5 Recipes to Enchant Your Solstice🌞
Happy Solstice, witches!
It’s that time of year again — and if you’re not totally feeling it, let me just say, I hear you! It’s been a whacky holiday season for me, but the perfect way to obliterate a pre-solstice funk? Some kitchen witchery in the form of these magickal recipes!
P.S. You haven’t head from me in a while, so please don’t think I’m being glib — or simply not commenting on — the devastating November election results. My paid Newsletter Subscribers got my full lamentation on this with their Tarotscopes for December. Also, if you missed my take on the astrology for this month, hop over to my podcast! I’ll be doing episodes every Sunday detailing the week’s astro (instead of the once-monthly written horoscope.)
Enjoy these recipes, & let me know if you give them a try! In the meantime, here are some of my favorite Yuletide posts from my archive:
· My go-to crystal allies for sur-thriving the holiday season (BTW, you can buy any of these gemstones from me directly.)
· My Modern Witch’s guide to gifting as a spell! One of my favorite posts I’ve ever written, & updated with new links for 2024 (upgrade your subscription to view)
· My Modern Witch’s Guide to Yule!
· It’s not a holiday post but if you haven’t read my take on Pluto moving into Aquarius – or you’d like to learn more about this phenomenon – it’s a worthwhile read for these turbulent times (for those who may not know, Pluto moved into Aquarius on November 19th, initiating the start of a whole new paradigm!)
Heart-Warming Arugula Pesto
It may be winter here in the Northern Hemisphere but IMO, that doesn’t rule out savory, herbaceous pesto. The perfect antidote to long nights and cold days, this Grinch-green sauce is lemony, bright and captures the essence of summer so effectively, you’ll start to forget which solstice you’re celebrating. I’ve found basil difficult to grow indoors (if your home has lots of bright window space which hasn’t been hijacked by two mischievous kittens, you may feel differently) and grocery store basil a.) doesn’t rival the freshly-picked stuff and b.) lasts .02 seconds in the fridge (and therefore isn’t cost effective unless you’re buying it for a recipe you intend to make yesterday.) So instead of fresh basil leaves (which I defeatedly reserve as a summertime delicacy) this recipe features peppery, nutrient-packed arugula as the star of the show, a much heartier leafy green which remains fresh in the fridge for about a week. Resonating with the heart chakra, arugula is such a powerful love conjurer that in the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church forbade its growth in their monastery gardens (perhaps rightfully so – I can attest that this pesto is a powerful love spell in a jar. Make it for your longtime S.O to spice things up or to break the ice with a new flame, bonding over shared garlic breath and a controversial love of anchovies.) But unbeknownst to those paranoid Ancient Romans, this robust herb attracts love in all forms, not just the romantic/erotic variety. It’s magick works to unite friends, coven-members and family, opening everyone at the holiday table to warming vibes of connection, receptivity, generosity and fondness (I’m pretty sure the Grinch ate this vibrant potion prior to his heart spontaneously expanding thrice.) It’s the perfect herby accompaniment to basically any protein – lamb, chicken, fish, even “roast beast” – or toss it with your fav pasta, a sprinkle of parm cheese/crushed red pepper and some oven-roasted tomato (and Kalamata olives because though not festive, they pair beautifully with the sweetness of the burst tomato.) You can also stir this pesto into mayo for an elevated burger night, or mix it with softened butter and enjoy on a crostini with thin-sliced radish and fresh arugula (a delightful Yuletide hors d’ oeuvres.) Oh, and don’t sleep on the infused olive oil this recipe calls for (you may have to order it online but trust me, it’s so worth it!) In a pinch, you could sub high-quality EVOO but it won’t be the same -- the fresh, sweet and herbaceous aroma of the basil oil pairs beautifully with the pesto’s more pungent ingredients, and the roasted garlic oil enhances the flavor of the raw garlic for a bright, robust flavor ideal for shaking off looming Yuletide SAD.
Ingredients:
Roughly 3 cups of fresh arugula, tightly packed and de-stemmed (for opening the heart chakra x3)
3 small cloves of roughly chopped garlic, or two if larger (for protection from winter woes -- the elements, intrusive relatives, Yuletide blues, bad skin days and peak flu season)
About ½ jar of capers, mostly drained
1 -2 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped (if you’re cooking for someone with an aversion to anchovies, just do one fillet. Trust me, don’t leave it out – they won’t even taste it.)
