POTATO LEEK SOUP & BROTHER GRIMALDI'S IRISH SODA BREAD

"A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle."

~ Irish Proverb

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POTATO LEEK SOUP

~ Velvety smooth traditional Irish soup

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2 peeled and sliced pounds of white potatoes

1 well-scrubbed and sliced bunch of leeks

1 stick unsalted butter

1 large chopped white onion

3 stalks chopped celery

5 cups organic chicken stock

2 cups half & half

1 cup milk

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes

1 tsp. white pepper

coarse salt to taste

1 whole bay leaf

1/4 tsp. mace

fresh chopped chives or watercress

Melt butter in large stock pot. Add leeks, onions and celery. Cook until wilted, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Add potatoes, parsley, salt & pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf.
In batches, puree in blender until smooth. Return to pot and add half & half and milk (or any combination to make broth rich or lighter). Stir in mace and re-season to taste. Serve sprinkled with chives or watercress. (about 8 servings)

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BROTHER GRIMALDI'S IRISH SODA BREAD

(as made in certain Southern regions in Ireland & in the days of Brother Rice's 'Galway Fairs')

~ from Cooking With Brother Rice

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4 cups sifted flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. caraway seeds

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup raisins (or currants)

2 Tbsp. melted butter

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Sift flour, soda & salt into bowl; add seeds, sugar and raisins (or currants).Mix together and stir in butter, eggs and buttermilk.
Put batter in round 2-quart pan and with rounded knife cut a cross on top of loaf. (Or gather in large form and bake on Pam sprayed baking sheet. Cut cross and sprinkle lightly with sugar and additional caraway seeds.) Bake 45-60 minutes at 350-degrees.

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