AN irish Bread For Sunday

With corned beef and cabbage being this star of this Sunday's St paddy's day, it hard to forget another Gaelic staple - good fresh from the oven bread. Try baking a loaf to go with the corned beef or even just to have with butter and jam latter on.

New contributor and famed Hudson Valley chef Clare de Boer wrote about the famed brown bread fromBallymaloe Cookery School  in Cork in Wednesday';s New York Times Food section. This is the perfect bread that should accompany corned beef(and also be part of Monday's corned beef sandwiches). It is a simple bread  that Chef de Boer first had when she visited the school, enjoying it thickly slathered with butter and covered with tiny prawms from nearby Ballycotton Bay,Darina Allen the school's co-founder says its an easy mix, perfect for novice bread makers.It's also a good recipe for those who fear yeast. It's just micing it with water and treacle syrup, letting ti foam and then rise. Whole wheat brown flour is added.There's a quick rise and ten baking. It's origins are not Irish but English having been created during the Second world War by  nutritionist Doris Grant to make easy use of rations.it was less fluffy than sandwich bread but less cakey than Irish soda bread.it resembles Danish rugbroad but without its;s ourness and denseness.

Students who have attended the school now bake it for their shops and eateries that are located all over the world.Lily Starbuck a former student ,sells it at her cafe at the west end on Fisher's Island where the Long island Sounds meets the Atlantic Ocean.She pairs hers with butter and Camambaert and plans on having classes on it. Again it's a simple bake.The one thing to keep in mind is that make sure the yeasts foam when the molasses and water are added to it.If it doesn't;t then you have dead yeast and have to start over with a fresh packet. If you like a crunchy crust then sprinkle anything from poppy to sesame seeds on top. The flour is whole wheat, preferably stone ground.Use Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur for this. There;s also a teaspoon of kosher salt  (Chef de Boer recommends Diamond Crystal) and a tablespoon of molasses or if you can get it treacle.It;'s a very small amount of yeast, really  - only two and a half tablespoons.It;s just mixing the yeast with the molasses and warm water for five minutes until the liquid develops a creamy froth.Add the flour,Pour it into a greased pan lined with parcnhemt  and then bake twenty minutes at 400 degrees Farenehit,.after twenty minutes  carefully take the loaf outr of the pan and bake for another ten minutes..It should be done when you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow.

This ballymaloe brown bread is the perfect accompaniment to Sunday's corned beef and cabbage. It's also a great bread to make for a weekend .Try it and enjoy it's home baked sweetness and goodness.

Your Favorite Holiday Recipe

 Not surprsingly this March has a lot of holodays. From Purim to Easter to Nowruz to St Patrick's Day. what is your favorite holiday recipe? GOlden rice for the Persian new Year? Prune hammentasch  to celebrate Queen Esther? Or the traditional glazed ham for your Easter dinner/ Wht about corned beef followed by stout cupcakes on St Patrick's Day? 

Let us know here. It's always fun to share holiday memories and recipes.

Cabbage Is KIng Again

 The round leafy green heads are not just for those on a budget anymore. Cabbage is becoming king of the trendy again.It's not because of the taste>People are rediscovering its; versatility and flavor again.It's cool to be kohl.

Kim Severson wrote about this hot again veggie in today's New York Times Food section. Cabbage has been on the menu at a few upscale eateries across the US.Now it's exploding in a big way to more and more places. The heads have always been known for their long shelf lives and versatilities plus their cheapness. Home gardeners can easily grow a patch of them in their backyards too. China produces the Most Americans have eaten in in sauerkraut and with corn beef but thanks to Asian countries like Korea, China and India , cabbage is becoming a mainstay in the American diet.Kimchi has mightily helped its' reputation and there is a new generation of both chefs and home chefs that are interested in fermentation and gut friendly.It was like this decades ago when immigrants coming to America relied on it for sustenance and nutrition. Now on the world stage ,China produces most of it while Russians eat the most.

