Recipies
Wassail- A Yule Beverage
3 red apples
3 oz brown sugar
2 pints brown ale, apple cider, or hard cider
1/2 pint dry sherry or dry white wine
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger strips or lemon peel
Core and heat apples with brown sugar and some of the ale or cider in
an oven for 30 minutes. Put in large pan and add rest of spices and lemon
peel, simmer on stove top of 5 minutes. Add most of the alcohol at the
last minute so it heats up but does not evaporate. Burgundy and brandy
can be substituted to the ale and sherry. White sugar and halved
oranges may also be added to taste. Makes enough for eight. Wassail!
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RED EGGS (SPRING EQUINOX)
1 to 1 1/2 dozen hard-boiled eggs, peeled.
2 large jars pickled beets.
Remove beets from the juice in jars. Replace with eggs. Refrigerate for two weeks before serving. (Eat the beets for dinner.)
Nothing is much easier than this. You prepare it two weeks in advance, and grab it on your way out the door. It is in closed jars, so you have no packing/transportation problem, and leftovers are put away in their own container. The cost is under $5.00. To top it off, red eggs are traditional throughout Europe and Russia at Spring. (Fertility symbol!)
For perfect hard-boiled eggs, use eggs that are at least a week old, never fresh from the market. Start with cold water, covering the eggs. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for ten minutes. Cool immediately under cold running water for at least 15 minutes. Return the eggs to their carton and continue cooling in the refrigerator for at least an hour. If you do this, your eggs will never fail to peel easily and smoothly.
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"WITCHELLED" EGGS
1 dozen hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half.
3 tsp. sour cream 1/4 onion, minced
1 tsp. brown mustard parsley, for garnish
1 tsp. salt Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp. white pepper l/2 tsp. sweet basil
1/4 cup juice from a jar of sweet pickles.
Divide yolks and whites, placing yolks in a bowl and whites on a serving tray. Mask the yolks with a form, then mix well everything except parsley and paprika. Fill each white section with a heaping teaspoonful of yolk mixture. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and garnish with parsley.
These are a bit more work, but still cost only about $3.00 or less, depending on what you have on hand. These are truly magickal eggs. If you doubt that, just try them and watch them disappear! You'd better eat one before you serve, or you won't get one.
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SPARKLING CRANBERRY SALAD (YULE)
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 package (small) raspberry gelatin
1/2 cup dark red wine
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 bunch red grapes (seedless or seeds removed) cut in half
Mix gelatin, boiling water, wine, and lemon juice. Chill in refrigerator until the gelatin starts to thickin. (Do not thicken by adding ice cubes. Mix in cranberry sauce and grapes. Pour into mold and chill until ready to serve. Once again, the cost is about $4.00 or so, and the little extra work well worth it.
This extra pretty salad can be done a couple of days prior to the festival. To make it even more attractive, line the serving plate with fancy ruffled lettuce before you turn the salad onto it.
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GREEN GODDESS SALAD
1 large head of iceberg lettuce (or romaine, if you prefer)
1 lb. cooked seafood or chicken, cut up. (We suggest imitation crab)
1 can anchovy filets (rinsed and minced)
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup minced green onion
1/4 cup minced sley
1/4 tbsp. chopped tarragon
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
1 garlic clove (only to rub the salad bowl, don't mix it in!)
Mix sour cream with vinegar and seasonings. Add anchovies and mix well. Seal dressing in a jar and chill at least overnight. Before serving, toss lettuce and meat in dressing. Be sure to save some meat to decorate the top of the salad.
This costs a little extra, depending on what meat you use. It will probably run $6-7.00, or can be more with real crab or lobster. But who can resist a salad called Green Goddess! Actually, this originated in the early 1900's in San Francisco, to honor a play called "The Green Goddess." This is a variation on the original, which used mayonnaise instead of sour cream, so experiment if you want.
The chilled dressing is also a wonderful dip for fresh vegies, but you can't make it vegetarian because you can't leave out the anchovies. The dressing will keep for up to a week.
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FESTIVAL PUNCH
1 orange or lemon
2 economy size cans frozen lemonade
1 economy size can frozen grapeade
1 2 litre bottle lemon-lime soda
1 or 2 bottles inexpensive champagne
Mix the liquids thoroughly into a large punch bowl. Slice up the fruit. Add ice to the bowl, then lay the fruit slices on top of the liquid so they float.
This punch is very good and goes fast. It isn't too sweet and at around $6.00 is a real festival winner.
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ROSY WASSAIL
1 pt cranberry juice cocktail
1 6-oz can frozen orange juice, thawed
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 pink wine (blush or pink chablis)
In a large kettle, combine all ingredients except wine, plus 2 cups water. Heat, but do not boil. Add wine and heat again, without boiling. Pour into a large bowl, add sliced oranges studded with whole cloves for decoration.
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Kulich
pinch saffron dissolved in milk (below)
1C. milk
1-1/2C. flour
1pkg. dried yeast
1/2C. butter
3/4C. sugar
1/4tsp.salt
2 lg. eggs
1tsp. lemon rind
1tsp. vanilla
1-1/4C. more flour
1/2C. toasted almonds
1/2C. mixed glace fruit
Make a sponge with the milk and 1-1/2C. flour. When sponge has risen beat butter and sugar until creamed, add eggs one at a time, then flavorings. Stir in sponge alternately with the extra flour, fruit and nuts. Pour into parchment lined coffee can or other mould. Let rise until doubled and bake at 350 degrees about 1 hr. or until done. Cool on it's side in the can.
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Pascha
1lb. farmer's cheese
1/4lb. butter
1/2-1Cup sugar(to taste)
1 egg yolk
1/2Pt. sour cream
Vanilla to taste
1Cup raisins
1/2Cup toasted ground
almonds
Put all ingredients but raisins and almonds through a food mill or strainer. Beat well in an electric mixer or food processor. Mix in raisins and almonds and put into a cheesecloth lined mould. Weight down the top with clean rocks, bricks, or food cans. Place a bowl under the mould to catch the draining whey and refrigerate at least 24 hours. Unmould and serve.
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My Pagan Info
From the Dragon's Heart