Imbolc ~ Brigid's Day ~ Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Imbolc - Brigid's Day, February 1st or 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere, is celebrated halfway between Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara). It marks the beginning or the return of Spring and is also known as Brigid's Day or the Feast of Light, The Feast of Saint Brigid and the Feast of Fire. Brigid is a Celtic Goddess of Fire, the Sun and the Hearth and represents the three aspects of the Goddess... Maiden, Mother, Crone. At Imbolc she has transformed from Crone and into her Maiden form. She is a powerful shapeshifter and has appeared as a pillar of fire or a snake in some stories and is associated with poetry, healing, fertility, the hearth and blacksmithing. The woven Brigid cross is a familiar symbol of Imbolc and the cross or knot honours the Goddess and brings positive energy and harmony when worn or hung. 

Although there may be snow on the ground and chilly temperatures, we start to see the first signs of Spring. The Sun begins to shine stronger and the days are becoming longer. The warmer days of Spring lie ahead as the most longest and hardest days of winter are over. Imbolc is a time for transformation, renewal and hope, as the Earth and nature slowly begin to reawaken from their wintery slumber, so do we.

Other celebrations around this time are: Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year - dates usually range between January 21st and February 20th, Lantern Festival, Candlemas (Christian, February 2nd), Groundhog Day (February 2nd), Setsubun/Setsebun-Sai (Japanese, February 3rd), Losar (Tibetan Buddhism), Darwin Day (February 12th) and Saint Valentine's Day (February 14th). 

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is ideal for honouring Brigid and celebrating Imbolc, representing inspiration, new beginnings and growth.   

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

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1 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated white sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

3 large eggs

grated lemon zest of 2 lemons and the juice from 1 of the lemons, the other lemon will be used later for the glaze

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk 

Glaze

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3/4 cup icing sugar

juice of 1 lemon, using the other lemon from the recipe

Place icing sugar in a bowl then add the lemon juice and stir together, creating a runny glaze. 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºF). Lightly grease and flour a 2 lb. loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds. 

In a large bowl and using a hand held mixer, beat the sugar and butter together at medium speed until well blended, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon juice and beat on medium-low until combined. Add the buttermilk and beat again until well blended, then add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from tin and transfer to a wire rack. Using a toothpick or a skewer poke holes in the top of the cake, it's best to do this while the cake is still warm. Prepare the glaze, if you haven't already done so already, and spoon or pour it over the warm cake. Place slices of fresh lemons over top.    

Inverness Gingerbread

 

This is the most thickest gingerbread I have made so far. It's vintage and is made with no eggs or baking powder. As vintage... or retro recipes go, it works as it makes an old-fashioned rich dark gingerbread. 

Inverness Gingerbread

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1 cup rolled oats

3 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups dark molasses

1/2 cup candied lemon peel, minced

4 tablespoons grated fresh green ginger or 2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 cup cream

Measure the oats, and then grind them, or run them very briefly in an electric blender. Cream the butter until light and fluffy, then blend in the molasses. Mix in the flour, oats, lemon peel, and ginger. Last, stir in the cream. Bake in a greased and floured 9 x 14 inch pan at 350ºF (180ºC) for about 45 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.  

Notes: I did add a bit more cream, about another 1/4 cup,  then the recipe called for, so equalling about 1/2 cup cream. Ovens vary therefore baking times may vary. 

Scottish Recipe Booklets

 

Charming and quaint as these recipe booklets are with their reproduced artwork and simplified one page recipes, an easy tourist attraction on a turnstile memento, they do offer up some wonderful traditional sample recipes to dive into. Just under fifty pages and approximately seventy-five titles available in the series making them a holiday token to gather and share. I have collected quite a few of these over the years. I know they may seem kitschy however I do seek them out and adore them all the same as a keepsake of my travels and I do reference and enjoy trying the recipes when possible. 

The recipe, Collops of Beef, is from the Favourite Scottish Recipes booklet and is traditionally served on Burns Night, January 25th.

Collops of Beef

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Serves 4

1 1/2 lb. piece of braising steak, sliced into 4 

1 onion, chopped

6 oz. mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons flour

2 oz. butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

Bay leaf (optional)

3/4 pint beef stock

Set oven to 350ºF (180ºC) or Mark 4.

