Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Bartholomew, one of the twelve. With all the popularity that The Chosen has generated, I wanted to take a moment to get to know him better.

It has long been assumed that Bartholomew is the same person as Nathanael, though it is not certain. Nathaniel Bar-Tholami may be known just by his first name, or by the common rendering of his surname, which literally means son of Tolomai. If the latter is the case, it’s very possible that Nathaniel and Bartholomew are the same person.

We know that he is one of the twelve, one of the Chosen. Little exists about him in scripture, but we do know what became of him after the death of Jesus. Bartholomew is believed to have carried the Gospel to several countries, including India, Mesopotamai, Persia, Egypt and Armenia. His converting people to Christ in Armenia resulting in his martyrdom. It is said he was flayed, or skinned alive. For this reason that many of the images of Saint Bartholomew depict him holding a book (the Gospel) in one hand, a knife in the other.

Philip introduced Bartholomew to Our Lord. When told that the Messiah had arrived, and he was in fact Jesus of Nazareth, Bartholomew’s response was “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” To which Jesus replied, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” In other words, a man worthy of the name who is not afraid to speak his mind. We know that Bartholomew was one of the Apostles present beside the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection and saw the risen Lord.

After he was killed, the remains of Saint Bartholomew were later transferred to two churches in Italy: Benevento and the Church of St. Bartholomew-in-the-Tiber in Rome. Because of the manner in which he died, Saint Bartholomew has become the patron saint of butchers, tanners and leather workers. His death and afterlife is also depicted in various forms of art that is both disturbing and gruesome. In Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment, Saint Bartholomew is shown displaying his flayed skin. Marco d’Agrate’s statue of Saint Bartholomew he is draped in his own skin, with his muscles, tendons and veins clearly visible. These forms of vivid art were most popular during the 16th century.

There is very little else known about Bartholomew. We know that he was one of the Chosen, that he spread the Gospel, was martyred and is now with the Lord in heaven. Although we know little about him, he is no less important. The apostles are foundation stones, and they carried the good news to the world through firsthand knowledge, having sat at the Teacher’s feet. We know that Bartholomew is linked to miracles, both as one of the twelve and after his death. Often what is forgotten is that the Apostles themselves did not perform miracles. Just as saints cannot heal or do miraculous things. It is God, acting through them. As Saints, they can and do bend the ear of Christ, asking on our behalf. This is why Catholics pray to various saints – not as a form of worship, for we only worship the One True God. Rather we are asking those who are seated with Him in heaven to carry our petition. In Christ’s name, we ask.

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Feast of Saint Bartholomew
Artichoke Caprese Platter
Fresh Bread
White Seafood Lasagna
Wine

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Artichoke Caprese Platter
1 lb fresh Mozzarella Cheese
6 Plum Tomatoes
2 cups fresh Basil Leaves
2 (7.5 oz) jars Marinated Artichoke Hearts
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
Coarsely Ground Black Pepper

Slice fresh Mozzarella. Set aside. Slice tomatoes, set aside. Pluck basil leaves from the sprigs, set aside.

Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving 1/2 cup of the marinade. To the reserved marinade, whisk red wine vinegar and olive oil to create a dressing.

On a large serving platter, arrange the artichoke hearts, tomato slices and Mozzarella cheese rounds. Tuck basil throughout the arrangement as desired. Drizzle with vinaigrette, finish with a twist or two of fresh black pepper. Serve and enjoy.

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White Seafood Lasagna
Lasagna
9 Lasagna Noodles

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease a 13-inch by 9-inch casserole dish, set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook Lasagna Noodles according to package directions; drain.

Ricotta Mixture
10 oz frozen Spinach, chopped
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
1 Egg, lightly beaten

Thaw chopped spinach. Drain and squeeze out any excess moisture. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add Ricotta, Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheeses. Stir to blend. Fold in the breadcrumbs.

Lightly beat egg is a small bowl, add to the cheese mixture. Stir to blend well, set aside.

Seafood Mixture
6 Garlic Cloves
1 lb med-small Shrimp (31-40 count)
1 lb Bay Scallops
1 lb fresh Crabmeat
1 tablespoon Butter
1/4 cup White Wine
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Peel and mince garlic, set aside. Peel and devein shrimp, set aside. Pat scallops dry. Pick over crabmeat, remove any fragments of shell or cartilage. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and scallops; cook in batches until shrimp turns pink and the scallops are firm and opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove seafood from pan.

Add garlic to the now empty pan, sauté for 1 minute. Add wine and lemon juice, stirring to loosen browned bits from the pan. Bring to a boil; cook for another 90 seconds or until liquid is reduced by half. Add crab, heat through. Stir in seafood mixture, set aside.

Cheese Sauce
4 tablespoons Butter, cubed
4 tablespoon Flour
3 cups Milk
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
Pinch Ground Nutmeg

Cube and melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once foaming, stir in flour until smooth. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, to remove the raw taste of the flour. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly, continue to cook until thickened, about 90 seconds more.

Remove from heat. Stir in Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until the cheeses have melted into the sauce. Measure out 1 cup of the cheese sauce, add to the ricotta mixture. Stir to blend, set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce into the prepared baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the seafood mixture and 2/3 cup cheese sauce. Repeat layers, 3 noodles, remaining ricotta, remaining seafood, 2/3 cup cheese sauce. Top cheese sauce with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.

Finishing Touch
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Fresh Parsley, minced

Sprinkle assembled lasagna with Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese topping. Place in the oven to bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and top is golden brown.

Let stand for 10 minutes. When ready, mince parsley, garnish the top of the lasagna and serve.

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Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of Your Kingdom