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November 16

 

Saint of the day:
Saint Margaret of Scotland

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The Pearl of Scotland
Patron Saint of Scotland

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Saint Margaret of Scotland’s Story

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Margaret of Scotland was a truly liberated woman in the sense that she was free to be herself. For her, that meant freedom to love God and serve others.

Not Scottish by birth, Margaret was the daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and the Anglo-Saxon Prince Edward Atheling. She spent much of her youth in the court of her great-uncle, the English king, Edward the Confessor. Her family fled from William the Conqueror and was shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm befriended them and was captivated by the beautiful, gracious Margaret. They were married at the castle of Dunfermline in 1070.

Malcolm was good-hearted, but rough and uncultured, as was his country. Because of Malcolm’s love for Margaret, she was able to soften his temper, polish his manners, and help him become a virtuous king. He left all domestic affairs to her, and often consulted her in state matters.

Margaret tried to improve her adopted country by promoting the arts and education. For religious reform she encouraged synods and was present for the discussions which tried to correct religious abuses common among priests and laypeople, such as simony, usury, and incestuous marriages. With her husband, she founded several churches.

Margaret was not only a queen, but a mother. She and Malcolm had six sons and two daughters. Margaret personally supervised their religious instruction and other studies.

Although she was very much caught up in the affairs of the household and country, she remained detached from the world. Her private life was austere. She had certain times for prayer and reading Scripture. She ate sparingly and slept little in order to have time for devotions. She and Malcolm kept two Lents, one before Easter and one before Christmas. During these times she always rose at midnight for Mass. On the way home she would wash the feet of six poor persons and give them alms. She was always surrounded by beggars in public and never refused them. It is recorded that she never sat down to eat without first feeding nine orphans and 24 adults.

In 1093, King William Rufus made a surprise attack on Alnwick castle. King Malcolm and his oldest son, Edward, were killed. Margaret, already on her deathbed, died four days after her husband.

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http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=304

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-margaret-of-scotland/

 

Prayer:
 

EHC.stmscotland_1024x1024.jpg

 

Visit:
 

The Shrine of St. Margaret at Dunfermline Abbey, Fife, Scotland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Margaret_of_Scotland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunfermline_Abbey

 

 

 

Recipes:
 

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Salmon and Rainbow Salad Party Board
Make it pretty, pick out a rainbow of color for this amazing recipe. The ski is the limit, use your imagination and make this a piece of art, enjoy and have fun!

 

Ingredients

For the Caper Oil & Garlic Roasted Salmon

  • 1 ½ -2 pounds Wild King Salmon skin on, patted dry

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • ¼ cup capers drained

  • 1 bulb garlic cut in half horizontally around the middle

  • salt

  • pepper

 

For the Salad

  • 2 avocados thinly sliced, cut into wedges and/or leave a half

  • 1 head cauliflower any color (purple, green or white), cut into bite size florets

  • 1 pound blue potatoes thinly sliced

  • 1 pound shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced

  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes (red, yellow, or orange) cut in half

  • 1/2 red onion thinly sliced lengthwise

  • ½ pound watermelon radishes thinly sliced on a mandolin

  • 3/4 cup blue or feta cheese my go to is sheep’s milk feta

  • 1 orange or blood orange thinly sliced

  • 1-2 lemons and/or limes cut into wedges

  • fruit of choice: strawberries, grapes, blueberries....

  • 1 bunch chives chopped

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 4-6 cups mix greens arugula, frisée, little gems…

  • handful fresh herbs, such as dill and/or parsley

 

For the Tarragon Vinaigrette

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 shallot roughly chopped

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 cup tarragon leaves chopped

  • 1/2 cup olive oil 

 

 

Directions

For the Caper Oil & Garlic Roasted Salmon

1.Preheat oven to 300°F. 

2.Heat 2 tablespoons of olive in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until capers burst and are crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer capers with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Let oil cool; set aside.

3.Rub salmon all over with reserved caper oil and place skin side down on a baking sheet; season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange garlic bulb halves around salmon and drizzle with 1 tablespoon more of oil. Bake for about 15-25min, until the salmon is barely cooked through and just opaque on the inside. Exact timing will vary depending on thickness of cut, check every 10 minutes until it’s done. Normal pieces usually take around 20 min. 

For the Salad

1.For the shiitakes mushrooms: heat a skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Swirl ¼ cup of olive oil. Add mushrooms and spread in a single layer. Flip/stir every 3-5 minutes for about 15-20 minutes, until they’re nicely charred and browned all over. Don’t over-stir to allow the mushrooms to be well seared. 

