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Soda Bread is tasty!

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IMG_5978

Going through Paul Hollywood’s Bread cookbook, I skipped a couple pages, as I did not have all the ingredients.  (will shop today) This soda bread looked so much better than the dry soda bread I have purchased for St. Paddy’s Day.  With a little butter, this is wonderfully rich and tasty.

Ingredients

– 250g plain white flour

– 250g plain wholemeal flour

– 1 tsp salt

– 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

– About 400ml buttermilk (If you don’t have this on had, keep the dry mix that you can add to milk or water and have the same effect)

Soda Bread

Makes 1 small loaf
Bake 30 minutes

Ireland’s most famous bread is made with two of the oldest foods, wheat and buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the bicarbonate of soda and creates the rise. If you have kids, do teach them how to make soda bread, because it’s great to be able to put a loaf on the table within 45 minutes. Once you’ve mastered it, try adding some grated Wexford cheese (vintage Irish Cheddar) and chopped raw onion to the dough.

1.Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Put the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in half the buttermilk. Using your fingers or a round-bladed knife, draw the flour into the buttermilk. Continue to add the buttermilk until all the flour has been absorbed and you have a sticky dough. You may not need all the buttermilk – it depends on the flour you use.

3. Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface, shape it into a ball and flatten it slightly with the palm of your hand. It is important to work quickly, as once the buttermilk is added it begins to react with the bicarbonate of soda.

4. Put the dough on the baking tray. Mark into quarters with a large, sharp knife, cutting deeply through the loaf, almost but not quite through to the base. Dust the top with flour.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Eat on the day of baking – or toast it the next day.

Paul Hollywood’s Irish rarebit recipe

RECIPES

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Paul Hollywood's Irish rarebit recipe

Soda bread was popular long ago in Ireland, especially in rural areas where a regular supply of barm (brewer’s yeast) wasn’t always accessible to the home baker.

Here I’m giving you an Irish spin on Welsh rarebit, using Irish cheese, spring onions and a splash of stout. Rarebit is one of those great comfort foods that can be thrown together at the last minute. The mixture also keeps well in the fridge, so you can have it on standby for a quick lunch or supper.

Ingredients

Metric
Cups
Imperial
  • 150 ml full-fat milk
  • 1.5 tbsp plain flour
  • 400 g strong Irish Cheddar, grated
  • 160 g medium-fine white breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp English mustard powder
  • 120 ml Guinness or other stout
  • 2 medium egg yolks
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 6 slices of soda bread
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 cup watercress, to serve
  • 5.3 fl oz full-fat milk
  • 1.5 tbsp plain flour
  • 14.1 oz strong Irish Cheddar, grated
  • 5.6 oz medium-fine white breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp English mustard powder
  • 4.2 fl oz Guinness or other stout
  • 2 medium egg yolks
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 6 slices of soda bread
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 cup watercress, to serve
  • 0.6 cup full-fat milk
  • 1.5 tbsp plain flour
  • 14.1 oz strong Irish Cheddar, grated
  • 5.6 oz medium-fine white breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp English mustard powder
  • 0.5 cup Guinness or other stout
  • 2 medium egg yolks
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 6 slices of soda bread
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 cup watercress, to serve

Details

  • Cuisine: Irish
  • Recipe Type: Main
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Preparation Time: 5 mins
  • Cooking Time: 10 mins
  • Serves: 6

Step-by-step

  1. Preheat your grill to high. Warm the milk in a saucepan until almost simmering, then whisk in the flour. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thickened.
  2. Add the grated cheese and stir over a low heat until it has melted. Add the breadcrumbs, mustard powder and stout. Continue stirring over the heat until the mixture comes together and leaves the sides of the pan.
  3. Tip the mixture into a bowl and leave for a minute to cool slightly, then add the egg yolks and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the spring onions.
  4. Toast the soda bread on one side. Spread the rarebit on the untoasted side and place under the hot grill until bubbling and golden brown. Add a grinding of pepper and serve, with watercress on the side.

Extract taken from Paul Hollywood’s Pies & Puds, published by Bloomsbury. Photography by Peter Cassidy.

 

Soda Bread is tasty!

Asian Pulled Pork Tacos with Pear & Cucumber Slaw

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Asian Style pulled Pork Tacos with Pear & Cucumber Slaw

The other day at the grocery store there was a package of pork at a very reduced price, so I grabbed it, never knowing exactly what I might make. It was getting past its prime so looked for a recipe online.

America’s Test Kitchen has yet to let me down for a good result, so this one looked interesting and it was very tasty.  My husband prefers flour tortillas, so I bought the fresh ones from our local Central Market, where they make them while you watch.  I have yet to find a good source for homemade corn tortillas.  If anyone has a local source please share it with me.

I threw the ingredients in the slow cooker about noon, and it was ready for dinner.  I have an All-Clad slow cooker that cooks much more evenly than any other I have used.  It is worth the extra money to have no burn spots.

