Irish Potato, Bacon, And Cheese Pie

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

    [Image courtesy of cakeduchess.com until I make this again and replace with my photo]

This pie is typical Irish fare: comfort food at its best. It can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I make this with only a bottom crust. I find a top crust too starchy with the potato being the main filling. There are many variations of the dish. This particular recipe is my version after reading and tasting some of these potato pie recipes. I hope you enjoy this perhaps on a cold, wintery evening. I serve it with a Caesar salad for an easy but delicious meal. Reheat for breakfast. I had a very similar version of this pie in Navan, County Meath, very near where I lived in Trim. Friends would take me a couple times a month to a larger grocery store in Navan so I could get large quantities of food. During the week when I ran out, I would walk downtown to the smaller shops and bag drag the items home. I learned to be very organized, or I would send Erin or Eli to buy something I needed right then. I never had a car except for one month when we toured so stayed thin because we walked so much.

Interesting note: though born in Drogheda, the Irish actor Pierce Brosnan was raised in Navan, lived there for 12 years, and considers it his hometown. The first time I saw him was in  the popular mini series Manions of America in 1981. I thought he was so cute though not a great actor. I loved him in Remington Steele and Mamma Mia! especially.

IRISH POTATO, BACON, AND CHEESE PIE [Serves 6]

Ingredients:

Crust for bottom layer
4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly
16 pieces of crisp bacon, broken into pieces
16 ounces of extra sharp cheese, grated
½ cup of Romano cheese, grated
½ stick of butter plus a few pats for topping
¼ cup of flour
2½ cups of milk
1½ T. of Provençal herbs [Blend of lavender, thyme, savory, basil, and fennel]
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º. Prepare pie plate. I use a 10-inch for this recipe. It makes a large pie. If you want to make a 9-inch pie, just reduce the ingredients a bit or it will spill over into the oven when baking. [If you are in a hurry, use the refrigerated crust already rolled, but do not bring the crust to the top of the pie plate as it might overbrown in the oven since they are for 9-inch pies. Again, if you are making a 9-inch, this crust will fit perfectly.] Place the crust onto the plate. Make the cream sauce by melting the butter, adding the flour to make a light roux. Add the milk and gently bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in the Provençal herbs continuing to stir until thickened. Place ⅓ of the potatoes in a swirl formation on the bottom of the plate adding ⅓ of the bacon, ⅓ of the sharp cheese, and ⅓ of the cream sauce. Lightly salt and pepper each layer. Layer the rest of the ingredients in order. Top with a few pats of butter and the Romano cheese.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown, potatoes are tender, and fork comes out clean.

Irish Nachos Appetizer

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

Photo from thedailymeal.com until I make this & photograph it.

We had these in a pub in Dublin on one of our weekend jaunts to the city. Every other weekend for a few months Erin, Eli, and I would take the early morning bus into Dublin to explore for the day and do all the "touristy" things: the shops, the pubs, the restaurants, museums, cathedrals, parks, zoo, etc.--all the tourist sights. It was great fun. We got to know the city very well. I can say my favorite parts of the city were St. Stephen's Green, Phoenix Park, and Powerscourt. I loved to visit Bewley's and The Shrimp Wine Bar.

Me at Murphy's, a popular pub in the 80s

We had these "nachos" for lack of a better word, and they were delicious. Instead of corn chips, the basket was filled with french fries smothered in all things Irish. Today they are standard fare in most Irish pubs. And I must say they are one of my favorite pub offerings. Most include potato waffle fries as the base. 

Irish Nachos Appetizer

Ingredients:

1 large package of waffle fries cooked
1 lb. of corned beef brisket, chopped
1 lb. of pepper jack or Irish cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb. of crispy bacon, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
2 scallions, chopped
Sour cream
Salsa
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Cook waffle fries according to package. Top with corned beef, cheese, bacon, tomato, and scallion. Combine sour cream, salsa, salt, and pepper. Stream over the top. 

Variations:

Avocado, chopped
Mayonnaise
Ranch dressing

Enjoy!

Irish Journal Part Five

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Irish Journal Part Five:

By the next morning the rain had stopped, and I had yet to know it would rain 6 times a day on many days during our stay in Ireland. Miriam made us a breakfast of tea, juice [or what the Irish passed off as juice, more on this later,] cereal, sausage, and apples. The agenda for the day was to enroll Erin and Eli into school which was starting the new year that very day and go to the auctioneer [real estate agent] to find us a home. We first went to the Christian Brothers school St. Michael's and were directed to the principal who also taught fourth year which is grade 4 in the States.  He spoke with us in the hall outside his classroom and said Eli could start right then and that he would be in his class. I was a little surprised by this and was not yet willing to let go of my nine-year-old son, so I said that tomorrow would be fine. The door to the classroom had glass on the upper portion giving us a clear view of what was taking place inside. It reminded me of a stereotypical scene in a movie about an English boys' school: sheer bedlam. I could barely hear Brother Brehaney above the roar of the students. They were all up out of their seats, running around, throwing things, standing on radiators, etc. I had to laugh, but when I looked at Eli I saw that he was terrified. His eyes were like saucers just staring at this chaos he would soon be entering. I really did not want to surrender my precious son to this insanity.

