Ingredients (for 2 loaves)
1 cup whiskey
3lbs/1.350kg flour
2oz/55 grams yeast
2 tspns salt
1 1/2 pints/900ml milk
4oz/110 grams butter
4oz/110 grams sugar
1 lb/450 grams sultanas
4oz/110 grams currants and raisins mixed
4oz/110 grams mixed peel
1 tspn mixed spice
Method
Sieve together all dry ingredients except sugar into a bowl. Mix the yeast with a tspn of the sugar and half the milk. Sprinkle a little flour on top and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes. Mix in the flour, add remaining liquid and mix thoroughly. Knead into a ball and turn onto a floured surface. Knead for 15 minutes or until the dough no longer feels sticky. Put into a greased bowl and leave to rise for 1/2 hour. Punch down and flatten to a large round. Place margarine, sugar and dried fruit in the middle and work in these ingredients by kneading until evenly incorporated in the dough. Return the dough to greased bowl, let rise for a further 30 minutes. Divide in half and shape to fit tins. Cover and leave to rise until dough reaches top of tins. Brush with milk and bake for about 50 minutes at 4OOF/2OOC or until hollow.
Potato cakes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
6 to 8 ounces white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups freshly mashed potatos (with milk)
Method:
Cut butter into flour until it forms granules. Add salt and baking powder,mix well. Mix in potatoes. Kneed for a few minutes. Roll out onto lightly floured board with floured rolling pin. Cut into two rounds. Cook on dry griddle or skillet until brown on both sides. Makes 2 cakes.
Apple & barley pudding
Yield: 4 Servings
4 tb Pearl barley
1 1/2 lb Eating apples*
2 oz Sugar
3/4 tb Double cream
1 l Water
* Peeled cored and sliced. Put the barley in the water and bring to the boil. Add the sliced apples and continue cooking gently until the barley and apples are soft. Press through a sieve or put through the blender and put back in the saucepan. Add the sugar and lemon juice and bring to the boil again. Remove from the heat allow to cool and then chill. Serve cool with the cream stirred in.
Irish Apple Cake
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and diced (2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8-inch square cake pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, apples, nuts, and vanilla and stir well. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Let the cake cook in the pan for 5 minutes, then unmold and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Serves 10-12
Bunratty Castle Pork Ribs with Honey-Whiskey Sauce
You'll never be able to duplicate the entertainment from the Shannon Heritage castle feasts (at Bunratty, Knappogue, and Dunguaire), but you can recall your visit with these pork spareribs featured on the Bunratty menu.
5 pounds pork spareribs
Honey-Whiskey Sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup honey
1 cup Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup demi-glace or concentrated chicken broth
Put the ribs in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 1 hour, skimming the water occasionally to remove the foam. Transfer to a large baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and cook the onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the demi-glace or concentrated chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce reduces by half, 10 to 15 mintues. Stir in the demi-glace. Pour half the sauce over the ribs and bake, turning once, until the ribs begin to brown, 30-40 minutes. Slice the meat into 4 or more ribs per person and serve with remaining sauce.
Serves 4 to 6 as a first course
White Soda Bread
Patrick McLarnon, chef at Ardtara Country House Hotel (Upperlands, County Londonberry) bakes this ultra-easy white bread daily for guests. Nearly obligatory in the breakfast bread basket, it also makes a wonderful crust for meat and game pies when rolled out to a 1/4-inch thickness.
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup superfine sugar
2 cups buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan or a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
Sift the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt together into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the center, add the buttermilk, and with a fork, work the milk into the flour until a soft dough is formed. Turn into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees F and bake until the bread is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing.
Makes 1 loaf
TRADITIONAL IRISH BACON AND CABBAGE
INGREDIENTS
1 Shannon Traditional Slab Bacon (11/4 - 2lb)
1/2 green cabbage and 1/2 white cabbage
8 potatoes (peeled)
Salt and pepper
METHOD:
Remove slab bacon from plastic bag. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil and drain. Cover with fresh cold water. Bring to boil and then simmer for 25 minutes per 1lb plus 25 minutes over. Remove outer leaves of cabbage. Cut in half, add to the saucepan and simmer for the last 20 minutes. Remove bacon to chopping board and carve into thin slices. Drain cabbage, season with salt & pepper, chop and add a knob of butter. Serve the bacon with the cabbage and boiled potatoes and parsley sauce.
PARSLEY SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cabbage stock
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Pepper
METHOD:
Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour to make roux. Cook without browning over medium heat for 1 or 2 minutes. Gradually add cabbage stock, then milk. Bring to boil and stir for a few minutes. Add parsley and season to taste with pepper. Makes about two and a half cups.
