Ireland has always had the perfect weather for dairy farming.  A mild climate prevails because of the Gulf Stream’s influence, rain bearing southwesterly winds and very fertile earth ensures lush pastures. The people, as a whole, have the generosity of spirit necessary to raise herds that produce milk so thick with cream that the butter seems to happen by itself. Humans began settling in Ireland about 9,500 years ago and ate fish, hunted meat, wild fruit and nuts. Later, in the Neolithic era when they lived in homes made from split oak timbers and small stones, they started farming and domesticating their animals

and learnt how to use milk (mainly from sheep).  This would stand them in good stead later. We know that they were peaceful until the Bronze Age when invaders from Britain, France and Spain overran the place and they were forced to learn about weapons and war. The Celts, (700 – 100 BC) brought the Gaelic language, and this communication tool, albeit indirectly, led to the cattle raids and the importance of dairy products.

At this point many legends and stories start begin every Irishman has a different one to tell me – they tell of the famous Hill of Tara where the Irish High Kings were anointed with butter, of St Patrick who was killed by a poisoned cheese in 432 AD, of Queen Maeve who was killed by a skim milk cheese during the Cooley cattle raid, the beautiful Saint Brigid and her magical cows and the Battle of Clontarf when the Viking military power was broken because the men had been weakened by the milk supplied by the Irish. Be that as it may, history continued and wars between clans continued and cows and their milk and their cream became more and more important. The history of butter is long and detailed but this was pretty much how it all started. Butter exports, early in this decade, were in the region of 1,500 tons per annum with France the biggest customer. At this time there were around 600,000 cows in the country. Today butter is one of Ireland’s main exports and inside the country, the butter ‘cottage industry ‘ is growing daily. A myriad of fine butters exist, one more delicious than the other.  The Irish salt their butter, so with superior cream, superior air and an inborn ability to make butter, Ireland is always a winner.

• Today, the most famous butter brand, Kerrygold, has made Irish butter a household name worldwide. It is a delicious, lightly salted, creamy and unique butter, known by the four leaved clover and foil wrappers commonly used.
• Farmhouse, Irish country butter made by a company called Cuinneog (a churn)Dairy in West Ireland now also make probiotic butter which serves to illustrate just how advanced this industry is.

A typically Irish recipe is called for here and I decided to mingle the very oldest with the very new to create a dish that I feel is truly inspired by the best of the best that Ireland has to offer.

IRISH BUTTERED SALMON

Salmon has been eaten since the Irish first moved to Ireland and to this day it is one of the most  popular fish around.  My first choice in Ireland is always the salmon  ….. well maybe, the oysters are the best I’ve ever tasted anywhere in the world!

Ingredients

• 1, 2 kilograms salmon, freshly cut and deboned
• Water
• Salt – about 1 tablespoon to every liter of water

Butter Sauce

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• ½ cup butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley and fennel leaves, chopped
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Half fill with the salted water and bring to the boil, add the fish and simmer gently for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the fish to remain in the water while you quickly make the sauce.
• Place yolks in a heavy stainless steel saucepan on low heat (or in a double boiler) to which you add the water and whisk briskly.
• Add all the zest and the butter, a little at a time and whisk continuously. The mixture will thicken gradually – should there be signs of it becoming too thick or scrambling, remove from heat immediately and add a little cold water. Under no circumstance may you leave the pan or stop whisking until the sauce is made. Should the sauce not thicken, it may be because you are excessively cautious and the heat is too low.
• Add lemon juice to taste, check and correct the seasoning and just before serving, skin the salmon, place on a hot serving dish and garnish with more parsley, fennel leaves and lemon wedges and serve with lashings of the Irish butter sauce.