Irish soda bread with rosemary & onion

The base of this Irish soda bread is from Paul Hollywood who is pretty much the bread god of England. It’s also the easiest bread you will ever make as there is no yeast, no proving and no kneading. It’s partly whole wheat which I prefer, and I’ve added rosemary and lightly sautéed onions to give it a flavour boost. I loved it in my easy cheese and onion bread with herbs. With a base of just 6 ingredients, it’s the perfect bread to make on the weekend for brunch, lunch or to serve with soup.

If by chance you have any leftovers, you could make a delicious Welsh Rarebit. Which is what I did. I hadn’t made this in ages and craved the molten cheesy goodness. 

After some research on the interwebs, I discovered there are so many variations to the Welsh Rarebit. In any case, beer or ale is used (yum) and some have eggs and others do not. I decided to make this recipe based on what I had on hand and decided not to open a beer to use a few tablespoons.

I think egg yolk is essential to give it unctuousness and a silky texture. Melted mature cheddar, with Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, is quite heavenly. You could add cayenne if you needed more spice or even a pinch of chilli flakes. There are so many possible variations. Next time I’ll finely chop up streaky bacon for a topping to the grill to a crisp.

This is a perfect light lunch in winter or a Sunday night supper in front of the telly.

Recipe – Welsh Rarebit (make this with the Irish soda bread you make)

• 20g butter
• 20g flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 2 free-range egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 60g mature Cheddar, grated
• 4 slices of bread (it’s great with the Irish soda bread)

Melt the butter in a small pot and add the flour to make a roux. Add the milk and keep stirring until you have a smooth and thick sauce.

Add the mustard, a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper and Worcestershire sauce and stir. When the flour has cooked out, remove it from the heat and while whisking add the egg yolks. When they are incorporated, mix in the cheese.

Place the bread on a baking tray and toast one side until brown under a hot grill. Remove and spread the Welsh Rarebit mix over the untoasted side and place it under the grill again. Cook until bubbling and brown.

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Easy no-knead focaccia bread

Recipe ~ Irish Soda Bread (adapted from Paul Hollywood)

You can keep this plain or add the rosemary and onions as I did. Or you could add whatever other flavours you like. Cheese, bacon, corn, chives, pimentos, olives…….

Irish soda bread with rosemary and onion

An easy Irish soda bread recipe with rosemary & sauteed onions (adapted form Paul Hollywood)

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:50 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 250 g whole wheat or nutty wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• 420 ml buttermilk
• 1 1/2 Tbs chopped rosemary
• 2 brown onions chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter

Instructions

• Heat the butter in a frying pan, preferably non-stick and saute the onions for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat until they soften and start becoming translucent. You don't want them to brown, but they retain texture. Allow to cool.
• You can make this by hand or use a mixer with a paddle attachment. Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine. Add the buttermilk and cooled onions buttermilk and very quickly mix to incorporate. Do not overmix.
• Tip out on a floured surface and bring the dough into a round ball. Flatten this slightly and cut 4 slits around the sides - about 1/4 of the way into the dough.
• Lift the dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake in an oven that has been preheated to 200C for 35 - 45 minutes. It is done when it is browned on the outside and gives a hollow sound when tapped. You could also test by piercing with a sharp knife.

Servings: 1 loaf

Author: Sam Linsell

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