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February 24
 

Saint of the day:
Saint Adela

Saint Adela's Story

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Adela comes from an Old German name that means “Of Noble Rank.”

               

 When a person has money, he or she can use it for good or for ill. Adele used her money and power to do much good.

 

St. Adela was born sometime around the year 1067 and was the youngest daughter of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy and King of England, and his wife Mathilde of Flanders. Adela was very well educated, spoke several languages, and was deeply religious. Around the year 1080, she married Stephen III, Count of Blois, who was one of the richest men in Europe. Together they had 11 children although some of them may have been Stephen’s children from a previous marriage because he was 20 years older than Adela.

 

Adela supported scholars and poets at her court, and this significantly contributed to the spiritual and cultural life of her time. She continue this support all of her life. She also generously endowed abbeys and churches with money so they could expand and preserve the culture and arts of the time. Adela also corresponded on ecclesiastical matters with the Bishop of Le Mans.

 

In 1095, Stephen became one of the leaders of the First Crusade, whose purpose was to reclaim the Holy Land for the Christians. During the four years that he was away in the Holy Land where Jesus had lived, Adela controlled hundreds of his estates in France and was so effective in her governance that she became known as “the heroine of the First Crusade.” Stephen returned home for a time, during which Adela conceived their youngest son, but then went back to the Holy Land where he was killed in battle in 1102. Adela then became regent for their eldest son Thibaud who ruled his father’s estates. In 1109 Thibaud was old enough to rule on his own, but Adela continued to exert influence over the estates by her good advice.

 

In 1122, when her children were grown, Adela became a nun in a convent that followed the rule of life given by St. Benedict. While in the convent, she was overjoyed that her youngest son Henry was made a bishop in 1129. Adela lived in the convent in prayer and humility until her death in 1137.

 

Adela is an excellent example of how people with money and power can use these to advance the Kingdom of God. We may not have as much money and power as she did, but what we have we can use to help others learn about and follow Jesus.

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https://www.patronsaintstories.com/adela

https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/who-was-adela-of-normandy-69264/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adela

https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2015/11/20/adela-of-normandy-daughter-of-the-conqueror/

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Prayer:

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Visit: 
 

Abbey of Sainte-Trinité, Caen, France
*Tradition has her buried with her mother at Holy Trinity in Caen, contemporary sources say she was buried at Marcigny.

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Recipe:
 

Joue de Bœuf simmered with mushrooms & carrots

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The beef cheek although it is a muscle of the jaw is part of the tripe products. Even if it is not one of the most noble pieces of the animal, it is very popular because it is very tender. Indeed, its meat after cooking is low in fat and very soft.

It is not always found on the shelves. So if you want to cook it. It is best to order it from your butcher. And ask him at the same time to cut it into cubes as for a bourguignon. 

This meat requires long simmering. Usually I start cooking the stews the day before for 1/3. Thus, the flesh has time to take on the aromas of the ingredients that surround it and it is much more fragrant. This dish requires cooking for 2:30 to 3 hours so that the meat is perfectly soft.

If you find the sauce too runny for your liking add in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cool water in a small bowl. Gradually add hot sauce. 

This dish can be reheated and it will deepen it's flavor even better.

This dish can be frozen, it will keep for 3 months.

To cook it, use a good red wine like a red Burgundy, a Bordeaux like a red Côte Blaye or a Cahors.

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Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg of beef cheek

  • 500 g small button mushrooms

  • 250 ml or 1 cup of red wine

  • 2 slices of smoked bacon, maximum 1 cm thick each, i.e. about 150 g

  • 1 yellow onion of approximately 150 g

  • 1 bunch baby carrots, trimmed and peeled

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tbsp. tablespoons or tablespoons of flour

  • 1.5 tbsp. tablespoon or tablespoon olive or rapeseed (canola) oil

  • 1 tbsp. tablespoon or tablespoon of dried thyme

  • 1/2 tsp. tablespoon or tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 tsp. tablespoon or tablespoon of honey

  • 1/2 tsp. coffee or teaspoon fine salt

  • pepper to taste

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Instructions

  1. In a cast iron casserole dish, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, sauté the pieces of meat. Make them lightly brown on all sides.

  2. While the meat is cooking, peel the onion and cut it into small cubes. Using kitchen scissors, remove the rind from the smoked brisket then cut it into small diced pieces.

  3. Remove the meat and put it on hold in a container with a lid. Sauté the onion, carrots and bacon until the onion is transparent.

  4. Sprinkle with the flour and mix.

  5. Add the wine, Mix. Add the bay leaf, thyme, honey, salt and pepper and the meat left on standby. Mix.

  6. Cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours.

  7. Before the end of the 2 hours of cooking, cut the mushrooms into 2 or 4 if you do not have miniatures. Then add them to the casserole dish and mix. Cover again and continue cooking for 30 minutes or more. Check the cooking and seasoning.

  8. Serve over tagliatelle or over mash cauliflower or mashed potatoes

Teurgoule

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Teurgoule is a classic French rice pudding from Normandy that's even been proclaimed ''the mother of all rice puddings'' by some people. It's made with full-fat milk (possibly Normandy milk), rice, sugar, salt, and cinnamon (and sometimes nutmeg as well).

 

The ingredients are slowly cooked in the oven at a low temperature in an earthenware bowl, and the rice pudding is done when the top develops a crust and the excess liquid has evaporated. In the past, teurgoule was cooked in a wood-fired bread oven, in the leftover embers that remained at the end of the day's baking.


Traditionally, this creamy rice pudding is

served with fallue brioche and a glass of local cider.

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Ingredients: 

  • ¾ cup round or arborio-style rice

  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

  • Pinch of salt

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

  • 8 cups of whole milk
     

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.

  2. Wash the rice, then blanch it in a small saucepan for four minutes in rapidly boiling water, using enough to cover the rice.

  3. Remove the rice from the heat and strain.

  4. Place the rice in a four-quart, oven safe mixing bowl, along with the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the milk.

  5. Bake the teurgoule for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F/150°C and bake for five hours.The pudding will develop abrownish crust (from the sugar and cinnamon) and seem slightly runny, but the milk and rice will harden as it cools.

  6. Serve at room temperature.

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