Then we went to Scoil Mhuire, the Convent of Mercy School to enroll Erin. It was hectic there as well since the new term was just beginning. We met with Sister Michael, the head Sister of Mercy, and she asked us to come back the next day. So we went and purchased Eli's uniform: grey slacks, powder blue long-sleeved, button down shirts, navy ties--his first real tie--and navy V-neck sweaters. He looked like Dapper Dan. Now keep in mind Erin and Eli had always gone to public schools in Delmar, Bethlehem Central School District, and they were not raised in a fromal religion. So enrolling them in religious schools was something of a daunting experience for them. Miriam showed us where the post office was, and I purchased my first stash of postage. I spent a fortune on postage during our stay as mail was my lifeline to my former life and former self. 

Next stop was to find a house to rent. We went to two auctioneers and were told they would have places for us to view the next day, but there was one we could see that afternoon. We went to Griffin Park and saw the most disgusting rental--ugly, dingy, dirty, moldy. I was looking at furnished places, and when I turned the bedding down, there were bugs crawling all over. We got out of there fast. I suppressed depression and forced myself to believe something wonderful would be found the next day. We went back to the B & B, and Miriam made us grilled cheese for lunch. I can still see the huge chunks of raw onion inside the sandwich.  I thought I might possibly vomit.  I thought for sure Erin or Eli would, but they rose to the occasion and just took out the onions. I was proud of them. Miriam was none too pleased with us as I recall. I thought it was the Irish way of preparing a grilled cheese sandwich but later discovered it was simply Miriam's way. We went on a brisk walk, and Miriam showed us some of Trim. It was a charming town with the River Boyne slowly ambling its way through it creating many bridges and many opportunities for swan sightings. I would take many wonderful, leisure, peaceful walks along its banks over the many months of our stay. I always felt rested and renewed after these walks.
Miriam made Irish stew for dinner, and her husband Con [short for Cornelius] asked if I ate the skin on the potatoes. We were informed he was a local garda or policeman. I said that I did explaining the peel contained many nutrients, and his response was one of amazement. I found out why when I ate a potato and discovered the peel was filthy. I guess Miriam never developed  the habit of washing the potatoes before baking them. Eli watched some telly--we were beginning our vocabulary transformation, and Erin talked to Miriam's daughter Grainne who was her age and went to Scoil Mhuire. Eli went to bed at 9 to be well-rested for his new school adventure the next day. Erin and I stayed up until 10 and drifted off trying to envision what the next day would bring.

Eli proudly displaying his new school uniform/September 1984

Eli and Erin at Murphy's in Dublin

 

Next: Part 6 of our Irish adventure--Eli's first day of school, the fiasco of enrolling Erin into Scoil Mhuire, and starting the arduous task of finding a house to rent.

Irish Paella

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

[Image courtesy of I AM FOOD BLOG.COM until I make this again and replace with my own image.]

The best paella I ever tasted was in the Canary Islands.  In another post [Irish Seafood Pot Pie] I wrote about the islands as a popular European vacation destination.  Seafood was plentiful and fresh so this dish was often served in the many restaurants along the beaches and in the cities.  This is the best recipe I have found for paella with some alteration to match the entrée served so many years ago while I was on holiday with my children Erin and Eli off the coast of Africa near Morocco.

 
My son Eli Zachary and I in the Canary Islands on holiday during the Christmas season of 1985.  We were on our way to dinner on a beautiful warm evening.  I still remember the light warm breeze and the feel, look, and smell of the night.  Some memories stay with one a lifetime.  I guess that is of what life is made. [Note the "big hair" of the 80s!]

Eli and Erin near the orange grove in the Canary Islands.

Before the recipe, I want to include an article on paella--and more specifically--what it is not by Erica Marcus.

"In the pantheon of great international party dishes, you'd be hard-pressed to find one more misunderstood than paella.

Here's what paella is not: It is not a yellow rice casserole. It is not a repository for all manner of meats and vegetables. It is not the Spanish national dish.

What paella is is a method of cooking rice, native to Valencia on Spain's eastern coast, that involves sautéing ingredients in olive oil in a wide, shallow pan, adding rice and liquid and then cooking, uncovered and with a minimum of stirring, until the rice is just tender.

Penelope Casas, an authority on Spanish food (and the author of many cookbooks), explained that the name refers to the pan in which paella is cooked. "The paella--the pan--is wide and shallow," she said. "It is made from carbon steel, it heats up quickly, and over time it discolors and gets ugly-looking." (In other words, don't spend your money on a $200 paella pan; you can get the real thing for about $40.)

In Valencia, Casas said, there are restaurants devoted to making paella. Some make the dish in their kitchens, others use a specially-made propane burner-on-a-tripod, still others cook paella in the most traditional way: over an open wood fire.

In her definitive book Paella! Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain (Henry Holt), Casas adapts traditional recipes for the American home cook. And she is bullish that a true paella requires nothing that can't be easily obtained in most supermarkets. "The only indispensable ingredients are rice, water and olive oil," she writes. "Everything else is the subject of endless debates and discussions by Spaniards."

