Irish Heritage Leek and Potato Soup

Heartwarming Irish Potato and Leek Soup

Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day and the month of March is all about celebrating our national holiday by cooking classic Irish heritage dishes.  It’s traditionally the busiest month of the year for me with sold out Irish cooking classes, intimate catering events and parties. Over the years I have been traveling to Florida with Kerrygold teaching cooking classes at the Publix Aprons cooking schools. This year I am going to be working in Atlanta teaching a St. Patrick’s dinner class at Wholefoods on March 16 and a luncheon at the Piedmont Cancer Center on March 17th.

If you are hosting a dinner party for St. Patrick’s day you may consider serving this soup as a welcome shooter or as an appetizer for your dinner party.  It’s warm and comforting and a true taste of Ireland for our festive month of March…So, go green and enjoy!

So, here it is and “Health to you and yours: to mine and ours”….

Leek and Potato Soup with Chive Puree and Garlic and herb cheese croutons

(serves 4-6)

• 4 oz salted butter
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 2 large leeks sliced (use mainly the white part)
• 5 medium potatoes (4 cups potatoes peeled and diced)
• 2 ½ pints Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp of cream

 (for the spring onion puree)

• 4 spring onions (chopped)
• Fine sea salt
• 4 Tbsp salted Irish butter (melted)

 (for the garlic and herb cheese croutons)

• 3 slices of day old baguettes (cut in to cubes)
• 4 Tbsp Kerrygold garlic and herb Irish butter
• 1 oz Dubliner Irish cheese (finely grated)

How to make it:

1. In a heavy based saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and onions allowing them to “sweat” until they are fragrant.
2. Add the stock and potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir to combine on medium heat and bring to a boil. Cover and then turn the temperature down allowing the soup to gently simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
4. Allow the soup to cool slightly before using an emulsion blender to smooth.
5. To make the spring onion purees blanch the spring onions in salted boiling water for just less than 1 minute. Strain and place in Ice water.   Transfer to a blender to puree.  On low heat melt butter and slowly drizzle in to the puree to create froth.
6. To make the croutons preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter and toss in the bread cubes.  Bake for 10-15 minutes turning half way or until crunchy and toasted.  Sprinkle  the cheese over croutons for 1 more minute to melt.
7. To serve the soup return to heat and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the temperature and finish the soup by adding the cream.  Taste to adjust for seasoning.  Serve in individual bowls with a drizzle of the frothy spring onion puree and a few garlic and herb cheesy croutons.

Judith the Irish foodie

 

 

 

Food Photography with the Shamrock and Peach

Panna Cotta with Raspberries and Chocolate

Kale Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing and Crispy Shallots

New Season’s Lamb, Mixed Carrots, Colcannon and Rosemary Jus

Just this past weekend I teamed up with Shamrock and Peach photography (my husband Gary) to teach a class on Food Photography at Whole foods Salud cooking school in Alpharetta.  Gary is an artist and designer for his day job and a skilled photographer with a passion for creating beautiful imagery that explores the world around us and the Irish landscape.  We got to work together combing food with photography when we wrote our first book together ‘the Shamrock and Peach”.  We are always learning and exploring and we love to share with others.  I heard a quote recently that said “we only own what we give away” so I wanted to share some of the images from our food styling class.  Valentine’s day is coming up soon so I am going to share the recipe for the Raspberry and Chocolate Panna Cotta next!

Oh, and here is Gary’s website if  you want to check out his work http://www.shamrockandpeachphoto.com/

Thanks for following us!

Judie the Irish foodie

Food Photography

It has been said that we eat with our eyes first and with a world of social media, blogs and iphones we all get to share the magic instantly!  Here are a few images of food photography taken by Gary recently that made my food look mouthwatering.  Only a true artist can see behind the lens and it takes patience, talent and passion.  Here are few that he has taken recently that I really love!

