Irish Christmas Menu

An Irish Christmas Day Menu. to serve 6. Irish Soda Bread. Consomme with Celery. Roast Turkey with Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing. Creamed Brussels Sprouts. Mincemeat Pie. Irish Soda Bread. 3 cups whole wheat flour. 1 cup all-purpose flour. 2 tsp salt. 1 tsp baking soda. 3/4 tsp baking powder. 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, or more. Combine the flours, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.. Mix thoroughly. Add the buttermilk, working with your hands to make. a dough firm enough to hold its shape. Add more buttermilk if. necessary. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board for 2 to 3. minutes. The texture should be smooth and velvety. Form into a. round loaf. Place on a well buttered baking sheet. Cut a cross into. the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake in a preheated 375. deg F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The loaf is done when it is browned. and has a hollow sound when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.. Consomme with Celery. 4 pounds meaty beef shanks. 2 onions, quartered. 1 carrot, quartered. 3-1/2 quarts water. 2 cups water. 2 celery ribs. 1-1/2 tsp salt. 4 sprigs parsley. 1 bay leaf. 1/8 tsp thyme. 1 5 to 7-pound stewing hem, halved. neck, heart and gizzard of hen, chopped. 3 Tbsp butter 1-1/2 cups chopped celery ribs and leaves. 1/2 cup chopped leek. 1/2 cup minced celery leaves. salt and pepper to taste. Have your butcher saw the beef shanks into 1-inch pieces. Spread. the shanks, onion and carrot in a large baking pan. Brown in a. preheated 450 deg F oven for 20 minutes, turning once. Transfer. the meat and vegetables to a kettle, adding the 3-1/2 quarts of. water. Pour the 2 cups water into the baking pan; bring to a boil,. scraping up any bits of meat or vegetables clinging to the bottom.. Pour the liquid into the kettle. Add the celery, salt, parsley,. bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, skimming away any froth that. rises to the surface. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 hours. Add. boiling water, if necessary, to keep ingredients covered. Add the. hen, neck, heart and gizzard to the beef stock. Add boiling water. to cover. Skim away any froth that rises to the surface. Simmer. uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours or until the liquid is reduced to 2. quarts. Remove the hen. Strain the stock and let cool. Chill until. the fat congeals (solidifies) on the surface. Scrape away the fat.. Bring the stock to a simmer. Melt the butter in a kettle. Add the. chopped celery and leek. Cover and let the vegetables steam for. 20 minutes. Add the beef stock and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.. Strain. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish the consomme with minced. celery leaves.. Roast Turkey with Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing. 1 20 to 12-pound turkey. salt and pepper. Wash the turkey under cold water. Pat dry. Lightly salt and. pepper inside and outside of the bird. Set aside.. For the Stuffing:. 1-1/2 pounds fresh chestnuts. 1 cup beef bouillon. 1 celery. 2 sprigs parsley. 1/2 bay leaf. 2 Tbsp butter. 1/2 chopped onion. the turkey liver, minced. 1/2 cup port or Madeira wine. 3/4 pound ground pork. 3/4 pound ground veal. 1/2 pound ground pork fat. 2 eggs beaten. 1-1/2 tsp salt. 1/2 tsp thyme. pinch of pepper. pinch of allspice. 1 cup butter, melted. Set the chestnuts in a pan and cover with cold water. Boil for 1. minute. Remove from heat. Remove 3 chestnuts at a time from the. hot water. Peel and remove the inner skins. Place the chestnuts in. a saucepan. Add the bouillon and water to cover the nuts by 1-1/2. inches. Add the celery, parsley and bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered,. for 45 to 60 minutes or until the chestnuts are cooked through.. Drain. Heat the butter in a skillet. Add the onion. Cook for 8 to. 10 minutes until soft. Transfer the onion to a mixing bowl. Put. the turkey liver into the skillet. Saute until just browned. Add. to the onion. Pour the wine into the skillet. Boil until the wine. is reduced to 1/4 cup. Add to the onion. Add the pork, veal, pork. fat, eggs, salt, thyme, pepper and allspice to the onion. Stir with. a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Stuff the turkey neck. and body cavities loosely with alternate layers of the meat mixture. an chestnuts. Close the cavities with skewers and lace with kitchen. string. Brush the turkey generously with the melted butter. Fold. the cheesecloth in half crosswise, forming a square. Dip the. cheesecloth into the remaining melted butter and lay over the turkey. breast. Set the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast. in a preheated 325 deg F oven, basting occasionally. A 10 to 12. pound bird will take about 4 to 4-1/2 hours to roast. To test for. doneness, pierce a thigh with a fork. Juices should run clear. yellow.. For the Gravy:. (the turkey stock). 