When Casas published Paella in 1999, short-grain Spanish rice was hard to find on U.S. shores. But the recent push by Spain to introduce its foods to Americans has brought many more imported products into specialty stores. Optimally, Casas would have us use the highest-quality Spanish short-grain rice, called Bomba, for paella. But she has also made entirely creditable--if unusually creamy--paellas with Italian Arborio rice; she particularly likes Beretta's Superfino brand.

The yellow color of some paellas comes from saffron, but Casas said that it is really a supporting player most of the time. Still, it's worth seeking out high-quality, authentic Spanish "thread" saffron that hasn't been pulverized into an orange powder. Ditto Spanish paprika--pimenton--which has a haunting, smoky quality all its own.

Casas labors mightily to combat the notion, widely held by Americans, that "paella is a random assortment of seafood, meat and vegetables." Even in Valencia, she said, restaurants now serve such " mixed" paellas "because the tourists want them," but the Valencians don't really approve of them. "By mixing, you detract from the integrity of the main ingredients," she said.

On the other hand, Valencia boasts an almost infinite variety of paellas, more than 60 of which Casas presents in her book. "Of course, there's a tremendous variety," she says. "Where paella comes from, they eat it every day."
 

Now that we know what paella is and what it is not--can you tell I was an English instructor?--I want to add my two cents or really just my personal preferences.  I like the saffron, and I like seafood and sausage.  So the recipe I have included here contains that and, of course, the baby octopus that we had in Gran Canaria. I never told Erin she was eating octopus almost daily for two weeks until months later.
 

This is a basic recipe of Tyler Florence that I have tweaked quite a bit to make it more like the paella of years ago.  It really is not difficult to make.  And it is really so good.  Is it really paella in the traditional sense? No, but in the modern American menu, it is. Don't tell your friends from Spain.  Many paella recipes call for peas.  Many traditional recipes are cooked over wood fires. You also can substitute what you like: oysters, mussels, etc.

 

Irish Paella 
 

Ingredients:
 

Spice mix for chicken [recipe included] 

3 pounds of boneless chicken breasts or thighs 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 Spanish chorizo sausages, thickly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Spanish onion, diced

1 large green pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

Bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, reserve some for garnish

1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed

4 cups short grain Spanish rice

6 cups water or chicken broth, warm

Generous pinch saffron threads

1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 lobster tails 

1 pound of baby octopus, cut into rings

12 sea scallops

Lemon wedges
 

Special equipment:

Large paella pan or wide shallow skillet

Preparation:

Rub the spice mix all over the chicken and marinate chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Heat oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chorizo until browned, remove, and reserve. Add chicken and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from pan and reserve.

In the same pan, make a sofrito by sautéing the onions, garlic, green pepper, and parsley. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Add chicken, chorizo, and saffron. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. The shrimp will take about 8 minutes to cook. Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, when the rice is filling the pan, add the lobster tails and octopus. When the paella is cooked, and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom. Then it's perfect. The ideal paella has this toasted rice bottom called socarrat. 
 

Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Two More Kid-Friendly Nile Hors d'Oeuvres: Cucumber Cups with Blue Cheese Mousse and Trout Mousse

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

The base of these hors d'oeuvres is cucumber. Kids love to cut out the cucumber rounds and top them by themselves. I will include the toppings as presented in the appetizer book I like, but you could top them with all your children's favorites: peanut butter, marshmallow, fruits, jams, cheese, Nutella®, hard boiled eggs, egg salad, chicken, olive, nuts, etc. The possibilities are as limitless as your children's imaginations. Have some fun in the kitchen this weekend with your kids or grandkids.

 

Carla Mooney and I sitting in the traffic circle in the center of Trim during the Tidy Town Awards in October of 1984

 

Erin, my father and mother, and Eli at the same traffic circle in April of 1985

Again let me credit Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell for these wonderful recipes found in their Hors D'Oeuvres cookbook.

 

Cucumber Cups with Blue Cheese Mousse and Crispy Bacon

CUCUMBER CUPS WITH BLUE CHEESE MOUSSE AND CRISPY BACON    [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

6 slices of bacon
4 oz. of Roquefort cheese
4 oz. of cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 scallion, cut into strips for garnish
1 cucumber made into 20 cucumber cups

Essential Equipment:

Piping bag with large star nozzle, 1 3/8-inch fluted pastry cutter, melon baller

Preparation:

Place bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook until golden and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cut into small triangular pieces as shown in photo. Cut the cucumber into 20 ¾-inch slices. Cut each slice with the pastry cutter. Using the melon baller, scoop out centers to make cups, leaving a ¼-inch layer as a base. Beat the cheeses until smoothly blended. Add the salt and pepper. Fill the piping bag with mousse and pipe into cucumber cups. [As shown on all cooking shows, you can substitute a plastic bag with the corner cut off for the piping bag.] Top with crispy bacon pieces and garnish with scallion strips.

Tips:

Prepare the mousse up to 3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Cook bacon up to one day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Crisp in preheated 350° oven for two minutes.  Make the cups up to 2 days in advance, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Fill cups up to one hour before serving.

