Memories Of Ireland

We had a lovely St Paddy's dinner on Sunday.  My mother came out here to the States when she was around 17 years old , quite the "Brooklyn" story I might add!  She lived in Queens, my with my Aunt Sara and met my father a Hungarian immigrant who spoke broken English.  Yes, my mother had the chance when she went back to Ireland for my Grandmother's untimely death to stay in her home land but like the story Brooklyn she came back here and the rest was history!  So you can see why celebrating Ireland is an important thing to us. Well, enough about me lets get on to the food and photos shall we?

I found a lovely bouquet of Irish flag colored flowers so I cut them and rearranged in a green jar of course! We mad Irish brown soda bread. we don't do the raisin and caraway seeded ones, we stick tot he recipe my Aunt use to use.  I am happy to share that with all of you.

Irish Brown Bread

2 cups of allpurpose flour

2 cups of wheat flour

1/2 cup oats optional

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 cups butter milk

1 table spoon molasses

preheat oven 450 degrees

Mix all dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl, make a well in the center and add milk/molasses.

Using a big fork mix the flour away form the edge tot he center then flour up those hands this is going to get sticky!  Lightly knead on a floured surface and form in to a large 9 inch circle about 2 inches thick, make a large deep cross in the center with a knife. Place on a baking sheet that has parchment paper to prevent sticking. bake in 450 for 15 minutes then reduce oven to 400 and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Th bread should sound hollow when tapped on. Now use Kerry Gold Butter and some great Marmalade and you are set!

A wonderful Photo from our last trip to Ireland on the coast of Kerry.

Now another great dish that involves fish!

We don't usually do corned beef and cabbage, we love any type of potato crusted pie.

You can search my site for the Shepherd's Pie recipe from last year but this year it was Fisherman's Pie that also adorned our table.

Of course the bone china had to make an appearance.

Irish Fisherman's Pie

I have added my own twist to this traditional favorite but the original calls for flounder and shrimp which is fabulous too. I added salmon instead of shrimp because my Mother is not a fan of the little shrimp. SO here is my version!

1 1/2 lbs of flounder

1 lb of salmon skin removed

1/2 cup white wine-dry

1tablespoon tarragon or dill, I used tarragon.

2 1/2 cups button mushrooms sliced

7 tablespoons butter

1/8 cup flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 lbs of good yukon gold potatoes mashed

Preheat 350

I used a buttered 8 by  11 oval baking casserole but 9 by 12 works to;

place fish in pan and cover with some salt ,pepper herbs and wine

cover pan with aluminum foil and place in oven for 20 minutes

when done remove and increase oven to 425degrees.

Meanwhile saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp butter till soft

When fish is done strain off liquid into a cup and top fish with mushrooms

add 4 tbsp butter to pan used for mushrooms and add flour to make a roux.

slowly add reserved liquid stirring well over low heat slowly increase heat and add the cream stir until smooth and salt and pepper to taste, I add a tsp of grainy dijon mustard tot he sauce.

Pour over fish and top casserole with potatoes.

 I cover dish with aluminum foil for the first 10 minutes.

bake total for 15 to 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Another stunning  photo from our trip to Ireland

Dessert!

Apple Cake

2 large cooking apples

1 1/2 flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick butter salted

1/2 cup super fine sugar

eggs

2 tablesp milk

Streusel

1 cup flour

6 tablesp butter

1/2 cup super fine sugar- I couldn't find that so I processed regular sugar in the food processor.

Preheat 350

9 inch spring form pan

streusel use cold butter in processor with other ingredients to form pea gravel texture.

Peel and slice apples thin, I put them in cold water with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Then sift flour for cake with baking powder and cinnamon and salt.

in a mixer  put butter and sugar until fluffy gradually add eggs and slowly add the flour mixture and milk. Don't over mix! then spread batter into pan spoon apples over top and add streusel evenly.

Bake for 1 hour and firm to the touch. Let fully cool before removing from pan.

Sprinkle some confectioner sugar to make it pretty- optional!

Top with vanilla ice cream yummo,

now back to my low carb diet!

The rest of my favorite little memories from our trip.

Hope you treat yourself to a little Irish tradition even if it's not your culture, 

we Irish do know how to have a good time!

From the view through a gorgeous window to playing with donkeys and walking down an Irish Lane to the fabulous house we rented, it was a perfect trip all around.

May the luck of the Irish meet all of you this week!