St. Patrick's Day Retrospective

While I have not included all of my Irish recipes, I put together this retrospective of those that have been most popular with readers of One Perfect Bite. I hope that those of you who are still looking for something special to serve for St. Patrick's Day, will find something in this collection that you think your family will enjoy.

Irish Butter Shortbread

                                          Eirinn go brách!

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This very simple recipe makes a delicious shortbread. It's prepared with just three ingredients and when so few ingredients are used, they'd better all be good. The recipe comes from Rachel Gaffney, who is known to be an expert on shortbread, as well as all things Irish. You can find her blog, Rachel Gaffney's Real Ireland, here. She uses unsalted Irish butter to make the shortbread I'm featuring tonight. Irish butter is a European-style butter that has a higher butterfat content than the butter usually found in American kitchens. It has a richer, creamier texture because it is made from pasteurized fermented cream. Most of us use butter made from cream that is pasteurized but not fermented and that distinction explains the difference in flavor. A recipe such as this, relies on the extra flavor provided by the Irish butter. You'll be able to find the butter in most large supermarkets and specialty grocers. This shortbread is very easy to make and I've found it keeps well if stored in an air-tight container. It is wonderful to serve with afternoon tea or coffee and I really think you'll enjoy this buttery treat. The recipe requires no special instructions, so I am going to bite my Irish tongue and let it speak for itself. Here is how the shortbread is made.

Irish Butter Shortbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Rachel Gaffney

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) Irish unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour + flour for work surface

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, slowly add flour. Continue mixing until dough comes together to form a ball.
3) Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll it out dough to about 1/4-inch thickness, dusting rolling pin with flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Using a 2 1/4-inch round, fluted cutter, cut out dough. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Gather up any scraps, gently re-roll, and repeat cutting process. Take care not to overwork dough.
4) Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until shortbread just begins to turn golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Yield: 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

Cook's Notes:

Due to its high fat content, Irish butter only needs a few minutes to come to room temperature. It is best when used 15 minutes after removing from the refrigerator.

Shortbread may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.







One Year Ago Today: Bibimbap - A Korean Mixed Rice Dish













Two Years Ago Today: A Round-Up of Green Foods for St. Patrick's Day














Three Years Ago Today: Four Farls - A Curiosity from Northern Ireland














Four Years Ago Today: Chilled Avocado Soup - Sopa de Aguacate

Black Stout and Irish Cream Cake

From thekitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had no expectations for this cake when I first saw the recipe, but I was asked to make it for a church supper we attended last year and I was really surprised at how very good it turned out to be. It was definitely a keeper, but the kind you put on the back burner and don't often think about. I, truthfully, had forgotten it completely until the Silver Fox asked me to make it for him again this year. The ingredients used to prepare the cake will forever mark it as a St.Patrick's Day dessert, but not the kind that originated in an Irish farmhouse kitchen. While it may not be sophisticated or particularly attractive, this cake is a crowd-pleaser. There's enough Guinness and Irish Cream in it to assure that any snakes left in Ireland are too inebriated to move. The cake is a three step affair, but none of the steps are time consuming or difficult to accomplish. There are, however, a couple of potential problems. It is very important to thoroughly spray and line the pans you use. The cake wants to stick and it will if your pans are not properly prepared. I also think the recipe makes way more glaze/ganache than is needed to finish the cake. Last year, I had more than half of it leftover, so I scaled back this year to more modest proportions. While I've kept the original proportions in the recipe that follows, I wanted you to be aware that you might be dealing with too much of a good thing. This cake is moist and rich and while you can't taste the stout, it deepens the chocolate flavor in the same way as the addition of espresso might. There is a lot of sugar in this cake and that assures that no overtone of bitterness from the stout can sneak through to your palate. I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and they have even provided a video to show you how the cake is made. You can view it here. I really like this cake and I think those of you who try it will thoroughly enjoy it. Here's how it's made.

