Sabbat Foods

[Nitefalle]

Well, as Beltaine is fast approaching, I was wondering what everyone's favorite seasonal Sabbat dishes are? What do all the Kitchen Witches like to stir up for the holidays?

This is not strictly traditional, but I feel it's in keeping with the season. For Beltaine, I am going to make a pasta dish - linguine in a lemon / butter/ wine sauce with tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, garlic, onions and Greek olives. I think it's seasonal because all of the fresh fruits and veggies are just coming into season and I can't think of a better dish celebrating that! (I just made it last night for the first time and it was sooooo yummy, I decided it would be great for Beltaine.) We'll also have some fruit flavored mead and a little fruit platter.

[Lunacie]

The menu for our post-Beltaine ritual begins with a sherry/goat cheese dip for crackers, and includes fresh veggies braised in wine, a macaroni-cheese dish, a chicken main dish, and I'm making a lemon quick bread that's very much like my family's favorite Lemonade Cake.

Lemon Bread
Bring the tart and juicy flavor of lemon to your Beltane table.

Ingredients: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or stick margarine, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sour cream or organic yogurt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Glaze
1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs and mix well. Add the sour cream and lemon zest, and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix well. Fold in chopped nuts, if desired. Spoon the batter into the greased loaf pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Remove the bread from the oven, and make tiny holes in the top with a toothpick.

In a glass measuring cup whisk together the granulated sugar and lemon juice, until the sugar is dissolved.
Slowly pour the lemon glaze on top of the loaf while it is still warm, allowing the glaze to seep into the bread.
Set the loaf on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and cool completely.
Makes 1 loaf.

[Lolair]

For the traditional side I usually make some oat biscuits or bannock - they're yummy with lots of butter and cheese... mmmm. For my groups' overnight Beltane ritual they have a big potluck feast so I usually make something non-traditional and cheeky. Last year I made yoni and phallus cookies (and boobs) complete with piercings! They were gobbled up pretty fast. Hehe and just to be multicultural I made some chocolate ones too. Here's a link to the phallus cookies (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5057/2630/1600/phallicCookies.jpg), but I thought the yoni ones were just too dirty to risk on a public blog.... :hehehehe:

[_Banbha_]

Those cookies are fabulous Lolair! :lol:

[Nitefalle]

The menu for our post-Beltaine ritual begins with a sherry/goat cheese dip for crackers, and includes fresh veggies braised in wine, a macaroni-cheese dish, a chicken main dish, and I'm making a lemon quick bread that's very much like my family's favorite Lemonade Cake.

Oooooh, can we get the recipe for the sherry / goat cheese dip?? I think another thing that would be nice for Beltaine would be clotted cream and scones.

[Zephyrstorm]

Since our Beltane is at a primitive camping site, we're going to be eating somewhat more primitively than we do at our other rituals. There will be hot dogs and baked potatoes and lots of fruits and fresh picked berries (the meadow up from the site has quite the field of raspberries). I think someone said something about pork, and I think I'm planning on grilling pre-seasoned chicken breasts with honey and peppers.

I'm also hoping on making some honey cakes for it.
I'm so looking forward to just being outdoors with a campfire and a lake and trees - I must admit, I hadn't really thought about the food.

:)
Z

[Lunacie]

Oooooh, can we get the recipe for the sherry / goat cheese dip?? I think another thing that would be nice for Beltaine would be clotted cream and scones.

I don't know if that member is making the dip or buying it, she buys a lot of unusual things at our local Sam's Club, but she also does some pretty fine cooking. I'll ask her if she's willing to share if she's using a recipe.

One of the group is making honey cakes. It wouldn't be Beltaine without sticky honey cakes eh?

[Zoritsa_Nepenthe]

I made this just to see how it was and think it would make a wonderful midsummer or Lammas appetizer.

Mediterranean Marinated Cheese:

1 pk(8 oz) cream cheese,cubed into very small cubes
1/2 cup sun-dried vinaigrette dressing
2 cloves garlic,sliced or grated
3 sprigs fresh rosemary,stems removed
6 sprigs fresh thyme,chopped
1 tsp.black peppercorns(I omitted,didnt have any)
peel of one lemon,very thin strips

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate at least an hour.

I got the recipe from a calendar I received,and this was by far the best recipe I've tried so far.It is light and summery...and I can't wait to make it again.

[Dawa Lhamo]

Well, I always make an ithyphallic bread man for Beltane. But that may just be me. ^_^

[EvieLee]

One of the group is making honey cakes. It wouldn't be Beltaine without sticky honey cakes eh?

Honey cakes are my multi-purpose-every-sabbat-staple because they're the only things I have successfully baked. :lol: And they're so damn yummy and sticky and spicy and good with milk when they're stale.

Although next summery celebration I might have a go at a Pavlova.

[Lunacie]

Honey cakes are my multi-purpose-every-sabbat-staple because they're the only things I have successfully baked. :lol: And they're so damn yummy and sticky and spicy and good with milk when they're stale.

Although next summery celebration I might have a go at a Pavlova.

Okay, I'll bite. What's a Pavlova?

I thought that was the guy who did the experiment with the dogs?



edit:
Ah, okay, it's named for the ballet dancer - the one I've never heard of. :lol:

But I LURVE meringues. I've been making meringue cookies for years. Hmmm, a whole cake made of meringue... interesting.

[_Banbha_]

I thought Pavlova was a turn of the century Russian ballet dancer. I would think a little too tough and gamey, no?

edit: I missed Lunacie's edit but still think too chewy and dry. 8O

[Nitefalle]

In the colder months, I like to do big dinners. Last Mabon, my group had a roast, stuffed squash, cranberry sauce from scratch, mashed potatoes, peas / onions & brown sugar, oatmeal raisin cookies....it was awesome.

For Yule, we had broiled salmon, peas w/ onions & brown sugar & a bit of apple cider ladled in, a root-veggie mash with turnips and squash, a stuffing with sausage and mushrooms, and hot apple cider.

For Lughnassadh this year, I'd like to try a rustica tart with tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms and onions. For Litha, I like to go fruit and cheese and lots of finger foods.

[EvieLee]

Okay, I'll bite. What's a Pavlova?
...
edit:
Ah, okay, it's named for the ballet dancer - the one I've never heard of. :lol:

But I LURVE meringues. I've been making meringue cookies for years. Hmmm, a whole cake made of meringue... interesting.

Meringue cookies certainly sound interesting!

I thought Pavlova was a turn of the century Russian ballet dancer. I would think a little too tough and gamey, no?

edit: I missed Lunacie's edit but still think too chewy and dry. 8O

LOL! Pile it up with lots of fruit and cream and it's scrummy.

Mmm, Pavlova with strawberries and other berries...maybe some passionfruit. The ultimate summer celebration. I didn't know it was named after a ballet dancer until I looked it up. lol!

Edit: Huzzah! I've mastered multi-quote at last!

[Tanya]

I love the idea of pasta primavera..."first green" that's perfect!

usually we have an asparagus dish because its in season, often as part of an antipasto platter,

and the other big tradition is the divine, slightly hallucinagenic and seasonal....

Strawberries in May Wine

1 bottle of leibfau milk (or some other sweetish white wine)
1t woodruff
1 pt of fresh strawberries, most sliced, but at least 8 of the prettiest left whole
1 pkg plain geletine

Place dry woodruff in a tea ball and gentley warm in 1 Cup of wine

Follow the directions on the geletine for sugar, but add hot and cool wine instead of water. Pour into wine glasses and let set in the fridge 45 minutes. Insert strawberry slices. Let completely set up. Garnish with reserved berries.