Sooo, i did some research, and found some great articles referencing the traditional Celtic harvest foods and Samhain dishes. I found that Beef is the most commonly used meat on the communal table. This makes sense, because this time of year was when the animals were brought in from pasture, to stay inside during the frost. Those cattle that were least likely to make it through the winter were slaughtered and eaten during the feast, or salted and preserved for food during the winter famine. Turnips, Pumpkins and Apples are widely used, along with wheat, barley, and oats. Cider was made and consumed on this day. Preserves of all sorts were prepared throughout the day until dusk when the celebration began and the bonfire was lit. With all of this in mind, i put together an entire menu, holding on to tradition, but also adding a few diverse ingredients, and some fun, to bring the magic into the modern era.
Menu
Aperitif:
Mulled Wine
Spiced Cider
.
Hors d'Oeuvres:
Tomatoes with Pesto and Mozzarella
Puff Pastry with Goat Cheese and Cranberries
Dates with Prosciutto and Cheddar
Bourbon Chicken Pate
Rillettes de Canard (Duck)
.
Starters:
Beet and Blood Orange Salad
Potato Fritters with Apple Butter Cream
.
Main Course:
Beef and Onion Stew
Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole
.
Desserts:
Lingonberry Mousse with Pears
Mini Apple Tart Ta tin
.
Recipes:
.
Mulled Wine:
.
One bottle of red wine (of your preference)
Zest of one orange, slice orange into rounds post-zesting
Zest of one lemon, slice lemon into rounds post-zesting
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger, OR 3 , 1/4 inch slices of fresh ginger
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup sugar (Turbinado sugar works great)
2/3 cup of Brandy or Cognac (Benedictine Liqueur is divine if you can find it in your area)
1/2 cup water
.
Place all ingredients into a slow cooker or stock pot. Heat on low until whisps of steam come off the top. You don't want this mixture to boil. Serve in a mug with a fresh orange slice.
.
Spiced Cider:
.
1 Bottle of unfiltered Apple Cider
2 Cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
zest of one orange (in strips)
1 cup of Brandy (leave Brandy out for a non alcoholic treat that even the little one's can enjoy.)
.
Place all of the ingredients except for the Brandy into a slow cooker or stock pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add brandy. You can allow this mixture to cool and serve over ice but what is Samhain without a nice steamy cup of cider?
.
Hoers d'Oeuvres:
.
Tomatoes with Pesto and Mozzarella
.
7 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup of pesto (store bought is fine)
1/2 lb. (about 14 pieces) boconcini (mini balls of fresh mozzarella)
.
Halve Tomatoes lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. Place a teaspoon of pesto in the center of each half. On top of the pesto, place a ball of mozzarella. Use a small sandwich bag or piping bag with a small tip to pipe a small dot of pesto in the center of the mozzarella ball to create the appearance of an eyeball.
.
Puff Pastry with Goat Cheese, Walnuts and Cranberries
.
2 sheets of puff pastry, cut into 2 inch rounds with a cookie cutter
2 cups fresh goat cheese, rolled into grape - sized balls
1 cup walnut halves
1 cup dried cranberries
.
Place pastry rounds on a lightly greased cookie sheet. prick each round with a fork 5 or 6 times to keep them from puffing up too much. Sprinkle each round with a pinch of sea salt and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden and crisp. set aside to cool. Once they have cooled place a walnut piece on each round, then place the goat cheese on top of the nut, covering it completely. Finish with a dried cranberry on top of the goat cheese so that it resembles an eyeball!
.
Dates with Prosciutto and Cheddar
.
15 large pitted dates, halved lengthwise
1/3 lb Prosciutto
3/4 lb good quality cheddar cheese
2-3 Chives
.
Halve dates and set aside. Place cubes of cheddar into the food processor and pulse until cheese is soft and moldable. Using your hands roll about 30 cheddar balls. Cut prosciutto into small strips, and line each date "boat" with a piece of prosciutto. Place the cheddar on top of the prosciutto and dot the top with a bit of chive to create the eyeball look.
.
Bourbon Chicken Pate
.
1 lb chicken livers (organic is best)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 an onion
1 shallot
salt and pepper to your taste
2 ounces of good quality Bourbon
1 Tbsp Olive oil
.