Black Stout and Irish Cream Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup Irish stout beer
1 cup butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
3 cups confectioners' sugar, or as needed
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
Glaze
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely
chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again.
2) Pour stout into a saucepan, add butter, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove pan from heat, and whisk in cocoa powder until mixture is smooth. Allow mixture to cool. Using an electric hand mixer, beat eggs and sour cream together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in stout mixture to make a smooth, thick liquid.
3) In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour stout mixture into flour mixture, and gently combine with a spatula. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4) Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into center of a cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove and let cool in pans for 5 minutes before inverting the cakes onto wire racks to finish cooling.
5) To make filling: Mix confectioners' sugar, butter, and Irish cream liqueur until mixture forms a smooth and spreadable frosting (add more sugar or liqueur as needed to create the desired consistency). Spread half of frosting on top of each cake.
6) To make glaze: Place chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to almost boiling in a small saucepan, and pour over chocolate. Add butter and stir mixture until chocolate melts and mixture is very smooth. Allow to cool until mixture is pourable but not thin or overly runny, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stack a cake gently on top of the other, frosted sides up, and carefully drizzle chocolate mixture over the cake, allowing decorative drips to run down the sides. Yield: 16 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Crostini with Tuna Tapenade















Two Years Ago Today: Herbed Chicken Noodle Casserole















Three Years Ago Today:  Dropped Oatmeal Scones with Dates














Four Years Ago Today: Khmer Green Papaya Salad and the Story of Sala Bai

Irish Wholemeal Biscuits

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love scones and biscuits and the happy confluence of Frugal Foodie Friday and St. Patrick's day give me the opportunity to feature this very old, very inexpensive recipe for Irish wholemeal scones. The wholemeal flour that is used in Ireland is more flavorful and nutty tasting than American whole wheat flour. I generally use stoneground whole wheat flour as a substitute, but truth be told, supermarket whole wheat flour works nearly as well. If you don't mind the shipping cost, you can purchase Irish wholemeal flour on the King Arthur site which you can find here. There is no denying that the Irish flour will make a biscuit with more substance and greater flavor, but sometimes we have to make do with what is available. These are very easy to make. They require no special equipment and you'll find you hands are a great stand-in for mixers and spoons. As with all biscuit recipes, it is important that you not overwork the dough as you combine ingredients. If you like your biscuits to have height, it is best to roll the dough to about an inch in thickness. These do not rise much and what you see going into the oven is pretty close to what you'll see when the biscuits come out. This is a nice recipe to have if you are planning a themed meal for St. Patrick's day. They may not be the best biscuits you've ever eaten, but they are ones that came out of the Irish farm kitchens that are remembered so fondly at this time of year. Here's how they are made.

Irish Wholemeal Biscuits...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by generations of Irish grandmothers

Ingredients:
1 cup wholemeal/wholewheat flour *
1 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Place wholemeal flour in a mixing bowl. Sift in plain flour, salt and baking powder. Using hands mix well.
3) Rub in butter, using fingers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in center and add enough milk to make a soft dough. Stir, once again using your hands.
4) Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead. Roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into wedges or cut into circles with a biscuit cutter. Place on a baking sheet that has been dusted with flour. Bake for about 20 minutes, and serve warm if possible with soups, stews or preserves. Yield: 12 biscuits.

Dingle Fish Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The name of this dish has been known to make an Irish eye or two smile. While there is no Dingle fish, there is a projecting land mass in Southwestern Ireland called the Dingle Peninsula. It juts into cold waters that teem with marine life and the surrounding hillsides support the crops and animals that have made the best of Irish cuisine so memorable. The National Geographic once designated the stunning peninsula the most beautiful place on earth, and over time it has drawn Viking hordes as well as Hollywood crews to its shores. The abundant charms of the peninsula have also spawned an influx of tourists who leave the area with memories of such Irish delights as the Dingle fish pie I'm featuring tonight. That name is actually a misnomer because this pie has no crust or potato topping. It is made with a variety of fish and shrimp that's napped with a reduction of wine and thick cream and finished with a blanket of fine Irish cheese. When properly cooked, the gratinee is scrumptious. It is also very easy to make and this recipe has the added benefit of being scaled to feed just two diners. I do, however, have two cautions to share with you. The first is very obvious - do not over cook the fish. The second is to use a firm, day old cooked potato that will not fall apart when it is tossed with the fish mixture. This is a meal you can have on the table in 30 minutes. It is also one that is suitable for guests if you double or triple the quantities recommended in the recipe. I hope those of you who observe meatless Monday or Lenten Fridays will give this dish a try. I really think you'll be pleased. Here is how my version of Dingle fish pie is made.

