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Irish Soda Bread

I will be teaching cooking and sewing/crafts to kids (ranging in ages from 3 to 10) at a summer camp next month.  I'm very excited about it.  I have been playing around with lots of recipes and this Irish soda bread is one I'm definitely going to do for class.   I'm going to divide the dough up into fourths and let the children do mini loaves instead of one big loaf.  The four mini-loaves bake in about 20 minutes.  Pricking the surface of the unbaked loaves is an old Irish tradition to "let the fairies out".  This is a nice bread for eating with a hearty stew or soup.  It's also good with butter and cherry preserves.

Irish Soda Bread

3 1/2 cups flour
1 to 3 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups butter milk (or sour milk...1 1/2 T. lemon juice and enough milk to make 1 1/2 cups)
1 T. carraway seeds (optional)
1 cup dark raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray baking sheet (or round 8-inch cake pan) with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients and carraway seeds, if using in a mixing bowl.  Stir well to mix.  Gently mix in the raisins, if using.

Add the buttermilk and stir gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  Dough should be soft, but not sticky.

Remove dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth, about 1 minute.  Form into a round loaf and place on the prepared pan.  Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf.  Prick each quarter 3 or 4 times with a fork.

Bake the soda bread 45 minutes, until it is well risen, a deep brown color, and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool the loaf slightly on a rack.  Serve warm with butter.

Irish soda bread is best eaten fresh.

Recipe adapted from the classic Irish cookbook, Full and Plenty:  Breads and Cakes by Maura Laverty(Anvil Books, 1985).

posted by: artichoke72 at 21:08 | link | comments (4) |
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Candied Pecans

I made these candied pecans to add to salads.  They are excellent on a salad of mixed greens, fresh fruit (strawberries, mandrian oranges, pears), goat cheese and sweet poppyseed dressing or raspberry vinaigrette.  They are also wonderful for snacking.  I don't think I let the sugar melt enough before I added the pecans and next time I make these, I will cook the sugar mixture a little longer.

Candied Pecans

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch cayenne
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

In small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and
cayenne.

In medium skillet, combine butter and sugar mixture. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar has melted.  Once sugar has melted, add the pecans and stir until the nuts are coated.  Pour onto a sheet of aluminum foil and let cool completely.

posted by: artichoke72 at 14:20 | link | comments |
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Asparagus Cheese Soup

I got this recipe from my friend, Robin.  It's a very rich soup and very much like my broccoli and cheese soup recipe.  I made a half batch of this particular recipe and doubled the amount of asparagus.  Somehow that made me feel better about consuming all that cheese and milk.  I also left out the thyme, because I don't like it much.  I also added the cheese before I added the asparagus.    I felt the cheese melted easier that way. This is a delicious soup. 

Asparagus Cheese Soup

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 cups milk
4 cups fresh asparagus (1-inch pieces), cooked and drained or 2 packages (10 oz.) frozen cut asparagus, thawed
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
additional shredded cheddar (optional)

In a 3 quart saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil. Boil and stir for two minutes.  Add asparagus and heat through. Reduce heat.  Add the cheese, thyme, and nutmeg. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring frequently (do not boil). Garnish with additional cheese if desired.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (2 quarts)

posted by: artichoke72 at 00:05 | link | comments |
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