An Irish Feast

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. Not only did we remember to wear green, but we made a whole allergy-free Irish feast. Corned beef in the crockpot with potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and half an onion for flavor. I cook the cabbage on the stove, using some stew liquid in the bottom of the pan to steam the cabbage until the crunch is gone, but there's still a bite to the texture.

I even, for the first time (and I don't know why this was the first time), made bread! I made an Irish soda bread using allergy-free substitutions. I think it turned out just like it should have: dense and delicious. If only I could have slathered it with butter, but it's great with the meat and veggies or with some homemade jam.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread

2 cups oat flour
2 cups barley flour (Note: Barley is wheat free, but not gluten free.)
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1+ c rice milk
2 T cider vinegar

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the middle and stir in the rice milk and vinegar. Stir until just combined. The dough should be sticky and the flour should be all mixed in (I needed slightly over a cup). On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until you can form a slightly flattened ball. Do not overmix/knead or this already dense bread will also be tough. Place the disk on a baking sheet and cut a 1" deep X across the top. Bake in a 425-degree oven for about 30 minutes, until slightly brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.