Dingle Fish Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces cod, cut in shrimp-size pieces
4 ounces salmon, cut in shrimp-size pieces
4 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp
8 ounces (1 large) cooked day old boiling potato, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup frozen small peas, thawed
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/4 cup dry sherry wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1) Heat olive oil in a large frying pan set over moderate heat. When it shimmers add garlic, cod, salmon and shrimp and saute just until fish whitens and shrimp begin to turn pink, about 3 minutes.
2) Add white wine and sherry and cook until nearly evaporated. Add cream, potatoes and peas and bring to a slow simmer. Cook until shrimp and fish are cone, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a gratin pan. Top with cheese and broil until cheese melts and is lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings






One Year Ago Today: Potato Farls - Irish Potato Bread















Two Years Ago Today: Welfare Cookies















Three Years Ago Today: Potato Tart














Four Years Ago Today:  Camarones a la Mexicana 

A Twofer - Braised Celery + Baked Parsnips Irish-Style

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Save for potatoes, there are not a lot of vegetable recipes being offered for St. Patrick's Day this year. I've been saving these two for the holiday, because they are typically Irish side dishes and I thought they would both go well with the stout and cheddar meatloaf that I featured last week. They are nice recipes and among their many merits is the ease with which both dishes come together. I must admit, however, that I have a favorite between the two. I really like the braised celery and could make a meal of it with a side of rice if left to my own devices. The bacon imparts a lovely smoky flavor to the braising liquid and you can control just how tender you want the celery pieces to be. The dish will be crisp tender if you remove it from the oven at the half hour mark. If left to go another 10 minutes it will be soft and offer only the slightest of resistance when you bite into it. While the parsnips are tasty, I think they suffer from familiarity. That is a personal opinion and is not meant to be a reflection on the recipe I'm sharing with you tonight. I hope you'll give both these side dishes a try. I think you'll like them. Here is how they are made.

Braised Celery

Ingredients:
1 head celery, cleaned and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 slices bacon, finely chopped
1-1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, boiling
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter, diced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place celery pieces in a shallow casserole. Top with bacon and onions and sprinkle with parsley. .
Pour in stock and dot with diced butter. Cover casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain, reserving stock if desired. Transfer celery to a bowl and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.




Baked Parsnips Irish-Style

Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds parsnips
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel parsnips, quarter, and remove any woody cores. Parboil parsnips for 15 minutes. Place in an ovenproof dish. Add broth and sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Dot with butter and bake for 30 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Shamrocks AKA Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
















Two Years Ago Today: A Collection of Recipes for St. Patrick's Day












Three Years Ago Today: Frozen Lemon Yogurt













Four Years Ago Today: Irish Moonshine - Homemade Irish Cream

Traditional Irish Apple Barley Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I should deny any knowledge of its existence, but that would make me guilty of mendacity of the highest order, so, I will instead admit that I have more than a passing acquaintance with top milk. When I was very young, milk was delivered to our home quite early in the morning. In the winter months, freezing temperatures would cause the cream in the milk to rise and pop the paper seal  that topped the bottle, producing a popsicle-like protrusion that rose 2 to 3 inches above the rim of the bottle. We called the top milk poor man's cream and I can assure you it never went to waste. I mention that only because my Irish grandmother used the top milk to make the apple and barley pudding that I want to share with you tonight. This is a very traditional Irish dessert that was originally created to use up  the surplus apples that remained after cider making.  These apples were covered in straw  and buried in the coolest place that could be found on farms, and while they became mealy and wrinkled, they did not lose their flavor while in winter storage. They were paired with a small amount of barley which also was locally grown and cooked down to a thick puree that was lightly sweetened and chilled until it set. The tart pudding was served with cream that mellowed it and gave it a lovely richness. This is not a dessert for the masses, but if you're looking for an authentic, yet easy to make, novelty for St. Patrick's Day, you might want to give this recipe a try. The barley and the pectin in the apples produce a smooth, yet thick applesauce that can hold its shape.  While cream was stirred into the original puddings just before they were served,  these days the cream is more likely to be  whipped and layered with the pudding in parfait glasses. This is a dessert worth trying, if only for its curiosity value. It's very simple to make and it may appeal to those of you who do not like your desserts to be too sweet. Here is how its made.


