Irish

KNR, p. 70 “Irish Peasant Soup”

If there are no paragraph separations in the article, double-click on the title and they will appear.

During our last trip to Ireland, Sheila and I had lunch in many different restaurants, in both big cities and small villages throughout the country. We were surprised to see that there were two comfort foods common to every mid-day menu: Brown Bread and Irish Peasant Soup. While I’m traveling, if I find something I like to eat, I tend to stick with it, just to be on the safe side. Sheila says I should be more adventurous, but IMO, odd sauces can cover up a LOT of mystery meat.

Having said that, we discovered that each of the places had different recipes for the soup. Sheila came up with this combination of vegetables after striking up a friendship with a chatty cook who revealed that the soups are basically created using whatever is fresh from the garden that week.

Irish Peasant Soup

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Soup
Cuisine Irish
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 stalks celery (no leaves) diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 2 quarts chicken broth (organic, low sodium)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 3/4 cups baby carrots, sliced
  • 1 cup parsnips, peeled and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped kale

Instructions
 

  • Saute diced celery in olive oil until translucent (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.  Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth if needed to keep from sticking.  
  • Add powdered garlic and onion powder. Stir.
  • Add sliced carrots, sliced parsnips, minced garlic and salt. Add 1 cup more chicken broth, stir, cover and bring to low boil, cooking until parsnips fork tender (about 20 minutes). Stir occasionally.
  • After parsnips are fork tender, add the kale and the remaining chicken broth, cover and continue on simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring every ten minutes.
  • Remove soup from pot a little at a time and puree in blender or food processor until desired consistency, setting aside until entire contents are pureed. Return puree to pot and lightly season with salt, etc. to taste.
  • Reheat before serving.

Notes

Note: If making ahead, this soup gets a little saltier in the refrigerator by the next day.

 

It’s easy to substitute other veggies if parsnips or kale are out of season or unavailable. Keep the seasoning, liquids, and measurements the same. The basic recipe is quite versatile. Promise: nobody will die if you switch out collard greens for the kale.  😉

Enjoy!

 

Save

KNR, p. 70 “Irish Peasant Soup” Read More »

KNR, p. 35 “Kerrian’s Irish Soda Bread”

 


Our travels in Ireland led us to quite a few B&Bs and at each and every one, they served soda bread with breakfast. We liked the versions with raisins, so when we returned to the USA, Sheila baked and I taste-tested until we agreed on this recipe. Most people have it only on St. Patrick’s Day, when they pretend to be Irish, but we enjoy it all year round. No yeast required.

Irish Soda Bread

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Bread
Cuisine Irish
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 Standing mixer with paddle

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups + 1 Tablespoon bread flour
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tablespoon water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, combine 4 cups flour, raisins, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes. 
  • In a stainless steel bowl, gently whisk the buttermilk and vegetable oil. Gradually add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball, 30-40 seconds. Scrape the dough away from the paddle and turn the dough ball over. Mix on low speed for another 30 seconds.
  • Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Knead vigorously until smooth, about 2 minutes. Form the dough into round loaf. Pinch a small handful of dough & gently twist, careful not to tear the dough from the loaf. Place dough, pinched side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water, then lightly brush the mixture over the top of the loaf. Score the loaf by cutting a 1/4’’ deep ‘X’ into the top.
  • Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. The bread is done if a hollow sound is heard when the bottom is tapped with your finger.
  • Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing.

 

Serve with butter or honey. Makes a very nice toast. Enjoy!

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

KNR, p. 35 “Kerrian’s Irish Soda Bread” Read More »

KNR, p. 139 “Irish Brown Bread”

 

Ireland is a fabulous place to visit from Spring right through early Fall. The country has plenty of top-notch scenery, challenging golf courses, stud farms, and castles galore. And, it has all that really great food. Sheila and I had loads of fun going from tea room to pub to restaurant, sampling traditional Irish dishes.

The one constant at lunch wherever we went was the dense brown bread. It varied slightly in taste with different bakers, but it was usually served with soup or at afternoon tea, with jam, butter or honey.

Of course, when we came back to the States, Sheila and I created our own version of the bread so that we could serve it on St. Patrick’s Day. Yes, it is on the table with the soda bread, giving our guests a chance to try both. To be clear, Sheila does the baking and I do the tasting and cleanup. We make a great team in the kitchen.  🙂 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
 

Irish Brown Bread

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Irish
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 4”x 8” loaf pan
  • 1 Standing mixer with dough hook
  • non-stick cooking spray

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cold butter
  • 2 3/4 cups stone ground wholewheat flour, plus additional Tablespoons if needed
  • 1/4 cup regular or quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, blend all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. 
  • Cut in butter until mixture forms pea sized crumbs. 
  • Stir in whole wheat flour and oats. Add buttermilk, using bread hook if available.  If mixture is sticky, add in more whole wheat flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, just until the dough has a smooth, dry surface.
  • Place dough ball on a lightly floured board and knead 6-7 times, shaping into a loaf. Spray 4”x 8” loaf pan with non-stick spray and place dough in the pan.
  • Bake at 400 until golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. Test for doneness with metal skewer.
  • Remove from pan immediately and cool on rack. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

 

Serve with butter, jam, or honey and enjoy!

 

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

KNR, p. 139 “Irish Brown Bread” Read More »

Scroll to Top