In March we hosted a cookery demonstration by Darina Allen of the Ballymaloe Cookery School. We provide here some sample recipes by Darina Allen.
Watercress is frequently mentioned as a foodstuff in the twelfth-century manuscript Agallamh na Seanorach (The Colloquy of the Old Men). Legend has it that it was watercress that enabled St Brendan to live to the ripe old age of 180! In Birr Castle in Co Offaly, Lord and Lady Rosse still serve a soup of watercress gathered from around St. Brendan's well, just below the castle walls.
You will need:
- 3 tablespoons sweet (unsalted) butter
- 1¼ cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1¼ cups yellow onion, chopped finely
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2½ cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2½ cups creamy milk
- 2 bunches of chopped watercress (remove the coarse stalks)
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the stock and milk, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes and onions are soft.
Add the watercress and boil with the lid off for approximately 4 to 5 minutes until the watercress is cooked. It will taste soft and tender. Do not overcook or the soup will loose its fresh green colour.
Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Taste and add a little more salt and pepper if necessary. Divide among 6 soup bowls and serve.
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Oatmeal Soda Bread
For this early soda bread the oatmeal was steeped in buttermilk overnight. It makes a light, pale bread with quite a different flavour - also absolutely delicious.
You will need:
- 2½ cups fine stone ground oatmeal
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Steep the oatmeal in the buttermilk overnight.
Next day, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Mix the flour, salt and baking soda together, then stir into the oatmeal. If necessary add a little more milk, but don't make the dough too wet. Put into a large well greased loaf pan (we use one which is 5½ x 9½ x 2½ inches) and bake in a moderate oven for 1 to 1¼ hours.
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