Beltaine Foods

1. Shitake-Nettle-Tofu Quiche
2. Pita of Greens, Herbs and Eggs
3. Favorite Fruit Clafouti
4. Pickled Rosebuds
5. Pink Lavender Lemonade
6. Dandelion Flower Fritters
7. Violet Syrup
8. Flower Tart
9. Dandelion Soup

Shitake-Nettle-Tofu Quiche
Yield: 10 servings 

1   oz    Dried shitake 
1   c     Warm water
2          Baked pie shells 
6   c     Nettle tops 
1   lb    Tofu
1          Onion, cut into crescents 
4   tb    Olive oil 
2   c     Milk
3          Eggs 
1   tb    Tamari

Soak shitake in warm water.  Rinse nettles; cook in water to cover until tender; drain immediately.  Saut, onion (and some garlic if you wish) in half of olive oil until partly soft. Slice the softened shitake and saut, with onion for 3 minutes. Cut tofu in small cubes; saut, with shitake, rest of oil, and onion for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cooked nettle; put in prebaked crusts.  Bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes, until center is set.  Decorate with sprigs of nettle and spring  flowers and  serve. Collected from the  Int'l Fido Cooking Echoes
 

Pita of Greens, Herbs and Eggs
Recipe By Karen Mintzias
Serving Size  : 12

2       lb           Fresh greens *
                       Salt   (see note at end)
1/2   bn          Fresh parsley -- chopped
1/2   bn          Fresh dill -- chopped
1                    Handful fresh chervil -- chop.
1/4   c            Butter or margarine
1      bn          Scallions -- chopped
1/2   ts           Ground allspice
1/2   ts           Ground cinnamon
1/2   ts           Nutmeg
2      ts           Granulated sugar
                      Salt & freshly ground pepper
5                    Eggs -- lightly beaten
1      c            Crumbled feta cheese
1/2   c            Milk, or more
1/2   c            Butter (optional) -- melted
12                  Commercial filo sheets

Traditional and individualistic.  Village women learn to gather tender, young greens from their rocky surroundings, which ironically produce the most beautiful wild flowers and delicious greens.  When greens are bought in the markets, spinach is the most frequently substituted.  Cretans combine dandelions and spinach.  This recipe is written as recipes are spoken in Greece, in the warm first-person plural. 

*Note: Suggested greens are: Spinach, dandelions, chicory, endive or any other fresh greens. 

First we wash the spinach, trim coarse ends, drain, chop, sprinkle with salt, and squeeze until all liquid has been drained.  Now we combine the spinach in a large bowl with the parsley, dill, and chervil and mix thoroughly.  Allowing the greens to stand while heating the 1/4 cup butte in a large frying pan, we add the scallions to the butter and saute them until the white parts are translucent.  Continuing to cook over medium heat, we add the greens, the spices, sugar, and enough salt and pepper for seasoning, careful to allow for additional salt in the feta, which will be added later.  We partially cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed, then we remove it from the heat and cool the mixture in a large bowl.  Now we add the eggs, feta, and enough milk to saturate the greens, mix, and assemble the pita as follows: 
Butter a 15 x 11 x 2-inch baking pan.  Spread 6 filo sheets, brushing each with melted butter.  Pour in the filling, spreading evenly.  Cover with the remaining filo sheets, brushing each with butter.  Flute the edges and brush top with butter.  Using a sharp knife, score the top 3 filo sheets into square or diamond shapes.  Bake for 45 minutes in a moderate oven (350 F) and allow to cool slightly before slicing and  serving it warm.   Note: You may eliminate the salting of the spinach by panning it, cooking over very low heat until the  leaves wilt, and then draining it thoroughly.   From: "The Food of Greece" by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles. Avenel Books, New York. 
 

Favorite Fruit Clafouti
Recipe By     : Better Homes and Gardens - June 1997
Serving Size  : 8 

4                      egg white -- slightly beaten
2                      eggs -- slightly beaten
1/3     c            granulated sugar
3         tbsp      honey
2         tbsp      fruit-flavored liqueur 
1         tsp        vanilla
           dash     salt
1 1/2  c            plain nonfat yogurt
1        c            all-purpose flour
3        c            raspberries, blueberries or sliced strawberries
2        tsp         sifted powdered sugar

In a large bowl beat together egg whites, eggs, granulated sugar, honey,  liqueur, vanilla and salt with a wire whisk or an electric mixer on low speed till light and frothy.  Stir in yogurt till mixture is smooth.  Add flour; beat till combined and mixture is smooth. Grease a 10-inch quiche dish; arrange desired berries in bottom of dish.  Pour batter over fruit.  Bake in a 375° oven for 30-35 minutes or till center appears set when shaken.  Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.  Serve warm.  Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and, if desired, garnish with additional raspberries and edible flowers.

Pickled Rosebuds
Serving Size  : 1

40                   Baby rosebuds
1/2    c            Sugar 
2       c            White wine vinegar

Wash the rosebuds well.  Place rosebuds in a 1-quart jar.  Combine sugar and vinegar; pour over rosebuds. Seal with paraffin and store in warm, dark place for about one month.  Buds may be used in salads or with  sandwiches. 