 

Cucumber Cups with Trout Mousse, Lemon, and Dill

CUCUMBER CUPS WITH SMOKED TROUT MOUSSE, LEMON, AND DILL         [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

5 oz. of smoked trout
4 oz. of cream cheese
½ tsp. of grated lemon peel
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 cucumber made into 20 cucumber cups
1 tsp. of paprika for dusting
20 dill sprigs for garnish

Essential Equipment:

Piping bag with large star nozzle, 1 3/8-inch fluted pastry cutter, melon baller 

Preparation:

Place the smoked trout, cream cheese, lemon peel and juice in a food processor or blender; pulse to a smooth paste. Add cayenne pepper to taste. Cut the cucumber into 20 ¾-inch slices. Cut each slice with the pastry cutter. Using the melon baller, scoop out centers to make cups, leaving a ¼-inch layer as a base. Fill the piping bag with mousse and pipe into cucumber cups. [As shown on all cooking shows, you can substitute a plastic bag with the corner cut off for the piping bag.] Dust with paprika, and garnish with dill sprigs.

Tips:

Prepare the mousse up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Make the cups up to 2 days in advance, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Fill cups up to one hour before serving.

Illustration of how to make cucumber cups:

Next up: more kid-friendly hors d'oeuvres.

More Nile Kid-Friendly Hors d'Oeuvres: Vegetable Cups--Tomato with Crab and Radish with Olive Tapenade

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETICHEF.

 

 

Again I must credit Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell for all the great recipes in their cookbook HORS D'OEUVRES.  I have changed the following recipes only slightly.  

Cherry Tomatoes with Crab and Tarragon MayonnaiseCHERRY TOMATOES WITH CRAB AND TARRAGON MAYONNAISE       [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

20 cherry tomatoes
½ lb. of crabmeat
4 tbsp. of mayonnaise
1 tbsp. of tarragon
1 tsp. of dijon mustard
1 tbsp. of tarragon leaves, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut and discard very thin pieces from the bottoms of the tomatoes to make flat, stable bases. Cut and remove thin pieces from the tops of the tomatoes and reserve for lids. Scoop out all seeds and filling with a tiny spoon and discard. Turn the tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain for 5 minutes. To make the tarragon mayonnaise, select a quality whole-egg mayonnaise [like Hellman’s®] and combine 4 tablespoons with 1 tablespoon of tarragon until nicely blended. Be sure that the mayonnaise is room temperature before mixing with the tarragon. Combine the crabmeat, tarragon mayonnaise, mustard, and tarragon leaves. Salt and pepper to taste. Use a small spoon to fill each tomato with the crab mixture. Top with tomato lid and some tarragon for garnish if desired.

Tips:

 

Prepare the tomatoes up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Fill the tomatoes up to 3 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate.

 

Radish Cups with Olive Tapenade

RADISH CUPS WITH RIPE OLIVE TAPENADE    [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

20 round radishes with green stems on top
¼ cup of pitted ripe olives [now often called black olives]
4 anchovy fillets [I often substitute 4 large squirts of anchovy paste]
2 tbsp. of capers
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp. of lemon juice
1 tsp. of thyme, finely chopped
2 tbsp. of quality olive oil [I prefer Colavita®]
¼ tsp. of black pepper

Essential Equipment:

 

Melon ball cutter 

 

Preparation:

To make the tapenade, place the olives, anchovies or paste, capers, clove, lemon juice, thyme, and oil into a food processor or blender; pulse to a thick paste. Add the pepper. Cut and discard thin slices from the radish bottoms to make flat, stable bases. Cut and remove thin pieces from the tops of the radishes and reserve for lids. If you cannot find fresh radishes with bright green stems, substitute with sprigs of fresh dill. They will make a decorative and flavorful garnish presentation for the tops of the radishes. Using a melon ball cutter, remove most of the radish center to make “cups.” Fill with the tapenade. Top with radish lids or sprigs of fresh dill.

Tips:

 

Make the filling up to one month in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Fill the tomatoes up to 1 hour before serving.

Next: a Halloween menu for children.

Shrimp Gruyère Pie

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

 



We had a slice of this pie as an appetizer at a chic continental restaurant in Cairo. When one visits Cairo, one will visit the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, and its famous bazaar. What struck me was the city continued to be built right up to these massive structures. One would never guess that because pictures of the pyramids are taken looking at them from the city so the background is desert and seeming isolation with the aura of the mystic and ancient, but it actually is so tacky with hawkers and food stands everywhere. I have to admit it was quite disappointing. It just ruined the atmosphere. 

My son Eli and daughter Erin at the pyramid in Giza in July 1985

Erin with her new friend

 

Eli and Erin waiting for me to climb up to enter the pyramid

 

Eli at the entrance to the Egyptian Museum

The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Khufu's Pyramid, Pyramid of Khufu, and Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in Giza bordering what is now Cairo, and is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that survives substantially intact.  It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for Fourth dynasty Egyptian King Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC.  The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.  Originally, the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface, and what is seen today is the underlying core structure.  Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base.  There have been varying scientific and alternative theories regarding the Great Pyramid's construction techniques.  Most accepted theories are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid.  The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished.  The so-called Queen's Chamber and King's Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure.  The Great Pyramid of Giza is the main part of a complex setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu, three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.

