Serving up Some Spooky Stuff

So, It’s the end of October. Besides Stores filling up with Christmas Swag, it’s a day called Halloween. How far from the original intent did this day go? Most people associate Halloween with Charlie brown and the great Pumpkin or scary movies and haunted houses. But, the origins are far from that. In fact, Halloween isn’t even the real holiday. It’s like making Christmas Eve the holiday and Christmas day as nothing. Instead, we are Serving up Some Spooky Stuff.

On the Christian Calendar, November first is All Saints day (all hallows day or hallowmas from Scottish). The intent of the day is to celebrate departed loved ones and saints. Halloween actually means all hallows Eve, the night before All hallows day. All souls day follows on November 2. So, in reality, the 3 days are just an extended Christian version of memorial day.

The tradition of Wearing costumes stems from a silly superstition. People believed that the souls of the recently departed would roam the earth until All saints day, when they would go on to Heaven, hell, or purgatory. Since Halloween would be their last day to exact revenge on their enemies, people would dress in costumes to disguise themselves from their would be spiritual assailants. Through old wives’ tales and commercialization, a once solemn observance of respect for ancestors was supplanted by superstitious chicanery. Pranks and fear have become the hallmark of the holidays and the true holidays have been relegated to the dustbin of history.

Alternative history

Most of the Halloween and Hallowmas traditions derive from Scottish and European sources. The Gaelic celebration of Samhain falls on Novermber 1 as well. And, the celebration begins the night before. Samhain marks the end of the Harvest season and the beginning of the long winter months. Bonfires burned. Food and drink flowed. Some believed dead relatives would come visit. So, tables were set for them. And, they would open tombs to access other worlds. So, between Christian and Gaelic Myths and superstitions, Halloween was born.

Add to that the French Story of the Danse Macabre; where people would rise from their graves and have one last dance and celebration before departing the Earth, and you’re onto some scary imagery when viewed from a fearful perspective. But, the true meaning of the observances was to celebrate and venerate the departed and contact good spirits and saints. So, instead of trying to scare the piss out of each other, we should be taking time to remember our loved ones and seek solace in knowing there are protective forces beyond our knowledge.

Serving up Some Spooky Stuff should be a joyful occasion.

We like to go back to the roots of holidays as much as possible when deciding how to celebrate. The modern Halloween celebration is full of campy crap and candy. But, if we go back to the Gaelic or even Christian origins, we find it isn’t about trick or treat. The Christians would have soul cakes with crosses frosted on top (hot cross buns). And, the Celtic People celebrated with a harvest feast. Although, the custom of going door to door reciting verse in exchange for food (known as mumming) also came from the Celts. During Samhain they would wear costumes for the same superstitious reasons the christians did, but they weren’t afraid of the departed. Their fear was for malevolent spirits who would sneak through the veil when they invited Faeries through.

So, a true Halloween celebration can incorporate these traditions. But, the focus should be on the reverence for the gifts of the season. If you look at it from the perspective of the organizers and creators, the intent is to honor the fallen and protect each other through the coming winter months. All the superstition, dress up, and fear based rituals are distractions. To get back to the true meaning of the 3 day event, we should look to the druids, pagans, and Celts. This is a celebration of the harvest and preparation for cold weather survival. It’s not about Serving up Some Spooky Stuff. But, as we can see, popular culture repeats itself in subverting substance to superstition. Fear sells. Perhaps it’s time to say, “popular Culture no longer applies to me.”

It’s about the Equinox and solstice

In spring, people celebrate the Vernal equinox as the beginning of the planting season. Similarly, the Autumnal Equinox marks the end of that season. Samhain more accurately captures the end of the harvest season, as the temperatures are truly dropping now. These are the days when we hold out and try to avoid turning the heat on in the house. (Ironically, I can hear ours kicking on as I write this). It’s not time for snow yet. But, the trees are shedding. And, it’s time to prepare food for storage. Cured meats and fishes, pickled vegetables, and cellaring of roots were the order of the day before moderns transportation and refrigeration allowed for fresh products.

That way of life celebrated by the Celts is our inspiration for today’s menu. To get closer to other worldly spirits they would practice divination rituals using apples, nuts, and candles. And, they would have a feast with animals sacrificed to the gods. They would also prepare their foods for the long nights and short days to come. So, our menu will combine elements of all these rituals.

1. Thyme scented Beef Stew with Candied Turnips and Brussel Sprouts Served with Yorkshire pudding
2. Single Malt Scotch Apple Tart Tatin with Candied Walnuts

