Elderflower Fritters

Thoughts:

Elderflowers are one of those fantastic yet often overlooked ingredient. They are far less popular in America than in Britain, where they the flowers are used culinarily and to make cordials, while the berries are incorporated into a wild array of recipes. The fritters seem to fit very well with the Reach, and Highgarden, where they have such bumper crops of fruits that they wouldn’t need to worry about nipping the berry crop in the bud.

I’m lucky enough this year to have my own elderflower bush, so of course I knew I would have to make something from it. I’ve battled a variety of insects throughout the spring to safeguard my crop, and the blossoms are right at their peak. I recalled a recipe I’d seen in the Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi, one of my favorite historical cookbooks, for elderflower fritters. Done, and done.

The modern versions are aesthetically much prettier, in part because they keep their original shape, which is pretty photogenic. The batter is a variation on the one I used for the Apple Crisps, making a fritter that is light and crispy. The flavor is just slightly floral, and not unpleasant, even to one who doesn’t usually like floral-flavored things *guiltily raises hand*, while the sugar on top gives it a great little crunch.

The medieval version, I’m sorry to say, was a total flop. Granted, I tried to make them for the first time in a terrible hurry the day before leaving home for an overseas wedding, so the deck was somewhat stacked against them. But I’d been keen to try them since first reading the recipe. That recipe instructs one to scoop balls of the mixture into hot butter or lard, which leads to the first two problems: 1. the batter was far from scoopable, and 2. butter burns pretty easily, even when clarified. By the end, I didn’t have a single medieval fritter that was edible, but I could sense the hint of what they should have been. I’ll give it another try next year, or perhaps with dried elderflowers in the off-season.

Modern Elderflower Fritters

Cook’s Note: Bonus Points if you can get a hold of an elderflower cider, such as Angry Orchard makes! Also, try using smaller clusters of flowers for easier frying and eating.

Ingredients:

1/2 bottle sparkling hard cider (6 fl. oz)
pinch of dry yeast
pinch of salt
zest of 1/2 lemon or orange
1 cup flour
6 elderflower blossom clusters, or more, as desired
oil for frying (I used canola)
sugar, for sprinkling

Mix together all ingredients except the elderflowers and oil, tweaking as necessary, until you have a nice runny batter. Bring the oil up to a nice medium heat. Gently dip a cluster of elderflowers into the batter, holding the stem upright. You can wiggle it around until all the blossoms are covered. Let any excess batter drip off, then carefully lower the battered flower into the hot oil. You should be able to cook each fritter almost entirely on this side, although you may find flipping it to finish the top side is helpful. When the fritters are golden brown, remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with some sugar, and enjoy!

Medieval Elderflower Fritters

Cook’s Notes: This recipe was a flop for me. I’ve included the list of ingredients in case you’d like to give it a go yourself! The instructions can be found on Google Books… I’d love to hear how yours turns out!

Ingredients:

1 lb. creamy cheese
1 lb. ricotta
3 oz. breadcrumbs
4 oz. sugar
6 eggs
3 oz. elderflower, soaked in milk
flour

Leg of Lamb

“By the time the telling was done, it was dark outside and Sam was licking his fingers. ‘That was good, but now I’d like a leg of lamb. A whole leg, just for me, sauced with mint and honey and cloves. Did you see any lambs?’” -A Clash of Kings

Thoughts:

This was one meal that really invoked the spirit of the North. Because Sam is the one dreaming about this dish, I could definitely see it being served during a time when the Night’s Watch wasn’t struggling quite so much as they are when we last see them. After all, Jon and Sam’s feast after taking their vows involved rack of lamb and berries with sweet cream.

But this really put me in mind of Winterfell- long trestle tables groaning with heavy platters, heaped with meat and sauce. The smell of roasting meat on spits wafting from those huge blazing hearths. The clink of knives on plates, and the glug of ale and mead being poured into mugs.

YES.

This recipe was delicious. I loved the sauce, but didn’t think there was nearly enough of it. I served this at Easter dinner, and the meat-to-sauce ratio was definitely skewed. I’d suggest doubling it if you are working with a hefty portion of lamb. The meat itself came out perfectly, tender and just pink. It was tasty on its own from being basted with the drippings, but paired with the sauce it was wildly better. I can’t wait for another special occasion to break this out again!

Recipe for Leg of Lamb, in dark beer, honey, and spices

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb, bone in (mine was a monster 7 pounder for Easter dinner)
2 cups dark beer, such as stout or porter
1 cup honey, divided in half
1 Tbs. juniper berries, crushed
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. whole cloves
mint?

Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine the beer, honey, juniper, bay leaves, and cloves in the bottom of a deep roasting pan, then set the leg of lamb on top. Season the lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Cook approximately 15 minutes per pound, basting every 10-15 minutes or so. The interior temperature of the lamb should reach 130F, at which point it should be done.

