T minus 15 days till St. Paddys. The be all, end all holiday in my book. Sure I love Christmas and Thanksgiving as much as the next, but there's something about this time of year and this particular holiday, that makes me come alive. Maybe it's the beautiful lush, rolling green hills of my sleepy farm town of Petaluma, with the specks of newly born spring lamb that graze the hills or the grey drizzle that still looms the sky. Ah, heck it could even be the flow of Guinness running through in my blood! I think St. Patrick's Day just reminds me of Ireland. A single day to celebrate the joy of what is Irish. Great food, an abundance of stout and whiskey of course, but more importantly good friends and family. Although the St. Patrick's Day celebration in America is just another typical Tuesday night at the local pub in Ireland, the Irish sure know how to feckin party! So with that said, I've decided to share one of my favorite things to make this time of year. A traditional Irish Soda Bread. (A recipe for potatoes would have been a bit too predictable) This is one of the easiest breads to make, no yeast or countless rising necessary, and it's also one of the first things I learned to make at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Eat it with some soup or stew or even just a nice tall pint of the dark stuff.
This bread is also very versatile. You can add raisins or currants for a Spotted Dog bread, a mix of chopped herbs or my personal fav, chocolate chips for a Stripy Cat. Don't ask.
White Soda Bread
makes 1 loaf
Preheat oven to 475
3 1/3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
up to 1 pint buttermilk
Sift all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
Pour in 3/4 of the buttermilk. Using one hand in the shape of a claw,
stir mixture in a circular motion from the center to the outside of
the bowl incorporating all of the flour. The mixture should be soft and
not too wet or sticky. Add remaining buttermilk as needed.
Once the mixture has all come together, turn dough out on to a lightly
floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. Tidy up the edges of the
dough to make a round loaf. Move to a baking sheet. Take a large chopping
knife and cut a deep cross the top of the loaf. Then prick each corner of the
cross. This is part of the Irish folklore to ward off evil spirits by making the
shape of a cross. The pricking of the corners is to let the "fairies" out and
not to jinx the bread. This is a time honored tradition and not a single loaf
of soda bread is made in Ireland without this step.
Bake the bread in the oven at 475 for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven
to 400 for another 30 or until cooked. The bread is done when you hear a
hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the loaf.
My favorite way to eat this bread is warm, fresh out of the oven with Kerrygold
Irish butter. You can really use any butter you like, but Kerrygold will give you
the best cozy, feels like you're in Ireland experience. There really is no comparison.
Once the bread has cooled it's nice toasted with Kerrygold and some yummy jam.
Enjoy!
Sláinte!
