Filet Mignon for the 40th!

My husband Gary turned 40 this month, a big event in anyone’s books and for me time to get cooking planning a meal that would blow the socks off the man I love and leave a food memory for years to come. My plan was to have a huge birthday bash with scores of friends but alas, being the introvert that he is, the ‘do’ of his dreams was an intimate dinner party hosted in our home with special guests that have meant something to him over the past years. Close friends flew in from Colorado and Dallas for the occasion and we gathered in abandon to let the celebrations begin.

I allowed just a couple of my ‘foodie’ friends to bring appetizers including my ‘China-Latina’ friend Deborah who made her famous Chinese Spring Rolls and Chef Ford Fry who made his own soft tacos, Shredded Pork with Guava Sauce topped with Cilantro and finely shredded cabbage along with killer White Sangria. And to top off the appetizer frenzy I baked a couple of my husband’s favorite brie-en-croute dishes with brown sugar, brandy and pecans….and that was just for starters!

When it came to the entrée of choice for the evening I decided on marinated, pan seared and roasted whole beef tenderloin, and actually, I prepared two of them. We then served the beef on top of some grilled asparagus spears with Potato-au-Gratin on the side. It turned out to be wonderfully elegant…

When shopping for beef I always remember my fathers advice, a beef farmer, who advised me to look for marbling in my meat, those thin streaks of fat that give incredible flavor. And so I found just the plump specimen, and was inspired to create a delicious sauce with choice wine and peppercorn. Most chefs use shallots in this sauce but I love the sweet mild flavor of the Vidalia contrasted with the peppercorns. I think it turned out great, and now you can have a go….

Happy birthday G !

Pan Seared Filet Mignon with a Cabernet Peppercorn Sauce
(serves 6)

6 beef filet mignon
3 whole black peppercorns (crushed)
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp oil
½ cup sweet onion (very finely chopped)
2 Tbsp Flour
¼ cup cabernet red Wine
¾ cup of Beef Stock
2 Tbsp pink peppercorns in brine (drained)
4 Tbsp whipping cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Season steaks with crushed peppercorns and kosher sea salt. Sear fillets in butter and oil in a medium/high pan for 2 minutes for rare, 3 minutes medium rare and 4 minutes for well done on both sides. Transfer to an ovenproof dish.

Place steaks in oven.

Meanwhile sauté the finely chopped onions in the pan juice with the pink peppercorns. Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add red wine and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the beef stock stirring with a wooden spoon.

Remove steaks from oven to rest.

Pour any juices from the steaks in to the sauce and reduce slightly. Add whipping cream and taste to adjust seasoning.

Strain sauce and serve straight away drizzled over steak.

Enjoy!

J

Baked Fish and Potato Pie

Last week a friend flew in from the UK to see us, Ged Maloney, the sales manager for Punjana Tea (..an ‘Ulster Kitchen’ favorite!) However, on the way from England Ged had lost his luggage and was a bit stressed out, so, right then I knew there was a need for some old fashioned Irish comfort food to ease away those traveling blues…

The first thing that came to mind was my grandmother’s ‘Fish and Potato Pie’ with a garden salad and crusty bread, and so here it is in all it’s glory. We love this food, and it’s very much an Irish favorite. If you stay in Ireland for any length of time someone is bound to serve you some version of this tasty dish….. (Pies are also great for company because they can be prepared an hour our two ahead of time and quickly baked 30 minutes before serving with all the pots and pans washed up to give you time to enjoy your guests)

As for what fish I used?….smoked haddock or cod, which would be authentically Irish were not available at short notice, so I improvised with the popular Southern white fish Tilapia instead, and I must say and we were very happy with the texture and flavor.

As always, cook what is fresh and local and take the freedom to substitute the fish catch that is most fresh and native to where you live. Hope you are able to take this recipe and cook for the next weary traveler that crosses your path!

Enjoy!

Judith, the Irish Foodie

---------------------------------
Three Fish Melody Potato Pie

Filling:

½ Lb haddock (skinless and boneless)
½ Lb Salmon (skinless and boneless)
½ Lb Shrimp (de veined)
1 ¼ pint milk
1 bay leaf
4-5 peppercorns
3 Tbsp butter
1 shallot (chopped)
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley (chopped)
Sea salt and pepper
2 Tbsp Sharp Irish Cheddar Cheese

Topping:

3 ½ Lbs potatoes (peeled and cut in quarters)
2 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
¼ cup sharp Irish Cheddar Cheese

Method:

Place potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a roaring boil. Reduce temperature and allow potatoes to simmer for 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.

Place haddock and salmon in a large wide brimmed saucepan and pour over milk. Add bay leaf and peppercorn. Cover and bring to a boil and then reduce to simmering cooking for 12-14 minutes or until fish is flaky and cooked through.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove fish and place in a shallow dish. Strain and discard peppercorn and bay leaf reserving liquid.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in large sauté pan and cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes. Transfer shrimp over fish.

Add 2 Tbsp butter to pan and sautee shallot for 2 minutes to soften, add flour and cook for 1 minute to make a roux. Add reserved liquid, lemon juice, parsley, salt and Irish cheese.

Pour sauce over fish and shrimp.

Cream potatoes, milk, butter and salt and pepper using potato masher. Spoon over fish and flatten with a knife. Sprinkle over cheese.9. Bake for 35

minutes. Broil for a minute

Enjoy!

Barack Obama gets an Irish Linen Tea Towel at No.10

Would you believe it? The very products I sell in my Ulster Kitchen store became quite famous this week at the G20 summit. How so? You say….well, read on…(here’s the story as reported by the good ‘ol BBC)


“The leaders of the world's 20 richest countries have received a goody bag including a linen tea towel made in NI at a Downing Street reception. “(The tea towels are made by Banbridge-based Thomas Ferguson Irish Linen, and sold by ‘yours truly..)

Yes, Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy and their international counterparts were also given a designer tie, chocolates and a candle.
The goody bags were meant to showcase the best of British creativity.

"They (Downing Street) placed an order and we delivered basically, but we didn't know it was going to go in the goody bag," said Judith Neilly, marketing manager at Thomas Ferguson Irish Linen.
"It's one of the finer tea towels that we do, but it's the same tea towel as you'll find in your drawer at home.
"I'd love to think of Barack and Michelle stood there in pajamas doing the washing-up after breakfast using our tea towel, however, I can't really see it somehow."
Ms Neilly said enquires from potential customers had increased three-fold since news of the company's inclusion in the G20 goody bag broke.
"It's been amazing and mainly online it has to be said, but we've been even more surprised by the furor that it's created - we've been inundated by the world's media."
The company bears the name of its founder Thomas Ferguson who established the business in 1854.
The goody bags were handed out after the leaders enjoyed a meal devised by top chef and TV favourite Jamie Oliver.


Aha!...the humble towel, hand made in Northern Ireland by Ferguson’s Irish Linen company received International acclaim. The British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, presented ‘goodie bags’ showcasing the best of British creativity and design to all the world leaders attending the G-20 summit. Top of the line tea cloths are the 100% Irish Linen which are more absorbent than the Linen and Cotton Blend cloths also sold on-line. The very best kitchen stores in the US only sell cotton tea towels so I am proud to sell a unique premium drying cloth. Linen is top notch when drying glass and fine china because the long flax fibers do not leave any lint or smears. Once you own a cloth you will know what I mean. It’s hard to believe a product that has not changed much since woven in 1854 by Ferguson’s Irish Linen is highly fashionable and a memorable gift item. Most folks just do not know what they are missing!

So, if it’s good enough for the President, then it’s..good enough!
Click on the link to my website above, go the on-line store, and you too could give a gift with a story when you order an Ulster Linen Cloth.
Ok, so you’re not drying glass in the White House, but this is the next best thing folks!

