(no subject)
And now for 'Mama''s present for all of you. :-D
First, some of my favorite Irish foods... (and some fun ones, just 'cos it's a holiday and all. :-D)
Soda Bread
This bread is popular throughout Ireland. Because it is easily and quickly made it is often baked fresh for tea or even breakfast. At home we used to call the loaf made with white flour soda bread, while that made with wholemeal was wheaten bread. In other parts of the country wheaten bread is referred to as brown soda or, confusingly, soda bread!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1lb/ 1/2kg/ 4 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1pt/ 1/2 lr/ 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Scoop up handfuls and allow to drop back into the bowl to aerate the mixture. Add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. Now work quickly as the buttermilk and soda are already reacting. Knead the dough lightly - too much handling will toughen it, while too little means it won't rise properly.
Form a round loaf about as thick as your fist. Place it on a lightly-floured baking sheet and cut a cross in the top with a floured knife. Put at once to bake near the top of a pre-heated oven, gas mark 8, 450°F, 230°C, for 30-45 minutes. When baked, the loaf will sound hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckles. Wrap immediately in a clean tea-towel to stop the crust hardening too much.
Wheaten bread or brown soda is made in exactly the same way but with wholemeal flour replacing all or some of the white flour; this mixture will probably require less buttermilk. Another variation is to add 1/2 cup of sultanas to the white bread - this loaf is known as Spotted Dick.
Irish Coffee
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1/4 cup hot, strong, black coffee
1-2 tsp sugar
1 large measure Irish whiskey
1-2 tbsp double cream
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fill a stemmed whiskey glass with hot water then throw out, refilling it with boiling water. Throw this out, fill the glass somewhat more than half full with coffee and add sugar to taste. Stir to dissolve, then add the whiskey. Pour the cream over the back of a spoon to float on top.
Drink the hot liquid through the cool cream. If double cream is not available use lightly-whipped single (whipping) cream.
Hot Whiskey, also known as 'hot Irish' or just 'punch', is a favourite winter drink in Irish pubs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
boiling water
1-2 tsp sugar
1 large measure Irish whiskey
slice of lemon
2 or 3 whole cloves
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat a stemmed whiskey glass as above. Pour in fresh boiling water to more than half full, dissolve sugar to taste, add the whiskey, a slice of lemon and the cloves. Serve at once.
Currant Squares
Even in the age of convenience foods, home baking skills are flourishing, though the preference has shifted from large cakes to tray bakes. Here is an unsurpassed favourite, especially when made with a delicate flaky pastry.
Flaky Pastry
140g/ 5oz firm butter or margarine, grated
175g/ 6oz flour
pinch salt
iced water
Filling
110g/ 4oz butter
80g/ 3oz sugar
225g/ 8oz currants
pinch spice
1 lemon, rind and juice
1 large apple, grated
1 slice bread, crumbled
Makes 20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To make pastry: freeze butter or margarine for half an hour before grating. Sift flour and salt, then add butter or margarine. Mix into flour with palette knife. Add iced water until a dough is formed. Wrap and chill in fridge. Put all filling ingredients into a saucepan and bring to boiling point. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to gas mark 6/ 200°C/ 400°F. Roll out half the pastry very thinly and line a Swiss roll tin. Pour on currant filling, spreading evenly, then cover with the rest of the pastry. Glaze with egg or milk and bake for 30 minutes or until light gold in colour. Dust with caster sugar and cut into squares when cool.
Beef in Guinness
The Guinness in this recipe has the same function as the wine in Coq Au Vin - the acid and moisture combined with the long, slow cooking help tenderise the tough but flavoursome meat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 1/2 lb/ 1 kg shin of beef
2 large onions
6 medium carrots
2 tbsp seasoned flour
a little fat or beef dripping
1/2 cup dry cider
1/2 pt/ 250 ml/ 1 cup Guinness with water
sprig of parsley
(serves four)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cut the beef into chunks and peel and slice the onions and carrots. Toss the beef in the flour and brown quickly in hot fat. Remove the beef and fry the onions gently until transparent. Return the beef and add the carrots and the liquid. Bring just to the boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover closely and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Check that the dish does not dry out, adding more liquid if necessary. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with plainly boiled potatoes.
From the Appletree Press title: A Little Irish Cookbook.
*****************
Tee hee hee...
Leprechaun Watch!
*****************
And an old blessing that was once adopted by my friend Paul as a lifelong anthem...
May the road rise to meet you
may the wind be always at your back;
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
and the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way --
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
May luck be our companion
May friends stand by our side
May history remind us all
Of Ireland's faith and pride.
May God bless us with happiness
May love and faith abide.
May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.
These things I warmly wish to you --
Someone to love
Some work to do
A bit o' sun
A bit o' cheer
And a guardian angel always near.
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
If you're enough lucky to be Irish...
You're lucky enough!
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.
***************
And--
Get an Irish name for the day!
***************
Now, lastly, for some music to get you in the spirit:
Teeny Tiny Gnome, by the Monkees.
