Unconventional Beltane Recipes, I

Since Beltane is a celebration of the union of the Lady and the Lord, I like the idea of putting together something of a wedding feast. If the weather is nice, take it outside. Decorate the table with pink and green candles and lots of fresh flowers. Use a pretty cloth and place small boxes under it to give height to the flowers, candles and food. If you are attending a ritual that involves a potluck afterwards, one of these recipes will be sure to please.
Since I am a lover of Indian music, dress, food, etc., I like to put an Indian twist on some of my post-ritual feastie offerings. As dairy and eggs are appropriate Beltane foods, as well as anything spicy, I present to you a recipe that is a bit strange, but it works. There is a story behind it.

A few years ago some friends and I visited our friend Turtle for New Year’s Eve. We had aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower curry) for dinner. The next morning, Turtle began preparing buckwheat pancakes. Maz and I love them, but our friend Lala is allergic, and so the leftover aloo gobi became an omelet just for her. That’s the inspiration behind the Aloo Gobi Quiche.

First you must prepare the aloo gobi.

You will need:
1 cauliflower or bag of frozen florets (easiest option)
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion diced
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder or 2 fresh chilis, minced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by heating the oil and frying the onions 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili and spices. Stir and fry 3-4 more minutes. Add the potatoes and cauliflower florets (wait a while if using frozen cauliflower, or lightly steam the potatoes first) and some water. Reduce the heat, cover and allow this to cook until the veggies are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take off the lid and let any extra moisture evaporate.

Now, on to the quiche part. You may certainly use prepared pie crust, but make sure you blind bake it at 375 for about 10 minutes. Poke holes into the crust with a fork, lay on a sheet of buttered parchment, and top with some beans to weigh things down so the crust doesn’t get puffy.

Take the crust out of the oven, remove the pie weight, and add the aloo gobi filling. In another bowl or blender, mix 4 eggs with about ¼ cup cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture over the filling and bake until set, 20-30 minutes. Check it after 20.

If you’re not a fan of Indian food, I would recommend a spinach quiche instead. Serve it with a nice salad of cucumber, tomato and onion, some asparagus with a mustard-dill vinaigrette, and round out the meal with the beautiful coconut cake.

For the asparagus, steam until just tender and then plunge the spears into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Toss the chilled, drained asparagus with the following:

1 1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper and salt to taste
1 teaspoon fresh snipped dill

Combine everything but the oil in a bowl and slowly whisk in the oil. Toss with the asparagus and chill before serving. You can also add some small tomatoes to this salad, and even some feta cheese if you are so inclined.