Irish Country Kitchen - Recipes: Breakfast (3 of 4)

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TRADITIONAL IRISH BREAKFAST

The third in our selection of Irish Breakfast ideas (with variations on egg and bacon) - a few of the many recipes available in An Irish Country Kitchen by Mary Kinsella, published by Appletree Press.

BAKED EGGS

Preparation time: 6–8 minutes
Oven position: centre
Cooking Time: 6–8 minutes
Oven temperature: gas 5, 190°C, 375°F
Ingredients:
egg(s) (1–2 per person)
3/4 level tablespoon butter per egg
15 g | 1/2oz seasoning

Method: Put butter into a small ovenproof ramekin dish and put into the oven until the butter is melted. Season eggs to taste and put them in the heated dishes. Put in oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

CREAMY MUSHROOMS

Wild mushrooms were a common sight here a few years ago. Within a few hours on a hot wet August day, mushrooms would spring right up out of the ground – mushrooms with a beautiful juicy flavour that could be gathered in by the basketful. When they were washed and the skin was removed, with a knob of butter on each, they were laid out on a baking sheet and generously seasoned. They were lovely eaten with fresh soda bread and butter. Cultivated mushrooms – Ireland exports tons of them – are far more readily available these days but the flavour can’t be compared with that of the wild ones.

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
4 slices bread
1oz butter | 25g | 1 1/2 level tablespoons
1 tablespoon oil | 15ml | 1/2 fl oz
4oz cleaned and sliced mushrooms | 100g | 3/4 cup
1oz flour 25g 1/4 cup
10 fl oz milk | 275ml | 1 1/4 cups
a squeeze of lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
seasoning
2 tomatoes

Method: Toast bread on one side, spread butter on the other. Keep warm. Heat oil in a saucepan, and gently fry the mushrooms. Add flour and cook for a minute. Then gradually add milk and lemon juice, and bring to the boil. Add parsley and season to taste. Simmer for 3–4 minutes.Cut tomatoes in half and grill. Place toast on serving dish, arrange creamy mushrooms on top of toast; garnish with a grilled tomato and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.

BACON AND CHEESE SLICES

Toast was a luxury in our house. We never had a modern toaster at home. We had a large cooker, though; it had four ovens with various heat settings. There were two big cooking plates, one very hot and the other a simmer plate. Both had tight lids. To make the toast we put the sliced bread between a double wire rack on the hot plate. The rack was like a tennis racket with hinges at the top. It was placed over the hot plate and the lid brought down, covering it for four or five minutes until the toast was nicely browned.Today grills make bacon and cheese slices easier to cook.

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
4 slices bread
1oz butter 25g | 1 1/2 level tablespoons
mustard to taste
4 slices bacon
2oz grated cheese | 50g | 1/2 cup
chopped parsley

Method: Toast the bread until golden brown on one side; butter the other side, spread with mustard, and keep warm. Stretch each slice of bacon using the back of a knife and cut in two. Grill the bacon, allowing 3 minutes for each side. Set the bacon on buttered toast and sprinkle with grated cheese. Set under the grill until nicely browned. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.

From the Appletree Press title: An Irish Country Kitchen by Mary Kinsella.
The recipes for Irish Breakfast continue here

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