Samhain

Its time to get in mood with all these carved pumpkins, dancing skeletons, smiling ghosts & witches riding on brooms.
Samhain is the most important holiday of the Celtic calendar. It is the start of the Celtic New Year. This is a good time to make new year resolutions (I make them twice in a year now, just in case I fail, I'll still have 1.January for a second chance :)). In addition to celebrating the year’s end, it is also a celebration of the beginning of Winter.
The doors are opened between the worlds & the paths are travelled by the spirits going back & forth on this night. This world & the Otherworld become equivalent to each other & no barriers exist between the dead & the living, that is, the “Veil” is at its thinnest.
Light a candle for a loved one who has passed on.
Don't forget to leave out food for the fairies on Halloween night at home or at the nearest hawthorn or white-thorn bush to appease the spirits.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Whilst carving your Jack O’Lantern,save the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are delicious & are rich in nutritious minerals such as zinc.
Preheat the oven to 120C.
Wash the pumpkin seeds to remove all the pulp & place in a bowl. Melt a bit of butter in a pan & then pour in the seeds slowly, tossing while you go. Do not use too much butter, but just enough to lightly coat the seeds. Add salt, spread the seeds out over a baking pan & bake, turning occasionally, until crisp & lightly golden browned. Overcooking causes the nuts to toughen and lose flavor.

Irish Champ:

Classic Irish recipe of mashed potato & scallions or spring onions (you can use leeks instead).
750 g-1 kg potatoes, peeled & quartered
1 cup scallions/spring onions
55-75 g butter
75-100 ml milk
Salt and pepper
Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked.
Finely chop the white part of the scallion/spring onion & roughly chop the green part. Keep to one side.
Drain the potatoes & add the butter & milk & mash until smooth & creamy.
Add the finely chopped white part of the onion and mix well.
Season well with salt and pepper. Serve with the green part of the onion sprinkled on the top.

Colcannon also has a special meaning at Samhain. On Samhain, colcannon has divination properties, it contains charms -- a ring to symbolize a marriage, a coin to symbolize wealth, a pea to symbolize poverty, a thimble to symbolize spinsterhood & a stick to symbolize "one who will travel far."

1 kg (2 lbs) potatoes, freshly cooked & mashed
250 g ( ½ lb) kale or white cabbage, just cooked, drained & finely chopped
Milk, butter, salt & black pepper
Mix potatoes & kale or cabbage together. Heat some milk with a generous knob of butter. Beat it into the potato mixture until smooth & creamy. Season well.

Did You Ever Eat Colcannon?*
(Traditional)

Did you ever eat Colcannon
When 'twas made with thick'n'd cream
& the greens & scallions blended
Like a picture in a dream?
Did you ever scoop a hole on top
To hold the melting cake
Of clover-flavoured butter
That your mother used to make?
Did you ever eat & eat, afrain
You'd let the ring go past,
& some old married sprissman
Would get it at the last?
Gods be with the happy times
When trouble we had not
& our mother made Colcannon
In the little, three-legged pot.

Scary Shortbread Cookies:
SCARY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Another Halloween treat is a Barmbrack, a rich Irish fruit bread. Again, the “charms” baked into each loaf would foretell the future of the recipient. Placed in the barmbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth & a ring. Whoever received in their slice the pea, would be unmarried; the stick, would be a fighter; the cloth or rag, would be poor;& the ring, would get married within the year.

