Irish

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.

 

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Kerrian's Favorite Irish Soda Bread
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead vigorously with the heels of your hands until smooth, about two minutes. Form the dough into a round loaf. Pinch a small handful of dough and gently twist, being careful not to tear the dough from the loaf. Place the dough, pinched side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  4. 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

 

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KNR, p. 34 “Kerrian’s Lamb Stew”

St. Patrick’s Day will be here soon! Time to start gathering the ingredients for the St. Patrick’s Day party! We order the boneless lamb roast from the butcher now, so that he has plenty of time to get it from his distributor.

 

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Kerrian's Favorite Lamb Stew
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Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 1/4 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into one inch cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon A-1 sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour from flour shaker
  • 4 cups organic chicken broth
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 2 cups baby carrots, peeled
  • 3-4 red bliss potatoes, peeled, cut into 2 inch chunks (about 2 cups)
  • 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • Another Tablespoon flour if needed
  • Optional: ¼ cup barley (for an authentic Irish flavor)
Instructions
  1. Use 4-6 quart pot with lid.
  2. Warm olive oil in pot over medium heat, add sea salt and onion powder, stir.
  3. Place lamb cubes in the oil and sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire and A-1 sauces and stir, coating the meat. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir, coating the meat.
  4. Add organic chicken broth and celery and stir. Place lid on pot and cook until celery is translucent, about 20 minutes.
  5. Add carrots and potatoes and stir. Add green beans and stir. (If adding barley, this is the time).
  6. Lower heat to low. Replace lid and cook until tender, another 60-65 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more flour for thickening if necessary or thicken with mashed potatoes.
  7. Serve with traditional Irish brown bread.

 

If you love lamb as we do, this is a go-to stew. The recipe works with other meats, too, but our favorite version is with lamb.

Enjoy!

 

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KNR, p. 213 “Nobody Dies Eating Salmon Quiche”

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St. Patrick’s Day will be here before you know it, so we are gathering our recipes and making decisions about what to cook for our own dinner and what to take to the weekend parties. Since the big day falls on a Saturday this year, we know for sure that both Friday and Saturday will be nabbed as great days and nights to celebrate.

Why did we choose Salmon Quiche for this year’s entry into the tasty dishes? On each of our trips to Ireland, we visited coastal cities. The seafood is abundant and we ate some of the best fish dishes in our lives while there. The pubs on the coast offered some kind of salmon dish – entrée or sandwich or croquette – at every place we stopped. We thought it would be great to figure out a recipe that could make use of leftover cooked salmon, or canned salmon, and be adapted to appetizers or eaten at a brunch. This quiche can be both.

Slainte Mhaith! (Good Health!)

 

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KN, p. 213 "Nobody Dies Eating Salmon Quiche"
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • Ingredients for Topping:
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1/8 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Plus....
  • Ingredients for Filling:
  • 9” deep dish pie crust
  • 3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1/2 shredded cheddar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 14 ounces cooked salmon (we used canned salmon)
Instructions
  1. For Topping:
  2. Using a fork, mix together flour, 1/3 cup shredded cheddar, chopped almonds, sea salt, paprika, and vegetable oil.
  3. Set aside.
  4. For Filling:
  5. Bake empty pie shell at 350 for ten minutes to reduce ‘soggy bottom.’ Remove from oven and set aside.
  6. Drain salmon. Save juice. Add water to juice to make 1/2 cup.
  7. Remove bones and skin and flake the salmon.
  8. Blend eggs, sour cream, mayo, and salmon liquid.
  9. Add salmon, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, onion, dill, and mustard, and stir.
  10. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
  11. Sprinkle evenly with topping. Cover edges with pie crust ‘savers’ or strips of aluminum foil to protect the crust from burning.
  12. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until firm in the center and topping is lightly toasted.

 Serve it with a salad and enjoy!

 

Nobody died while taste testing the salmon quiche variations. There may have been swooning and salivating, because we do love salmon.

 

 

 

 

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