Smoked Salmon Canapes
Ingredients:
8-oz smoked salmon (4 oz chopped, 4 oz in slices)
8-oz cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons chives
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon horseradish (optional)
Directions:
- In a mixing bowl, place the cream cheese, heavy cream, lemon juice, white pepper, chives, salt and Worcestershire Sauce. Mix until well blended. Set aside.
- Chop 4 oz of the smoked salmon. Add it to the mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Set aside.
- Slice brown bread(or other other favorite bread) into thin slices. Toast if desired. Cut the bread into wedges.
- Spread the salmon mixture on top of each wedge. Place a ribbon slice of smoked salmon on top of the spread. Sprinkle a little chopped chive and lemon juice on top of each canapé.
LEEK AND POTATO SOUP – serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 lb leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approx. 4-5 med.
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
14 oz (approx. 3 small) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small.
1 quart vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 Tbsp snipped chives
Directions:
- Chop the leeks into small pieces.
- In a 5-quart pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt. Heat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approx. 25 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 45 min)
- Turn off the heat and puree the mixture in blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.
SHEPHERD’S PIE
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
1Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 lbs lean ground beef or lamb
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1 ½ cups garden peas
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add butter and oil to a large skillet on medium heat. Saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until tender about 7-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the vegetables have softened and start to brown a little, add the tomato paste and mix evenly. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is not longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook and simmer for another ten minutes. Mix in peas.
- Transfer mixture to an oven-proof baking dish and spread evenly. Place potato mixture (see below) on top of ground beef mixture and spread out evenly. Once the top surface has been covered, rake through with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. Place the dish into the preheated oven and bake until browned, about 20 minutes. Spoon out the shepherd’s pie and serve.
MASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, and quartered
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated mature white cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Fill a large saucepan with cold water and Tbsp of salt.
- Add potatoes to the water and bring to a boil. Let potatoes until soft for about 20 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are at a desired density, drain the potatoes and place them back into the saucepan for mashing.
- Add butter and cream and mash potatoes into a semi-smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
IRISH STEW—IRELAND’S NATIONAL DISH
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb mutton or lamb cut into 2”chunks
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 cup leeks, cleaned and finely sliced
1 cup carrots, roughly chopped
1 ½ pints dark beef stock
2 or 3 cabbage leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large frying pan, heat half the oil to hot but not smoking. Add half the lamb pieces and brown all over. Remove the lamb and place in a casserole, cover with half of the potatoes, onions, leeks and carrots.
- Add the remaining oil to the frying pan, heat again than add the remaining lamb and brown all over. Add to the casserole and cover with the remaining vegetables. Add the stock, cover with a tight fitting lid, cook in the oven for 1 hour.
- Add the cabbage, replace the lid and cook for another hour. Check from time to time to make sure the stock isn’t reducing too much. If it is, add a little boiling water. The meat and vegetables should always be covered with liquid. If the sauce is too runny at the end, cook a little longer with the lid removed. Season with salt and pepper.
SODA BREAD
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose floor
½ cup margarine, softened
4 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with ¼ cup buttermilk, brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cup an X into the top of the loaf.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30-50 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL-WHISKEY SAUCE
Ingredients:
¼ cup butter melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 (10 oz) French baguette cut into 1 inch thick slices
1 can evaporated milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup raisins
Cooking spray
¼ cup Irish whiskey
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices and place bread buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into ½ inch cubes and set side.
- Combine raisins and whiskey in a small bowl, cover and let stand 10 minutes or until soft (do not drain)
- Combine milk and next four ingredients (milk through eggs) in a large bowl, stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and raisin mixture, let stand 15 minutes. Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.
CARAMEL-WHISKEY SAUCE
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups sugar
2 ounces cream cheese(about ¼ cup)
2/3 cup water
¼ cup Irish whiskey
¼ cup butter
¼ cup milk
Directions:
- Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
- Cook an addition 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir) Remove from heat.
- Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and bubble vigorously)
- Cool slightly and stir in whiskey and milk.