Barmbrack is usually baked in a round (20 cm or 8″) cake tin with a loose base.
2 tea bags, or 3 tsp. loose tea (a strong black blend works best)
350 g mixed dried fruit (raisins, golden raisins/sultanas, currants, candied peel)
240 ml milk
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried active yeast or 25 g fresh yeast
450 g strong bread flour
1 tsp. salt
25 g brown sugar
75 g butter
1 beaten egg
1 tsp. mixed spice
Make 2 cups of strong black tea.
Soak the dried fruit in the tea for few hours or up to overnight.
Warm the milk until it is hand-hot. Stir in the teaspoon of sugar & the yeast & leave in a warm place for about 15 minutes or until it becomes frothy.
Mix the flour, salt & brown sugar in a large bowl.
Rub in the butter or margarine.
Add the yeast, the beaten egg & the spice.
Drain any remaining liquid from the fruit, then add the fruit to the mixture.
Mix well to make a smooth dough (add extra flour if the mixture is too wet).
Turn the dough onto a floured board & knead it thoroughly.
Place it in a buttered tin, cover with a clean towel or cling film & leave in a warm place to rise for 45 – 60 minutes; the dough should have doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Place the tin in the oven & bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the loaf from the tin, turn it upside down & put it back in the tin or directly on the oven shelf.
Bake for another 20 minutes or so. The loaf will be ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on each of the sides.
Cool the loaf on a wire rack before serving.

Cauliflower Soup

1 small cauliflower
1 carrot, cut into small cubes
1 onion, chopped
100 g corn, frozen
2 tbsp flour
200 ml milk
2 tbsp butter
salt, pepper
Saute onion & carrot in a saucepan with butter & 4 tbsp water.
At the same time add the cauliflower florets into the 1 l boiling water & cook until half way cooked, ca 2-3 minutes.
Add the carrots to the soup.
Mix the flour with cold milk until completely dissolved, stir gently into the soup.
Add corn, season.
Bring back to boil & cook for 5-10 min or until soup is ready.
Serve with chives & parsley.

Cabbage & Cheese Pie

Base:

5 dl flour

0,5 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

200 g butter

200 g ricotta cheese

Filling:

2 onions

1 kg white cabbage

2 tbsp oil

salt, black pepper

3 eggs

250 g sour cream

200 g cheese

For the base, mix all dry ingredients.
Add soft butter & ricotta cheese.
Knead until dough is smooth.
Shape a ball & chill 30 min.

For filling chop onions & cabbage & saute until soft. Season. Cool.

Roll the dough out & place on to the prepared baking tray.
Using the fork make some little holes through.
Spread the filling over, sprinkle the grated cheese on the top.

Mix the beaten egg & sour cream & pour over the pie.

Bake at 200C for 35-40 min.

Easy Vegetable Curry

2 onions,chopped
3 garlic gloves, crush
3 carrots, slice
ginger, about 1,5-2 cm piece, grated
1 green pepper, finely sliced, or cut into pieces
200 g green beans
1 small cauliflower, separate the little florets
4 tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces
200 ml yogurt or fresh cream
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
1-2 tbsp curry powder
1kg potatoes, boiled, cooled, cut into ca 2 cm cubes

Fry onions & garlic in butter.
Add ginger.
Add carrots, get them browned.
Bring on the pepper, beans & cauliflower. Add about half cup of  water & the stock cube, heat everything through until soft. I love everything al dente, to feel little crunch, so it takes only few minutes for me.
Now sprinkle in the curry powder, mix everything through, add tomatoes & yogurt or fresh cream. Let it gently boil until done.
At the same time fry the potatoes on the separate pan with generous amount of butter until nice & crisp. Mix potatoes with curry.
Ready to serve.
Instead of potatoes goes very well  rice.

Vegetable Cutlets

2-3 medium potatoes or leftover mashed potatoes
~1 cup chopped mixed vegetables (green peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
1 onion, finely chopped
~1 cup breadcrumbs+ 1 cup extra for coating
1 egg
chopped parsley,chives
salt &  little bit of freshly grated rose pepper

Boil & mash the potatoes.
Boil the vegetables, drain.
Grate the carrots & chop the green beans.
Mix all ingredients together. Season.
To get the right texture you can add more breadcrumbs or some milk.
Shape the mixture into flat round patties & roll them in the bread crumbs, set aside.
Heat the oil on medium high heat in a frying pan.
Fry a few cutlets at a time until they are golden-brown on both sides.

