a Meritage for this dish. The recipe is from Death In The Science Classroom.

Serves 6

5 pounds lamb shoulder chops

20 baby red-skinned potatoes

6 large carrots, peeled, quartered

3 medium onions, quartered

2 medium leeks (white and pale greens parts only), split lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 cups water

Trim the fat from lamb and cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch pieces. 

Place fat in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook fat until 3 tablespoons drippings are rendered, about 5 minutes. Using large spoon, remove any solid fat from pot; discard. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add lamb to pot; sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to plate. 

Add vegetables, parsley, and thyme to pot; stir to coat with drippings. Return meat. Add 2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot tightly; simmer until lamb is tender and vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place 1 cup vegetables in processor; puree. Add to stew. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Simmer before serving.)