The Irish Countrywomen's Association Cookbook E-Book

Irish Countrywomen's Association

• Herausgeber: Gill Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Whether you are looking for a comforting soup, a family meal or something sweet, the beauty of this book is that you know the recipe will work. There are over 100 delicious recipes for everything from Spring Nettle Soup and Dublin Coddle to Crusted Rack of Lamb with Orange and Olive Salad, together with 'How To' sections on baking, making preserves and cooking potatoes as well as cooking for a crowd and within a budget. This cookbook will also prove an invaluable resource for the next generation of home-makers, those novice cooks still building up confidence in the kitchen who might call home for that foolproof recipe. Think of The ICA Cookbook as akin to having not just your own mammy on speed dial but rather a whole host of mammies and grannies from all over the country, each sharing their own words of wisdom and precious firsthand experiences.

Leseprobe

THE IRISH COUNTRYWOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

COOKBOOK

Recipes from our homes to yours

General Editor Aoife Carrigy

GILL & MACMILLAN

Contents

Cover

Title page

Introduction by ICA National President

A Note from the Editor, Aoife Carrigy

A Word from the Guest Chefs

Marie McGuirk, resident chef and cookery tutor at An Grianán

Edward Hayden, TV chef and food writer

Chapter 1: To Start

Soups

Carrot Soup

Asparagus Soup

Spring Nettle Soup

Chilled Avocado Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Quick Vegetable Soup