About 2-3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, roughly chopped (for love, attraction & protection)
Juice of 2 fresh lemons or more to taste, depending on the lemon (for mental clarity, overcoming obstacles, joy and optimism)
Copious amounts of basil and garlic infused olive oils (for diplomacy, abundance, openness and reconciliation)
Copious amounts of freshly-cracked pepper and pink salt (to taste)
Pack all ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a blender – add about 1/8 cup of each oil to evenly moisten the arugula. Begin blending when the leaves look wet, continuously drizzling oil with the blender running (and alternating consistently between the two flavors of olive oil, shooting for equal parts though it need not be exact.) It may take a few minutes but eventually, you’ll end up with a bright green puree of deliciousness – stop when the mixture is thick, creamy and devoid of remaining solids. Taste for salt, pepper and lemon juice, adding more if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use (the pesto will thicken and solidify as it chills, but this is normal. Toss with a bit more olive oil when ready to use, giving the sauce a few minutes to come to room temperature before serving.) Store in an air-tight mason jar for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Coven-Friendly Charcuterie Board
Looking for an app to honor the diverse preferences of your coven members? Enter the crowd-pleasing charcuterie board! The beauty of this inclusive appetizer is that there’s something on it for everyone (and it doesn’t require creativity, culinary expertise or tons of time to assemble.) Charcuterie boards involve intention to curate but from there, the magick comes from allowing the components to speak for themselves (and vibe beautifully off of each other – just like your quirky crew of witchy besties!) I strongly recommend sourcing the meat from small, independent livestock butchers: It’s fresh, much more ethically produced than grocery store products (especially pates), and allows farmers to utilize the entire animal, grounding and pureeing the organs which otherwise wouldn’t sell. Where I live in rural Upstate NY, I’m about 20 minutes from a livestock farm which makes the best pate and sausage – I love charcuterie boards with both a coarse, country-style pate and more of a mousse-like pate because they’re so different (and for gluten free witches, the country pate need not be served on a cracker or toast point – it’s delicious on a fork with some olive oil-dressed arugula, savory capers and a soft-boiled egg!) Thinly sliced sausage links or rolled prosciutto also make excellent additions to a charcuterie board, and of course, no platter is complete without a fun selection of cheeses. Assemble a variety with as much personality as the individuals who comprise your coven: Soft or semi-soft selections (a triple cream, gorgonzola, chevre or raclette), pair well with semi-firm and hard cheeses (Manchego, stilton, gruyere, feta, gouda or Parmigiano Reggiano.) Incorporating cheeses with different compositions (i.e. cow, goat and sheep’s milk) -- as well as cheeses of different textures and parts of the world – is also fun (and IMO, no cheeseboard is complete without at least one bleu. But some people have an aversion to funkier cheeses, so keep this in mind and balance adventurous options with familiar favs like nutty swiss or a nice savory cheddar.) A fruity jam or compote, a tangy mustard and/or a bright aioli complements everything on the board and adds color (see below for my DIY mayonnaise recipe, which pairs beautifully with a nice country-style pate. Certainly, you could also outsource and go store-bought!) To round it out, throw on some cocktail onions, fresh fruit, stuffed olives and/or cornichons (because we love our vegan witches.) Toast points are a great use of that days-old baguette you impulsively grabbed because it looked fresh – slice the loaf to your desired thickness, brush the toast points with olive oil or melted butter and season liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder before toasting in the oven at 375 for about 5 minutes (No time? Everybody loves buttery Ritz.) A DIY charcuterie board is not only fun and easy to assemble (and often allows you to use ingredients you already have!), but it’s a total crowd-pleaser and a bonding spell (especially for gatherings where worlds are colliding – i.e., different “groups” of friends are being introduced.) As everyone munches their way through the components of the board, the meats, cheeses and accompaniments become a cozy conversation starter (and before you know it, someone you barely know is insisting you try the stilton with a dollop of blueberry compote, or vetoing the raclette with a decisive nose wrinkle.) Just make sure to leave cocktail skewers, tongs, spoons, side plates and plenty of napkins out. The telltale sign of a good charcuterie board? It’s messy! (But if you’re worried about double-dipping, build anything spreadable into a cohesive one or two-bite snack – i.e., spread a mousse-like pate on toast points ahead of time, building them into open-faced sandwiches with a dollop of dijon and thinly-sliced cornichons.)