Apple Barley Pudding ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Ethel Minogue's Modern and Traditional Irish Cooking

Ingredients:
4 cups water
1/4 cup pearl barley
1-1/2 pounds tart apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
1 cup heavy cream for beating or 2 tablespoons heavy cream to stir into pudding

Directions:
1) Add water to a heavy pot, add barley, and bring to a boil. Add sliced apples and cook gently until both barley and apples are soft, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and puree -- either in a blender, or in pot using an immersion blender.
2) Return mixture to pot and stir in the 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil again. Boil for about five minutes, or until syrupy bubbles form. Remove remove from heat and cool.
3) When cooled to room temperature, transfer to another container and refrigerate until very cold. If you prefer a truly simple dessert, stir 2 tablespoons cream into pudding. If you wish to be a bit more fancy, whip 1 cup of heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and layer with pudding in parfait glasses. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Cullen Skink - A Traditional Irish Smoked Fish Soup













Two Years Ago Today: Dublin Coddle for St. Patrick's Day















Three Years Ago Today: Tortilla Soup
















Four Years Ago Today: Moors and Christians

Irish Apple Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...According to Myrtle Allen, the legendary Irish cook from Ballymaloe House in County Cork, homemade apple cakes are the most popular dessert in Ireland. Last year,  I shared the history of the Kerry Apple Cake and myths surrounding the proliferation of apples in Ireland with you. If you'd like a refresher, you can link to that feature here. The cake I'm featuring tonight is an Irish classic that is made with slight variations in most of the homes in Ireland. It is simple and delicious and comes together quickly. The cake is traditionally made with ground cloves in a quantity that I think is excessive. When I make the cake,  I replace the cloves with  cinnamon or apple pie spice, both of which are more to my liking. This version of the cake is made with self-rising flour.  If you prefer to use the all-purpose variety, you'll need to add 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for every cup of flour called for in the recipe. This is a very moist cake that is wonderful when it is served hot from the oven. The good news, however, stops there. The cake does not age well and it gets soggy if it is allowed to sit too long.  While the cake is traditionally served  with unwhipped cream, I  prefer to serve it with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. The cake is a nice way to finish to a traditional Irish meal. If you are looking for something different to serve for dessert on St.Patrick's Day, you might want to give this recipe a try. Here's how the cake is made. 

Irish Apple Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves or cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3-4 cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
2 lightly beaten eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for topping)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Grease paper.
2) Sift flour, salt, and ground cloves or cinnamon into a large bowl.
3) Cut in butter until the mixture has the consistency of fine crumbs.
4) Add sliced apples and sugar to flour mixture.
5) Stir in eggs and milk and mix with hands to coat apples with batter.
6) Turn dough into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 45 minutes, or until crisp and golden in color. Transfer pan to a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes. Release sides of springform pan. Serve warm with lightly whipped cream or ice cream. Yield: 8 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Green Apple Martini
















Two Years Ago Today: Chicken Fried Steak













Three Years Ago Today: (Almost) Irish Soda Bread














Four Years Ago Today: Danny Boy, Oh Boy, Rye Bread with Guinness Stout and Fennel Seeds

Potato Farls - Irish Potato Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are two types of farls, or non-rising bread, that can be found in Ireland today. The farl is a circular flat bread that is cut into four wedges for serving, and it's the triangular shape that gives the bread its name. Last year, I posted a recipe for Four Farls that's made from the same type of dough used to make soda bread. Today, I'd like to walk you through the version of the bread that's made from potato mash and flour. This is the more practical of the two recipes because it is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes. Yeast was not typically used in Irish kitchens of the past. The climate did not lend itself to the type of wheat usually used to make yeast breads, so cooks leavened breads with soda and kept ingredients to a minimum. Farls, of both types, were cooked in skillets on the hob, or stovetop, rather than in ovens. I'm breaking with tradition and will bake, rather than fry, the bread in order to cut back on the amount of butter that is used. The only trick to making this version of farls is the need to use day old mashed potatoes. They simply will not hold together if newly mashed potatoes are used. In Ireland, the farl may be served with soups and stews and used to mop up gravy. They are also used as the base of a breakfast dish called an Ulster Fry in which the farls are topped with things such as blood pudding, rashers, tomatoes or sausage. I used leftover Champ to make the farls I'm featuring today. That worked out wonderfully well because they are so nicely seasoned. If your potatoes are a standard mash, I recommend you add scallions for extra flavor and a bit of color. Whether they are cooked in an oven or stovetop, the farls should not be moved until their underside has browned and crusted. They taste like a cross between a biscuit and potato pancake. I really like these and make them whenever I have leftover mashed potatoes. I think you will enjoy them, too. Here's the recipe.

