Beltane Recipes

Title: Beltane Recipes

Author: Desdemona

Asparagus with Chives and Blossoms

• 1 lb. asparagus
• 1 tb. olive oil
• 1 tb. sesame seeds
• 2 tb. fresh chives
• 16 chive blossoms
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
• salt
• pepper

Wash and blanch the asparagus in lightly salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse with very cold water and drain well. Remove the chive stalks to separate the flowers. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the sesame seed. Stir for 1 minute, add the snipped chives, and stir for one minute more. Add the asparagus and soy sauce to the skillet with a few pinches of salt and generous grindings of pepper. Stir well, cover, and cook for a minute or so. Remove the lid, sprinkle the chive blooms over the asparagus, and cover for 1 to 2 minutes so that the chive blossoms steam briefly.

Stir lightly and taste for seasoning. Serve hot.

Goat Cheese & Spinach Turnovers

• 1 tb. olive oil
• 1/2 diced red onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 bunches spinach
• 2 oz. soft goat cheese
• 1/3 c. toasted pine nuts
• 3 tb. parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp lemon peel
• 4 pastry sheets
• 1/2 c. butter, melted

Heat oil in skillet, add onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Increase heat, add spinach and saute another 5 minutes. Drain and press mixture to release as much liquid as possible. Transfer to bowl and allow to cool. Add goat cheese, pine nuts, parmesean, rosemary and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Place one sheet of pastry on table and cut into 3 strips. Brush with butter. Place a tablespoon of filling at 1 end of dough strip and fold dough over to form a triangle. Repeat pricess with the rest of the dough and bake turnovers until golden in a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes.

May Wine

• bottle of white wine
• 1/2 c. sliced strawberries
• 12 sprigs woodruff

Pour wine into a carafe. Add strawberries and woodruff and allow to blend for at least an hour. Strain and serve chilled.

Rabbit Stew

• 2-3 lb. rabbit with bones
• 2 tb. butter
• 1 lb. leeks thick-cut
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 6 oz. barley
• 3 tb. red wine vinegar
• 3 3/4 c. water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tb. dried sage

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven, then add leeks and garlic and fry. Add the rabbit and cook 'til brown. Add remaining ingredients, save the sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove rabbit and let cool. Remove meat from bones and add back to the pot. Add sage. Stir well and serve. Chicken may be subsituted for the rabbit.

Meade

• 1 gallon water
• 4 lbs. honey
• 6 cloves
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• Juice and peel of one lemon
• 1 tsp. activated dry yeast

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large non-reactive pot. Boil for 30 minutes and strain into a crock that will hold it with a little room to spare. When cooled, dissolve yeast into the liquid. Allow to ferment in a cool place until it ceases bubbling and the liquor clears, then bottle and cap tightly, store in a cool, dark cellar (like the Yew crypt). It may be consumed in one month to one year of the brewing.

Irish Nettle Soup

• 12 oz. nettle leaves and stems
• 3 oz. butter
• 2 oz. leek
• 2 oz. onion
• 2 oz. celery
• 2.5 pints chicken stock
• 1.5 lbs. sliced potato
• .75 pint cream
• Salt and pepper

Wash the nettles. Melt the butter in a heavy pan and sweat the vegetables, except potato for 5 minutes without browning. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Cook over low heat for 50 minutes, then puree. Add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Some extra butter can be wisked in for a richer finish. Serve.

Irish Oatcakes

• 6 oz. fine oatmeal
• 2 oz. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 10 oz. warm water

Mix oatmeal, flour and salt, then slowly add water. Roll out on floured surface to 1/4 in. thick. Cut into triangles and fry in a pan until golden on both sides. Dry out in a 300 degree oven until crisp. Can be eaten buttered or with wine and cheese.

Scotch Oatcakes

• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1 c. oats
• 1 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-3 tb. water

Cut shortening into dry ingredients until crumbly. Add water, 1 tb. at a time until it forms a stiff dough. Roll to 1/8 in. thick on floured surface. Cut into 2 inch rounds or squares. Bake at 375 on ungreased cookie sheet until just brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Donnegal Oatmeal Cream

• 15 oz. milk
• 1/2 c. cracked oats
• 1 beaten egg
• rind and juice of one orange
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 oz gelatin
• 2 tb. water
• 8 oz whipped heavy cream
• Jam, thinned with water

Soak oatmeal in milk for 30 minutes, then cook in pan until boiling. Simmer 3-4 more minutes. Pour into bowl and add egg, orange rind and sugar. Dissolve gelatin in the orange juice and water, add to the oatmeal when cool. Fold in cream. Let set, then serve with thinned jam.

Savory cheese Scones

• 2 c. flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne powder
• 1 1/2 c grated cheddar
• 3 tb. Parmesan
• 1/3 c. butter
• 1/3 c. milk
• 2 eggs

Combine all dry ingredients, then add cheese and toss well. Cut in butter. Combine eggs and milk then add to flour mixture and gently knead into a stiff dough. Cut dough in half and pat each half into a 8" circle. Cut into wedges and bake on a sheet at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

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