Imbolc Feast!

The pagan holiday of Imbolc was last Thursday (also Groundhog Day), but I was busy, so I waited until Friday to celebrate. I knew I wanted to make a big Spanish feast using recipes from the Llewelyn's Sabbats Almanac, and I knew that would take some time. So I got started in the kitchen on Friday afternoon.

Traditionally, people eat dairy-based foods for Imbolc because the season is associated with milking sheep or goats. So I normally have some kind of vegan plant milk/cheeze-based meal. But in the Sabbats Almanac this year, they included Spanish recipes for Imbolc because they are spicy and warming for a cold time of year. And I will never say no to tapas. 

The book is not vegan, so when I cook from it, I have to adapt the recipes. And this time, that meant adapting a Spanish Lamb Casserole. I used seitan in place of lamb for this hearty stew with red bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, red wine, and lots of smoked paprika. This was absolutely one of the best things I've eaten in a while!

On the side, the almanac suggests Spanish Roasted Potatoes, which were cooked with smoked paprika and lots of olive oil. And they included a recipe for Roasted Chickpeas with Mint. Both of those recipes were already vegan (yay!), so I made both as sides. 

Not pictured is the Hot Sangria I also made from the book. But it was a perfect complement to my tapas spread. It called for red wine, sugar, triple sec, and fresh citrus.