Saute onion, shallot and garlic in olive oil until they are just fragrant. Add chicken livers to the pan. To avoid the livers popping while they are cooking, give them a few pokes to allow steam to vent. cook the livers until they are no longer pink in the center. Right before you pull the pan off the heat, pour in your 2 ounces of bourbon to deglaze the pan. Set mixture aside to cool. Once cooled, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. This can be done up to three days in advance. To store your pate, pour it into a jar and cover with at least a 1/4 inch of olive oil. Refrigerate.
.
Rilletes de Canard
.
2 duck legs
1 onion, sliced in rounds
1 shallot, diced and divided in 2
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 cup of apple juice
1/2 cup of apple juice
1/2 cup of white wine ( i use a nice dry Chardonnay. The older the better)
2 Tbsp Brandy or Cognac
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
.
Score the fat on the duck legs to allow it to render off during cooking. Heat on high, a high sided sauce pot, just big enough to fit both legs. Once the pan is screaming hot, place duck legs skin side down. Turn as many times as needed to render off as much of the fat as possible. Once you have most of the fat in the bottom of the pot, pour it off and reserve it for use at the end of the process. Next, deglaze the pan containing the duck legs with the 2 T of cognac or brandy making sure you scrape the bottom of the pan to get all that flavor up and into your sauce. Then add the apple juice, white wine, onions, pepper, bay leaf, thyme sprig and half of the shallot. bring to a simmer and cover. cook duck legs until they are tender and falling off the bone. once you reach this point, remove the duck legs and allow them to cool. while they are cooling, reduce the cooking liquid to 1/2 cup.. Once the legs have cooled, shred the meat into a food processor and discard the bones. pour reduced liquid over the shredded meat and add remaining half of the shallot. Pulse until the meat is finely chopped, but not pasty. Pour this mixture into a jar that has a lid. Pour reserved fat over the top to seal the mixture. Refrigerate! The fat will harden on the top. Allow for a day or two in the fridge, time is your friend with this recipe. Serve chilled with toast points or crackers.
.
Starters:
.
Beet and blood orange salad
.
3 large beets
2 blood oranges, cut into segments, juices reverved
2 T olive oil
1T red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper.
.
Wrap beets in tin foil and roast at 400 F for about 30 min, or until tender. Remove and cool. Once cooled, peel and halve beets, then slice into half moons about 1/4" thick. Place in a bowl with your blood orange segments. add reserved juice, olive oil and vinegar, toss and season to taste. For a really dramatic presentation, pile salad on a large, white platter. This allows the deep red juices to seep out from the bottom and create a pool of 'blood'... mmm...delicious blood ;)
.
Potato Fritters with Apple Butter Cream
.
Fritters:
4 large Russet potatoes, shredded
1 whole egg & 1 yolk
2 T flour
¼ C Parmesan Cheese
Enough Canola oil to fill your skillet 1 inch
.
Apple Butter Cream:
¼ C Apple Butter (store bought)
¼ C sour cream
.
To make the fritters, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and fry about
3 Tbsp. of the mixture per fritter. Fry them until golden brown, turning once. Drain the fritters on a plate lined with paper towels. You can warm these up in the oven prior to service.
For the apple butter cream, simply mix equal parts apple butter and sour cream. This can be drizzled over the fritters in presentation, OR if you are doing buffet style service, leave the cream on the side.
.
Fritters:
4 large Russet potatoes, shredded
1 whole egg & 1 yolk
2 T flour
¼ C Parmesan Cheese
Enough Canola oil to fill your skillet 1 inch
.
Apple Butter Cream:
¼ C Apple Butter (store bought)
¼ C sour cream
.
To make the fritters, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and fry about
3 Tbsp. of the mixture per fritter. Fry them until golden brown, turning once. Drain the fritters on a plate lined with paper towels. You can warm these up in the oven prior to service.
For the apple butter cream, simply mix equal parts apple butter and sour cream. This can be drizzled over the fritters in presentation, OR if you are doing buffet style service, leave the cream on the side.
.
Main Course:
.
Beef and Onion Stew
.
2 lbs of Beef stew meat, 1 ½ “ cubes
5 large brown onions
3 C beef stock
1 C red wine
4 cloves of garlic
5 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Flour for dredging
Salt and pepper
.
