Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen - Scott Cunningham 1990

Main Dishes
Scott’s favorite recipes

Many types of fish are thought to be particularly suitable to induce love including salmon, mullet, halibut, herring, and anchovies. Lobster shares a similar claim. Here’s a simple recipe to prepare virtually any type of fish to taste-tempting perfection.

Mermaid’s Love

1 fresh fish fillet (your favorite kind)

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, sliced salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Place fresh fish fillet on a large square of aluminum foil. Dot fish with butter and top with onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Fold up the aluminum foil and seal. Bake 12 minutes or until done.

Magical uses: Love.

For untold centuries, humans have searched for foods, potions, and exotic materials that would stir love or excite the erotic senses. In this 4,000-year quest, several foods have been found to have a greater effect than others.

Love Pie

1 dozen first-quality oysters

1 steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-wide strips

Butter

Flour

3⁄4 cup beef bouillon

1⁄2 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

1 pie crust

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut oysters in half. Place each half in a strip of trimmed steak, add a pat of butter, and roll the steak around the oyster. Coat each roll with flour. Place in a pie pan. Pour beef bouillon and water over oyster/steak rolls. Cover with pie crust. Slit crust top to allow steam to escape. Brush crust with milk. Bake for 11⁄2 hours.

Yield: 6 servings.

Editor’s note: For a thicker pie sauce, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the water and bouillon and then pour the liquid over the oyster/steak rolls.

Magical uses: Love.

Teriyaki Steak on Stakes

For nonvegetarians, beef represents one of the most effective protective foods available. The following recipe deliciously takes advantage of this energy, and boosts it with the added power of garlic.

2 pounds sirloin steak

1⁄2 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sherry

3 tablespoons sugar

1⁄8 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

Skewers

Diagonally cut steak into 2 x 1 x 1⁄4 inch strips. Combine the soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Stir well. Pour over steak strips and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Thread the meat slices on skewers. Grill or broil for 5 minutes or until done.

Yield: 48 skewers.

Magical uses: Protection.

Witches’ Halloween Pie

The following is a variation on the classic English dish, shepherd’s pie. This version is named Witches’ Halloween pie, and it is certainly appropriate for Halloween night.

11⁄2 cups charmed potatoes (see page 319)

1 egg

1⁄4 cup butter, melted

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 pound chopped steak

1⁄2 cup beef gravy (fresh or canned)

1⁄4 cup beef bouillon

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Pepper

Prepare mashed potatoes as in Charmed Potatoes (page 319) except add one beaten egg during the mashing process. Set aside. In a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of the butter until light brown. Add the chopped steak and cook, stirring often, until done. Stir into the saucepan the gravy, bouillon, bay leaf, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn out into a lightly greased 11⁄2-quart casserole dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the mixture. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Bake in a 400°F (202°C) oven for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are light brown. Serve hot.

Yield: 6 servings.

Magical uses: Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Cozido

This traditional recipe was originated by the Witches who live in the Basque area of Spain.

3 pounds beef rump or round, cut into cubes

4 quarts water

1 pound ham

1 large onion, quartered

3 tomatoes, peeled and quartered (or 1 cup canned, drained)

3 turnips, peeled and quartered

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1 pound garlic-seasoned smoked sausage

1 medium cabbage, cored, and cut into wedges

4 cups turnip greens, coarsely chopped

4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

Place the beef in a very large pot with the water. Heat to boiling and remove the frothy residue from the water. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add ham, onion, tomatoes, turnips, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook covered for another hour, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, fry the sausage. Drain sausage and add the cabbage, turnip greens, potatoes, and chickpeas. Add this mixture to the soup pot mixture. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or until tender.

Yield: 6 servings.

Magical uses: Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Chicken Halloween

This recipe supposedly tastes best when it’s cooked outdoors in a cauldron over a roaring fire. Considering what your neighbors might think of this, your own kitchen will suffice.

1 whole chicken, cut up

8 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

3 slices of bacon, cooked, chopped

6 sausages (11⁄2 inch long, with skin on)

1 stalk celery

Salt

Pepper

1⁄2 cups uncooked rice

Add chicken, water, bay leaves, onion, bacon, sausage, celery, salt, and pepper to a 6-quart pot. Cook about 1 hour or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. Drain broth into a bowl and set aside. Debone the chicken. Return chicken to pot. Add the rice and 31⁄2 cups of your freshly made chicken broth. Cover and cook another 1⁄2 hour.

Yield: 6 servings.

Magical uses: Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.