Irish on Kvalifood

Parsley Sauce

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 19:41:20 +0100

Parsley Sauce - kvalifood.com

A classic Irish white sauce made with milk infused with onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns, then thickened with a roux and finished with a generous amount of chopped fresh parsley. The traditional accompaniment to boiled bacon and cabbage.

Makes ca. 500 ml

Ingredients

500 ml whole milk
1 small onion, peeled, halved
2-3 fresh parsley stalks (reserved from the parsley below)
1 bay leaf
4 whole black peppercorns
40 g butter
30 g plain flour
30 g fresh curly parsley leaves, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp bacon cooking liquor (optional, if serving with bacon)
salt
black pepper

2 cups whole milk
1 small onion, peeled, halved
2-3 fresh parsley stalks (reserved from the parsley below)
1 bay leaf
4 whole black peppercorns
1½ oz butter
1 oz plain flour
1 oz fresh curly parsley leaves, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp bacon cooking liquor (optional, if serving with bacon)
salt
black pepper

Directions

Place the milk in a saucepan with the halved onion, parsley stalks, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Heat gently until just below boiling, then remove from heat and let infuse for 5-10 minutes. Strain, discarding the solids.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until the roux is smooth and pale. Do not let it brown.
Gradually add the warm infused milk in small splashes, whisking continuously after each addition. Once all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is smooth, bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce reaches a light coating consistency – it should coat the back of a spoon but still pour easily.
Stir in the chopped parsley and bacon cooking liquor (if using). Simmer for another 1-2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

Strip the parsley leaves for chopping and use the stalks in the milk infusion. They carry good flavor.
If you boiled or braised bacon, use a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid in the sauce. Taste it first – if very salty, use less and adjust seasoning.
If the sauce is too thick, thin with a splash of warm milk. If too thin, simmer for another minute or two.
The sauce thickens as it cools. Reheat gently with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth.
Curly parsley is traditional in Ireland. Flat-leaf has a slightly stronger flavor. Either works.

Whiskey Cream Sauce

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 14:28:43 +0100

Whiskey Cream Sauce - kvalifood.com

A pan sauce made from the drippings of a seared steak, deglazed with Irish whiskey and finished with cream and wholegrain mustard. The whiskey burns off but leaves a warm, rounded flavor. Made in the same pan as the steak, start to finish in about 10 minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
80 ml Irish whiskey
120 ml beef stock
120 ml double cream
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup Irish whiskey
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Directions

After cooking steaks, remove them from the skillet and set aside to rest. Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp drippings in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened.
Remove the pan from heat. Add the whiskey and stir to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits. Return to medium heat and simmer until reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.
Add the beef stock. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until reduced by about one-third, 3-4 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream and mustard. Simmer gently until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon over the rested steaks and garnish with chives.

Notes

Use Irish whiskey (Jameson, Powers, Tullamore D.E.W.) for the right flavor. Scotch or bourbon will work but taste different.
Always remove the pan from heat before adding whiskey to prevent flare-ups.
The sauce should be pourable, not thick. It thickens slightly as it cools on the plate.
Dijon mustard works as a substitute for wholegrain, giving a smoother sauce.
For a richer sauce, swirl in 1 tbsp cold butter at the very end, off heat.
Sliced mushrooms sauteed with the shallot are a common addition.
Works with any steak cut, pork chops, or thick hamburgers.

Butter Sauce

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 17:53:00 +0100

Butter Sauce - kvalifood.com

Butter sauce – also called “melted butter” in older British and Irish cookbooks – is a warm emulsion of cold butter whisked into a light flour-and-water base. It is simple, rich, and goes with steamed vegetables, poached fish, or eggs. The technique is all about temperature control: the cold butter must melt gradually into the warm base.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

250 g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm dice
2 tsp plain flour
120 ml hot water
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt
black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
1 tbsp double cream (optional)

1 cup + 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice
2 tsp plain flour
1/2 cup hot water
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt
black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
1 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Directions

Set aside two-thirds of the diced butter in the fridge. Melt the remaining third in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Stir in the flour and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let it brown.
Gradually whisk in the hot water, adding a little at a time so the mixture stays smooth.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Simmer on the lowest heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for 2 minutes.
Beat in the cold butter 3-4 cubes at a time, whisking until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.
If the sauce cools too much and butter cubes stop melting, return the pan to the lowest heat briefly.
Stir in the lemon juice and cream (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately in a warm sauceboat. The sauce does not hold well – use within 10 minutes.