The Witch’s Wedge Salad
I love wedge salads – they’re crunchy, flavorful and savory yet refreshing, and the vibrant colors of this bistro-menu staple make it the perfect Solstice side dish. Because of its high water content, lettuce – especially iceberg -- is a powerful ingredient in moon magick, conjuring divine feminine energy and helping us access a more receptive, intuitive state (perfect for celebrating the longest night of the year, when we’re deep in the womb of the goddess.) Conversely, tomatoes vibe with the root chakra and the god Mars, promoting vitality, virility and stimulating the flow of qi (helping to prevent sluggishness which – for many of us – starts to creep in around the Solstice.) Onions are protective and immune-boosting alliums (especially red onions, with their signature spice and eye-watering pungency.) Well-done bacon – crisped to perfection, then crumbled – tops it all off, but the real ingredient which makes this wedge special? My homemade blue cheese dressing, which begins with a homemade mayonnaise (stay with me – I promise it’s not as difficult as it sounds.) The wedge is easy to assemble, and the dressing can be made ahead to keep day-of prep minimal. This recipe makes ½ cup of dressing, but for the actual salad, eyeball the appropriate portion size of your chosen lettuce (I like romaine or butter lettuce, but iceberg is traditional), topping the greens with sliced cherry tomato, minced red onion and crumbled bacon. Finish it with a few generous dollops of blue cheese dressing just before serving, and garnish with a handful of crumbles and freshly cracked pepper.
Ingredients:
¼ cup of mayonnaise, preferably homemade (recipe to follow)
¼ sour cream (can sub or cut with Greek yogurt to reduce fat content)
1 – 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Fresh juice from ½ -- 1 lemon (depending on the lemon)
Generous amount of salt and pepper (to taste)
1 clove raw garlic, roughly chopped
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cups of crumbled blue cheese
Immersion-blend the ingredients until creamy and smooth. This recipe makes a thicker blue cheese but if you’d prefer it thin, add some milk a dollop at a time until you’ve achieved your desired consistency. Taste, and adjust seasonings accordingly.
To Make the Mayonnaise:
Rinse two large eggs with warm water, then crack them (both whites and yolks) into a good-sized measuring cup or the narrow container of an immersion blender. Blend for about 20 seconds, then add about 2 heaping tablespoons of dijon mustard, juice from one to two lemons, and a small amount of salt and pepper (we’ll adjust the seasoning later.) Blend for about 20 seconds. Then, slowly stream 2 cups of canola oil* into the egg mixture while blending, moving the immersion blender up and down and stopping the machine periodically to ensure the mixture is evenly emulsifying. As it develops into a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency, you can add the oil more quickly. Taste the mixture (which will be bland), and add more salt, pepper, lemon juice and/or mustard as desired. Add 1 clove of minced garlic, a few teaspoons of onion and garlic powder and a couple shakes of Worcestershire sauce (optionally, you can add capers in this step, or fresh/dried herbs.) Immersion blend one more time to incorporate the seasonings. This recipe makes two cups (but trust me, it’s easy to use quickly.) Store leftovers in an airtight mason jar in the fridge for however long you’d keep your eggs, 1 – 4 weeks.
*Don’t waste your good olive oil on this recipe! In fact, in my experience, olive oil becomes bitter and nearly inedible when immersion blended with egg – the enzymes react with the ingredients as the mixture emulsifies. Canola oil has been the most consistent in my experience, but you can sub vegetable or any other neutral oil.
