World Recipes

Irish Stew

1 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried whole thyme
3 pounds lean beef for stewing, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed broth, undiluted
6 carrots, scraped and cut into 2-inch slices
12 small boiling onions
6 medium potatoes, peeled

Combine first 6 ingredients; pour over beef in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Drain meat, reserving marinade. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; brown beef in oil. Add broth and reserved marinade; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Add carrots, onions and potatoes. Cover and cook 30 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 quarts.

Irish Soda Graham Bread

This bread is great toasted for breakfast, and it is an excellent accompaniment to soup.

2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups graham flour
1 cup unbleached white flour, unsifted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine buttermilk and baking soda and blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into a well-buttered 9-inch loaf pan and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack.

Irish Soda Bread

This is delicious served warm, spread with butter and jam, or cooled.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 cup buttermilk

Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

Shape into round loaf, about 6 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cut an X about 1/4 through center of loaf with floured knife. Bake at 375 degrees F until golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

Brush with butter if desired.

Irish Seafood Pie

Pastry
1 pound scallops
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped leek or scallions
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
Dry white wine
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Prepare Pastry; wrap in plastic wrap.

If scallops are large, cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook and stir mushrooms and leek in 2 tablespoons of the butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until mushrooms are light brown and liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Remove from skillet. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet until hot. Cook and stir scallops over medium heat until white, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain liquid from skillet, reserving 2 tablespoons.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup butter in skillet over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in half and half. Add enough wine to reserved scallop liquid to measure 1/3 cup; stir into half and half mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in mushroom mixture and scallops. Pour into ungreased shallow 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Unwrap pastry and place on well-floured board. Roll dough 1 inch larger than top of casserole, using floured stockinet-covered rolling pin. Cut out designs with 1-inch cookie cutter. Place pastry over top of casserole; turn edges under and flute. Mix egg yolk and water; brush over pastry. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. Yields 4 servings.

Pastry
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans sides of bowl. Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round.

Braised Lamb

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 shoulder lamb chops, about 3/4 inch thick
2 cups beef bouillon
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in skillet; cook lamb until browned on both sides. Remove from pan. Reserve drippings. Add bouillon, horseradish, flour and pepper to drippings; blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Return lamb to sauce in skillet. Cover; simmer 40 minutes or until meat is tender.

Irish Christmas Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup candied citron, chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two cookie sheets. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Add the flour and the Irish whiskey, and beat the dough until smooth. Add the fruit and nuts, and mix well. Drop cookie dough from a tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake each sheet of cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula while still warm. Place on wire rack to partially cool.

Store the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of white bread to maintain their soft, fruity texture.

Reshmi Kebab

1 pound boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
8 to 10 skewers

Cut the chicken into pieces. Mix all ingredients together, and marinate overnight.

Skewer the pieces of chicken and put into the tandoor for 3 to 5 minutes or bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Rasmalai (Indian Cheese Dessert)

2 (15 ounce) containers Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup Carnation milk powder
8 to 10 cardamoms
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Set aside 2 or 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Crush cardamoms to powder. Mix cheese, sugar, milk powder and 1 crushed cardamom thoroughly. Spread the mixture in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle almonds on top and let cool for one hour.

Mix half-and-half with the 2 or 3 tablespoons sugar and remaining cardamom powder. Pour it on top of baked cake. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Makes about 20 to 24 pieces.