Litha Recipies

APFELPFANNKUCHEN (German Apple Pancake)

2 large Apples, any cooking variety
1/4 cup Butter
1 cup Flour
1 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg,
Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 475. Peel, core and very thinly slice the apples: you should have approximately 1-1/2 cups. Melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter over medium low heat in a small fry pan, and sauté the apples until they are just tender. Keep apples warm while preparing the batter. Place a 9 or 10 inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes--the pan has to be very hot for this to work. When it is well heated, add the remaining 2 Tsp. Of butter t o melt and put the skillet back in the oven; the butter should be very hot but not brown when you add the apples and the batter. Place the flour, milk, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a blender and whirl until smooth. Remove the skillet from the oven, quickly arrange the warm apple slices over the melted butter, and pour the batter evenly over all. Bake for 15 min., reduce heat to 375 and bake 10 minutes longer. The pancake will puff and climb up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, then cut in wedges and serve with maple syrup.

FRESH BROCCOLI SOUP IN BREAD BOWLS

Round sour dough bread loaves, halved
1/2 pound Broccoli, fresh
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/4 cup Margarine
1/2 cup Flour
3 cups Water
4 teaspoons Chicken Bouillon granules
2 cups Milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Steam broccoli in small amount of salted water for 10 minutes or until crisp-tender; coarsely chop. In large saucepan, sauté onion in margarine until tender but not brown. Blend in flour. Add water, chicken bouillon, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until mixture slightly thickens. Add chopped broccoli. Bring to boiling and stir in shredded cheese until melted. Serve soup in individual hollowed out bread loaf halves. Leftover soup freezes well. *if you want to use this soup recipe as an appetizer, just put it in sourdough buns instead!*

CUCUMBER SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS AND SPINACH

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Ribs Celery, strings removed; chopped
1 small Onion, minced
2 stalks fresh Lemongrass, tender middle chopped
2 medium Cucumbers, peeled & seeded - chopped
2 cups Chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups Spinach leaves
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro leaves
3 Tablespoons Whipping cream
fresh ground Black Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add celery, onion and lemongrass. Cook gently until onion is tender, 15 minutes. Add cucumbers and stock. Heat to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until cucumber is tender, 10 minutes. Strain solids from liquid, reserving both. Puree solids with spinach and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Add reserved liquid, cream, salt and pepper; mix until smooth. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 4 ~ 1 1/2 cup servings

GOOSEBERRY FOOL

4 cups Gooseberries
1/4 cup Water
2 cups Sugar
Whipped cream

Cook gooseberries in water until done (or you may use the equivalent of canned gooseberries). Mash gooseberries in blender or food processor. Beat sugar into hot gooseberries. When cold, mix with stiffly whipped cream and pour into sherbet glasses for serving.

FRESH HERB SOUP

1 Tablespoon Butter or margarine, unsalted
2 Tablespoons Fresh chives, minced
2 Tablespoons Fresh chervil, minced
2 Tablespoons Lemon sorrel leaves, minced
2 teaspoons Fresh tarragon, minced
1 cup Celery ribs -- finely chopped
4 cups Vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper
1 pinch Sugar
4 slices Whole wheat bread , toasted
1 dash Freshly ground nutmeg
Grated cheddar cheese

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy pot. Add the herbs and celery and cook, stirring, until wilted and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Place a slice of toast in each soup bowl and pour the soup over. Dust with nutmeg and sprinkle with grated cheese

ORANGE HONEY BUTTER

2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Rind
3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon honey

Combine the orange rind, powdered sugar, butter and honey in a small bowl and blend until well mixed. Chill slightly and serve with scones or biscuits.

HERBAL LEMON COOKIES

1 cup Butter or margarine
2 cups Sugar, divided
2 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Lemon Grass / Lemon Balm / Lemon Basil - chopped

Cream the butter and 1-3/4 cups sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs. Add to the creamed mixture and mix. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 3 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork or cup bottom. Sprinkle lightly with the remaining sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until barely browned. Cool slightly, then remove to a rack.

METHEGLIN (Meade)

5 pounds of honey
1 gallon of water
1 lemon
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of balm
3/4 ounce of yeast

Simmer the herbs and thinly sliced lemon rind for twenty minutes in the gallon of water. Strain the liquid and pour onto the honey, stirring well. When lukewarm, add the juice of the lemon and the yeast. Cover and leave for twenty-four hours, then stir and leave in a warm place until fermentation ceases. Strain the mead into bottles and keep them in a cool, dark place for one year.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

3 cups Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup Buttermilk
3/4 cup Currants
1 teaspoon Grated Orange Rind
1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use an ungreased baking sheet. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir well with a fork to mix and fold air into batter. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or two knives, or work in, using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fresh bread crumbs. Add the buttermilk, currants and orange rind. Mix only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and press so it holds together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 12 times. Pat the dough into a circle 1/2-inch thick. Glaze: In a small bowl combine the cream, cinnamon and sugar; stir to blend. Brush the dough with the glaze. Cut the dough into 18 pie-shaped pieces. Place the scones 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the tops are browned. Serve hot with Orange Honey Butter. *my mum beats an egg, and with a pastry brush, brushes the tops of the scones,before baking, and sprinkles sugar on top. That way when they are baked they have a wonderful glazed top and are perfect for breakfast.(or anytime) Use the jam or jelly of your choice.*

ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 medium, grated, unpeeled zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees In mixing bowl, beat eggs till frothy. Beat in sugar, oil & vanilla until thick & lemon colored. Sift in flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, & salt. Fold in zucchini & walnuts. Pour mixture in 2 greased & floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

MIDSUMMER COOKIES

3/4c softened butter
2c brown sugar
2 eggs
1T lemon juice
2T grated lemon rind
2c sifted flour
1c finely chopped pecans.

Cream butter in a large non-metallic mixing bowl. Gradually add the brown sugar, mixing well.

Add eggs, lemon juice, and rind, then mix well until mixture is well blended.

Cover the bowl with a white or yellow towel or cloth napkin, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, shape dough into 1" balls and place approx 3" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for abut 20 minutes. Cool on racks. Yields 36ct.

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