Elder Scrolls – Honey Nut Treat

If you’ve ever played any of the Elder Scrolls games, chances are they’ve made you hungry. This is one of the top most requested recipe from the entire Elder Scrolls series, and because it’s usually something purchased in the game, one of the most tricky to figure out. I mean, this isn’t a whole lot to go on:

I started, as sometimes happens, by overthinking things. I envisioned these lumps of tender nougat, covered in caramel and rolled in nuts. It was inspired, but also a little ridiculous. Not to mention complicated! I ate a lot of nougat that never quite seized up, and decided to take a different approach to the problem.

When in doubt: simplify.

In the end, this recipe is easy to make and tasty to eat. They’re nutty, oaten, sweet little morsels made with ingredients that would be common enough in the world of Skyrim. While they’re great at home, I imagine they’d be just wonderful as a street food snack, for adults or children, especially in the frigid winters of Skyrim.

Be sure to check out all my other Elder Scrolls recipes. I’m adding more all the time, so be sure to stop by again soon!

Honey Nut Treat Recipe

Makes about 9 balls, or 3 skewers – Prep: 15 minutes

Note: you can sub in any nuts or nut butters you like in this recipe, and it’ll still be tasty. :)

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup peanut butter
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon

Set out a clean plate. Pulse the dates and raisins in a food processor until there are no large pieces remaining. Add the almonds and oats and pulse a few more times to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, heat the honey and peanut butter until they are a little runny. Add the fruit and nut mixture, plus the salt and cinnamon, to the bowl and mix vigorously until you have a thick consistency. Scoop out small pieces of the mix, squash in between your hands, then roll into balls. Set on the plate. Repeat until everything is used up, then thread onto skewers.

The rougher your skewer, the better the treats will stick, I learned, but I didn’t quite have time to go out and whittle down a twig. If your treats start to slide, I suggest you just eat them a little quicker, or add a bit more oats. ;)

Star Wars – Polystarch Puffbread

I don’t know about you all, but I literally gasped out loud when I saw this scene from The Force Awakens for the first time:

Seriously, nothing beats practical effects, and a team apparently spent around three months (!) getting that effect just right. As far as I’m concerned, they nailed it, as it’s one of the most memorable parts of the film for me.

Some cool tidbits about this bread… The mixture comes from Unkar Plutt, who is profiting wildly off the remoteness of that trading station on Jakku. You have to figure that he obtained the ration packs for as little as possible, and because he also sells the water necessary for making it, he’s got a slice of all the profit to be made out of folks just trying to survive.

Life can be tough for a scavenger like Rey, especially on desert planets like Jakku and Tatooine. Where eating is more necessity than pleasure, one often lives hand to mouth, scraping by with traded salvage for rations such as these, which likely were themselves salvaged from military supplies:

This recipe, while not quite so aesthetically impressive as the film version, does puff up when made, in under a minute. The ingredients were selected for basic nutritional content rather than tastiness factor; Rey’s eating to survive. But let me tell you: if you imagine you’ve just come back from a long day of salvaging parts in the dry heat of Jakku, just about anything made of food will start to taste great!

Update: I’ve added this recipe to the lineup for Fictional Foodies’ May Star Wars lineup. Check out the other cool recipes folks have submitted here.

Polystarch Puffbread Recipe

Location: Jakku, and throughout the Galaxy

Makes: 1 small serving

Prep: 5 minutes – Cooking: 45 seconds

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 Tbs. wheat flour
1 Tbs. instant oats
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. thin flakes dry seaweed
pinch each of salt, ground pepper, cinnamon
~2 tablespoons water

Lightly grease a 6″ ramekin or small bowl with the oil. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, followed by just enough water to hold it all together. Quickly form into a rough ball, and place in the center of the ramekin. Place the ramekin in the microwave, and cook for 45 seconds, during which time the bread should puff up somewhat. Allow to cool slightly before eating.

Elder Scrolls – Orcrest Garlic Apple Jelly

Today’s recipe, in celebration of a (finally) fixed blog, comes from Elder Scrolls Online, which has an absolute wealth of cool looking dishes.

Although Orcrest is widely known as a thriving black market city, its other more common offerings should not be overlooked. This flavorful jelly brings together two simple ingredients in a new and delicious way. It’s not technically contraband, but it’s so uniquely good it could be…

This makes an unusual but tasty spread that is as good on toast as it is as a sort of chutney stand-in on sandwiches. Both sweet and savory at the same time, it’s a treat for your taste buds. I might try oven roasting the garlic next time, but for now, this one’s a keeper.

Orcrest Garlic Apple Jelly

Ingredients

2 lb. cored and chopped semisweet apples, such as Fuji
4 heads garlic, broken apart
4 cups water
4 cups apple cider
2 cups sugar
pinch of rosemary or sage, optional

Instructions

Simmer everything but the sugar for around 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the sugar, then boil for another 30 minutes or so, until the mixture is thickened. Gently pour into clean glass jars, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Northern Cheesy Oats

Thoughts:

Good Heavens.

Talk about the best side dish I’ve encountered all winter. It’s rich, creamy, and full of cheesy goodness. While it’s undeniably a hearty accompaniment to a main course, it is also absolutely amazing as breakfast on a day when one just needs a little extra oomph. And it’s gluten-free, and needs only a few ingredients.

The only downside? This recipe ostensibly makes enough for two large servings, but I could easily scarf it all down myself. Next time, we might need a giant crockpot version…

Where in Westeros?

Definitely up in the North. This is stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that will leave you feeling full and happy even in the chilliest weather. If the Night’s Watch sent samplers south, their recruitment rates might just spike.

Cheesy Oats Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups beef stock
1 cup steel cut oats
2 oz. cubed ham (about 1/2 cup)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan, and add the oats. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the ham, put the lid on, and cook for around 25 minutes.

Check on the oats- if they have not yet absorbed all of the stock and turned soft, continue to cook until they do/are. At that point, remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy, and dream of spring!