Remove from the oven, cover loosely with tin foil, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Strain the drippings into a separate bowl, and skim off as much of the fat as you can. You can either serve the remaining mix straight with the lamb as a sauce, or simmer gently with a bit of fresh mint. I loved the flavor without mint so much that I didn’t bother adding any in, but those who are sticklers for accuracy to the books will want to include it.

Enjoy!

Awesome Stuff – Direwolf Mug

So, you all know by now that the blog isn’t one of those sites that frequently plugs products online. In fact, I’ve never posted anything of the sort, preferring to focus on the recipes and food.

But there are exceptions to every rule, and when I accidentally stumbled onto these amazing drinking mugs, made by a couple of crazy talented artisans, I knew I had to share them with you. Chischilly Pottery has its online shop on Etsy, and the mother/son run storefront is packed to the gills with some incredible works of art, in the form of functional drinking vessels. The mugs are loosely modeled after ancient Persian rhytons, which were a type of drinking vessel that could not be set down until emptied. Thankfully, these designs include a kind of kick-stand handle that allows it to be set down (not to mention beautifully displayed!) after the first third of a beverage is consumed. Genius. Especially since this mug holds well over 750 ml of liquid- the amount in one of Ommegang’s GoT beers.

Drinking from this mug makes me feel like a badass lady she-wolf of Winterfell. I want to wrap myself up in furs and sit at a long feast table, devouring roasted meat and starchy veg, with lots of bacon, and lots of ale. Like, barrels of ale. I’d better get to brewing…

I still can’t decide which design is my favorite, although the wolves are awesome. But then again, so are the dragons. Love the Lannisters? They have lions! Boars, rams, Dothraki stallions, and more. Take a browse through the shop, and tell me which design you like best! I know what a few friends and family members are getting for gifts this year…

Also take a moment to give a well-deserved “like” to Chischilly Pottery on Facebook! They’re having a summer sale, so go snag a mug while you can, and be sure to say you came from The Inn!

Spruce Tip Shortbread

Thoughts:

Shortbread, no matter how you cut it, is awesome. Rich, buttery, flaky. It’s made for a nice afternoon break with a steaming mug of tea and an enticing book. In this recipe, the spruce tips give the shortbread the slightest lemony kick, with just a hint of conifer. They’re rustic, delicious, and a little too easy to eat. I’ve been wanting to try out a few recipes with spruce tips for a few years now, but the season always seems to sneak by me.

For those who don’t know, spruce tips are those soft, light green new growths on spruce trees. Fortunately, at the new house there are several spruces well over a hundred feet tall. There’s no ignoring those. Even so, this post comes at the tail end of the season, even up here in Vermont. I apologize for that- I’m bad at getting foraging posts up in a timely manner! Hopefully you will remember these next spring…

To me, this shortbread fits perfectly with the cuisine of Winterfell. It’s a little too luxurious for Castle Black, although they need as much anti-scurvy greens as they can get. But can’t you just see the Stark kids of yesteryear nibbling on these tasty rounds? With a side of small beer? Because I definitely can.

What about you? Have you made anything with spruce tips?

Spruce Tip Shortbread Recipe

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, room temperature
1/3 cup cane sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh spruce tips

Preheat oven to 325. Beat the butter and sugar together, then add the remaining ingredients, mixing until it’s crumbly. You may need to fiddle with the proportions a bit- too soft and the shortbread will melt, but too dry, and it won’t hold together. Chill for at least an hour. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll out your dough to about 1/4″ thick, and cut into shapes with cookie cutters (Christmas tree cutters would be cute- I didn’t think of that). Place the shortbreads on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then bake for around 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are just starting to turn golden. Let them cool slightly before gobbling. Enjoy!

Reader-created – Stuffed Mushrooms

Thoughts:

A while back I asked followers on Facebook to take a look at the compilation of food words from the Song of Ice and Fire series, and construct their own plausible Westerosi dish. Everyone then voted on their favorites, and there were two clear winners: Rita’s “Spiced Orange & Saffron Cakes bathed in sweet wine syrup and served with a refreshing lemon cream” and Ann’s “Roasted mushrooms stuffed with Caramelized onions, sausage, goat cheese and nuts” As promised, I’ve taken a crack at turning those descriptions into real dishes. First up is the stuffed mushroom recipe… It was declared in the kitchen by Mr. Innkeep (who can be horribly honest-to-a-fault), that these were possibly the best stuffed mushrooms he’d ever had. Not entirely believing him, despite all prior experience with his truthfulness, I popped a small one in my mouth to test it myself. He was right. They’re wonderful. The texture is mostly soft, with the occasional crunch of a bit of nut. The goat cheese’s tanginess is a flavorful counterpart to the buttery sausage and mushroom elements. A tinge of bitterness from the remaining beer is not a bad thing because the sweetness of the onions is there to balance it. So many complimentary ingredients come together to create this delicious snack that is gone far too quickly after coming out of the oven. My only remaining question: Where in Westeros do you think we would find this dish? I feel it belongs somewhere with forests, but it would be fun to see it someplace from which we’ve gotten little or no food descriptions, like the Stormlands, or somewhere in the Westerlands. Thoughts? Also, I’ll be recapping this fun experiment, so take a look at that word-cloud, and save up some great suggestions!

