By the time Lammas rolls around, it’s very hot here in Ohio. The last thing I want to do is stand over a hot stove while cooking. Besides, there are lots of wonderful veggies coming in the garden by now, and this holiday’s menu tries to make use of them.
Simple Pasta with Sautéed Summer Squashes
Please do not discount the amazing, light flavor of this quick and easy summer dish.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
1 pound spaghetti
1 smallish zucchini (8–10 inches long)
1 smallish summer squash (8–10 inches long)
4 oz cherry tomatoes, approximately, or 1 large tomato
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus some for browning
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Start the water boiling for the pasta, tossing in some salt for added flavor. While that is working, begin slicing your vegetables. The zucchini and summer squash should be cut into slices about ¼ inch thick and you may want to cut the larger diameter slices in half. Either halve the cherry tomatoes or chop a larger tomato into slices about ½ inch thick.
In a large skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom and toss in the garlic to let it lightly brown. Add zucchini and squash and sauté until tender. Toss in the tomatoes and gently stir until heated through. Remove from heat.
Once the pasta water is boiling, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Break spaghetti sticks in half and add to water. Cook al dente, about 8 minutes, then drain.
To serve, dish out a helping of spaghetti noodles on a plate, add a nice serving of sautéed veggies on top. Finish with a little butter and a little salt and pepper. (You could also use a splash of olive oil in place of the butter, but I really love the way the butter and a little salt and pepper bring out the flavor of everything else.)
Garlic Bread Sticks
I really, really wanted to give you folks a home-baked, yeast bread option for Lammas, but it’s become apparent that my bread-making skills need more work. However, not every sabbat’s dish has to be made from scratch. These breadsticks are a nice, quick option if your bread-making skills also need some work.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 8–10 minutes
Servings: 8
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1½ tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
A quick tip before we get started—keep the crescent rolls refrigerated until you are ready to open the package and work with the dough. Otherwise they’ll become a gooey mess.
Mix the melted butter with about a teaspoon of chopped garlic, adjusting to suit your tastes.
Remove one package of dough from the refrigerator and open it. Working on a lightly floured surface, you’ll want to separate the dough into quarters. Using a pastry brush, a small spatula, or even the back of a spoon, spread some of the garlic butter mixture evenly across the exposed dough. Then roll the dough up lengthwise and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the other package of dough.
Bake according to package directions or until they are lightly browned on top. Best when served warm.
Lemony Blueberry Zucchini Bread
My zucchini bread is considered amazing by pretty much everyone who’s ever tasted it. And I always put some kind of addition in it. However, I’ve never used fresh fruit … until now. My daughters have declared this their favorite zucchini bread combination ever. You can make it without the lemon, but that little bit of zest really does amp up the flavor. Don’t want to heat the house up during the day? Simply bake it an evening or two before you’ll need it.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour plus 10 minutes to cool
Servings: 16
¾ cup sugar
1 cup zucchini, unpeeled and shredded
¼ cup cooking oil
1 egg
1 lemon peel, zested
¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon flax seed, ground
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ baking powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 cup fresh blueberries
I like to start this dessert with the wet ingredients first. Pick a big bowl, because it’s the one that everything will wind up getting combined in. Place the sugar, zucchini, oil, egg, and lemon zest in the bowl and let it sit while you mix the dry ingredients. This will give it time for the sugar to start pulling moisture out of the zucchini and leave you with a nice soupy mix.
In another bowl, whisk together your flours, flax seed, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Give the wet ingredients another good stir and then start adding in your dry ingredients, about a cupful at a time, stirring between each addition. Once it’s all combined, gently stir in the blueberries.
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour, checking toward the end of baking for a knife or toothpick inserted in the middle to come out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Blueberry-Peach Shrub
Our ancestors used to make a very refreshing summer drink using vinegar, called shrub or switzel. I’m offering up a fruit-flavored variation to drink with your Lammas feast. This will need a minimum of 2 days prep time, but most of that is spent in refrigeration. Give it a try.
Prep time: 10–15 minutes
Chill time: 2 days
Servings: 8
6 ounces fresh ripe blueberries
10 ounces fresh ripe peaches
½ cup sugar
¾ cup white wine vinegar
Seltzer water, chilled
Wash the fruit well. In the case of the peaches, you’ll want to pit them, as well as cut out any bad spots, but don’t remove the peels; they’ll only add to the peachy flavor. Put the fruit in a glass bowl and mash it up some so the juices are released. Stir in the sugar, cover in plastic wrap, and then chill it in the refrigerator for a good 24 hours.
Pull the fruit out of the refrigerator and stir it well, making sure the sugar is fully dissolved in the juice and then strain. Add the juice to a glass jar and pour in the vinegar. Put back in the refrigerator and allow to sit at least another 24 hours before using.
To use, mix 1 to 2 ounces of fruited vinegar to 6 ounces or so of the seltzer water. (Adjust to suit your taste.) Sit back and enjoy.
If you want to make it fancy when serving, try freezing some ice cubes that each contain either a lemon balm or mint leaf and add them to your drink.