Ostara’s Bounty - A Spring Equinox Feast
A Celebration of Renewal: Chef Fiona GENEVIEVE's Spring Equinox Feast
As the days lengthen and the earth awakens, Chef Fiona Genevieve of Molotov Cuisine invites us to celebrate the Spring Equinox with a feast that embodies the spirit of renewal and rebirth. This collection of recipes, a gift for Forget The Box’s wonderful readers, reflects the ancient symbolism of the equinox, a time of balance between light and darkness, and a celebration of the earth's awakening.
Golden Saffron Hot Cross Buns: These spiced buns, infused with saffron and orange blossom water, represent the sun's return and the sweetness of life's renewal. The traditional cross, piped with a lemon flour mixture, marks this time of transition and balance.
Crisp Asparagus Salad with Pecan & Parmesan Crumble: This vibrant salad, featuring shaved asparagus and a crunchy crumble, captures the freshness and vitality of spring. The combination of textures and flavors mirrors the season's awakening and the earth's bounty.
Wild Herbed Pansotti & Salsa Di Noci: These delicate pasta pockets, filled with a foraged blend of wild herbs and greens, celebrate the connection to nature and the earth's hidden treasures. The creamy walnut sauce, with its hint of preserved lemon, adds a touch of richness and complexity.
Paprika & Port Braised Rabbit: This dish, rich with mustard seeds and seasonal herbs, evokes the abundance of the season and the return of warmth. The rabbit, braised to a glazed perfection, symbolizes the fertility and new beginnings associated with the Spring Equinox.
Chef Fiona's Spring Equinox Feast is more than just a meal; it's a culinary journey that honors the traditions of the season, blending diverse influences with a focus on foraged ingredients and the transformative power of fermentation. It's an invitation to embrace the spirit of renewal, celebrate the earth's bounty, and find balance in the changing light.
From Chef fiona Genevieve:
Spring Equinox is almost here! Or, as some know it, Ostara – the time when Goddess Ostara brings light and fertility to the land. We're welcoming the warmth of the spring sun! Ostara is a pagan festival with deep roots in Celtic traditions, marking the start of spring and the first popping blossoms. My yard is bursting with crocuses and snowdrops right now! It's such a hopeful and exciting time for the season! I always get so excited and plant too early, so I'm trying to hold back this year. We still have a bit of a wait for those lovely early spring veggies, so here are some recipes to save for when they start showing up at the farmers market.
Golden Saffron Hot Cross Buns
300 mL Milk
1/2 TSP Saffron
100 g Butter
50 g Honey
2 Eggs
150 mL Warm Water
8 g Yeast
1 TBSP Vanilla
1 TBSP Orange Blossom Water
1/4 C of Currants
1 Large Orange - Zested
3 TSP mix of Cloves, Mace, and Nutmeg
800 g Flour
2 TBSP Corn Flour
2 TSP Sea Salt
Heat the Milk and Saffron to a simmer in a sauce pot for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Butter and Honey, mix together and take off of the heat. Let stand for 4-5 minutes. Add the Eggs, Warm Water, Yeast, Vanilla, Orange Blossom Water, Currants, Orange Zest, & Spice Mix to the Milk mixture. Mix and leave to rise for 5 to 10 minutes, until Yeast is bubbly. Using the hook on a stand mixer, add 800 g of White Flour, 2 TBSP of Corn Flour, and 2 TSP of Sea Salt mix until you form a smooth ball. Place in oiled bowl, covered, for 1 1/2 hours (folding half way) Roll into balls, around 60 to 65 g each. Place on your baking sheet, cover and let rise for one hour. Set oven to 390 Fahrenheit.
Separately, mix together:
1/2 Lemon - Juiced
150g Flour
150g Water
Whisk all the above ingredients and place into a piping bag (or a make shift ziplock if you need to be resourceful). Let rest 10 minutes.
Whisk 1-2 eggs (depending on size), and brush over your buns. Then pipe the Lemon Flour mixture across the buns, creating the cross. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden. Brush with Butter and Sprinkle with salt.
