The Witches Digest

Imbolc Food Ideas - Pancakes are perfect at this time of year for several good reasons: they have 3 key ingredients - an auspicious number in magick; the colours for the festival are white and yellow, pancakes are light in colour and texture; they can be served with many fillings and accompaniments and are ideal for parties and meals alike. Tips for Perfect Pancakes: Measure your ingredients carefully, allow the batter to cool for 30 minutes before use, make sure your pan is sizzling hot, use butter to fry your pancakes, dont flip them until bubbles form on the surface. Eat immediately!

Ingredients

200ml / 7fl oz Sunflower Oil

4 Free-Range Eggs

4 tablespoons of clear honey

225g / 8oz plain flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

½ a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

A pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

175g / 6oz grated carrots

Butter – for greasing.

75g / 2½oz Cream Cheese

2 tablespoon butter

340g / 12oz sifted icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and honey until they’re well combined.

3. Stir in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add the salt, vanilla essence and grated carrots – beat well.

4. Use the butter to grease a 23cm / 9in cake tin, and pour the cake mixture in.

5. Put tin carefully in pre-heated oven and bake for one hour, or until a skewer poked in the centre comes out clean.

6. Take out from oven and leave to cool on a wire rack – very carefully remove from the tin when cool.

7. To make the icing, put the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla essence, then stir until combined.

8. Once the cake is cool, use a palate knife and spread the icing across the cake.

9. Slice as required and serve.

Carrots—Sex
Honey—Health, Love, Sex, Happiness, Spirituality, Wisdom
Vanilla—Love, Sexuality

From the Witches Digest Imbolc 2008

Ingredients

1 kg braising steak
500 ml Ale
500 ml water (approximately) 
3 beef stock cubes
2 1/2 heaped tbsp plain flour
2 large onions
Cooking oil or beef dripping
2 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
Ready made puff pastry (ready rolled preferably, for less work)MethodPeel and chop the onions.
Cut up the braising steak into small cubes.
Heat some oil in a large and deep saucepan. 
Add the onions and sauté gently for about five minutes until soft.
Add the meat and cook to seal.
Add the flour and stir in to meat juices.
Continue to cook to cook out the flour, adding the beer gradually to prevent sticking to the pan until all the beer has been added.
Add beef stock cubes and stir until dissolved.
Add water to thin down the gravy. 
The amount will vary according to how much juice has come out of the meat so add gradually until the right consistency is achieved.
Add Dijon mustard (English mustard can be used if preferred).
Once boiling reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for at least two hours.

Once cooked, cut your pre-prepared pastry into rounds or squares (the shape and decoration is down to your imagination) and bake for approximately 10 minutes on a tray.

To serve your Steak and Ale Pie ladle the meat and gravy on to each plate and top with pastry.

Note:

You can prepare and part cook your Steak and Ale Pie on the one day and then complete the cooking on the following day which will allow the flavours to come out even more

 From the Witches Digest Samhain 2008  

Ingredients
1 grouse, at room temperature
4 strips of pancetta
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
12 peeled shallots
100ml/3½fl oz brandy
1 teaspoon of peppercorns
300ml/½fl oz white chicken stock
2 large potatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 celeriac, peeled, finely chopped
Milk, to cover celeriac
Double cream, to cover celeriac
25g/1oz butter
150g/5½oz wild mushrooms

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4

Cover the grouse breasts with strips of pancetta to protect them from the heat – then roast the bird whole on the bone for nine minutes, or until cooked through (the time will depend on the size of the bird)
When the grouse is cooked (test this by piercing a thigh with a skewer at the thickest part – the juices should run clear), remove the legs & breasts and set them aside in a warm place, along with the cooked pancetta.
Chop up the grouse and heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan. Gently fry the pieces with shallots, brandy and peppercorns. Add a little chicken stock and cook to reduce it very quickly to create a concentrated grouse flavouring.

Strain through a sieve and set aside – this is best done just before serving

Slice the potatoes thinly on a mandoline.

Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a pan.

Add the potatoes to the pan and lightly fry until crisp and golden brown – season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the celeriac into a small pan and cover with equal amounts of milk and cream.

Cook until soft, then drain – discarding the milk and cream.

Puree using a hand blender until smooth – season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the mushrooms. Gently fry until they are cooked all the way through

To serve, arrange the grouse breasts and leg meat on the plate and surround with spoonfuls of celeriac puree and sautéed wild mushrooms. Pour the sauce over the top of the grouse and garnish with the set-aside pancetta. Serve with some of the potato chips.

 From the Witches Digest Mabon 2008

Technorati Tags: seasonal food, traditional recipes

Ingredients
1 1/2lb/ 750g Peas
1 1/2 pt Water
1 small Onion
Sprig fresh Mint
Pinch Sugar
Knob of Butter
Salt and Pepper

Method
Put the peas into a pan with the water, chopped onion, seasoning and mint.
Bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
Sieve or blend the soup until you have achieved the desired consistency.
Place back in the pan with the butter and sugar, reheat for a few minutes.
Ladle into warm bowls, serve with a swirl of cream and freshly chopped mint.

