Titanic Asparagus Salad with a Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette

Today is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the world's most famous ship. April 14th, 1912, the end of innocence.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I have researched a fabulous recipe from the first class menu that was served on board Titanic on that fateful day, and I present it to you to mark this solemn occasion as we think back to a time when extravagance was celebrated, exotic tastes were savored and class was a way of life.

I hope you have a go at trying this historic recipe out, and before you get too upset with me, my confession is that I have modernised some wording and weight measurements in order that we may understand it. They may not have used the word 'aurgula' for example, but at least you know what I mean in 21st century America!...apart from this, the recipe is authentic.

Dedicated to all those kitchen staff on the Titanic who perished, unknown and uncelebrated.
Ladies and gentlemen I give you....

Spring Asparagus and Sweet Pepper Arugula Salad with Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette
(Sixth course, First Class menu served April 14th 1912. RMS Titanic)

(Serves 4)

• 1 lb slender spring asparagus (tough ends trimmed and roasted)
• ¼ sweet yellow pepper (roasted and finely diced)
• ¼ sweet red pepper (roasted and finely diced)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
• Olive oil (to drizzle)
• 4 cups Arugula salad greens
• 1 ½ oz shaved Ivernia Irish cheese (or Parmesan)

• 4 Tbsp champagne vinegar
• 1 shallot (minced)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp saffron threads
• 1 Tbsp honey
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread asparagus and peppers in a single layer on roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 8-10 minutes until crisp tender.
2. To make salad dressing soften the saffron by adding a tsp of boiling water and let it stand for a few minutes to soften. Whisk in the champagne vinegar, minced shallots, honey, mustard and finally add the olive oil in a slow steady drizzle. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl combine the Arugula with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens.
4. To assemble the salad arrange in the Arugula in the center of each plate. Arrange the asparagus spears and the roasted red peppers. Finish with drizzling a little more vinaigrette over salad. Sprinkle over Ivernia shavings.

Judie the Irish Foodie!
(check back next week for a glimpse at 21st century Belfast - Titanic town is thriving!)
http://www.shamrockandpeach.com/

Oh, Please also check out the itinerary also for our upcoming 'Culture & Culinary' of Ireland, where we will visit the new Titanic museum in Belfast in the Docks where Titanic was built and explore the city of dreams. see attached, and let me know if you're interested!


http://www.special-ireland.com/index.php/2012-culinary-tour

Titanic- the pride of Belfast in 1912

As a native of Northern Ireland, Belfast is always close to my heart somehow, and this week the entire world seems to be looking on my home city as we mark the centenary of the Titanic disaster. Isn't it amazing how this ship sinking has captured the imaginations of the globe?

The sinking of the Titanic was a watershed moment (mind the pun!) for the Edwardian age. The end of innocence and the beginning of what proved to be the turbulent years of the twentieth century. Before the great disaster there was an optimism about society and the direction of all things, and after disaster the realization that mankind may not be reaching the heights of civilization after all. This picture was also true for Ireland, and for Belfast. Within months of the sinking, Irish society began to convulse and change which would lead to the splitting of the island into two countries and a path of change that continues to this day.

The photograph above is an amazing shot to me (click to see it a bit bigger!) as we view the scene of thousands and thousands of workers leaving Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland after a days work on the Titanic - which is clearly visible in the background looming large above the city of Belfast. What a sight that must have been!

Belfast in 1912 was a highly motivated, wealthy and industrious city on the cutting edge of technology and advancement. The status of the city was reflected in the many elegant Edwardian building projects that were springing up around the town, which make it such an interesting place to visit today, giving it an aire of elegance. The twentieth century though would prove to be tough on this Edwardian jewel of a city but after one hundred years it really has found it's place in the sun again.

So, in many ways the story of the Titanic is the story of Belfast, and of Northern Ireland. A piece and place of wonder in early times that went into a period of decline, but is emerging today as a major world attraction!
Today massive cruise ships pull into Belfast harbour every week, full of curious tourists who want to see  this famous city, the birthplace of Titanic and of so any stories and culture, and all of this makes me so proud.