Fresh Tomato & Bean Soup

Cauliflower & Bacon Soup with Cheese Toasties

Butternut Squash Soup

Salads & Starters

Chicken & Pecan Salad

Pan-Fried Prawns with Lemon & Garlic

Grilled Peach with Herbed Cheese

Roast Red Peppers with Basil Pesto

Blue Cheese, Pear & Walnut Salad

Pan-Fried Smoked Salmon & Couscous Salad

Quick Spiced Beef with Orange Cream

How To… cook for a crowd

Chapter 2: Main Meals

Vegetarian

Broccoli, Cherry Tomato & Cheese Tart

Spinach Pie

Courgette & Feta Frittata

Pasta with Tomato & Vodka Sauce

Vegetable Crumble

Butterbean & Vegetable Au Gratin

Mushroom Stroganoff

Seafood

Fish Burgers with Tartare Sauce

Blackened Cajun Salmon & Citrus Yoghurt

Express Fish Pie

Smoked Haddock Pie

Whole Baked Salmon

Roast Cod Steaks with Herb Pesto

Pan-Fried Hake with Salsa Verde

White Meat

Pork & Potato Cakes

Dublin Coddle

Pork Chops & Bubble ‘n’ Leek Cakes

Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

Fragrant Chicken Curry

Roast Goose with Damson & Apple Sauce

Rabbit Pie

Roast Chicken with Onion & Thyme Stuffing

Turkey Meatballs with Pasta

How To… cook within a budget

Pork & Cider Stroganoff

Red Meat

Hungarian Beef Goulash

Irish Stew

Shepherd’s Pie

Meat Loaf

Beef & Mushroom Pie

Braised Derrynaflan Brisket

Crusted Rack of Lamb with Orange & Olive Salad

Fillet of Beef with Roast Shallot & Balsamic Reduction

Marinated Roast Fillet

Chapter 3: On the Side

Vegetables & Salads

Courgette Boats

Puréed Brussels Sprouts

Parsnip & Apples

Lickeen Colcannon

Puréed Parsnips

Parisian Potatoes

Coleslaw

Granny’s Roast Potatoes

Spiced Couscous Salad

How To… cook potatoes

Dips, Sauces & Stocks

Hummus

Spinach Dip

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Salsa Rioja

Sweet Chilli Sauce

Basil Pesto

Damson & Apple Sauce

Goose Giblet Stock

Chicken Stock

How To… make preserves

Preserves

Redcurrant & Orange Jam

Blackberry & Apple Jam

All Season Fruity Jam

Three Fruit Marmalade

Courgette Jam

Tomato & Apple Chutney

Apple & Ginger Chutney

Beetroot Chutney

Chapter 4: Baking & Sweet Things

Breads, Scones & Pastry

Bacon & Thyme Scones

Potato Scones

Pizza Muffins

Sweet Fruit Scones

Walnut & Treacle Bread

Brown Soda Bread

Rough Puff Pastry

How To… get baking

Cakes, Tarts & Sweet Snacks

Upside-Down Pear Cake

Light Lemon Sponge

Grandma’s Rhubarb Tart

Apple Tart

Black Forest Gateau

Pear & Roasted Hazelnut Tart

Almond Slices

Fraughan Buns

Parsnip Cake with Walnuts & Raisins

Cake in a Mug

Coffee Mud Cake

Mince Pies

Fruit Cake

Carrot & Pineapple Squares

Strawberry Sablé

Anzac Biscuits

Dried Fruit Salad

Puddings & Desserts

Chocolate Coffee Mousse Cups

Pavlova

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake

Blackberry & Apple Crumble

Australian Paradise Meringues

Tropical Baked Rice Queen of Puddings

Blueberry Bread Pudding

Sticky Date Pudding with Pecan Toffee Sauce

White Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding

Cranberry & Chocolate Roulade

Egg-Free Christmas Pudding

Bailey’s Cheesecake

Appendices

Useful Equipment & Glossary

Useful Equipment

Glossary

Recipe Contributors

ICA Guild Members

Marie McGuirk

Edward Hayden

An Grianán adult education centre

Historic Members of the ICA

Acknowledgements

List of Photographs

Copyright

About the ICA

About Gill & Macmillan

Introduction

Over the 100 years of the history of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association, a variety of local cookbooks have been written by individual ICA Guilds and their members. The aim of the earliest books produced was to be a practical guide to help women improve their culinary skills. These early books were passed down through families from one generation to the next. I am lucky enough to have a very well-used and well-loved ICA cookery book, Bantracht na Tuaitha: 1910–1960 Golden Jubilee Cookery Book, as part of my family’s heritage. When I came into office as National President of the ICA, we felt the time had come to ask my fellow members to join me in contributing some of the wonderful recipes that we use every day in our homes to make up a national cookery book of the ICA’s favourite dishes.

We wanted to include dishes featuring produce local to our area and recipes enjoyed in a family for generations alongside modern ideas picked up along the way, and in doing so to build up a new collection of recipes that span the length and breadth of the country. And we wanted to pepper these with practical tips for saving time and money, for getting the best results every time and for cooking for special diets in order to share the wealth of our members’ experience and to preserve this knowledge for future generations.

We in the ICA are very proud of our heritage and of all the milestones that we have collectively achieved over the last 100 years. This cookery book is not only a celebration of the wonderful ingredients and produce available in this great land, but also of our colourful history, our families, our local communities.

When the ICA was established in 1910, its aim was to improve the standard of life in rural Ireland through education and co-operative effort. Since its beginnings the ICA has been part of all of the key developmental activities in food and its production in Ireland. Up until the late 1920s, potatoes, cabbages and onions were the only vegetables grown and cooked throughout Ireland. The ICA bought and distributed a wide variety of seeds, and taught members how to grow and cook these new vegetables at what was the first ICA summer school, held in Sliabh na mBán, Co Tipperary in 1929.

In the 1930s these ICA classes expanded to cover poultry and egg production, cheese-making and bee-keeping to enable members improve their diets and earn money from the sale of their home produce. In response to Ireland’s tuberculosis epidemic in the earlier part of the last century the ICA encouraged members to keep goats whose milk was free from TB infection, and goats’ milk depots were set up around the country to enable members to trade.

By 1947 the ICA was involved in helping small producers to collectively market their home produce by setting up a nationwide network of Country Markets. In the 1950s the rural electrification of Ireland transformed the kitchens of Irish women and their families. Members of the ICA toured the country with a Model Farm Kitchen mobile unit, demonstrating the greatly improved cooking facilities now available. In the 1960s the ICA’s ‘Turn on the Tap’ group water scheme gave rural families the basic necessity of running water inside the home, improving hygiene and cooking as a result.

Now in the 21st Century, food and the joys of cooking continue to be an integral part of ICA life. We continue to offer cookery and gardening classes at An Grianán, our adult education centre in Termonfeckin, Co Louth where RTE’s ICA Bootcamp was filmed. In 2011 we joined forces with TV chef and food writer Edward Hayden, who embarked on a county-by-county road show of cookery demonstrations, an initiative that has proved extremely popular with members right across the country.

In today’s busy modern lives, the importance of a family meal cannot be overstated. It is around the family table that we learn so much about our values, where we right the wrongs of the day and discuss our problems and hopes for the future. The family meal is central to our communities and their wellbeing. The ICA Cookbook will help you make this experience the best it can be, and help us all rediscover the simple pleasures of a home-cooked meal made with local produce that is in season and good for our health.

