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Soda bread.

G G Jean

G G Jean

Brummy Wench.
Has anyone ate the above bread or attempted to make it please?. My daughter in laws mom is 87 years young next month and my son is putting on a surprise party at his for her with an Irish theme. Any ideas other than the stew as I have found some good recipe's on the Hairy Bikers thread. I do have a recipe for the bread to make in the bread maker but I would like to cook it the traditional way in the oven. I have found on the Bikers page recepe's for Irish potato cakes. Thanks. Jean.
 
Hi Jean,

There are two types of soda bread, brown soda (sometimes called wheaten bread) and soda farls which I seem to remember my mom making with buttermilk. Both are available to buy from Morrisons and Asda (and other major supermarkets I'm sure). Two other popular irish dishes are 'Champ' which is mashed potato with finely chopped spring onion, and 'colcannon', again mashed potato with finely shredded cabbage.

Macca
 
Thanks Dave I will save that and if I do a trial run and I am not happy with it if all else fails I will raid one of the supermarkets. Macca I had the collcanon at the Irish Bar next to the Old Fox and I loved it. Both those are now on my list of my contributions. Thanks both. Jean.
 
hi CG Jean
My nan came over from Ireland in the 1920's and came to Brum she made the most fantastic Soda bread great hot with fresh butter, oooh and she made potato bread and cakes as well in a time of not much money and a large family I loved going to my nan's in Handsworth and that great bread, by the way fantastic with bubble and squeak and brown sauce.lovely days!!
regards
paul
 
Thank you Dave Alf and Paul I have been looking for a new project and have found one thanks to everyone who came to my help. I will try all these things before the tenth of October and the bubble and squeek sounds mouth watering. I think my diet is well and truly OVER for a couple of weeks at least. Jean.
 
Jean I was watching the Hairy Bicker one day last week and they made soda bread and one with mashed potato in. They looked really easy, so put find the Hairy bikers show on google and I bet the recipe will be on it. Mind how you type it though, I can imagine what might come up if you just put Hairy Bikers, perhaps Alf might find the link for you he seems good at it
 
Thanks Pat Pete found it for me and I have put it in favourites. Forgot to say Pete [son] is organising bingo as Annettes mom loves it. Should be a good night as it's my daughter in laws birthday too. [Bev Steve's wife]. Jean.
 
hi jean
find your self an old biddy .[ an old lady ] irish decent thats
the word for old irish ladies , they will tell you how to make soda bread , beleive me. buying it from the super maket is,nt quite the same as the orinional home baked soda bread beleive me ;
my old dutchess makes the soda bread she is irish and she got the nack from her mother ,her bread was out of this world
made it every day ,when my old dutchess comes back i will asked her how its done , have you tried the irish coddell
or give her the tradional st patricks day special in all the irish pubs on paddys day boiled bacon and cabbage with a little extra in it
speak to you soon astonian ;;;;
 
Thanks Astonian unfortunately the only Irish Biddy I know is Mary Coffy who the surprise birthday party is for. I had boiled bacon on Paddy's day at the Fox in town and it was lovely. Well thanks everyone I have quite a list now of what I am going to do towards it. Plenty of time to practice too. I will google coddell and see what pops up. Jean.
 
Last edited:
Hi Jean
I live in Northern Ireland and this is a link to an old established flour making company who give cooking demonstrations of their products on RTE television

https://www.odlums.ie/index.php?page=simple-soda-bread

Sainsburys Stores in Birmingham also sell Irwins Soda and Wheaten Bread which is made in Ireland near where I live and this is sold as a farl which is a quarter of the large soda bread which is called a bannock .

Soda and wheaten farls are made on a griddle and the bannock is baked in the oven. Soda bread can be made plain or with currants.

Another thought is the Irish Quarter in digbeth Birmingham, some of the Irish cafe or pubs who serve Irish food would have supplies of Soda and Wheaten bread as it is usually fried along with potatoe bread, bacon, saus and eggs for a genuine Ulster Fry. They may even have someone on the premises who makes it for them and if you explain what you want it for they would be glad to help I am sure.

Louisa
 
Thank you so much Louisa some good ideas there. My son who is organising the surprise party got the idea when he stayed in Cork last week. I am going to Asda in the morning for some of my ingredients. Bye. Jean.
 
You can buy soda bread flour already mixed, it is made by Odlums and is available in brown or white. I know there is a shop on the corner of Stratford rd and Ladypool rd taht stocks it also they sell loaves of it already baked.
 