Winter Solstice Seafood Cioppino
‘Tis the season for hearty soups and stews! While summertime finds many of us avoiding the kitchen (and particularly the oven), we intuitively feel drawn to the hearth of our home come winter. A stockpot simmering on the burner is one of my favorite Yuletide sounds, while the warming, savory aromas serve as a mini house-blessing and attraction spell. The best thing about these types of recipes? They get better the longer they’re allowed to simmer; once the liquid has come to a boil, you’re free to reduce the heat and mingle with your guests, checking in on this low-maintenance stew periodically between fetching refills and replenishing snack platters (and once you’ve added the seafood, you can remove from the heat and cover until it’s time to serve.) The magickal ingredient of this zesty cioppino is tomato: We’re using canned, peeled tomatoes for this recipe, but processed tomatoes still carry a lot of the health benefits we associate with the juicy fruit right off the vine. Like its fresher counterpart, canned peeled tomatoes carry the warming energy of the sun while their blood red color evokes the vibrant energy of Mars, supporting our ability to mobilize, to tackle our winter goals and projects and even fend off the many seasonal afflictions we associate with this time of year (from sluggishness to SAD.) Like all good things, this recipe starts with onions and garlic in a pan: As soon as the aromatics hit the melted butter and oil, expect your coven members to trail in one-by-one for a glimpse of what’s producing the intoxicating scent. More than any other dish, cooking soups and stews – an intimate ceremony requiring the deliberate and well-paced building of flavors -- puts me in a trance-like state. It’s all about right timing, intuitively communicating with each ingredient and listening to their telltale sounds, observing their changing colors and textures and layering more ingredients and flavors based on their subtle cues. As you add each ingredient, meditate on how this process is much like manifestation: As our New Year intentions come to fruition, developing and concentrating at their perfect moment, we must attune to life’s subtle nudges – when to act vs. when to allow existing energies to marinate. Preparing this dish is a spell, an exercise in receptivity. Perhaps most especially, it reminds us to re-find the joy in co-creation. Don’t wait impatiently for your cue to add the chicken stock: Pour a glass of wine, play some George Michael and enjoy the intoxicating aromas!
Ingredients:
Really good olive oil (enough to thoroughly coat the bottom of your stockpot twice)
Roughly 2-3 tablespoons of butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced (for protection)
1 whole yellow onion, minced (for protection)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (for communication)
1 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of bottled clam juice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups water
1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (and their juices)
3 bay leaves (for health, wealth and happiness)
8 large shrimp, rinsed, patted dry and seasoned; shells removed and set side
1 large white fish fillet (like haddock, cod, halibut or flounder) – sliced into large chunks, patted dry and seasoned
6-8 large sea scallops, patted dry and seasoned
1 lemon, sliced into wedges
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 green onion, minced
Crushed Red Pepper flakes, to taste (for vitality)
Salt, Pepper
First, make the shrimp stock: Coat the bottom of the stockpot with olive oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the shrimp shells to the olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper and stir, toasting the shells until they turn orange/red and become fragrant (about 2 minutes.) Add 1 ½ cups of water to the shrimp shells and season once more. Reduce the heat and allow the liquid to simmer with the shrimp shells for about 10 – 15 minutes, then strain. Dispose of the shells and set the finished shrimp stock aside.
Coat the bottom of the same stockpot with a generous amount of olive oil and butter. Warm over medium heat until the butter is completely melted, then add the minced onion, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and the first round of salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions become softened, aromatic and slightly translucent; add the minced garlic and sauté for just another minute, until the garlic is aromatic but now browned (if the aromatics are cooking too quickly, reduce the heat slightly and add more olive oil.)
Deglaze the pan with the white wine and add another generous helping of cracked pepper and salt. Simmer over medium heat until the alcohol cooks off, about 4 minutes. Add the can of whole peeled tomatoes (and their juices), the chicken stock, shrimp stock and clam juice into the stockpot with the reduced wine. Add three bay leaves, season generously with salt and pepper, then bring the mixture to a boil, stirring periodically to break down the tomatoes.
Reduce the broth to a simmer; once cooled, taste for salt and pepper. Add the seafood one-at-a-time, beginning with the shrimp (which should poach alone in the broth for about ten minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp), followed by the scallops and the fish, which should be added at the same time and allowed to simmer for about 8 minutes undisturbed (be careful about stirring the cioppino, which can cause the fish to flake apart before it finishes cooking.) Once the seafood is cooked through, carefully stir, taste and if necessary, add one more round of seasoning. When ready, serve the hot cioppino with a sprinkle of parsley, green onion and a lemon wedge!
