Cooking with Books

by Marnely Murray

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The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook: Irish Soda Bread & Giveaway!

This week is a lucky week for you readers! I couldn’t control myself and have not one but TWO fantastic giveaways for you this week. The first one was the True Lemon giveaway, so make sure to enter that one. The second one, I just couldn’t resist. Nothing says St. Patrick’s Day more than a loaf of Irish Soda Bread, so that’s what we’re sharing today. And not just any Irish Soda Bread recipe, but one from the brand new “The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook published by Oxmoor House. Scroll down and you can enter this weekend only giveaway!

Although I am a newbie to cooking in cast iron, it’s something that’s been around for MANY years and is now luring even more cooks, bought home cooks and restaurant chefs, to cook in cast iron. Lodge Manufacturing is the ONLY domestic manufacturer of the cast iron pan! Unbelievable that they’ve been making “America’s Original Cookware ™ ” since 1896. Well, what is better to accompany great cookware than a great cookbook to go with?

The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook not only features 200 recipes and photographs from cookbook authors and chefs, but is a sort of scrapbook of memories for those sharing their recipes with us. Alongside most recipes is a small memory about the dish, who inspired it, and how long it’s been in their family.

Other great chapters in this book includes one of the most important things about cast iron: how to care for it, renew, maintain, and cook from it for many years to come. This has been one of my ongoing studies because I started seeing rust on my pan lately. After reading the book, I took care of reasoning my pan with some fat and heat in the oven, and it’s perfectly seasoned again.

You’d think cast iron is limited, but this book showcases the wide range of items you can cook and bake in it. Some chapters are: Breakfast, Cooking Outdoors, Cornbread (an entire chapter on it!), Desserts, Breads, and more. Today we’re baking in my cast iron skillet and it’s a delicious Irish Soda Bread!

Print
Irish Soda Bread

Yield: Makes one (9-inch) round loaf

Maggie Doherty was cookbook author Peggy Fallon’s mother, who swore by cast iron when it came to her soda bread.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups raisins (preferably 1 cup
  • each golden and dark raisins)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Generously grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable shortening.
  2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; whisk gently to blend. Stir in the raisins to coat with the flour mixture. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and egg; stir until a stiff dough forms. (Use a wooden spoon if you must, but the most efficient way to mix this soft, sticky dough is with floured hands. Alternatively, the dough can be mixed in a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.)
  3. Remove the dough from the bowl and mound it into the prepared skillet, roughly forming a round loaf. (Don’t be concerned that it won’t hold its shape; it will be corrected during baking.) Lightly moisten your hands with water to smooth the top. Using a serrated knife dipped in fl our, score the top with a large X, about 1?2-inch deep. (This will ensure even baking, and it will also scare away the devil, according to Peggy’s mother.) Bake until the loaf is golden brown with a firm crust and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped with a knife, about 1 hour.
  4. Remove the bread from the skillet and let cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes before cutting into 1?2-inch-thick slices. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted, with or without butter.

Notes

Maggie Doherty’s Irish Soda Bread Reprinted with permission from Oxmoor House

https://www.cookingwithbooks.net/2012/03/the-lodge-cast-iron-cookbook-irish-soda-bread-giveaway.html

Giveaway: Want to start cooking with Cast Iron?
Thanks to the generous folks over at Oxmoor House and Lodge, we have a great giveaway prize for one winner! You’ll receive a copy of The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook and a 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet from Lodge. See below on how to enter.


How to Enter (please leave a separate comment for every action done.)