Thyme scented Beef Stew with Candied Turnips and Brussel Sprouts

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Celtic, Scottish

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 2 Lb Cubed beef (Use a bottom round or shoulder cut, not a high quality cut like sirloin)
• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1/4 Lb Unsalted Butter
• 1 Cup red wine
• 1/2 cup Sweet Onion in 1 inch squares
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Thyme
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Sage
• 1 cup Potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 Cup brussel sprouts, ends snipped and cut in 1/2
• 1/2 Cup Carrots Cubed
• 1/2 cup Celery Cubed
• 2 Quarts Beef or veal stock
• For Candied Turnips:
• 1 Lb Turnips, Peeled and cut into 1 inch Cubes
• 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the beef cubes in the flour and coat evenly.
• Melt the butter in a heavy pot or dutch oven over high heat. When fully melted add the beef. Cook evenly let the floured sides brown.
• Add the onion and garlic and stir. Cook until translucent, stir frequently to prevent the flour and butter form burning. If there is any leftover flour add it in and stir. This creates a roux that will thicken the sauce. Add in the celery and carrots. Stir and cook another minute or two.
• Deglaze the Pan with red wine. Stir to mix. The flour and butter mixture will thicken the wine as it reduces. Cook off the alcohol for a minute or two. Then add in the Stock and herbs. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for about an hour. At this point, test the meat to see if it is tender yet. It should still be relatively firm, but, yield to a fork.
• Add in the Potatoes and sweet potatoes. Stir them in. Add more liquid if necessary. Bring the mix back to a simmer. Allow to cook until the potatoes become tender.
• Candy the turnips. Melt butter over high heat and stir in the sugar. Bring this mix to a boil to create a caramel. Add in the turnips. Brown them evenly over medium heat, stirring as necessary to prevent burning. Add in the orange juice and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally and cook for a couple minutes until the turnips begin to soften. Add in the brussel Sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• When the stew is cooked, the sauce is relatively thick, the meat and vegetables are tender, season with salt and pepper. Then fold in the turnips and brussels. Serve with a hearty breads or popovers.

Keyword beef, Candied Turnips, Halloween, root vegetable, stew, thyme

Single Malt Scotch Apple Tart Tatin with Candied Walnuts and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cooling 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine French, Scottish

Servings 4 Individual Tarts

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Shelled walnut pieces
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• large grain sugar for dusting. (Turbinado preferred)
• 1/4 Lb Butter Plus extra to brush puff pastry
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 2 Lb Hearty Apples like Raeburn or honey crisp
• 4 each Round Circles of Puff pastry cut to fit over individual tart pans
• For Whipped Cream
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Make the Candied walnuts: Boil Sugar and water and reduce until it becomes syrupy. Toss in the walnuts and then spread them out on a non stick liner in a sheet pan. Sprinkle with large grain sugar. Dry out in a 200 oven for about 30 minutes to an hour. Allow to cool
• Pre-heat oven to 375
• Peel, core, and slice apples into wedges. I usually get about 12 wedges per apple.
• Melt butter in a pan over high heat. Stir in the Brown sugar to create a caramel. Bring to a boil. Then add in the Apples in a single layer. You want to brown the apples on one side and then the other.Remove the apples from the syrup. Set aside.
• Add the Whisky and flambe. Stir in the lemon juice and cinnamon when the flames go down.
• Spray Your tart pans with pan spray and lightly dust with large grain sugar. Arrange the apples in concentric circles in a single or double layer. They should create a nice pattern. Add in the syrup.
• Roll out the puff pastry to a little larger than the tart pan. Prick with a fork to allow steam to escape. Brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Press the pastry over the apples, buttered side facing the apples. Make sure it is tight against the apples otherwise they won't stick to the crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the crust is perfectly browned. Start with a 20 minute timer. Check it. If not done. Add more time.
• remove from the oven and allow to cool at least one hour. When cool enough, slip a small knife around the edges to loosen the tart. Invert a plate over the tart and then flip it over. The tart should come right out onto the plate. If it doesn't want to fully let loose, use a torch to heat the tart pan or ramekin. This should loosen the caramel enough for it to let go.
• make the whipped cream. Either by hand or in a mixer with a whip attachment, whisk the cream until it begins to stiffen. Then add in the remaining ingredients. Whip until it is stiff enough to serve.
• Top the tart with Whipped cream and candied walnuts. Serve immediately. It is best when a little warm. But, serving it cold is fine too.

Notes

You can do this as a large full sized tart or individuals. I prefer individuals for the visual appeal. But, a full size tart can be cut into wedges for a lovely presentation as well.

Keyword apple, Candied, Single malt Scotch, Tart Tatin, Walnuts

Yorkshire pudding

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course bread, Side Dish

Cuisine British

Servings 12 Popovers

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup AP flour
• 1 Cup Whole Milk
• 3 large Eggs
• 2 tsp sea or kosher salt
• 1/2 cup fat: oil, beef drippings, duck fat, bacon fat, or other

Instructions

 

• preheat the oven to 450.
• Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl. add in milk, flour and salt. Whisk until smooth. It will look like a thin crepe or pancake batter. Allow to rest for abut 10 minutes.
• Put about 1/2 inch of oil or fat into each well of heavy gauge muffin tins. Put in an oven until they begin to smoke. You want them hot as possible. Pour the batter into each cup of the muffin tin and return to the oven. They will puff up from the heat of the oil and oven combined. Cook for about 20 minutes. Check them. They should be fully puffed and browned. If not fully brown, give a little more time. Serve hot.

Notes

The trick to a successful popover is to heat the fat before cooking the batter. Thus is what gives it the rise we all know and love.

You can use all sorts of fats for cooking. Bacon fat is an old standby. Popovers are traditionally served with a prime rib or beef roast. So traditionally, the drippings from the beef are used to cook them in. But, you can use whatever you have. Cooking oil is fine. The animal based fats generally add more flavor though.

Keyword classic, Popovers, Yorkshire Pudding

Serving up Some Spooky Stuff: Boo!