Celtic Cooking Class

Feather Fowlie

3 hind quarters of chicken
1 smoked pork chop
2 ribs of celery
¼ cup fresh thyme
½ cup fresh parsley
3 egg yolks
½ cup cream or evaporated milk
10 cups Water or chicken broth

Cover meat & celery with water or broth. Add herbs. Cook for 1½ hours on medium heat. Strain the stock into new saucepan. Discard the celery. Remove any bones or skin from chicken and chop fine. Beat the egg yolks with the cream, and add slowly to the warm broth. Reheat without boiling. You can do the broth the night before and finish the soup the day you will eat it.

Cheese and Chive Scones

1 cup self-raising flour
pinch of salt
½ cup butter, diced
½ cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
½ cup fresh milk and extra for brushing

Put the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and the chives. Add the milk and mix to form a soft dough, then knead quickly until smooth. Roll out on a floured work surface until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 10 rounds or triangles with a 2 inch plain cutter and brush the tops with milk. Transfer to baking sheets. Bake at 450° F for 7 - 10 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

Tipsy Parson

This dessert is actually a Trifle which comes from the old French term "trufle," and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence. An original trifle was made with real egg custard poured over sponge cake soaked in fruit and sherry and topped with whipped cream. This cake is also called Tipsy Pudding, Tipsy Squire, and Tipsy Hedgehog. A Scottish version known as Typsy Laird adds in brandy and is served at Burns Night Suppers or New Years. Typsy Cakes got their name with the notion that the alcoholic ingredients would make the eater slightly drunk. Though in reality there is little alcohol in the trifle and the typsy or tipsy effect is due to the drams drunk during toasts or through an evenings entertainment.

1 cup berries, thawed if frozen and drained2 tablespoon sugar
4 to 5 cups stale pound cake cut into 1 inch cubes - Generally one Sarah Lee Frozen Cake

3 tablespoon sweet sherry (optional)
1 box of Flan (5.5 ounce package)
4 cups milk
1 container Cool Whip
Almonds for Garnish

Make this dessert in decorative cut-glass or crystal bowl, or individual sherbet glasses. Combine fruit and 2 tablespoons sugar in bowl; set aside. Toss cake cubes and sherry in separate bowl; set aside. Make pudding as directed on package. Fold in cool whip.

Layer cake squares, fruit, and custard in serving bowl or individual dishes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Decorate with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Makes 6 servings.

NOTE: Any fruit can be substituted for berries. Drain canned fruit; sweeten fresh fruits to taste. If you do not want to use sherry a fruit syrup will do. I used 2 Sarah Lee Pound cakes for the class. Cheaper alternative is to bake a yellow cake. If you do not want to use the sherry, toss the cake with juice from the berries.