Hot Cross Scones

I know I am not the first person to stray and consider hot cross scones for Easter. It wasn't until after my attempt that I had seen other recipes. Twists on traditional recipes are admirable as they show a more relaxed spirited effort on something that is otherwise formal or structured, and easing the smallest amount kitchen tension is a must during any holiday, when one is in the throws of whipping up culinary delights for such celebrations. You could create 12 wedges for a more narrow and dainty scone, if you wish, however I like the more substantial size as it leaves less to linger around. 

Hot Cross Scones

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3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup Irish oatmeal

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/2 cup golden raisins

the zest of one orange

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

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Icing:

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 almond flavouring

2 teaspoons milk 

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients until smooth, thick icing appears. 

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking tray with baking parchment. 

In a large bowl combine the flour, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, British mixed spice, raisins and orange zest. Add the melted butter, milk and beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Mix until the dry ingredients are moistened. If you notice the dough is a bit dry add more milk, a little at a time, until the dough comes together. 

Shape the dough to form a ball. Pat out on a lightly floured surface to form an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 or 12 wedges. Using a sharp knife score the tops of each with a cross. Place on the prepared baking tray and brush the tops with milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. When done remove from oven and place on a wire rack, allowing the scones to cool before icing. 

Meanwhile make the above icing recipe. Using the scored cross as a guide, spoon, or fill, using a piping bag for a more uniform look, with the icing to form a cross. 

 

Pepper, Onion & Sausage Stew

It is a culinary symphony when everyday ingredients come together like this to create a such a flawless meal. On its own, it is splendiferous with chunks of rustic bread however I do enjoy this served with orzo and if in a pinch then pretty much any pasta will do. The red wine may be substituted with chicken stock, if you prefer.

Pepper, Onion & Sausage Stew

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3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 red bell peppers, chopped

2 yellow bell peppers, chopped

1 375g Double Smoked Ukrainian Sausage Ring, sliced

1 can tomato paste

1 cup red wine 

1 can (796ml) low salt diced tomatoes

Heat a large stockpot, over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the onions are tender. Season with the salt and pepper, the smoked paprika and oregano. Add the red and yellow bell peppers and continue to cook for 5 minutes.  

Add the slices of sausage to the pan and cook them for 7 to 10 minutes, until they are browned. Add the tomato paste and allow it to caramelize in the pan for 3 minutes, then gradually whisk in the red wine to deglaze it and scrape up any brown bit from the bottom. Add the chopped tomatoes and bring the stew ti a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 

 

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin

 

Tender and all the herbs you can handle. Sunday roasts or even weekday roasts, if you are inclined to do so, never tasted better. Seemingly effortless and there was enough leftovers to make pulled pork. You can easily double this recipe for a more thick aromatic rub.   

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin

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2 teaspoon olive oil

2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 pork tenderloins, about 3/4 pounds each

Heat oven to 450ºF. Spray with cooking spray or line the bottom of a shallow roasting pan with baking parchment paper.

In a medium sized bowl mash all ingredients together, except pork, into a paste. Rub the paste on pork. Place it in the prepared pan. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 155ºF. Carefully remove from oven and cover pork with aluminium foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 160ºF. 

Notes: General guidelines for roasting pork tenderloin apply with an approximate cooking time of 20 to 30 minutes per pound. Cooking the pork tenderloin at a high temperature helps cook it quickly and prevents it from drying out. 

Ostara ~ Spring Equinox ~ Ostara Bread

 

Ostara is the celebration of the Spring Equinox and is usually celebrated between March 20th and the 23rd. The sun is gaining more strength and the days are becoming longer and warmer. It is about fertility, balance and new life. During this time the ground begins to defrost and seeds are stirring beneath the ground, bees are awakening from hibernation and the sounds of birds fill the air. 

It is also a time to celebrate the Goddess of Spring and Dawn, Eostre, for which the Spring Equinox celebrations are named after and as legend has it transformed a bird into a hare and the hare responded by laying coloured eggs. 

Other celebrations and dates of note are: St. David's Day (March 1st, Wales), International Women's Day (March 8th), Holi (March 8th, Hindu), St.Patrick's Day (March 17th, Irish), Mothering Sunday (March 19th, UK), World Down Syndrome Awareness Day (March 21st) and Rama Navami (March 28th, India). 

