A St. Patty's Day Feast
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we are featuring a more authentic, modernized take on Irish cuisine which requires ditching the idea of corned beef and embracing one of these updated classics — all of which pair well with a nice stout, glass of Gewürztraminer or, of course, a pour of Irish whiskey. With this menu, everything except the Fish and Chips can be made the day before; in fact, these dishes taste better with time, so take a cue from the pace of Dublin and stop by your local pub, enjoy a few drinks then invite friends back to your house for a hearty and tasty meal that will only take minutes to heat and serve.
Irish Soda Bread
Soda bread has been a staple of home cooking in Ireland since the 1800s. The most basic recipe uses baking soda, buttermilk, flour and salt, but many other seasonings can be added such as raisins, caraway seeds, various types of flour and walnuts. If you’re planning on making the Bread Pudding as well, double the soda bread recipe so you will have an extra loaf to work with.
Preheat oven to 425˚F.
In large bowl, mix together flours, baking soda, sugar and salt. Using your fingers, incorporate butter into dry ingredients. Once all the butter is combined, it should have the texture of coarse meal.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the egg and buttermilk to it. Using a spoon, stir the mixture until it becomes too difficult to mix. Form the dough into a round ball, but do not knead it. Place on a greased baking sheet. Using a knife, score the dough with an X. Bake in oven for about 40 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
