Feasting on the Holytides: Recipes and Stuff!
Over the year of 2007 I found my niche in cooking/baking. Now you might consider who my patron Deity is and say, "Well, no duh." Frey is a food God, even more so than the other Vanic Deities, and is rather concerned with what people put into their bodies. What you put into your body will affect your health whether you like it or not. Healthy food doesn't have to taste like rabbit food, or at least it shouldn't. Now I may indulge in some non-healthy stuff once in awhile but I've found that since my devotion to Frey has grown, the preparation of food has become a devotional work in and of itself.
Food is an especially nice thing to have over the holidays, and so I've included some recipes here for food specific to the stations on the Wheel of the Year. These are recipes that I've actually made, although I may make them at other times of the year, as well as varying ingredients for taste.
Bon appetit!
SAMHAIN
Cottage Pie
This is a food that has been beloved in my mother's family for generations, and seems fitting to offer beloved dead as "comfort", as well as using corn, which is usually ripe and readily available at this time of year.
* 1lb ground beef
* 3 medium-sized russet potatoes
* 1 large or 2 small onions
* 2 tbsp flour
* 2 cups beef stock
* cheese, grated
* 1/2 cup cooked corn
* milk
1. Brown the meat in a frying pan. There is no need to add oil, as the meat is fatty enough.
2. Finely chop the onion and lightly fry in a little butter until clear.
3. Add the onions to the meat along with a dash of black pepper.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir and cook for 3 - 4 minutes (if using gravy powder, omit this step).
5. Cover with beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile peel, chop and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes until cooked.
7. Once the meat is cooked, skim off the excess fat, then boil it rapidly to reduce the liquid until it just covers the meat and onions.
8. Drain the potatoes very well until completely dry. Mash the potatoes until they are smooth and free of any lumps.
9. Add butter to the mashed potato, taste and adjust the seasoning. Add enough milk to make the mashed potatoes very soft, as heavy mashed potatoes will not float properly on top of the meat.
10. Put the mixture in a shallow oven proof dish.
11. Spread the corn on top of the meat, and the potatoes on top of the corn, and brush the tops of the potatoes with melted butter.
12. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
13. Fluff and puncture the top with a fork.
14. Cook at 350-375 F for 30-50 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Pumpkin Muffins
These are good for several reasons: they're tasty, pumpkin is one of the sacred foods of the season, and you'll have something to share with celebrants as well as the ancestors and/or beloved dead.
3/4 cup natural bran
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs (unbeaten)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In bowl, combine the bran, flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; toss with a spoon to mix.
3. Add the pumpkin, eggs, oil and yogurt; stir until it is just combined.
4. Spoon the batter into paper-lined or nonstick muffin tins.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm to the touch, with a toothpick coming out clean.
Yield: 12 muffins
YULE
Julskinka -- Christmas Ham
As most Nordic Pagans know, a swine was traditionally sacrificed to Frey at Yuletide, with oaths sworn over it. This is a more Americanized version of the traditional Swedish recipe, keeping in mind those with not a lot of time on their hands.
Precooked, tenderized ham
1 c. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. brandy
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Grapes
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place ham fat side up, in an open roasting pan and roast until brown and tender, about 1/2 hour longer than the package calls for. Remove ham from oven and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Cut the skin off ham, leaving 1/2 inch of fat.
Cut the skin off ham, leaving 1/2 inch of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife in diagonal lines, running in opposite directions to make diamond pattern. Combine brandy, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and flour and rub well over ham.
Return to oven, roast 20 more minutes. With wooden toothpicks, attach to top and side a small bunch of grapes. Serve with mustard sauce.
Red Cabbage
To serve with the Yule ham: traditionally Scandinavian fare, very good.
* 1 small head red cabbage, cored and shredded
* 2 cups white sugar
* 2 cups white vinegar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 3 cups water
1. Place the cabbage in a large stockpot, and stir in the sugar, vinegar, salt and water.
2. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.
3. This can be served immediately, or it can be chilled and reheated later in the microwave.
Spicy Ginger Molasses Cookies
1/2 T vinegar
1/2 c milk
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/2 c shortening
1 egg
1 c molasses
2 1/2 c flour
2 t baking soda
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
2. Prepare 3 mixtures:
* the vinegar, plus enough milk to make 1/2 c (alternately, use real sour milk)
* the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and 2.5 c (not all 4 c) of flour
* the sugar and shortening creamed together, then also adding in the egg and molasses (use a large bowl)
3. To the sugar+shortening+egg+molasses mixture, alternately mix in small amounts of the other two mixtures until everything is in one bowl. Mix this well.
