Recipes
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Caveat:
While the following are authentic Irish Traveller family recipes, they are not presented as typical or characteristic of Irish Traveller "cuisine." In truth, over the one hundred to one hundred and fifty year period that we have traveled over these United States as migratory citizens and craftsmen, many of the more superficial parts of our lifestyle have been readily adapted to local conditions as we encountered them, including our cookery. Also I make no pretense to culinary expertise. You are entirely on your own as far as specific directions on the best way to fold, blend, whisk or otherwise expertly mix these reported ingredients into an acceptable hodgepodge.
I'd like to express my general appreciation to the Travellers who have provided the recipes below for us; they have declined individual credit.
The following are in no particular order:
Summer Squash:
1 pkg. bacon
6 small yellow squash
6 zucchini squash
1 onion
1 can of diced tomatoes
In a large cooking pot, sauté the bacon till browned, add diced onion mix together and sauté a few minutes more. Then add sliced squash and tomatoes, bringing it to a boil. Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Dandy Dandelion Greens:
1 good size chunk of salt pork or ham-hock
4 or 5 energetic kids
3 sacks of dandelion greens
Send those kids out for as many fresh dandelion greens as they can pick (no flowers or flower stems). Fill a large pot with water and add the salt pork. Set it to boiling; wash the dandelion greens and add them to the boiling water. Cook for about 15 minutes, then drain. Salt and pepper to taste.
Irish Scones:
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tbsps butter
1/2 cup raisins
Mix well together (if a little dry or wet, adjust milk/flour ratio). Pat into five or six round cakes. Fry in pan until brown on both sides, then serve.
Custard Pie:
favorite pie crust mix
7 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 large cup of milk (maybe up to an extra 1/2 cup)
nutmeg
Prepare pie crust and place in greased and floured pie plate. Crack the eggs in a bowl and beat with fork or whisk, adding sugar slowly. Add milk as you beat the mixture until you think you have over-thinned it; then remove some (:>D). Pour into pie crust and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and insert knife to check if it is done. The knife should slip in and out clean if it's done; if not: bake 5 minutes more at most.
Irish Dumpling:
2 lbs. self-rising flour
1 lb. raisins
6 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 lb. kidney suet, finely ground
1 cup of water
This is one "dumpling" that will require a lot of waiting time to make; almost as long as the time that's required to undergo the consequent angioplasty. Just finding "kidney suet" could take even longer. If the organ meat concept seems outlandish to you, I am sorry but it is said to be an absolute requirement.
Mix ingredients with your hands in a bowl and roll the result into a cannonball. Place it on a square of unbleached muslin and tie the corners in a topknot, enclosing the contents securely. Lower the muslin bag gently into a large pot of boiling water that has an heat-resistant plate in the bottom to support the bag without scorching it. Boil for three hours and then gingerly remove the bag and open the top to test for doneness by inserting a knife into the dumpling. If the knife comes out clean, it's done. Let cool for 1 to 2 hours; then remove muslin and discard. Cover the dumpling with aluminum foil and store in refrigerator. To serve, slice and pan-fry each slice on both sides.
To submit recipes, please e-mail me at Travellers' Rest