Peas—Love
Onion—Protection
Butter –Spirituality
Sugar—Love
Mint—Sex, Purification, Healing

2 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup apples, peeled, chopped fine
1/2 cup raisins
4 tablespoons cold apple juice or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients.
Cut in the shortening as you would for a pie crust.Stir in the apples
And the raisins. Add enough juice to make a stiff dough.On a floured
Surface, roll the dough approximately 1/2 inch thick.Cut into triangles
And bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes, or until light brown.

Makes: 18

Technorati Tags: harvest recipe, pagan, scone recipe, wicca

900g Flour
300ml Milk
725g Mixed Dried Fruit
30g  Butter
½ tsp Cinnamon
½  tsp Salt
1 packet Dried Yeast
¾ tsp Nutmeg
1 egg

·         Sift flour, spices, and salt together, then rub in the butter.
Cream the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the milk. Allow to froth.

·         Add the rest of the sugar to the flour mixture and blend well. Add the milk and beaten egg onto the yeast mixture and combine with flour mixture.

·         Beat well with a spoon or with the dough hook of an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until stiff but elastic.

·         Fold in dried fruit and peel, cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled.

·         Divide in half and place each in a greased 7” cake tin. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.

·         Bake in a 200°C oven for about 1 hour, or until it tests done.

·         Glaze top with 1 tablespoon sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water and return to oven for 3 minutes.

·         Cool on wire rack. Serve in slices, buttered. If stale, toast and serve buttered. 

From the Witches Digest Issue 1 - Beltane 2008

Ingredients
6 peaches, peeled, stoned and thickly sliced
Juice of ½ lemon
50g caster sugar

For the cobbler topping:
40g butter
125g self-raising flour
25g caster sugar, plus 4tsp extra for sprinkling
100ml full-fat milk

Method
Put the peaches in a large bowl, standing in the sink. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the fruit. Leave for 1 minute, then pour away the water. Cover the peaches with cold water and leave for 2 minutes. Drain, then peel - the skin should come away easily.

Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Put the sliced peaches in an ovenproof dish. Add the lemon juice and caster sugar, then toss gently so that the peaches are well coated.

To make the topping, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and all but 1 tablespoon of the milk. Mix to a soft dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface, until 1cm thick. Stamp out 5cm rounds, re-rolling to make as many rounds as possible.

4 Lay the dough ‘scones’ over the peaches,
distributing them evenly. Brush with the rest of the milk and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Serve warm, sprinkled with remaining sugar,
with ice cream, cream or custard.

Peach—Love, Health, Happiness
Lemon—Love, Happiness,
Sugar—Love
Butter— Spirituality
Milk—Love, Spirituality

From the Witches Digest Issue 2 - Litha 2008

Ingredients
6 slice white bread
180ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
3 eggs- separated
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
700g (1 1/2 lb) crab meat
1 tsp paprika
3 tbsp butter

Serves 6

Method
Trim crusts from bread and lay slices on a shallow platter.
Pour oil over them and let stand until bread is thoroughly saturated.
Use a fork to break into small pieces.
Combine egg yolks with mustard, salt and
Worcestershire sauce. Beat lightly.
Stir in bread and crab meat, gently fold in stiffly beaten egg whites, and shape mixture
into patties.

Sprinkle with paprika and sauté in heated butter until golden on both sides.

Bread—Life, Spirituality
Eggs—Healing, Protection, Sex
Mustard—Protection, Courage
Salt—Protection, Purification
Crab— Sex, Protection

From the Witches Digest Issue 2 - Litha 2008

Ingredients
200g/7oz tomatoes
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2-3 small carrots, sliced into lengths
1 small bulb fennel, halved and sliced
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium courgette, thickly sliced
1.5 litres/2½ pints hot vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
100g/3½oz small dried pasta shapes
1 tight heart of a summer (pointed) cabbage,
shredded
small bunch of basil, torn
extra virgin olive oil, to serve
30g/1½oz parmesan, grated

Method
Set the oven at 220C/425F/Gas 7.
Remove the stalks from the tomatoes and discard them, then put the tomatoes in a roasting tin.
Peel and roughly chop the onion, then slice the carrots into short lengths, halve and slice the
fennel and add all to the tomatoes.
Peel the garlic and slice it thinly, then toss it with the vegetables and the olive oil.
Roast for forty to forty-five minutes, until the vegetables are soft and pale gold.

Tip the vegetables into a deep saucepan, add the thickly sliced courgette and pour over the stock. Season with salt, pepper and the bay leaves.
Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for twenty minutes.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, salt it and add the pasta, letting it cook until it is tender but still has some bite - probably about nine minutes or so.
Shred the cabbage, grate the Parmesan, tear the basil into pieces. Check the seasoning of the soup, then stir in the cooked and drained pasta, the cabbage and half the basil.

Continue to simmer for five minutes or so.
Ladle into warm bowls, spoon over a little extra virgin olive oil, then scatter over the remaining basil and the grated Parmesan.

Tomato—Health, Money, Love, Protection
Onion— Protection
Carrots—Sex
Garlic—Protection, Health
Cabbage—Protection, Money
Bay—Protection, Healing, Purification
Basil—Love, Protection, Money

From the Witches Digest Issue 2 - Litha 2008