Grand Old Irish Recipes

 

Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS (FOR 8 TO 10 SMALL LOAVES):

8-10 CUPS OF FLOUR
2 TABLESPOONS EACH OF GROUND NUTMEG AND GROUND CINNAMON
1/3 CUP BAKING POWDER
1 1/2 CUPS EACH SUGAR AND MILK
5 LARGE EGGS
1 1/4 CUPS BLEACHED RAISINS

DIRECTIONS:

SIFT TOGETHER THE FLOUR, NUTMEG, CINNAMON, BAKING POWDER AND SUGAR (AS FLOUR IS USUALLY MEASURED IN POUNDS, START WITH 8 CUPS, AND DEPENDING ON DENSITY AND HUMIDITY, USE UP TO 10 CUPS).

WHEN THOROUGHLY BLENDED, ADD RAISINS AND MIX THRU THE FLOUR

BEAT EGGS AND MILK TOGETHER UNTIL BLENDED, THEN ADD TO ABOVE MIXTURE AND WORK INTO DOUGH; LET DOUGH REST FOR 30 MINUTES

KNEAD DOUGH. MAKE SMALL LOAVES AND BAKE 25-30 MINUTES @ 325 DEGREES, SCORE THE TOP OF THE LOAVES, AND SERVE WARM (WITH LOTS OF BUTTER AND/OR A HIGH-QUALITY SPREAD SUCH AS (I RECOMMEND) ROSE'S LIME MARMALADE. AND I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME VERY GOOD TEA (OR COFFEE) TO WASH IT DOWN WITH. MILK WORKS TOO).

THE LOAVES CAN BE FROZEN AND MICROWAVED. ONCE THE LOAVES ARE COOLED, THEY'LL HARDEN. SIMPLY WARM THEM UP IN THE OVEN WITH A DAMP CLOTH OVER THEM AND THEY'LL SOFTEN RIGHT UP

Irish Apple Cake

Ingredients
2 cups white flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
3 to 4 cooking apples
1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt for glazing.

Method
1. Sieve flour and baking powder into a bowl; cut butter up into pieces and then rub into the flour. Add 2/3 of the sugar, beaten egg and enough milk to form a soft dough.
2. Divide dough in two. Put one half onto a greased ovenproof plate; gently pat our with fingers to cover the plate.
3. Peel and chop apples. Arrange apples on the dough and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
4. Roll out remaining dough and cover the apples. Press sides together, cut a slit in top, and brush with beaten egg. Bake for about 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
5. Dredge with sugar. Serve warm with brown sugar and whipped cream.
Makes six servings.

Beef in Guinness soup

serves 4

2-1/2 pounds shin of beef
2 large onions
6 medium carrots
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (seasoned with salt & pepper)
a little fat or beef dripping
1 cup Guinness and water mixed
sprig of parsley

Cut beef into chunks.
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 a boil, reduce the heat to a very gently simmer, cover closely and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Check so the dish does not dry out, adding more liquid if necessary.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Connemara Tart

2 large apples
1 beaten Egg
2 ounces butter
1/4 cup milk
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

Sift flour, ginger, salt and sugar. Rub in the fat. Add milk and eggs to bake a soft dough. Roll out on a floured board. Cover the base of a greased pie dish with the pastry. Grate the apples onto the pastry. Dot with butter. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over top. Bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. Serve hot with custard.

Atwaters Irish Stew

Atwater's Irish Stew

Yield: Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients:

salt and pepper
5 pounds leg of lamb (trimmed and cubed)
1 pound pearl onions (peeled)
3 leeks
1 pound red bliss potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
7 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh sage
1 gallon of chicken stock
12 ounces Guinness or other thick stout
2 cups cooked barley
1 pint half-and-half (optional)

Season and brown lamb on all sides in hot pan. Roast vegetables in
450-degree oven until slightly brown and remove. Stir in flour with
the vegetables and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove vegetables from oven and stir in meat. Add herb sprigs and add
enough stock and the beer to cover meat and vegetables by 1/2 inch.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and place stew lightly covered
with parchment paper or foil in oven for 2 hours.

Remove from oven, stir in barley, half-and-half (optional) and season
to taste.

Per serving (1/12 of stew): 630 calories; 45 grams protein; 31 grams
fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrate; 2 grams fiber;
151 milligrams cholesterol; 575 milligrams sodium
Atwater's Bakery Soup Bar

Irish Pork With Stuffing

2 pounds        pork tenderloin  -- or 6 to 8 boneless -- lean pork chops
2 tablespoons  butter 
2 tablespoons  apple cider  -- hard cider or apple  -- wine or
water                     
salt and pepper                     
STUFFING
4 1/2  cups potatoes  -- coarsely mashed 
1/4  cup butter 
1 onion
2 large apples  -- chopped
1 handful  fresh sage and thyme  -- chopped                   
salt and pepper
Rub meat with salt, pepper and butter. Pour cider or water into 3 -quart
casserole dish. Place meat along edges of dish.  Cover loosely with
foil and bake 1 hour at 350  degrees (F).

Stuffing:
To potatoes, add butter, onion, apples, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well.