Cosmic Cuisine - The Astrological Cookbook

 

For those that follow the Astrological calendar, then using an Astrological cookbook based on the ancient concept that the signs of the zodiac and their associated planets are related to specific types of food seems logical and with merit however to those that don't follow such calendar, then this cookbook may become more curious and novel. 

The recipes in this book are varied because not all zodiac signs eat alike and it also provides guidelines for selecting the most appropriate foods, spices, recipes and restaurants for each Zodiac sign. 

All Sun Signs and Planetary Palates are thoroughly considered thought out this cookbook, including a quick reference, a Table of Correspondence for Signs and Planets. So whether you are creating a meal or wanting to know what food, herb or spices to cook and choose for your Zodiac sign or another sign, this chart becomes helpful. 

Seeing how the Zodiac sign at this time is, Aries (March 21st - April 19th), which is ruled by Mars; to which baked or barbecued food is appropriate due to it's hot-dry sign; I thought I would share this recipe from the book:

"Although not hot or dry, as should be most Arien foods, this delicious sponge uses ginger to give it some spice." 

Pears with a Ginger Sponge

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

serves at least 4 - serve with a lightly whipped cream, flavoured with lemon and sugar.

For the pears: 

2 oz/50g unsalted butter plus extra for the tin

3 large pears

3 oz/75g brown sugar

juice of 1 lemon

For the sponge:

4 oz/125g unsalted butter

4 oz/125 caster sugar

2 eggs

6 oz/175g self raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

4 pieces crystallized or preserved ginger

up to 5 fl oz/150ml milk

Grease an 8 inch/20cm cake tin with butter. Use a tin with a fixed base.

Peel, quarter and core the pears. Slice them lengthwise. Put the brown sugar, butter and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat gently to dissolve then boil vigorously for about 5 minutes to make a good syrup. Tightly arrange the pears in concentric circles in the bottom of the cake tin. Pour the syrup over them.

Make the sponge by creaming the butter and sugar until light. Beat in the eggs gradually. Sift in the flour, baking powder and ground ginger. Chop the crystallized ginger and fold into the mixture. Add enough milk to make a dropping consistency. Pour over the pears and bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF/190ºC/Gas Mark 5 for about 60 minutes. 

Test with a skewer. Run a knife round the sides, then turn out and serve while warm.

Have a nice weekend and stay safe everyone! - JD 

Chocolate Cranberry Oat Cookies

Oat flour is a whole grain flour made from oats. The texture is silky and it's naturally gluten free, has a mild nutty flavour and is full of nutrition; offering more protein and fibre than regular flour; giving an extra nutritional boost to whatever recipe you choose to include it in. These cookies were substantial and I found even though they may be deliciously moreish, one was often enough.     

Chocolate Cranberry Oat Cookies

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

makes approximately 24 cookies

1 1/4 cups (170g) oat flour

1 1/4 cups (125g) large flake rolled oats

1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (170g) white sugar

1 teaspoon (4g) ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon (3g) baking soda

1/2 teaspoon (3g) Kosher salt

1 large egg

2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract

1/2 cup (45g) chopped cranberries 

1/2 cup (60g) semi sweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.

In a bowl combine the oat flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, chopped  cranberries and chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, place the butter and sugar and beat with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. 

Once the butter and sugar mixture are smooth, add in the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing continuously until the cookie dough forms.

Portion the dough into golf ball sized balls and place them onto the prepared baking tray. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Ostara ~ Orange Honey Cake

 

Ostara is the celebration of the Spring Equinox and is usually celebrated between March 20th and the 23rd. The sun is gaining more strength and the days are becoming longer and warmer. It is about fertility, balance and new life. During this time the ground begins to defrost and soften, preparing for the rains of Spring, trees start to flourish, seeds are stirring beneath the ground, bees are awakening from hibernation and the sounds of birds fill the air. The symbols of Ostara are the hare, rabbit, lamb, robin and the egg; trees are birch, ash and alder and the colours are green, yellow, purple and blue.  

