In the March issue of Martha Stewart Living there’s an article on whole grain flours, alternative milks and seeds. (Link unavailable) It’s number 1 of the 100 Fresh Ideas for Spring article.
As you know, I do LOVE to bake, so I ripped out all the recipes. And over time will try them all. But with St. Patricks Day coming up I decided to start with the Irish-Style Brown Bread. I’m a sucker for simple quick breads, and do love me a good Irish Soda Bread.
For those of you living in the East Bay get the soda bread they sell at La Farine, it’s the kind of soda bread that will make a fan of soda bread haters.
This recipe intrigued me because it was made with a combination of rye flour and whole wheat flour. In this gluten free world I was surprised to see a recipe with whole wheat flour at it’s base. Rye flour also has gluten, but sometimes people with sensitivities can tolerate rye. I think rye is an under utilized grain. Rye has a deep flavor with a tart after taste and lends itself well to good Irish butter, a thick slice of ham, and a dab of sweet hot mustard.
This recipe is pretty basic, only flour, leavenings, and buttermilk. Because I can never do anything as written, I added 1/4 cup brown sugar to the dry ingredients, and an egg to the wet. The bread came out picture perfect, but since there is so little fat in it I suggest eating it the day you make it, ideally warm out of the oven. The next day I toasted it and topped it with mustard, mashed avocado, and sea salt, very un-Irish, but very satisfying.
Do you have a favorite Irish soda bread recipe that you love? Or memory of a St. Patricks day that you’d like to share? Comment and let me know.