As we have sung in our ICA song for the last 100 years, our land “is a rich and rare land, she is a fresh and fair land”. Let us enjoy what is all around us, both rich and fresh, and let us celebrate our heritage through the simple pleasures of home-cooked food.

Liz Wall

National President of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR, AOIFE CARRIGY

Contained in the following pages is a unique collection of recipes focused on tried and tested dishes from the homes of ordinary women from all over the country. Some of these women prefer to cook their food from scratch every time, down to using home-made stocks, sauces and pastries. Others believe life is too short to boil bones or roll your own puff pastry; these women have fridges, freezers and larders well-stocked with reliable fall-back ingredients and have no problem reaching for a bottle or opening a packet to save time. Some would consider these shortcuts to be cheating, others see them as pragmatic routes to delicious dishes. Some wouldn’t dream of using a microwave; others cook their fish, vegetables and even their cakes in them. The women of the ICA have never been shy of holding their own opinions, and these recipes give voice to a broad range of culinary schools of thought.

We are bombarded today with ideals of the perfect home-maker but the reality is that often we want to know how to cheat without compromising on flavour. There are other times when we want to dedicate the time to developing a new skill, so that our fridges, freezers and larders can become well-stocked with our own home-made fall-backs. This cookbook aims to satisfy both of those demands, and much else in-between.

We have also included dishes from Marie McGuirk and Edward Hayden, two of the chefs who work with the ICA on a regular basis and who pass on their culinary knowledge as tutors at An Grianán adult education centre. But for the most part these are real recipes from real women, some of whom may have trained in home economics, some of whom were trained by their grannies (many of them ICA members too), many of whom learnt from experience by cooking for their younger siblings or their growing families.

As you might expect there are lots of very traditional recipes tucked throughout these pages, many with interesting twists that take into account the changes in how we eat. Irish stew no longer needs to be cooked for hours before it is palatable, as tender lamb is available year round. Deep freezers mean bread and butter pudding is now less of a necessary frugality for using up stale bread, and more of a beloved classic – and a steady supply of fresh fruit means we can now play around with what we put into it. Indeed, in some cases we have included two different approaches to the one idea just to illustrate that there are many ways to scratch an itch.

But while many of these recipes are distinctly Irish, there are international influences too. Some of the authors of these recipes moved to Ireland from other countries, bringing with them their most treasured recipes. Others have taken a flavour of their favourite travels home to incorporate into their everyday repertoire.

Just as the women who these recipes represent are an eclectic bunch with diverse taste in home-cooked flavours, so too will the readers differ in their own culinary leanings and expertise. Experienced cooks looking for new ideas will find much to inspire and intrigue, whether they favour shortcuts or cooking from scratch. But this cookbook will also prove an invaluable resource for the next generation of home-makers, the novice cooks still building up confidence in the kitchen who might call home for that foolproof recipe – or might reach for this book instead. Think of The ICA Cookbook as akin to having not just your own mammy on speed dial but rather a whole host of mammies and grannies from all over the country, each sharing their own words of wisdom and precious firsthand experiences.

A WORD FROM THE GUEST CHEFS

Marie McGuirk, resident chef and cookery tutor at An Grianán

My mother’s tried and tested recipes and a lot of trial and error with new recipes; an apron, a wooden spoon and a well-stocked larder; a humming stove and a bustling family home: all of these things have moulded me into who I am today. I grew up on a farm where the front door was always open, the kettle was always on the boil and there was always something fresh coming out of the oven. Growing up reliant on the land and with an awareness of the seasons gave me an appreciation for eating foods that are local and where possible in season in order to get the best from ingredients.

Over thirty years ago I became involved with the ICA and An Grianán adult education centre. From the start, I embraced the ethos of this wonderful college which was entrusted to the ICA for the health, education and welfare of the people of Ireland. As a cookery tutor, my aim has been to empower people to cook simple ingredients well and produce wonderful meals with as little effort as possible. I am very passionate about buying local produce and utilising all the best resources from local suppliers and this very much reflects the philosophy of the ICA.

As a food writer for magazines and newspapers, I am also aware of the challenges faced by today’s world in which the art of home cooking and various domestic skills has skipped a generation. I hope that in some way this cookery book can help to address this gap, and inspire a new generation.

Marie McGuirk

The ICA is very grateful to Marie for sharing with us some of her favourite recipes from her own home and from the kitchen of An Grianán.

