Cooking Irish can also be found at PETITCHEF and Pinterest.
I am so sad. While updating and transferring this particular post from The Irish Cook blog to the new Cooking Irish blog, I just read that Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales, Florida is closing after 83 years. The Hinshaws are retiring and set for closing in August of 2014. A stay at the B&B and dining a few nights there was high on my bucket list. Now I will have to cook the recipes myself--starting with their first-class Shrimp Curry with Orange Rice and Chutney. Like all their dishes, it is elaborate with flavors that blend so perfectly and on their menu for years. Here is the link to view their last dinner menu: http://www.chaletsuzanne.com/dinner.html.
This recipe is very much like a curry dish we had at a restaurant on our way to Stranraer, Scotland to catch the ferry to Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the last leg of a Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales tour, and we had been tourists long enough. We were anxious to get back to my townhouse in Trim, County Meath, Ireland. We stopped at a pub for lunch, and yet another shrimp curry was on the daily menu. I found this recipe which happens to be very, very similar if not exact to that curry dish in Scotland. It is from a 1975 recipe booklet: Better Homes and Gardens: Recipes from Famous Places. It is called Curry of Shrimp Suzanne from the kitchen of Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales, Florida.
I just researched this historic inn on the internet, and the restaurant at Chalet Suzanne still offers a shrimp curry dish on its menu, but it is a curry and saffron entrée for $29.00 and is described as "sautéed colossal shrimp with caviar rice, asparagus, and saffron curry Crevette bechamel sauce." Now does that not sound heavenly? I wish I had a Gulfstream G550 and could jet down for dinner tonight! Something I will definitely try to duplicate. Here is some information about the inn from their website: www.chaletsuzanne.com.
"The Hinshaw family has been making guests welcome for over 70 years, whether you come by car or plane, for a single meal or several, for one day or more. This enchanting inn of 26 rooms, nestled on a 100-acre estate, is a gracious oasis amidst the excitement of Central Florida attractions, catering to discriminating guests of all ages.
The essence of the Chalet's reputation is its cuisine, food that Gourmet Magazine calls 'glorious'...served in a unique setting of five quaint rooms on many levels, overlooking the lake. Every corner glows with antiques, stained glass, and old lamps from far away places. Before you leave, seek out these whimsical spots...The Swiss Room, Wine Dungeon, Gift Boutique, Autograph Garden, Ceramic Studio, Airstrip and last but not least, the Soup Cannery, where those delicious soups, which have even been to the Moon, are processed for gift giving all over the globe. The soup canning plant: from International Fairs to Commercial Airlines; from Governor’s Mansions to the finest Gourmet Restaurants; from the Cuban Missile Crisis to Glasnost; from Miami to the Moon; Come tour the historic home of the soups...Chalet Suzanne is a subtle balm ... a lovely memory that stays hidden in your heart."
It appears the chalet is noted for its soups. You can order all their soups online at the website. A famous one is the "Soup Romaine® offering a combination of flavors that have begged descriptions such as being 'out of this world!' Maybe that's because it really has been out of this world! Served on Apollo Flights and chosen by the Russian crew of the joint Apollo-Soyuz mission, our Soup Romaine® along with several other family recipes, has seen from afar the rare and distant site of that beautiful blue marble, our home, the Earth." I think I'll order some and let you know how it is.
Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales, Florida
So now my story of the car accident: when we got off the ferry in Belfast, it was raining heavily. My father was driving, and we intended to just travel right home to Trim, County Meath, Ireland. It was dusk, and the visibility was extremely poor. We were on a 4-lane highway, and when we approached Belfast, there was a red light on the highway.
Neither my father nor I saw any signs warning of a possible stop ahead. It was bizarre to have a red light on a major highway. I was navigating and looking at the map for the N1 connection, when I looked up and saw the cars stopped at the light. There was nowhere for my father to go but into the car in front. I thought I was going to die since we were going 65 MPH with no chance to slow down.
My father and I had seat belts on, but he flew into the windshield anyway and hit his head. It was a chain reaction. We hit the last car parked, and that car hit the one before it, etc. There were at least four parked cars. The first car was thrown into oncoming traffic. A suitcase from the rear seat slammed into my back; Eli hit his head; Erin and my mother were thrown against the back of the front seat. When we stopped, and I realized we were not dead, my first thought was get my children out of the car. I have seen too many videos of cars exploding after a crash. Even though I knew that was extremely rare, I could not get the vision out of my head.
As I was opening the door, I looked across the street, and there were British army trucks with soldiers pointing their rifles at us. This was just like when Eli and I would come out of the bank in Ireland and have the Irish soldiers’ guns aimed right on us all the way until we were quite a distant from the entrance to the Bank of Ireland. [There had been so many bank robberies by the IRA, that the Irish army had the job of picking up the monies from Irish banks.] My first thought was, “My god, what is going on? Are we in the middle of a skirmish with the IRA and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) or the British army? At that time the security of Northern Ireland was the responsibility of the RUC, the British army, and the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR.) It was traumatic enough to be in a horrific accident without thinking our lives may be endangered if we tried to get out of the car. I looked into the back seat and saw my mother and children just lying there. Eli had two bruised eyes which were glazed over and facial lacerations. In my numb state and not thinking, to me he looked like he had massive head injuries and internal bleeding. Erin’s face was covered in blood. I knew I had to get them all out of the car so I opened the door--guns be damned. I guess that is instinctual mother’s love that we all have for our children. I sat them on the curb a few yards from the automobile. Erin was in shock and hysterical--looking at the guns. It was difficult to calm her down.
