Show And

0 Comments | Chattanooga Times Free Press, Mar 17, 2010 | by Braly, Anne P

By Anne P. Braly

abraly@timesfreepress.com

Joyce Brennan might credit the luck o’ the Irish for a recent trip to North Carolina.

She’d received a gift certificate to a cooking class at A Southern Season, a gourmet market in Chapel Hill. She combined a visit with her daughter, Cathy, who lives in nearby Durham, with a chance to attend “A Taste of Ireland,” taught by cookbook author Sheri Castle.

“Everything was outstanding,” Mrs. Brennan said. “We got all the recipes and lots of tips. Sheri is a clear and entertaining teacher. I even came home and made everything for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner.”

Mrs. Brennan has been to Ireland twice, the first time with her husband, Michael, whose ancestry is Irish.

“There’s no surname in my husband’s family that isn’t Irish,” she said.

Their visit to Ireland was one of the Brennans’ favorite trips abroad.

“We really enjoyed the food,” she said. “They have wonderful salmon, and there are potatoes in everything — even the salads. They are nothing like salads here. They have more vegetables, like potatoes, peas and maybe green beans.”

Here is the menu Mrs. Castle prepared and Mrs. Brennan continues to enjoy.

Irish Brown Bread With Smoked Salmon

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

4 ounces (8 tablespoons) Irish butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled, plus more for the pan

11/2 to 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

Toppings:

8 ounces (1/2 cup) Irish butter, at room temperature

8 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon

1 bunch fresh chives, trimmed

Freshly ground black pepper

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, salt, sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Make a well in the center and gradually add the buttermilk, stirring until a dough forms. Gently knead on a floured surface until smooth, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, about 3 minutes.

Press the dough into the prepared cake pan. With a sharp knife, cut a 1/2-inch deep “X” across the top of the dough. Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool the loaf in a pan on a rack for 10 minutes then turn it out onto a rack and cool, right side up, for at least two hours before slicing.

Make-ahead note: You can serve the bread the day it is made, but it slices more easily when it’s at least one day old. Store in plastic wrap at room temperature. It keeps well this way up to four days. Makes 1 (9-inch) round loaf.

To make the canaps: Spread slices of bread with the softened butter. Top with salmon and chives. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Makes 8 servings.

Beef and Guinness Pie

2 to 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 tablespoons water

11/2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup beef broth

1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Extra Stout (not Guinness Draught)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons drained, brined, green peppercorns, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 300 F. Pat beef dry. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Heat a wide, 6-quart heavy, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to not crowd the pan, brown the meat on all sides, turning with tongs. Transfer the browned meat to a large bowl.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic and water to pot and cook, scraping up the browned bits from bottom of the pot and stirring frequently, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, Guinness, Worcestershire, peppercorns and thyme. Add the beef and any juices accumulated in bowl. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork tender, about 4 hours. Add the carrots during the last hour of cooking. When the meat is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit uncovered until it cools to room temperature (see note)
gourmet gift