It is also a time to celebrate the Goddess of Spring and Dawn, Eostre, for which the Spring Equinox celebrations are named after and as legend has it transformed a bird into a hare and the hare responded by laying coloured eggs. 

Things you can do to honour the Spring Equinox and the Goddess Eostre are Spring cleaning as in out with the old of winter and in with the new, preparing your garden, planting seeds, colour or decorate eggs, start making plans for the months ahead, light a candle, and bake or cook to honour Ostara and the season. 

Baking anything with honey is great especially during Ostara, as it celebrates the awakening of bees and the plant life that they so readily rely on in order to make their honey. 

Honey Cake

-----------------------------------------------------

2 1/2 cups of flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup honey

1/3 cup light olive oil

4 eggs

zest from one orange

1 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans and line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

Blend all the dry ingredients together and then add all the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared pans and place thin slices of orange rounds on top. 

Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cakes in the pans for about 7 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. 

Have a nice weekend and happy Ostara/Spring Equinox blessings, everyone! - JD 

Chocolate Irish Whiskey Mousse Tart

 

A rich tart that should be served after a light meal or alone with a strong cup of coffee. The touch of whiskey adds a mellow flavour suitable for this indulgent dessert and the toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate sprinkled casually on top compliment effortlessly. Although the recipe does call for the use of a ready-made shortcrust; I was inclined to make my own and you may feel that way too.         

Chocolate Irish Whiskey Mousse Tart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

serves 8 to 10

250g/90z ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry

400ml/14 fl oz double cream

140g/5oz plain dark chocolate, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

2 tablespoons icing sugar

chopped roasted hazelnuts for decorating, optional

chopped dark chocolate for decorating, optional

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/ Gas mark 6. Grease a 9 inch/23-cm round tart tin.

Roll out the pastry on a work surface lightly dusted with flour to a round 5 cm/2 inches larger than the diameter of the tin. Line the tin with the now formed pastry. Prick with a fork, line with baking parchment paper and fill with beans, then bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 2 minutes, then leave to cool in the tin.

Meanwhile, put 175 ml/6 fl oz of the cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until melted and combined. Leave to cool to room temperature, then stir in the whiskey.

Whip the remaining cream with the icing sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the chocolate mixture until combined.

Pour the chocolate filling into the pastry case and chill for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until set. Serve chilled topped with chopped hazelnuts. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

Celtic Beef Stew

This savoury dish can easily and inexpensively be extended for more than one meal and a larger meal at that. Parsnips are a nice alternative to the turnips and add a more robust flavour to the stew. With this recipe you simply get the best of three worlds, one pan cooking, minimal effort and maximum hearty deliciousness.   

Celtic Beef Stew

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb. stewing beef

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2  large potatoes, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 cups diced turnip

1 cup frozen chopped kale

4 to 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can (approximately 796ml) tomato sauce

1/4 cup flour

2 cups water

2 1/4 cup beef stock

3 bay leaves 

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

Combine all the ingredients into a large roasting pan. 

Bake for 3 hours. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and soda bread. 

Cheese and Herb Biscuits

 

A crispy cheesy buttery biscuit that deliciously compliments any cheeseboard or afternoon tea.  

Crunchy Cheese and Herb Biscuits

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

makes approximately 24

115 grams (4oz) butter, softened

115 grams (4oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon summer savoury

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

175 grams (6oz) plain flour

1 to 2 tablespoons water, if needed

Cream the butter for 1 minute, then add the cheese, thyme, summer savoury, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Add the flour and combine for about 1 minute until the mixture is crumbly. If the mixture is a bit dry, add 1 tablespoon of water, at a time, to help bring the dough together. You want the dough to be thick but not sticky. 

Turn out the dough onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour and press into a ball. Roll the ball into a 23-cm/9 inch log. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/Gas Mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper. Cut the log into 24 rounds and place them on the prepared tray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 22 minutes until golden brown, turning the tray halfway through cooking. Leave the biscuits to cool on the tray for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.  

The sun and warmer temperatures have returned just in time for the weekend. Hope everyone is well and staying safe. - JD