General Chat

Please has anyone got any, left ireland when i was 4. Every time i went back to Nanny's there was always great food loved the soda bread etc just wish i knew how to make it and any other's.
I have googled but there are so many different ingredience don't know what the proper one's are.

A lot of Irish recipes have buttermilk in them which is an ingredient I have never seen in England.

It seems you can add something to ordinary milk to replicate buttermilk but I'm b*****ed if I can remember what it is.

I do have an Irish baking book but,not knowing how to replicate buttermilk,I have not used it much.When I did use it the quantity of salt stated was wrong and the biscuits were horrible.Oh dear,isn't life tragic!

irishgirl - you can get buttermilk in this country. Look passed the creams,clotted creams etc in the supermarket. I think it is made by Raines(Raynes). I have certainly bought it and recently too. As for cook books, look for those by Darina Allen, and her mother in law. They own a cookery school in Ballymaloe??in Ireland. I swear by these books, they are invaluable. Good Luck
Julia in Derbyshire

Irishgirl, Morrisons sell Buttermilk, I have to pots in my fridge from there.
Guess what , they have to be used by today, so looks like I am making Irish Soda Bread today.
Going to dig out my recipe book and will post the recipe and others soon.

Jenny

Champ,Calgannon to name a couple,made with leek kale and potato.
Look up Irish cookery on [The Foody,Uk,& Ireand]'tons of recipies on there.Fred

You can add a teaspoon of lemon juice to ordinary milk works just as well.

My husband used to make fantastic soda bread mind you he is Irish!

Linda x

SODA BREAD.

1lb Plain Flour.
1tsp Salt.
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda.
14 fl oz Buttermilk.

Preheat oven to 230 C Gas 8.
Sift the flour salt & bicarb into a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the Buttermilk.
Using one hand slowly incorporate the flour into the milk, to give a soft but not sticky dough.

Turn onto a floured board and need for 1 minute or until smooth.
Smooth and shape to a round about 1 1/2" high.
Cut a deep 'Cross' from one edge to another.
Place on a floured baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 200 C Gas 6 and bake for a further 30 minutes.
To test if the bread is cooked, tap the underside of the loaf, if cooked it should sound hollow.

I find my bread doesn't need quiet as much cooking time. If you have a fan assisted oven turn the tempreture down a little.

Have fun baking.

Jenny.

I make a lot os soda bread , but use nat yogurt and nut yougurts if I cant get buttermilk, add a bit of milk if to dry also sometimes I add sultanas or cheese...,

Jean x

I just googled Irish Recipes and there are loads some you can download,and some you get the recipes for,

Will try that site Jean.

I have just taken mine out of the oven and let cool. Think the thermostat has broken, because the one lot is rock hard and uncooked in the middle. Put some shaped 'Farles' in and lowered the temp and they are fine.

Jenny x

My grandma, from Bunclody, C Wexford always swore by sour milk....her soda bread and wheaten bread were the best!!!!

My Mother used to make this dish for us on a cold winter's night...delicious!

Dublin Coddle

900g (2lb) Potatoes, peeled and sliced
1lt (1¾ pint) Water
8 Large Pork Sausages, cut into large chunks
8 Thick slices Bacon or Ham
4 Large Onions, peeled, sliced
4 tbsp Chopped Parsley

Brown the sausages in a frying pan for a few minutes.
Bring the water to the boil and add the ham or bacon and sausages.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain and reserve the water.
Place the ham or bacon and sausages in a large saucepan or casserole dish.
Add the onions, potatoes, salt, pepper white pepper is best) and half the parsley, with enough of the reserved liquid to just cover.
Place greased parchment or baking paper on top, cover with a lid.
Either simmer gently or cook in a slow oven for about 1½ hours, until the liquid has reduced and everything is
cooked.
Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve with soda bread.
Serves 4.

Morrisons and Tesco do Buttermilk. As I tried a spoonful of buttermilk to see what it tasted like realised it was just like natural yoghurt, so would assume you could use that.

Have made plenty of soda bread - in fact cannot make enough of it for OH! (who was raised in Ferns, Co. Wexford) I use wholemeal flour in mine along with some porridge oats to give it a different texture.

Good luck.
Tina xx

Oh great just come on line and seen your replies cant wait to try yhem THANKS everyone xx

Half/half mix of yoghurt and milk - do not forget treacle soda - very tasty. I bake soda bread and potato bread on my electric frypan - or use a heavy fryingpan. Wheaten I bake in oven.

Nudged for Clairjo

julia in Derbyshire