Potato Farls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Optional:1/2 to 1 cup scallions
1/4 cup diced cold butter + butter for serving
2 cups day old mashed potatoes
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Liberally coat a cookie sheet with vegetable oil or butter.
2) Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, rub in butter using fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3) Stir in scallions if you are using them.
4) Stir in mashed potato and enough milk to make a soft but not loose dough. Divide dough into two portions and place on a well-greased baking sheet. Pat and roll or press each portion into a 1/2-inch thick round. Mark surface into quarters without cutting completely through dough.
5) Bake for about 20 minutes or until tester inserted into center of farls comes out clean. Top will be very lightly colored but underside of farl will be golden brown. If you wish top to have more color, spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray and run under a broiler for a minute or two. Remove from oven. Cut into quarters and serve immediately. Pass extra butter at table. Yield: 8 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Welfare Cookies
















Two Years Ago Today: Potato Tart

Black and Tan Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Margaret Johnson is the author of five books on Irish cooking, all of which can be found here. One of the many recipes she's developed is a brownie, called the Black and Tan. It's named after the British auxiliary forces that were sent to Ireland to suppress rebels after the 1916 Easter Rising. The reviled Black and Tan subdued the rebellion but in doing so, they fueled the spirit of the Irish Republican movement and the quest for Irish independence. Folk singers set the deeds of the British soldiers to music and eventually Irish pubs began to serve a drink, called the Black and Tan, which was made half with Harp Lager and half with Guinness Stout. Margaret Johnson loosely patterned her brownies after the famous draught. I had open a bottle of stout for another recipe and still had some remaining. Rather than let it go to waste, I decided to give this recipe a try. While most brownies are simple to make, these rich two-toned treats are a bit more involved. The end result is a moist dense confection that many will like. I hope you will try these and let me know what you think. There is nothing here not to like, the real question is will you like them enough to make them again. Here's the recipe.

Black and Tan Brownies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite first published by Margaret M. Johnson in The Irish Spirit

Ingredients:
Tan layer
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Black layer
3 ounces (3 squares) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
1) Place one rack in lower third of oven. Place another rack in center. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2) To prepare tan layer: Combine butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour, baking powder, salt and pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in lower third of oven 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
3) To make black layer: Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on low 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in sugar until well combined. Add eggs, vanilla and Guinness, stirring until well combined. Add flour and salt, whisking well to combine. Slowly pour mixture over partially baked tan layer.
4) Bake on center rack of oven for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a wire rack before cutting into small squares. Yield: 16 to 32 brownies (depending on size).







One Year Ago Today: Double Chocolate Mint Brownies














Two Years Ago Today: Florentine Schiacciata - Carnival Cake

Kerry Apple Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Did you know that St. Patrick is said to have planted apple trees in Ireland? Apples have been grown in Ireland for at least 3000 years and legend has it that he planted an apple tree in Ulster County at the ancient settlement of Ceanoga near, what is today called, Armagh. While it is a lovely tale, it's more likely that the Druids, who used apple trees in their rituals, were the ones who first tended apple orchards in Ireland. Prior to English rule, Ireland was governed by a system of law that was codified and administered by the Brehons, who were the successors to the Celtic druids. The Brehons were charged with the preservation and interpretation of laws that had been established by centuries of oral tradition.The Irish took their apple trees seriously. Brehon law stipulated that anyone cutting down an apple tree would be subject to a financial penalty that included the surrender of five cows. I'm not sure what happened to those who had no cows to surrender, but we can be sure they were fined or punished for their transgression. Desserts and beverages made from apples are very popular in Ireland. This lovely apple cake, developed by Margaret Johnson, is a case in point. In Ireland this dessert would be made with Bramley apples, but any tart baking apple can be substituted. I do have to warn you that this dessert is more like a pudding than cake and it should be served warm, fresh from the oven. I don't think it ages at all well. That being said, this is a fast, easy and inexpensive family treat that is especially appealing to children. Not everyone enjoys apple pudding, but those of you who try this will not be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

