~ Food Preparation Chant ~

Lord and Lady, charge this food
With the energy of Sun and the power of Moon.
To be consumed in revelry
As I will it, so mote it be!

Broccoli and Mozzarella Soup with Nochette

Serves 4
For me, this is one of the best soups in the world - the loveliest of greens, with gooey strips of Mozzarella floating in it, and made decorative with pasta bows. It makes a
really special lunch or supper dish, served with good French bread. You need only a selection of fresh fruit to follow to make a perfect meal.

25 g (1 oz) sunflower margarine
2 large shallots, skinned and sliced
500 g (1 lb) broccoli, trimmed and chopped
900 ml (1 ½ pints) stock
100 g (4 oz) nochette (tiny bows), cooked 'al dente'
100 g (4 oz) Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
Salt and pepper
Heat the margarine in a pan, add the shallots and gently fry for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring well. Stir in the stock
and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Purée the broccoli mixture in a blender or food processor, then return to the pan. Stir in the hot, drained nochette. Add the Mozzarella and heat through for 1-2 minutes
until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

                                                        Tabbouleh

(Vegan)Serves 2
Middle Eastern cuisine is responsible for this lovely recipe. Serve it as a starter, with warm pitta bread, or as a simple lunch dish with a tomato and onion salad.

Bulgar wheat, 100 g (4 oz) soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Mint, 1 tbs finely chopped
Olive oil, 2-3 tbs
Lemon juice, 2 tbs
Salt and pepper
Wedges of tomato, olives and a sprig of parsley to garnish
Drain the bulgar wheat thoroughly. Mix with the chopped onion and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped herbs and then add the oil and lemon juice
slowly, stirring thoroughly.
Serve surrounded by wedges of tomato and black olives, and garnish with a sprig of parsley.
Potage de poireaux et pommes de terre

Serves 4
250 gr [1/2lb] potatoes (2 large ones)
250 gr [1/2lb] leaks (2 large ones)
100 gr [31/2oz] butter
10 cl [3.5 fl oz] milk
3 spoons olive oil
2 spoons of fresh chopped parsley
1/2 liter warm water [1 US pint]
salt, pepper & nutmeg

Peal and cube the potatoes, peal and mince the onions and leaks. In a saucepan, heat the oil and gently brown onions and leaks. Cover with a lid and braise on a gentle
flame for about 10 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes, salt & pepper, and 1 or 2 pinches of nutmeg, add the water. Let cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust salt &
pepper, and serve soup in each tureen sprinkled with chopped parsley. You can prefer another herb to change or vary flavors, coriander, basel or tarragon would be fine.

Mousse de Saumon et Câpres

Serves 8
450 gr [1 lb] of salmon fillets
20 cl [5 spoons] of sour cream
the juice of 1 lemon
1 medium potato of 150 gr [5 oz]
3+1 teaspoons of capers
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
salt & pepper

Cook the potato in salted water, gently fry the salmon fillets in a pan. Take skin & bones off the salmon fillets and crumble them roughly. Peel the potato and crumble it
roughly. In an electric mixer with blade, put the salmon, potato, cream, lemon juice, mustard, the 3 teaspoons of capers, salt & pepper. Mix the whole for at least 2
minutes. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning. Pour in a fruitcake mold and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Ideally make it half a day before serving. Serve in
ear dishes, on a bed of lettuce, making balls of mousse with a spoon. Sprinkle a few capers on it (left spoonfull). You can replace salmon fillets by canned salmon which
still will give you a very good entrée with the most simple recipe (just mix everything).

Beltane Recipes

Beltane Marigold Custard

           2 cups milk
           1/4 tsp. salt
           3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
           1/8 tsp. nutmeg
           whipped cream
           1 cup unsprayed marigold petals
           1-2 inch piece vanilla bean
           1/8 tsp allspice
           1/2 tsp. rose water

Using a clean mortar and pestle reserved for cooking, pound marigold petals or crush with a spoon. Mix the salt sugar and spices together. Scald milk with the marigolds and vanilla bean. Remove the vanilla bean and add to the beaten yolks and dry ingredients. Cook on low heat. When the mixture coats a spoon, add rose water and cool. Top with whipped cream, garnish with fresh marigold petals.

