Irish Soda Bread-St. Patrick’s Day Success

Last night I attended a St. Patrick’s Day party in Belcarra. The host is Irish so authenticity in my contribution to the dinner was requisite. I remembered a recipe from about 1982, obtained when I taught in Fort Saint James, that had always been well received. I even remembered (and names are HARD!) the name of the original cook, Marisa.

This recipe became a standard when, with my friend, Lynn, we catered retreats and other events for the BCTF (British Columbia Teachers’ Federation) Status of Women Committee (circa 1984). Lynn had always been the great cook and I was absolutely willing to do anything. So with this recipe…memories…lots of them…and all with smiles and strong women and world-changing ideas.

So determined to find this recipe was I. Failing fingers and eyesight not as sharp as it once was…I left the task to friend and employee, Joan. Being Irish she could hopefully both find and vet the recipe for veracity. And, of course, being Joan…calm, thorough and efficient, she found it, approved it and even noted the needed ingredients. She pointed out that it required bran – knowing my kitchen did not have that ingredient on hand. “I don’t think you need it,”  she said.  Now the intervening 30+ years made me reluctant to alter the recipe, but the thought of a trip to the grocery store was even worse so I took Joan’s advice and substituted some ingredients on hand (see notes).

This bread turned out great. I had made a sample loaf for the family knowing already that hosts, artists Des and Adrienne , were great cooks and I was anxious to bring something “perfect”.

It was a great evening with superb food, stimulating conversation and live music – thank you Rick and Amy! And, it turns out, that although the Village of Belcarra has fewer than 800 residents, this is my third BLOG POST with people from Belcarra featured.

 

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups flour

4 T brown sugar (I used raw sugar)

1 tsp each baking soda & baking powder

1/2 cup bran (I used 1/4 c fine oats & 1/4 c buckwheat flour

1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher)

1/2 cup Red River Cereal (In the distant past used 7-grain cereal)

1.5 cups buttermilk

(I added a handful of currants).

Method:

Preheat oven to 400°

Grease pie plate

Sift (Joan says she still does this-dates back to being taught to cook by nuns) flour, soda, baking powder and salt. I DID NOT SIFT and DO NOT OWN A SIFTER. Stir in sugar, bran and Red River Cereal (and currents if you use them). Pour buttermilk into well in dry ingredients and stir. Flour surface and knead about 6 times. Shape into a large round, place in greased pie plate and prick through deeply with a fork. (Instructions say to brush the top with milk. I did not but it would make the crust a bit softer.)

Bake 20 minutes @ 400°, then 20 minutes @ 350°

 

 

 

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ANOTHER Poppy Seed Cake – NOW Gluten Free

Two years ago my dear friend Trudy made a poppy seed cake that made it to my BLOG. She and I are great poppy seed fans and even have a deli we have designated “The Poppy Seed Store”. Our eastern European tastebuds must have been similarly trained as this store is filled with meats, buns, cans, teas but most important of all – POPPY SEED EVERYTHING! (Other people call the store International Sausage House.) (now closed sadly-2019)

I have been living gluten-free for over seven months and have experienced a huge improvement in health. Trudy, kind as she is, developed a new recipe for poppy seed cake and it’s gluten-free. Hard to believe but it is the best poppy seed treat I have ever eaten. It may or may not be true but she and I (over time of course) may have consumed the entire cake ourselves.  Here’s the recipe.

Cake:

1 cup butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

32 ounces (900 grams) ground poppy seed filling ( 1 can)

(Ally prefers the can pictured on the right as it seems to have citrus peel in)

POPPY SEED FILLING

2 egg yolks and 6 egg whites (4 eggs would probably work fine)

1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind

1/2 cup sour. Cream and 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup almond meal and 1 cup brown rice flour

1 t soda

1 t salt

Glaze:

1 cup icing sugar

2 to 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F Carefully grease and flour 12 cup Bundt or 10 inch tube pan and set aside

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy Add poppy seed filling and beat until blended Beat in egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition Add sour cream mixture and beat just until blended In a small bowl, blend flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt Add flour mixture to poppy seed mixture gradually beating well after each addition

In a separate bowl, beat whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form Fold whites into batter and spread in prepared pans

Bake 60 minutes to 75 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan Cool 20 minutes on rack. Slowly drizzle glaze over cake allowing it to soak in a bit before adding more.

Gluten Free Poppy Seed Cake