Friday, April 10, 2009

Irish Recipes Part 1

Friday, April 10, 2009
Irish Brown Bread

2 cups whole-wheat flour2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for kneading1/2 cup toasted wheat germ2 teaspoons salt2 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flours, wheat germ, salt, sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center and add buttermilk, stirring until a dough forms.

Gently knead on a floured surface, adding just enough more flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Transfer dough to cake pan and flatten to fill pan. With a sharp knife, cut an X (1/2 inch deep) across top of dough (5 inches long). Bake until loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool, right side up, about 1 hour.

Cooks’ notes:– Bread can be served the day it is made, but it slices more easily if kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature 1 day.– Leftover bread keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature 4 days.


Corned Beef and Cabbage

5 pounds corned brisket of beef6 peppercorns, or packaged pickling spices3 carrots, peeled and quartered3 onions, peeled and quartered1 medium-sized green cabbage, quartered or cut in wedgesMelted butter (about 4 tablespoons)

Place the corned beef in water to cover with the peppercorns or mixed pickling spices (in supermarkets, these often come packaged with the corned beef). Cover the pot or kettle, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 hours or until tender, skimming occasionally. During the last hour, add the carrots and onions and cover again. During the last 15 minutes, add the cabbage.

Transfer meat and vegetables to a platter and brush the vegetables with the melted butter. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes, cooked separately. (The stock can be saved to add to a pot roast or stew instead of other liquid.)



Beef and Guiness Pie

2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 large onion, coarsely chopped2 garlic cloves, chopped3 tablespoons water1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste1 cup beef broth1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped2 fresh thyme sprigsRough puff pastry dough1 large egg, lightly beaten1 tablespoon waterSpecial equipment: 4 (14-oz) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5 inches wide; see Shopping List, page 301) or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.

Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)

Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.
Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won’t be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.

Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.
Cooks’ note:Stew (without pastry) can be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.


Enjoy!

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