Mix the flour with the salt and pepper. Coat the beef slices with seasoned flour. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Fry the collops for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside. Gently fry the onion and the mushrooms. Put the onion and mushrooms and a bayleaf (if desired) into the casserole. Lay the collops on top. Pour in the stock, cover and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours. Serve with buttered mashed potatoes and a green vegetable. Rowan or red currant jelly goes well with this dish. 

Applesauce Cake

 

Applesauce cakes are tremendously moist and spicy and this one is abundant with plump juicy raisins. A midwinter cake that will absolutely warm and delight on the coldest of days.   

Applesauce Cake

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serves 9

1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil

1 1/4 cup (300ml) white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (250ml) unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 cups (375ml) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) baking soda

1 teaspoon (5ml) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (1ml) salt

2 teaspoon (10ml) ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon (5ml) ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) grated nutmeg

1 cup (250ml) golden raisins

1 apple, of your choice, thinly sliced into rings, you will need 9 rings so you may have to slice another apple. 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and lightly flour a 8-inch square baking tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. 

In a large bowl beat the olive oil, sugar and eggs until light. Stir in the applesauce.

In a a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Whisk together and then stir in the raisins. 

Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture and stir until just combined. 

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin. Place 9 apple rings on top of the cake. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. While the cake is slightly warm lightly dust with icing sugar and serve.   

Leftovers #64 ~ Chicken & Wild Rice Stew

 

Leftover over chicken and wild rice stew became a mouthwatering flaky top crust chicken pot pie. Going to a crustless bottom pie doesn't mean less appetizing, it's just more of a straightforward approach to conjuring a savoury meal using leftovers; and who doesn't want to save time creating a meal. Place leftover stew in an appropriate sized baking dish. Make your favourite pie crust recipe, like I did, or use a readymade one. Roll out the pie crust and place over the stew in the baking dish. Tucking in the edges to seal. Cut slits in the top and brush over with an egg wash. Bake in a 375ºF (190ºC) oven until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Served with a crunchy kale salad, this became the midwinter warmer that was much needed. 

Chicken & Wild Rice Stew

 

Perfect on the coldest of days or just when you need something warm and nourishing. Together, the chicken and wild rice make for a very abundant fulfilling stew one that you will be happy, full and content with.  

Chicken & Wild Rice Stew

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Serves 6

8 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 small yellow onion, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced

3/4 cup wild rice

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 teaspoons herbes de Provence

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

PREP: Precook the chicken breasts if you haven't already done so. When cooked and slightly cool, dice or cube the chicken into pieces. Set aside. Prep the vegetables according to the recipe above. Set aside. 

Heat a large stock pot to medium heat and then add 2 tablespoons of  the butter and the chopped carrots, celery, and onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Then, increase the heat to high and add the chicken broth, water, and cooked diced chicken pieces and mix well.

Bring the stew to a boil and then add the wild rice and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, add the salt, black pepper, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves to the pot, then cover and simmer the stew for 25 minutes. 

While the stew cooks, heat a saucepan to low heat, whisk together the remaining butter and the flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the milk, whisking constantly to smooth out any of the lumps. Cook this mixture for approximately 5 minutes, just until it begins to thicken, and then remove it from the heat. 

Once the rice mixture has finished cooking and the rice tastes tender, pour the milk mixture into the stew pot and stir just to combine. Continue to cook the stew for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken it, then taste it and adjust the seasonings as necessary before serving. 

New Year's Eve 2023 & New Year's Day 2024

 

New Year's Eve was mixed and had us reminiscing and delving into some festive leftovers, cheese and crackers, olives, and meats with the addition of veggie spring rolls, vegetable samosas, deviled eggs, almonds, Welsh Cakes and a spicy Bhuja mix. A selection of my baking and chocolates sweetened the savoury and was followed by champagne. A light and lovely way to say goodbye to 2023!

New Year's Day saw us relaxing under slightly sunny skies with a bit of coolness to the air. Dinner had a refreshing and comforting start to the new year as we tucked into a bowl of creamy chicken stew, not the usual dinner however change is good. Hearty warmth soothed our soul and fuelled our walk. Setting the new year off on the right foot.