A Bit o’Blarney, A Feast of Fun

March/April 2009 Issue | Posted by Sue Haggerty in What's Cooking

By Sue Haggerty

it is said that everyone with Irish blood possesses a bit of the blarney. My sister Marcia is no exception. Though she couldn’t tell a jig from a reel from a hornpipe, she used to wow onlookers with her faux Irish dancing skills.

The dancing runs in the family. This year, my niece Fiona entered the Irish dance competition or feis (pronounced “fesh”) at the Connecticut Irish Festival, and we celebrated with an Irish feast. You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy the beauty and joy of Irish tradition through music, dance, and food.

This March, gather friends and family for an Irish-themed feast of your own. Sláinte!

Photos of Irish Feis by Julie Bidwell

­ Dance as if no one’s watching, sing as if no one’s listening, and live every day as if it were your last.
— Irish Saying

Irish Brown Bread

No yeast or rising required — this homemade bread will be on your table in no time!

4 cups whole wheat flour (preferably stone

ground)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in most of the buttermilk. Working from the center, mix with your hands and add more milk if necessary. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Turn out onto a floured board and knead softly into a round. Flatten to about 2 inches deep, and place on a baking sheet. Mark with a deep cross. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The bread should sound hollow when tapped. Makes 1 loaf.

Note: To make a richer soda bread, add 1 ounce fine oatmeal to the dry mix, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the buttermilk.

— Adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking

by Darina Allen

Shamrock Shakes

These creamy shakes are a favorite with kids of all ages.

4 scoops vanilla or mint chocolate chip ice

cream

1/4 cup milk

1 drop crème de menthe, peppermint extract

or green food dye

In a blender, combine ice cream, milk, and flavoring

or coloring. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses

and serve.

Irish Scones

Try these treats for a traditional

St. Patrick’s Day breakfast.

8 cups flour

pinch of salt

1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 sticks butter

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and *rub in butter. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk together and add liquid to dry ingredients. Mix to a soft dough. Turn out on a floured board. Knead lightly and shape into a round. Roll out to 1 inch thick and cut into scones with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Bake in the hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter, jam, or a dollop of whipped cream. Makes 18 to 20 scones.

Note: For an extra treat, beat 1 egg with a pinch of salt. Before baking, brush the scones with egg mix and dip in a bowl of granulated sugar.

*Info: FaithandFamilyLive.com “Resources.”

— Adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking

by Darina Allen

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake

Sweet and rich; this dessert will be the crowning event of your party.

Crust

10 whole graham crackers, broken into pieces

1/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 ounces white chocolate, grated

For crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 9-inch springform pan. Finely grind graham crackers and sugar in processor. Add butter and blend. Press crumbs onto bottom of pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

For filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth, using electric mixer. Whisk eggs, Bailey’s, and vanilla in small bowl. Beat egg mixture into cream cheese mixture. Pour into springform pan and bake until edges of filling are puffed and look dry, and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Cool on rack.

For topping: Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in small bowl. Spread topping onto cooled cake. Refrigerate for 6 hours until well chilled. Sprinkle grated chocolate over cake. Can be made 1 day ahead.

Note: For fun, add a dash of green food coloring to the topping.

— Adapted from Fantasy-Ireland.com

Beef and Guinness Stew

Mix your pleasures! This traditional, hearty sTew is flavored with Irish stout.

2 pounds stew beef

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons flour

Cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

2 onions, chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 tablespoons water

1 1/4 cups Guinness Irish stout

2 cups carrots

sprig of thyme and fresh parsley

Trim the meat and cut into cubes of 1-2 inches. Toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the flour with salt, pepper, and a pinch of Cayenne. Toss the meat in the mixture. Shake off excess flour.

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or stew pot over high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, water, and Guinness. Bring to a boil and scrape the pan to get up any meat brownings. Add the carrots and thyme. Cover with lid and simmer 2 to 3 hours. The stew may be cooked on the stove top or, covered, in the oven at 300 degrees. Scatter with chopped fresh parsley and serve with champ (recipe on next page). Makes 6-8 servings.

— Adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking

by Darina Allen

Champ

Deliciously satisfying, these potatoes are Irish comfort food.