Serves 4
SAUSAGE AND BACON HOT PIE
INGREDIENTS
1 lb Shannon Traditional Irish Bacon (Regular or Premium)
1 lb Shannon Traditional Sausages (Bangers)
Salt and pepper to taste
5 large peeled potatoes
1 oz oil
2pts water
Pinch of thyme
1 small sliced onion
Chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
METHOD:
Heat oil in pan, brown sausages and lightly saute bacon. Slice potatoes thinly. Mix potatoes with herbs and onions and season with salt and pepper. Layer an ovenproof dish with potatoes. Place sausages and bacon on top of potatoes. Neatly arrange an overlapping layer of potatoes on top. Pour water over all ingredients. Place a bay leaf on top. Cook in pre-heated oven at 220 C till lightly colored. Reduce heat to 170 C and cook for a further 30 minutes. Press down potatoes occasionally during cooking. Remove bay leaf. Brush potatoes after cooking with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serves 6 to 8
SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM PIE
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Shannon Traditional Sausages (Bangers)
2 oz butter
2 onions sliced
1/2 lb small button mushrooms
11/2 oz plain flour
1/2 pt milk
1/2 pt chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb puff pastry
1 egg beaten or a little milk
METHOD:
Pre-heat the oven to hot, 200 C, putting in the sausages on a roasting tin to cook. Remove in about 20 minutes and leave to cool. Soften the onions in the melted butter over a low heat. Add the mushrooms and stir for 1 or 2 minutes. Sieve the flour over the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and milk gradually, stirring continuously. Bring to boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Season to taste, and leave to cool. Roll out the pastry thinly on a floured board, and line a deep pie dish. Put the sausages into the dish, pour the sauce over them and cover with the remaining pastry. Press the edges well together. Brush over with remaining egg or milk. Make one or two small holes in the pastry lid with a skewer. Bake in the pre- heated oven for about 40 minutes, and serve hot.
Serves 4 to 6
PASTA WITH IRISH BACON AND BROCCOLI
INGREDIENTS:
4 slices Shannon Traditional Irish Bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips
8 ounces dried corkscrew or quill-shaped pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup de-fatted chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
METHOD:
Cook pasta in large amount of salted boiling water. While pasta is cooking, in non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook bacon strips just until they begin to brown. Stir in garlic and onions; cover and cook for several minutes or until onion is soft. Raise heat to medium-high. Add chicken broth, hot pepper flakes and broccoli. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender and still bright green. Stir in grated Parmesan and salt to taste. Toss with hot cooked pasta. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
CATHLEEN'S BANGERS IN RUM SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
1lb Shannon Traditional Sausages (Bangers)
11/2 to 2oz rum (white or dark)
21/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
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METHOD:
Cook sausage until lightly browned in a skillet with a little oil. Drain on paper towel. Slice sausage into three equal parts. Steep in rum for 2 hours. Sprinkle sugar over rum and sausages making sure they are covered with liquid. Cook in 325 C oven for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling. Serve with cocktail sticks.
Serves 6 to 8
TRADITIONAL IRISH BREAKFAST
INGREDIENTS
8 slices of Shannon Traditional Irish Bacon (Premium)
4 Shannon Traditional Irish Sausages (Bangers)
4 slices of Shannon Traditional Black Breakfast Pudding
4 slices of Shannon Traditional White Breakfast Pudding
4 eggs
4 Medium size tomatoes
Freshly ground pepper
Method:
Over low heat, saute bacon, turning frequently until done to taste. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Keep hot. It is important to note that Irish bacon is not cooked crisp hard. Place sausages in pan and cook until brown on all sides. Cut the tomatoes in half and fry with slices of pudding in the bacon fat. Remove and keep hot. All the above items can also be broiled instead of being fried. Cook eggs to order.
Serves 4
Angels on Horseback My Favorite Recipe
INGREDIENTS
12 slices of Shannon Traditional or Regular Bacon
24 oysters.
Method
Cut each slice of bacon across in two. Stretch the pieces by placing them flat on a board and stretching them with the back of a knife. Place one oyster on each bacon slice and wrap up. Secure with cocktails or skewers. Grill under a medium heat, turning frequently, until the bacon is crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve plain or on rounds of hot buttered toast.
* Great for parties. Arrange on platter and garnish with any green herb of your choice. Looks impressive and tastes WONDERFUL.
Devils on Horseback
Use 24 prunes, soaked overnight and stoned, or 24 fresh dates, instead of oysters.
Genies on Horseback
Use 12 Shannon Traditional Sausages ( Bangers ), halved, instead of the oysters.
Serves 6 to 8
Black Pudding and Vegetable Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
2 Shannon Traditional Black Puddings, skinned and sliced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, pared and sliced
1 large leek, sliced
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1/4 small white cabbage, shredded
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Optional: 1 chicken stock cube
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoonfuls of oil
Method
Put the prepared onions, carrots, potatoes and leek into a large non-stick skillet with about 4 cups of boiling water. Add stock cube if desired. Cover and cook until the vegetables are almost tender, for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the cabbage and the kidney beans and cook for 5 minutes more. Saute the slices of black pudding in oil until they are crisp on the outside. Gently stir into vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the seasoning and serve hot with bread or rolls.
Serves 4 to 6
May The Lord Bless and Keep you!
~*~ Happy eating
More Irish Recipes to come...