To mark the centenary I'm going to post three blogs - this one which looks to Belfast of the past. A second post where I will share an authentic and wonderful recipe that I recreated from the first class menu of the final day of the Titanic's voyage, and a final post giving you a glimpse into the breathtaking elegance of Belfast as it is today. So, there it is!...and if you would like to visit Belfast yourself this year, remember that I am leading a 'Culture and Culinary Tour' to Ireland this summer, created and facilitated by 'Specialized Tours' of New York, and we still have a few spots open so check out the link below:

http://www.special-ireland.com/index.php/2012-culinary-tour

So, check in with me later in the week for another fascinating installment and a free Titanic recipe!

Till then!
Judie the Irish Foodie.

What's on your menu for Easter Sunday?

Growing up in Northern Ireland, our family always had Easter Sunday traditions. On Easter Sunday morning, as children we were allowed (at last!) to open our large chocolate Easter eggs that we had been glaring at with envious eyes all week. Those huge globes of chocolaty goodness are a tradition throughout the British Isles and Ireland, and if you stop by a British store, such as the wonderful little 'Corner Shop' on Marietta Square run by my friend Tina, or the equally delightful 'Taste of Britian' over in Norcross owned by my other great friend Edna....you will see what I mean!

I remember the 'Milk Tray' egg, and the 'Smarties' egg, and the 'Milky Way' egg (with the Milky Way kid on the front), and last but not least the 'Aero' egg. Yummy, yumm yumm in my tumm! Brings back wonderful memories, and if you've never been to Ireland or the UK at this time of year, or been to a British store, you've no idea what I'm talking about do you? Well, ok, check out this photo for a clue:

 
So, apart from chocolate eggs though...what is on your menu for Easter? Or perhaps you haven't thought about it? Well, here's a suggestion for you....

What about firing up the grill and trying some lamb? Yes, I know, many folks don't do lamb in America...but let me urge you to give it a try, especially at Easter. Here in Georgia we have had unseasonably warm weather. We simply skipped Winter it seems, Spring is more like Summer...and who knows what August will be like so I say we go outdoors this weekend and enjoy it!

Lamb is a flavorful, succulent meat choice and when cooked just right can be a talking point of any meal. This weekend it has added symbolic significance also as millions of Christians around the world celebrate Easter so, what could be more fitting? I just add some of my delicious homemade peach salsa for that Southern touch, and viola!

Happy Easter everyone!

Lamb ingredients (serves 6–8 people):

• 4–6 lbs. boneless leg of lamb (cut into 8 pieces)

Marinade ingredients:

• 6 fl. oz. (¾ cup) natural yogurt
• 2 fl. oz. (¼ cup) Dijon mustard
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• 2 rosemary sprigs (stems removed)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ Vidalia onion
• 1” piece of root ginger (peeled)
• 1 medium red chili pepper (seeds removed)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper

Mint drizzle ingredients:

• Bunch of mint (1½ cups with the stems removed)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
• 4 fl. oz. (½ cup) olive oil

How to make it:


1. In a food processor or blender mix all the marinade ingredients together to make a smooth paste.
2. Rub the resulting paste all over the cut portions of the lamb and marinade for 4–6 hours or overnight, covered in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat the grill to a high heat.
4. Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the remaining liquid.
5. Place the lamb on the grill and cook on both sides for the first few minutes to sear.
6. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook the lamb according to your preference, turning frequently. (The lamb is cooked medium to well after 30–40 minutes.)
7. While the lamb is cooking on the grill, prepare the mint drizzle by placing the mint leaves, sugar, vinegar and salt in a food processor. Pulse in the processor for a few seconds to form a roughly chopped paste, and then slowly blend in the olive oil.
8. Transfer the resulting liquid in to a small bowls and then set aside.
9. When the lamb is cooked according to taste, remove from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle.
10. To serve, place the lamb in the center of each serving plate then drizzle a little mint dressing onto the plate and spoon some over the meat.
11. Spoon some salsa onto the side of the plate and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Judie the Irish Foodie
(the chocolate egg gobbler!)

http://www.shamrockandpeach.com/

Writing my own cookbook..now there's a novelty!

