Caldo Verde with Caraway Soda Bread

It's time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and shouldn't that include a meal with cabbage and some Irish soda bread? I tried this recipe for Caldo Verde on athens.locallygrown.net and found it to be quite tasty, the Caraway Soda Bread recipe was found at simplyrecipes.com. Both sites are terrific sources for recipes using seasonal produce.

CALDO VERDE (Portugese Cabbage Soup)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 onions, chopped
6 potatoes, peeled & diced
1 small cabbage, chopped OR any green available this time of year such as kale, broccoli leaves or chard
1 Quart chicken stock, veggie stock, or whey
1 cup white wine-(I used Schmitt Sohne Riesling 2008)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preparation: Saute onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. In a large stock pot, add potatoes, cabbage (I shredded it in food processor to tiny pieces), broth, wine, salt and pepper. Combine sauteed onions with this mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 1 hour. Let the soup rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
**Suggestion** I would puree this soup in batches to let the potato starch thicken it and improve texture. My children do not like chunky soup. However, I ate it as described and found it to be perfectly fine.**
CARAWAY SODA BREAD
Soda Bread is basically a big, Irish biscuit. Or perhaps if you are from Great Britain, you would compare to a scone. It is quite easy to make, just remember to handle gently. Overzealous handling will yield a tough, unpalatable mess! If you do not like caraway, just leave it out. Some folks like raisins in theirs, instead. Here we go....

3 1/2 cups (1 lb.) of plain flour
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp caraway seeds (OR 1/4 cup raisins)
4 TBSP butter, softened to room temp.
1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk

Combine all dry ingredients. Rub butter into flour mixture with hands or a pastry knife until resembles coarse meal. Make a well in the dry ing and add the buttermilk. Stir gently with wooden spoon to moisten. If it seems to dry, add more milk 1 TBSP at a time; if too wet, add more flour 1 TBSP at a time. Gather dough into a ball and knead VERY GENTLY on a lightly floured surface. Form into a round loaf and place on a lightly greased iron skillet or pizza stone. Make deep cuts from side to side (like pie slices) to help center of loaf to cook evenly. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then at 400 for 20 more minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Best eaten within 24 hours.

I hope you enjoy this St. Patrick's Day meal. We are having a fig cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert.