With St. Patrick’s Day only a week-plus away, we’ve already lucked into two great recipes today. From two different Forum helpers, both are for a single traditional Irish goes-with-everything, and both are in response to a request from Diane Moya of Snohomish.
Lynnwood cook Becky Sharpe Janec
ke tells us, “This recipe is from my Irish grandmother. It is by far the best recipe I have ever had, and I’ve tried many. My wedding anniversary is on St. Patrick’s Day so, if at no other time, it is requested on that day by my family.”
Becky adds, “I use whole-wheat pastry flour and just m
ade a loaf with chopped prunes, walnuts, toasted wheat germ and orange zest. I also added an extra tablespoon of sugar and some cinnamon. For a savory loaf, add some grated cheese and herbs. Add them after combining the dry ingredients, before adding the remaining ingredients.”
Next, from Shawn O’Donnell of American Grill and Irish Pub in Everett, we learn, “We serve soda bread year-round here at the restaurant and, I must say, it is outstanding. We use an old family recipe that, after making 420 loaves a week for the last 4 1/2 years, we have dialed in.
“Don’t let the simple recipe fool you. As with most Irish recipes, it follows two rules: inexpensive and easy to do. We usually add currants, as they have proven to be the most popular, but you can get quite creative with what to add. Most common additions would be caraway, raisins or, maybe, dried cranberries.”
And bless his heart, Shawn mentions, “I have attached the ‘family secret’ recipe for soda bread. I have broken down the recipe to serve six, as the 60 loaves we bake at a time don’t work for most.”
Now, everybody, just listen to this: “We have also hosted a soda bread baking contest,” Shawn says, “ever since we opened here. It’s held on the Sunday afternoon prior to St. Patrick’s Day — this year, it’s scheduled for March 13. We usually get 8 to 10 entries, and it’s serious business to the participants.”
Shawn also says, “Thanks for bringing attention to good Irish things.”
In my own case, good Irish things include my whole family, both sides, all of them for as far back as I can remember, American-born Irish, without exception. Still and all, Irish is Irish, and besides, on St. Patrick’s Day, everybody who wishes can, for at least that one day, be Irish, too!
Enough of my babble! Let’s make:
Irish grandmother’s soda bread
2 cups unsifted flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Optional: chopped dried fruit, chopped nuts, toasted wheat germ, orange zest, 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon to taste; OR, for a savory loaf, add grated cheese and herbs
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plain yogurt (can be low fat) or buttermilk
In a mixing bowl, combine the unsifted flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda; mix together thoroughly and add the options of your choice. Mix options into dry ingredients thoroughly, then add egg, oil and yogurt or buttermilk. Mix ingredients together, to make a thick, but not-too-sticky dough. Knead the dough for a few minutes, shape into a ball, transfer to a cookie sheet and flatten to a round that is about 1 1/2-inches tall. With a knife, cut a criss-cross in the top of the dough about halfway into the loaf. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Bread will be lightly brown and crusty when it’s done and will sound hollow when you tap it. Makes 1 loaf.
O’Donnell family Irish soda bread
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 cups flour, plus extra for dusting baking pan
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup currants
Egg wash
In a small saucepan, melt butter or margarine; let cool while you separate the eggs. Add buttermilk and the 2 egg yolks to the butter and set aside. Turn whites into a small bowl, add a half-egg-shell of water and gently whip with a fork to combine; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda; mix well. Pour in the butter mixture and stir; add the currants and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Knead and shape dough into 6 small loaves, each the size of a tennis ball. Slice a cross in the top and brush with the egg wash. Bake on a flour-dusted sheet pan at 350 degrees for 24 minutes.
Makes 6 small loaves.
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