and a happy St. Patrick's day from the O'Battin kitchen - seriously, we are an equal opportunity family when it comes to the culinary celebration of holidays. My children tell stories of our holiday tables, and it is my hope that they will pass on this culinary fun to their children. Not that I do all holidays every year, it just depends on the mood, or if we are even home.
And this year I am in the mood for Irish soda bread, which we will have with corned beef simmered in Guiness, mashed potatoes and coleslaw (not so fond here of the cooked cabbage). Dessert will be simple, mint chip ice cream with a slug of Irish cream, or perhaps just the slug of Irish cream - your choice at Casa Battin.
I have been making this recipe for several years. It comes for the October 1991 issue of Gourmet, and the recipe states " A perennial favorite on both sides of the Atlantic, this raisiny bread makes fine, fragrant toast".
Ingredients
4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raisins, or dried currants, rinsed in hot water and patted dry
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (I usually leave these out, depends on the mood)
2 cups buttermilk
Into a large bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt and the baking soda and stir in the raisins and the caraway seeds. Add the buttermilk and stir in the mixture until it forms a dough.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute. Halve the dough, with floured hands shapre each half into a round loaf and transfer the loaves to a lightly greased baking sheet. Cut an X 1/4 inch deep across the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife and bake the loaves in the middle of a preheated 350 F. oven for 45-55 minutes (my oven is more like 40 minutes), or until a tester comes out clean.
Transfer the loaves to racks and let them cool.
Makes 2 loaves.
I will be making another batch of bread for dinner tomorrow; these are going to work with me for the staff room, along with a brick of Irish butter. I am pretty sure that they will think that they have the luck of the leprechauns.
Comments (8)
Marcia, lol about equal opportunity family for culinary celebration of holidays.
Posted by candi | March 16, 2009 10:17 PM
Posted on March 16, 2009 22:17
I'm so jealous. We used to always celebrate St. Paddy's day but Mike is in Charleston this week. I'm wishing you a Happy Day with your beautiful soda bread and all!
Posted by Barb Cabot | March 16, 2009 11:14 PM
Posted on March 16, 2009 23:14
Yum! I love Irish Soda Bread but I've never made it. Looks pretty easy - I'll have to give it a try.
Luck of the Irish to you!
Posted by Annie | March 17, 2009 7:40 AM
Posted on March 17, 2009 07:40
Looks great. I may have to try some today!
Have a great St Paddy's Day!
Posted by Palma | March 17, 2009 8:29 AM
Posted on March 17, 2009 08:29
I've never eaten Irish Soda Bread but I'm sure I'd like it. Your photo of the final product looks very yummy.
Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Posted by María I. | March 17, 2009 1:39 PM
Posted on March 17, 2009 13:39
Marcia, that looks scrumptious. I can almost smell it all the way across the continent!
Posted by Terry (teaberry) | March 17, 2009 6:12 PM
Posted on March 17, 2009 18:12
Do you know, I don't think I have ever eaten Irish Soda Bread before and I am part Irish and grew up in an area with many town residents were Irish. It looks delicious. Don't think I will find any to try here in Hawaii either though. Maybe if I ever get ambitious enough, I will try to make this bread with my students.
Posted by girasoli | March 18, 2009 12:25 AM
Posted on March 18, 2009 00:25
Your bread looks so good. What I wouldn't give for a warm slice with melting butter and jam on it right now!
Posted by Cindy Ruth | March 21, 2009 8:34 AM
Posted on March 21, 2009 08:34