2- Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

This recipe is inspired by All About Home Economics by Deirdre Madden, which has been my faithful companion since my first year in secondary school, so that would make it erm (counts on fingers)....25 years old...oh that's a shock....I need to sit down.... no wonder my copy is in tatters!
When my mother went to buy a copy of this text book, she couldn't buy it secondhand (yes we had hand-me-down school books, very pre-boom times). Everyone kept their copies, it was such a brilliant comprehensive text book packed with recipes, sewing basics, how iron a shirt, basic nutrition and everything in between. As it happens this text book has been reprinted in the last few years and is available to buy again, nothing like a little nostalgia and a good cause.

Memories of Home - Meat Balls and Mash

I think that most Irish mothers made this dish or a variation of it and for very good reason too, it's delicious. I have memories of cycling into Kilbeggan in the late 80's to the local butchers and buying a "pound of mince" and heading home to make meat balls. As children we usually ate our meat balls with pasta and tomato sauce but you can also try this recipe with curry sauce and some boiled rice if you prefer. Just to assure you, the oxtail soup isn't a very dominant flavour in this recipe, it's just like a mild gravy. I made double, cooked it right through, cooled and froze half, so I'll have a day off cooking some day soon.I took this recipe from All About Home Economics which is in daily use in this house anyway!

Serves 4

Ingredients
400g Minced beef
50g Breadcrumbs
1 Onion, finely grated
1 Clove garlic, chopped
1tbsp Parsley
25g Cheese, grated
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tsp Salt
Pepper
750ml Oxtail soup packet
1kg Potatoes, scrubbed and pierced

Method
Preheat the oven to 175C/350F/Gas 4.
Place the potatoes in the oven (make sure you pierce the potatoes with a knife or a skewer otherwise they'll explode, and that takes ages to clean up!)
Mix beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, cheese and seasoning together in a large bowl. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Shape into about 16 balls (walnut sized).

Brown the meat balls in a large frying pan over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, drain well.

Meanwhile make up the soup as directed and set aside. Place meat balls in a large casserole, pour over the oxtail soup and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Scoop out the baked out the potatoes and mash with butter and milk (or not!) 

Serve in the casserole with the mash and fine beans.

Deirdre Madden's Brown Wholemeal Scones

This another recipe from my school days, now a days I like to make a batch of these after I've made some brown bread, using the leftover buttermilk. We then eat them while the bread is cooling. They disappear very quickly around here so you have to lay claim as soon as they come out of the oven!

This recipe is complements of All about Home Economics, available online from www.deirdremadden.ie . (10% of the profits will be donated to The Irish Cancer Society)

Makes 8
Ingredients
100g Wholemeal Flour
100g Plain flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Bread soda
50g Margarine
25g Caster Sugar
About 100ml sour milk or buttermilk

Method
Sieve flour, salt and bread soda into a bowl. Stir in Wholemeal flour. Add margarine, cut into small pieces, then rub into flour. Stir in the sugar and mix well. Add enough sour milk to make a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured board, knead until smooth underneath. Turn smooth side up and roll into a circle 1.5cm thick. Cut into 8 triangles, place on a greased tray and brush with milk. Bake in a fairly hot oven, 215C (425F), Gas 6, for 15-20 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack. Serve on a round plate with a d'oyley or in a bread basket, lined with a paper napkin.

Deirdre Madden's All about Home Economics Gingerbread

In the Convent of Mercy, Secondary School in Kilbeggan, my Home Economics teacher was Mrs. O'Malley. She was a kindly, albeit old fashioned teacher, she taught me many things, everything from how to roll a Swiss roll to cutting out a sewing pattern. Most of which I've forgotten, unfortunately! I couldn't continue with the subject after my junior certificate but I did study it at home myself and with her help I got an honour in the leaving certificate. I never thanked Mrs. O'Malley personally for her help and as this recipe comes from that selfsame school text book, I'm dedicating this recipe to her.

Makes 1 Loaf

Ingredients
200g Plain flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Bread soda
1tsp Ground ginger
50g Sultanas
75g Margarine
75g Light brown sugar
1 tbsp Black treacle
1 tbsp Golden syrup
1 Egg
A little sour milk or buttermilk

Method
Sieve flour, salt, bread soda and ginger into a bowl. Mix in sultanas. Melt margarine, treacle, syrup and sugar over a low heat - do not overheat.



Pour liquid into centre of dry ingredients. Add egg and enough milk to give a soft dropping consistency (about 5-6 tablespoons).




Pour into a well-greased loaf tin or square cake tin. Bake in a moderate oven, 190C (375F), Gas 5, for about 35-40 minutes. Cool in tin, then cut into about 15 squares or slices.