It’s a no nonsense quality item to indulge your own kitchen accessories or give away. We also stock quality Irish Butlers Chocolates and Irish Candles to complete your own ‘goodie bag’ just in time for Easter.
(you’ll have to buy the ‘designer tie’ yourself!)

So, until next time…enjoy the Irish Linen Michelle!

Judith x

Beef in Guinness with Parsley Dumplings

March 17 is rapidly approaching, so, let’s get the party started! ...and here is the ultimate Irish comfort dish that will bring them around the table wearing green and talking a ‘wee bit of blarney’…Beef in Guinness!...as Irish as it gets!

Over the weekend we entertained Brion Fitzpatrick, director of sales for his family business ‘All Irish Foods’ a division of the Euro Foods Group- they import some great Irish and British gourmet food products to the US, and many of these products are sold in the Ulster Kitchen’s Pails of Irish Blessing. (You can go ahead and check out the products on his website out at http://www.eurofoodsgroup.com ), and given that it was close to St. Patricks I went ahead and served up what has become my signature dish for winter cooking classes, - braised beef cooked slowly in Guinness.

This dish has proven to be a big hit for me here in Georgia. A couple of year’s back I was honored to cook as a guest on a Georgia TV cooking show hosted by Hans Rueffert called “Hans Cooks the World”. (Hans was one of the contestants on the Food Network Star a few years ago. He has a new cookbook hot off the press called “Eat like there is no tomorrow” that I cannot wait to get my own signed copy. He is a phenomenal cook!)..and again, this was the dish I chose to prepare on live TV.

So, you can gather a group of friends and the Ulster Kitchen can come to your home to cook and entertain you, or now you have my recipe get out the sauté pan and start cooking. I always say its all about celebrating life together, and for me the best way to do this is cooking, so wear some green and have a go at this!

Beef with Guinness and Parsley Dumplings
(leeks and carrots julienne)

(Serves 4-6)

2 Lbs Beef Chuck or brisket (cut in to 1 x 2 inch cubes)
1 ½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 olive oil
2 onions (peeled and chopped)
3 Tbsp flour (blended in a little water)
1 pint (2 cups) Guinness stout
¼ pint (½ cup) beef stock
Bouquet Garni (tie together sprig of thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, sage)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tsp sugar

Parsley Dumplings
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
4 Tbsp butter (cold)
3 Tbsp fresh parsley (chopped) (plus some to garnish)
4 Tbsp ice water
Salt and pepper (to taste)
(Julienne)
2 leeks (cut in thin strips)
3 carrots (cut in thin strips)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cube meat and sprinkle with plenty of Salt and pepper. Begin to brown meat in oil in small batches. Transfer each batch to a Dutch style oven when done.

Sautee onions in skillet until they are lightly colored. Transfer to Dutch oven with meat. Deglaze sauté pan with a little Guinness and pour over meat and onions. Add rest of Guinness, blended flour mixture, beef stock, garlic, sugar, bouquet garni.

Cover the skillet and place in oven for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
While casserole is baking prepare dumplings. Measure flour and salt. Mix the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper. Add water to form dough and shape in to 12 small balls.

Remove the casserole from the oven. Discard the bouquet garni and quickly drop the dumplings on top of the casserole while it is still bubbling until dumplings puff up.

Blanch leeks and carrots in boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to bowl of ice water. Gently sauté for garnish.

Serve on top of Irish Champ potatoes and garnish with leeks and carrots and a sprig of parsley.

May the road rise to meet ya!

Judith

Chicken Fried Steak

I want to dedicate this latest entry to my father-in-law, Jimmy McLoughlin back in Northern Ireland, who commented after eating this dish at a Southern restaurant in Chattanooga Tennessee that it was the best thing he had ever eaten! A true Ulster man…he loves fried food, as do Southerners of course! He will be visiting us in Atlanta this November from Ireland and I hope he will be glad to hear that I have finally nailed this dish and am ready to make his day.

So, here I go…Chicken Fried Steak, which ironically has no chicken in sight, but instead is fried just like chicken...get it? Actually, a better description would be” Buttermilk soaked steak fried with a crispy breading served with rich brown gravy garnished with thick country bacon and a sprig of thyme” whew!...but that doesn’t sound as good, does it?