First slice each onion into ½ inch rounds. Heat 2 T of olive oil and 1 T butter in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and ½ tsp. of salt. Cook the onions on medium until they are soft have browned all the way through. This will take 15-20 minutes. Be patient, and don’t stray too far from the oven, burning = Bitter! While the onions are cooking, season the stew meat with salt and pepper, and dredge each piece in the flour. Just a fine coating will do. In a new stock pot, heat 2 T of olive oil until it just begins to smoke. Sear the pieces of meat on each side, just to form a nice crust. Were not cooking them yet. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding will prevent the meat from browning properly.
Once you finish browning the meat, take it off the heat, and set it aside. When the onions are ready, add red wine, and combine. Next, take the wine and onion mixture and add it to the pot containing the beef. Put this back on the fire and add to it the stock, thyme, bay leaf, and minced garlic. Bring this mixture to a boil and simmer over a medium low flame for one hour, or until the beef is starting to fall apart. To gild the lily, top each bowl off with shredded Gruyere and a hunk of crusty bread.
.
.
2 lbs of Beef stew meat, 1 ½ “ cubes
5 large brown onions
3 C beef stock
1 C red wine
4 cloves of garlic
5 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Flour for dredging
Salt and pepper
.
First slice each onion into ½ inch rounds. Heat 2 T of olive oil and 1 T butter in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and ½ tsp. of salt. Cook the onions on medium until they are soft have browned all the way through. This will take 15-20 minutes. Be patient, and don’t stray too far from the oven, burning = Bitter! While the onions are cooking, season the stew meat with salt and pepper, and dredge each piece in the flour. Just a fine coating will do. In a new stock pot, heat 2 T of olive oil until it just begins to smoke. Sear the pieces of meat on each side, just to form a nice crust. Were not cooking them yet. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding will prevent the meat from browning properly.
Once you finish browning the meat, take it off the heat, and set it aside. When the onions are ready, add red wine, and combine. Next, take the wine and onion mixture and add it to the pot containing the beef. Put this back on the fire and add to it the stock, thyme, bay leaf, and minced garlic. Bring this mixture to a boil and simmer over a medium low flame for one hour, or until the beef is starting to fall apart. To gild the lily, top each bowl off with shredded Gruyere and a hunk of crusty bread.
.
Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole
.
1 large or 2 small butternut squash (about 1 lb.)
4 granny smith apples. peeled, cored, and sliced
1 stick of butter, 1/2" cubes
1/3 C golden raisins
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 C brown sugar or Maple syrup
2 T flour
salt and pepper
.
Pre heat oven to 350 F. Peel and halve butternut squash. scrape out the seeds and slice the squash thinly into half moons. Do the same with the apples. Place apple and squash in a large bowl and add 2 T flour. Toss to coat. Add maple syrup or brown sugar and raisins. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and combine. Place mixture in a large, greased casserole. Top with cubes of butter. Bake at 350 until squash is tender, about 40 minutes.
.
Dessert:
.
Lingonberry Mousse with fresh Pears
.
3 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/3 C Lingonberry Jam
2 Pears (Any kind will do, the sweeter the better)
1-2 T sugar
1 sheet of puff pastry
2 T brown sugar
.
This dessert is so easy and sooo good! Whip up the cream with 1-2 T sugar. Whip the cream until it is on the verge of breaking. In simple terms, when it starts to look bumpy, and no longer has a smooth texture. DO NOT take it beyond this point or you’ll have butter, which is great, but it’s not what you want here. Place the lingonberry jam in a bowl and add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to this. Mix gently until just combined. You just want to loosen up the jam so that it is easier to fold into the remaining whipped cream. Add the cream and jam mixture to the rest of the whipped cream and fold it in GENTLY. Folding involves moving a spatula from the edge of the bowl, downward, and then folding the mixture onto itself and repeating. You want to be gentle because you don’t want to lose any of the air that has been whipped into the cream. Folding takes time, but the light and fluffy result is worth the wait. Once the mixture is combined, refrigerate until service. You can whip the cream up to an hour before service, and add the jam 20 min before serving. Into the fridge until you’re ready for it! Thaw puff pastry and cut into 2” x 2” squares. Dust lightly with brown sugar and place in an oven on 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Halve the Pears and core them. Place them cut-side down and make ¼ inch slices length-wise. Serve the mousse in a shallow bowl with a few slices of pear and a square of puff pastry to garnish.
