PICNIC RECIPES FOR ASCENSION DAY; THURSDAY 13th MAY

 PICNIC RECIPES FOR ASCENSION DAY

THURSDAY 13th MAY

As observed in previous posts, the central feasting of Ascension Day revolves around the idea of a procession, a picnic and a hill, to represent Christ’s leaving the town towards Bethany and His Ascension from Mount Olivet.
It therefore follows that many cultures celebrate with picnics, with first fruits, (such as grapes) and birds, (such as chicken), representing flight – even though chickens can’t really fly.
For those unable to partake of a picnic, but who would nevertheless like to celebrate communally together with family, Joanna Bogle has a terrific suggestion:
“Why not hold your own procession and bless your own garden during Rogationtide? In a family where every child has his own tiny plot, it is fun to walk from the house and visit each plot in turn, sprinkle it with holy water and say a little prayer…The Rogation procession should end with a picnic tea eaten out of doors among the newly-blessed flower-beds and lawns. A special Ascension Cake – perhaps a light fluffy sponge or a meringue case filled with fruit and cream – would be fun.
If you haven’t a garden, you can still bless the flower tubs and window boxes. You can bless an allotment.” (1)
Please note, (not that there is any superstition encouraged herein), but it is bad luck to work on Ascension Day.



LARDO-BARDED LEMON CHICKEN
[Serves 4-6] recipe from Gourmet Traveller (2)
1 whole chicken (about 1.8kg)
2 lemons, quartered
8 thyme sprigs
20 thin slices lardo
Green salad, to serve.
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Pat chicken cavity and dry with absorbent paper. Season to taste and fill cavity with lemon and thyme.
2. Place chicken in a roasting pan, season skin to taste and lay lardo slices over breast and legs, overlapping slightly. Roast until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear when pierced with a skewer.
Serve with green salad.
[Lardo is salted and cured pork back fat, available from delicatessens - can be substituted by prosciutto or pancetta if lardo is unavailable].
CHICKEN TERRINE
Recipe from Stephane Reynaud, “Terrine” (3)
[Makes 1 kg/2 ¼ lb]
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
3 tblspns olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
600g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
5 eggs
300 ml double cream
pinch of grated nutmeg
6 fresh chives, chopped
salt and pepper
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Put the chicken and eggs into a food processor or blender and process until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add the cream and nutmeg and process again.
3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the shallots, garlic and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a terrine and cover. Put the terrine into a roasting tin, add boiling water to come up to half way up the sides and bake for 1 hour. Serve warm or cold.
ALTERNATIVELY:



CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT
(Also from Stephane Reynaud, but set out in Gourmet Traveller) (4)
500g (I lb) chicken livers
5 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped
200g (7 oz) unsalted butter
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
5 juniper berries
pinch of ground cinnamon
100ml (2/5 cup) port, (or cognac - my suggestion)
1 tbsp walnut oil
salt
“Heat the walnut oil in a pan on a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until golden. Add the chicken livers, bacon and juniper berries and sear the livers until coloured on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Deglaze the pan with the port, making sure you scrape the tasty bits stuck to the pan and cook down until thick and syrupy. Pour into a food processor or blender and add the liver mixture, 150g of the butter, cinnamon and salt. Blitz until smooth.
Spoon the parfait into 4 terrine dishes, pressing down to fill the dishes well. Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
To finish, melt the remaining butter then pour on the terrines to cover. Return to the fridge to harden the butter layer. This step is not essential and is really more for presentation …..
Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow the parfait to come to room temperature.”
(1) Joanna Bogle, “A Book of Feasts and Seasons”. Fowler Wright Books, Barnard Publications, Herefordshire, 1986, at p. 61.
(2) Gourmet Traveller, 2011.
(3) Phaidon, at p. 72.
(4) Gourmet Traveller; Chicken Liver Parfait.

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