Warning: be prepared to almost crawl to enter the innermost chambers open to the public.  You go in single-file, and it is oppressively hot, and the air is stagnant and smells of strong stale urine.  My daughter Erin was overcome and had to be sent back to the hotel in a cab with an elderly British woman.  Plus be careful of Egyptian men trying to grope you in the darkened tunnels--the seedier side of touring foreign lands.  The sound and light show at the pyramid was wonderful though.  Since we were the only people in our group who had paid for an American Express tour, we went with our Australian guide the last night we were in Cairo, and it was a beautiful sight.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a reclining lion with a human head that stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile.  It is the largest monolith statue in the world, standing 241 ft. long, 20 ft. wide, and 65 ft. high.  It is the oldest known monumental sculpture, and is commonly believed to have been built in the third millenium BC.  The Great Sphinx is one of the world's largest and oldest statues, but basic facts about it, such as who was the model for the face, when it was built, and by whom, are still debated. 

Since I have been interested in anything Egyptian since a young child, I had been to the King Tut exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum in New York in the late 70s, but nothing prepares one for the The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.  Commonly known as the Egyptian Museum, it is home to the most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world.  It has 120,000 items with a representative amount on display and the remainder in storerooms.

The museum's Royal Mummy Room, containing 27 royal mummies from pharaonic times, was closed on the orders of President Anwar Sadat in 1981.  It was reopened, with a slightly curtailed display of  New Kingdom kings and queens in 1985.  Today, there are about 9 mummies displayed.  One of them is the newly found queen Hatshepsut.

There are two main floors of the museum: the ground floor and the first floor.  On the ground floor visitors will find an extensive collection of papyrus and coins used in the Ancient World.  The numerous pieces of papyrus are generally small fragments, due to their decay over the past two millennia. Several languages are found on these pieces, including Greek, Latin, Arabic, and the Ancient Egyptian writing language of hieroglyphs.  The coins found on this floor are made of many different elements, including gold, silver, and bronze.  The coins are not only Egyptian, but also Greek, Roman, and Islamic, which has helped historians research the history of Ancient Egyptian trade.  Also on the ground floor are artifacts from the New Kingdom, the time period between 1550 and 1070 BC.  These artifacts are generally larger than items created in earlier centuries.  They include statues, tables, and coffins.  If visitors follow these displays in chronological order, they will end up on the first floor, which contains artifacts from the final two dynasties of Ancient Egypt.  Some artifacts in this area include items from the tombs of the Pharaohs Tuhtmoisis III, Tuhtmosis IV, Amenophis II, Hatshepsut, and Maherpen, and also many artifacts taken from the legendary Valley of the Kings.　

The majority of the world has come to know the tomb of King Tutankhamun better than any royal tombs because even though he is an obscure, unimportant king historically, unlike the others, his tomb was found mostly intact.  Inside the tomb is a large collection of artifacts used throughout the King’s life.  These artifacts range from a decorated chest, which was most likely used as a closet or suitcase, to ivory and gold bracelets, necklaces, and other decorative jewelry, to alabaster vases and flasks.  The tomb is also home to many instruments and weapons used by the King.  Although the tomb holds over 3,500 artifacts, it should be noted that his tomb was not found completely intact.  In fact, there have been at least two robberies of the tomb, perhaps soon after Tutankhamun's burial.  The most well known artifact in King Tutankhamun’s tomb is the famous Gold Mask, which rests over the bandages that wrap around the King’s face.  The mask weighs in at 24.5 pounds of solid gold, and is believed to represent what the King’s face really looked like.  Many features of the mask the eyes, nose, lips and chin are all represented very well.
 
The remains of many famous Pharaohs are stored in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities.  One of these is Pharaoh Ramses III, who was an extremely skilled warrior.  His army was very impressive, as it has been duplicated and copied all over the world.  For many of the mummified pharaohs, it has been very difficult to determine when they were born.  Also, historians can only estimate a time when they reigned over Egypt.  For Amenhotip IV, historians have estimated that he reigned around 1372 B.C.   Before he even became pharaoh, however, he was already married to Nefertiti, a radiant beauty.  But, when Amenhotep IV did become pharaoh, he destroyed the religion of Amun.  He did this because he wanted start his own new religion of Aten, the disc which sent out rays ending in hands. 

One of the pleasures of Cairo is to get lost in the bazaars (souqs) and take in the sights, smells, and sounds of life in all its chaos and glory.  Cairo is a large, bustling, dirty city.  You can shop for carpets, camels, shoes, books, and veils or whatever else takes your fancy.  Leave your valuables behind in your hotel and immerse yourself in a world that has changed little in hundreds of years. 

For souvenirs most tourists head to Khan Al-Khalili, one of the world's oldest bazaars.  If you like haggling, this is the place for you.  To get away from the souvenir shops, head west and you will have a more authentic souq experience.  The main goods sold are gold, silver, copper, perfume, spices, and cloth.  I bought some beautiful Egyptian jewelry, traditional Egyptian clothing, purses, and papyrus drawings which I still have to this day.

Now to that yummy pie.  I have come very close to solving the puzzle of this delicious dish.  It is a combination of a recipe in The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Cookbook and a recipe found in my mother's old recipe box.