Kerry Apple Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Margaret Johnson

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg beaten
4 Granny Smith apples cored, peeled, and diced (2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8-inch square cake pan.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg, apples, nuts, and vanilla and stir well. Sift in dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands. This is a very stiff batter.
3) Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until cake is lightly browned and a skewer inserted into its center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then unmold and serve hot or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I was not able to unmold my cake, so I sliced and served it from the pan. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Wicked Good Pecan Rolls
















Two Years Ago Today: Salt and Pepper Pork Chops

Irish Celery and Apple Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Margaret Johnson is an Irish-American writer who is a recognized authority on Irish food and drink. This passionate cook holds dual citizenship in the US and Ireland and has authored five cookbooks that explore the customs and cuisine of the Emerald Isle. Today's recipe, an adaption of an old Irish favorite, is her creation, and color alone makes it worthy of consideration for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. Fortunately, it has more than color going for it. If you enjoy the taste of celery, you will love this uniquely flavored soup that is made more interesting with help from apples that add a slightly sour aspect to the soup. The combination works well, and while I can't recommend serving this in large portions, it makes an ideal first course. I served it last weekend with an Italian-type meal that included Arista and I was really pleased at the way all the flavors came together. This is a fast, easy and inexpensive soup that is also mercifully low in calories. It can be made well-ahead of serving, though its color darkens slightly as it sits. I know those of you who are adventuresome will enjoy this palate brightener. Here's the recipe for this truly simple starter.

Irish Celery and Apple Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Margaret Johnson

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch celery, chopped
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
6 cups homemade chicken stock, or canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half
2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and apples and cook another 5 minutes. Add stock or broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to15 minutes.
2) Transfer solids to a blender or processor and working in batches, process until smooth (I used an immersion blender for this task). Return to same saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in cream. Heat through over low heat. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 10 to 12 one cup servings.








One Year Ago Today: A Formula for Turkey Meatloaf















Two Years Ago Today: Cranberry Cocktail

Dublin Coddle for St. Patrick's Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We'll be attending a St.Patrick's Day party this weekend and I was asked to bring a typically Irish dish to the celebration. Many of the entrees I wanted to make had to be discarded out of hand, because research proved them not to be authentically Irish. Years ago, the Irish diet lacked the diversity found in France and Italy and meals centered on potatoes and dairy products that were, on occasion, extended with small amounts of meat. Armed with that knowledge, I finally decided to make a dish called Dublin Coddle. Coddle is a dish that's much like an English hot pot, though it's cooked more slowly and not allowed to boil. It consists of layers of potatoes, onions and a generous amount of pork that appears in the form of rashers and bangers. The rashers are streaky and unsmoked strips of Irish bacon that taste much like Canadian bacon. The bangers are sausages that are similar in taste to the mildly spiced version that appears on our breakfast tables, though they are less fat and have a smoother texture. Thanks to a Trader Joe's holiday special, I was able to purchase authentic rashers and bangers for my coddle. So, with a wee bit of slicing and dicing I was able to assemble a dish that purportedly was a favorite of Sean O'Casey, Jonathan Swift and James Joyce. Was it literary ambrosia? I beg forgiveness for this next but I just can't help myself, “…and yes I said yes I will Yes.” Actually, Molly, it was just O.K. It certainly could be considered comfort food. Back in the days of imposed abstinence, the dish was made on Thursday nights to finish up pork that could not be eaten come first light the following day. It was primarily a winter dish that was semi-boiled and steamed in the stock used to cook the pork. The coddle was an inexpensive one-pot affair that required only salt, pepper and parsley for seasoning. It was considered to be well with in the means of the working-class Irish, and, while the amount of meat it contained varied from on household to the next, it was a constant on their tables. So, is it any good? While it's perfect for St. Patrick's Day, I wouldn't much bother with it at other times. It's one of those dishes you yearn to try once, then wrap in the mist of memory and put to bed. I'll let you decide for yourself. Here, courtesy of the Accidental Hedonist, is the recipe for Dublin Coddle.

