Oh, St. Patrick’s Day!
There once was a time where this post would talk about all my favourite Irish pubs, and likely include a summary of green beer and my favourite shamrock attire. It makes me feel old just thinking about it! Now I’m more about all the comfort Irish food that I can consume in a day (can we just take a moment to talk about Irish stew?)
Our little village has a St. Patrick’s Day parade. It started a few years ago… a few people gathered at the Beer Store dressed in green and continued to parade to the pub in town. The next year a few more people joined. Last year there were cars, golf carts and tractors. It’s becoming a thing… I wonder what the parade will bring this year? I’m hoping a giant Leprechaun Macy’s Day Parade Balloons! One can dream, right?
ANYWAY….
One of my favourite quick and easy Irish recipes is soda bread. Irish Soda Bread is a traditional product of a poor country. It was made with only the most basic of ingredients: flour, baking soda (used as a leavening agent instead of yeast), soured milk to moisten and activate the soda, and salt. Before baking, a cross was cut on the top with a knife, to ward off the devil and protect the household. Traditionally, Irish Soda Bread was made with the bare-minimum of ingredients. Often you see it made with raisins, but that likely was the only addition to the recipe back in the day when times were tough.
This variation I make on occasion is the perfect addition to any dinner. In just over 30 minutes you can have a loaf of bread that did not require several kneads or hours to rise. Aside from production time, my husband has told me it is the best “cheese bread” he has ever had (and he does not throw compliments out easily)! So whether you are getting ready to hit to the pub wearing all the green you own, or spending the day with your family (and hoping for that giant Leprechaun balloon), this bread is the perfect way to feel (at least a little) Irish!
CHEDDAR AND ROSEMARY IRISH SODA BREAD
adapted from Richard Bertinet’s book Pastry
ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped rosemary
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1 cup buttermilk
1 whole egg
steps
Heat the oven to 425F. Lightly flour a non stick baking tray or spray with a non stick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pepper, rosemary and cheese.
Add the egg to the buttermilk and beat until mixed. (If you do not have buttermilk on hand, mix 1 Tbsp. vinegar and fill the remainder of the 1 cup measure with milk. Let sit for 5 minutes).
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour and lightly mix through until it becomes sticky and a ball forms.
Dump the dough out onto a flour dusted work surface and roughly knead the dough into an ball shape. It may be on the wet side so have some extra flour on hand for dusting.
Place the dough onto your prepared baking tray. Take a sharp serrated knife and cut an X on top of the soda bread. The deeper you cut, the more the loaf will expand.
Season the top with some more salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 25 minutes and the top is golden brown.
Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving with butter.