View Towards Lough Derg from Arra Mountains, County Clare,
Munster, Republic of Ireland (Eire)
Photographic Print
Woolfitt, Adam
Buy at AllPosters.com
 

La Belle Cuisine

An Irish Sunday Dinner

Recipe Source:
The Best of Gourmet, 1989 Edition
The Editors of Gourmet, Condé Nast Books, Random House

Mussel and Parsley Soup
~*~*~
Lemon-Baked Chicken Breasts
~*~*~
Creamed Leeks
~*~*~
Irish Whiskey Carrots
~*~*~
Treacle Cake with Cinnamon Applesauce

Mussel and Parsley Soup

5 pounds mussels
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup minced onion
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
White pepper to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Scrub the mussels well in several changes of water, scrape off the beards, and rinse the mussels. In a large kettle combine the mussels and the wine, bring the wine to a boil over high heat, and steam the mussels, covered, shaking the kettle occasionally, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Discard any unopened shells. Drain the mussels in a colander set over a bowl, reserving the liquid, and strain the reserved liquid through a
fine sieve lined with several layers of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth into
a large measuring cup. Add enough water to the liquid to measure 4 cups
in all and reserve the mussel liquid mixture. Remove the mussels from the shells, discarding all but 8 of the shells, and pull off the mantles (the tough black rims) from the tops of the mussels.
In a large saucepan cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened. Add the reserved mussel liquid mixture, bring
the mixture to a boil, and simmer the mussel broth for 20 minutes.
In a bowl whisk together the yolks and the milk, add about 1 cup of the mussel broth in a stream, whisking, and transfer the mixture to the pan, whisking. Add the parsley, the white pepper, and the lemon juice and
cook the soup over low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes, but do not let it boil.
Stir in the mussels, divide the soup among 4 bowls, and garnish each
serving with 2 of the shells if desired. Makes about 5 cups, serving 4.

Lemon-Baked Chicken Breasts

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 whole chicken breasts, each about
1 1/4 pounds, halved
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,
or to taste

In a large heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, heat the butter and oil over moderately high heat until the foam begins to subside, add the chicken, patted dry, skin side down, without crowding, and sauté it, turning it, until
it is golden. Transfer the chicken with tongs to a baking dish and pour off
the excess fat from the skillet. Add the wine and the thyme to the skillet, bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up the brown bits. And pour the pan
juices over the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, sprinkle
it with the lemon juice, and bake it in the lower third of a preheated 400-degree F oven for 30 minutes, or until it is tender. Serves 4.

Creamed Leeks

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
White and pale green parts of 4 large leeks,
cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, separated
into rings, rinsed well, and soaked in
cold salted water to cover for 30 minutes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup canned chicken broth
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
White pepper to taste

In a large heavy skillet heat the butter over moderate heat until the foam begins to subside, add the leeks, drained well, and stir them to coat them with the butter. Add the cream and the broth, bring the liquid to a boil, stirring, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally,
for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is thickened. Season the mixture with
the nutmeg, the white pepper, and salt to taste. Serves 4.

Irish Whiskey Carrots

2 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 pound carrots, cut into
2- by 1/4- by 1/4-inch sticks
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup Irish whiskey

In a heavy skillet melt the butter, add the carrots, the sugar, and salt to
taste, and stir the mixture until the carrots are coated with the butter. Add
the whiskey, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the carrots, covered,
for 5 minutes. Remove lid and simmer the carrots, stirring occasionally,
for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are tender and the liquid is evaporated.
Serves 4.

 You are wondering where the potatoes are, right?
Please see below for suggested side dishes,,,
 

Treacle Cake with Cinnamon Applesauce

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup dark unsulfured molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 large eggs
Confectioner’s sugar for sifting over the cake
Cinnamon Applesauce (recipe follows)
as an accompaniment

Into a bowl sift together the flour, the ginger, the cinnamon, the nutmeg,
the allspice, and the salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream the shortening, add the brown sugar, beating, and beat the mixture until it is
light and fluffy. Add the molasses in a stream and beat the mixture until
it is combined well.
In a measuring cup stir the baking soda into 2/3 cup boiling water and add the mixture to the molasses mixture in a stream, beating. (The batter will separate at this point.) Beat in the flour mixture and the eggs and beat the mixture until it is just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 10-inch springform pan and bake the cake in the lower third of a preheated 350-degre F. oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, remove the side of the pan, and let the cake cool completely.
The cake improves in flavor if made 24 hours in advance. Invert the cake onto a serving plate, put a paper doily on top of it, and sift the confec-tioners’ sugar over the doily. Remove the doily carefully and serve the
cake with the cinnamon applesauce.

Cinnamon Applesauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 McIntosh apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a heavy skillet melt the butter over moderate heat, add the apples, sliced but not peeled or cored, and stir them to coat them with the butter. Stir in 1/2 cup water, the sugar, and the cinnamon and simmer mixture, covered,
stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Purée the mixture through a food mill
fitted with the coarse blade into a bowl and serve it warm or at room
temperature. Makes about 2 cups.

Side Dishes:
Colcannon, Champ
Golden Mashed Potatoes with
Parsnips and Parsley
Mashed Potatoes with Leeks
and Sour Cream
Potato Gratin with Mustard and
Cheddar Cheese
Potato and Turnip Bake