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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
Elegant Irish cooking is not an oxymoron
Actually "Elegant Irish Cooking" is a collection of "Hundreds of Recipes from the World's Foremost Irish Chefs." We tend to think of the Irish as happy-go-lucky, laughing and maybe poor. Today's Irish are well educated, well traveled, well fed and will tell you at the drop of a shamrock that corned beef and cabbage is not an Irish dish; it is America's unwelcome addition to Irish cooking.
I happen to like corned beef and cabbage myself but some of the recipes in this book by Noel C. Cullen, sound almost as good. The beautifully photographed, $35 book was published by Lebhar-Friedman Books, 425 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10022, should you wish a copy of your very own.
A sampling of the book's recipes may whet your appetite and warm up your oven.
Baked Egg with Smoked Irish Salmon
Ireland is famous for its salmon but your own will do as well. It is suggested that each egg be baked in its own ramekin. I used an ovenproof cup.
1 large fresh egg
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon diced smoked salmon
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a ramekin or small baking dish. Separate egg. Put egg white and cream into bowl and whisk. Season with salt and paper. Add smoked salmon. Place whole egg yolk in ramekin with mixture. Place in a cake pan. Pour boiling water halfway up the side of the ramekin. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until raised. Makes 1 serving.
Avocado, King Sitric Style
A very interesting dish for brunch or lunch.
2 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 red and 1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
2 ripe avocados, peeled, stoned and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 egg yolks
Preheat broiler. Butter 2 individual 6-inch ovenproof serving dishes. In small sauté pan over low heat, slowly cook the mushrooms and peppers with the olive oil until softened. Add 1/2 cup cream; bring to a boil and simmer, 5 minutes. Add avocado, salt and pepper. Simmer 90 seconds. Remove avocados and bell peppers. Divide between prepared ovenproof dishes. In a separate saucepan, whisk the egg yolks. Stir in remaining l/4 cup cream. Heat but do not boil. Pour the cream over the avocado mixture. Place under the broiler and glaze to a golden brown. Makes 2 servings.
Young Chicken with Cabbage, Bacon & Rosemary
Cloves are powerfully scented, hard, dried flower buds. Don't use any more than the recipe calls for. When fresh rosemary isn't possible use a pinch or two of dried, being careful to strain it out.
1 chicken (1 1/2 lbs), cut into serving pieces with skin on
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup thinly shredded cabbage (Savoy preferred)
1 slice Canadian bacon, julienned
4 cloves
1/2 cup brown sauce or demi-glace
1 sprig rosemary
Preheat oven to 350 F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken pieces, skin side down first, in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Remove chicken; pour off fat. Return chicken to the skillet and add the chicken stock. Simmer, covered, in oven, approximately 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. In medium saucepan, place 2 tablespoons butter. Over low heat, sauté cabbage with bacon and cloves, about 3 minutes. The cabbage should remain crisp. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate small saucepan bring demi-glace to a boil and add rosemary. Allow to reduce slightly; strain. Remove chicken from skillet with slotted spoon. Strain pan juices into the demi-glace, whisking to combine. Finally, whisk 1 tablespoon butter into the sauce just prior to serving. Serve the chicken neatly on top of the cabbage and pour the sauce around the chicken. Makes 2 servings.
Lemon Cauliflower & Broccoli
Special care should be taken not to overcook this dish. Mark Twain dubbed cauliflower "cabbage with a college education." Sounds like license to substitute cabbage, if you wish. Breaking both the cauliflower and broccoli florets into small pieces, rather than cutting them, will make a prettier dish.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced fine
1 tablespoon peeled and diced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bite-size pieces of cauliflower
3 cups bite-size pieces broccoli
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoons lemon zest, optional
Heat oil in large skillet. Add onions, ginger and salt. Sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water and cauliflower. Cover and steam for 2 minutes. Add broccoli, cover and steam 2 more minutes. Add lemon juice to vegetables just before serving. Sprinkle with zest. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Ulster Soda Farls
This version of Irish Soda Bread was traditionally cooked on flat iron-griddle pans that were suspended over open-turf (peat) fires. Split them and serve warm with butter or jam.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter
In large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and stir. When combined, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently just until it holds together. Roll to a 10 to 12 inch round. Cut into 6 wedges and seat aside. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, over medium heat, melt butter. Place the soda farls into the butter and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked in the center. Makes 6 scones.
Every American is Irish on March 17th!
PAST RECIPES