When exactly did the cabbage craze begin? It could have started a decade ago when farmers selling to restaurants starting growing specialty cabbage.It was a small tender one with a pointy tip called a Caraflex ,conehead or arrowhead. There was also the Tendersweets which are shaped liked flattened ovals wit loosely packed thin crisp leaves and the napa variety which has a taste that's a mix of iceberg lettuce , cabbage and celery. Chefs found that using the arrowheads were easy to braise or roast and looked gorgeous quartered and sauced on a plate.It also helped that trendy chef Thomas Keller used Caraflex at his popular Per Se restaurant. He charcoal grilled them with apples, sunchokes and pumpkins seeds surrounded by a red cabbage just. Around the same time Chicago chef put a charred wedge of cabbage on his menu at Publican. Surprisingly the pandemic also helped cabbage's growth in popularity. it was thought that eating fermented cabbage might ward off Covid 19. Cabbage though should be on every home chef's rotation. It can be used in stews and soups along with being wedged and charred,  served with a dollop of Blue Cheese dressing.

Cabbage is king again and no wonder.It , like its; cousins the cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli is versatile and good for you. This leafy green is popular and with good reason.

Planning For Saint Paddy's

 One of the biggest party days is coming up,Saint Patrick's day is a day for tradition but also for fun. You can combine the two into a festive feast.

  A new twist on the holiday is combining old and new. Yes you can serve corned beef but make it crisp and juicy in the air fryer.It;s pickling the brisket first in apple cider vinegar and then rubbing it with dry mustard. Cook it for one hour at 359 degree Fahrenheit. A tasty side is air fried cabbage steaks that can serve as a base for the corned beef.slice the cabbage thin through the middle. Brush with olive oil or melted butter and season with salt and pepper Air fry for ten minutes at 360 degrees Farenheit. They should be crisp and golden. Keep in mind this is also the perfect meal for vegetarians and vegans celebrating St.Patrick's Day. Colcannon is a must also  You can buy the potatoes now so you don't have to run out or just used mashed potatoes to make this Irish classic. Buy the greens for it the day before. Here you can use fresh baby spinach mixed with kale for a Spring-y green flavor. Minced garlic gives it a true flavor but you could add a pinch of garlic powder too. It can be fried into little rounds too ro turned into colcannon bombs. Make sure you have either vegetable oil and olive oil both for frying.

Of course Saint Patrick's Day is a drinking day too. do you just serve only Guinness or have different beers? Guinness can be strong and you may have guests that may find it so. There may be some guests that also find it too strong in taste too. You could have Smithwick's another Irish beer with a great following.It's a red ale that has a strong barley flavor. This ale pairs well with a variety of foods and perfect with a plate of corned beef.some may prefer what's known as a cream ale such as Kilkenny's It has a caramel flavor that people may like better than the more robust ales along with a creamy head. You could also throw ina few American ales such as Sam Adams Irish ale or even Yuengling . Another aspect to consider is dessert. Although it's not as important at a Saint Paddy's Day party as it is at others, there should be a sweet or two along with Irish coffee. decide what you want to make.it could be stout cupcakes or Irish cream fudge made with Bailey's. Another must buy is plenty of bottled water. You don;t want guests driving home drink. Give them water to dissipate the alcohol's effects.

Get ready for a fun day. Make sure you have the ingredients and beers to have a memorable st patrick's day. enjoy planning it and hosting it.

A Juicy Cauliflower Steak

 Cauliflower is versatile.One of the best recipes for it is cutting into steaks. This makes not only for a good vegan meal but also a tasty one too.

I was inspired by an episode of Chris Kimball'sMilk  Street. His recipe called for peppers and capers mixed together with cheese. I used Lidl's Italiamo bruschetta mixed with Violife's shredded vegan Parmesan and breadcrumbs. I liked this mix better 

I added just a pinch of the VIolete and a pinch or two of breadcrumbs

As for the cauliflower it has to be soaked in salt water for fifteen minutes

It was them sliced into one in ch steaks (Milk street suggested one and a half inches but the inch work). The it was brushing them with olive oil.After deasoning they were put imto q 500 degree Farenheit oven for ten minutes The bruschetta was then layered on and let sit in an turned off oven (which cooks just as well as a lit

one)

This was the most flavorful dish I've made so far.

I loved it .The bruschetta was mot overcooked and it just leaned a tangy , fresh flavor to the cauliflower - which is good raw or cooked./

It's a lovely , fulfilling meal that I will be making for Easter too. There is something about the marriage of different flavors that makes this dish simg. My version was really delicious.

Cauliflower steaks topped with a bruschetta mix is an excellent meal choice. The blend of tomatoes, cheese, and peppers with cauliflower is a unique taste. Try it for a one of a kind dinner.