3 pounds (about 12) russet potatoes

8 scallions (white and green parts)

2 cups milk

6 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper

fresh parsley

Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Bring to boil in a large pot of salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Finely chop the scallions. Cover scallions with cold milk in a medium saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse. Drain potatoes and mash them in the same pan. While the potatoes are hot, mix in the boiling milk, scallions, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings. Garnish with parsley.

— Adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking

by Darina Allen

A Guide to Irish Beer

The Irish often gather at the local pub to socialize, listen to music, and of course enjoy a pint. Here’s a basic guide to Ireland’s most well-known beers that you can find at your local pub or liquor store.

Irish or Dry Stout is brewed using roasted barley, malts, and a generous amount of hops. Dark in color, rich in flavor, with a creamy head, bitter taste, and dry finish. Some examples are:

• Guinness Brewed since 1759, Guinness is the best-selling stout in the world. It is famous for its dark rich color, creamy head, malt, caramel flavor, and slightly bitter taste with hints of coffee.

• Beamish Slightly darker and richer than Guinness. Beamish has a more roasted malt flavor with hints of chocolate and coffee. Available in nitro cans that reproduce the on-tap effect.

• Murphy’s The sweetest of the three stouts, this is brewed with chocolate malt but also has hints of coffee.

Irish Red Ale has a slightly red amber color, a caramel sweetness, and a medium body. It often has hints of fruit that come through in the flavor. American brewed red ales tend towards a higher bitterness due to a greater hops content. Some favorites:

• Smithwick’s (pronounced smid-icks) One of Ireland’s oldest breweries located on the site of a 12th-century Franciscan abbey in Kilkenny. Has a slightly buttery, fruity taste with a dry bitter finish. American brewed red ales: Samuel Adams Irish Red, Harpoon Hibernian.

LAGER

• Harp Brewed with golden barley and hops. Golden in color with a lighter, sweeter taste and a slightly bitter finish.

Irish ­at THE Movies

Top off your Irish celebration with an Irish-themed movie. As always, screen these movies first (or check Kids-In-Mind.com) to make sure they are suitable for your family.

THE ­ ­ Secret of roan Inish (1993)

PG (youngster in peril, mild profanity)

A magical story about a girl named Fiona who is sent to live with her grandparents after her mother passes away. She returns to Roan Inish, the “island of the seals,” to search for her brother who is rumored to be raised by selkies, half human, half seal.

Into The West (1993)

PG (fleeting violence, children in jeopardy, and some profanity)

The story of two boys living in the slums of Dublin after leading the life of the “travelers” (gypsies) with their alcoholic father. Their grandfather gives them a horse named Tir na Nog (the land of youth). When the police take the horse from them and sell it, the boys begin an adventure to get it back.

darby O’Gill and the little People (1959) G

Darby O’Gill comes face to face with the people of his tall tales — the leprechauns. A comical battle of the wits ensues between Darby and the King of the Leprechauns as he traps King Brian, who is forced to grant him three wishes. Although this movie is rated G, there are drunken bar scenes and a scary banshee that arrives in the carriage of death.

The Quiet man (1952)

unrated (comic violence)

This classic starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara tells the story of an ex-boxer returning to his native Ireland to reclaim his family’s home. He falls in love with a fiery Irish woman with an equally fiery brother who is against the union. This is a comic romantic adventure with breathtaking views of Ireland harking to a simpler past.

St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland (2000)

This documentary traces the life of St. Patrick with actual black and white reenactments of his spiritual journey and conversion of Ireland. A voiceover of St. Patrick’s Confessions reveals the great humility and dedication of this brave saint. Interviews with two Irish history experts explore the myth and legend of St. Patrick’s mission in Ireland.

Lucky Playlist

From traditional to modern, here is a sampling of rich Celtic heritage, all available for download from iTunes.

The Unicorn by Irish Rovers

The Fields of Athenry by The Dubliners

Donal Agus Morag by Altan

Whistling Gypsy by Tommy Makem

MacAllistrum’s March by The ­ Chieftains

The Wild Rover by The Clancy Brothers

Tell Me Ma by Gaelic Storm

Kesh Jigs by Scythian

The Call to Dance by Leahy

Coal Quay Market by Cherish the Ladies