So, according to a recent NY Times article, which has become quite controversial, writing your own cookbook these days can be a terrible chore and beyond the capabilities of many stars and celebrity chefs it seems. Quite honestly, I wasn't surprised, and why not?...because I've done it!...and the time and dedication it takes to write your own book, and in my case a biographical cookbook, is enormous! No wonder these celebrities don't write their own stuff. It takes inspiration, dedication, creativity and time...lots of time.

Of course Rachel Ray and Gwyneth Paltrow beg to differ, claiming they did indeed pen their own books, but I personally think that was PR damage control. After all, who wants to buy a book that is a phoney? But, I need to give them the benefit of the doubt I suppose, perhaps they are different - but this article did strike a chord with me because I am a cookbook author who did indeed write her own book. My talented hubby and I made every dish, wrote every word, photographed every scene, created every graphic and spent three years of our life in what was our passion...that's time celebrities can ill afford between movie sets, TV shoots, make overs, Rodeo Drive shopping and fabulous dinners on the town...

Here's a snippet of the article in case you missed it:

"Many real-world cooks have wondered at the output of authors like Martha Stewart, Paula Deen and Jamie Oliver, who maintain cookbook production schedules that boggle the mind. Rachael Ray alone has published thousands of recipes in her cookbooks and magazine since 2005. How, you might ask, do they do it?

The answer: they don’t. The days when a celebrated chef might wait until the end of a distinguished career and spend years polishing the prose of the single volume that would represent his life’s work are gone. Recipes are product, and today’s successful cookbook authors are demons at providing it — usually, with the assistance of an army of writer-cooks.

“The team behind the face is invaluable,” said Wes Martin, a chef who has developed recipes for Ms. Ray and others. “How many times can one person invent a new quick pasta dish?”

Mr. Martin, and dozens of others like him, have a particular combination of cooking skills, ventriloquism and modesty that makes it possible not only to write in the voices of chefs, but to actually channel them as cooks.

“It’s like an out-of-body experience,” Mr. Martin said. “I know who I am as a chef, and I know who Rachael is, and those are two totally separate parts of my brain.”

Employing writers and recipe developers has long been routine; chefs, after all, have their own specialized skills, and writers are not expected to be wizards in the kitchen.

Ghostwriting is common among business leaders, sports figures and celebrities. But the domesticity and intimacy of cooking make readers want to believe that the food they make has been personally created and tested — or at least tasted — by the face on the cover. And that isn’t always the case, especially for restaurant chefs. "

So, what do you think?

Next time you pick up Rachel's books, just think..ok, ok, I'll get off my soap box now, but I just needed to say this as I know what it takes to create a book from scratch. My book, The Shamrock and Peach, was a labor of love, and I hope that shone through.

Till next time!

Judie the Irish Foodie

So who was St. Patrick anyway?

Wait...is that a burrito he's holding?

(St. Patricks Cathedral, Armagh - Northern Ireland)

So here it is, the day has arrived when everyone is Irish, when everything appears green and when we all try on the Irish brogue (for a few words anyway) -even if the catch phrase involves  'me lucky chaaaarms'! Oh yes, and despite being mistaken for Australian yesterday (ha!) I have to say I do love this time of year, as I'm sure oul' Saint Patrick would if he were around to see it all....

But wait a minute....who exactly was Saint Patrick anyway? Do ya know? Do ya care? Did he drink green beer and fall into the fountains in Savannah? Did he really pick up a shamrock for the King of Tara whilst wearing his 'kiss me I'm Irish' hat....or was he even Irish I ask???

Well, fear not because I'm going to clue you in on a big secret....