That is all I remember until we were loaded into a military-type vehicle and sitting across from each other in a dazed state. We all went to the hospital and were examined, x-rayed, bandaged, and given pain killers. No one had broken bones, just lacerations and bruising. My son had a slight concussion. I was the only one with permanent damage from the experience. [My back has never been the same. I had been training and was entered into the Belfast marathon. That was all for naught. I was lucky I could walk. My running days were over. I ended up with arthritis in my back and still have to baby it. If I strain it, I have to visit the physiatrist for physical therapy. Too bad I was never able to run in that Belfast marathon. My friend Teri--with her Irish wit--always told me it would be my fastest time since I would be dodging bullets all the way!]
After we were taken to the hospital, and my father to the police station, we were taken to the Forum Hotel. That was the hotel where journalists stayed covering the turmoil in the 1970s. The IRA did not bomb the Forum like they did The Europa because they wanted international journalists to cover the Irish freedom attempts. So the Forum Hotel became a safe haven for foreigners. The RUC said that is why they took tourists to that hotel: it had a history of safety for travelers. It certainly was a haven for this American family that night. We all had lengthy baths to soothe our weary bones, took the pain medication, and went to bed. My 14-year-old daughter Erin could not have been more helpful. I was so very proud of her. She really stepped up to the plate. My father went to court the next day. He said the police could not have been nicer to him. He hired a solicitor for £10 and paid a fine of £40. Poor Dad--it was the first accident of his life. He was just relieved we were all right. We took a train to Dublin the next day. The only negative part of this experience was the clerk at the rental company at the Dublin airport. He was incredibly cruel to my father. My daughter Erin came to get me, saying they are being terribly mean to Paul. He would not give us another car and could not have been ruder. It really left a bad taste for Ireland for us all.
And I also cannot say enough about the kindness and friendliness of the Northern Ireland police. They told us that whenever there is an accident, the British army is there IMMEDIATELY for a definite reason. Over the years the IRA often used a car accident as diversion for terrorist or illegal activities like bombings or robberies. So to surround the accident with rifles readied was SOP. Mystery solved. Understandable, but still scary when those rifles are pointed at you.
My mom, son Eli, yours truly, and daughter Erin in Northern Ireland after the car accident: were we sore! You can see Eli's two black eyes.
My mom and dad and children at the rail station in Belfast waiting to take the train to Dublin. I can still feel the impact of the collision.
Irish Shrimp Curry Suzanne [Serves 4]
Ingredients for Curried Shrimp:
¼ cup of butter
2 tbsp. of flour
1 to 2 tbsp. of curry powder
½ tsp. of salt
¼ tsp. of paprika
Dash of ground nutmeg
2 cups of light cream
1 ½ lbs. of cooked medium shrimp
1 tbsp. of candied ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. of dry sherry
1 tsp. of onion juice
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for Orange Rice:
1 cup of water
Zest of orange peel, at least 2 tbsp.
1/3 cup of orange juice
¾ tsp. of salt
2/3 cup of uncooked regular rice
Zest of orange peel, at least 2 tbsp.
1/3 cup of orange juice
¾ tsp. of salt
2/3 cup of uncooked regular rice
Ingredients for Currant Chutney:
½ cup of chutney, cut up
½ cup of red currant jelly
3 tbsp. of dried currants
2 tbsp. of dry sherry
Zest of an orange peel
Flaked coconut, toasted
Roasted peanuts
Preparation for Curried Shrimp:
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Blend in the flour, curry powder, salt, paprika, and nutmeg. Stir in the cream; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add the shrimp, ginger, lemon juice, sherry, onion juice, and Worcestershire sauce; heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour generously into individual casserole dishes or ramekins. Bake at 350° about 10 to 12 minutes.
Preparation for Orange Rice:
In a saucepan combine the 1 cup of water, the orange peel, the orange juice, and salt. Bring to a boil. Stir in the uncooked rice, and return to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and cook over low heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Makes about 2 cups.
Preparation for Currant Chutney:
Mix together the chutney, jelly, currants, and sherry.
Preparation for Coconut:
I find it easiest to put the coconut in a nonstick pan on high heat and keep stirring when the coconut turns golden. Do not leave it, or it will burn quickly.
I find it easiest to put the coconut in a nonstick pan on high heat and keep stirring when the coconut turns golden. Do not leave it, or it will burn quickly.
Assembly:
Place ramekins on a platter with the orange rice. Guests can ladle the shrimp onto the rice and garnish from condiment dishes of chutney, orange zest, coconut, and peanuts. And imagine you are enjoying this fragrant dish either at a pub in Stranraer, Scotland or at the Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales, Florida. Enjoy