Slow-Cooker Asian-Style Pulled Pork Tacos with Pear and Cucumber Slaw

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

This incredibly easy and multidimensional recipe features tender shredded pork, flavorful sauce, and a crunchy pickled slaw. We found that we could make a sauce and season our pork all at once by combining hoisin, ginger, and Sriracha in the slow cooker. Boneless country-style pork ribs were a great choice for the slow cooker; after a few hours of braising, they were moist and extra-tender. We let the cooked pork rest briefly before shredding it and stirring it back into the sauce. To add freshness and crunch to our tacos, we made a quick pickled slaw while the meat cooked. A simple combination of Asian pears, carrots, and cucumber tossed with rice vinegar provided the perfect balance to our rich taco filling. A little bit more sesame oil and Sriracha in the slaw brought together the flavors of the dish while keeping it light and fresh.

INGREDIENTS

2 Asian pears, peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼ cup  hoisin sauce
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
1 ½ pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed of all visible fat
  Salt and pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
12 (6-inch)  corn tortillas, warmed

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Combine pears, carrots, cucumber, and vinegar in bowl; set aside until ready to serve.
  2. Microwave onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon oil, and ginger in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in hoisin, water, and 1 teaspoon Sriracha. Nestle pork into slow cooker, cover, and cook until pork is tender, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  3. Transfer pork to carving board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks, discarding excess fat. Stir shredded pork into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, remaining 1 teaspoon Sriracha, and cilantro to pear and cucumber slaw and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide shredded pork among warm tortillas and top with slaw. Serve.

 

Asian Pulled Pork Tacos with Pear & Cucumber Slaw

Simple yummy meals

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Simple greens are always wonderful for a Spring Dinner.  These were purchased from a local farmer at a Farmer’s Market this last weekend.  Add a little avocado (always good), some cherry tomatoes, and a few blueberries and you have a delicious salad.  I like the Italian way with dressing, but use Champagne Vinegar instead of Balsamic, as it is a little lighter.  I add a teaspoon or so of the best Olive Oil I can find.  Perfection with a little freshly grated Regiano Parmesano added on the top.

*Note:  I try to buy Regiano Parmesano that has the rind on two of the sides, as it has much more flavor closer to the rind. I grate it right before serving, so the flavor is fresher.  I keep the rind in the freezer and throw into soups for additional flavor, just pulling out what remains before I serve.  I noticed our local gourmet grocery store has started selling the rinds.

Tonights main course was a recipe I found in the newest edition of Skinny One Pan Dining.  Almond crusted Chicken with Fresh Spinach.  It was a delight!

Almond Chicken

A couple of tips.  Start the pan very hot, then lower temperature, so it does not burn, but is cooked all the way through.  I used Glutton Free Panko and put it with the Almonds and the Rosemary in my little blender, so they were all the same size.

Rosemary grows like a weed in the Pacific Northwest, so I have it several places in my garden and on my deck in my potted herb garden.  I just added another pot this weekend, so I could Dill and Mint.

Take it from me, do NOT plant mint in your yard, as it will take over your yard.  I did this one of my first houses and it took over the whole side of the house, sort of like bamboo, or Creeping Jenny.

Simple yummy meals

How to photograph what you cook.

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This is a great article from America’s Test Kitchen.

5 Tips for Better Food Photography in Almost Any Setting

Hint: Natural light is your best friend.

JULIE BOZZO COTE

As the director of photography here at America’s Test Kitchen, I’ve art directed more than 1,000 food photography shoots for our magazines, cookbooks, and everything in between. Some tricks of the trade can only be accomplished using professional cameras and perfectly placed lighting, but the following five tips will help you take better food photos, no matter your setup. (And here’s a bonus sixth tip: Natural light is your friend!)

1. Taste It First

I find that once I know how amazing a dish tastes then I’m motivated to show off the unique qualities that make it such a winner. Once you’re in love with the food, you can then work to highlight those special details and properties. For instance, if a dish’s crunchy texture is the thing that gets you, then try to find ways to highlight that part by getting close in on the exterior or by showing textural differences within the dish.

2. Move Around the Food

Think high, think low, look at all sides of the food, move the plate and see what happens when light hits it from different angles. Get up on a chair or ladder, get low and look right into the interior. Add multiple pieces of the food, or include elements in the frame that support the main character in a real way.

3. Make Color Happen

Even if you have the brownest or whitest of foods, add that parsley or some olive oil or use a complementary colored serving vessel. Find ways to keep dimension in a photo that could look too monochromatic. And if you’re going for the monochromatic thing, which is cool, find lots of contrast and interesting shapes to play off of—create the shapes if you have to by cutting into the food in a creative way.

4. Fight the Cold

Food that’s meant to be served hot should be photographed while it’s hot. Makes sense, right? The challenge is that food can often look like it’s not actually hot in a photo, even if it is. The best way to show hot is to let juices from meat or fruits pool on a spoon or plate. Shoot the steam coming off food by adding a dark background that allows the camera lens to capture the wafting steam. Let the light rake over the top of the food so it looks shiny with the natural oils. (It’s also okay to add a little olive oil for highlights.)

5. Interact with the Food

Pick up the tongs or the slotted spoon and break up the mound of food with a cooking or serving utensil. This allows some breathing room on the platter or plate, and can uncover nice details. This also gives the sense of scale and brings in the element of motion and possible drama, which are always nice to capture in a still photograph.

(The photographs in this post were shot by Joe Keller, Carl Tremblay, and Daniel J. van Ackere.) 

What are your food photography secrets? Let us know!

How to photograph what you cook.