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March 11

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Saint of the day:

Saint Constantine

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Saint Constantine’s Story
 

Constantine was king of Cornwall. Unreliable tradition has him married to the daughter of the king of Brittany who on her death ceded his throne to his son and became a monk at St. Mochuda monastery at Rahan, Ireland. He performed menial tasks at the monastery, then studied for the priesthood and was ordained. He went as a missionary to Scotland under St. Columba and then St. Kentigern, preached in Galloway, and became Abbot of a monastery at Govan. In old age, on his way to Kintyre, he was attacked by pirates who cut off his right arm, and he bled to death. He is regarded as Scotland's first martyr. 

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https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=612

https://occatholic.com/constantine-of-cornwall-and-govan/

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Prayer:

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Visit

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Glasgow, Scotland

the sarcophagus holds the relics of St. Constantine at Govan Old Church, Glasgow

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Recipe:

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Glasgow Whim-Whams

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Whim-whams are similar to miniature trifles, combining custard, berries, cream, brandy, and crisp almond biscuits.

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces mixed berries, such as blackberries, raspberries,
    loganberries, and strawberries, stemmed, plus more for garnish

  • 6 tablespoons sugar

  • 6 tablespoons brandy

  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) Muscat or sweet white wine

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 12 to 16 amaretti cookies

  • Soft Custard

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Directions:

  1. Combine 6 ounces berries, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon brandy in a medium bowl. Stir gently to combine and dissolve sugar. Set aside for about 1 hour at room temperature to release juices.

  2. Place wine and 1 tablespoon brandy in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until dissolved. Turn mixer to low; slowly add the cream. Increase speed; whisk until cream is thick enough to hold its shape. Set bowl in refrigerator while preparing the glasses.

  3. Divide the cookies among 4 eight-ounce glasses, and spoon 1 tablespoon brandy into each glass. Cover with some of the fruit and a layer of soft custard. Repeat with another layer of fruit and custard, reserving any remaining berry juice. Top with the cream. Serve immediately, or set aside in refrigerator for 1 hour. Just before serving, garnish with more berries and juice of reserved berries.

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Soft Custard

Ingredients

  • 1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1 cup milk

  • 8 large egg yolks

  • 1/3 cup sugar


Directions:

  1. Heat split vanilla bean, cream, and milk in the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water, until almost boiling.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Scrape vanilla seeds into milk, and discard pod. Pour a little of the hot milk into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the remaining hot milk into eggs, still whisking constantly. Transfer the egg mixture back to the double boiler, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Be sure not to let the mixture boil, because it will curdle.

  3. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl set in a bowl of ice water. Stir the mixture as it cools to stop the cooking. When cool, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Will keep 2 days in refrigerator.

Scottish Potato Pie

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Ingredients

  • 2 lb red potatoes

  • 1 Tbsp butter, melted

  • 1/2 lb bacon

  • 4 oz grated gruyere cheese

  • to taste salt and pepper

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Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  2. Butter a 9 inch pie dish.

  3. Arrange the bacon slices on the bottom and sides of the dish. Make sure some of the slices overhang the edges of the dish slightly.

  4. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes.

  5. Rinse the potato slices and dry completely.

  6. Place 1/3 of the potato slices over the bacon in the dish.

  7. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese ove the potatoes.

  8. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

  9. Repeat these layers twice more.

  10. Fold the overhanging bacon on the top

  11. Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until done. You can check by piercing the potatoes with a fork to see if they are tender.

  12. Let stand 2 minutes before slicing.

Smoked Bacon Wrapped French Vidalia Onion

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Ingredients

  • 4 Vidalia onions (small-medium)

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Montreal seasoning

  • 4 slice thick bacon

  • 4 oz Gruyere, slice & torn; more if you like

  • 2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

 

BASTING SAUCE

  • 3/4 c beef broth

  • 1/4 c dry vermouth

  • 1/4 tsp lemon thyme

  • 1/2 Tbsp Montreal seasoning

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Directions:

  1. Peel and cut about 1/2” of the onion tops.
    Trim off a small amount of the bottom of onions so they stand upright.

  2. With a spoon, scoop out a few of the inner layers of the onion leaving the majority of the outer layers.

  3. Brush onions with olive oil.​

  4. Liberally sprinkle seasoning over each onion.

  5. Wrap bacon slices around each onion; secure with a toothpick.​

  6. Prep smoker to 250 degrees F.

  7. Combine basting sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl.

  8. Put 2 tablespoons of sauce in the center of each onion.

  9. Smoke for 2 hours.​

  10. Baste every 30 minutes.

  11. The last 5-10 minutes, place cheese inside and around onions allowing melting.​

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Creamy Cock a Leekie Soup with Bacon and Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 medium chicken - jointed into pieces*

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 onions - peeled and chopped

  • 4 carrots - peeled and roughly chopped

  • 3 leeks - washed and cut into thick slices

  • ¼ tsp celery salt

  • 2 chicken stock cubes - (use bouillon for gluten free)

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 100 g long grain rice

  • 4 rashers bacon

  • 2 tbsp double (heavy) cream

  • 10 prunes - sliced in half

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Directions:

  1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil on a medium-high heat in a large, high-sided pan (big enough for the whole chicken), season the chicken pieces with a good pinch of salt and pepper and brown all over in the pan. You may have to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of your pan. It should take around 10 minutes.

  2. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a bowl.

  3. Add the onions, carrots and leeks to the pan, along with the remaining salt and pepper and the celery salt. Fry for 5 mins on a medium-high heat - until the onions start to soften. Remove half of the vegetables from the pan and put to one side.

  4. Add in the chicken back into the pan. Sprinkle on the two stock cubes and cover with cold water. Add the bay leaves and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, place a lid on the pan and simmer for 1 hour.

  5. After an hour, remove the lid, and carefully remove the chicken pieces. Place on a chopping board to cool a little.

  6. Strain the stock using a sieve, and pour the strained stock back into the pan. Add in the rice and the reserved vegetables. Bring back to boil and simmer for 15 mins.

  7. Meanwhile shred the chicken, discarding the bones. Add all but a handful of the chicken back into the pan with the vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes.

  8. Heat up the remaining oil on a high heat in a small frying pan/skillet. Add the bacon, then fry until crisp. Remove from the pan and chop into pieces. Add the reserved shredded chicken to the frying pan and fry on a high heat for a few minutes in the bacon fat. This makes a lovely, flavourful topping!

  9. Stir the cream into the soup, then top with the crispy bacon, the fried chicken pieces and the prunes. Add a sprig of thyme and serve.

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