Ahh, fried food…there is just something about fried food that brings such comfort to the Irish as reminiscent of those times our mothers brought out the pan to make us an ‘Ulster Fry’. The bringing out of the pan for an Irish Fried breakfast is the ultimate coming together and sure way of having everyone around the table.
In the South we find the same cravings for comfort but this time with this tasty beef entrée. Makes me wonder about its origins? Such a dish could have been invented in the heart of an early settler in those pioneer days. Of course I would want to claim it as Irish, but even if I cannot prove any Irish origins of Southern Chicken Fried Steak I have still to meet an Ulster man who did not lick his lips at this dish.

Now, be warned…the kitchen will be a mess, hot splashing fat and dripping batter, but just watch the joy in your families’ faces it is served before them. Some things are worth a little sacrifice! Hope you give it a go!

(Serves 4)

1 ½-2 Lbs top round steak (cut in to 4)
1 cup all purpose flour (plus 3 Tbsp)
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 eggs plus 1 Tbsp water (beaten)
2 cups buttermilk (soak)
4 slices of thick style bacon
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 ¼- 1/2 pints (2 ½- 3 cups) chicken stock
1 tsp thyme (chopped) (plus 4 sprigs for garnish)


Method:

1.
Cut top steak in to 4 large pieces. Use a meat tenderizer to pound steak in between two pieces of plastic wrap to ¼’ thick.
2.
Season steak with salt and pepper. Soak meat in buttermilk for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3.
Organize flour and a little more salt and pepper in shallow bowl. Whisk eggs and water together and place in another shallow dish. Remove steak from buttermilk soap and dip in the seasoned flour, then egg mixture and finish with a final coat of flour.
4.
Fry bacon in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.
5.
Add steak in small batches to hot bacon fat and cook for 3-5 minutes until crust is golden brown. Pan should be medium-high and meat sizzle and spit. Turn over steak and cook for a further 3 minutes on other side until juices run clear. Remove from skillet and place on a platter lined with paper towels.
6.
Sautee the onion in pan until soft and translucent. Add 3 Tbsp flour and cook while stirring with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Slowly add chicken stock and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
7.
To make a smooth gravy process sauce with a hand blender and strain.
8.
Plate green beans, mashed potatoes and set steak on top. Drizzle gravy over meat and around plate. Garnish with a piece of bacon and sprig of thyme.

Enjoy y'all!
J.

Hearty Ulster-Scots Broth

(Braised Beef with Winter Vegetables)

On the eve of the birthday of the famous Scottish Poet Robert Burns who was born 250 years ago. It makes me reflect on my history, cultural heritage and then of course to my greatest passion, namely food....and with the chilly temps we've been having in Georgia lately, this is a great time to curl up by the fire with some hearty Scots broth. So, put another log on the fire and read on....

Few things remind me more of my mother’s comfort food than Ulster-Scots Broth. It was part of our weekly diet, back then made with a lamb shank instead of stewing beef, and was always a hit. In cold dark nights in Ulster, the glow of a turf fire and a bowl of Scots broth warmed the heart and cheered the soul. Growing up in a farm it was also a staple for feeding hungry farm workers who were invited for lunch, especially during those busy times when my father contracted silage out. The mighty combine harvester would cut the grass at record speed and the men, tired from being out in the cold fields all day, said they always looked forward to working on our farm because of my mothers famous broth.

Try serving it with some hearty Irish Wheaten Bread or Warm Southern Biscuits.

1 ½ Lbs stewing beef (cut in ¾” cubes)
kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1½ Tbsp butter
1 large onion (chopped)
1 large leek (cleaned and chopped)
1 ½ pints (6 cups) vegetable stock
½ small yellow turnip (2 cups) (peeled and cubed)
4 medium potatoes (2 cups) (peeled and diced)
5 medium size carrots (1 ½ cups) (peeled and diced)
6 Tbsp pearl parley
3 Tbsp parsley (chopped)

Method:

Pre-soak barley in plenty of cold water for 1 hour.

Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large sauté pan and sear the meat in small batches. Transfer meat to dutch style oven or a large saucepan. Add butter to sauté pan and cook the onions and leeks for 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and add to meat.

Pour vegetable stock over meat, onions and leeks. Bring to a boil and then turn temperature down to low and cook for 1 ½ hours.

Add the pearl barley and cook for 15 minutes.
Add potatoes, yellow turnip and carrots. Cover and simmer broth for a further 25 minutes until all the vegetables are tender when pieced with a fork.
Skim off any fat from surface of broth.
Season to taste.

Serve in a warmed soup bowl and garnish with chopped parsley.

Stay warm, and enjoy!

Judith.

Happy New Year!...and thank you

Just wanted to add a wee post at the first of the month to wish all of you a very happy new year!

2008 was certainly eventful for me, we started our small business, 'The Ulster Kitchen', built our website and blog, finished out the concept of my book and cooked a thousand dishes, all whilst loving life in Roswell Georgia as a wife and Mom...I feel very blessed...and I'm very fortunate to be surrounded by such good friends such as you!

Thank you for your support this year, I could not have begun this journey without your love and support.

So, here's to 2009!...may it be a good year for you, full of peace ,promise, joy, laughter and hope....and stay tuned, there's lots going on in this kitchen in the coming months!

Love,
Judith.

Festive Brandy Pear Dumplings

Last week a dear friend came over and shared her cherished family tradition of making Apple Dumplings. The dough reminded me of my Ulster Kitchen scone recipe and once again I could sense the influence of how the old European world recipes were adapted to create new world classical American traditions and comforting home cooking. So, with Christmas approaching, I decided to take my own spin on this by using pears and brandy for that special festive touch…and this dessert will be on our menu on Christmas Day!

We enjoyed eating them with Caramel flavored ice cream and a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Your feedback as always is welcomed.

Merry Christmas and eat your way through the season with Joy!


6 medium Pears (peeled and cored)

(Brandy Sugar Syrup)
4 Tbsp Brandy
½ cup sugar
½ cup water

(Spiced Sugar Syrup)
1 ¾ cups water
1 ½ cups sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
few drops of red food coloring
3 Tbsp butter

(Dough)
2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cups (128g) shortening
½ cup milk

Method:

To make the brandy sugar syrup by boiling the water, sugar and brandy together for 2 minutes and set aside to cool. Make spiced sugar syrup by placing water, sugar, spices and food coloring and boil for 3 minutes in another small saucepan. Stir in butter.

To make the pastry sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Use pastry cutter or tips of fingers to rub in shortening to resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in milk with a metal spoon to combine.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel pears and carefully insert an apple corer in to the base of the pear stopping to keep the pear stem in tact, twist and pull out seeds. Spoon brandy syrup over pears and marinade for a few minutes.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to an 18x12’ rectangle. Cut in to 6 squares.

Use a skewer to make a small hole in the center of dough squares for the pear stem. Brush edges of pastry with water and place dough over pear. Pinch together with fingers to help form a tight seal and tuck excess dough to the base.

Place pears 1’ apart in a 12x9’ pan. Pour syrup over dumplings and place in oven to bake for 30 minutes. Continue to baste with syrup every 10 minutes to allow syrup to caramelize over crust.

Remove from oven and serve spooning remaining syrup over pears.

Enjoy!
J.

Pails of Irish Blessing!

Just in time for the Christmas season the Ulster Kitchen would like to announce our holiday gift item, namely our:
’Pails of Irish Blessing’.
Beautiful, bountiful and brimming with Irish joy….how can you possibly resist?

