Irish

KNR, p. 36 “Colcannon”

 

 

Colcannon is a buttery, garlicky, creamy variety of mashed potatoes. The menus in Irish pubs list ‘bangers and mash.’ Bangers are large sausages served with the colcannon – a tasty, filling combination. I have also eaten a version of this dish in Ireland with cabbage chunks instead of the kale. The kale version is prettier on the table (IMO).

Colcannon

Patti Phillips
Buttery, garlicky, mashed potatoes
Print Recipe
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 bunch kale (yields 3/4 cup chopped kale)
  • 3-4 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 8 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped leeks
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt for potato water
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt for seasoning the dish
  • to taste ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes (or until fork tender).
  • Meanwhile, wash and trim kale, discarding the spines of the leaves. Blanch, drain, gently squeeze out the water and chop finely. Set aside. 
  • Heat2 tablespoons butter and garlic powder in a large frying pan and cook leeks until tender over low heat, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the chopped kale and 2 Tablespoons butter and cook an additional 10 minutes,stirring frequently.
  • Season with pepper to taste.
  • Drain and mash the potatoes.
  • Whip in the kale mixture and 1 teaspoon salt.
  • Slowly beat in cream until mixture is smooth, but still firm.
  • Season with additional salt & pepper if needed.
  • In a small frying pan, brown the onions in the remaining butter. 
  • Create a mound of the potatoes in a serving dish.
  • Make a depression in the center and pour the browned onions and butter in the well until they spill over the side. 
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley. (the photo shows a version I make without the onion topping.)

 

Enjoy!

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*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

 

 

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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
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"Irish Brown Bread"
Author: 
Recipe type: bread
Cuisine: Irish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
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 ¾ cups stone ground whole wheat flour, plus additional Tablespoons if needed
  • ¼ cup regular or quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • 4”x8” loaf pan
  • non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, blend all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt.
  2. Cut in butter until mixture forms pea sized crumbs.
  3. Stir in whole wheat flour and oats.
  4. 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.
  5. Place dough ball on a lightly floured board and knead 6-7 times, shaping into a loaf.
  6. Spray 4”x8” loaf pan with non-stick spray and place dough in the pan.
  7. Bake at 400 until golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
  8. Test for doneness with metal skewer.
  9. Remove from pan immediately and cool on rack.
  10. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

 

Serve with butter, jam, or honey and enjoy!

 

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

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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.

 

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Irish Peasant Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 stalks celery, (no leaves) diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 2 quarts (64 ounces) organic low sodium chicken broth (Swanson’s)
  • 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 ¾ cups baby carrots, sliced
  • 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon fine sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped kale
Instructions
  1. Saute diced celery in olive oil until translucent (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
  2. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth if needed to keep from sticking.
  3. Add powdered garlic and onion powder. Stir.
  4. Add sliced carrots, sliced parsnips, minced garlic and salt.
  5. Add 1 cup more chicken broth, stir, cover and bring to low boil, cooking until parsnips fork tender (about 20 minutes).
  6. Stir occasionally.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Return puree to pot and lightly season with salt, etc. to taste.
  10. 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!

 

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