Enjoy!
IRISH SODA BREAD
This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr 15 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook: 55 min; Yield: 1 loaf; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/irish-soda-bread-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup dried currants
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD
This traditional bread comes from The Baker Chick. She writes, “I love how simple this recipe is. It’s made up of just 4 ingredients that I usually have on hand, which means I can have a loaf of delicious bread ready and waiting any time I want. Flour- Baking Soda- Salt-Buttermilk. Who would know that simply that could result in such a perfect loaf of bread? With an almost biscuit-like taste and a crisp crust, we slathered this with some delicious salted butter, but a slather of jam or a dunk in a bowl of soup would be a perfect match as well. The bread is simple as can be to throw together and has that rustic, country look I really love. I’m a total fan of making yeasted bread, but this is by far the best I’ve had for something so quick! I’m glad I discovered this recipe right in time for St. Patty’s, but I know it will be a kitchen standard all year round!”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. (3-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups buttermilk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450F.
Stir together the flour, salt and baking in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk.
Use a wooden spoon or your hand to combine the ingredients. You want the dough to be soft- don't over mix it. Add more buttermilk if needed to get the dough to come together.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and give it a few kneads and shape it into a 6-inch diameter disk (about 2 inches tall.)
Use a sharp knife to score an X on the top of the loaf (I did mine a bit too deep as you can tell, you only need to cut in a little bit.) Transfer to a cookie sheet or pizza stone and bake for 15 mins.
Reduce the heat to 400F and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden, and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it.
Let bread cool slightly before slicing and slathering with salted butter!
CREAMY IRISH POTATO SOUP
This recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen. It originally calls for chicken broth, but I always use good, ol' veggie broth. To view this recipe online, click here. The recipe starts off, "This rich and creamy potato soup is subtly flavored with celery and green onions. It's the kind of soup you'll want to savor slowly...even though it's ready in just 35 minutes."
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5 servings (1 1/4 cups each)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 medium potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
Directions
Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until they're tender.
Stir the broth, black pepper and potatoes in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Place half of the broth mixture and half of the milk in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to the saucepan and heat through.
CORNISH PASTIES
This comes from the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 41. It begins, “ Like Ireland, Cornwall is a Celtic region, so it’s no surprise that these turnovers are a favorite in pubs all over Ireland.” Makes 16 pasties.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/cornish-pasties/.
Dough
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbs. cold margarine, cut into cubes
Filling
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely diced (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 small rutabaga, peeled and diced (1 cup)
1 small potato, finely diced (1/2 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 large eggs
1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup grated reduced-fat Gruyère cheese
To make Dough: Sift flour and salt into bowl. Cut in margarine using pastry cutter, 2 knives, or your hands. Mixture should resemble coarse meal. Stir in 6 to 8 Tbs. ice water, or just enough to hold mixture together. Pinch dough between your fingers; if it sticks, dough is wet enough. Shape into disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour.
To make Filling: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is lightly browned. Add rutabaga, potato, carrot, and thyme; cook 3 minutes, then add 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat, cover, and steam vegetables 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.
Whisk 1 egg with mustard in large bowl. Stir in vegetables and Gruyère, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Whisk remaining egg with 2 Tbs. water in separate bowl to make egg wash, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
Divide Dough in half, and roll 1 half out on floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 8 discs with 5-inch round cutter. Add leftover Dough to remaining Dough, and repeat to make 8 more Dough discs. Roll each disc out to long oval; brush edges of each oval with egg wash. Place 3 Tbs. Filling on 1 side of oval, and fold Dough over to make semicircle. Press Dough around Filling to remove any air, making sure no Filling leaks out of edges. Crimp edges with fork tines to seal. Repeat with remaining Dough and Filling until you have 16 pasties. Brush tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
nutritional information Per Pasty: Calories: 220; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Cholesterol: 55 mg; Sodium: 284 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g
PLOUGHMAN'S PLATTER
If you're feeding several people for lunch – or want leftovers – this would be a good bet for during the afternoon on St. Patrick's Day. Like this last recipe, this also comes from the March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 46. It begins, “ Originating in the United Kingdom, a “ploughman’s lunch” is a plate of bread, butter, cheese, and pickles served in pubs at midday. This assortment, with homemade pickles and sliced apples, makes a nice hors d’oeuvre platter for any party. You also can include a green salad and sliced hard-boiled eggs.” Serves 16.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/ploughman-s-platter/.
Pickles
2 lb. cucumbers, sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbs. salt
1 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds
1 star anise
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Platter
1 loaf sliced Irish brown bread, soda bread, or country bread
2 tart apples, sliced
1/2 lb. Irish Cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. Stilton or Cashel blue cheese
1/4 lb. Irish butter
Colman’s English Mustard
To make Pickles: Pack cucumbers and onions in 1-qt. jar. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, star anise, cloves, turmeric, and red pepper flakes to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes. Pour liquid over cucumbers and onions; cover, and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
Arrange bread, apples, cheeses, butter, mustard, and Pickles on large platter.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 273; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 50 mg; Sodium: 571 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 4 g
COLCANNON
This comes from the Healing Heart Foundation at http://heart.kumu.org. It starts off, “A traditional old-world dish of creamed kale, leeks and potatoes.”
4 medium or 3 large potatoes
3 1/2 C chopped kale (one bunch)*
3 leeks
1 onion
1/3 C non-fat Soy Moo or any low-fat soy or rice milk
1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cut up the potatoes and steam until soft (potatoes can be microwaved in a bowl with a little water for about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, chop the onion and saute in a non-stick pan with a little water (no oil). Chop and wash the kale, and when the onion is soft, add the kale to the skillet; cover and let the kale steam in the water that stays on the leaves after washing. When the potatoes are done, drain if necessary and mash (with or without the skin, as you prefer). Mix in the soy or rice milk, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, combine with the kale and onions, and serve. 3 large or 4 medium servings
* If kale is hard to find, most greens (mustard, turnip, collard), boy choy or choy sum can be used. Green or red cabbage is also a traditional colcannon ingredient.
3 servings, each: Calories 262, Fat 1.2 g. (4% cff), Carbohydrate 57.6 g., Protein 8.3 g.