Recipe for Ann’s “Roasted Mushrooms stuffed with Caramelized Onions, Sausage, Goat Cheese and Nuts”

Ingredients:

16 oz. button mushrooms
~1/2 cup sausage meat (haggis also makes for phenomenal stuffed mushrooms)
1-2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1/2 cup ale
2 Tbs. butter
4 oz. goat cheese, plus a little extra for garnish
1/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts for this recipe)
hearty pinch of smoked salt
1-2 tsp. chopped parsley

Start by removing the stems of the mushrooms and setting them aside. Place the mushroom caps on a lightly greased baking sheet, and chop the stems finely. In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until it’s browned and crumbly. Scoop the cooked sausage out and place in a bowl, leaving the grease in the pan. Turn the heat down to low, then add to the pan the shallots and garlic and let them cook in the oil. )If you are working with lean sausage, add a bit of the butter early.) When the onions are soft and a nice dark brown, pour in the ale. Let this mostly cook off, around 5 minutes, then add the butter and the chopped mushroom stems. Cook for another few minutes, then remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Gently spoon this mixture into the mushroom caps, pressing into each and heaping it up in the middle. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350F, and allow to cool slightly before devouring.

Cards Against the Realm

At this year’s premiere party, thanks to the suggestion of my friend Alix, our guests and I collaborated to create a Westeros-themed version of the hit game Cards Against Humanity. One of the coolest things about the original is that it is under a creative commons license, which means that the creators encourage sharing, playing, and adapting the game, so long as no profit is made.

Which is completely awesome, because it enabled us to play several uproarious rounds of our own version. When I mentioned this game on my premiere party blogpost, a number of you expressed hope that I would create a playable deck. I’ve finally gotten to it, and many of the cards are as funny as I remembered. Because it was a new game, we had on hand a bunch of blank cards, and everyone could write in their suggestions as we played, so the deck grew organically. I suggest you do the same, and once you have a good number of new card ideas, you can use this generator to make them.

In case you haven’t played before, here are the rules to the game. Basically, one player flips over a black card, on which is printed a sentence with at least one blank. All the other players choose the funniest card in their hands, and the winner gets a point. For example,

“In his next book, GRRM will spend 500 pages devoted to describing ______”

the truth about Jon and Sam
lemoncakes
her weight in sapphires
etc.

So there it is, in a nutshell. If you manage to fill in another whole page of these ideas, send me the pdf so I can combine it with those already here. Let’s build the greatest set of cards the North has ever seen!

*warning: some cards are vulgar- not for the timid and faint of heart!*

Hotpie’s Wolf Bread, take two

Thoughts:

Alright. You remember last season, when Hotpie made this lumpy bread in the shape (ummm… sorta?) of a direwolf for Arya? That was a super cute moment that has now been topped by it’s own epilogue, in the form of a much prettier direwolf loaf:

Naturally, I had to update things. I got in touch with Karyn Booth, the food stylist for the show, for some tips. She told me that this version is more scone-like than bready, to help keep the dough from rising too much and spoiling the shape. Her ingredients included Irish brown soda flour, whole meal, baking powder, honey, and buttermilk. She also recommended a very sharp knife. Deliciously simple!

This version turns out basic and hearty, full of earthy, wheaty goodness. A little boring on its own, the rustic scone texture is perfect for a schmear of salted butter, or a nice dollop of honey.

I hope you enjoy this updated version!

Hotpie’s Wolfbread, version 2

This recipe makes about 3 wolves. Form any leftover scraps into a biscuit shape and bake alongside the wolves- it will give you something to nibble while you admire your handiwork!

Ingredients:

2 cup coarse meal
3 cups wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
6 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. honey
buttermilk or sour milk
1 egg, beaten with a little water, for the wash

Combine the dry ingredients, then rub in the butter. Stir in the honey, followed by the buttermilk, just enough at a time, until you have a nice soft workable dough. Roll out to around 1/2″ thickness, and carefully cut into the direwolf shape with a sharp knife. When you’re satisfied, transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush all over with the beaten egg.

Bake at 350F for around 20 minutes, or until a lovely golden brown.

