Family Cooking with Chef Mom

Kentucky Derby Fare: Mint Juleps

2008-04-27T12:58:00.006-04:00

No Kentucky Derby party would be complete without Kentucky Bourbon -- and lots of it. Bourbon actually got its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky where it was originally invented back in the 18th century. There are now almost 70 brands of original Kentucky Bourbon most notably Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey and Early Times.

When not drinking their bourbon "neat", you will see most southerners sipping Mint Juleps, particularly at Derby time. Made of only four ingredients -- mint, bourbon, sugar and water - Mint Juleps are traditionally served in silver or pewter cups and only held lightly at the top and the bottom to allow frost to develop on the outside of the cups.

Traditional Mint Julep

2 oz Premium Kentucky Bourbon
1 tbs simple syrup (see recipe below)
Crushed or shaved ice
Fresh mint leaves

Fill a julep cup or glass with packed crushed or shaved ice. Add 1 tbs of the simple syrup with mint. Stir rapidly with a spoon. Garnish with more fresh mint leaves.

Simple Syrup with Mint

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
Fresh mint leaves

Boil the sugar and water together for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Add 6 to 8 bruised mint sprigs. Place in covered container and refrigerate overnight. Yield: enough syrup for approx. 22 juleps.

Tips:

To bruise the mint, place the leaves in a cup and pass a spoon between the leaves and the sides of the cup a few times. This will allow the oils to release.
This should be served with a straw cut just taller than the glass so that the person consuming the julep can get the aroma of fresh mint every time they take a sip.

Related Posts:

Kentucky Derby Fare: Hot Browns

2008-04-26T12:43:00.007-04:00

If you've never had a Hot Brown, you're in for a treat. This delectable sandwich was originally created as an alternative late-night ham and egg dishes at the Brown Hotel in Louisville in the 1920's. Although very rarely seen on menus outside of Kentucky, it is standard fare, particularly in the Louisville area, and a must-have on Derby weekend.

The Hot Brown is basically an open-faced turkey sandwich with slices of tomato topped with Mornay sauce and bacon and set under the broiler until bubbly hot. It quite frequently is also served with pimento and more modern times have seen quite a few people subsituting cheddar or american cheese in the sauce.

The Legendary Hot Brown Recipe

4 oz. Butter
Flour to make a Roux (about 6 tablespoons)
3 - 3 1/2 cups Milk
1 Beaten Egg
6 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 oz. Whipped Cream (optional)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Slices of Roast Turkey
8-12 Slices of Toast (may be trimmed)
Extra Parmesan for Topping
8-12 Strips of Fried Bacon

Melt butter and add enough flour to make a reasonably thick roux (enough to absorb all of the butter). Add milk and Parmesan cheese. Add egg to thicken sauce, but do not allow sauce to boil. Remove from heat. Fold in whipped cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place two slices of toast on a metal (or flameproof) dish. Cover the toast with a liberal amount of turkey. Pour a generous amount of sauce over the turkey and toast. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of bacon on top, and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of the Brown Hotel

Alternate Serving Tips:

Cut the toast into 2" pieces and used sliced cherry tomatoes to make mini-Hot Browns. Serve the sauce for dipping. For appetizers, on a decorative toothpick, skewer some thickly sliced turkey, a cherry tomato and a cube of cooked pancetta with plenty of the Mornay sauce for dipping.

Related Posts:

Kentucky Derby Fare: Burgoo

2008-04-25T11:31:00.017-04:00

The Kentucky Derby, held at Churchill Downs the first Saturday of every May, is the longest running sports event of all time. I've never been to the Derby, but my dear friend, Kathy from Louisville, hasn't missed one in years and she talks about the experience extensively -- especially the food.

Burgoo is a soup that dates back to the Civil War times and is a traditional dish served to patrons of the Kentucky Derby. At Derby time, you'll see many street vendors making copious amounts of this tasty treat in huge metal vats.

There are many, many regional variations of this dish from light and thin to thick and hearty and from spicy to mild. This tomato-based version is a quick, light version of the original that is sure to please even the pickiest of palates.

Kentucky Burgoo

12 cups water
1 (3-pound) fresh whole chicken, cut up
2 pounds stew beef, diced
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 strips of bacon
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 (16-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained
1 cup peeled potato, cubed
2 cups chopped carrots
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 whole cloves
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 whole bay leaf
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (10-ounce) packages frozen okra, thawed
2 (16-ounce) packages frozen lima beans, thawed

Combine water, chicken, stew beef, salt and pepper in a large stockpot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, turning it down to medium low when it reaches a simmer, until the meat is tender, about 1 hour.

Remove the chicken and beef. Reserve the broth. Skim any fat from the surface. Remove and discard the skin and bones and discard. Dice the meat and return to the pot.

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, 7 or 8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain bacon, leaving the drippings in the skillet; crumble bacon and add to the stockpot. Add flour to the bacon drippings, return to burner and cook, stirring until smooth and starting to turn golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir this roux into the broth until dissolved.

Add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green bell pepper, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, cloves, garlic and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1 hour; stirring often.

