Make Ahead

Guinness Bread with Butter and Smoked Salmon

by:
December  1, 2010
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 20
Author Notes

After several trips to Ireland I am totally in love with that country and its cuisine. So whenever I have an open house, I try to have a few things Irish to serve. In addition to Guinness and Jameson’s I like to feature Irish breads, cheeses, and smoked fish. This is a simple dish that combines slices of a sweet cake-like Guinness Bread with creamy Irish butter and good smoked salmon, with just a touch of water cress to give it color and a little bite. I serve these on a platter and they disappear quickly. People have told me that they have never liked salmon before but love these little appetizers. —JoanG

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Ingredients
  • 2 cups rolled oats (Irish style preferred)
  • 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 12 ounces good unsalted butter, divided (I like Kerry Gold)
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/4 cups buttrermilk
  • 1 1/4 cups Guinness beer
  • 6-8 ounces good smoked salmon or you can use lox, cut into 20 pieces
  • 1 bunch watercress
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan and dust with whole wheat flour.
  2. In a food processor, combine the flours, sugar, soda, and salt. Pulse. Add 8 oz of the butter cut in chunks, and pulse a few times until crurmbly.
  3. Add the buttermilk, and Guinness and pulse a few times until combined. The batter will be wet like a cake batter.
  4. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle the top with some rolled oats and whole wheat flour. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 F and bake 15 to 30 minutes longer. Bread is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  5. Turn off the oven and cool with the door open for 30 minutes. Allow bread to cool completely before taking out of the pan.
  6. Slice carefully (bread is tender) into 10 thick slices. Spread each slice with butter, Cut each slice in half. Lay some watercress leaves on top, and then top with a slice of smoked salmon.
  7. Arrange on a serving plate and watch your guests devour them!
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I love food! I love to cook, eat, read about food, write about food, and enjoy meals with friends and family. I have been writing a food memoir for the past decade and am just about done! I epsecially love to create recipes using seasonal and local produce. I love to travel and wherever I go I shop at markets, cook, and try to take a cooking class.

9 Reviews

KittyKat January 7, 2011
When you say Irish style, are you referring to steel cut oats?
JoanG January 12, 2011
No, not steel cut oats, but flaked oatmeal used for porridge. You can use regular rolled oats too.
luvcookbooks December 3, 2010
looks great. i love the simple beauty of your recipes and photos.
JoanG December 3, 2010
Thank you! Taking the photos is half the fun!
Sagegreen December 2, 2010
Your Irish bread looks wonderful. I love the photo, too.
JoanG December 3, 2010
Thanks!
healthierkitchen December 2, 2010
Joan - love Irish brown bread!! Nothing better than sweet butter and salmon on it or even just butter. Love this for a picnic, too. Have you been to Ballymaloe?
JoanG December 2, 2010
Thanks! I hope to go to a short course there this summer. Just took a local cooking class with someone who trained there. I have their cookbooks!
healthierkitchen December 2, 2010
I haven't been to the cooking school either, but was there for three or four days to stay. The food is fabulous.