"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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