Borsch or Ukrainian Beetroot Soup

500 g beetroot (boiled),cut into pieces
2 chicken fillets
2 tbsp butter
2 chicken stock cube
0,5 small white cabbage
6 tomatoes,peeled & seeded.chopped
1 onion,chopped
4 garlic gloves,crushed
4-5 potatoes,cut into pieces
2 carrots,sliced
salt,pepper

Cut chicken fillets into small cubes.
Heat the pan,add butter & chicken pieces.Fry until browned all over.
Add onions & garlic,fry for a minute.
Now add carrots,brown a little.
Throw in the chicken stock cubes & boiled water to cover everything.Let it simmer until you chop cabbage & add it to the soup.Add extra water if needed.
Add beetroot & tomatoes.
Simmer for ca 20 min,then add potatoes & boil until potatoes are done.
Season.
Serve with sour cream.

SORREL FRITTATA

1 handful of sorrel (find it here),chopped

4 boiled potatoes,sliced

4 eggs

150 ml milk(you can combine it with sour cream or natural yogurt)

1 small red paprika,chopped or sliced

half onion,chopped finely

4 tbsp flour

0,5 tsp salt

parsley

Heat the pan (about 25 cm diameter)on the medium heat.Add a good knob of butter.
Arrange the sliced potatoes over the bottom,cook until golden brown then turn around.
Mix everything else,season,pour over the potatoes.Cover & cook about 10 min or until you can see it starts to turn crisp on the bottom.
Now place it under the grill (uncovered) until ready.
Serve with fresh salad & mayonnaise.

Layered Chicken & Vegetable Salad

4 eggs,hard boiled
3-4 potatoes,cooked
2 carrots,cooked
cup of corn,can be from frozen
100 g pineapple pieces in juice
200 g cheese,grated
2-3 chicken fillets,cut into strips or pieces
cup of mayonnaise
handful of pecans

Fry the chicken on the pan with butter or olive oil,season with salt & chilli or paprika.
Grate the potatoes with big grater & place on to the bottom of the serving dish.
Now grate the carrots with big grater & lift onto the potatoes.
Spread some of the mayonnaise thinly over the first layer.
For the second layer scatter the cheese over the vegetables & cover with some mayonnaise.
Now lift in the pineapple pieces & crumbled egg yolks.Cover with mayonnaise.
Next layer will be corn & chicken pieces,spread with mayonnaise.
For the last layer slice the egg whites finely & scatter over the salad.
Decorate with walnuts or pecans & with some greens,like parsley or chives.

Swede & Carrot Salad with Raisins

1 big swede
3 carrots
1 orange
140 g raisins
1 tbsp sugar

Grate your carrots & swede with bigger grater.
Add raisins & juice of orange.
Mix in the sugar.

Penny Bun Sauce from the Hellfire Club

Penny Bun Bolete

ca 300 g fresh penny buns,clean & slice
1 onion,chop
30 g butter
1-2 tbsp flour
500 ml milk
salt,pepper
parsley

Brown the mushrooms in butter.
Add onion,saute until soft.
Season with salt & pepper.
Mix the flour with cold milk,pour over the mushrooms,bring to boil,season if needed.
Boil gently until sauce is thickened.
Sprinkle over some chopped parsley.
Serve with boiled potatoes.

Cursed Hellfire building in Dublin Mountains, with a spectacular views over the city!We love to go for a walks there,forests around are full of blackberries &  some utterly delicious mushrooms!
Goes down well with

 

:)

Vegetable Fritatta

1 onion,finely chopped
300 g cooked potatoes,roughly chopped
1 red pepper,sliced
200-300 g frozen peas
8 eggs
2-3 tbsp fresh herbs:parsley,chives,basil
grated cheese if you wish

Fry the onion in the butter until softened then add potatoes & fry until nicely colored.
Add pepper & peas,heat it through.
Beat the eggs with the herbs,season & pour into the pan.
Turn heat on low,cover & cook until the base is set & lightly browned.
Place the fritatta under the grill until the top is set & golden.
Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Roasted Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Breadcrumbs

200 g green beans
300-400 g cherry tomatoes
100 ml breadcrumbs
50 g butter,cut in pieces
salt,pepper

Place the beans into the baking dish,scatter butter pieces & then breadcrumbs over.
On very top place the tomatoes.
Season with salt & pepper.
Bake at 220C for 30 min.Somewhere in halfway stir it all through..
Serve with mashed potatoes & Cold Sauce: 
100 ml mayonnaise
100 ml sour cream
season with chopped greens(dill,chives,spring onions..)