Remove the cloves and bay leaf. Add corn, okra and lima beans and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Yield: Serves 12

Related Posts:

Best of the Best

2008-04-05T07:58:00.005-04:00

It's been a while since I've done any foodie blog reviews, but faced with a rainy Saturday morning, I decided to spend some roaming the blogosphere. Here are some of the gems that I discovered:

The Worst Cook Ever has a very humorous take on life, love and food. From 1950's advice such as "Every morning before breakfast, comb hair, apply make-up, a dash of cologne and perhaps some simple earrings..." to a recipe for "Gentleman Lover's Mashed Potatoes" to lessons on "Fingering Your Meat", this blog is absolutely going to make you smile.

The Frantic Home Cook will have you laughing, crying and drooling all at the same time as she shares her cooking projects with daughter, Eleven Year Old, and imparts her wisdom in posts like "30 Ways to Use a Hardboiled Egg".

You won't find a single recipe on Manolo's Food Blog, and yet I am sure that you will be as captivated as I am with this site. The posts are completely intriguing and spark lighthearted debate on subjects such as coldcuts and the lack of nutritious food at DisneyWorld. Mr. Henry has also made sure that his readers are exposed to gems like "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Leftover Ham Recipes: Hawaiian Pizza

2008-03-24T12:35:00.005-04:00

While the thought of eating a pizza with pineapple on it makes my toes curl, Hawaiian Pizza is the only pizza that my oldest daughter will eat. While a classic Hawaiian Pizza is topped with Canadian Bacon, we have substituted some of that leftover Easter ham that you have in the refrigerator. Imagine your kids' surprise when you set this down on the dinner table tonight!

For this pie, you can use homemade or store-bought pizza dough, boboli pizza crusts, or split open an English muffin and make little Hawaiian Pizza snacks for the kids after school.

When it comes to the sauce, the classic Hawaiian Pizza is made with tomato sauce, although I personally would prefer this with a good barbecue sauce instead.

Hawaiian Pizza

Homemade or store-bought Pizza dough
Olive oil
1 cup pizza sauce or barbecue sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks
3/4 cup ham, sliced thinly and cut into 1" squares
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out pizza dough to make a 12" crust. Brush the entire crust with olive oil. Spoon sauce over the crust and spread out evenly with the back of the spoon, leaving a 1" crust around the edge.

Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce. Top with ham and pineapple.

Put on oiled baking sheet or on pizza stone for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is a golden brown.

Remove from oven. Top with chopped parsley. Cut into wedges and serve.

Additional Ham Recipes:

Leftover Ham Recipes: Split Pea Soup with Ham

2008-03-23T07:35:00.006-04:00

Split pea soup with ham has always been one of my dearly beloved comfort foods. Since we don't eat much ham in my house, it has become a post-Easter favorite just like my post-St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef Hash. My Mom's recipe was never one of my favorites, and I searched and searched for quite a while for a replacement recipe which I finally found over at The Joy of Soup.

This delectable version calls for butter, bay leaves, fresh thyme and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Since the soup contains no dairy and is thickened instead by the peas, it freezes nicely. Best served with some crusty bread or gigantic home-made croutons. Enjoy!

Chunky Ham and Split Pea Soup

1 piece (about 2 ½ pounds) leftover bone-in ham
4 bay leaves
1 pound (2 ½ cups) split peas, rinsed and picked through
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped medium
2 medium carrots, chopped medium
2 medium stalks celery, chopped medium
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
Pinch sugar
3 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch dice (about ¾ cup)
Ground black pepper
Minced red onion (optional)
Balsamic vinegar

1. Place ham, bay leaves, and 3 quarts water in large stockpot or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is tender and pulls away from bone, 2 to 2 ½ hours. Remove ham meat and bone from pot and set aside.

2. Add split peas and thyme to stock. Bring back to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until peas are tender but not dissolved, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, when ham is cool enough to handle, shred meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Discard rind and bone.

3. While split peas are simmering, heat oil in large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring frequently, until most of liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add butter, garlic, and sugar. Cook vegetables, stirring frequently, until deeply browned, 30 to 35 minutes; set aside.

4. Add sautéed vegetables, potatoes, and shredded ham to pot with split peas. Simmer until potatoes are tender and peas dissolve and thicken soup to consistency of light cream, about 20 minutes more. Season with pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with red onion, if using, and serve, passing balsamic vinegar separately.

Additional Ham Recipes:

Leftover Ham Recipes: Italian Ham Panini

2008-03-22T11:09:00.008-04:00

It's almost time....time to find all of those eggs the kids didn't find on the Easter egg hunt before they petrify, try your best to get all of the Easter basket fake grass picked up from around the house without it all tangling up in your vacuum, and figure out just what you are going to do with all of that leftover Easter ham!

No worries. I may not be the Leftover Queen, but I do know a thing or two about leftover ham. You could use it in a Muffaletta Sandwich or a rich Ham and Cheddar Quiche or a few other recipes that I'll share over the next couple of days.

Today's recipe is for a simple Italian Ham Panini sandwich. This is a very good use for that leftover spiral ham, but any type of ham will do as long as it is very thinly sliced.

