Dreaming of the Emerald Isle with Leek, Potato and Pea Soup with Old-Fashioned "Shamrock" Potato Rolls

Leek, Potato and Pea Soup with
 Old-Fashioned Cloverleaf Potato Rolls

Éirinn go Brách! March 17th is when the rest of the world takes notice and we all become Irish for a day. We start wearing as many colours of green as the Irish hills and dales, drinking green beer and Guinness at our favourite local pubs and singing renditions of Danny Boy in our best voices. L'il Burnt Toast is named after the Emerald Isle so it holds special meaning for us, even if we don't have an Irish bone in our bodies. As with every celebration we always celebrate with food.


Ireland may be known as the land of the Blarney Stone, leprechauns and St. Patricks Day but Ireland is also justly famous for its seafood, excellent lamb, beef and pork and perhaps a glass of Guinness or malt whiskey or two. Farm fresh spring lamb flavoured with fresh rosemary, smoked Irish salmon served with Connemara Peated Single Malt Whiskey, and black pudding would exercise your taste buds as you imagine taking in the sights and sounds of the Emerald Isle along one of Ireland’s many tasty food trails. Who hasn't longed for a hearty Irish Stew!!

__________________________

" May you live as long as you want, 

And never want as long as you live."

__________________________

Ireland is equally famous for "the potato" with dishes like Colcannon and Champ. When you think of Irish food you will be pleased to know that Irish food has come a long way since the days of the potato famine, and these days Irish cuisine does not have to be what we consider to be traditional Irish fare like corned beef and cabbage.

___________________________________

"May the Irish hills caress you.

May her lakes and rivers bless you.

May the luck of the Irish enfold you.

May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you."

_____________________________________

This year I served up a take on an Irish potato soup with herbaceous tones of dill and the lively colour of fresh peas. This is a quick and easy soup that's packed full of flavour. Leeks are simmered with peas, pureed and then served with a dollop of soured cream. To accompany this I prepared wholewheat "cloverleaf" potato rolls. Mashed potatoes not only make your rolls tender but give yeast breads extra moistness and a subtle, rich, creamy flavour. My mother used to make extra mashed potatoes so she would have them on hand to make rolls...and "tattie" scones. Make sure to use a thermometer to check the temperature of the liquid during the preparation process. If the liquid is too hot, the yeast will be killed. If it's too cool, the action of the yeast will slow it down. If you prefer a shiny top, brush the rolls lightly with butter or an egg wash just before baking.

___________________________

"May you live to be a hundred years

With one extra year to repent" 

___________________________

Celebrate by giving the little leprechauns in your life a special pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with a tasty dish or two? Have tea with scones and a fine word or two from a poem by Yeats or the lyric prose of Joyce. Top off your dinner with a warming Irish whiskey or better yet a long draught of humble brew Guinness . St. Patrick’s Day is a fun celebration of Irish heritage. You will find some suggestions below from other years and other celebrations. It's easy being green for "St. Paddy's Day."

**Old-Fashioned Cloverleaf Potato Rolls**

1¼ milk
½ cup butter
½ cup mashed potatoes
4¾ to 5 cups white or whole wheat bread or All Purpose Flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoon quick-rise instant yeast (1 envelope/¼ oz/8 g/11 mL)
1½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
Melted butter, optional

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) during second rising. Grease two 12-cup muffin pans.

Heat milk, butter and mashed potatoes in a saucepan over medium heat until mixture is hot (125°F/50°C) and butter is melted. Note: Heating the mixture to melt the butter will result in a higher temperature so you will need to allow the mixture to cool down to the correct temperature.

Combine 3 cups (750 mL) of the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Stir in milk mixture and egg. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until blended. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough for 10 minutes, adding enough flour to make the dough smooth and elastic. Cover an let rest for 20 minutes. (I used whole wheat dough and needed only 4 cups of flour to produce a nice soft dough/results may vary with brand of flour)

Shaping: Divide dough into eight portions. Cut each portion into nine pieces to make 72 pieces total. Shape each piece into a ball. Place 3 balls in the bottom of each prepared muffin cup.

Repeat, using all the balls to fill the 24 cups. Cover with a tea towel and let stand in a warm place (75 to 85°/24-29°C) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Brush with melted butter, if using.

Bake on center rack of oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately. Cool for 10 minutes on rack.

Variation

Try other shapes, such as snails, spirals, crescents and small balls but remember to keep them all about the same size to ensure that the dough rises and bakes uniformly.

**Leek, Potato and Pea Soup**

4 large leeks, about 3cm diameter, white parts only
1/3 cup butter
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup frozen petits pois or fresh baby peas
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
6 tablespoons sour cream or yogurt

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then cut again lengthwise. Now cut the leeks into small chunks. Place in a large bowl and rinse in cold water to clean. Strain through a sieve.

In a medium size heavy bottom cooking pot, melt butter on low heat. Add chopped leeks and cook for 10 minutes until slightly softened. Add stock, water, chicken stock cubes, potatoes and bring to the boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas, dill, salt, white pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender soft.

Puree soup with a hand blender or puree in a food processor or hand blender, then return to the cooking pot and reheat if necessary. Adjust seasonings to taste. When serving, add 1 dollop of sour cream or yogurt or swirl into the soup in each bowl served.

Try these other choices from the last 6 years......

Colcannon Soup with Irish Soda Bread
Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic, Rosemary and Cannellini Beans
Panko Crusted Halibut with Colcannon and Roasted Tomatoes
Whiskey Chicken with Colcannon
Shepherds Pie with Ulster Champ Topping
Colcannon Cakes with Pancetta and Stilton
Guinness Marinated Steak with Colcannon Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Farly and Boxty for an Ulster Fry-Up


You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.