.
.
3 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/3 C Lingonberry Jam
2 Pears (Any kind will do, the sweeter the better)
1-2 T sugar
1 sheet of puff pastry
2 T brown sugar
.
This dessert is so easy and sooo good! Whip up the cream with 1-2 T sugar. Whip the cream until it is on the verge of breaking. In simple terms, when it starts to look bumpy, and no longer has a smooth texture. DO NOT take it beyond this point or you’ll have butter, which is great, but it’s not what you want here. Place the lingonberry jam in a bowl and add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to this. Mix gently until just combined. You just want to loosen up the jam so that it is easier to fold into the remaining whipped cream. Add the cream and jam mixture to the rest of the whipped cream and fold it in GENTLY. Folding involves moving a spatula from the edge of the bowl, downward, and then folding the mixture onto itself and repeating. You want to be gentle because you don’t want to lose any of the air that has been whipped into the cream. Folding takes time, but the light and fluffy result is worth the wait. Once the mixture is combined, refrigerate until service. You can whip the cream up to an hour before service, and add the jam 20 min before serving. Into the fridge until you’re ready for it! Thaw puff pastry and cut into 2” x 2” squares. Dust lightly with brown sugar and place in an oven on 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Halve the Pears and core them. Place them cut-side down and make ¼ inch slices length-wise. Serve the mousse in a shallow bowl with a few slices of pear and a square of puff pastry to garnish.
.
Mini apple tart ta tin
.
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 sheets of puff pastry, cut into 24 2 ½ “rounds
1/2 C + (3 T melted) of butter
1 C sugar
Vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten with 3 T of water for an egg wash.
.
Slice apple quarters very thin width wise and place into a bowl with a cup of water and the juice of half a lemon. This Is to keep the apples from turning brown while you’re working on the rest of the dish. Reserve ¼ C of sugar and place the rest in a sauce pot. Add ½ C butter and cook on med low until mixture turns into a nice deep brown. Pour about a tablespoon of caramel into each of the muffin molds. Next, add 4 or 5 layers of the thinly sliced apple, almost until you reach the rim of each muffin cup. Place a small piece of butter in the center of the apples and sprinkle with sugar. Brush one side of each pastry round with melted butter. Place the rounds buttered side down over each muffin cup to seal in the apples brush the tops with egg wash and throw em into a 350 degrees and cook until the puff pastry is crisp and deep golden brown in color about 20 min. Set them aside and allow them to come to room temp. Once they’ve cooled off turn the pans(s) upside down and allow the tarts to slide out. If for some reason the puff pastry doesn’t want to let go, just run a knife under the edge of each tart, and try again. They should come right out. These little beauties need no gilding, but a little crème fraishe never hurt anyone ;)
.
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 sheets of puff pastry, cut into 24 2 ½ “rounds
1/2 C + (3 T melted) of butter
1 C sugar
Vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten with 3 T of water for an egg wash.
.
Slice apple quarters very thin width wise and place into a bowl with a cup of water and the juice of half a lemon. This Is to keep the apples from turning brown while you’re working on the rest of the dish. Reserve ¼ C of sugar and place the rest in a sauce pot. Add ½ C butter and cook on med low until mixture turns into a nice deep brown. Pour about a tablespoon of caramel into each of the muffin molds. Next, add 4 or 5 layers of the thinly sliced apple, almost until you reach the rim of each muffin cup. Place a small piece of butter in the center of the apples and sprinkle with sugar. Brush one side of each pastry round with melted butter. Place the rounds buttered side down over each muffin cup to seal in the apples brush the tops with egg wash and throw em into a 350 degrees and cook until the puff pastry is crisp and deep golden brown in color about 20 min. Set them aside and allow them to come to room temp. Once they’ve cooled off turn the pans(s) upside down and allow the tarts to slide out. If for some reason the puff pastry doesn’t want to let go, just run a knife under the edge of each tart, and try again. They should come right out. These little beauties need no gilding, but a little crème fraishe never hurt anyone ;)