Italian Ham Panini

Ham, thinly sliced
1 loaf crusty bread: Country, Italian or French
Fresh mozzerella
Fresh basil leaves OR fresh spinach, rinsed and patted dry
Provolone cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper

Split the loaf of bread in half. On the cut side of each half, put some thin slices of the mozzerella. (Note: Putting the cheese right against the bread helps to hold the sandwich together when you put it in the panini press.)

Top the mozzerella with either fresh spinach or fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with some of the oil and vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. The next layer should be provolone followed by a layer of ham and a bit more salt & pepper. Close up the sandwich and brush with some of the olive oil.

If you have a panini pan or press: Grill the panini until the cheese begins to melt. Remove. Let sit for a few minutes. Slice and serve.

If you do not have a panini pan or press: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray. Place the closed panini on one baking sheet. Invert the other baking sheet and place on top of the sandwich. Place in the preheated oven and top with a brick or cast iron pan to press the sandwich. Bake until the cheese is melted, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Remove. Let sit for a few minutes. Slice and serve.

Additional Ham Recipes:

Through the Generations

2008-03-18T17:33:00.007-04:00

A Generational Baked Ham Story
courtesy of Bumble Bee Boogie

Cookbooks are the history of human kind. Recipes are handed down from generation to generation. Directions get mixed up. Ingredients are forgotten; ingredients are added. Cooking times are too long or too short. But no matter, they reflect our eating habits all over the world. The following is one such story.

The family was gathered for Easter dinner. The youngest newly married daughter was preparing her first family dinner. As she was about to put the large ham in the oven to begin baking, her mother stopped her and said "You have to cut three inches off the ham before you bake it." Puzzled, the daughter asked her mother why? "Because that's the way my mother taught me to do it," said the mother.

Still puzzled, the daughter went to find her grandmother. "Nana," she asked, "Mom says you have to cut 3 inches off of the ham before putting it in the oven to bake. Why?" "Well, that's how my mother taught me to do it, and it's the way I've always done it," replied the grandmother.

Well, the daughter's husband had heard all of this and he wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery. He went into the living room where the family was gathered around great grandmother. "Nona," he asked, "Grandma says you taught her to cut 3 inches off of the ham before putting it in the over. I'm puzzled. Why is that necessary?"

"Well, dear, when I was a new bride, just starting out, I baked my first ham for Easter dinner. The ham was 18 inches long. The largest roasting pan I had was 15 inches long, so I had to cut three inches off of the ham to make it fit the pan."

And so it goes, from generation to generation, until someone asks "Why?"

"This Little Piggy Went To Market" Easter Ham

2008-03-18T14:25:00.002-04:00

While many of you folks enjoy a bountiful ham supper on other holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, in my house ham has always been reserved for one holiday alone: Easter Sunday dinner. Since we only made this once a year, we did it up and baked the biggest ham we could find. That meant oodles of leftovers that we spent the following week reworking and reinventing into different breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

Over the next two weeks, I'll share with you some of my favorite baked ham recipes as well as various ways to use them up as leftovers with a twist. And if you have any favorite leftover ham recipes, do share!

Note: A lot of ham recipes call for the ham to be studded with whole cloves. After I had a guest crack a tooth on a clove that was inadvertently left on the ham, I gave up the whole cloves and instead add ground cloves to my basting mixture.

My Favorite Baked Ham

1 (8-pound) smoked, fully cooked bone-in half ham
2 cups apple juice, divided
2 tbs dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tbs Dijon mustard

Place ham in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Fill with water until ham is completely covered with an additional 2 inches of water. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove ham from the pot and drain. Rinse well with warm water and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Trim fat and rind from ham and score outside of ham in a diamond pattern, if desired.

Place ham, skin side down, on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup of apple juice over the ham. Tent the ham loosely with tin foil and bake in preheated oven for 2-1/2 hours. Baste occasionally with remaining apple juice.

Combine sugar, ground cloves and mustard. Add some of the remaining apple juice, a tablespoon at a time, until it forms a mixture that's easy to brush on the ham, but thick enough to stick to the ham.

Remove ham from oven (do not turn oven off) and remove tin foil. Brush the sugar mixture over the ham.

Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 140 degrees, making sure the thermometer does not touch the bone.

Remove ham from oven, cover and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Additional Ham Recipes:

The Day After Corned Beef Hash

2008-03-16T14:31:00.009-04:00

As I said in an earlier post, I just love St. Patrick's Day. In the United States, Irish-Americans lean towards corned beef and cabbage as a dinner that celebrates their heritage, although in Ireland the dish of choice is "bacon" and cabbage. I do love boiled corned beef dinners, but what's even better is the day after corned beef hash.

My Mom was an extremely frugal, depression-era, second-generation Irish-American that never let a morsel of food go to waste. I remember her with the old hand-cranked food grinder clipped to the side of the counter pushing out ground corned beef, potatoes and onions for that glorious dish -- corned beef hash. Oh, the anticipation!!

My Mom also made hash with leftover pot roast as well, which wasn't nearly as tasty. So I was well into my teens before I realized that corned beef hash wasn't just my Mom's way of using up leftovers. In fact, it's a beloved breakfast all over the country!

