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Samhain Cider
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup apricot brandy
In a large pot, combine the apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sugar.
Simmer slowly on low heat for about 15 minutes - do not boil.
Add the apricot brandy and serve warm.
Spiced Hot Chocolate
3 ounces semi-sweet dark chocolate, grated
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and cloves
Dash vanilla extract
Slowly heat chocolate and milk in saucepan until chocolate has melted and blended in.
Add cinnamon and cloves and stir.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Seeds of one pumpkin, washed
1 1/2 Tbl. vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread clean, dry pumpkin seeds on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Drizzle with vegetable oil and add salt to taste.
Bake 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly browned.
Wild Mushroom and Pumpkin Riscotto
Shiitake Chips below also
Canola oil
3 minced shallots
1 cup chanterelles
1 cup quartered shiitakes
1 cup morels
1/2 tablespoon fresh minced thyme
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
2 cups fine diced pumpkin
1 teaspoon five spice
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable stock
4 cups vegetarian risotto
Salt and black pepper to taste
Truffle oil for garnish
1 cup shiitake chips, for garnish
In a hot saute pan coated with oil, caramelize the shallots. Season. Add the mushrooms and thyme. Saute until mushrooms are soft and check for seasoning. Deglaze with wine. Add butter and set aside.
In same pan, add a little oil and saute pumpkin. Add five spice and honey. Add 1/2 cup stock and stir.
Pumpkin will absorb the stock and end up. Add more stock if needed but do not over cook it. Add back the mushrooms and the risotto.
Heat thoroughly and garnish with truffle oil and shiitake chips.
Shiitake Chips
1 cup thinly sliced shiitakes
Salt to taste
In a fryer at 375 degrees, fry shiitakes until brown.
Drain well and salt.
Makes: 4 servings
Mulled Cider with Spices
4-5 cups apple cider
3-4 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients
Heat cider, but do not boil.
Serve in a large cauldron.
Samhain Shortbread
1 cube butter, very soft but not melted
1/3 cup sugar, white or brown
1 cup all-purpose flour
(add a little vanilla and a dash of nutmeg too..)
Press out with hands till it's about 3/4 inch thick, cut into shapes, put on buttered cookie sheet and bake 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, depending on thickness of cookies, or use a shortbread mold to shape it.
If you are cutting shapes out of it, you can smoosh the unused dough together and flatten and repeat the whole business. Handle this dough gently and it will be very forgiving.
Make them for Samhain, using a bone-shaped cookie cutter that I believe is intended for home-made doggie biscuits-- or make your own cookie cutter--fairly simple task
updated April 16, 2000
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