#11/#12 Guinness Stew & Irish Soda Bread

It's St. Patrick's Day and I celebrated the way I know best... with Mumford & Son's playing on the iPad, I got busy heating up the kitchen.

 

Irish Soda Bread

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk*, shaken
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup dried currants (I used raisins instead)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk and egg together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants (or raisins) with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.

Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 
*I didn't have any buttermilk, so I made my own.  I used 2 cups whole milk and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Let it sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Stir before using.

Guinness Stew and Irish Mash

Recipe adapted from The Berroness

Ingredients
For Guinness Stew:

• 4 strips thick cut bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into cubes
• kosher salt and cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 12 ounces stout beer
• 2 cups beef broth (or stock)
  1½ cups baby carrots 

For Irish Mash:

• 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups cabbage, chopped
• ½ cup green onions, chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• kosher salt and cracked pepper, to taste

 

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon.

Remove the bacon from the pot. Chop and set aside. Pour off bacon grease until about 2 Tbsp of bacon grease remain in the pot.

Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to the pot.

Sprinkle the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Add to the pot, sear on all sides until browned, and remove from pot (beef will not be cooked through).

Add the onions. Cook until lightly caramelized, about ten minutes.

Sprinkle with flour, stir until flour has turned brown, about 1 minute.

Add the stout and stir, scraping to deglaze the pan. Pour in the broth.

Add the beef cubes and bacon back into the pot. Throw in carrots. Add the lid at a slight vent and reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Allow to simmer until beef is fork tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

While the beef is cooking, make the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water, bring to a boil and allow to cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain, remove potatoes from the pot and return the empty pot to heat. Melt the butter in the pot. Add the cabbage and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the green onions. Remove from heat, and add in the milk and the potatoes. Mash and stir until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(recipes #11 & #12 of 52)