Irish Dinner
Rye bread will do you good,
Barley bread will do you no harm,
Wheaten bread will sweeten your blood,
Oaten bread will strengthen your arm.
Raisin Soda Bread
5 c. all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp.baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
4 oz. butter
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1 c. raisins
1 egg
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. plain yogurt
Preheat oven to 400°. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or clean fingers rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the sugar and raisins and stir to distribute throughout the flour mixture. Stir the beaten egg, yogurt and buttermilk together in another bowl or pitcher. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the liquid ingredients. Mix together with a wooden spoon to form the dough. Using your hand, lightly dusted with flour, gently knead the dough into a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently into a round form about 9 inches in diameter. Do not over knead. This creates a tough bread.Transfer to a lightly greased 9 inch baking pan. Score the top of the loaf with a cross shape to create four distinct quarters. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more. The loaf is baked when the bottom sounds hollow when tapped or an inserted knife comes out clean. If the bread starts to brown too much early in the cooking process, cover it with a tent of aluminium foil. Remove the bread from the oven and the baking pan. Wrap the bread in a clean dish towel and allow to cool on a wire wrack. Serve sliced bread with butter.
Corned Beef and Cabbage in Guinness
4 lbs flat cut corned beef brisket
1 (12 oz.) bottle Guinness draught (NOT Guiness stout –that will turn it bitter!)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into wedges
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8-1/4 tsp. clove (to taste)
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 head cabbage, cut into wedges, rinsed and drained
6 medium white potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 -2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
Rinse corned beef under cold water, and pat dry. In a Dutch oven, or other large pot with a cover, brown corned beef well on all sides over high heat. Pour Guinness over meat, and add enough water to just cover brisket. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and pepper to pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. Add carrots, then potatoes, then cabbage wedges to pot. Cover pot, and continue cooking until meat and vegetables are tender (about 20-30 min.). Remove meat and vegetables to serving platter/dishes, leaving cooking liquid/sauce in pot. Over high heat, bring cooking liquid to boil, and cook until amount of liquid is reduced by half (about 10 min.). Slice corned beef across the grain; serve with vegetables and sauce on the side.
Homemade Irish Cream
2 c. Irish Jameson whiskey
2 c. heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. instant espresso, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Combine all ingredients in a large container and stir well. Refrigerate immediately and serve chilled over ice. (Will keep up to 2 months if kept sealed and refrigerated.)
From all of us at EIL to you, an old Irish blessing:
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
