Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!!

1 Hour Irish Soda Bread!

15-25 Minute Prep
35-45 Minute Bake

Ingredients:
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup raisins
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Mix the butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

3. Stir in raisins.

4. Add beaten egg and buttermilk and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir.

5. Dust hands with a little flour, then GENTLY knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball.

6. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf.

7. The dough will be a little sticky. As needed add a bit of flour so that you can handle the dough. DO NOT: over-knead because then it will become tough.

8. Again, transfer the dough. This time it will be to a large, lightly greased baking sheet. Using a knife, cut/score the top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an “X” shape. Bake until bread is golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.

Commemorating Black History Month

The Story Behind Soul Food…

I personally love “Soul Food.” It was the first type of cuisine I learned how to prepare. A great deal of what I learned came from my grandmother who was a share cropper in Durham NC. Being a sharecropper, not only did grandma know how to grow and raise southern food and animals, but she knew how to prepare it. Soul Food originated down south USA during times of slavery. The food derived from scraps which the masters would allow the slaves to keep for their families. Have you ever heard of the saying… “When life gives you lemons…make lemonade.” Well this saying was put into practice by the enslaved African peoples of the United States. Wonderful comfort meals such as chicken and dumplings began to develop. The scrap vegetables were favored and cooked down by using a piece of meat most likely from the pig, and many things that were viewed upon as taboo were made into food.
Now of days, Soul Food is no longer only made with scraps. It consists of an array of different hearty fresh foods and prime meats such as Baked Mac and Cheese, Sweet Potatoes, Collard Greens, Fried or Baked Chicken, Smothered Pork Chops, Ham, Corn Bread and much more! Most Soul Food involves three basic seasonings which are sugar, salt, and pepper (however other seasonings can be used). Other flavorings aside from seasonings are usually induced by meat. Two primary meats used in Soul Food are Chicken and Pork. When seafood is requested, a fried fish is usually preferred. Porgies, Whiting, and Catfish are the most popular types of fish used. Soul Food is prominent in the houses of most African Americans however; Soul Food is not restricted only to those of African descent. It has crossed color barriers by becoming popular amongst all peoples in America. Perhaps the most well known Soul Food restaurant which is frequented by tourists from all over is “Silvia’s” located in Manhattan NYC. “Silvia’s” has been around for years. Silvia herself is a wonderful person whom is a family friend of my Grandfathers. Furthermore, when you travel down south USA, you will not find a difference in the way the southerners eat based off of race, instead, Soul Food is a shared culture in the south. It is usually referred to as “Southern Cuisine” and found on the tables of most southerners in spite of their heritage. Due to my extensive Soul Food background, recipes such as the “Country Fried Fish” and the “String Beans” are contained in my book IS THERE A CHEF IN THE HOUSE. Also for a free Soul Food “Sweet Potato” recipe of mine http://www.athomecookinginstitute.com/free-recipe.html.