  • Head on over to Lodge Manufacturing and tell me what other piece of cookware you’d love to have.
  • Follow Lodge Cast Iron on Twitter
  • Follow Cooking with Books on Twitter
  • Follow Cooking with Books on Google Friend Connect
  • Tweet the following message: Enter to win The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook and 12 inch skillet via @nella22 and @LodgeCastIron! #giveaway http://bit.ly/A4DrUx

The comments are the official entry, there is no purchase necessary, void where prohibited. One (1) winner will be chosen randomly. Prize will be shipped by sponsoring company, US mailing addresses only. The contest ends Sunday March 18th, 2012 at 11:59 pm Eastern. The winner will be announced on Monday March 19th. This post is sponsored by Oxmoor House, and as always opinions are basely solely on my testing (and tasting!). No monetary compensation was received.

Comments

  1. Laney says

    I saw this on the Martha Stewart show, now I am going to have to get myself the book and a lodge cast iron pan. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  10. nightowl says

    I’d love to have the Lodge L Series Enamel Dutch Oven, 6 qt.
    10-3/4″ dia., 4-3/4″ Depth n the Apple Green color.

    winit6 at hotmail dot com

    Reply

  15. Soni says

    Have to say that I’ve never had Irish Soda Bread.Keep coming across so many recipes now-a-days of this bread.Have to try making it myself :)Love your giveaway!
    The product I would like would be “Pro-Logic Wok with loop handles 14″dia.,
    4-1/4″ depth”Looks fantastic!

    Reply

  19. Carmen says

    I would love to have the Lodge Logic 12 qt. Camp Dutch Oven, 16″ dia. We do a lot of campfire cooking when camping, and it’s really nice to have the lids with the flat tops so you can put coals on top! We also have a large group so the larger size would be great!

    Reply

  36. Terra says

    I want that drop biscuit cast iron pan, I have been wanting one forever:-) Love your Irish Soda Bread!!! Hubby and I love making Irish Soda Bread, goes perfect with lamb stew! Hugs, Terra

    Reply

  49. Diane M. says

    I would love to get the Lodge enamel cast iron apple pots. They are adorable and would be great for making mini baked goods.

    Reply

  54. BecHeflin says

    What a fun giveaway! There is a WORLD of cast iron goodness out there, but I’d love to have the corn mold pan so that I could make adorable cornbread cakes

    Reply

  57. bunkycooks says

    The Signature Series Covered Casserole would be a great addition to the Lodge pieces that I currently own. We love cooking in cast iron. Those pieces are timeless.

    Reply

  61. Kika says

    I’d love the 9 or 10″ skillet! Mine had to be relinquished to family members (long story), so I’ve been making it work without one. I’d LOVE to have another.

    Reply

  79. Anonymous says

    i have been wanting a dutch oven for so long and can not afford one ….

    jacquieastemborski AT comcast DOT net

    Reply

  85. royalegacy says

    At Lodge Maunfacturing, I would love to get the Straightsided Muffin Pan, a cornstick pan, the cactus pan, and the Lodge Logic 7 qt Dutch Oven with a glass cover
    royalegacy at gmail dot com

    Reply

  86. Michelle Jaffee says

    The Irish Soda Bread is gorgeous. I am torn between the large oval server and a traditional skillet. This cookbook sounds/looks fantastic and I will put it on my wish list for Mother’s Day. So cool!

    Reply

  87. Michelle Jaffee says

    The Irish Soda Bread is gorgeous. I am torn between the large oval server and a traditional skillet. This cookbook sounds/looks fantastic and I will put it on my wish list for Mother’s Day. So cool!

    Reply

  88. the Stitchworks says

    I’d love to own a Lodge Logic Combo Cooker Part#: LCC3. I have a nice set of cast old cast iron that I love but this is deeper and the multi-use properties make it exceptionally cool!

    Reply

  103. Pamela says

    I would love to have the Lodge 7.5QT Enameled Dutch Oven in blue!! Such AMAZING Cookware…and will last forever!!!!

    pammyl35@hotmail dot com

    Reply

  107. Lori says

    Hubster got me a Lodge skillet for Christmas. I visited Lodge Logic’s shop, and what I really want and need is a lid for my skillet! And possibly a larger skillet to go with it.

    Reply

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