RATHCOURSEY EMERALD SOUP
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 handfuls young nettles or arugula
12 onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped ramp leaves (wild onion) or garlic cloves
1 cup packed watercress sprigs, chopped
1 cup packed spinach leaves, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
Grated zest of 1 lemon
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
112 cups half-and-half
Minced fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley for garnish
METHOD: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the watercress, lettuce, spinach, nettles or arugula, and ramp leaves or garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Stir in the flour, lemon zest, stock or broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to boil. Let cool. Transfer to a blender or food processor in batches and process until smooth. Return the pure to the soup pot. Stir in the half-and-half and cook over medium heat to heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with chives or parsley. Top with a few garlic croutons, if desired. Garlic Croutons: Remove the crusts from 3 to 4 slices white bread and cut into12-inch cubes. In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add12 teaspoon minced garlic and the bread cubes. Saut until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper to taste. For added crispness, place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 250-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
MEDALLIONS OF BEEF WITH PORT SAUCE & CASHEL CHEESE
12 cup golden raisins
1 cup port
4 beef filet steaks (about 5 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
12 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. Cashel Blue cheese or other blue cheese, crumbled
Minced fresh chives for garnish
METHOD: One day before serving, soak the raisins in the port for 10 to 12 hours. Strain and reserve the raisins and the port. Coat the beef with the olive oil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the steaks for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove to an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with shallots, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm. Add the water to the same pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced by two-thirds. Still in the reserved raisins and port, then add the pine nuts. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the pieces of butter, a few at a time, cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add the mustard and juices that have collected from the steaks. Season with salt, pepper and the lemon juice. To serve, preheat the broiler. Cover the steak with crumpled blue cheese, place under the broiler 4 inches from the heat source for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbling. Transfer each steak to a serving plate and spoon the sauce around the meat. Garnish with the chives. Makes 4 servings.
GRACE NEILLS CHOCOLATE AND GUINNESS BROWNIES
4 eggs
12 cup superfine sugar
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz. white chocolate, chopped
12 cup all-purpose flour
14 cup cocoa
114 cups Guinness stout
Confectioners sugar for dusting
METHOD: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-8-inch square pan. With an electric mixer, combine the eggs and superfine sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the bittersweet chocolate, white chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat into the egg mixture. Sift the flour and cocoa together and beat into the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the Guinness. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. To serve, dust the cake with confectioners sugar and cut into squares. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
POTATO-CARAWAY SCONES
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
12 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
12 tsp. salt
14 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
14 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced and chilled
2 Tbsp. olive oil, preferably extra virgin
1 lg. egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds
14 cup skim milk
2 cups14-inch diced and cooked boiling potatoes
Low-fat or light cream cheese, to serve
METHOD: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, parmesan, baking powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper. With a fork or pastry blender cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the olive oil, egg, garlic caraway seeds and milk until just blended. Gently fold in the diced potatoes to distribute evenly throughout the mixture, trying not to mash the potatoes. Drop well-rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Serve warm with cream cheese for breakfast or to accompany soup or a main course. Makes 1 dozen.
POTATOE CAKE
12 cup butter
12 cup sugar
Grated rind from 1 orange
12 cup orange juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
112 cups self-rising flour
1 med. potato, peeled and grated
Icing:
1 cup confectioners powered sugar mixture
orange juice
1 tsp. butter
lemon and orange, to decorate
METHOD: Cream butter and sugar until white and creamy. Add orange rind, orange juice, eggs and flour. Squeeze potato dry and add to mixture. Stir well to combine. Spoon into a greased and lined 17 cm round cake tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Test with toothpick. It should come out clean when cake is cooked. Place a cake rack on top of loaf tin. Turn cake upside-down so cake rests on rack. Remove tin and cool before icing. To make icing, put confectioners powered sugar into a small pan and add sufficient orange juice to make a firm mixture. Beat in butter, heat on low very briefly (or microwave on High 30 seconds) and spread over cake.
POTATO & WILD MUSHROOM BISQUE
4 Tbsp. salted butter or margarine
12 lb. crimini or shiitake mushrooms, chopped (3/4 cup)
34 cup diced onion
114 lbs. all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks
1 can chicken broth (1334 oz.)
1 tsp. salt
14 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
METHOD: In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, and in it cook the mushrooms and onion about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potato chunks, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. In a food processor or blender, puree 1 cup of the soup. Return to the saucepan. Add the milk and heat through. Makes 4 servings.
SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH GRATED TURNIP
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
2 cups firmly packed shredded turnip
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 med.-sized baking potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise into116-inch-thick slices
(if available, use a food processor fitted with a slicing disk or a mandoline)
METHOD: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 2- quart gratin or baking dish with a little of the melted butter. In a medium bowl whisk together the milk and cinnamon until well blended. Place the grated turnip in a small bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper, tossing until well blended. Spread the turnip mixture in a patter of concentric circles and pour the milk mixture over all. Drizzle the remaining melted butter evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes more or until the potato-turnip mixture has absorbed most of the liquid and the top is golden brown and crisp.
SHAMROCK PIE
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
5 to 6 drops green food coloring
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
METHOD: Combine the sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan; stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in the lemon juice, butter, lemon peel and food coloring. Pour into the pastry shell. For meringue, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over hot filling, sealing edges to crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Credits: www.shamrock.org/patrick, and Taste of Home.
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