Peach and Irish Cream Macarrons

Steak and Guinness Pie

Barnbrack

Bacon and Cabbage

Over 10 years ago when I started my blog there was a need for some great photography and my husband who is a graphic artist rose to the occasion. At the time I am not sure he knew what we was getting himself into, but since then we have published two additions of our first cook book called the Shamrock and Peach filled with beautiful images of Ireland in addition to food photography and now we’re finishing up our second cook book.

Mastering the art of good food photography is not easy and then there are styles and trends and multiple digital features on our cameras to contend with. Gary is excited to share the knowledge of the tricks he has learned behind the lens at Wholefoods Salud cooking school in Atlanta on Saturday Feb 3rd between 10-1pm.  We have a really interesting and delicious Shamrock and Peach menu for you to enjoy as you shoot, eat and most importantly laugh and enjoy some Irish craic.

We’d really love to see you at the class if you live in the Atlanta area and for everyone else thanks for following our blog!  Maybe well share some tips from the class in future posts!  Here is the link for our Atlanta friends to sign up:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/service/salud-cooking-school-4

Judie the Irish foodie

Bacon and Crispy Cabbage with Mustard Sauce

Happy New Year 2018!  Wishing all my friends and followers good health and Prosperity with Irish Savoy Cabbage Greens and Bacon…a true Irish favorite!

In the South it’s a tradition to enjoy collard greens as part of a New Years tradition (cooked in a smoked ham hock bone and served with black eyed peas and cornbread). The greens are symbolic of paper money and bring good luck and wealth for the upcoming year, whilst the black eyed peas represent the coins… so now you know!

So we wanted to share a new year suggestion for you with some Irish style crispy cabbage and wishing you a year like no other!

Bacon with Crispy Cabbage and Mustard Sauce

• 3 lbs cured loin of bacon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 stick of celery (chopped)
• 1 large onion (cut in quarters)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• (for the cabbage)
• 1 large green savoy cabbage (hard core removed and thinly sliced)
• 3 Tbsp of butter
• 2 Tbsp water
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• (for the mustard sauce)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup reserved cooking liquid
• 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

 

How to make it

1. Put the bacon in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, celery, and carrot.   Bring to the boil and then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a low simmer for 20 minutes per pound plus an additional 30 minutes.
2. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Reserve ½ cup of cooking liquid for the sauce.
3. To make the mustard sauce melt the butter and add the flour cooking for a minute and then whisk in the reserved cooking liquid, heavy whipping cream, mustard and salt and pepper.
4. To make the cabbage melt the butter in a large skillet and then add the cabbage tossing with tongs until it’s bright and fragrant. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of water over the cabbage to wilt slightly but still remaining crispy and bright.
5. To serve slice the bacon and drizzle with a little mustard sauce and top with crispy cabbage.

Enjoy, and have a peaceful and prosperous new year!

Judie the Irish foodie

 

Southern Greens Thanksgiving Salad

Thanksgiving Salad

Collard Greens are are a staple thing if you have grown up in the American South, but they get a little bit of a bad wrap…but I want to change your mind! Growing up in Ireland I naturally gravitate to Kale and Cabbage for my Winter Greens, and find some similarities to Southern traditions, so, hey let’s combine the best of both worlds!

The leaves of Collards are hearty and spicy with tough stems, and they make delicious salads. They can stand up to lots of strong flavors such as garlic and do not wilt like other greens when dressed with vinaigrette, which is a huge plus when it’s time to plate the salad.  In fact, if anything, collards do best when they have been resting in a vinaigrette and have given time to break down the leaves and absorb the flavors.

This is the best time of year to enjoy Collards when they have tender and younger leaves because they do tend to be tough when the leaves are mature.  Our family are big fans of marinating our collards and this salad will be gracing our Thanksgiving table this Thursday…can’t wait!

Wishing all my friends and followers a very happy Thanksgiving!