Beltane Barley Casserole

           1/2 cup butter
           1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
           4 cups chicken broth
           2 cups barley
           2 chopped onions
           1/2 cup peas
           1/2 cup pine nuts
Melt butter in a skillet and saute the barley, stirring frequently until golden. Turn into a greased 3 quart casserole. Stir in the mushrooms, onions and peas. Add 3 cups of the chicken broth. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 hour. Stir in the pine nuts and the remaining cup of broth. Cover and bake for another 1-1/2 hours.

Aphrodesia- A passion drink

           1 pinch rosemary
           2 tsp black tea leaves
           3 fresh mint leaves, or, 1/2 tsp. dried of same
           5 fresh lemon leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried lemon peel
           3 pinches nutmeg
           3 pinches thyme
           1 pinch coriander
           5 fresh rose petals or 1 tsp dried
           3 peaces orange peel
           Pure water
Place all ingredients into a tea pot. Boil water and add to pot (about 3 cups or so). Sweeten with honey if desired. Serve hot.

May Day Pudding

           1 tsp. butter
           2 eggs
           1-1/2 tsp. tansy
           1/2 cup dark molasses
           1-1/4 cup sugar
           1/4 tsp salt
           4 tbsp butter
           6 cups milk
           4 finely chopped sweet cicely leaves
           1/4 tsp baking soda
           1 cup yellow corn meal
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With a pastry brush, spread 1 tsp butter over the bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside. In a 4-5 quart saucepan, beat the eggs with a wire whisk until they are well mixed. Turn the heat on the stove on low or medium. Stirring constantly with the whisk, add 4 cups of the milk, tansy, sweet cicely, molasses, bakings soda, sugar, and salt. Simmer on medium heat until molasses and sugar dissolve. Pour in the cornmeal very slowly, stirring constantly to keep the mixture smooth. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the pudding is thick. Beat in the 4 tbsp of butter and remove from heat. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of milk, beating constantly. Pour the pudding into the buttered baking dish and bake 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to bake for about 4 more hours or until the pudding is firm.

Merry May Day punch

           2 cups sweet woodruff (leaves and blossoms)
           1/2 cup sugar
           1 quart sweet wine
           1 pint wild strawberries
           grated peel and juice of one lime
Steep the woodruff in the wine for 3 hours over low heat. Cool. Wash and hull the strawberries. Crush and combine them with the wine, sugar, grated lime peel and lime juice. Cover and chill for several hours. Strain liquid and discard the pulp. Fill a large bowl with crushed ice, pour the punch over the ice. Add some more sweet woodruff blossoms just before serving.
           A simplified version of this:
           2 bottles of sweet strawberry wine (Like Boone's farm Strawberry Hill)
           2 bottles of sweet white wine
           1 pint of strawberries
           1 handfull of woodruff
           sugar to taste
Wash the strawberries, but don't hull. Mix all ingredients together and serve in a large punch bowl filled with ice or use an ice ring with strawberries frozen in it. (Yes, we are a bunch of drunks upon occasion!)

Bird's Nest Cookies
            1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
            1/2 cup butter
            1/2 cup sugar
            1 egg
            1/2 teaspoon vanilla
            2 cups all-purpose flour
            3/4 teaspoon salt
            1-12 ounce package M&M's mini baking bits, divided
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Spread coconut on ungreased cookie sheet. toast in oven, stirring occasionally until coconut just begins to turn a light golden color, about 25 minutes. Remove toasted coconut from cookie sheet; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 350. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture, only until combined. Stir in 1 cup M&M's mini baking bits. Form dough in 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll heavily in toasted coconut. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. With thumb, press indentation in center of each cookie. Bake 12 to 14minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies to wire rack; immediately fill indentations with reserved candies, using a scant teaspoonful ineach. Cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Pages Of Information

Sign My GuestbookView My Guestbook