2.For the potatoes: Put potatoes in a Dutch oven, cover with water, season generously with salt and heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook until potatoes can be pierced with a fork with no resistance, about 10 minutes or less. Let cool and drain. I sometimes only par-boil my potatoes and finish them in a 450°F oven with olive oil. This is optional. 

3.For Cauliflower: Pan Sear or Bake. To Pan Sear: heat a skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Swirl ¼ cup of olive oil. Add cauliflower and let cook, undisturbed, until deep golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip cauliflower and cook, stirring cauliflower as necessary, until its nicely browned all over, about 5-6 minutes more. Remove from pan and set aside. To Bake: toss with ¼ cup of olive oil and roast in an oven at 450°F until tender and browned, about 35min. Set aside. 

 

For the Tarragon Vinaigrette

1.For the tarragon vinaigrette: Using an immersion blender or standing blender, blend cider vinegar, honey, shallot, Dijon mustard, tarragon, and a large pinch of salt until well combined and tarragon and shallot are finely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in remaining 1 cup olive oil. Season with salt, if needed.


To Arrange the Salad

  1. Place salmon on the center of the board and surround with all your toppings. Sprinkle the fried capers and fresh herbs on top. Serve alongside the bowl of greens and vinaigrette. Enjoy!

170628022717_smokedsalmonnopackagingretailandfoodservice.jpeg
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Mince Round

Delicious beef mince with onions round puff pastry type pie from Scotland

https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/scottish-meat-pie/175301
http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_scotchpie.htm

 

Ingredients for the Meat Filling: 

  • 1 pound (500g or two cups) lean lamb, minced (ground) 

  • Pinch of mace or nutmeg 

  • Salt and pepper 

  • Quarter pint (150ml) gravy

  • Ingredients for the Hot Water Pastry: 

  • 1 pound (500g or four cups) plain flour 

  • 6 ounces (175g or ¾ cup) lard 

  • 6 fluid ounces (225ml or ¾ cup) approximately of water 

  • Pinch of salt 

  • Milk for glazing

  • You will also need glasses or jars, approximately 3-3½ inches (7.5-8.5cm) in diameter to shape the pie.


Directions: 

  1. Create the filling by mixing the minced (ground) lamb, spice and seasoning. 

  2. Make the pastry by sifting the flour and salt into a warm bowl.

  3. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Melt the lard in a scant measure of water and, when it is bubbling, add to the flour and mix thoroughly.

  4. Take a small amount (remember the mixture should make 8/10 pies, with their tops) and form into a ball and keep the rest warm while making each pastry case. This is done by rolling a suitable amount for each pie and shaping the crust round the base of a glass or jar approximately 3-3½ inches (7.5-8.5cm) in diameter. Make sure there are no cracks in the pastry - you can trim round the top of the case to make it even. As the pastry cools and gets cool, remove the glass and continue until you have about a quarter of the pastry left to make the lids. 

  5. Fill the cases with the meat and add the gravy to make the meat moist. 

  6. Roll the remaining pastry and use the glass to cut the lids. Wet the edges of the lids, place over the meat and press down lightly over the filling. Pinch the edges and trim. Cut a small hole or vent in the centre of the lid (to allow the steam to escape). 

  7. Glaze with milk and bake for about 45 minutes at 275F/140C/Gas mark 1. If the pies are not eaten immediately, they can be stored in the 'fridge but always ensure they are properly reheated before being eaten.

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Traditional Forfar Bridie


Ingredients

  • 1 pastry for double-crust pie or 2 ready-made pie crusts

  • 1 1⁄2lbs ground beef or 1 1⁄2 lbs ground lamb

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 1 cup oats (not quick cooking)

  • 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt

  • 1⁄2 cup beef broth or 1beef bouillon cube

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

  • 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1 teaspoonWorcestershire sauce

  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder

  • 1⁄8-1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

  • 4 TBSP butter
     

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and put a kettle of water on to boil.

  2. Place one pie crust in a deep-style pie pan. Prick crust with a fork several times and bake for 5-10 minutes.

  3. In a large skillet with deep sides, sauté ground beef/lamb with onions. Season well with Lawry's, salt and pepper.

  4. Mix well to combine.

  5. When beef loses its pink color, stir in oats and beef broth or bullion cube. Then cover mixture entirely with boiling water. Simmer mixture for 10-15 minutes until water is mostly gone. Then stir in Worcestershire Sauce, dry mustard and spices.

  6. Spoon the mixture into the partially baked pie crust and dot the top of the filling with diced butter. Place top crust on filling, crimp sides, vent crust, and bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Make sure crust is slightly browned.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scotch_pies_92297

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