Authors: Alan Kistler
Tags: #recipes, #cookbook, #Game of Thrones
The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook: From Direwolf Ale to Auroch Stew - More Than 150 Recipes from Westeros and Beyond (Unofficial Cookbook) (8 page)
A Word of Wisdom
Though it’s a common condiment, mustard isn’t without its own lore. Some consider it an aphrodisiac that also supports well-being. Others use it to ward off malevolent spirits.
Doran’s Favorite Chickpea Paste
Prince Doran Martell may be royalty, but simplicity still pleases him — especially when he is lost in his thoughts. Chickpea paste may not seem extravagant, but it is the perfect snack for a thinker looking out at the world and pondering its meaning. Reflect on life with every bite of the savory flavors of sand dunes and the famed Water Gardens. (
A Feast for Crows
, Chapter 2 — The Captain of the Guards)
Makes 2 cups
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight if desired, or 1 (16-ounce) can
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons tahini
1
⁄
2
teaspoon kosher salt
2–3 teaspoons toasted cumin powder (see A Word of Wisdom)
Juice of 1 lemon, divided in half
1
⁄
4
cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika and chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Soft Flatbread from Across the Narrow Sea
- If using dried chickpeas, cook them in lightly salted water until very, very tender. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them.
- In a food processor, chop the garlic until it sticks to the sides of the bowl. Add chickpeas, tahini, salt, cumin, and half of the lemon juice. Process until smooth, gradually drizzling in the olive oil. (Add up to
1
⁄
4
cup cold water to achieve a softer paste if desired.) Season to taste with black pepper, and additional salt and lemon juice to taste. - Spread onto plates and garnish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, a dusting of paprika, and some chopped parsley. Serve with wedges of warm Soft Flatbread from Across the Narrow Sea, kalamata olives, and feta.
A Word of Wisdom
For the perfect dip, toast whole cumin seeds in a dry pan until they give off a slight smoke, and brown slightly, about 2 minutes over medium heat. Pulverize them in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. This will make your chickpea paste unforgettable. If starting with powdered cumin, just give it a quick toast in a dry pan, until it becomes highly fragrant, about 1 minute.
Road to Riverrun Apple Chips
Their towns and villages ravaged by the war between the King of the Iron Throne and the King of the North, people of the Riverlands are less and less likely to offer bread and salt to tired travelers passing though. But the Brotherhood Without Banners isn’t just any band of outlaws, and the villagers it protects are happy to give what they can to the road-weary wanderers — even if meals are no more filling than a mug of ale and some dried apples. After the other crops were destroyed, apples from overlooked root cellars or salvaged from an orchard would be a precious food source for a pillaged town. That the Brotherhood is offered this snack so willingly shows the depths of the villagers’ loyalty and gratitude. (
A Storm of Swords
, Chapter 17 — Arya)
Makes 2 cups
5 pounds fresh apples, washed and peeled (if desired)
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
- Preheat oven to 150°F.
- Slice apples into wedges. Arrange on a metal cake rack or cookie sheet. Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Place cake rack or cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. If using a cookie sheet, flip the apples several times while baking to expose both sides to the heat.
- Bake for at least 10 hours, or until fruit is leathery, flexible, and has the texture of a raisin. If you prefer a crispier texture, continue to bake for up to 10 additional hours.
A Word of Wisdom
There’s more than one way to dry fruit. A dehydrator might be the easiest tool to use, but the sun is just as effective. Just about any warm, bright spot will do so long as your fruit is protected from wildlife and bugs, and is turned often enough for both sides to dry!
Dornish Cheese Flight of Fancy
As the sun sets and the air grows cool, Prince Doran does not retreat to a warm hearth. Instead, the pensive prince sits beneath an orange tree, looking out over the sea that lies in the distance, sleep escaping him as he thinks. No matter the pull of such introspective moods, it’s important not to ignore the body while the mind feasts. This plate of fine cheese serves as a good snack for just such an occasion, with tempting flavors for both corporeal and spiritual senses. (
A Feast for Crows
, Chapter 2 — The Captain of the Guards)
Serves 4
2 ounces feta cheese
2 ounces mizithra cheese
2 ounces manouri cheese
2 ounces kefalotyri cheese
12 kalamata olives
4 fresh figs
1 walnut-size chunk of honeycomb
4 rounds of
Soft Flatbread from Across the Narrow Sea
- Cut the feta cheese into cubes and crumble the mizithra, manouri, and kefalotyri cheeses into bite-size chunks. Place the cheeses on a platter.
- Arrange the kalamata olives, figs, and honeycomb on the platter.
- Cut the flatbread into wedges and serve with the cheese.
A Word of Wisdom
A cheese flight is an appetizer offering a variety of cheeses meant to be tasted and compared, like a wine tasting. To some, a cheese flight simply pairs cheese selections with specific wines; others distinguish a “flight” from a “plate” by the selection of cheeses and other foods offered.
Illyrio’s Goose Liver Drowned in Wine
Tyrion Lannister has feasted in many courts and castles, but to his surprise Magister Illyrio Mopatis’s cooks may put the rest to shame. Delightful dishes such as Illyrio’s Goose Liver Drowned in Wine convince the dwarf that he has never eaten so well before — not even in the royal court at King’s Landing. With praise such as that, it may be impossible for anyone to forgo this rich pâté. (
A Dance with Dragons
, Chapter 1 — Tyrion)
Serves 6–8
1 pound goose livers
1 cup chicken broth
1 small onion, sliced
1 sprig fresh rosemary
8 cooked bacon strips, crumbled
1
⁄
2
cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 quart of white wine
- Cut goose livers in half and simmer in chicken broth in a small pot with onion and rosemary for about 15 minutes, until tender. Let cool. Reserve onion and
1
⁄
4
cup of the broth. Remove leaves from the sprig of rosemary and chop fine. - In a food processor, combine liver, onion,
1
⁄
4
cup reserved broth, chopped rosemary, crumbled bacon,
1
⁄
2
cup butter, cognac, and mustard. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. - Spoon the goose liver pâté into a covered container. Refrigerate overnight so flavors will blend. (Will keep 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.)
- Before serving, heat the wine in a large, shallow pan on medium-high. Allow to boil until reduced to 1 cup. Cut the reserved 2 tablespoons butter into thin pats and whisk them into the reduced wine to aid in thickening. Serve alongside pâté.
A Word of Wisdom
Serve this pâté with buttered toast points, melba or rye crackers,
Soft Flatbread from Across the Narrow Sea
,
Winterfell Black Bread
, peperoncini, dates, and figs.
Fiery Vengeance Stuffed Peppers of Dorne
Late into the night, a strange feast is held at Sunspear. A grinning skull presides over seven courses served in honor of the Seven and the brothers of the Kingsguard. Along with soup, fish, wine, and vengeance, a plate of long green stuffed peppers tempts Princess Arianne Martell. The taste they bring would be suitable for any god’s dinner table. (
A Dance with Dragons
, Chapter 38 — The Watcher)
Serves 4
1
⁄
2
cup shredded jack cheese
1
⁄
4
cup softened cream cheese
1
⁄
4
cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
12 fresh jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise (remove seeds for a more mild dish)