Baking with honey is essential especially during Ostara, as it celebrates the awakening of bees and the plant life they so readily rely on in order to make their honey. Balance is key during this time and scoring the bread represents the two halves of the Equinox, as night and day are of equal length and in equilibrium. 

Ostara Bread

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3 cups white bread flour

1/2 cup ground almonds, optional

1 teaspoon baking soda

500ml buttermilk

3 tablespoons honey

juice of 2 lemons 

1 egg, for glazing 

brown sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a baking tray with baking parchment paper. 

In a large bowl blend together the flour, ground almonds and baking soda. Make a well in the centre and pour the buttermilk, honey and lemon juice. Mix together using a wooden spoon or your clean hands if you prefer, until a dough forms. 

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board or surface and pat into a circle. Place on the prepared baking tray. With a sharp knife lightly score the bread, down the middle, into two halves. Glaze with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the preheated moderate oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bread is golden brown.

Bacon and Onion Tart

 

Served with a kale salad or my favourite, sautéed kale, this savoury custardy pie does not go a miss with a pint of Guinness or a tall glass of bitter cider. Even the next day chilled this is still an inviting and scrumptious slice that hits a welcoming spot.  

Bacon and Onion Tart

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Serves approximately 6

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 cups onions, thinly sliced

1 x 375 gram package of bacon, cut into thin strips

1 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup Kerrygold Dubliner cheese (Aged Irish cheese)

1/4 cup Kerrygold Dubliner cheese (Aged Irish cheese)

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Do the prep work, slicing the onions, slicing the bacon and shredding the cheese. 

In a large frypan, heat the butter and olive oil together over medium heat, until the butter melts. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally until they are translucent and golden, for about 15 minutes. Transfer the cooked onions to a bowl and set aside.

Add the cut sliced bacon to the same frypan and cook until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and allow the bacon to drain. Set aside.

Either use a pre-made pie shell or ready-made pie crust (follow the directions) or make your own pie crust. I made my own pie crust, so the recipe will reflect that. Make a pie crust recipe of your choice and roll out the pie crust and press it into a baking dish, that's about 1 inch deep and 9 inches in diameter. Using a kitchen fork gently prick the dough slightly. Place a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper over and fill it with pie weights, if you don't have any, use rice or dry beans, this prevents the pie crust from bubbling up. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the weights and paper or foil and set aside.  

In a large bowl whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked bacon, the carmelized onions and 1/2 cup of Kerrygold cheese into the egg mixture and mix well. Pour evenly into the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese over top. Cover the wedges with a pie sheild or aluminum foil to prevent burning. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until the top of the tart turns a golden colour and a blade of a knife comes out clean. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Irish Bannock

 

Irish bannock is a traditional Irish bread, or cake, that is ideal with tea or coffee and lashings of butter. The salty sweet texture is not that far off from scones. Although eaten daily, this is one of the emblematic breads of St. Patrick's Day which can be greatly enjoyed not only around this time of year but anytime you wish. 

Irish Bannock

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3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Lightly grease and flour a round 8 inch cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and sugar. Whisk together well, then add the raisins and stir to combine.  

Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into the well and stir until a slightly sticky soft dough forms. Scrape the dough into the prepared cake tin and spread roughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until risen and lightly brown.   

Coronation Chicken with Jacket Potatoes

 

Often with leftover roasted chicken one of my favourites and our household favourite, coronation chicken get made. Creamy and packed with such flavourable warmth that will certainly brighten any day. Whether it's for sandwiches, salads, toast or buttery cheddar cheese jacket potatoes, it truly is one of those recipes that can be appreciated anytime, whatever the season. 

Coronation Chicken with Jacket Potatoes

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6 to 8 tablespoons mayonaise 

2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 to 3 tablespoons mango chutney or any chutney

1 to 3 tablespoons chopped sultanas

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

2 to 3 cups cooked leftover roasted chicken, diced

Place the diced cooked chicken into a bowl. Then add the mayonnaise, curry powder, ground cinnamon, chutney, chopped sultanas and chopped cranberries. Add a pinch of black pepper and stir everything together until well combined. Use as a filling for sandwiches, jacket potatoes, on top of toast or a salad. 

Notes: and of course you can adjust the ingredients according to preference and how much cooked chicken you have on hand.