Collards and Power Greens with Roasted Sweet Potato and Seed Brittle

2 medium Sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)

2 Tbsp Olive oil

4 cups Collard Greens (hard stalks removed/thinly sliced in ribbons)

4 cups Power Greens (Baby Spinach, Baby Kale)

½ cup dried cranberries

(for the seed brittle)

2 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds

2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp Irish Kerrygold butter (melted)

1 1/2 Tbsp raw honey

Pinch of kosher salt

(Garlic Vinaigrette)

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 clove of garlic (crushed)

1 Tbsp course Dijon Mustard

2 tsp honey

½ cup of Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper

How to make it

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the sweet potatoes in olive oil and bake for 15 minutes until they begin to brown on the edges.  Remove from the oven and cool.
2. To make the vinaigrette whisk the apple cider vinegar, garlic, mustard and honey and then slowly incorporate the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. To make the harvest seed crunch preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the melted butter and honey together.  On a parchment lined baking sheet toss the seeds with the butter and raw honey.  Toast the seeds for 10-12 minutes and then stir and bake for a further few minutes until they are golden brown and aromatic. Remove from the oven and allow seeds to cool completely.
4. To shred the Collards greens remove the hard stalk in the center and then roll in a cigar shape and slice in to ribbons.
5. Toss the shredded greens in about ½ cup of the vinaigrette and allow marinating and softening the greens for about 10 minutes. Fold in the power greens, cherries, additional vinaigrette and season with a little more kosher salt and pepper to taste.
6. To serve the salad break up the seed brittle and sprinkle over the top of the greens.

Judie the Irish Foodie

Heartwarming Dublin Coddle

Sausage, Bacon, Potatoes and Onions with Sage

The weather is getting cooler and we anticipate the upcoming winter season. For some of us, this means snow on the way, icy roads and long days driving home in the dark (yuck)…but dreary winter days are made comforting through warm welcoming dishes from the kitchen. (yum)

One of my favorite, easy ‘one pot’  prepared meals is Dublin Coddle, a simple rustic Irish dish with sausage, bacon, potatoes and onions. This winter dish is associated with Ireland’s capital city, Dublin, and is famously served on many pub menus. The verb ‘coddle’ means ‘to cook food in water below boiling point’ (gently boil or stew) or what is often called ‘slow food’. The actual dish goes back as far as the 1700’s in Ireland but this is my take on a old traditional recipe…enjoy!

Dublin Coddle

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon (thinly sliced)
• 4 Large Pork sausages (cut in two)
• 2 medium size red onions (sliced)
• 2 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
• 1 Tbsp butter (room temperatures)
• 1 ½ lbs Potato (Yukon gold’s) thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 tsp fresh sage (chopped)
• 6 sage leaves
• 1 Tbsp olive oil and butter

How to make it

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add the pork sausages to the skillet and brown on all sides.  Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside.
3. Pour all but 2 Tbsp of oil from the skillet and fry the red onions until they are caramelized.   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Deglaze the pan with the apple cider vinegar and chicken stock scraping down all the brown bits and reduce for a few minutes.  Stir in the sage.
4. Grease a 13×9 size dish with butter and then layer the potatoes, seasoning with salt and pepper on each layer. Pour over the onion, garlic stock and spoon sausages on top.
5. Bake in oven one hour until the potatoes are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Add the reserved bacon and sprinkle over dish. Transfer to oven for a few minutes to warm.
7. Melt butter and olive oil and fry sage leaves for 1 minute each side.
8. Remove coddle from oven and add the fried sage.
9. Serve and Enjoy!

Judie the Irish Foodie

 

Spooky Chilli for Halloween

Chill for Halloween

Yet again it’s time for trick or treaters, and for us, we have an annual family tradition to make spooky chili on Halloween night – spooky, but good! . We live in a suburban Atlanta neighborhood and Halloween is actually one of the best times of year for our community to come together. Our little street will be hosting a fun party with many of our neighbors making different types of chili – and it really is very fun. We always have a toppings bar with various options such as cheese, avocado, chopped cilantro,  smoky olive oil and more – and people just love the fun of this – perhaps your neighborhood could too?

The forecast will be chilly (can’t help myself…) so a warm bowl of chili will hit the spot!

This fall I have been making chili for cooking classes and received some rave reviews (not bad for an Irish lass whose only been to Mexico once!) So, here’s my best shot…  Hope you enjoy!