Crisp Asparagus Salad with Pecan & Parmesan Crumble
1/2 C Walnuts
1 LB Asparagus (Trim bottoms of the stalks, then finely shave using a knife on an angle)
1/2 C Grated Parmesan
1/4 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Juice & Zest from 1 large Lemon or 2 small Lemons
1/2 C of lightly packed Mint and Tarragon leaves (roughly chopped)
1/4 C Olive Oil
Freshly cracked Pepper (to taste)
High Quality Sea Salt (to taste)
1.5 C Breadcrumbs
4TBSP Butter & 4TBSP Olive Oil
Heat the Butter and Olive Oil combo together in a large pan, add the Breadcrumbs and toast (watching carefully not to over do it, you want a nice golden colour). Add more Olive Oil if needed. Pour into a large bowl once toasted. Add all remaining ingredients and toss! Serve right away, in large helpings!
Wild Herbed Pansotti & Salsa Di Noci
Pansotti:
3 C Flour
3 Eggs
1 TBSP Dry White Wine
Filling:
1/2 C Ricotta
400-500g of wild herbs and greens (Dandelion, Nettle, Chard, Spinach, etc.)
1 Yellow Onion (medium diced)
1/4 C Parmesan
1 Egg
1 TBSP Marjoram
1/2 Lemon (juiced and zested)
1 TSP Nutmeg
Dash of Mace
Sprinkle of Sumac
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
In a food processor add Flour and Eggs. Pulse together, add Wine, and pulse until a smooth ball forms. Add more Flour if too sticky. Take out of the food processor and form into a disc, wrap and put in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Clean the greens and roughly chop. Sauté the onion in a pan with a small amount of Oil, until translucent and soft. Add the greens and a touch of salt. Cook until wilted. Put the greens in a bowl and set aside to cool. Once cool enough (can still be warm) mix in the all of the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Roll out your dough in a thin sheet (Setting number 3 on a pasta machine if using). Cut into squares, and add a spoonful of the filling mixture to the centre. Using a brush or your finger, brush a small amount of water around the edges. Fold one corner to the other and make a triangle. Seal the sides well, making sure no air is inside. Place finished pansotti on a lightly floured tray. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pansotti for 5-8 minutes. If unsure if done, have a nibble on one the sides!
Salsa Di Noci
200g Walnuts (toasted)
1 thick slice of Country Bread
1 C Milk
1 Garlic Clove
70g Parmesan
1/2 preserved Lemon rind (or 1/2 Lemon juiced, add more Lemon to taste. I prefer a whole lemon.)
1 TBSP (packed) Brown Sugar
1 C Olive Oil
Salt (to taste)
Soak the Bread in Milk until soft, then add to a blender with 100g of the walnuts and all of the remaining ingredients. Blend together till fairly smooth. Pour into a bowl. Roughly chop the remaining walnuts and add.
Heat the sauce above in a large pan, adding a few spoonfuls of pasta water while simmering.
Drain the pasta, and add 4 tbsp of olive oil to the pot. Heat up then add the pansotti in batches, crisping only one side. Place in a serving bowl and spoon walnut sauce over top. Serve!
Paprika & Port Braised Rabbit
Mix 5 TBSP Mustard Seeds and 3TBSP Dijon and brush over meat. Leave overnight.
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 Onions (diced)
1 Fennel Bulb (diced)
1 TSP each of Marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, and Coriander Seeds
2 TBSP Paprika
1/2 C Port
2-3 C Beef Broth
Preheat oven to 325F.
Sear on rabbit on medium heat until golden brown each side. Put on a plate and set aside. Deglaze with a splash of port poured over the rabbit.
Heat Olive Oil and add Onions, and Fennel. Add 1 TSP of each: Marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, and Coriander seeds. Add 2 TBSP Paprika and cook til vegetables are very soft. Deglaze with 1/2 C Port, then add Beef Broth and bring to a boil. Cover and place in oven for 50 minutes, then baste the rabbit and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until glazed.
