Recipe: Irish soda bread, a quick loaf for any occasion

The idea of whipping eggs into submission or making a gorgeous loaf of bread from flour and yeast is always alluring. But sometimes I just want to put together something that does not require kneading and tossing or fretting over whether or not it will rise. Enter soda bread, a type of quick bread that conjures the magic of baking soda instead of yeast and is a great alternative when you don’t have time to wait for the rise.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here's a winning recipe for Irish soda bread. The basic traditional version calls for flour, buttermilk, baking soda and salt. I've gussied it up a little bit and added citrus zest, raisins and currants. It's also good with some candied orange peel or bits of dark chocolate, but currants and raisins in the mix provide a delicious quick bread that can go either savory or sweet.

Quite frankly, this bread doesn't need much, just a smear of good salted butter, preferably Irish, or a thick slice of cheddar. For the sweet tooth, try dab of good lemon curd or jam, also a fortuitous combination.

Irish Soda Bread

Note: This bread tends to dry out rather quickly, so it is best enjoyed freshly baked and still warm, or toasted the next day with a smear of Irish butter.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

About 1 cup raisins (or currants and raisins combined)

1 tablespoons fresh lemon or orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon or orange juice

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ cup small dark chocolate chips (optional)

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Serve with: Salted butter, Cheddar slices, lemon curd, or jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet or a (10-inch) cast iron skillet; set aside.

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a large mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour mixture, using your fingers (or two knives, a pastry cutter, or an ulu) until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add in the raisins, zest, juice, and chocolate, if using.

2. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the beaten egg, and add the 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk; stir mixture with a wooden spoon until dough is stiff. If too dry, add a bit more buttermilk, up to another 1/4 cup.

3. Dust hands with a tiny bit of flour and gently knead dough in the bowl just until it forms a rough ball. Note: Be careful not to overwork the dough or the bread will be tough. If the dough is too sticky, add a tiny bit of flour, but keep in mind that the dough should be somewhat sticky and a bit shaggy. The flour should be wet enough so that the dough barely comes together. Do not over-knead.

Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet or skillet. Using a knife or ulu, cut an "X" in the center of the dough, about 3/4-inch deep; this will help heat get into the center of the bread as it cooks. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Note: A cast iron skillet might take a little longer to heat. Also, test by inserting a thin skewer or knife tip into the center; if it comes out clean, your bread is ready to go. Remove pan or skillet from the oven; let bread sit in the pan or skillet for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool very briefly. This is best eaten freshly-baked and warm or toasted the next day.

More St. Patrick’s Day recipes

Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Cabbage, Carrots, and Tomatoes from Food and Wine

Irish Cream Espresso and Banana Smoothie from Alaska From Scratch

Martha Stewart’s St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes

Shepherd’s Pie from myrecipes.com

Delicious Colcannon from Food52

Kim Sunée ate and lived in Europe for 10 years before working as a food editor for Southern Living magazine and Cottage Living magazine. Her writing has appeared in Food & Wine, The Oxford American and Asian American Poetry and Writing. Sunée has appeared several times as a guest judge on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. She is currently based in Anchorage and working on a cookbook, “A Mouthful of Stars,” to be published by Andrews McMeel in 2014. For more food and travel, visit www.kimsunee.com.