 Grass fed Beef Chili (garnished with Avocado, Cilantro and Olive Oil)

 (for the base)

3 ancho chilies

3 dried chipotle chilies

1 Tbsp Coriander seeds (toasted)

1 tsp cumin seeds (toasted)

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds (toasted)

3 cloves of garlic

2 (14 oz) cans whole tomatoes (drained)

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp coco powder

1 Tbsp fresh oregano (1tsp dried)

(For the chili)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion (chopped)

1 stalk of celery (finely diced)

2 lbs grass-fed ground beef

1 (15 oz) can of chili beans

(for the stock)

1 bottle of Irish Stout (Guinness)

2 cups of chicken stock

(for the garnish)

1 avocado (chopped)

Kerrygold Irish Cheddar cheese (grated)

Juice of one lime

Drizzle of good olive oil

Bunch of cilantro (chopped)

How to make it:

1. To make the base broil the chili’s on a grill turning until they are charred on all sides. Place them in a zip lock bag for about 10 minutes to sweat until the skins are easy to remove. Using plastic gloves or a zip lock bag turned inside out remove the stem and the seeds (leaving a few seeds will be good).
2. In a large blender combine the prepared chilies, toasted coriander, mustard seeds, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, coco powder, salt and pepper.
3. Add olive oil to a large saucepan and add the onions and beef stirring together until browned.
4. Pour over the chili base, stock and beer. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hour.
5. Stir in the chili beans and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes.
6. To serve top with freshly chopped cilantro, avocado and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

Happy Spooky Halloween!

Judith the Irish Foodie

 

Irish Barmbrack for Halloween

Halloween Baking

Halloween was always one of my favorite times of the year growing up in Ireland, and it should come as no surprise that my best memories are related to home baking and fun traditions shared around the dinner table. My mother would always hide hidden charms in our favorite Halloween baked goods as a tradition, and amongst those treats she always included a wee home made BarmBrack loaf and an apple tart.

Barmbrack is a traditional warm and spicy fruit loaf that is absolutely delicious hot from the oven with loads of creamy Irish butter – and of course, apple tart is an apple pie here in America! So now you know!

So, here is it to share  – my family recipe that’s enjoyed in Ireland this time of year.

This name “brack” comes from the Irish word “breac” meaning speckled (the speckles are the fruits and candied peel baked in the bread).  I used to be so excited to wrap tiny items in silver foil for my mother to hide in the sweet bread.  All of the items we would bury in our baking had a hidden meaning, for example a ring (for love), money (for good fortune), a button (bachelor), a thimble (spinster), rag (poverty). I always wanted to get the ring for love and was devastated if I had the slice with a rag or thimble!  It was all in good fun and made great memories shared together around the kitchen table. Hope you enjoy this recipe and maybe even event  your own ‘lucky charms’

• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp of salt
• ½ cup soft brown sugar
• 4 ½ tsp of dry active yeast (2 packets)
• 4 oz unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups of warm milk
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 cup of golden sultanas (golden raisins)
• 1 cup of dried currants
• ¼ cup of candied orange or lemon peel (finely chopped)
• (for the glaze)
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp warm water

How to make it

1. Butter a 9’ round cake pan and set aside.
2. Measure and combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl including the flour, spices, salt brown sugar, dry active yeast and the dried fruits and candied peel.
3. Combine all the wet ingredients in electric bread mixer including the warm milk, melted butter and egg. Slowly add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time and mix to combine.
4. Transfer the sticky dough into the prepared pan and pat the dough in place. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside in a warm place for about an hour for the dough to rise.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and then bake for about 30 minutes (to test the bread insert a skewer in the center and should come away clean).
6. Dissolve the sugar in boiling water to make the glaze and brush over the bread. Return the bread to the oven for a further few minutes until the loaf is glistening.
7. Transfer to a rack to cool and serve with Irish creamery butter.

Judith the Irish foodie

Last of the Summer Lime

Last of the Summer Lime

I must admit I’ve always been a sucker for a good Key Lime Pie!  Our son surprised us and came home from college yesterday, and it was so good to see him. As ever, he brought a few of his college friends with him, and so, I decided to bake a Key Lime Pie for us to share the joy – and why not?!