Thanks Tom have made a note of Oldhams and will try Tesco or Asda as we live over Great Barr. Can't wait to try these out. Wish Pete's old dad [pop] was still alive he was from County Longford and I always cooked him a big ham hock or boiled a piece of bacon for him. Bye. Jean.
 
if you live anywhere by yardley yew tree, there is a irish store there, they have fresh soda bread brought over from ireland. It is beautiful!!!
They also sell every irish ingrediant you could ever need for making anything.
I remember very well as a child going to the store in Kings Heath before they moved, It was wonderful!!
 
Well folks hit two jackpots while I was out. Our butcher had a whole neck and top of shoulder of lamb which I have put in the freezer and found the cook's library of potatoes for 50p in sense charity shop. Found the colcannon potato recipe'. Can't wait to get cracking. Bye. Jean.
 
Hi, if you fail to get a soda bread receipe go to Tesco's. They do a nice one there. Best of luck.

Another typeof Irish cake, is Brackenbalm. Thats like a fruit loaf.
 
Thanks for that Ann but will give the bread a trial run then if all fails will add that to my list. Bye. Jean.
 
Hi folks all ready for Saturday. Pete [son] has bought a load of Irish bunting I have had my orders and it is soda bread Colcanon potato but he has asked me to ask you experts about a fish soup that is served in Ireland and he can't remember the name. He would love to start with that. It is a shame as it is my friends 60th the same evening at the Harbour Inn and we have an invite to that too. My mom always said if you have accepted one you should never change your mind because the second sounds better it is like breaking your word. Jean.
 
Thaks Alf so much we have the soda bread down to a T it's this fish thingy that young Pete want's to do. When he went to Cork last month it was served at all the bars and he can not remember what it was called. Bye. Jean.
 
Monk’s Famous Seafood Chowder

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Monks Bar and Restaurant is a famous Irish landmark in the village of Ballyvaughan, in County Clare, located in the West of Ireland. The Seafood Chowder is their signature dish.
Recipe courtesy Tauck World Discovery. Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 8-10 fresh mussels (discard any that are open)
  • 1 pint fish stock or clam juice
  • 1 pint milk
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • ½ lb total mixed fresh diced carrots, diced green beans, peas and corn
  • 1 Tbs flour, dissolved in 3-4 Tbs water
  • 1 lb mixed fresh fish fillets, such as hake, scrod or salmon, cut into coarse chunks
  • ¼ lb fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
  • Lemon wedges to garnish
Preparation:

Bring 1/4-inch water with a splash of white wine to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add mussels, cover, and steam until just open, about 2-3 minutes. Remove mussels with slotted spoon (discard any that don’t open) and when cool, remove from shells, coarsely chop and set aside.
Combine the fish stock and milk in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Add the mixed vegetables and simmer until just beginning to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the fish and shrimp and simmer until almost cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cream, then slowly stir in the flour/water mixture to thicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors. Add mussels, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve in soup bowls garnished with a wedge of lemon.
 


Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Irish Seafood Chowder



One of the best seafood chowders I've ever had was at the restaurant inside the Old Midleton Distillery (a.k.a. Jameson's Irish whiskey) in Midleton, Ireland in County Cork. Perhaps it was all the whiskey we had that day, but this dish had it all: the right amount of creaminess, potatoes and seafood cooked just right. And the Irish brown bread served on the side with real butter made the dish become one of the most memorable to me—and my family. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the actual recipe they use there, but this one is somewhat close. But if you ever want to have the best seafood chowder, then you're just going to have to make a trip to Ireland!


INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 10 oz)
  • 1 celery stick, finely sliced
  • 1/3 cup button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large potato, peeled and cut into small dice
  • 3 tomatoes, cut into small dice
  • 1 tablespoon tomato purée
  • A pinch of saffron strands
  • 1/4 cup Pernod (or dry, white wine if you can't find Pernod)
  • 1 quart (32 oz) of fish stock
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb mixed fresh fish fillets, such as salmon, cod, swordfish or monkfish, cut into 1 ½" cubes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ cup whipping cream
  • 4 tablespoons finely sliced scallions, to garnish
DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the onion, celery and mushrooms over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the potato, tomatoes, tomato puree, saffron strands, and Pernod. Bring to a boil then add fish stock, and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil again, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and then cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Purée half the mixture in a food processor, then return it to the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Bring back to a boil and add the fish and finely chopped parsley. Stir in the cream. When the chowder has returned to the boil, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Ladle into eight warm soup bowls and garnish with the scallions, and serve immediately with a side of Irish brown bread.
 
Thanks for that Loisa and Patty. Pete is doing the soup with smoked haddock I think. Had the Irish music on this morning and it was great. Have watched off u tube the colcanon potato but it varies from my recipe. Loisa would you put a leek chopped finely in yours with the cabbage or spring onion?. I am doing a dish of just ordinary mash with pepper and cream as not everyone likes cabbage. Mary who'se party it is was riding her bike till over eighty till she was knocked off it by a car. Bye. Jean.
 
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