You see, um....well, no.....he wasn't Irish. He, he was British!! Roman British in fact - toga and all, and he didn't even drink green beer. None of that, he was in fact an early Christian missionary who crossed the Irish sea with a mission to purge pagan Ireland and by so doing to bring about the coming of Christ, as Ireland in those days was considered as 'the far edge of the world'...(think of Christ's words about the gospel reaching the ends of the word, and you'll see what I mean.)

Yes, he lived in the 5th century and yes he came to Ireland to save souls, even though his was a Brit, so that's why most monuments to Patrick in Ireland are Christian in nature, such as the early cross pictured below in Downpatrick in County Down, near the grave site of St. Patrick.

You see, the story goes that Patrick as a young man, was captured by Irish pirates (red beard I'm guessing, not blackbeard!!) taken to Slemish mountain in Northern Ireland, but after a period of some years managed to escape and eventually get back home to what is now England. But what's really cool about this is that many years later, as a prominent bishop and more mature Christian he felt a calling to go back to Ireland to spread the gospel to the very people who enslaved him!

Yup, that means he was kind of a hero, and a clever one at that given he managed to persuade kings and peasants alike to turn to Christ from paganism. Quite a feat, and completely without the use of green beer, beads, silly hats, or corn beef for that matter!

OK, I know I'm being kind of light hearted about this...but truthfully, the real Saint Patrick was a very noble individual who was obviously courageous, inventive and driven to what he did, so overall he was a cool guy methinks!

Growing up in County Armagh in Northern Ireland, which is Saint Patrick's country, I was always surrounded with reminders of Patrick from placenames to church names to street names and never thought much about him until later in life. In many ways I suppose you could say I took him for granted, oblivious to the great festivals thrown in his name around the world. As an example, the church below is Saint Patricks ancient cathedral in Armagh, which is sited on the spot of Patrick's first church and is a thousand years old! Not bad.

St. Patricks, Armagh Northern Ireland

Now, I know that the festivals and parades are more about being Irish than they are about St. Patrick himself, but I thought it would be fun to clue you in....So, there you have it!

Hope you enjoy the day, whatever you decide to do!

Wearing the green! Enjoy!

Judie the Irish Foodie

http://www.shamrockandpeach.com/

Irish Whiskey BBQ Sauce...for ol' St. Pat

OK, so it's March again and in Georgia we are having a heat wave! Temps are expected to get into the low 80's for the rest of the week up to St. Patrick's day, and it looks like we'll be wearing green shorts and t-shirts this year to the parade, so, to complete the mood I thought it might be good to share with you my scrum-didly-umptious Irish whiskey sauce recipe. It'll make everything taste goooood, and even though it may be a tad early for the backyard grill, with the weather as it is my guess is that we may need it this weekend!

I mean, winter passed us by, right? The trees have been blooming for a month already, so maybe it's not too early to dust off the old grill and pay a visit to your local butcher for some tender provisions to grill...and I promise, if you use this sauce, they will go especially well with all that green beer!...trust me.

In my last blog entry I did promise a cool Irish whiskey sauce recipe, and here it is....so, get out that shamrock t-shirt, don that silly green hat, dye your hair green and fire up the grill. It's going to be a hot St. Paddy's day to remember!


Irish whiskey barbecue sauce ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• ¼ large onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 8 fl. oz. (1 cup ) Irish whiskey
• 8 fl. oz. (1 cup) ketchup
• 6 fl. oz. (¾ cup) apple cider vinegar
• 2 fl. oz. (¼ cup) water
• 6 Tbsp. cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. coco powder
• ¾ tsp. cumin

1. To make the barbecue sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook the onion for a few minutes until they are soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Then combine all the remaining ingredients and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes or until the sauce has been slightly reduced.  Cool slightly before processing with an electric blender until smooth.

Now add liberally to the meat of your choice and enjoy...Irish whiskey style!

OK, enjoy the season!

Judie the Irish Foodie

Irish Whiskey vs Scotch Whisky, do you know the difference?