Key Limes are harvested in Florida from June to September and I wanted to make one last pie as a kitchen farewell to the summer season. Key Limes are higher in acidity and have a stronger Aroma than Persian Limes. They are also smaller, harder work to grow, harvest and juice, but worth it, right? Just like the name suggests, Key Limes were grown commercially in Southern Florida and the Florida Keys until the 1926 hurricane wiped out the citrus groves. Then the growers replaced the groves with more Persian Limes trees as they were easier to grow but Key Limes are said to be making more of a come back as consumer demand grows for a zestier punch. I used British style Digestive cookies (found in the international section of American supermarkets) and they are so much more superior to Graham Crackers!  Give them a go…. you wont be disappointed!

Enjoy the end of the season harvest as we begin the new!

Key Lime Pie

(for the base)

20 British Style Digestive biscuits (or 2 cups of crushed graham crackers)

4 oz Kerrygold Irish  butter (1 stick)

3 Tbsp sugar

(for the custard filling)

3 egg  yolks

1 Tbsp of lime zest

1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk

1 pound of key limes (2/3 cups juice)

(Whipped cream)

6 oz heavy whipping cream (3/4 cup)

1 Tbsp fine granulated sugar

How to make it

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter and stir in to the crushed graham crackers and sugar.
3. Transfer the cookie crumb mixture in to the base of a 9 inch pie plate using your fingers to pat down to make a crust, shaping it up the edges of the dish.
4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes and allow cooling.
5. To make the filling whisk the egg yolks and lime zest together in an electric mixer until it begins to thicken slightly. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk beating for 3-4 minutes and then whisk in the lime juice until everything is smooth and fully incorporated.
6. Pour mixture in to pie crust and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the pie from the oven and cool and then store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
8. To serve whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar and spoon or pipe on the pie.

Judith the Irish Foodie

Green Orchards and Irish Oatcakes

Capturing the Aroma

September Wonder

Armagh Bramley Apples

Pickled Peaches

Apple season in the American south is in full swing, for those leaf peepers driving to the mountains looking to pick apples and visit rustic barns full of fall produce and gourds, the time has arrived! For me, the weather is just perfect this time of year, with the warmth of the summer still lingering, but the crisp cool nights and mornings a welcome change. The appearance of apples on farmstands and in country stores also reminds us of the change of seasons as we move towards Harvest – always a great time for foodies. Ripe produce and produce in abundance!

This October, I am really excited about teaching a fall inspired menu at my upcoming class entitled ‘Green Orchards an Irish oatcakes’ at Salud Wholefoods in Alpharetta   The menu is inspired by my homeland in County Armagh (also know as the Orchard County of Ireland) where Bramley’s are King of the crop, whilst the menu will also celebrate local North Georgia apples with delicious apple fusion recipes. So, as we were inspired, we drove up to North Georgia last weekend to enjoy the fall culture in full swing and fill our pantry with local apples and produce. -It’s been a tradition in our family since we moved to Georgia to make time to drive to the mountains in autumn to the source of the freshest produce we can find…and here we are! So, enjoy the ripe bounty and please check out my upcoming seasonal menu:  Here are the details:

Friday, October 06, 2017

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

GREEN ORCHARDS AND IRISH OATCAKES!

DEMONSTRATION $45

With Chef Judith McLoughlin

MENU:

Apple Chutney with Kerrygold Dubliner Irish Cheese on Oatcakes

Celeriac and Apple Soup with Apple Wood smoked Bacon and Creme Fraiche

Apple Chicken with Sage, Spinach, Potato and Fennel

Georgia Apple Crumble with Irish Whiskey custard

Register: www.wfm.com/saludalpharetta

Whole Foods Market| 2800 Old Milton Parkway | Alpharetta, GA 30009 |

770.442.3354 x2 office

www.wfm.com/salud

 Love to see you if you live in the Atlanta area!

Judie the Irish foodie