SHRIMP GRUYÈRE PIE  [Serves 4 as an entrée or 8 as an appetizer]

Ingredients for Crust:

1 stick of butter, softened
8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of flour, sifted [Do not skip the sifting in this recipe]

Ingredients for Filling:

1 ½ lbs. of medium fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cooked
½ cup of sweet red pepper, minced
¼ cup of white onion, minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
3 tbsp. of butter, melted
2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
½ cup of Hellman’s® mayonnaise
4 large eggs
1/3 cup of milk
1 ¼ cups of Gruyère or Swiss cheese, shredded
1 tsp. of ground white pepper

Preparation of Crust:

Cream the butter and the cheese together.  Add the flour and blend well.  Chill for at least one hour.  Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface and line a 10-inch pie pan.  Preheat oven to 350° and bake for 10 minutes.  [If you use this crust for dessert cream pies, cook at 450° for 10 minutes.]

Preparation of Filling:

Chop the cooked shrimp into bite-sized pieces.  In a sauté pan cook the red pepper, white onion, and garlic in the melted butter over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender.  Be sure to not brown the garlic as it will turn bitter.  Add the chopped shrimp and heat thoroughly.  Drain well if needed.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise on high speed until creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Gradually, add the milk beating at slow speed until just blended.  Stir in the shrimp/vegetable mixture, the cheese, and white pepper.

Pour mixture into pie crust. Bake in a preheated 300° oven for one hour and twenty minutes or until set.  Turn off the oven, partially open the oven door, and leave the pie in the oven until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh chive or parsley.  Invite the Sun God Ra or the Goddess Isis for lunch!!

Two More Nile Hors d'Oeuvres: Mini Burgers and Mini Tuna Burgers

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

 

 

 

Erin and Eli the first week in our new home in Trim, County Meath, Ireland in 1984

 

Eli playing with his friends on a rainy day in Trim.  They were all hanging from the open staircase in the hall!!  Notice the strings on his jacket

These burger recipes are from Hors D'Oeuvres by Eric Tretuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell.  If you do not like their garnishes, substitute your favorites.

Mini Hamburgers with Pickles and Ketchup
MINI BURGERS WITH PICKLES AND KETCHUP        [Makes 25]

Ingredients:

^2/₃ lb. of ground beef
1 tbsp. of onion, very finely chopped
2 tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. of dijon mustard
1 tsp. of salt
¼ tsp. of pepper
4 tbsp. of ketchup, divided
25 mini burger buns, halved [Recipe included below]
2 romaine lettuce hearts, cut into 25 1-inch pieces 
10 cornichons or gherkins for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°.  Mix the beef, onion, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp. of ketchup until well combined.  Divide the mixture into 25small pieces.  With wet hands, shape the pieces into balls and flatten into burgers.  Be sure to really flatten the burger or the toppings and top bun will not lay properly.  Place on a baking sheet, and cook until brown and firm to the touch, 10 minutes.  Cut the stalks from the salad leaves and discard.  Cut the leaves into 20 1-inch pieces.  Cut the pickles on the diagonal into thin slices.  Place the burgers on the bottom halves of the buns.  Top each with lettuce and pickle.  Gently press on the top halves of the burger buns.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mini Tuna Burger with Wasabi Mayonnaise and Pickled Ginger

MINI TUNA BURGERS WITH WASABI MAYONNAISE AND PICKLED GINGER  [Makes 25]

Ingredients:

½ lb. of tuna steak, ½-inch thick
4 tbsp. of mayonnaise
1 tsp. of wasabi paste
¼ tsp. of soy sauce
¼ tsp. of rice vinegar
Pinch of sugar
25 pieces of pickled ginger
25 cilantro leaves for garnish

Essential Equipment:

Cast-iron grill pan or barbecue grill.

Preparation:

Cut tuna into 1 inch cubes.  Preheat the grill over high heat.  Sear the tuna cubes on each side until firm to the touch, 2 minutes per side.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cool. Combine the mayonnaise, wasabi paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.  Spread all the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the bottom halves of the buns.  Top with tuna pieces, and garnish with pickled ginger and cilantro leaves.  Cover with the top halves of the buns.  Serve warm at room temperature.

Tips:

For the best flavor barbecue the tuna. Place the tuna on an oiled rack set 3 inches above medium hot coals for two minutes on each side.

Mini Burger Buns

MINI BURGER BUNS      [Makes 25]　

Ingredients:

1 recipe of unbaked bread dough     [Recipe below]
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. of water
1 tbsp. of sesame seeds

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Divide the dough into 25 small pieces about the size of an unshelled walnut.  Shape into smooth rolls.  Place on a floured baking sheet, and press down gently to flatten buns.  Cover with a cloth for 20 minutes until doubled in size.  Brush each bun with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake until just golden brown, 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Tips:

If you are really pressed for time, you could buy 25 bakery-quality full-size hamburger buns.  Using a 1 ½-inch pastry cutter, cut out rounds from each bun.

Bread Dough Recipe    [Makes ¾ of a lb.]