Edward Hayden, TV chef and food writer

Cooking is such a joy for so many people, giving them an opportunity to relax whilst both preparing the meal and entertaining family and friends. What better way to share that joy than through a cookery book, and particularly one that represents the kitchens of so many homes around Ireland?

It is my privilege to have been asked by ICA National President Liz Wall and her team to contribute some recipes to this cookery book and to be involved with the wonderfully dynamic and innovative group that is the Irish Countrywomen’s Association. Long before I got involved in my current capacity, my family enjoyed a great familiarity with and respect for the ICA. My first cousin Maureen Holden spent over 20 years working with the organisation at national level. I remember with great fondness a trip I took to Lake Garda with Maureen and some former national presidents, officers and friends of the ICA. The happenings of that holiday would make for a great book in itself!

Now a number of years later I have just completed a national cookery roadshow with the ICA and Kinane Kitchens, in which we did a series of cookery evenings and demonstrations for each ICA County Federation. It was great to travel around the country and meet the grassroots members who continue to practise those core values that are quintessential to the ICA. In recent times I have also joined the team of tutors at the wonderful An Grianán adult education centre to teach and demonstrate the art of cookery. Each time I visit, the range and diversity of courses offered amazes me, as does the level of commitment and dedication that is employed at An Grianán.

Food styles and trends have evolved in recent years, but the art of home entertaining has never waned in popularity. There is something very satisfying about spending time preparing and serving a delicious home-cooked meal to your family and friends. I have no doubt but that this book will be of great benefit as you carry on what has been one of the most essential acts since time began – that of cooking.

With every good wish to the officers and members of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association in their continued work for the organisation. Happy cooking!

Edward Hayden

The ICA is very grateful to Edward for sharing some of his favourite recipes with us in this book.

Chapter 1

To Start

Soups, Salads & Starters

SOUPS

Carrot Soup

AUDREY STARRETT, DONEGAL: JACK OF ALL TRADES

This recipe came about because a member of my family is a vegetarian but it soon became a favourite amongst us all. The sweetness of the carrots makes it extremely popular with children.

Serves 4–6

25g (1oz) butter1 medium onion, chopped1 bay leaf4–5 medium carrots, scraped and diced1 small potato, peeled and diced400ml (¾ pint) water400ml (¾ pint) milksalt and freshly ground black pepper

to garnish

1 handful chopped fresh chivesfresh cream (optional)In a large heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat, sweat the onion and bay leaf in a little melted butter for about five minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the carrot and potato and fry gently for a further seven minutes.Pour in water, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.Allow to cool a little, remove the bay leaf and liquidise in a blender. Pour back into the saucepan, add milk and heat through gently. Season to taste and serve garnished with chopped chives and maybe a swirl of fresh cream for an extra treat.

SOUPS

Asparagus Soup

MARIE MCGUIRK, LOUTH: COOKERY TUTOR AND ASPIRING GOLFER

This soup is best made in late spring or early summer when local asparagus is in season, and makes an elegant soup with which to start a special dinner.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil2 onions, finely chopped250g (9oz) asparagus, finely chopped500ml (1 pint) chicken or vegetable stock, hot (see here for recipe)salt and freshly ground black pepper4 tablespoons double creamHeat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the onion and sweat for four minutes until soft and translucent. Add the asparagus and cook for another two minutes.Add the stock and bring to the boil. Season to taste and reduce the heat to simmer for about five minutes, or until the asparagus is cooked through.Add the cream and blitz with a hand blender until smooth.

SOUPS

Spring Nettle Soup

ANNETTE DUNNE, CAVAN: WORKING GRANDMOTHER WHO LOVES READING

My mother used to make this for us as a springtime tonic, being full of iron and other nutrients. As well as being really good for you it’s very tasty, especially if you pick tender young leaves. Do wear gloves when handling the nettles, and harvest away from the roadside.

Serves 8

225g (8oz) young nettle leaves50g (2oz) butter350g (12oz) potatoes, peeled and chopped175g (6oz) onions, chopped175g (6oz) leeks, choppedsalt and freshly ground black pepper1 litre (2 pints) chicken stock (see here for recipe)150ml (¼ pint) cream, plus a little extra to garnishSoak nettles prior to cooking to draw out sting and rinse well.Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. When it foams add potatoes, onions and leeks and toss them until well coated. Season, cover with piece of parchment (see Tip) and then with the saucepan lid, and sweat gently over a low heat for 12–15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not browned.Remove paper lid, add stock and gently boil for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are cooked. Add the chopped nettles and simmer uncovered for about five minutes, taking care not to overcook or the vegetables will lose their flavour.Add the cream, remove from the heat and allow to cool a little before liquidising. Check seasoning and serve garnished with a swirl of cream.

