Craigavon Historical Society

TRADITIONAL RECIPES

Champ
Potato Bread
Soda Farls
Wheaten Bread
Fried Pollen
Baked Pollen

Champ

Champ with scallions Very popular particularly in the northern counties, champ is best Served with sausages or bacon. In the old farm houses the potatoes were mashed using a wooden "beetle" which is similar to a pestle and was good for mashing large quantities :

"There was an old woman who lived in a lamp,
She had no room to beetle her champ.
She's up with her beetle and broke the lamp
And then she had room to beetle her champ."

INGREDIENTS

for four servings.

  • 1 lb (500g) potatoes
  • milk
  • 4 scallions (spring onions) washed and chopped finely
  • salt and pepper

METHOD

  1. Prepare the potatoes - wash and peel. Cut in half if necessary
  2. Place in water and bring to boil
  3. When boiling, lower temperature and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked (test with knife or fork)
  4. Add in scallions and mix in
  5. Add milk and mix well until mash is creamy
  6. Serve with sausages or bacon



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Potato Bread

Potato bread or fadge Also known as potato cakes and potato scones (the latter is the name given to it in Scotland) this is a real favourite! It was made on griddles in houses across the land and is equally as popular today! If you don't have a griddle a heavy frying pan will do just as well.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ lb (750 g) potatoes, peeled
  • ½oz (65g) plain flour
  • salt
  • 2 oz butter or bacon fat

METHOD

  1. Boil the potatoes until thoroughly cooked. Drain and mash until smooth
  2. Add the flour and salt and mix together
  3. Melt the butter and mix in with the other ingredients
  4. Turn the mixture out onto a floured work surface and roll into a fairly flat circle - about $frac12; inch thick
  5. Cut into four "farls" (quarters) and cook on a hot griddle or frying pan (lightly greased) for a few minutes on each side

Eat immediately! However, on the rare chance that there are any left over they can be reheated the following day.



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Soda Farls

Traditionally this bread was cooked on a griddle over and open fire, but if you don't have those a heavy frying pan and cooker will do just as well!!! If you can't get soda bread flour, use the same quantity of plain flour and mix it with ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1lb (500 g) soda bread flour
  • salt
  • sugar
  • 15 fl oz (500 ml) buttermilk
  • knob of butter

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat griddle or frying pan to medium heat
  2. Mix together the flour, a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar in a bowl
  3. Make a well in the middle of this mixture
  4. Melt the butter and pour into the middle of the well
  5. Add the buttermilk and mix together quickly until it becomes a soft dough
  6. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead lightly for one minute
  7. Work into large flat cake about 1.5 cm thick
  8. Cut a cross into the top of the bread so it is cut in "farls" or quarters
  9. Test the heat of the griddle or frying pan by sprinkling a little flour on it
  10. Place all the farls on the griddle and cook for 5 - 10 minutes each side
  11. Split each farl in half and spread with butter



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Wheaten Bread

INGREDIENTS

  • 1lb (500 g) coarse wholemeal flour
  • ½ lb (250 g) plain white flour
  • ½ oz (15 g) bran
  • 1 teasp baking soda
  • salt
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 pint (600 ml) buttermilk

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200 c Gas Mark 6
  2. Mix the wholemeal flour, plain white flour, bran, baking soda, salt and sugar together
  3. Gradually add the buttermilk, stirring it in until it has a thick creamy consistency
  4. Pour into a greased bread tin
  5. Bake for 1 hour
  6. Leave to cool before eating



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Pollen (or Pollan)

Pollen or pollan Pollen is a freshwater fish found only in lakes in Ireland and particularly Lough Neagh. It is a sub-species of trout and has a very delicate flavour.

If it is not available substitute trout in these recipes.



Fried Pollen

INGREDIENTS

To serve four people

  • 8 fillets of pollen or trout
  • flour
  • butter
  • lemon juice
  • fresh parsley or dill

METHOD

  1. Dip each of the fillets into the flour to give a light coating
  2. Heat the butter in the saucepan
  3. Fry the fish for a few minutes in the butter
  4. Sprinkle lemon juice over the fish
  5. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill


Baked Pollen

INGREDIENTS

To serve four people

  • 8 fillets of pollen or trout
  • almonds
  • butter
  • lemon juice

METHOD

  1. Wrap each fillet in tin foil
  2. Bake at about 180 C gas mark 5 for about twenty minutes
  3. Grill the almonds lightly and mix with melted butter and lemon juice
  4. Serve



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