The unique pails are filled with authentic Irish tea from Belfast (not the yucky stuff in a green box!), Butter Shortbread, Baileys Irish Fudge, Irish linen towels, Irish handmade candles and (of course) a few wee bottles of ‘the water of life’ , all garnished with a Kelly green bow. All the products are the ‘real McCoy’, made in Ireland and the cookies and fudge baked fresh the day of delivery. Now what more would you need to make a friends day special? Customers have a choice of Decaf or Irish breakfast tea and we will be offering Johnston’s Irish coffee soon all for the same deal. (Johnston’s coffee is blended and roasted in County Antrim in Ireland, and is wonderful indeed!)

Small Pails $25
Large Pails $49
(cash or check payable to the ‘The Ulster Kitchen’ )

An Irish heritage is celebrated through Irish Blessings, legends and poetry. So even if you are not Irish, the tradition to wish someone well and speak life giving messages of hope and blessings can be enjoyed by all.

As a culture the Irish have a principle of always giving a wee bit back to the community and in business relationships. My father is a sheep farmer and when he closes a deal and pays for sheep in cash the customer always gives him a ‘wee bit back’ in what we call a ‘luck penny’. So, as Christmas approaches it gives us all a chance to give back to the people with whom we have traded or shared community.

So go ahead and bless someone this season and remember, in life it is often the little things that count, and always count your blessings…..

E-mail me if you would like to give an Irish blessing this Christmas….
e: theulsterkitchen@bellsouth.net

May the Road Rise Up to meet you….

Judith

Pomegranate Irish Iced Tea

Ahh…tea, tea, tea. Wonderful indeed! I was literally baptized in the stuff and drink my favorite hot beverage at least 5 times a day, but I must confess, I am a bit of a tea drinking snob. Any old brand from the store just will not do, and the quest to find the perfect cup of tea here in Atlanta has led me back home. ..all the way home you might say….

Fortunately, after a lot of research involving tasteless teas, I discovered that Northern Ireland’s leading tea brand, ‘Punjana’ is now available in the US and be shipped anywhere in the US by The Ulster Kitchen. This is superb tea (am I biased?) and is blended in Belfast by a four generation family firm who consider quality their highest achievement. The differences between these authentic teas and the run of the mill brands from Kroger are amazing. You must taste the difference.

Of course, here in the South we also love our tea, and the popularity of iced tea can be appreciated at a whole new level when made with Punjana. The Ulster Kitchen’s Pomegranate Ice Tea was a big hit at a Women’s Expo promoting health, Lifestyle and Beauty held in Roswell Georgia this past weekend. Why I even had my husband and two sons promoting by giving out free samples in the warm Georgia fall sunshine to delight first time customers….photos may follow.

Tea has amazing health benefits including being a rich source of potassium, which is vital for maintaining fluid levels in the body and may help protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer. (Read more about the health benefits at www.punjana.com)
The pomegranate fruit containing tiny ruby red pearl like seeds is gaining popularity because of its health benefits also. he fruit is rich in antioxidants and contains folic acid, potassium, niacin, vitamin C, iron and calcium. So, go ahead and try this recipe for a fresh alternative to a wonderful drink.

Enjoy!
J.

Pomegranate Ice Tea with Mint

If you prefer to use fresh pomegranates cut them in half and juice as you would an orange. Strain any pulp or seeds. I like to use store bought juice and cheat by garnishing with fresh pomegranate red jewel-like seeds.

(Makes 1 gallon)

(Simple syrup)
1 cup sugar
2 cups water

(Tea)
10 cups (5 pints) natural spring water
8 bags of Punjana Irish Breakfast (decaf)
2 cups (1 pint) simple syrup
4 cups (2 pints) pomegranate juice
Mint sprigs (to garnish)
Seeds of one pomegranate (optional)

Method
Make simple syrup by bringing sugar and water to a boil. Set aside and cool.
Use fresh drawn cold water and bring to a boil. (Re-boiling water takes the oxygen out and stops the tea from brewing properly).

Preheat tea pot. Place tea bags in pot and pour over boiling water. Brew tea for 1-3 minutes depending how strong you enjoy your brew. Remove tea bags and dispose.

Combine sugar syrup and pomegranate juice to cooled tea.

Serve over crushed ice in an ice tea glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a few pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!