So, recently, amongst all the pre-St. Patrick's frivolities I was providing food for, and presenting my book at a whisky tasting event in the Olde Blind Dog Irish pub in Milton GA, near Crabapple, and, being surrounded by all those fabulous Scotch varieties of the 'hard stuff' got me thinking...I wonder if folks out these know, or even realize the differences between Scottish whisky, which is shortened to 'Scotch', and Irish whiskey? hmmmm...

Did you even know there was a difference? or do you even care??...well, let me clue you in here, lest you wallow in whiskey indifference!

Now, we Irish like to say that we invented the stuff, the 'water of life' that is, whilst the Scots just perfected it...but as I'm Scots-Irish and am frequently balancing between the two let me just say that both have merits. Yes, Bushmills in County Antrim, Northern Ireland is the oldest distillery, going back to 1603 or something of that order but you have to hand it to the Scots, they just did things a little different such as adding smokey flavors to the malted barley and they stole the show.

So, what are the differences?

Well, firstly, Irish whiskey is triple distilled which means they run the stuff through those big ol' copper pots using heat and evaporation three times. Whilst Scotch is only distilled twice...(the Tennessean variety, such as Jack Daniels is only distilled once I think...ha!)....So, this means that Irish whiskey is a touch lighter, and can blow your head off more easily!!...just kidding!

OK, next, it's all down to how the barley is treated at the beginning. In the Irish process they use both raw and malted barley and don't generally use peat to dry out the grains whereas in Scotch whisky the distiller  soaks the barley to induce germination, then dries it out to stop germination using peat fires and the peat smoke is what gives the barley a very unique flavor...got it, smoke, malt, mash....ooooh yes.

Then what? Well, then both types of whiskey (whisky...they're also spelt differently!) are matured for years and years and years and years in aged oak caskets. Typically ones that were previously used for port, or sherry. Yes, they pop the whiskey, which after distilling is perfectly clear and transparent, into these old caskets (they look like something out of a Pirate movie!) and stack 'em in sheds for eons....and after several years the whiskey takes on that familiar caramel color and flavor from the wood. See?

Now, I know all this runs counter to current culture, but some things in life are worth waiting for, right? Yes, I know, it seems odd to make something then stick it in a shed for ten years, but if you've ever been to Ireland or Scotland you'll know that time is viewed differently than it is here in the United States, so perhaps that might make more sense to you...

So, there you have it!
 
Irish and Scotch whiskey, the water of life and wonderful stuff to cook with, and to prove it next blog I'll post a recipe that uses whiskey to flavor the sauce. So, check in next time and go ahead and pour yourself a tipple of whiskey to warm the heart and comfort the soul on these cold wintry nights!
 
Enjoy!
Judie the Irish Foodie.

Pancake Tuesday, who knew?

So, do you what today is? Yes,it's Tuesday...and? Yes, it's Mardi Gras...and?

None other than 'Pancake Tuesday'. 'Huh?' I hear you shrug...yes, yet another Irish custom, and this one is a cherished childhood memory of mine that I thought I would share.

So, what is Pancake Tuesday?

Today is also known as 'Shrove Tuesday', 'tis the day before the fasting of Lent begins, so years ago in Ireland this meant having a good old feast of yummy, sticky goodness the day before the chocolate and alcohol were locked away in the build up to Easter. As a child, I remember our school cafeteria serving pancakes of questionable quality on Pancake Tuesday and my Mum and Dad always had pancakes as a side, or a dessert after dinner on Pancake Tuesday.

Sometimes festivities across Ireland and UK would mean pancake tossing competitions, and believe it or believe it not even the fabled Kate, the dear old Duchess of Cambridge along with 'Wills' came to Belfast, Northern Ireland last year to delight the onlookers with her pancake Tuesday tossing skills...William was very impressed I'm sure!

So, there you have it! Yet another piece of Irish fun-factness to store away, and to suitable mark the grand occasion my husband has gracefully agreed to share his secret Saturday morning pancake recipe with the world. It's his one culinary contribution, and of these fluffy rounds of goodness he is very pleased.