ICA Tip

A piece of parchment or even an old butter wrapper placed over sweating vegetables helps to keep the moisture in while cooking gently.

SOUPS

Chilled Avocado Soup

LIZ WALL, WICKLOW: BUSY MUM AND ICA NATIONAL PRESIDENT

This simple soup is quick to make, but always looks and tastes great. It’s a family favourite in my home, and goes down well with guests too. It really is worth using home-made chicken stock for this recipe, you’ll be glad of the deeper flavours.

Serves 4–6

2 avocados500ml (1 pint) cold chicken stock (see here for recipe)125ml (4fl oz) sour cream125ml (4fl oz) cream1 small onion, finely chopped2 tablespoons lemon juice½ teaspoon salt

to garnish

4 handfuls fresh coriander leaves, choppedScoop out the avocado flesh and purée with the stock, creams and onion. You may need to add more stock or water if the soup is too thick as consistency will vary according to the size of avocado used.Season to taste with the lemon juice and salt, and chill for at least an hour.Serve garnished with chopped coriander.

SOUPS

Cream of Mushroom Soup

NUALA COSTELLO, LAOIS: MOTHER OF FOUR WHO LOVES TO COOK AND BAKE

This is a traditional recipe which has been in my family for years and is cooked today by my granddaughter who loves it. I still have the original piece of paper that this recipe was written on all those years ago.

Serves 8

175g (6oz) butter350g (12oz) onions, finely chopped450g (1lb) button mushrooms, wiped and chopped50g (2oz) flour1½ litres (3 pints) chicken stock (see here for recipe)275ml (½ pint) milk1 teaspoon ground black pepper1 teaspoon sugar1 lemon, juice only (to taste)

to serve

2 handfuls croutons (optional)home-made brown breadMelt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan. Gently sweat the onions for 10 minutes until softened but not browned.Add mushrooms, cover and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for three minutes.Slowly add stock, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil and simmer slowly for 20 minutes. Stir in the milk, season with salt and pepper and then with the lemon juice to taste.Simmer gently for a further 10 minutes but do not allow to boil after adding the milk.Serve hot, garnished with croutons.

SOUPS

Quick Vegetable Soup

LIZ WALL, WICKLOW: BUSY MUM AND ICA NATIONAL PRESIDENT

This quick, tasty snack has been cooked for years in my family, and remains a great family favourite across all generations. We still enjoy it on a weekly basis.

Serves 4

2 medium onions, peeled2–3 garlic cloves, peeled1 head of celery, trimmed1 red pepper, cored1 green pepper, cored1 stock cubesalt and freshly ground black pepperRoughly chop all the vegetables and place in a large saucepan. Just cover with water, crumble in the stock cube and bring to the boil.Cook at a rolling boil for ten minutes, reduce the heat and leave simmering until soft enough to purée. Season to taste.

ICA Tip

A quick soup like this captures the flavour, colour and nutrients of the vegetables, so take care not to boil for longer than necessary.

SOUPS

Fresh Tomato & Bean Soup

MARGARET O’REILLY, CORK: PRIZE-WINNING MAKER OF CARRICKMACROSS LACE

I found this recipe in a cookbook I picked up in a charity shop and over the years I’ve added a bit of this and that. Although it’s a great way to showcase fresh tomatoes in season, you can also use tinned tomatoes making this a versatile all-weather soup.

Serves 4–6

900g (2lb) ripe plum tomatoes2 tablespoons olive oil2 medium onions, roughly chopped3 garlic cloves, crushed1 litre (2 pints) vegetable stock2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste2 teaspoons paprikasalt and freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon cornflour400g (14oz) cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained400g (14oz) cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

to serve

fresh ciabatta or brown breadFirst, peel the tomatoes. Using a sharp knife, make a small cross in each one and place in a bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover and leave to stand for a minute before draining. The skins should peel off easily. Quarter them and then cut each piece in half again.Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and sweat the onions and garlic for a few minutes, until softened. Add the tomatoes together with the stock, sun-dried tomato paste and paprika. Season, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.Mix the cornflour to a paste with a couple of tablespoons of water and stir this into the soup along with the beans. Cook for a further five minutes, check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir in the chopped coriander just before serving, and serve with ciabatta or brown bread.

ICA Tip

If you don’t have sun-dried tomato paste you could substitute with some sun-dried tomato pesto.