Pink Lavender Lemonade
Yield: 6 servings 

2 1/2 c  Distilled water
1 1/2 c  Sugar
6     lg    Strawberries; hulled -OR- 
                           1/4 c  Pink hibiscus flowers; dried -pesticide free
1/4 c      Lavender leaves; chopped -OR
                            1  tb  dried Lavender flowers
2 1/2 c  Distilled water
2 1/4 c  Lemon juice 
1/2 c     Sugar; optional
Fresh lavender flowers   -for garnish 

The original recipe calls for hibiscus flowers and suggested strawberries as a substitute. I have reversed the order. As well, I don't think it is necessary to use distilled water in most locations.   In medium saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups water, sugar and hibiscus flowers (or hulled strawberries). Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes to extract pink to extract pink from flowers. Remove from heat. Stir in lavender leaves. Cover and cool. Strain cooled herb liquid into large pitcher or jar (if using strawberries, gently press juice from berries.) Add remaining 2 1/2 cups water and lemon juice. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup more sugar, if desired. Just before serving, add ice cubes. Pour into chilled glasses.Garnish with lavender flowers. YIELD: 6-8 Servings   SOURCE: Victoria magazine, July 1993 posted by Anne MacLellan 
 

Dandelion Flower Fritters
Yield: 10  servings

1 c  Whole-Wheat Flour
2 tb Olive Oil
2 ts Baking Powder
1 c  Dandelion Flowers, clean and Unsprayed
1 pn Salt
1    Egg
Nonstick Vegetable-Oil Spray
1/2 c  Low-Fat Milk -or- Water 

This variation on pancakes uses the yellow puffs of the dandelion, a good source of Vitamin A.  In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg, then mix with milk or water and olive oil.  Combine with dry mixture.  Stir  in yellow flowers carefully, taking care not to crush them. Lightly spray a griddle or frying pan with vegetable oil.  Heat until thoroughly warmed.  Pour batter onto griddle by spoonfuls and cook like  pancakes. Makes 10  fritters. 
 

Violet Syrup

4 c  Violets; freshly picked  -unsprayed
2 c Boiling  water
6 c  Sugar
1    Lemon; juice of
2 c  -Water 

Select only the freshest and most unblemished violets  in your garden. Place violet petal in a deep bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Weigh down with a heavy dish to keep them submerged. Place the bowl in a draft-free place at room temperature for 24 hours.  Line a colander with layers of rinsed cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Pour violets and liquid into colander, squeezing out juice from the violets; discard the violets. Place sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and boil into a very thick syrup, near the candy stage. Add violet water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes or until thickened. Pour into sterile bottles. Allow to cool, then seal and refrigerate. Serve with ice water or club soda.
VARIATION: Substitute 4 cups fragrant rose petals and add 1 cinnamon stick per bottle of syrup. MAKES: 2  QUARTS
 

Flower Tart - Country Living Holidays
Yield: 10 servings 

Sugared Flowers, Petals, or  -Leaves (separate recipe)

Pastry (recipe follows) 
1 1/2 c  Slivered blanched almonds,  -toasted 
1/2 c  Sugar
1/2 c  (1 stick) butter, softened
                     2 lg Eggs
1/4 c  Unsifted all-purpose flour
1 ts Almond extract 
NOTE: This elegant tart with sugared-flower topping can be made with  an almond filling for a spectacular holiday dessert or without the filling for a table or sideboard holiday display that will last  several  days.
1. Several hours or day before, prepare Sugared Flowers, Petals, or  Leaves. At least 45 minutes before, prepare Pastry. 
2. Heat oven to 375'F. On floured surface, roll out pastry to 11 -inch  round. Fit pastry into 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Line pastry shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake shell 10 minutes longer. Set aside. If making for display, cool and fill with Sugared Flowers. Petals, or Leaves at this point. 
3. In food processor fitted with chopping blade, grind 1 C almonds with the sugar until very fine. 
4. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and almond-sugar mixture until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and almond extract just until combined and stiff batter forms. 
5. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C almonds over bottom of tart shell. Gently pour batter over almonds. 
6. Bake tart 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove tart from pan; place on serving platter and top with Sugared  Flowers, Petals, or Leaves. Cut into 10 wedges to serve. Pastry: In medium-size bowl, combine 1 1/4 C unsifted all-purpose flour and 1/4 t salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 6 1/2 T butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 2 to 3 T cold water, 1 T at a time, over flour mixture and mix lightly with fork until pastry is moist enough to press into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Dandelion Soup - A Kitchen Witch's Cookbook Recipe 
By Janet Morrissey 
Serving Size  : 1 

2      Tbsps.      Butter
2      Tbsps.      Flour
2      Cups        Milk
2      Cups        Dandelion Flowers
1/8   Tsp          Celery Seed
1/8   Tsp          Thyme
1                       Bay Leaf

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.  stir in the flour to make a roux.  Stir in the milk a little at a time until smooth.  Mix in the  dandelions, celery seed, thyme, and bay leaf.  Simmer until the flowers are tender, 15-20 minutes.
(The book notes that Oliver Wendall Homes likens the color of dandelion to "sparks that have leapt from kindling sun's fire.")