MEALS for "BRINGING IN THE MAY"

5/2/12 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

“Bringing in the May”

As a child in school, I remember eagerly looking forward to May Day. Early in the week, we children carefully folded construction paper into flower containers and decorated them with glue and glitter. Finally, we filled them with flowers and later secretly delivered them to friends and neighbors. It was a fun day to demonstrate love and act silly while we danced around the Maypole. 

In high school, we girls dressed for spring in frilly summer dresses and shivered our way through a student assembly that honored the “May Queen’s Court.” The most beautiful and popular girl at Susan Miller Dorsey High School was elected May Queen and crowned under an arbor of flowers with her princesses as attendants.

In the Irish-Gaelic world, “Bringing in the May” meant getting up early to wash your face in the dew, enjoy baby animals and welcome the growing season. Then young people would go out into the fields and woods to collect flowers and greenery to decorate the Maypole and other buildings.

No one is really sure about the origins of the Maypole. On May Day, dancers (each holding a ribbon) weave in and around each other and a tall wooden pole to wrap it in an attractive pattern.  One source said that the pole was considered the connection of earth with the sky and believed to trigger the beginning of the growing season.

Much of Mayday history comes from the British Isles, so today’s recipes reflect some old-fashioned Celtic cooking that I found in “Natural Home & Garden.” They are from “Bringing in May: Celtic Recipes for your own May Day Feast,” by Pat Crocker, 2001. If you’re adventuresome you can bring in the May with a wild mushroom dish, a salmon in (questionable and optional) nettle sauce and a sweet herb tart. Enjoy!

WARM WILD MUSHROOMS WITH BAKED GOAT CHEESE

12 ounces chanterelle, cap, shiitake,
or oyster mushrooms
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 ounces soft goat cheese, cut into 4 rounds
2 cups mesclun or spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
1/2 cup fresh nasturtium flowers (optional)
2 tablespoons white wine, tarragon, or white vinegar

Clean mushrooms and slice. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet and cook garlic, mushrooms, and chives over medium heat until just tender. Season with salt and pepper. Lift mushrooms out of pan with slotted spoon onto lightly oiled baking sheet, dividing into 4 portions. Place goat cheese round in center of each pile. Bake at 400°F about 4 minutes, until cheese melts and browns slightly.

Meanwhile, wash and dry lettuce and herbs. Toss together with flowers in medium bowl. Divide into 4 portions and place on warmed plates. Add remaining oil to skillet, turn heat to medium, and stir to collect pan juices and bits. Add vinegar and simmer until reduced slightly.

Spoon hot mushrooms, juices, and cheese over lettuce, then drizzle with hot oil and vinegar. Serve immediately.

 

 HERB-WRAPPED GRILLED SALMON WITH NETTLE SAUCE

4 large, wild-caught salmon fillets
11/4 cups basil pesto
4 angelica leaves, soaked in water

Cut salmon fillets in half, spread 1–2 tablespoons of pesto on one half and cover with the other half of fish. Place 1 stuffed fillet in the center of each angelica leaf. Wrap tightly and secure with twine.

Grill on barbecue 4–6 minutes per side. Check doneness by unwrapping one package and cutting into flesh. If it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, it is done. Serves 4

Note: Substitute lettuce leaves, grape leaves, or beet greens if angelica leaves are not available.

NETTLE SAUCE

1/2 cup fresh nettle leaves or fresh sorrel or

2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chervil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2–4 tablespoons yogurt

Clean nettle leaves under warm water, immediately transfer to a medium saucepan, and cover with lid. Turn heat to medium-high and heat nettles just until leaves wilt. Remove from pan and cool.

Blend all ingredients in a small food processor or blender until well mixed. Store in the refriger­ator 3 days. Makes 1/2 cup1

Note from author: Gather wild nettles using gloves for protection from the nasty stings. Heating the nettles dissipates the oxalic acid in the leaves and renders them safe to eat. For an alternative, substitute chopped fresh sorrel and omit the steaming.

SWEET HERB TART

11/4 cups milk
1/4 vanilla bean
3 tablespoons fresh chopped sweet cicely
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup raisins
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons rosewater
1/3 cup blanched almonds
1 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled
3 cups sliced strawberries

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, vanilla bean, sweet cicely, basil, 1/4 cup sugar, and raisins. Scald by heating just to the point when bubbles form around the inside of the pan. Remove from heat and lift out vanilla bean.

In a small bowl, mix rosewater into almonds until it forms a paste-like consistency; set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with 1 tablespoon sugar until thick. Beat in half the hot milk. Return milk and egg yolk mixture to the pan and heat to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in almond paste, simmer 10 minutes, until thickened. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely.

To assemble the tart, spoon the almond cream evenly into the tart shell and arrange the strawberries neatly over the top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes one 9-inch tart.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.