WATCH: From an Irish Kitchen with Chef Kevin Dundon

Tenon Tours hosted a Facebook Live with Kevin Dundon, Chef and Proprietor of Dunbrody Country House Hotel & Restaurant in Wexford, Ireland. Dunbrody House is a luxury boutique hotel owned and operated by Kevin and his wife Catherine Dundon.

During this live stream, Chef Kevin walks us through how to make Irish Colcannon Soup and Sultana White Soda Bread. Follow along at home for this unique exclusive experience! The full list of ingredients and instructions are listed below the video.

COLCANNON SOUP WITH CHEESE STRAWS

Serves 4 or 8 small portions

The secret of this soup is not to overcook the cabbage.

Cheese straws

• 175 g (6 oz) rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• all purpose flour, for dusting
• 50 g (2 oz) mature Dubliner Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Colcannon Soup

• 50 g (2 oz) rindless streaky bacon, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 potato, finely diced
• 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 150 g (5 oz) Savoy cabbage, thick stalks removed and shredded
• 700 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) heavy cream
• 25 g (1/4 stick) butter, diced
• Salt & Freshly ground black pepper to season.

To garnish:

• 4 slices irish cured ham or prosciutto ham

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
   To make the cheese straws, place the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle over the Cheddar in an even layer. Fold in half width ways to enclose the cheese layer completely and roll out again to its original size, using a little extra flour if necessary. Brush all over with the beaten egg and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
2. Take the chilled cheese pastry and cut it into 10 cm lengths, each 1 cm wide. Hold the ends of each strip between your fingers and twist the ends in opposite directions. Arrange the twisted strips on non-stick baking sheets and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each one. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
3. To prepare the crispy cured ham garnish, lay the slices of ham on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Roast in the oven for 5 – 8 minutes until crispy, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.
4. In the meantime, prepare the colcannon soup, heat a large pan and sauté the diced bacon over a medium to high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the onion, potato and leek then cover with a lid and saute gently over a medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes until well softened but not coloured, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then add the cabbage and season to taste. Simmer for a 10 – 15 minutes until the cabbage has softened.
6. Remove from the heat and blitz until a smooth consistency. Pour in the cream and butter and pulse 2 – 3 times with a handblender. Check the seasoning and keep warm until needed.
7. Ladle the colcannon soup into cappuccino cups or warmed serving bowls and arrange a cheese straw to the side and top with the crispy parma ham.

WHITE SODA BREAD WITH SULTANAS (RAISINS)

Makes a 900g (2lb) loaf

• 2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs (optional)
• 2/3 cup sultanas (white or golden raisins)
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp milk, for brushing

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Dust a baking sheet with flour.
2. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add the salt and sultanas and stir to combine.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and mix until a soft and sticky dough forms.
4. Put the dough on a well-floured work surface and knead for a minute or two. Shape into a flattened ball and place on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Brush the loaf lightly with milk and bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the underside sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.