Cheers!
First, some of my favorite Irish foods... (and some fun ones, just 'cos it's a holiday and all. :-D)
Soda Bread
This bread is popular throughout Ireland. Because it is easily and quickly made it is often baked fresh for tea or even breakfast. At home we used to call the loaf made with white flour soda bread, while that made with wholemeal was wheaten bread. In other parts of the country wheaten bread is referred to as brown soda or, confusingly, soda bread!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1lb/ 1/2kg/ 4 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1pt/ 1/2 lr/ 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Scoop up handfuls and allow to drop back into the bowl to aerate the mixture. Add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. Now work quickly as the buttermilk and soda are already reacting. Knead the dough lightly - too much handling will toughen it, while too little means it won't rise properly.
Form a round loaf about as thick as your fist. Place it on a lightly-floured baking sheet and cut a cross in the top with a floured knife. Put at once to bake near the top of a pre-heated oven, gas mark 8, 450°F, 230°C, for 30-45 minutes. When baked, the loaf will sound hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckles. Wrap immediately in a clean tea-towel to stop the crust hardening too much.
Wheaten bread or brown soda is made in exactly the same way but with wholemeal flour replacing all or some of the white flour; this mixture will probably require less buttermilk. Another variation is to add 1/2 cup of sultanas to the white bread - this loaf is known as Spotted Dick.
Irish Coffee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/4 cup hot, strong, black coffee
1-2 tsp sugar
1 large measure Irish whiskey
1-2 tbsp double cream
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fill a stemmed whiskey glass with hot water then throw out, refilling it with boiling water. Throw this out, fill the glass somewhat more than half full with coffee and add sugar to taste. Stir to dissolve, then add the whiskey. Pour the cream over the back of a spoon to float on top.
Drink the hot liquid through the cool cream. If double cream is not available use lightly-whipped single (whipping) cream.
Hot Whiskey, also known as 'hot Irish' or just 'punch', is a favourite winter drink in Irish pubs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
boiling water
1-2 tsp sugar
1 large measure Irish whiskey
slice of lemon
2 or 3 whole cloves
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat a stemmed whiskey glass as above. Pour in fresh boiling water to more than half full, dissolve sugar to taste, add the whiskey, a slice of lemon and the cloves. Serve at once.
Currant Squares
Even in the age of convenience foods, home baking skills are flourishing, though the preference has shifted from large cakes to tray bakes. Here is an unsurpassed favourite, especially when made with a delicate flaky pastry.
Flaky Pastry
140g/ 5oz firm butter or margarine, grated
175g/ 6oz flour
pinch salt
iced water
Filling
110g/ 4oz butter
80g/ 3oz sugar
225g/ 8oz currants
pinch spice
1 lemon, rind and juice
1 large apple, grated
1 slice bread, crumbled
Makes 20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To make pastry: freeze butter or margarine for half an hour before grating. Sift flour and salt, then add butter or margarine. Mix into flour with palette knife. Add iced water until a dough is formed. Wrap and chill in fridge. Put all filling ingredients into a saucepan and bring to boiling point. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to gas mark 6/ 200°C/ 400°F. Roll out half the pastry very thinly and line a Swiss roll tin. Pour on currant filling, spreading evenly, then cover with the rest of the pastry. Glaze with egg or milk and bake for 30 minutes or until light gold in colour. Dust with caster sugar and cut into squares when cool.
Beef in Guinness
The Guinness in this recipe has the same function as the wine in Coq Au Vin - the acid and moisture combined with the long, slow cooking help tenderise the tough but flavoursome meat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 1/2 lb/ 1 kg shin of beef
2 large onions
6 medium carrots
2 tbsp seasoned flour
a little fat or beef dripping
1/2 cup dry cider
1/2 pt/ 250 ml/ 1 cup Guinness with water
sprig of parsley
(serves four)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cut the beef into chunks and peel and slice the onions and carrots. Toss the beef in the flour and brown quickly in hot fat. Remove the beef and fry the onions gently until transparent. Return the beef and add the carrots and the liquid. Bring just to the boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover closely and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Check that the dish does not dry out, adding more liquid if necessary. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with plainly boiled potatoes.
From the Appletree Press title: A Little Irish Cookbook.
*****************
Tee hee hee...
Leprechaun Watch!
*****************
And an old blessing that was once adopted by my friend Paul as a lifelong anthem...
May the road rise to meet you
may the wind be always at your back;
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
and the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way --
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
May luck be our companion
May friends stand by our side
May history remind us all
Of Ireland's faith and pride.
May God bless us with happiness
May love and faith abide.
May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.
These things I warmly wish to you --
Someone to love
Some work to do
A bit o' sun
A bit o' cheer
And a guardian angel always near.
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
If you're enough lucky to be Irish...
You're lucky enough!
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.
***************
And--
Get an Irish name for the day!
***************
Now, lastly, for some music to get you in the spirit:
Teeny Tiny Gnome, by the Monkees.
Cheers!