Carrot Salad

4 carrots
1 big sour apple,like Bramley
2-3 tomatoes
half of the lemon,juice
parsley,small handful
salt,pepper,pinch of sugar

Grate the carrots & apple.
Cut the tomato into pieces.
Chop the parsley.
Mix everything together,season.

This salad recipe is delicious and refreshing BBQ side dish,also great with all sorts of grilled sausages & pork ribs.

Tomato Fritatta

6 eggs
100 ml sour cream
30 g grated cheese
2 tbsp parsley,chopped
3-4 tomatoes,cut in pieces
1 onion,chopped
salt,pepper
knob of butter

Fry the onions in the butter,then add tomatoes,season with salt,pepper.Cook for 2-3 min.
Whisk together eggs,sour cream & chopped parsley,season.
Pour the egg mixture over the tomatoes.
On the low heat cook the frittata until bottom is golden in color,then scatter the grated cheese on top & place it under the grill until cheese is melted.

Summer Salad

All this brand new goodness in the garden!

radish
cucumber
carrots
spring onions
dill
Finely slice it all,season with salt.
You can also add sour cream or mayonnaise or both.
Brilliant

Chunky Tomato Sauce

50 g butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6-7 big tomatoes,cut into smaller pieces
handful of basil leaves,teared

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion,garlic,tomatoes,salt,pepper,basil & simmer until sauce thickens. .
You can also refrigerate the sauce in a tightly sealed container for 3–5 days or freeze for 1–2 months.
Great with pasta, vegetables,chicken or meat dishes.

Add cumin, oregano or fresh parsley.
For a smooth sauce - puree sauce in a blender or food processor.

Baked Buttery Cauliflower

1 big cauliflower
100 g butter,melted
~100 ml fine breadcrumbs

Boil the cauliflower in the salted water until half cooked.
Gently lift it out onto the baking dish.Pour over the melted butter & cover with breadcrumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven at 220C until golden brown.

How To Sprout Lentils

Lentils sprouts are fabulous mixed into salads, sandwiches & on crackers. They taste absolutely yummy with fresh lettuce and tomatoes!& mayonnaise..
If you dont want it to be too healthy,then spread loads of real butter on to the home baked,still oven-warm rye bread & eat with your sprouts!

1/2 cup lentils (I use brown lentils)
2 cups water

Place lentils into the 1l jar & cover with 2 cups of water.
Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth & secure with a rubber band or just make loads of holes into the jar's lid .
Let sit in water overnight (12 hours).
The next day drain off water.
Rinse and drain daily and keep out of sunlight.
On the third day you will have sprouts ready to eat!
Keep in fridge.

Watch videos about sprouting here

Russian Potato Salad

6-8 medium potatoes, boiled
2-3 eggs, hard-boiled
1 cup green peas, canned,drained
2 carrots,boiled
4 dill pickles, finely chopped
1 onion
300 g frankfurters,sliced
1 green apple
For dressing:
100 ml mayonnaise (or more according to taste)
~ 300 ml sour cream
salt  to taste

Peel the potatoes,carrots & eggs,cut into cubes.
Peel & chop very finely the onion.
Core the apple & cut into the small cubes.
Mix in peas,frankfurters & pickles.
Mix it all together.

Add the dressing,toss gently.

Coleslaw

3 carrots,peeled,grated
1/2 white cabbage,shredded
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt,pepper

Combine carrots & cabbage.
Whisk together  mayonnaise,oil,vinegar & pour over the vegetables.
Season & toss to combine.
Let coleslaw to sit for 30 min to allow flavours to meld.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.