An Oscar Party For One

 The Oscars are a big deal. The Oscar parties are not - really. It's is fun to sit with friends but it's even nicer to sit in your jammies and enjoy goodies alone in front of the TV set. Ther'es nothing like a good old fashioned party for one. Eat what you want .Drink what you want. It's all up to you .

Surprisignly you can indulge on a budget.If you;re craving lush food but don't have the budget , try Lidl. The store features frozen lobster tail for around $14.99. Add some butter and grill some asparagus and you have a Hollywood worthy meal.LIdl also has excellent deals on shrimp and scallops too if you want something a little less rich. You could also get wings and nuggets and just pop them into your air fryer. Serve with a variety of different sauces, from ranch to barbecue. You could also buy  a rotisserie chicken, eat what you want and save the leftovers for either Monday's lunch or dinner. Buy a side of macaromi salad giardniera , pickled veggies for a tasty late supper. A simple pizza for one can also work. You can easily whip one up using already made dough and sauce. Toppings can be anything from spinach and onions to pepperoni and salami. a smaller version is an English muffin pizza, easily baked in a toaster oven.  One can satisfy anyone with a small appetite. You could also whip up a mini hero too, using your favorite cold cuts and cheese along with  sliced tomatoes and lettuce.

Of course an Oscar party means indulging on snack food too. You could use the air fryer again to make your own potato chips. It just takes Russet  potatoes  - use these because they are the best for not maintaining moisture). olive oil  and seasonings.After the slices have been soaked and  drie coat them in olive oil and air fry for twenty minutes at 325 degrees Farenheit.  A simple onion dip is perfect here.It;s just emptying a packet of French onion soup into sour cream ro plain Greek yogurt and stirring.If you use the Greekl yogurt for dipm you don;t have to worry about extra calories.Loaded nachos are another fun Oscar night snack.It;s just ouring queso cheese on nachos and then topping them with sliced jalapenos, black olives and tomatoes Microwave for a minute or two for the cheese to get all melted. Add some kidney or black beans for protein. Open a Corona and enjoy. If these are too much, then stick with that movie classic - popcorn. It pays to have a microwave popper like Colonel Popper to give you a better type of kernel without all those additives. Melt butter to drizzle over and enjoy.

It;s your Oscar party. Make the foods you love , sit back and root for your favorites to win. Enjoy any of these treats while you sit on the couch .

A Precooked Feast

 The worst paart about throwing a dinner party is prepping and cooking for it. Suppose you didn;;t have to? NO you don;t ahve to cater - everything can be made the day and night before.

Regular contributor Dave Tanis wrote about this easy fix in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. Why make everything the day of, creating chaos and stress in an overworked kitchen. Do ti in stages and you can spend the time before cleaning the house and getting yourself ready. He gives spiced roasted lamb with whole wheat za'atar flatbeads. dessert is walnut sponge cake. The spicy lamb pot roast is a mash up between a North african tangine and a Western pot roast .it's fragrant redolent with spices that should be allowed to rest a day before serving. The meat used should be a three inch bone in lamb shoulder . There is a wide array of spices used, from fennel and all spice to ginger and cayenne. The veggies used are, turnips, chilies cabbage and carrots, They;re steamed last minute and served with the stew.  The za'aatar can be bought at any grocery store nowadays. Fresh parsley and thyme is sprinkled on the bread and then it'sbaked for twenty to thirty minutes.

 The whole whear flatbreads made from scratch are easy to bake.. These are an easy three ingrdient, water flour and yeast bread, topped with the equally fragrant za'aatar. Again this cna be made the bay before.dessert is the walnut sponge. This is a light airy cake, perfect after a spicy meal. there are two cups of walmut pieces that are ground into a type of flour in a food processor. It's rich with eggs, using six yolks anwhites spearated. The whites are beaten into a meringue then stirred into the egg mixture to lighten it. don;t overbeat and deflate the airness .A ew streaks are OK.It's baked in a springform pan in a 325Farenheir oven for forty minutes. Let cool and dust with confectioner's sugar. Mr. Tanisha serves it with whipped cream and strawberries but you could try this with ice cream too.Again this could be made not just a day in advance but two days too. It can be kept in a cake container until it's ready to be served.

Don;t spend the day cooking and baking. Do everything the day before.It;s a much easier way of having a dinner party/