Ingredients:

1 ^2/₃ cups of bread flour
¾ cup of salt
5/8 cup of tepid water

1 tsp. of quality olive oil
1 tsp. of dried yeast

Preparation:

Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center.  Place the salt along the raised edge of the four.  Pour the water with the oil into the well.  Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid.  Let stand for five minutes; stir to dissolve.  Draw in the flour from the sides of the bowl with a spoon.  Mix to make a rough, sticky dough.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured surface.  Use the heel of one hand to gently push the dough away from you.  At the same time, use your other hand to rotate the dough slightly towards you, guiding it around in a circle.  Repeat these kneading actions until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, 10 minutes.

Put the dough in a large clean bowl, and cover with a dish towel.  Let it rise until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.  Deflate the dough by pressing down with the palm of your hand.  The dough is now ready to be shaped.

Tips:

 

Make and knead 12 hours in advance.  Cover and let it rise in refrigerator overnight.  Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.  Shape and bake according to the recipe.  Also, the quantity of liquid required will often vary according to the type of flour used, as well as the level of humidity and temperature on the day of bread making.  It is best to err on the side of making a dough too soft rather than too dry.  Add extra water after drawing in the flour to form dough, as necessary 1 tbsp. at a time.

Using a Machine:

 

Follow the recipe and method for bread dough, but place ingredients after they have been mixed to a rough dough, into the bowl of a standing mixer equipped with a bread hook.  To knead, set the mixer at low speed for 10 minutes.  Or use the bowl of a food processor fitted with a plastic dough blade.  To knead use the pulse button for 30 seconds at a time until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.

Next up: kid-friendly hors d'oeuvres they will love to help make and love to eat.

Floral Portraits

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

I create floral portraits for my family and friends. An art teacher over 20 years ago did one for my birthday. I treasure it still, and it still hangs on my bedroom wall. I select the recipient's favorite flower and then describe in words and phrases the character and memories of that person. They can be quite beautiful and quite poignant. Always very personal, the portrait creates an intimate picture of her personality and her life's moments. It is a very personal gift. Here is an example.

                     Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus Carota)

• Mariannebridgetethus Perpetuus 

• Late Ever-Blooming Irish Queen Anne's Lace  
• Incidence:  Extremely Rare

• Optimum Growing Conditions: 

Tropical Beach, The Adirondacks, Free-flowing Time, Cozy Kitchen, Forever Friends, Reed and Claudia Paige's Sleepovers with Gamma YaYa, Reading Room, Travel with Erin and Eli, Yankee Stadium, Dalmatians, Cold Coffee, Eire, Irish Music, Penguins, Berlin, Egyptology, Wishbone's Clothes, Sailing with Paige and Steve, Mercury Astronauts, Archaeology, Hearthstone, Cooking, The Early Bruce Springsteen, Film, Politics, Cobalt Blue, Hats, Gloves, Shoes, and Jewelry, China, Construction Boots, Hart's and Fountain Pizza, French Fries with Beef Gravy, Walks with Sue and Marcia, Erin and Eli's Soccer Games, The Scarlet Pimpernel, My Backyard, Ned and the Gang, Board Games, Pitch with Connie, Our "Apartment" in Cape Cod, 40 Alden Court, U of A, Crossword Puzzles, Scrabble with Mary Ellen and Donna, Fun at RHC, Camoflauge, Converse® Black High Tops, Adventures in NYC with Marty, The Animal Play, The Mick, Bouton, Munson, Mattingly, and Jeter, Piseco, Laughing with Nancy, Yellow, Tinge, Hot Air Ballooning with the Gang, Shammie.  

If anyone is interested in having a floral portrait made for yourself or as a gift, just ask for prices. The above is an idea of what a finished product may look like. They are available in 5x7, 8x10, or 11x14 framed or unframed.  They make a unique and personal gift.

Next: I will continue with Cajun cooking, Egyptian hors d'oeuvres, and arrival in Ireland very soon.

Three More Nile Hors d'Oeurvres: Beef, Scallop, and Asparagus Croutes

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

To get to Aswan to start the Nile cruise, we took the train from Cairo.  I had always wanted to take an overnight train and was very much looking forward to it.  The last site we toured before leaving for the station was the statue of Ramses II.  The tour guide told us he had 62 wives and over 200 children.  There was a smile on the statue’s face.  Sometimes I wonder why.  We were looking forward to the air conditioning of the train.  It was 130°.  [Remember to never visit Egypt in the summer.]

I would someday love to take holidays on the Orient Express and the glass-roof train through the Rockies.  Two more adventures!  Isn’t it fun to dream?  It is 549 miles from Cairo to Aswan.  We boarded the train during the late afternoon.  For dinner we had chicken and rice, cucumber in seasoned yogurt, fish and stuffed vine leaves [Waraq Einab], rolls, and cake and coffee.  In another post I will provide the recipe for the vine leaves.  I found some tiny pebbles in my chicken and rice.  My daughter Erin and I started laughing so hard that we could not stop.  My son Eli was rooming with our young Australian tour guide Nick in the cabin next to ours.  All cabins were for two.  When I think back, I cannot believe I allowed that, but at the time I did not think twice about it.  That evening Eli was in his glory.  I wrote in my journal: “What happened to my shy boy?”  We all went to the club car after dinner.  I ordered an “Egyptian” beer which turned out to be Belgian Stella Artois®.  There was entertainment and general gaiety, and everyone really had a wonderful time getting to know each other.  I went back to my cabin after the belly dancing and slept really well.  Breakfast consisted of coffee and three rolls: hard, sweet, and croissant.  At the train station in Cairo we were told that when the doors opened in Aswan, the heat would hit us like a blast furnace.  That was an accurate assessment.  No one wanted to get off the train.  I will relate more of our adventures in the next hors d’oeuvres post.

My son Eli Zachary relaxing after a strenuous day at the beach under the scorching Mediterranean sun. He was exhausted.

The Pyramid at Giza near Cairo [There are as many camels as cars.]

The Valley of the Nobles as we go over the mountains on our donkeys from the Valley of the Kings [When we got on the donkeys that day no one told us we would be going over mountain passes two feet wide!]

Like crostini, croutes are an easy way to make hors d'oeuvres.  Here are some more great hors d'oeuvres found in my hors d'oeuvres bible:  Hors D'Oeuvres, published in 1999 by A D K Publishing, Inc.® and written by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell. 

BROILED BEEF FILET WITH SALSA VERDE CROUTES    [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

 ¾ cup of fresh flat leaf parsley
10 basil leaves
10 mint leaves
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. of dijon mustard
1 tbsp. of capers, drained
2 anchovy fillets, drained [or anchovy paste]
2 tbsp. of quality olive oil
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
¾ lb. of beef filet steak, ¾-inch thick
1 tsp. of paprika to dust for garnish
20 croutes [Recipe include]

Essential Equipment:

Cast-iron grill pan

Preparation:

To make the salsa, place the parsley, basil, mint, garlic, mustard, capers, anchovy, and olive oil into a blender or food processor.  Pulse to a thick paste.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cut the steak into 20 rounds with a pastry cutter.  Preheat the grill pan over high heat.  Sear the steak rounds, about 3 minutes per side.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place one steak round on to each croute.  Top with a generous dollop of salsa and paprika for garnish.  Best served warm but could be served at room temperature.

THAI GRILLED SCALLOPS WITH SWEET CHILI SAUCE AND CRÈME FRAÎCHE 
[Makes 20]

 Ingredients:

10 sea scallops
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
4 tbsp. of Thai sweet chili sauce
6 tbsp. of crème fraîche
20 cilantro leaves for garnish
20 croutes [Recipe include]

Essential Equipment:

Cast-iron grill pan

Preparation:

Cut each scallop in half.  Preheat the grill pan over high heat.  Sear scallops, one minute per side.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss with the chili sauce.  Place one scallop on to each croute.  Top with 1 tsp. of crème fraîche.  Garnish with cilantro leaves.  Served at room temperature or chilled.

Tips:

Sear and sauce the scallops up to one day in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Top croutes up to one hour in advance.  For an even richer flavor, grill the scallops on a barbecue grill 3 inches above medium hot coals.  Cook for one minute per side.

　
ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON HOLLANDAISE CROUTES     [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

10 medium fresh asparagus tips, halved lengthwise
¾ cup of fresh chive, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup of lemon hollandaise [Recipe included]
1 tsp. of paprika to dust for garnish
20 croutes [Recipe include]

Preparation:

Put the asparagus into a pan of boiling water.  Once the water returns to a boil, drain the asparagus and put immediately into iced water. [This will keep it firm and green.]  Pat dry with paper towels.  Spoon the hollandaise sauce onto each croute, and top with a piece of asparagus half.  Dust with paprika and garnish with a few pieces of chive placed at right angles to the asparagus for presentation.  Serve warm.

LEMON HOLLANDAISE SAUCE   [Makes ¾ cup]

Ingredients:

 ½ cup of butter
2 tbsp. of water
2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper
Juice of ½ a lemon

Preparation:

 Melt the butter, and then skim the froth from the surface with a spoon.  Let it cool until tepid.  Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water set on low heat.  Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water.  Place the water, egg yolks, and pinch of salt and pepper into the bowl. Whisk to a light and frothy mixture that holds the trail of the whisk, about three minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Whisk in the melted butter, a little at a time vigorously whisking after each addition, until the mixture emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy.  Gradually whisk in the lemon juice.  Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.  [I like a little white wine in hollandaise sauce which I would add with the lemon juice.]

Tips:

Make the sauce up to thirty minutes in advance.  Keep warm in a bowl over a pan of hot water placed off the heat.  Or make the sauce up to two days in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water set over low heat.  Again, make sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water.  Warm through, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. If the butter is added too quickly, the hollandaise may separate.  Do not throw it away as it can be salvaged.  Combine 1 tbsp. of water and 1 egg yolk in a clean bowl over a pan of simmering water set on low heat.  Again, make sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water.  Whisk to a light and frothy mixture that holds the trail of the whisk, about three minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Whisk in the separated sauce.

CROUTES     [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

 7 medium slices of white bread
¼ cup of butter, melted
¼ cup of Romano cheese, grated

Essential Equipment:

2-inch fluted pastry cutter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300°.  Cut out 3 rounds from each bread slice.  Brush each round with butter and sprinkle with the Romano cheese.  Place each on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 25 minutes.

These are among my favorite recipes from this cookbook.  I hope you enjoy them with your family and friends.