4. Form the cookies. I make drop cookies, so I plop batter onto a cookie sheet, and then squish each cookie with a (empty) glass to flatten it.
5. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F.
Siggy's Wassail
While this is traditional to use for wassailing over Yuletide, it can also be used in a non-alcoholic public ritual at any time of the year. This particular beverage keeps well in an insulated container, as in a steel thermos.
1 gallon apple cider
6 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons allspice, whole
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tart apples (Granny Smith is especially good, if you can get it)
Put clove and allspice into a mesh bag or tea ball. Place all ingredients in a large pot and heat until the apples burst.
Yield: 1 gallon, which is enough to share with friends, both human and arborial.
CHARMING OF THE PLOW
Frey and Gerda Cake
A variation of a wedding cake recipe, which can be given to Frey and Gerda to commemorate Their marriage, as well as to the participants of the ritual who celebrate Them, for luck in their own love. This offering is also appropriate as this station of the Wheel is in the Anglo-Saxon Solmonath, when Bede says cakes were given as offerings to the Gods.
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
5 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp rosewater
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and light.
3. Add the honey and mix well.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well.
5. Gradually add the flour and blend thoroughly with a large spoon.
6. Stir in the lemon rind, lemon juice, and rose water.
7. Line the bottom of a greased nine-by-five-by-three-inch loaf pan and pour in the batter.
8. Bake the cake in a preheated 350 degree oven for an hour and fifteen minutes, or when slightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool for twenty minutes.
10. Spread white icing or sprinkle sugar on top of the cake.
11. Cut a Giefu rune (looks like an X) into the cake before serving.
EOSTRE
Siggy's Eostre Omelet
As eggs are one of the sacred foods of the Goddess Eostre, here is a hearty brunch recipe to serve on Her holytide. This is a bit like a Denver omelet, but not quite. This recipe will make 2 servings, or 1 if you are very hungry. You can of course double or triple the amount of ingredients to serve more people.
*4 large eggs
*1 cup chopped onion
*1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
*1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
*1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
*1/2 cup diced cooked ham
*8 slices cooked bacon, drained and crumbled
*1/2 cup diced potatoes
*1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
*2 tablespoons butter
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon pepper
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet or on a griddle.
2. Saute the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, potato, ham and bacon in the butter until the onion starts to become opaque.
3. In a small bowl, whip the eggs lightly. Add salt and pepper, and the shredded cheese.
4. Slowly stir the egg and cheese mixture into the mixture in the skillet.
5. Lightly brown on one side.
6. Turn over and lightly brown other side.
Candied Flowers
What better way to invite Spring than to eat beautiful flowers?
You'll need
*A fistful/small bowl's worth of the petals and blossoms of flowers that are *edible* and appeal most to you: roses, lilacs, violet, and pansies would be ideal.
*1 cup water
*1 egg white, beaten
*1 cup sugar
1. Take a few drops of water and combine it with the egg white in a small mixing bowl. Whisk the water and egg together.
2. Hold each flower petal gently between two fingers and dip into the mixture, *or* use a small paintbrush to brush the mixture onto the petals. Once the mixture is coating the petals, sprinkle sugar on the petal.
3. Once the individual petal is completed, place the petals on a sheet of wax paper to dry, an inch or so apart from each other.
4. It will take about 12-48 hours for the petals to dry, depending on the humidity level in your home. If the petals aren't drying fast enough, you can place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 150 degrees for 2-3 hours.
5. Once the petals are done, store them in an airtight container in a dry place until it's time to use them.
BELTAINE
Strawberry Over Scones
Scones are an English specialty, and as such quite appropriate for a traditionally English holiday such as May Day. With strawberries and whipped cream on top, it is a decadent treat, and most definitely something with which to please the Vanadis, the Lady of Beauty and Pleasure honored at this holytide.
For 8 scones:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. buttermilk
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter. Combine with your fingers, a wooden spoon or a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Add buttermilk. Quickly stir to form dough.
Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball. Flatten to a round. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cut each crosswise into 4 pieces but not all the way through. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
When the scones are cool, take 12 medium-sized strawberries (or 6-7 large ones) and slice into rounds. Spoon the strawberries over the scones, and cover with a heaping amount of whipped cream. You can cheat and get the kind in the can, or use this recipe:
1 cup(0.25 l) heavy cream (or whipping cream), cold
4 tablespoons of white sugar
1. Chill a medium mixing bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. (If using a mixer with various kinds of beaters, use the whisk attachment). This step is very important, because the cream will not rise if the mixer is warm.
2. Put the cream in the bowl, and add the sugar to the cream.
3. In the chilled bowl, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.
May Wine
This is a traditional recipe for a beverage that can be given both as a libation to the Gods on Beltaine, as well as served among the folk in celebration.
1 bottle of wine, preferably a Riesling or White Zinfandel
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
12 sprigs of fresh woodruff
Directions
1. Pour wine into carafe or wide mouth bottle.
2. Add the strawberries and woodruff and allow to sit and blend for at least an hour, but preferably not more than 3-4 hours.
3. Strain and serve well chilled. Garnish with thin orange slice.
MIDSUMMER
Garlic, Tomato, and Cheddar Sandwiches
These are tasty and celebrate the foods and fresh flavor of summer, without requiring too much oven prep on a hot day. This is ideal finger food for a Midsummer celebration with others.
per sandwich (add according to how many you are serving)
2 slices brown bread
1 clove garlic
1 green chili
1 tomato
5 long slices sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and black pepper, to taste
1. Toast the two slices of brown bread, until one of the two is not soft anymore (the second one can be).
2. Rub the garlic clove on the hard piece of toasted bread, until only a little piece is left. Chop the remainder, and scatter on the harder toasted bread.
3. Cut the tomato in half, and crush each side on the same piece of harder toasted bread. Then spread the juice, cut what's left of the tomato, and put it on the harder toasted bread.
4. Add the olive oil to the harder toasted bread. Be careful to only add just a little bit -- there should be less oil than there is bread.
5. Add the salt and pepper. Slice or crush the chili, and scatter on the harder piece of bread. Add the lemon juice.
6. Arrange the slices of cheddar on top of the harder piece of bread, then close the sandwich with the other (softer) piece of bread.
Summertime Salad
To celebrate the full bloom of greenery.
You will need varying amounts of
iceberg and romaine lettuce
dandelion greens
mustard greens
alfalfa sprouts
spinach
arugula
You can have more or less of one variety (or none of one), depending on taste.
Add some cherry or grape tomatoes, plus sliced carrots and cucumber, toss the salad to mix more or less evenly, and top with this vinaigrette:
1 clove of garlic, crushed or mashed
2 tablespoons vinegar (I prefer red wine vinegar)
1 teaspoon mustard
6 tablespoons oil (vegetable, extra virgin olive, almond, etc.)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
herbs to taste (e.g. basil, rosemary, oregano)
1. Mix garlic, salt, mustard and vinegar until smooth.
2. Add oil and mix until smooth.
3. Add pepper and herbs to taste.
4. Let stand. The longer the herbs and mustard soak in the oil, the better the flavor will be.
5. Make sure to mix the vinaigrette just before dressing the salad if the oil and vinegar have separated.
LAMMAS
Golden Corn Lammas Bread
I made this for my first public Lammas (see picture to the left), since corn is best harvested and brought to stores and markets in Southern California around Lammastide. Though wheat and barley are more traditionally European, corn honors the spirits of the local land-wights in the Americas. You should double the recipe if you are planning on making one loaf to share with the folk and one loaf to sacrifice to Frey.
1 cup corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup sugar optional
½ of a 15 ounce can whole corn, drained (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease an 8 inch baking pan.
2. Combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add egg, sugar, and shortening.
4. Beat until fairly smooth; about a minute.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If corn added to batter, increase time ~50%
6. Carve an Ing rune (to me the Anglo-Saxon Ing with the "tails" is more aesthetically pleasing than the Ingwaz diamond) into the loaf and galdor over it.
Siggy's Hearty Bean & Pasta Soup
Beans are often alternated with barley in crop rotation, and this is something very tasty and nutritious, that is also very inexpensive and easy to make.