3 Tbsp vegetable oil. the turkey giblets, chopped. 1 onion, chopped. 2 carrots, chopped. 1 cup dry white wine. 2 cups chicken stock. 1 bay leaf. 1/2 tsp thyme. 3 Tbsp cornstarch. 1/4 cup port wine. Prepare the gravy while the turkey is roasting. Heat heat oil in. a large saucepan. Stir in the giblets. Brown on all sides and. transfer to a side dish. Put the onion and carrots in the pan.. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Uncover and brown lightly for. 5 minutes. Add the browned giblets, wine, chicken stock, bay leaf. and thyme. Add water to cover ingredients by 1 inch. Simmer,. partially covered, for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Strain the stock. Skim. the fat from the surface. Blend the cornstarch and port wine in. a bowl. Stir into the stock. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until. thickened. Set aside. Transfer the turkey to a heated platter when. it is done. Remove the strings and skewers, cover loosely and let. stand 20 to 30 minutes. Scoop the stuffing into a warm dish when. ready to serve. Spoon excess fat from the roasting pan. Pour the. turkey stock into the roasting pan. Stir over moderately high heat,. scraping up the turkey bits from the bottom. Skim any fat from. the surface of the gravy. Pour into a warm sauceboat and serve with. the turkey and stuffing.. Creamed Brussels Sprouts. 1 1/2 quarts Brussels sprouts. salt and pepper. 2 Tbsp butter, melted. 3/4 cup heavy cream. 2 Tbsp butter. Cut a cross in the base of each sprout. Drop into boiling salted. water. Boil slowly, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain. Lay the. sprouts in one layer on a towel to cool.. Butter a shallow baking dish. Arrange the sprouts in two layers in. the dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and melted butter.. Set over moderate heat, cover and cook until the sprouts begin to. sizzle. Transfer to a preheated 350 deg F oven for 10 minutes.. Bring the cream to a boil. Pout boiling cream into the dish and. continue to bake for 10 minutes more. Dot the sprouts with butter. and serve.. Mincemeat Pie. 1 large apple. 2 cups raisins. 2 cups currants. 1 cup sultana raisins. 1/2 cup candied fruit peel. 1/2 cup almonds. grated rind form 1 orange. grated rind from 1 lemon. 1 cup sugar. 1/4 tsp salt. 1/4 tsp ground cloves. 1/4 tsp cinnamon. 1/4 tsp allspice. juice of 1 orange. juice of 1 lemon. 1/4 cup Irish whiskey. 1/2 cup butter, melted. 2 cups all-purpose flour. 1/2 tsp salt. 1/4 tsp sugar. 1/4 pound chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. 3 Tbsp chilled shortening. 3 Tbsp, or more, cold water. Core the apple but do not peel. Mince the apple, raisins, currants,. candied peel and almonds. Combine in a large mixing bowl. Combine. the orange and lemon rind, sugar and spices in a small bowl. Stir. with a fork to blend thoroughly. Sprinkle over the minced fruit. and almonds. Blend with a fork. Combine the juices and whiskey.. Pour over the minced fruit mixture. Pour the butter over the. ingredients and blend. Pour the filling into a glass jar, cover. tightly and refrigerate overnight.. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the butter and. shortening. Mix with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles. coarse meal. Add the water to the dough, a little at a time, while. gathering the dough into a ball. Wrap with waxed paper and. refrigerate for 2 hours. Assembling the pie: Roll out the dough. 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and line a 9-inch pie. pan allowing a 1-inch overhang. Cover and chill. Roll the remaining. dough into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick and 12 inches long. Cut the. dough into 1/2 inch wide strips. Fill the shell with the mincemeat.. Lay the strips of dough over the pie in a lattice pattern. Turn up. the edges and crimp decoratively. Bake in a preheated 425 deg F. oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 deg F and bake for 30. minutes until golden..