Is it not enjoyable to take advantage of another culture’s holiday to explore new recipes and treat yourself to something delicious? It is.

And is St. Patrick’s Day not right around the corner? As the Irish might say, ’tis.

Moist, biscuit-y Irish scones, lashed with rich butter and a few slices of smoked salmon, top my list of Irish culinary yearnings this March 17.

European-style butter makes a big difference in this dish; it has a slightly higher butterfat content than everyday supermarket butter. If you’re sticking close to the theme, look for good Irish butter.

As with biscuits or really any quick bread, the less you handle the dough, the better. Over-mixing or kneading will activate proteins in the flour, toughening your resulting baked goods. The dough might seem sticky; just work quickly and make sure your work surface is well dusted with flour. Lightly dust the top of the dough, too, so your fingers won’t stick to it.

These scones are not too sweet, as their intended filling is smoked, salty fish. For a sweeter plain scone, add another tablespoon or two of sugar.

Cooking Technique

What does it mean to “cut” the butter into the flour mixture?

The butter is added cold, in small pieces, and is incorporated into the dry ingredients so that it is well distributed but maintains a pebbly texture.

That way, when the scones bake, the butter melts into the dough and creates flaky scones with tiny pockets of air to keep the texture light.

Use a pastry cutter, two butter knives or quick rubbing movements with your fingers to work in the butter without creaming it into the dough, which would create a denser scone.

Irish Scones With Smoked Salmon

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for patting out dough
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 whole egg
• About 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, for serving
• 1/2 pound good-quality smoked salmon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lightly flour a clean work surface.

In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingers, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with no piece of butter larger than a pea.

In small bowl, combine milk and egg yolk. Stir into dry ingredients just until mixture comes together.

Turn dough onto floured work surface, and roll or pat out to 1-1/4-inch thick. Cut 2-1/2-inch circles with biscuit cutter, as close as possible to one another. Gently pat together scraps and cut out another 2 or 3 circles. Place pieces on prepared baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.

Beat whole egg with 1 teaspoon of water in small bowl and brush lightly on tops of scones.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool until barely warm.

Split scones in half, then spread with butter and layer bottom halves with salmon. Replace tops. Makes 10.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 373 calories, 18 g total fat, 10 g saturated fat, 114 mg cholesterol, 389 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar; 19 g protein