Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Cheddar-Herb Biscuits, Colcannon Soup and Gaelic Coffee


Shall we start with dessert first?  Or perhaps sip on it while we're making dinner? :)  


Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! Whether you are Irish or not, no one cares because everyone loves to get in the Irish mood this time of year.

To get my Irish feast started, I chose Colcannon soup from Kevin Dundon, author of Full On Irish, along with some freshly baked Cheddar-Herb biscuits from Margaret Johnson, the author of five Irish cookbooks.  (You will find all of these recipes at the end).


Both the soup and the biscuits were wonderful! I decided to leave out the called-for cream and butter in the soup and I'm glad I did.  The soup needed neither and was delicious on its own.

The biscuits were flaky and flavorful and I could have eaten several. They are best right out of the oven. I found the following day they had already dried out. Rather than fresh herbs, which I did not have on hand, I used chopped scallions and they were perfect with the cheddar cheese.



For 'dessert' I chose Trish Archer's Gaelic Coffee. This was so good!  A perfect end to the meal and made with decaf coffee it didn't keep us awake all night.  


The hot whiskey-flavored coffee sipped through the cold, whipped cream is one of the best Irish traditions I can think of, warm and soothing like a fisherman's knit sweater.


Sláinte agus saol agaib!  Health and long life to you all!  And remember, half a loaf is better than no bread at all! 

Cheddar-Herb Biscuits

Adapted from Margaret Johnson, Irish Cookbook Author
Printable Recipe

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for serving
4 ounces Kerrygold Vintage Cheddar (1 cup), grated
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, and tarragon
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter the wells of a 12-cup (1/3-cup capacity) muffin pan.

Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 2 to 3 times to blend. Add the butter and process for 10 to 15 seconds, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cheese and herbs and pulse 2 to 3 times to blend. Add the egg and buttermilk, and process for 10 to 20 seconds, or until a soft dough forms. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with butter. Makes 1 dozen

Colcannon Soup 

Adapted from Full On Irish by Kevin Dundon
Printable Recipe

Serves: 4 - 6
2 oz rindless streaky bacon, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
8 oz potatoes, diced
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
5 oz Savoy cabbage, thick stalks removed and shredded
1 1/4 pints vegetable stock (I used chicken stock)
1/4 pint cream (I did not use)
1 oz butter, diced and room temperature (I did not use)

Heat a large pan and sauté the bacon over a medium to high heat for a couple minutes until the fat comes out. Stir in the onion, potatoes, leek and cabbage, then cover with a lid and sweat over a medium heat for 10 minutes until well softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.

Pour the stock into the cabbage mixture and bring to a boil, then season to taste. Stir in the cream (if desired) and simmer for a few minutes until the soup has a creamy texture.

I omitted this next step:

To Serve, remove the soup from the heat and whisk in the butter. It is important not to reboil the soup once the butter has been added or you’ll find it will curdle. Ladle the colcannon soup into serving bowls.


Trish Archer's Gaelic Coffee 

Adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen
Printable Recipe

Serves 1

1 measure of Irish whiskey
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
Strong black coffee
Softly whipped cream

Warm a medium sized wine glass with hot water. Pour out the water and put the sugar and whiskey into the glass. Add the coffee and stir well. Pour the softly whipped cream out of a pitcher over the back of a spoon on to the top of the coffee. The cream should float on top of the coffee so don't attempt to stir.

51 comments:

  1. Oh Susan, your post is filled with yummie recipes...would love to try them all...they are just perfect for St. Patrick's Day. Have a wonderful week :-)

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  2. Susan, this is such a great, and off the beaten path, menu for St. Paddy's Day. As I write I am cooking corn beef, potatoes and cabbage for tonight's meal as I will be out of town on Thursday -- it is my 16 year old son's favorite meal! I am going to try that soup and the tart! Happy St. Patrick's Day! Joni

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  3. Looks delicious! Think I would leave the cream and butter out of the soup also.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  4. You're a good girl not to toss in the butter and cream. I would not have been a good girl, but it all looks so delicious and those cheddar biscuits look amazing...I'd make a half batch or freeze them right away. So much food can go to waste when cooking for two. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!

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  5. Susan, these recipes are look so terrific. I will trying a couple of them.

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  6. I'm going to try your boxty recipe! Happy St. Patrick's day to you!!

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  7. Susan, These recipes look fabulous and the great photos really add to the "flavor". I've never made boxty, but I'll definintely try this one. The shamrock shape is really cute.
    Have a great day.

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  8. Susan, it all looks so good! Glad you enjoyed the brisket :) I love the boxty with it, I will have to try that! What a festive and delicious meal!

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  9. everything looks so delicious! thank you for sharing this post and have a great day.

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  10. I think I'd prefer being at your St. Patrick's Day table than mine. We are having a much simpler meal but I just might add that soup to the menu because it looks delicious. It all looks delicious! The coffee reminds me of when my great-aunt, Margaret came to visit. My sisters and I loved to have a sip of her morning coffee (every morning!). My mother would hover and make sure we had only one sip of the "laced" coffee. It was many years later that we learned the "lace" was Irish whisky!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  11. What a pretty pretty Irish post..did you know I am part Irish? Hard to believe for a French girl:) Great grandfather..

    Everything looks so good..:) You are such a chef dear nana.

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  12. Susan, the soup sounds wonderful...wish I could get away with serving it alone Thursday, but it has to be corned beef and cabbage, here. :(

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  13. Susan, what a lovely array of goodies. I especially like the tart. Happy Saint Patty's day.
    Sam

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  14. I give this menu a big "double yum"! Everything looks great Susan right down to the after dinner coffee-enjoy:@)

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  15. Yum!! Everything looks so good, from the brisket to the Irish coffee. You sure wouldn't go away from the table hungry!
    Love your coffee cup...