10 cups of water
5 vegetable boullion cubes
1 1/2 cups dried bean soup mix (kidneys, garbanzos, lentils, black-eyed peas, green peas)
2 cups snail-shaped OR ditalini whole-wheat pasta
3 cloves garlic, diced
5 basil leaves
ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1. Soak the beans in a bowl of cold water overnight, or hot water for about 2 to 4 hours prior to cooking. Drain the water from the bowl afterwards: do not put in the soup, as it's collected starch.
2. Pour fresh water into stockpot, heat at medium-high. Add boullion cubes, and continue heating at same temp for approximately 7 minutes.
3. Measure beans and add to the stockpot. Bring heat down to medium and cook for 55 minutes. Prep garlic, and add the garlic, as well as pepper, salt, and basil.
4. After 45 minutes, add the pasta and cook for another 30 minutes.
5. Serve hot.
A note of warning: this will give you a bit of gas, but the nutritional benefits (for cheap!) are worth it.
Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
I like these because they're good, easy to make, have a "late summer" feel, and you can easily give a couple to Frey and Gerda (Gerda in particular is partial to root vegetables and mushrooms).
*3 ounces cream cheese
*¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
*¼ teaspoon salt
*¼ teaspoon pepper
*¼ cup diced green onions
*2 tablespoon diced green peppers
*Chopped mushroom stems
*2 slices cooked bacon, chopped
*½ cup bread crumbs
*1 tablespoon butter
*2 dozen mushrooms (white usually fine)
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Soften the cream cheese and put in food processor.
3. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; pulsing on and off.
4. Fold in chopped bacon, chopped mushroom stems, diced green onions, and green peppers.
5. Set the stuffing aside.
6. Mix bread crumbs with just enough butter to hold together.
7. Stuff mushroom caps with stuffing.
8. Top with bread crumbs.
9. Bake at 325°F for 5 minutes.
HARVEST
Apple & Spice Pork Roast
This is an ideal recipe for Northern Tradition feasting as it contains two symbols traditionally associated with abundance: pork (as in Frey's golden boar, Gullinbursti), and apples (Idunna's gift of health to the Gods). As befits the last feast before honoring the Dead, this is a very rich and tasty main course, which you can share with the Gods and folk alike.
3 to 4 pound boneless pork roast
1 cup applesauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stir together applesauce, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard and cloves in small bowl; refrigerate half of the applesauce mixture and set aside remaining applesauce mixture.
3. Combine flour, salt, sugar, garlic powder and pepper in another small bowl.
4. Rub flour mixture evenly over entire surface of pork.
5. Place pork on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, until internal temperature is 140 degrees F. Spoon reserved applesauce mixture over roast. Roast until internal temperature is 155 degrees F., 1 to 1 1/2 hours total cooking time (about 18-20 minutes per pound).
6. Transfer roast to serving platter; cover with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Heat chilled applesauce mixture in small saucepan until boiling; boil for 1 minute. Spoon heated applesauce mixture over pork slices.
Siggy's Potato & Cabbage Soup with Flavor
This can be served with the pork roast, or it will make a meal of its own.
10 cups of water
5 vegetable boullion cubes
2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled, chopped/diced
1/2 head of green cabbage, cored and shredded
2 carrots, chopped/diced
1/2 brown onion, chopped/diced (your eyes will tear up)
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 teaspoon salt
ground pepper to taste
about 6 peppercorns
3 fresh basil leaves, crushed
1. Pour the water into stockpot, bring to a boil. Add the bouillion cubes, let boil for 10 minutes.
2. Prep veggies, add to the stockpot.
3. Simmer on medium heat for about 40 minutes.
4. Prep the garlic, and add pepper, salt, peppercorns, and basil.
5. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes with a wooden spoon.
6. Serve hot.
Irish Soda Bread
It just wouldn't be Harvest without some kind of grain served, and this is super-easy.
* 3 cups all-purpose flour (or whole-wheat, if you prefer)
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ⅛ cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2 cups buttermilk
* ¼ cup butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
4. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture.
5. Mix until just moistened. Too much mixing will make it tough.
6. Stir in butter; pour into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. The loaf should sound hollow if you tap the base.
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Wrap in a towel or foil several hours or overnight for best flavor.
To be "proper" for the holiday, reserve the last piece for Woden, as He is traditionally offered the last sheaf of wheat at the last harvest. My UPG says this is symbolic of the frith between the Aesir and Vanir, and the friendship between Frey and Woden, with Frey's gift of grain given to the Allfather.