#FolkloreThursday - Balor, King of the Formorians #Irish

The Formorians by John Duncan (1912)

In Celtic mythology, Balor was king of the Fomorians, a race of supernatural beings or giants said to inhabit ancient Ireland. Formorians were often portrayed as hostile and monstrous beings who come from the sea or underground.

In some tales, Balor was born with a single eye in the middle of his forehead, with another at the back of his head to detect enemies. Other tales say that when Balor was a boy, he looked into a potion being brewed by his father’s Druids, and the fumes caused him to grow a huge, poisonous eye. The eye had to be opened by attendants, and it killed anything on which it gazed, thus the phrase "evil eye."

Balor had a vision that his own grandson would kill him. In order to stave off death, he locked his own daughter in a tower of crystal to keep her from producing a grandson. But his fate was not to be derailed. A Druid priestess helped a suitor sneak in and Balor's daughter became pregnant. Her son, Lugh Lamhfada, grew up to fight in the Battle of Magh Tuiredg. He killed Balor with a spear, and then used Balor's own evil eye to kill the rest of the Formorian army. According to myths, the eye was cast aside and burned a crater into the ground. The crater later filled with water and became known as Loch na Súil, or "Lake of the Eye", in County Sligo.

He decided to stave off his death by locking his own daughter, Ethlinn, in a tower composed of shining crystal. - See more at: http://www.irishcelticjewels.com/celtic-wedding/2012/11/irish-mythology-balor-of-the-evil-eye/#sthash.2IJ8EXwl.dpuf

Born with an eye in the middle of his forehead and another on the back of his head, he had the power to detect any foes before they could attack him.

However, Balor had a vision that he was to be murdered by his own grandson, and he became very paranoid.
- See more at: http://www.irishcelticjewels.com/celtic-wedding/2012/11/irish-mythology-balor-of-the-evil-eye/#sthash.2IJ8EXwl.dpuf

Born with an eye in the middle of his forehead and another on the back of his head, he had the power to detect any foes before they could attack him.

However, Balor had a vision that he was to be murdered by his own grandson, and he became very paranoid.
- See more at: http://www.irishcelticjewels.com/celtic-wedding/2012/11/irish-mythology-balor-of-the-evil-eye/#sthash.2IJ8EXwl.dpuf

Born with an eye in the middle of his forehead and another on the back of his head, he had the power to detect any foes before they could attack him.

However, Balor had a vision that he was to be murdered by his own grandson, and he became very paranoid.
- See more at: http://www.irishcelticjewels.com/celtic-wedding/2012/11/irish-mythology-balor-of-the-evil-eye/#sthash.2IJ8EXwl.dpufHe locked his daughter Ethlinn in a crystal tower, to prevent her from getting pregnant. With the help of the druidess Birog, Cian of the Tuatha Dé Danann, managed to enter the tower and slept with Ethlinn. She gave birth to a son, but when Balor learned of his existence he threw him in the ocean. Birog saved the boy and gave him to the sea god Manannan mac Lir, where he was raised. The boy, named Lugh Lamhfada (Lugh of the Long Arm), became a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and led them in the second battle at Mag Tuireadh. rip out Balor's eye with a sling and Balor fell dead to the ground.  deadly eye burned a hole into the earth. Long after, the hole filled with water and became a lake in County Sligo known as Loch na Súil, or "Lake of the Eye."

#MeatlessMonday-Irish Colcannon #vegetarian

Photo courtesy of arsheffield via Flicke

Colcannon is made from mashed potatoes and cabbage with cream, butter, salt and pepper. There are many regional variations of this dish.

Traditionally, it was eaten on Halloween. Families would leave a plate of colcannon out with a lump of butter in the center for the fairies and ghosts. Charms were also hidden in the colcannon to foretell the future. A button/thimble meant you would remain a bachelor/spinster for the coming year. A ring meant you would get married and a coin meant you would come into wealth.

The recipe can be altered according to your tastes. My grandma used to make the traditional version. Have fun with it though--kale (stems/centre stems removed) can be substituted in the place of cabbage, onions in the place of scallions, etc.  Enjoy!

Colcannon

7-8 large potatoes
1 green cabbage
1/4 cup butter
1 cup cream or milk
4-5 scallions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1) Peel (or not, I like the peel), slice and boil potatoes until soft. Drain. Set aside to dry out a bit.

2) Core and slice cabbage thinly. Slice scallions. Cover cabbage and scallions with water and bring to boil until wilted (3-5 minutes). Drain well and squeeze out excess moisture. 

3) Return cabbage/scallions to saucepan. Add half the butter and cover. Set aside.

4) Mash potatoes with cream and butter. 

5) Mix cabbage mixture with potatoes thoroughly.
6) Bake in glass baking dish at 400F/200C for 20 minutes. Serve warm

#MeatlessMonday-A Not-So-Traditional St. Patrick's Day #vegetarian

I'm not one for tradition. I find myself questioning, "Why, why, why?" and end up feeling a trifle cynical about the whole thing. Over the course of my 40-something years, I've seen holidays change in ways that make me wonder. But it's hard not to get caught up in the fanfare when you have kids, I don't want to be a complete kill joy. So yes, I'll probably wear green today and may even try and catch a leprechaun if I'm feeling naughty (look for my post on leprechauns tomorrow).

Here's hoping you have a good St. Patrick's Day/Saint Paddy's if you celebrate it!

Not-So-Traditional Vegetarian Irish Stew
(Crock Pot Recipe)

Ingredients:

1T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (you can substitute 1 leek if you'd rather)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1T nutritional yeast flakes
¾ cup apple juice
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
3 potatoes, cut into chunks
2 carrots, sliced
2 parsnips, sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp sage 

salt and pepper to taste

*If you have seitan, add 1 cup sliced seitan

Seitan recipe

Directions:
In large pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until softened. Remove to crock pot.
Mix vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Add to crock pot.
Add remaining ingredients except seitan.
Stir well; cover. Cook on low 6 hours.
*Add seitan and heat through before serving.

***

While that's cooking, why not make some Irish soda bread to go with it?

Irish soda bread was a daily bread that didn't keep long and had to be baked every few days. Traditional soda bread contained only flour, baking soda, sour milk (buttermilk) and salt. It was not a festive cake nor did it contain whisky, candied fruit, caraway seeds, raisins or any other ingredient.

In Ireland, the flour is typically made from soft wheat; so soda bread is best made with a cake or pastry flour (made from soft wheat), which has lower levels of gluten than a bread flour.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread

4 cups of all purpose flour (cake flour is best)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 oz buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly grease and flour a cake pan.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead

Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough. 

Cover the pan with another cake pan and bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes