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SAINT BRIGID - THE OTHER IRISH SAINT
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Although Saint Patrick is known worldwide, Ireland does
have a female patron Saint: Saint Brigid. Known as Bridey,
Mary of Gaels and even as Biddy, Saint Brigid was born
near Dundalk to a pagan Gaelic chieftain named Dubtach
(Duffy) and to a Christian slave mother named Brocessa,
who was sold soon after Brigid's birth. She was baptized
by Saint Patrick with whom she was to become friends.
As a child the young Brigid enjoyed a position of some
comfort and privilege, the family being in receipt of
financial support because of their position of authority.
Upon reaching adulthood however, she assumed a role of
servitude and was charged with caring for her father and
family.
She never forgot her mother however and, despite being
forbidden to do so, she left the family home, located
her mother, negotiated her release from slavery and
returned home to her fathers house. To her dismay, her
father had arranged her marriage to a poet, who were
among the most prestigious men of the time. Brigid had
already vowed to remain celibate and to do God's work
so once more, she left her home, this time forever.
Together with seven other dedicated women she formed the
first ever female monastic community in Ireland in the
year 468. They helped the poor of the time and were
attributed with many miracles. Despite having limited
resources they never seemed to be without food or
supplies for their good works. She founded a school
of Art and a Monastery at Cill Dara, about which the
modern town of Kildare now stands.
The most famous miracle associated with Brigid tells of
her confrontation with an Irish chieftain. She asked him
for a quantity of land so that she could build a monastic
community. The chieftain replied that she could have
whatever amount of land her cloak could cover. Brigid
took the cloak from her shoulders and cast it on the
ground where it covered over 12 acres of the chieftains
lands. He gave it willingly.
The date of her death is now that of her feastday,
February 1st. which is still celebrated with the traditional
creation of the Saint Brigid Cross, made from reeds. She
is buried next to Saint Patrick in Downpatrick.
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St. Brigid's Oaten Bread
You will feel the influence of the saint in this wonderful bread. Rich!
Again we celebrate the farm and the oats and wheat. Great with home made
butter as well. Make this loaf into a strohn or wheat sheaf. Form the
dough into three equal balls and one ball about 1/3 the size of the
others. Form each large ball into a rectangular strip-do not over work.
Place all three strips next to one another. Bend the tops and bottoms of
the outer strips slightly outward. Using a knife make indentations
vertically in each strip. Not too deep- enough to convey the image of
wheat. Take the remaining smaller ball and make a narrow strip which is
as long as the middle of the sheaf. Place that horizontally across the
center as the binding of the sheaf it should stick to the sheaf. You can
wrap the ends slightly over the sides. Using a knife lightly cut a
herringbone texture into the binding strip.
as in:
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In this form you can leave the bread out for the saint on the eve of Feb.
1.
Ingredients:
1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon
baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt., 3 tablespoons butter in small pieces, 3/4
cup uncooked oatmeal flakes. 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk
Instructions:
1.heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. grease baking sheet.
3.combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl and
mix.
4.Add butter bits and cut in with knife until mixture is crumbly. 5.add
oats and toss to combine.
6.in other bowl beat egg with buttermilk.
7.make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture and mix with
a fork until crumbs hold together. Make dough into ball and transfer to
floured surface. Knead only till it holds together. . Add flour but only
if too sticky to work I like to simply coat the loaf with flour so it
does not stick to the hands..
8.pat dough into 8-inch round and transfer to baking sheet. 9.score a deep
cross into the bread but do not cut it through 10.bake 15-20 minutes till
brown. (this bread tends to be done |
Irish Spiced Beef
Brigid is closely associated with her red-eared cow and the farm and beef.
While spiced beef is traditionally eaten on Christmas I really find it
goes with Brigid's day quite well. It goes so well with the hand crafted
ale!
Ingredients:
20 cloves, 2 tsp ground allspice or cinnamon, 6 Shallots, 2 tsp Prague
Powder , 1Pound Kosher Salt (coarse), 1 tsp. black pepper, three tsp.
ground mace, 7-8 lb. beef. 2-3 bay leaves, ground nutmeg,
Two Pints Guinness Stout.
Instructions:
1. Grind all dry ingredients and mix
2. Add finely chopped shallots
3. Rinse beef and place in plastic or glass container (avoid iron).
4. Take 1 seventh of the spice/salt mixture and rub it all over the meat.
Place meat back into container, cover and set out on the back porch or in
a cool spot-if too warm out place in fridge. Each day for seven days rub
the meat with one seventh of the mixture, turn over and re-cover. Leave
the liquid that forms with the
meat.
5. At the end of seven days place meat and liquid into a big pot -add
water to top up and cover the meat and boil until the meat is tender. a
fork should just barely be able to lift up strands of meat-don't over do
it! Change water adding clean water and boil for another 30 minutes. Then
add Veg-large carrots, onions, and potatoes- cook until almost done. Add
two pints Guinness Stout and boil for another 10-20 minutes.
You can eat this hot or leave to cool overnight-place meat into colander
with weight on it and plate or dish under it. |
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