Focus on food: January 22, 2008

Irish Brown Soda Bread

By River View Caterers
“ Class: An Irish Feast - Foods from the Emerald Isle”
Recipes from the files of Myrtle Allen and the Ballymaloe House

Ingredients:
• 3-¼ cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2-teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ cup less 1 tablespoon regular or quick cooking rolled oats
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk (to sour 2 ½ cups milk, add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar and let stand for 15 – 20 minutes)

Method of Preparation:
• Sift the flours, salt and baking soda together into a large bowl. Stir in the oats. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk.

• Stir with a wooden spoon until soft moist dough is formed. If dry, add more buttermilk.

• Turn dough out onto a large floured board and shape into a large rounded disk 8 inches in diameter. Score the top of the dough with deep cuts.
Bake bread on a buttered baking sheet in a preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes.

• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more. Bread should be crusty and richly browned. Cool on a rack.