Lughnasadh Recipes

Lammas/Lughnasadh

Colcannon is a traditional Irish recipe served on the eve of the fist harvest of the potatoes. It is very good.

Colcannon

Ingredients

1 medium cabbage, quartered and core removed

2 lb potatoes, scrubbed and sliced with skins left on

2 medium leeks, thoroughly washed and sliced

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoons each mace, salt, pepper

2 garlic cloves

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the cabbage until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain off the water and chop the cabbage. Set aside.

Bring another pot of water to a boil and boil the potatoes until tender. Drain off the water and set aside.

Put the leeks in a saucepan, cover with the milk, bring close to boiling and then turn down to a simmer until tender. Set aside.

Add the mace, salt and pepper, and garlic to the pot with the potatoes and mash well with a hand masher. Now add the leeks and their milk and mix in with the potatoes, taking care not to break down the leeks too much. Add a little more milk if necessary to make it smooth. Now mash in the cabbage and lastly the butter. The texture that you want to achieve is smooth-buttery-potato with interesting pieces of leek and cabbage well distributed in it.

Transfer the whole mixture to an ovenproof dish, make a pattern on the surface and place under the broiler to brown.

Bannock is a traditional scottish dish and was made from the first fruits that were harvested.

Here is a modern recipe.

Pitcaithly Bannock

Ingredients

8 oz flour

4 oz butter

2 oz caster sugar

1oz prunes

1oz sultanas

Method

Set oven to 325F/Gas 3. Grease a baking sheet. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and butter and rub in to form a dough. Add the almonds and mix in the peel, making sure they are evenly distributed. Form into a thick round on a lightly floured surface and prick all over with a fork. Place on the sheet and bake for about 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool and serve sliced thinly and buttered.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons diced green pepper

Salt

Pepper

1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1/2 lb. large mushrooms, stems removed

3/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons cooked, crumbled bacon

12 small slices cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat and saute' the mushroom stems, green pepper, and onions until tender. Mix in the bread crumbs, bacon, thyme, salt & pepper. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Place the caps on a cookie sheet. Melt one tablespoon of the butter & drizzle over the caps. Top each with a cheese slice. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.