Enjoy!

Judie the Irish Foodie

(makes around 16 pancakes)

2 eggs
2 cups of flour (shifted)
3Tbs of sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2-3 cups of buttermilk
1/2 stick of Irish butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
2 Tsp of vegetable oil

Mix the dry ingredients together first, then add the eggs, butter, vanilla nd finally the buttermilk. Whisk lightly without overbeating and ladle onto the waiting hot griddle!

Believe me, once you've made real pancakes you'll never go back to store-bought mixes again....and sometimes to make these special, I'll whisk up some of my special Irish whiskey caramel sauce to spoon onto them. But that's another blog for another day my friends!!

J the I F

Irish food for lovers! oooh...

OK, so St. Valentine was a Roman guy I believe, or Spanish, or something...but definitely not Irish, but hey, we Irish can be lovers too, no? Alright, alright, I admit it. When you think of all things romantic, Ireland doesn't spring to mind instantly. You tend to think of beautiful people swooning around with French accents bearing gifts of roses and chocolates with ridiculous moustaches, fabulous hair and overly tight fitting clothes whilst the Irish are stuck in the pub... but I am here to put this injustice to right!!

Yes, believe it or believe it not we Irish can have a romantic side, and this week I have a super duper 'after-dinner' recipe to prove it. Ladies and gentlemen I give you.. 'Winter Tipsy Trifles'. Decadent, delicious and just the thing to round of a perfectly romantic evening with the one that you love.... ahh.

You see, during these dark wintry nights we all need a wee something to lift our spirits. Something dark, sweet and preferably with a kick of whiskey would do the trick! So, I am presenting a wonderful chocolaty treat that will whisk away those cold February blues. Curl up with one of these and your honey bunny before a roaring fire, and all will seem well with the world...

These wonderful desserts are also very easy to make and are a fun Scots-Irish spin on the traditional English Sherry Trifle, using Bushmills Irish whiskey instead of sherry. So, have a go. Make one of these and you never know!!!

Dark Chocolate Custard ingredients:
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp corn flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup light cream
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 11.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) dark organic chocolate (at least 70% cocoa )

How to make it:
1. Gently heat the milk in a small saucepan, being careful not to boil. Remove from the heat.
2. In a clean bowl combine the egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar and gently whisk together.
3. Whisk in the warm milk to egg mixture and then transfer all the combined ingredients to the small saucepan used to heat the milk earlier.
4. Cook the custard on medium-low heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the chocolate until it has melted.

Irish tipsy trifle ingredients: (serves 4-6)

• 4 oz lady fingers or an 8”sponge cake (cut in to small piece)
• 3 Tbsp raspberry preserves
• 4 Tbsp (¼ cup) raspberry flavored liqueur
• 4 Tbsp (¼ cup) whiskey
• 10 oz raspberries
• 4 Tbsp (¼ cup) sugar (plus 2 Tbsp water)
• Dark chocolate custard (see custard recipe)
• 4 fluid oz (½ cup) heavy whipping cream (1 cup whipped)
• 1 Tbsp fine granulated sugar
• (for the garnish)
• 3 oz (¼ cup) Chocolate (shaved)
• 6 mint sprigs
• 6 raspberries

Hope you enjoy your Valentines Day!
Judie the Irish Foodie.

Neeps & Tatties & Tartan time

So this week I am continuing my early in the year obsession with everything Scottish after just having returned from the most wonderful night, giving a presentation with Gary at the Burns Club of Atlanta, in an authentically recreated Burns cottage right in the middle of the city of Atlanta! A superb and surreal experience that I will blog about next, but as ever, it made me think of what food to pair with the event and, I thought I would serve up a wee Scottish delight in the form of 'Neeps & Tatties'...that's pronounced N-eeeps and Tat- tees. Got it?

Neeps and what?

