Imbolc brings to mind sparse landscapes waiting on the edge of potential. We can smell it in the air, hear it in the wind. We see it in the lengthening daylight hours, and it welcomes us home to simple foods that satisfy something at the root of change, something to keep our inner flame burning. This menu reflects the unpretentious mood of late winter and is easy to prepare—even the cheesecake.
Slow Cooker Italian Beef
A hearty pot roast to nourish and sustain. As a hedgewitch, I like to think of my clean sweep in terms of an early spring cleaning, so I need food waiting for me when I am finished working … in case I get lost in my work and forget to cook!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8–10 hours in a slow cooker
Serves: 6 (with leftovers!)
4-pound beef rump roast
Seasoned flour for dredging (use plenty of black pepper)
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 celery rib, cut into pieces
2 ounces salt pork (or pancetta), cubed
1 onion, sliced
Soy sauce
Lightly flour roast. Place the quartered onion, garlic, celery, and pork in food processor or blender and grind until smooth. Rub onto roast.
Place sliced onion in slow cooker, and shake a little soy sauce over to season. Place roast on top of onion. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Slice thinly to serve.
Baked Polenta with Pesto
I won’t be instructing you on how to make polenta from scratch, not because it’s difficult, but because it’s somewhat time-consuming with the stirring and chilling, and then the slicing and baking. Sometimes convenience food is in order! What we’re after here are the crispy, golden slices of earthy simplicity garnished with a slather of pesto. It’s way more than fried mush, and a great side to any type of roasted meat.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20–30 minutes
Serves: 4
1 roll (tube) ready-made polenta, organic if possible
Olive oil pan spray
1 carton prepared basil pesto
Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove polenta from sleeve and slice about ¾-inch thick (too thin will dry out, too thick will not crisp up as nicely). Place slices on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with oil. Place in hot oven for about 20 minutes or till edges start to brown, then flip the slices over. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F, and when browned to your liking (or according to package directions) remove from oven. Serve with pesto.
Ricotta Cheesecake
This fabulous full moon of a cake (which needs to be prepared several hours or the day before serving) is not dense like New York–style, but tall and rustic-looking and just sweet enough. Perfect for watching baby lambs frolic in a clover-studded meadow.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 70–80 minutes (and chill overnight)
Serves: 8–10
2 15-ounce containers whole milk ricotta
1 tablespoon soft butter
¼ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cookie crumbs (plain ones such as shortbread)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Powdered sugar for dusting
Set ricotta in a mesh sieve over a bowl and drain for 30 minutes.
Arrange to bake on lower rack in oven and set at 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan with butter. Mix breadcrumbs and sugar, and sprinkle over the buttered pan to cover.
Place drained ricotta in a food processor or large bowl of a mixer. Purée for several seconds, then scrape down the sides. Add cream cheese, purée, and scrape down sides. Add remaining ingredients except powdered sugar, then purée until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake until golden brown and just beginning to set, 70 to 80 minutes. Remove pan to a rack and let cake cool; it will fall slightly. Refrigerate uncovered for 3 hours, then cover and chill overnight.
When ready to dish, carefully run a warm knife around edges and open the sides of the pan. Dust with powdered sugar, then cut into wedges to serve.
Anisette Hot Coffee
This drink—with its intriguing, bitter flavor—goes nicely with the cheesecake. Coffee is not the bad guy it was once considered, in moderation that is, and I am amazed at the people who can drink it in the evening and still go right to sleep. That wouldn’t be me, and that’s why they make decaf.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes or so, depending on coffeemaker
Serves: 6–8 (depending on your coffeepot)
1 pot of hot coffee, brewed in your usual way
1 ounce anisette liqueur for each imbiber
Pour coffee into appropriate mugs (be sure your demitasse can hold both the liquor and the coffee!). Add anisette and drink black, no cream.
If you wish to leave out the liquor, simply add a level teaspoon bruised aniseed to your ground coffee and brew, sweetening at the table. Very nice!