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  16. This was great Susan, so many delicious recipes prepared so beautifully!
    Thanks so much for taking part in the blog crawl. I actually have an Irish Coffee, love the cream, just leave out the liquor! What kind of an Irish gal am I? :) Actually, my mom never touched a drop either!
    So glad you came to the party!

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  17. Everything looks delicious! I LOVE Irish Coffee ~ will definitely have that. Thanks so much for sharing...I'm starving now.

    Pat

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  18. What a great menu!! Those biscuits look amazing!! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

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  19. Shamrock shaped pancakes is a lot of fun and all the other dishes are mouthwatering!

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  20. What a feast you have prepared and I have to say your crockery is too beautiful!!

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  21. Shamrock shaped potato cakes did it for me! What a wonderful feast Susan! I'll have a sip of the coffee tonight ;o)

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  22. A 100% Irish feast, Susan. Love all the goodies you shared. I am with you about many Irish bread/rolls. They have such a short shelf life. Just made soda bread which was delicious day of but gets dry 2 days later. Should have frozen the rest since I can't eat even half a loaf in 2 days!! It all looks so good... your friend must feel quite honored for your thoughtful Irishness for the holiday!

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  23. Sich deliciousness from start the finish . Love the whimsical shamrock shaped boxty!!

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  24. Your dinner for St Paddy's Day looks so delicious! I'm looking forward to our meal but may try the tart recipe you suggested. The luck of the Irish to you!

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  25. I loved your post! Lots of great food. That Irish Coffee looks amazing. Going to an Irish Pub for lunch on Thursday. I just might try an Irish Coffee:)

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  26. I love all of these fun Irish treats! But what I love most is that they aren't conventional! Out of the box and yet still a bit traditional as well!

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  27. well I was off to Sendik's yesterday to get my brisket and I'm about to put it in the oven! your meal looks so yummy. have a wonderful St. Patty's day Susan!

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  28. Susan, I love your dinnerware...beautiful jade green. The shamrock shaped potato cakes look so wonderful.

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  29. oh my, what a feast! Everything sounds fab!

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  30. Your St. Patty's Day food spread rocks! Amazing dishes. Love it!!!

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  31. A wonderful looking and unique St. Patrick's Day themed meal, Susan. My fmaily woudld revolt if I did not serve the traditonal Irish-American corned beef, cabbage and potatoes, but in Ireland a meal like yours would more likely be served.

    Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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  32. You really had an all Irish meal. Everything looks great. I have been wanting to try the boxty. I'll have to try this recipe. Coffee looks awesome. I love your "mugs".

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  33. Susan you did have a great feast for St' Patrick's. Everything looks delicious and very well taken care!

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  34. What a fantastic meal! And so many courses, too! The photos are all so beautiful, I am really liking that Gaelic Coffee, it sounds heavenly.

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  35. A true feast! Those potato cakes are a very cute idea.

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  36. Susan all look fantastic and awesome!! gloria

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  37. I enjoyed my first visit to your blog! I am saving this page because I want to come back and look again. I have Irish roots I am pretty sure although I have never been able to establish the connection exactly, but I don't know much about Irish food, other than the usual ones everybody trots out each year. Thanks for the cookbook titles -- I am going to look them up so that I can add at least one to my cookbook collection.

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  38. This is indeed a feast, Susan! Especially love those potato cakes!

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  39. What a lovely Irish feast! How I wish I could have been at your home! We did have corned beef and cabbage with carrots, potatoes, and parsnips! That coffee looks especially yummy!

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  40. everything looks delicious Susan !I love Irish coffee, I have some special glasses for it,it's perfect in winter when outside is cold....A warm hug...

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  41. I made the regular Colcannon and now I must try the soup. Beautiful photos!

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  42. Susan, what a great post! All the food looks fantastic! Love it all and wish I had some Irish coffee since I haven't had it in ages.

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  43. What a delicious-looking meal! Those tarts in particular looks wonderful.

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  44. Happy St Patrick's Day! Your meal looks delicious. I have not tried most of them before, and I'm eyeing the Irish coffee!

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  45. What an inspired feast! I love the way you shaped the Boxty potatoes into clover leaves. This may be the first time I am seeing Colcannon soup, which I'd really like to try.

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  46. What a very awesome and fantastic feast! Everything looks so perfect and delicious!

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  47. This is an incredibly beautiful and festive meal. Gorgeous!

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  48. a lovely post for St Patrick's day with great recipes and of course...exquisite photography. a feast for all senses!
    Ronelle xx

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  49. What a treasure trove of Irish recipes in one post. I find so many soups call for cream and are actually lighter and more delicious without it. Some soups are better with cream, but most just aren't. I love the colour of the broth. Now, I want to read your "tried and true brisket" recipe. I am new to brisket and loved the bbq recipe I learned at Christmas in November... but, would love a tried and true recipe from you!
    The entire feast makes me "green with envy" as my dad was a first generation Canadian from Ireland and they moved here at the end of the 1920's so the family left one famine to find themselves in the middle of the dirty thirties in Canada - and on the Saskatchewan prairies, no less. So, there have been no traditions, culinary or otherwise, passed to me from my father's side. I feel ethnically deprived, and this post had me feeling quite connected. I just must visit Ireland! Do they really make French Tarts there, too? That was (ironically) the recipe I missed in your list as I am into French Tarts these days!
    :)
    Valerie

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  50. Oh goodness this really is a feast! Everything looks fantastic and love those biscuits :)

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