While I see corned beef hash being served so often in restaurants with a side of toast and some sunnyside up eggs, our hash was always served up as dinner with the leftover cabbage, carrots and soda bread. Our spread of choice was yellow mustard -- never Dijon -- and we generously slathered our corned beef hash with it. Yum yum!!!

Corned Beef Hash

2 cups cooked corned beef
3 cups boiled potatoes
1 medium onion
2 tbs butter
2 tbs cooking oil
salt & pepper

The corned beef, potatoes and onion can be prepared one of three ways: 1) Put it all through a food grinder, the kind butchers use to make ground beef; 2) Finely minced by hand; or 3) Cut all items into approx. 1" dices. Put in a food processor and pulse until everything is minced, being careful not to overprocess.

Add the butter and oil to a saute pan or cast iron skillet. Heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.

Toss the prepared corned beef, potatoes and onions with salt & pepper to taste. Add the mixture to the skillet and pat down to make a thin layer that coats the pan.

Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until both sides are nicely browned,

Related Posts

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

2008-03-15T11:59:00.008-04:00

You heard me....Happy St. Paddy's!

Yes, I do know what the date is: March 15th. No, I'm not crazy. Didn't you know that the Catholic church changed the date of St. Patrick's day this year, and just for this year, so that it wouldn't conflict with Holy Monday which falls on March 17th? If you don't believe me, click here. Harumph!

This will be my last Irish recipe post until next year, unfortunately. For this post, I've decided to use a very traditional Irish ingredient, Carrageen moss.

Carrageen, also known as Irish moss, is a red alga or seaweed that's been bleached in the sun and is used as a thickener. In Ireland, people would head to the south or west coast and pick Carrageen Moss off the little rocks by the shore a few times a year after the lowest tides. The first Carrageen harvest was traditionally around St Patricks Day, but with the seasons changing it tends to be later now. (Carrageen means 'little rock' in Gaelic.)

Carrageen Moss Pudding
Adapted from a recipe by Myrtle Allen

1 semi-closed fistful (¼ oz/8g) cleaned, well dried Carrageen Moss
1-½ pints half and half
1 tbs plus 1 tsp sugar
1 egg, separated
½ tsp pure vanilla extract OR one vanilla pod

Soak the carrageen in warm water for 10 minutes. Strain off the water and put the carageen into a medium saucepan with the half and half and vanilla pod if used. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer very gently, covered, for 20 minutes.

Combine the egg yolk, sugar and vanilla extract (if using) and whisk together. Pour the half and half carageen moss through a sieve into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. The carrageen will now be swollen and exuding jelly. Rub all this jelly through the sieve and whisk this also into the milk with the sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract.

Whisk or beat the egg white until it is stiff, and fold it in gently to the mixture. It will rise to make a fluffy top. Put into serving dishes and refrigerate.

Serve chilled with soft brown sugar and cream and or with a fruit compote such as poached rhubarb.

Chocolate Carrageen

3 tablespoons (4 American tablespoons) cocoa

Follow the above recipe, doubling the amount of Carrageen and blending in 4 tbs cocoa powder mixed with a little milk or half and half to the hot, strained Carageen before adding the egg. Chill well. Best eaten the next day.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Related posts:

Irish Stew of Ballymaloe

2008-03-09T07:41:00.011-04:00

As an Irish-American, I grew up with Irish Stew as an integral part of my family's diet. Unlike a true Irish Stew, ours was made with beef instead of lamb or mutton. But what our stew lacked in authentic ingredients, it compensated for with the traditional Irish cooking style, and that means that no recipe was involved. Meat (sometimes bone-in, sometimes not) was tossed into a pot with onions, potatoes and carrots and left to simmer for hours. Heavenly.

Darina Allen, a true celebrity chef over in Ireland and the author of many must-have Irish cookbooks, has written a great article on the history of Irish Stew. In it, she talks about the carrot vs. no-carrot issue (Nothern Irish consider it a sacrilege to include carrots), different ways to thicken the stew (pearl barley, roux or simply setting some thinly sliced potatoes in the bottom of the pot), and the importance of using bone-in meat for making the stew.

The following recipe is from Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Ballymaloe Irish Stew

2½ - 3 lbs lamb chops (gigot or rack chops) not less than 1" thick
8 medium or 12 baby carrots
8 medium or 12 baby onions
8 -12 potatoes, or more if you like
salt and freshly ground pepper
1¼-1½ pints stock (lamb stock if possible) or water
1 sprig of thyme
1 tbs plus 1 tsp roux, optional (recipe below)
For the Garnish:
1 tbs plus 1 tsp freshly chopped parsley
1 tbs plus 1 tsp freshly chopped chives
For the Roux:
4 ozs (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the chops in half and trim off some of the excess fat. Set aside. Render down the fat on a low heat in a large, heavy pan; discard the rendered down pieces.

Peel the onions and scrape or thinly peel the carrots (if they are young you could leave some of the green stalk on the onion and carrot). Cut the carrots into large chunks, or if they are small leave them whole. If the onions are large, cut them into quarters through the root, if they are small they are best left whole.