Dublin Coddle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of the Accidental Hedonist

Ingredients:
2 quarts of water
1 pound link sausage (Irish bangers or American breakfast sausage)
1 pound thick cut sliced bacon, blanched
3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch slices
3-4 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
Ground pepper
1 bunch curly parsley, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan.
2) Meanwhile, place bacon and sausages in a large skillet and fry just long enough to lightly color.
3) Add sausages and bacon to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove meat, slice into bit-sized pieces and reserve in a bowl. Reserve cooking stock.
4) Lightly grease bottom and sides of a Dutch oven or 5-quart casserole. Layer ingredients in the following order until all have been used; potatoes, onion, pepper, parsley, and pork.
5) Pour reserved stock over contents of casserole until ingredients are covered. Water may be used if you run out of stock. Bring casserole to a simmer.
6) Place in oven and cook for 90 minutes or until potatoes are tender. I cover the pot.
7) Serve hot with whole meal bread and butter. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Potato-Leek Gratin - Teeny Tiny Kitchen
Fool Proof Scalloped Potatoes - My Gourmet Connection
Fontina Scalloped Potatoes - The Other Side of Fifty
Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham - Creatively Domestic
Mushroom Scalloped Potatoes - Pots and Plots
Thyme and Rosemary Au Gratin Potatoes - Wicked Good Dinner
Perfectly Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin - Deep South Dish
Chicken, Mushroom and Potato Hot Pot - Caviar and Codfish
Dublin Coddle - Home Cooking Rocks
Irish Cooking:Dublin Coddle -Chef Mom

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Cuisine Kathleen, St.Patrick's Day Blog Crawl

Spotted Dog

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If my mail is any indication, many of you are curious as to how the English version of Irish soda bread came to be called Spotted Dog. Surprisingly, no one seems to know for sure. My research came up with a lot of guesses, some educated, others not. We know for certain that a staple of old English kitchens was a steamed pudding that, when made with raisins, was called a Spotted Dick. While many are offended by the name, linguists seem to agree that it really was derived from the word pudding. According to Dex at The Straight Dope, over the course of time, pudding became puddink, puddink became puddick and puddick , finally shortened, became dick. Fortunately, there was another version of the pudding whose name could offend no one. It was made with plums and suet and it was called a Spotted Dog. Why? From this point forward all the information you receive will be the product of my, as yet, undocumented imagination.













The pudding, and later the bread of the same name, bear spots like those found on a Dalmatian. Looking at these photos I have no trouble understanding why the bread, too, was called Spotted Dog. I personally think Dalmation Bread would have been a better, more expressive name, but then no one ever listens to me and, as a result, we still have these awkward language situations that must be dealt with. More's the pity :-). Today's recipe is for an embellished Irish soda bread. It contains raisins and caraway seeds, but it is less rich than many of the versions that are popular today. I like to view it as a historical footnote that falls somewhere between yesterday's wholemeal bread and the lovely cake-like loaf that Ina Garten makes here. Here's the recipe for those of you who are curious.

Spotted Dog...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 cup golden raisins
1-3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1) Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Butter and Flour a large baking sheet. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, caraway seeds and raisins. Add buttermilk and stir until dough is moistened, but still lumpy.
3) Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with floured hands until dough is less sticky but still soft, about 8 times. Divide dough into two pieces and form each piece into a ball. Pat each ball into a domed 6-inch round on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 4-inches apart. Cut a large 1/2-inch deep x in top of each loaf with a sharp knife or razor blade. Brush both loaves with melted butter.
4) Bake until golden brown and bottom of loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Yield: 2 6-inch loaves.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chocolate Soda Bread - Real Epicurean
Browned Butter Soda Bread - Vanilla Sugar
Authentic Irish Soda Bread - Confessions of a Kitchen Witch
Oat Soda Bread - 101 Cookbooks
Irish Soda Bread - The English Kitchen
Brown Bread - David Lebovitz
Soda Bread - Farmersgirl Kitchen
Irish Soda Bread Scones - Brown Eyed Baker
Irish Soda Bread Scones - Smitten Kitchen
Caraway Soda Bread - Simply Recipes
Oats and Honey Irish Soda Bread with Raisins - Baking Bites

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday