Stone soup bread

I’m not sure what you were expecting from the title, but it’s probably not Irish soda bread. First of all, you have read Stone Soup, right? This is the children’s book where someone comes into a village and gets the locals to combine their ingredients until the pot of water and a stone becomes a hearty and delicious meal for all.

This recipe for Irish soda bread has much in common with stone soup. See, Irish soda bread started as humble peasant food which, if you weren’t already aware, means food cooked by people with limited resources, including time. The baking soda allowed them to serve bread without the commitment of waiting for a yeasted rise.

The ingredients could be as simple as flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda. Enter the stone soup metaphor. We’re going to add richness with butter and an egg. Then we’re going to add the sweetness of sugar and dried currants (or raisins) and the earthy bite of caraway seed (which you loved in it’s starring role in rye bread so you’ll love it here too).

And that, my friends, while still quick using a baking soda rise, is a far from humble loaf making its annual Saint Patrick’s Day appearance feel like true luxury.

Irish soda bread

Irish soda bread’s humble beginnings welcome the addition of butter and an egg, caraway seeds and currant, transforming into a rich, flavorful loaf, best served slathered with butter. Irish of course. Best of all? This will be ready to eat in under an hour with no proofing.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour

• 1 tbs sugar

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 4 tbs cold, salted butter cut in 1” cubes

• 1 tbs caraway seeds

• 1 cup dried Zante currants or raisins

• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, shaken

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Grease a baking sheet or cast iron skillet with butter.

• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Stir in the currants and caraway seeds.

• Whisk together butter milk and egg. Stir into the flour mixture until too thick to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until just combined. Don’t overwork.

• Shape into a round loaf, about 2” thick. Cut a deep X in the top and place on the baking sheet or skillet.

• Bake for 35-40 min until golden brown on top and you get a hollow thump when tapping the bottom. Let cool for 10 min. Slice and serve with butter.