Toss the meat in the hot fat on the pan until it is slightly brown. Transfer the meat into a casserole, then quickly toss the onions and carrots in the fat. Build the meat, carrots and onions up in layers in the casserole, carefully season each layer with freshly ground pepper and salt.

Turn the heat to high and deglaze the pan with lamb stock and pour into the casserole. Peel the potatoes and lay them on top of the casserole, so they will steam while the stew cooks. Season the potatoes. Add a sprig of thyme, bring to the boil on top of the stove and cover.

Transfer to a moderate oven or allow to simmer on top of the stove until the stew is cooked, 1-1½ hours approx, depending on whether the stew is being made with lamb or hogget.When the stew is cooked, pour off the cooking liquid, de-grease and reheat in another saucepan. Slightly thicken by whisking in a little roux if you like.

Check seasoning, then add chopped parsley and chives. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Bring the stew back up to boiling point and serve from the pot or in a large pottery dish.

To make the Roux:
Melt the butter in a small pan and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred.

May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck,

Brightened by a song in your heart,

And warmed by the smiles of the people you love.

Related Posts:

Irish Cooking: Tea Brack

2008-03-08T07:41:00.014-05:00

Although many Americans have heard of "Irish Soda Bread", most are completely unaware of the variety of delicious sweet or tea breads that are a part of the Irish culture. Many of these carry the word "brack" in their names, and although I've given up trying to understand the Gaelic language and all of their variations, "brack" is most likely based on the Gaelic words "breac" or "breic" which means "spotted" or "speckled". Generally, Irish breads with "brack" in the name of them routinely contain raisins, nuts or other preserved or dried fruits, so it all makes sense to me!

This particular recipe for Tea Brack is a favorite of mine since it actually has tea in it along with just a wee bit of whiskey :) that is used for soaking the dried fruits before baking. I've seen some folks using Guinness or other similar beers in their Tea Bracks, but the strong flavor tends to hide the taste of the tea.

Since there is no butter in this recipe, it should keep very well, probably up to a month in a sealed container, although I promise you -- one taste of this and you'll be lucky if it lasts in your house for one day!

Irish Tea Brack

1 lb dark raisins, halved
1 lb golden raisins or sultanas
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 cup hot strong tea
2/3 cup Irish whiskey
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3-1/2 cups plain flour
3 rounded tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3 tbs whiskey (to pour over brack after baking)

The day before: Place fruit, sugar, lemon rind and juice, tea and 2/3 cup Irish whiskey in a large bowl. Cover and allow to stand overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Brush a deep 9" round cake pan with melted butter. Line the base and sides with parchment paper. Grease the paper with more melted butter.

Combine the beaten eggs with the fruit/whiskey mixture and mix well. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and spices. Spoon onto the fruit/egg mixture and stir together until dry ingredients are well moistened. Be careful not to overbeat.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake the brack in the preheated oven for one hour or until cooked. Allow to cool slightly in the pan before turning the brack out. While still warm, use a sharp knife to make several small slits in the top of the brack. Pour the extra whiskey over the top.

May God be with you and bless you,
May you see your children's children,
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

Related posts:

Irish Cooking: Chicken and Ham Pie

2008-03-08T06:31:00.017-05:00

I'm not sure of the historic value of this dish, but in modern Ireland, you'll find hand-made and commercially prepared versions of Chicken and Ham Pie in every deli, supermarket or convenience store you visit as well as on many pub menus. It's really delicious served up with a side salad or side of chips (that would be "french fries" to my American friends).

Before we start, we need to get our terminology right. What we call "bacon" in the United States is called "rashers" in Ireland. What the Irish call "ham" is actually a brined pork, not the cured ham that we are used to having in the United States. And most cuts of that brined pork in Ireland are called "bacon". Although I have yet to find this in the United States, you can purchase a pork shoulder or butt and brine your own "ham". Directions at the bottom of this post.

Irish Chicken and Ham Pie

1 unbaked 9" deep dish pie crust with top

For preparing the meats:

1 3 to 4 lb whole chicken
1-1/2 lbs "boiling bacon" (see below for directions on brining your own pork)
A few sprigs parsley and thyme, tied together
1 onion or leek, coarsley chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
Salt & pepper to taste

For assembling the pie:
1 onion
1 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

Egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbs water)

In a large stockpot, place the chicken with the "bacon", herbs, onion or leek and carrot. Cover with cold water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, approximately one hour.

Remove the "bacon" and set aside. Allow the chicken to cool in the cooking liquid, up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Assembling the pie: Peel and chop the onion. Clean and trim the mushrooms. Leave whole mushrooms intact; cut larger ones into halves or quarters.

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a large saute pan and cook the onion over medium or medium-low heat until it is translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook gently until they start to soften.

Skin the bacon (if necessary), trim off excess fat, remove any gristle, and cut it into bite-sized chunks. Remove the chicken from its pot, drain it, and remove the skin. Remove the meat from teh bones and cut into bite-sized chunks. Degrease the cooking liquid by spooning off all the visible fat. Reserve 1-1/4 cups of the cooking liquid for the sauce and run through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove all solids.