Notes

If the sauce separates, remove from heat and vigorously whisk in 2 tbsp cold water to restore the emulsion.
A double boiler makes the process more forgiving if you are not confident with direct heat.
For a more stable sauce, increase flour to 1 tbsp. This gives a slightly thicker texture but more insurance against breaking.
Parsley sauce: stir in 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley at the end.
Caper sauce: add 1 tbsp drained capers and substitute white wine vinegar for the lemon juice.
Serve with steamed asparagus, broccoli, leeks, new potatoes, poached or grilled fish, or poached eggs.

Onion Sauce

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 09:13:27 +0100

Onion Sauce - kvalifood.com

A traditional British and Irish white sauce loaded with soft, sweet onions. The onions are sweated gently until translucent – never browned – then combined with a simple flour-and-milk base. Served alongside roast lamb, pork, bangers and mash, or chops.

Makes ca. 400 ml

Ingredients

200 g onions (2 medium), finely diced or thinly sliced
30 g butter
1 tbsp plain flour
200 ml whole milk
60 ml double cream
salt
white pepper, to taste
1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated (optional)

7 oz onions (2 medium), finely diced or thinly sliced
1 oz butter
1 tbsp plain flour
¾ cup whole milk
2 fl oz double cream
salt
white pepper, to taste
1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated (optional)

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and translucent but not browned.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, stirring well between additions to keep the sauce smooth. Add the cream.
Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon but remains pourable.
Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Serve warm.

Notes

Keep the heat low and the lid on while cooking the onions. The goal is soft, sweet onions without any caramelization.
Leave the sauce chunky with visible onion pieces. For smoother, blend half and stir it back in.
Cream is optional but improves richness. Without it, increase milk to 250 ml.
For a mint variation, stir in 2-3 tbsp freshly chopped mint just before serving. Good with lamb.
Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated. Freezes for up to 2 months. Reheat gently with a splash of milk if too thick.

Apple Sauce

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:36:19 +0100

Apple Sauce - kvalifood.com

A traditional British and Irish apple sauce made with Bramley cooking apples, which collapse into a rough puree when cooked. Lightly spiced with cloves and finished with butter. Served warm alongside roast pork, pork chops, or black pudding.

Makes ca. 400 ml

Ingredients

700 g Bramley cooking apples (ca. 530 g after peeling and coring)
40 g caster sugar, to taste
25 g unsalted butter
2 whole cloves
2 tbsp water
1 pinch salt

1½ lb Bramley cooking apples (ca. 1¼ lb after peeling and coring)
1½ oz caster sugar, to taste
1 oz unsalted butter
2 whole cloves
2 tbsp water
1 pinch salt

Directions

Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples into 2-3 cm chunks.
Place the apple pieces in a saucepan with the water, sugar, cloves, and salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have collapsed into a rough puree.
Remove the cloves. Add the butter and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or fork until the sauce reaches your preferred texture – slightly chunky is traditional, or use a stick blender for smooth.
Taste and add more sugar if needed. The sauce should be noticeably tart.
Serve warm.

Notes

Bramley apples disintegrate when cooked, which is the whole point. Do not substitute with eating apples.
Whole cloves give a cleaner flavor than ground and are easy to fish out. Two is enough – the flavor should be a background note.
Keeps 5 days refrigerated. Freezes well.
For a richer sauce, increase butter to 50 g. For a leaner version, omit it.
A squeeze of lemon juice adds extra brightness, but the natural tartness of Bramleys usually suffices.