Sabbats Almanac: Samhain to Mabon - Kristoffer Hughes 2018
Feasts and Treats by Blake Octavian Blair
Litha
THE SUMMER SOLSTICE SEASON is upon us! Though we are celebrating the height of the sun and the longest day of the year, we are also likely trying to stay cool and beat the heat! As the summer heat ramps up, we look to cool menus of refreshing foods. In the warmer months, I’ll often plan meals I can cook on the stove top or with as little heating as possible. These recipes will fill your belly but won’t heat up your kitchen, so you can keep cool as you celebrate the solstice! Dress up the feast table with bright summery colors in honor of the bright sunshine and reminders of your favorite summer activities, such as seashells in jars of sand from the beach and beautiful summer flowers.
“Fire and Ice” Cucumber Sandwiches
This is my own personal adaptation on a classic favorite teatime snack of the English. However, it works well as an appetizer or snack at summer gatherings too. My version has a slight kick to it but doesn’t read as too spicy with the cooling effect of the cream cheese and cucumber. Here is the perfect use for those plump cucumbers appearing in abundance at local farmers markets!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4—6
8 ounces cream cheese
1—2 tsp powdered cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fresh dill (to taste)
1 large cucumber
8—12 slices sandwich bread
Remove cream cheese from the fridge about ten minutes prior to making this recipe so as to allow it to soften slightly.
Place cream cheese into a bowl with 1—2 teaspoons of powdered cayenne pepper and a teaspoon of paprika. Add a tablespoon of lime juice. Add fresh dill to taste. Mix until ingredients are well combined. I find a fork works well for mixing.
Cut a large cucumber into sixteen equal coin shaped slices.
Spread desired amount of cream cheese mixture onto each slice of sandwich bread.
Arrange four coins in a single layer on top of half of the slices. Then top with remaining slices of bread.
Cut each sandwich into quarters and serve.
Midsummer Muffuletta
This pressed sandwich is simple yet classy for those hot summer days. It is easy to prep, fun to make, and big on flavor. The Muffuletta sandwich has its origins in New Orleans, a notoriously hot and swampy place. The version I’m offering here takes on a bit of a Mediterranean flair, however. It’s like a fresh breath of cool Mediterranean air on a hot summer’s day! Be sure to use a really good, high-end bread here. It needs to be strong enough to resist some pressure. Look for bakery artisan style breads in the bakery department of your supermarket.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 70 minutes (10 minutes active, 60 passive refrigeration)
Serves: Approx. 4—6
1 large boule bread loaf
2 tbsp olive oil
Portobella mushroom caps, sliced
Salt (to taste)
Cracked black pepper (to taste)
8 ounce jar roasted red peppers
Sliced Green or black olives
6 ounces fresh spinach leaves
12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Artichoke hearts
First prepare the boule loaf by slicing off the top and hollowing out the middle.
Next, in a medium to large skillet (I prefer cast iron, but it is not necessary) heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
As the skillet heats you can prepare the portobella mushrooms for cooking. If they did not come pre-sliced, remove the stems, de-gill the underside with a spoon, and peel top skin if desired, and slice into ½” thick strips.
Add sliced mushrooms to the preheated skillet and season with salt and black pepper as desired. Cover and cook for four to five minutes or until golden color begins to appear on the side touching the skillet bottom. Then turn once, season as desired, cover, and cook second side of mushrooms similarly until golden color begins to appear. When finished, put mushrooms on a plate and set aside.
While the mushrooms are cooking you can begin on the prep of the other ingredients such as the roasted red peppers, olives, artichokes, and spinach. If they are not already, slice the roasted red peppers into strips, slice the olives, cut artichokes into uniform pieces, and slice the mozzarella if it is not pre-sliced. You can set these ingredients aside in bowls or leave them momentarily on your cutting board.
Now, arrange the portobellas in a single layer in the bottom of the hollowed out boule loaf. Start with a single layer, and if you cover the entire bottom of the loaf and have mushrooms remaining, feel free to layer deeper as desired.
Next, layer desired amount of the spinach leaves into the boule, creating the next layer. Follow with the mozzarella, roasted peppers, artichokes, and olives to create more layers. Continue layering until the boule is packed full.
When the boule is full, place the lid on the loaf and proceed to wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Then, place the filled loaf onto a cookie or baking sheet and press the loaf by placing heavy objects on top of it. Large canned goods work or especially effective and my preferred method, is to place a couple of cast iron skillets on top of it. Make room in refrigerator and place weighted sandwich into refrigerator for at least an hour.
When ready to serve, remove sandwich from fridge, unwrap, and slice into wedges.
Note: Use the amount of each ingredient you desire, there is a lot of flexibility with the recipe and plenty of room for substitutions. Often, you may have many of the listed ingredients or alternatives that would work in your pantry.
Skillet Summer Squash Duo
This is a quick and easy summer side dish that pairs well with the Muffuletta or other hot weather dishes. It’s equally fast and easy on the stove top as it is on the grill and full of color making for a beautiful presentation on the plate. A great way to integrate seasonal produce into your Midsummer feast!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10—15 minutes (maybe longer depending on volume of squash)
Serves: 4
2 large zucchini, sliced into coins
2 large yellow squash sliced into coins
2—3 tbsp olive oil
Salt (to taste)
Garlic powder (optional)
There two cooking method options for this dish:
Preparation Option #1: Stove top.
Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Arrange the coined zucchini and squash in a single layer in skillet. Sprinkle with salt as desired and then drizzle with olive oil. Cook on medium high heat approximately 7 minutes or until golden brown color begins to develop on the underside. Then flip coins, season with salt and olive oil, and cook similarly to first side. Depending on the quantity of coins you have and the size of your skillet, you may need to cook these in batches. If so, you can keep them hot by wrapping the cooked squash in aluminum foil until serving.
Preparation Option #2: Grill
If you are having an outdoor cooking, this dish converts well into skewers for grilling. Simply place the squash coins onto skewers, season with salt and drizzle with olive oil, and cook on the grill until color and tenderness develops. Cooking time will most certainly vary so you will want to judge doneness based on color.
Note: You can substitute many varieties of summer squash and easily adjust the quantities up or down depending on the size of squashes available and the number of people you plan on serving.