Add the remaining 1/4 cup of butter to the saute pan with the onions and mushrooms and cook until melted. Sprinkle in the flour and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the strained cooking liquid and continue to cook over medium heat until it becomes a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add in the fresh parsley. Remove from heat and carefully mix in the chicken and bacon pieces. Recheck seasonings.

Price the bottom of the piecrust several times with the tines of a fork. Add in the pie mixture. Add the top crust and pinch the edges together to seal well. Brush the crust with the egg wash and cut a few slits in it to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pie is heated through and the crust is golden brown.

To brine your own "bacon":

Dissolve 3/4 cup kosher salt and 3/4 cup sugar in 1 cup of boiling water. Mix into 1 gallon of cold water. Add 1 tbs pepper and 1 bay leaf.

Use a 1-1/2 lb pork shoulder or butt and put into a stainless steel bowl or resealable plastic bag. Cover with the brine mixture. Make sure that the meat stays fully submersed in the brine.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 48 hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse

Than the happiest day of your past.

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Irish Cooking: Dublin Coddle

2008-03-03T08:51:00.015-05:00

Dating back as early as the eighteenth century, this traditional supper dish of sausages, bacon, onions and potatoes isn't the most culinary artistic meal to place in front of you, but its taste is spectacular, particularly on rainy days and cold nights.

"Coddle" is a generic cooking term which means "to cook slowly and gently below the boiling point" which makes this a perfect crockpot mea. As a matter of fact, in Dublin, coddle is THE quintessential slow-cooked meal served with sides of Guinness and soda bread.

This is an easy to prepare one pot meal, adapted for a crockpot, and its simplicity belies its amazing taste and flavor - comfort food at its best! Sláinte mhath!

Dublin Coddle

4 lbs potatoes
2 large onions, peeled and sliced thickly
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
1 lb good quality pork sausages
1 lb bacon, piece thick cut
1 to 2 cups water
1 ham/beef/chicken stock cube , if ham stock isn't available OR equivalent amounts of stock
3-4 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Dissolve the stock cube in the water, if using.

Peel the potatoes. Cut large ones into three or four pieces: leave smaller ones whole. Finely chop the parsley.

On a griddle or in a saute pan, cook the sausages and bacon long enough to brown them without overcooking. Drain briefly on paper towels. Chop the bacon into one-inch pieces. If you like, chop the sausages into large pieces as well, although it is preferable to leave them whole.

Start layering the ingredients into the crockpot in this order: onions, carrots, bacon, sausages, potatoes. Season each layer liberally with the salt, pepper and parsley. Continue until the ingredients are used up. Pour the stock over the top.

Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Check the liquid every once in a while. You should have approximately 1" of liquid in the bottom at all times. You can add more stock as necessary, or a wee bit of Guinness!

May the Irish hills caress you.

May her lakes and rivers bless you.

May the luck of the Irish enfold you.

May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

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Irish Cooking: Treacle Scones

2008-03-02T15:29:00.009-05:00

As a child, we spent quite a bit of time visiting our cousins in Ireland. Although all of those memories will be with me for a lifetime, there are some that stand out spectacularly: the grayness of Connemara, the beauty in the Cliffs of Moher, the green fields all around us, riding horses bareback (the horses -- not me!) on Inch Beach, kissing the Blarney Stone, the men cutting peat on the sides of the road and the scones.....ah, the scones.

In the afternoon, the little old ladies would put out their signs and open up their homes for tea and scones with homemade jam and butter. To die for, and well worth the trip over there if for nothing else!!!

This recipe for Treacle Scones comes close to the richness of the scones I've enjoyed over in Ireland. For those who don't know, the first boiling of cane juice is called light treacle or golden syrup. The second boiling creates treacle (or dark treacle), which we call molasses in the United States.

Treacle Scones

1 cup self-rising flour
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice (see recipe below)
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs milk (approx)
1 tbs black treacle (or molasses)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and then mix in the sugar.

Warm the treacle in a saucepan and mix with the milk. Pour the liquid treacle mix into the the dry ingredients and mix to make a nice dough.

Use a rolling pin to roll out to approx. ¾" to 1" thick. Use round 3" cookie cutters to cut into rounds and place on a baking sheet. Brush with additional milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve warm with jam, butter or clotted cream.

Mixed Spice Recipe

1 tbs cinnamon
1 tbs nutmeg
1 tbs allspice
2 tsp mace
1 tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in airtight glass jar.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,

A full moon on a dark night,

And the road downhill all the way to your door.

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Irish Cooking: Corned Beef and Cabbage

2008-02-27T19:46:00.014-05:00

St. Patrick's Day, a holiday only second to Christmas in my book, is coming soon. I'll admit it. I'm 100% thoroughbred genuine Irish-American. My Mom's family was from up in the Sligo area and my Dad's family was from Dublin. I spent many, many years dancing jigs and reels at feis' up and down the East Coast accompanied by the invariably drunk fiddle players, spent too much time at the Knights of St. Patrick in New Haven with my Dad and I even know what Curling is.

