The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook: From Direwolf Ale to Auroch Stew - More Than 150 Recipes from Westeros and Beyond (Unofficial Cookbook) (2 page)

With a book or show to guide you, you can picture the keep of Winterfell and see how it relates to the lands around it, but why not experience its flavors and smells, too? Let lobster and snails seat you in the Stark’s dining hall. Let the scent and taste of fire-roasted meat draw up a chair next to Drogo’s tent so you can listen as he recounts conquests of old and conquests yet to come. Pour spiced wine or a darker beverage and grin mischievously as you imagine yourself a warrior or an assassin.

In Martin’s world, however, food means more; it is connected to the characters themselves and can be a respite from reality, a means of survival, or simply another pawn in the greater game. For Arya, a lemon cake is not just a dessert. As tragedy strikes, the treat becomes a symbol of a happier, seemingly simpler time, a taste of summer despite looming winter. For many characters, meals are the only times when they are able to have some peace and quiet amid political and personal chaos. Some of them know that each meal may not just be important … it could also be their last.

Each recipe includes a description of the scene; a discussion of characters, themes, or settings related to the food; and the book and chapter in which the food appears. In some cases, the recipes have been inspired by the characters and scenes, as well as other food and beverages.
Brynden Tully’s Blackened Trout with Dornish Gremolata
and
Direwolf Ale
, for example, may not have been mentioned in the books, but they still bring out the flavor of the fictional world. We hope readers will forgive artistic license taken and accept them in the spirit they are intended.

(And don’t worry: spoilers have been avoided!)

Enjoy!

The world that encompasses and surrounds Westeros is very different from our own. True, many of its people and customs seem familiar, as if borrowed from our history and the legends of our past. But it is clearly another world with its own stories and legacies, where dragons are not simply the product of imagination and where dead men may do more than tell tales.

But while the Seven Kingdoms and the lands beyond the Wall may hold strange and magical creatures, the men and women who inhabit this world are just that: men and women like us. They bleed, they sleep, and they hunger. After hours of sleep, their bodies need nourishment, especially if it could be an entire day before they have another meal. Bran Stark and his father Eddard may eat a pleasing breakfast to ease their minds after troubling dreams. Jon Snow eats to gain enough strength so that he’ll not tire during his training and duties in the harsh Northern climate. Tyrion Lannister breaks his fast with savory tastes as a means of relaxing before he’s forced to face whatever cruel new obstacles await. Arya sees breakfast as a necessary chore to deal with before the exciting work can begin. The Dothraki take breakfast as they enjoy all pleasures: passionately.

Across cultures and even across worlds, we all can relate to the emotions and sensations of beginning the day with a fine meal, either as a moment of peace before the day begins or as a deliberate intake of energy that we know we’ll need later. The morning dishes offered here are sure to satisfy whatever needs you have when you rise in the morning.

Last Bite of Summer Blackberry Preserves

In times past, this treat was seen as a healing agent that could help with weakness and disease. Winterfell’s cook Gage would likely keep plenty of sweet options on hand to chase away anxiety and illness. This preserve will brighten a morning — or ward off worry about things that go bump in the night. (
A Game of Thrones
, Chapter 14 — Catelyn)

Makes about 6 pints

3 quarts blackberries

7
¹
⁄
₂
cups granulated sugar

2 (3-ounce) pouches liquid pectin

1. Rinse fully ripe blackberries in cold water and drain.
   
2. Place blackberries into a stockpot.
   
3. Crush with a potato masher to extract juice. Stir in the sugar and mix well.
   
4. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
   
5. Add pectin and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
   
6. Skim off foam. Ladle preserves into sterilized Mason jars. Wipe rims. Cap and seal. Place on a rack in a water-bath canner or a large stockpot with a lid. Cover jars 1–2 inches with boiling water. Put a lid on the bath or pot and begin timing when water is boiling; boil for 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter and place them on a towel-covered counter to cool. Leave undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check the seals and remove the screwbands.
   
7. Serve preserves on toast with butter and honey.
   

Northmen’s Soft-Boiled Eggs and Bacon

In the colder climates of the North, the vegetable harvest becomes more scarce and more important as the next winter approaches. Fortunately, pigs and chickens can be kept year-round to provide food. Noble lords and ladies of Westeros and stable boys alike would enjoy this commonplace breakfast alongside fire-toasted
Winterfell Black Bread
, a dollop of jam, and a mug of cider. (
A Game of Thrones
, Chapter 14 — Catelyn)

Serves 2

6 slices of bacon

2 pasteurized eggs, any size

1. Place bacon in a pan, laying pieces side by side without overlapping.
   
2. Cook bacon on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes or until edges brown and curl.
   
3. Flip bacon once and continue to cook until it reaches your desired level of crispiness. Remove bacon from pan and set aside on a plate covered with a paper towel.
   
4. Fill a pot with enough cold water so that there will be at least
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   inch of water above the eggs. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Place the eggs in the pot and cook for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on your own preference for soft-boiled eggs).
   
5. Remove the eggs from the pot and place in cold water until cool enough to handle.
   
6. Serve bacon and peeled eggs together with toasted bread.
   

Black Brothers’ Blood Sausage Breakfast

Life in the Night’s Watch isn’t easy. Long hours of patrol and training mean the hours between food and sleep can grow longer and longer. Blood sausage breakfast would help Brothers of the Watch keep energy up on even the coldest days, and the ingredients keep well in cold storage through the long nights. (
A Game of Thrones
, Chapter 48 — Jon)

Serves 4

4 blood sausages, sliced into medallions

2 tablespoons butter

4 yellow onions, sliced into half-rings

4 apples, cored and sliced (preferably Jonathan, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious)

1. Cook sausages in 1 tablespoon of the butter in a frying pan on medium-high for about 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until casing is crispy and browned. Remove sausages from pan and set aside.
   
2. Add remaining butter to pan and fry onions and apples together on medium-high until apples are golden brown.
   
3. Serve sausages, onions, and apples together.
   

Tywin Lannister’s Garlic Sausage

More summery than its black Northern cousin, garlic sausage would be much more common among Lord Tywin Lannister’s troops. A knight’s life of constant travel and isolation requires food that stores well and can be prepared quickly, in case a speedy departure is needed. Whether requiring a main dish for a journey through the countryside or enjoying the comfort of home, this is a recipe you’ll want to know. (
A Game of Thrones
, Chapter 62 — Tyrion)

Serves 10

2
¹
⁄
₂
pounds chicken

¹
⁄
₄
–
¹
⁄
₂
pound pork fat

¹
⁄
₂
bulb garlic

1 yellow onion

¹
⁄
₂
bunch fresh oregano, chopped

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste

1 tablespoon butter or cooking oil

1. Grind the meat and fat separately. Keep chilled. Peel and mince the garlic and onion.
   
2. Mix together all the ingredients except butter in a chilled bowl with chilled utensils. If using an electric mixer, be sure not to overblend the meat and fat.
   
3. Either stuff the mixture into casings or form into patties.
   
4. Heat butter or oil to medium temperature in a large sauté pan. Add the sausage, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, turning at 5-minute intervals. Uncover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until thoroughly browned.