“Solar Rebirth” Seared Ahi Tuna
It’s hard to talk about Yule like it’s one thing – like many of the Neo-Pagan holidays or “sabbats”, modern Yule is a mish-mosh of various folk traditions from all over pre-Christian Europe (much like Christmas, which borrows a lot of traditions and practices from the Roman Saturnalia and other ancient folk festivals.) In short, my practice celebrates Yule as a climactic rebirth of the sun – marked by the sun’s entrance into Capricorn (which occurs annually around December 21st), it commemorates the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night. From this point forward, we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the days are starting to become longer as the scales tip toward the season of light. In theory, this is because The Goddess gives birth to the new sun on the evening of the solstice – as the sun sets, we mourn the death of the Old Sun (now an elder as of Samhain) but rejoice in the Goddess’s imminent labor, an evening-long ordeal which results in a glorious sunrise – i.e., the “birth” of the new sun. Of course, we can’t fast-forward through winter – and as witches, we know it’s all important, so we wouldn’t want to! – but where I live in freezing Upstate NY, the winters are brutal and unrelenting. It only feels natural to commemorate the shortest day and longest night as a moment worth celebrating!
Many witches honor this solar festival by lighting a bunch of candles and staying up all night – decorating with warming lights and flashy tinsel are also traditions rooted in the ancient Solar festivals which have inspired our experience of the modern December holidays. When practiced with intention, these traditions are mini spells, invoking and celebrating the sun’s growing warmth and strength. In addition to flames, candles and lights, ginger is a powerful (and less flammable!) spell ingredient for invoking the sun’s vibrant, fiery energy. This spicy root conjures vitality, virility, strength, abundance and joy (gingerbread as a holiday symbol is rooted in the herb’s warming effect and potent solar symbolism!) This recipe is not only easy and comes together quickly, but it’s a festive, warming and colorful celebration of this potent solar herb – the gingery “dressing” for the cold noodle salad doubles as the sauce for the seared tuna, which literally cooks in minutes, and you can use whatever you have on hand for the fresh herbs and vegetables (I like to use shaved carrots, red bell pepper, scallions and cilantro. You could also throw in sliced radishes, onion, jalapeno, diced avocado or even a sprinkling of fresh parsley, and omit whatever you don’t have.) For an extra boost of solar magick, cook your pasta in water infused with the energy of carnelian and/or sunstone: 24 hours before cooking, drop the stone into however much distilled water you’ll need and cover with aluminum foil to let soak (for extra potency, leave in direct sunlight for a few hours before noon.) Because ginger is a powerful ingredient for manifestation, attraction and focusing the will, this is a powerful dish to set specific intentions over – hold hands with your coven as you gather around the holiday table, each visualizing your individual (and shared) hopes and wishes for the new year!
Ingredients:
2 x Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna Steaks
4 tablespoons sesame seeds
Salt and Pepper
2 Cups Hoisin Sauce
1/8 Cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup rice wine vinegar (for banishing winter blues, low energy levels and sluggishness)
¼ cup toasted sesame oil (plus more for tossing the noodles and searing the tuna)
1 box of long, twirly pasta of your choice (I typically use linguini)
1 tablespoon of ginger root, peeled and minced (can sub ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger)
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and shaved
3 green onions, minced
1 teaspoon of fresh cilantro, minced
First, cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Strain, rinse under cold water and refrigerate for at least twenty minutes (or until ready to toss.) Make the dressing: Whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil and ginger. Taste and adjust the ratios if necessary (there’s no “wrong” way to make the dressing -- add more rice vinegar for acidity, sesame oil for nuttiness, hoisin for sweetness, ginger for spice and soy sauce for salt. I like a tangy, acidic vinaigrette, so I usually add a few more shakes of rice vinegar.) Finally, sear the tuna: Season the steaks with salt and pepper, and coat a large sauté pan with toasted sesame oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on a plate and coat the tuna on all sides. Place the encrusted steaks in the pan once the oil is hot, and sear on all sides for about 1 minute (be very careful not to overcook – the tuna should be beautifully rare!) Let rest for a few minutes, then slice when ready to serve. While the tuna rests: Evenly coat the pasta with toasted sesame oil and toss. Add the bell pepper, carrots, half the green onion, half the cilantro and enough dressing to thoroughly coat (reserve enough to serve on the side and drizzle atop the tuna.) Stir well. Serve the tuna sliced (room temperature or chilled) with the cold noodle salad on the side, sprinkling everything with the remaining green onion and cilantro to garnish.
Happy Solstice!
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