But when it comes to food if the truth be told, there's a reason why there aren't many famous Irish chefs. Let me put it this way. Forget Jenny Craig. Just spend a few weeks in Ireland and you'll lose those extra pounds. Or at least I do! :) (Apologies for whoever I'm offending here, but the truth is the truth.)

There are a few Irish foods that I can't live without, and Corned Beef and Cabbage is one of them. You may think of it as the dish to eat on St. Patrick's day, but in my house when I was growing up, it was to us what pasta is to Italian familes or Pierogies are to Polish families: heritage, ancestry, tradition.

So without further ado, here is my version of Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage:

Corned Beef and Cabbage

4-5 lb. corned beef brisket
6 carrots
6 med. potatoes
1 head green cabbage
1 tsp. pickling spices tied into a cheese cloth
1 tsp dried mustard

Wash, and trim beef of excess fat if needed. Peel the carrots and cut into 2" chunks. Place beef, carrots, spices and mustard in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with cold water. Gradually bring to a simmer and let it cook very gently, not boiling. Let it cook at a gentle simmer for 1 hours, skimming the scum as it rises to the surface.

While the corned beef is simmering, peel the potatoes and cut in half. Discard the outer cabbage leaves, core and cut into quarters. Add to the beef and carrots.

Continue cooking at a gentle simmer for another 1 to 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender.

Remove from liquid. Cut the corned beef into thin slices. Serve with the vegetables and plenty of butter for the potatoes and yellow mustard for the corned beef. Oh...and a side of soda bread would be a good accompaniment as well.

Serve leftover slices of corned beef on slices of rye bread with some swiss cheese and mustard, heated of course!

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go

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More Comfort Food: American Chop Suey

2008-02-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

I've recently gotten hooked on Food Networks' new show, Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives. (You have to understand -- our diners are revered places to us New Englanders!) But I digress.

It was on one of the show's episodes when I discovered that not all Americans grew up with American Chop Suey on their menu! Imagine my surprise. After doing a little research, I found that American Chop Suey probably came from the Boston area. How it got its name completely escapes me, because it has nothing at all to do with the Chinese food of the same name.

But folks, this tastes great, is very easy and quick to make and is perfect for a make-ahead meal as, IMHO, it tastes better on day two! The "traditional" recipe calls for three simple ingredients -- elbow macaroni, ground beef and onion -- plus a little salt & pepper, but times change and the recipe in some places has evolved to include celery, green pepper and parmesan cheese.

American Chop Suey

1 lb elbow macaroni
1 lb lean ground beef.
2 tbs vegetable oil
salt & pepper
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 to 3 cups tomato puree, unseasoned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.

Optional:
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion (and celery and green pepper if desired) and saute over medium-high heat for a minute or two. Add the ground beef and cook and salt & pepper to taste, stirring and breaking up the ground beef, until it is cooked through. Drain.

While the beef is cooking, cook the elbow macaroni in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain.

In the large pot used to cook the macaroni, combine the macaroni with the ground beef mixture and the tomatoes. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add parmesan cheese at this point if desired.

Celebrate Winter Gathering

2008-01-29T18:25:00.000-05:00

I've entertained a lot over the years, but my favorite event to host is the Winter Sleighride Gathering that I used to do -- before global warming made New England winters almost tropical! :) The evening would start off with my friends and I taking a moonlit horsedrawn sleighride, accompanied by lots of blankets and flasks of blackberry brandy to keep warm. And then...good food, good drink, good friends and a great evening!

Unfortunately this gathering requires a lot of last minute preparation and assembly, so be sure to gather your best friends in the kitchen as soon as you return!

Ambiance and setting:

Before you leave on the sleighride, set some mulled or spiced cider on low in the crockpot (spiked or not -- your choice). When you return, turn the crockpot to high, take off the cover and enjoy the aroma as it wafts through the house. (Make sure to keep a ladle and cups near the crockpot as everyone will be enjoying this drink.)
No bright lights for this gathering. Turn on a few lamps with low wattage (40 or 60 kw) bulbs. Candles should be everywhere, and be sure to leave plenty of matches out in the open so your guests can help to light the scene.
Everything should be ready to light a fire in the fireplace. You don't want to be messing with kindling when your guests are waiting for food!

To eat:

Baked brie with fruit and crackers - There are many, many variations on baked brie. I generally do one on the sweet side and one on the savory side. Serve with plenty of gourmet crackers and pear and apple slices. (Be sure to toss the pear and apple slices with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.)
Cheese fondue (or Fondue au Fromage) with chunks of baguette or French bread for dipping. You can make the fondue before you leave and simply heat it in the fondue pots.
Croques Monseiur - Ahhh....I miss you, Julia Child!!! I make this by splitting a baguette or loaf of crusty french bread lengthwise and arrange the toppings. This can be done ahead of time and simply popped under the broiler when you are ready to serve. Leave this open-faced and cut into 1" slices.
Cheese and fruit platter - Use a variety of cheese and winter fruits (apples. pears, grapes). For a nice winter effect, use purple grapes. Keeping them in bunches, moisten them with cold water and then sprinkle granulated sugar on them to give the effect of ice or snow.
Chocolate fondue with strawberries and 1" cubes of poundcake for dipping
Spiced nuts

To drink:

Mulled or spiced cider (see above)
Mulled red wine
Good quality Scotch to make Rusty Nails
Hot chocolate spiked with Chambord
Good quality vodka for some Crantini's.