Actually, they're a fun and incredibly comforting and delicious way to serve root vegetables. Very fitting for these Winter nights (what winter I hear you cry??)

So, the neeps is Scots slang  for parsnips...neeps, nips, get it? And the tatties are the beloved po-tat-o.
Oh yes, never grows old.

So here's the thing...Scots-Irish folks love to mash their root vegetables and when freshly dug from the earth, boiled, seasoned and mashed, there are few more simple pleasures than these. A true comfort food that suits the colder climates in Scotland and Northern Ireland, this simple pairing will never-the-less work as a cold comfort in Appalachia also. Serve the Neeps’n Tatties mashed side by side either on their own, or as a side dish. Enjoy.

Ingredients for the Neeps:

• 1 lb. turnip/rutabagas (peeled & cut into chunks)
• 1 lb. carrots (peeled and quartered)
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. half cream and milk
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (good pinch)
• 1 tbsp. parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp. white pepper

Ingredients for the Tatties:

• 2 lbs. white potatoes (peeled & quartered)
• 2 oz. butter
• 4 tbsp. half cream & milk
• 1 tbsp. chives (chopped)
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

How to make the Neeps:

1. Prepare the turnip and carrots then cut into small even pieces.
2. Place the turnip in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil.
3. Cook for 10 minutes before adding the carrots.

1. Cook the vegetables together for a further 20-25 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
2. Drain the vegetables and mash them together.
3. Gently heat the milk and butter together, incorporate liquid with the vegetables and stir in the parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

How to make the tatties:

1. Prepare the potatoes and place in pot of cold water.
2. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Drain and dry out by placing the potatoes in metal colander over a saucepan, allowing the heat to gently dry and steam them.
4. Warm the milk and add the butter.
5. Mash potatoes and add wet ingredients.
6. Stir in the chives, salt and pepper.

Enjoy!
Judie the Irish Foodie...

Burns night, beyond haggis and Auld lang syne

January 25th is Burns Night, and to most, the Scots poet Robert Burns is a complete unknown and Burns Night a complete mystery. Yet, every New Years Eve we all link arms and mumble the words to ‘Auld Lang Syne’, do we not?’ Of course we do , and if you’re like most people, you don’t actually know the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne beyond “should old acquaintance be forgot”, etc but did you know that in the midst of your New Year frivolities you were are in fact reciting the words of Scotland’s most notable poet? Yes, ’tis he of the tartan lands, the Scottish Shakespeare, the notable Robert Burns. More famous than a blue painted Mel Gibson in a skirt with a sword! Yes indeed, ‘tis the Bard himself, and every January 25th in pubs and clubs across the land Burns night suppers are held in his honor.

So, what’s this all about again?

Actually, joking aside, the Scots poet Robert Burns is a big deal in Scotland and Northern Ireland and as such I thought it very fitting to write a wee blog in his honor and then follow up with a wee recipe that hails from Scotland to warm us all up on these cold and wet winter nights.

And who is he, this Burns guy?

Well, our wee Robert Burns is a hero who lived in the 18th century and is regarded as Scotland’s favorite son. (Think of what Thomas Jefferson means to America, get it?) He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish Diaspora around the world. And so, every year we dress up, eat haggis, sing songs and have a great ‘ol time being Scottish, even if you’re not!

This year I’m actually celebrating the event by being a guest chef contributing to the Burn’s supper event at my local Irish pub, Olde Blinde Dog in Milton GA. Should be good craic as we say, and I may even sell a few more copies of the Shamrock and Peach!

So that’s your cultural lesson for this month, and tune in later this week as I’ll follow up Burns night with a really nice, truly Scottish recipe that is comfort food for cold nights!

So, I’ll leave you with our romantic Robbie burns and a verse of one of his famous poems I love….aaahhh.

Robert Burns ( 1759–1796)

O my Luve's like a red, red rose

That's newly sprung in June

O my Luve's like the melodie

That's sweetly played in tune.

Till next time y'all!

Judie the Irish Foodie