POTATO LEEK SOUP & BROTHER GRIMALDI'S IRISH SODA BREAD

"A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle."

~ Irish Proverb

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POTATO LEEK SOUP

~ Velvety smooth traditional Irish soup

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2 peeled and sliced pounds of white potatoes

1 well-scrubbed and sliced bunch of leeks

1 stick unsalted butter

1 large chopped white onion

3 stalks chopped celery

5 cups organic chicken stock

2 cups half & half

1 cup milk

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes

1 tsp. white pepper

coarse salt to taste

1 whole bay leaf

1/4 tsp. mace

fresh chopped chives or watercress

• Melt butter in large stock pot. Add leeks, onions and celery. Cook until wilted, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Add potatoes, parsley, salt & pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf.
• In batches, puree in blender until smooth. Return to pot and add half & half and milk (or any combination to make broth rich or lighter). Stir in mace and re-season to taste. Serve sprinkled with chives or watercress. (about 8 servings)

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BROTHER GRIMALDI'S IRISH SODA BREAD

(as made in certain Southern regions in Ireland & in the days of Brother Rice's 'Galway Fairs')

~ from Cooking With Brother Rice

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4 cups sifted flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. caraway seeds

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup raisins (or currants)

2 Tbsp. melted butter

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

• Sift flour, soda & salt into bowl; add seeds, sugar and raisins (or currants).Mix together and stir in butter, eggs and buttermilk.
• Put batter in round 2-quart pan and with rounded knife cut a cross on top of loaf. (Or gather in large form and bake on Pam sprayed baking sheet. Cut cross and sprinkle lightly with sugar and additional caraway seeds.) Bake 45-60 minutes at 350-degrees.