Entertainment:

Winter movie charades: Team up and act out movies whose main theme is "winter" such as "Home Alone", "Groundhog Day", "Fargo", "The Shining", "Snow Day", "Misery", "While You Were Sleeping", "Serendipity"...you get the idea!
Who Am I?: Have index cards ready with lots of winter items written on them such as "ice skates", "snow plow", "snowman", "shoven", "mittens", etc. Tape one to each guest's back. During the evening, they have to ask the other guests to give them clues as to what they are. Whoever figures it out by the end of the evening gets a prize!

But whatever you do, celebrate winter instead of dreading it and have fun!

Fern's Tuna Noodle Casserole

2008-01-27T09:20:00.000-05:00

I've postponed doing this post because tuna-noodle casserole evokes some very strong emotions and memories in me of my Mom's comfort foods and, well, tuna-noodle casserole. Nuff said.

You'll note that there is very little seasoning in this recipe, and that's because my Mom always used genuine Italian tuna packed in olive oil which is extremely flavorful. If you've never tried it, it has a distinctive taste that makes Chicken of the Sea and Bumble Bee tuna taste like cardboard!

I've seen a wide range of different recipes that include everything from sour cream to pimientos. But remember guys -- tuna-noodle casserole was invented and served by folks that grew up in the Depression era. They didn't put anything in this casserole that was exotic or unnecessary. So, without further delay, Fern's Tuna Noodle Casserole.

Fern's Tuna-Noodle Casserole

2 cans Italian tuna packed in olive oil, drained
2 cans Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 pkg wide egg noodles

Cook the noodles in generously salted water according to package directions. Drain.

While the noodles are cooking, mix the milk and mushroom soup together in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the peas and the tuna, making sure not to work the tuna too much so that the tuna remains somewhat chunky and flaky. Heat through.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, add the noodles. Pour the tuna mixture over the noodles and combine well. Top with the bread crumbs.

Bake in 350 oven for approximately 30 minutes.
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Eggs Benedict

2008-01-26T11:16:00.000-05:00

Why is it that so many of my favorite foods have gone the way of nehru jackets and lava lamps? Eggs Benedict is decidedly one of my favorite breakfast foods, and yet the only place I see them served anymore are tired diners and cheap breakfast buffets. Here's the whole "how to" with tips, tricks and different serving suggestions.

Traditional Eggs Benedict

2 English Muffins
Butter
4 poached eggs
4 slices Canadian bacon
Hollandaise sauce (recipe below)

Prepare the Hollandaise sauce. Keep warm for up to 30 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.

Split the English muffins and toast lightly. Butter generously. Cover and keep warm.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the Canadian bacon until warm.

Poach the eggs and keep warm.

Assembly:

Set the toasted and buttered English muffin on the serving plate, buttered side up. Top with a slice of Canadian bacon, the poached egg and Hollandaise sauce to taste. For color, sprinkle some chopped parsley or paprika on top.

Serve with home fries, steamed asparagus or a light salad.

Alternate serving suggestions:

Substitute thinly sliced salmon for the Canadian bacon and top with fresh dill.
Thinly sliced leftover roast beef is a perfect substitute for the Canadian bacon.
Mix some cooked salad shrimp with a little of the Hollandaise and substitute for the Canadian bacon.

Hollandaise Sauce

4 egg yolks
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tbs butter
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt & pepper

Place the 4 egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and the salt and pepper into a fairly large saucepan. Whisk all the ingredients until they have blended together. Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the saucepan.

Place saucepan over medium heat and continue to whisk the ingredients. As the butter melts, make sure that you blend it thoroughly into the egg yolks. Continue to whisk vigorously until all of the butter has blended into the eggs.

If the sauce begins to separate, add 2 tsp of water to the sauce mixture and whisk briskly until the mixture has combined together to form a creamy sauce.

Once all of the butter has melted and a sauce has been formed, continue whisking until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper if required.

Remove from the heat and keep the sauce warm before serving for up to 30 minutes.
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The Perfect Poached Egg

2008-01-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

Poached Eggs are the perfect ingredient for all kinds of breakfast sandwiches, including my favorite, Eggs Benedict.

Preparing the Perfect Poached Egg

In a lightly oiled, wide pan over high heat, bring at least 3" of water to a rolling boil. Once it starts to boil, turn down heat so that the water is just moving. Add a pinch of salt and a little white vinegar.

Crack your egg into a small cup. Stir the boiling water to create a small whirlpool in the middle and gently slide your egg right into the middle of it.

Cover the pan and turn off the heat.

Without disturbing the eggs, let them cook in the hot water until desired firmness:

Runny: 2 minutes
Medium Firmness: 3 minutes
Firm: 4 minutes

Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain well before serving.

See recipe for traditional Eggs Benedict.
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