Ramp Butter

Thoughts:

This was my first year foraging for ramps, and I have to admit that I’m hooked. The sheer number of tasty amazing things that can be done with them boggles the mind. My favorites so far, apart from this, are ramp grilled cheese and a ramp pesto with pasta and fiddleheads.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Ramps are little wild leeks that grow in damp shady places in the spring, and have a smell and flavor somewhere between leeks and garlic. While they can be found on your own, folks often are somewhat loathe to share their foraging spots. Fortunately for me, a couple of neighbors were good enough to point me in the right direction. We trudged out into the woods with tall boots, buckets, and shovels. I gathered up a bunch of the little things, and headed for home.

This butter is wonderful. It helps preserve that wonderful pungent essence of springtime throughout the year, provided you freeze it well. The better the butter you start with, the more amazing this becomes. Enjoy it on anything savory for which you would normally employ butter. Personally, I think it’s incredible on warm biscuits, fresh from the oven.

Those skinny little ramps in the photo were all I had left for staging. Too small for eating, I’ve planted them in shady parts of the yard. With any luck, I’ll have my own ramp patch in a few years…

Ramp Compound Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

1 handful ramps
2 sticks butter, softened
pinch of sea salt, if using unsalted butter

Clean your ramps, if wild foraged, by washing the dirt from them and peeling away any slimy outer skins, leaving the white shoots. Cut off the very bottom of the ramp, where the little roots stick out. Place your ramps in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them- this helps keep that nice green color. Let sit for about 20 seconds, then remove and pat dry.

Slice the ramps: I usually cut the green parts in slightly larger strips to give the butter some visual interest, but mince the white parts. You can eyeball the proportions. Add the prepared ramps in with the butter and salt, and mix until combined.

Divide the butter into several parts, roll in parchment paper, and place in a freezer bag. Slice off a small part at a time, and enjoy!

Walnut Pie

seriously, no photo could do justice to this pie…

Thoughts:

I’ve decided that I’m going to make an effort to put more information in my blog posts, starting now. I’ll include a little about my process for developing the recipe, potential kitchen mishaps, and where applicable, historical tidbits.

With all my recipes, I begin by examining where in Westeros the dish appears. I then search for historical counterparts from our own world that seem to jive with what I know of the the dish’s origin, taking into account trade, climate, and so on. This dish was mentioned casually in episode 4.5 of the HBO show, but my ears perked up when I heard it. In this case, there is no visual, actual pie, so some extrapolating was in order.

In the show, the character Locke is the one who mentions it, saying they will “carve them up like walnut pie”. Locke is a northerner, apparently loyal to the Boltons. He is somewhat a reimagining of the book character Vargo Hoat, who hails all the way from Qohor.

So I had a bit of a conundrum. To make a pie that would be comfortable in a Northern hall, or something more exotic? In the end, I think I toed the line. Most recipes I found for walnut pie, including the historic ones, seemed to be a variation on pecan pie, with a sort of gooey caramel filling. Which I’m sure is delicious, but not especially interesting.

This pie is more like an enormous baklava, down to the flaky crust and syrup. Sweet and heavy, with spices that hint at a foreign flavor, it’s wonderful on its own. But add the maple whipped cream, and it becomes near ethereal. The light fluffy clouds of cream counter the density of the nuts, while the maple, cinnamon, and vanilla meld together so neatly that you’ll find yourself eating bite after bite, just to see if the next bite tastes as amazing as the last.

One question I wanted to answer, given the quote from the show, was how easy was it to slice a walnut pie. Since it’s sliced before baking, the answer is: quite easy. But as the knife slides through, it occasionally catches on a walnut with a soft crunch, which is a tad sinister, give Locke’s comparison. I guess that’s appropriate!

In any case, this is one of the best desserts I’ve made in a long time. Everyone who had a slice was quick to assure me that they could help eat the next one, if need be. It’s a fast favorite, and something I look forward to making again!

Walnut Pie Recipe

Prep: 1 hour Baking: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. package frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
10 oz. finely chopped walnuts (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Ingredients for syrup:

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of saffron

Heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Brush the bottom of a pie dish with melted butter. Carefully unroll the phyllo dough and lift the top layer off. Place this in the buttered pie pan, smoothing it down and letting the excess flop over the sides. Butter the top of this piece, and lay another on top of that. Repeat this until you have 8 layers on the bottom. Spread 1/3 of the walnut mixture over this. Top with another 4 layers of dough, buttering in between each. Add another layer of walnuts, then another 4 layers of dough. Spread the last of the walnuts over these layers, then gradually fold the excess phyllo dough corners in over top of the pie, buttering as you go. Do this with several layers of excess, then carefully trim the rest off even with the edge of the pie dish. If you would like a neater look, add a single layer of phyllo over top of the folded-in corners, cut in a circle to match the pie’s shape, and buttered on top.

Using a sharp knife, cut the pie into 8 even slices. Bake for 40 minutes. While the pie is baking, make the syrup: Combine the honey, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, then add the cinnamon stick and saffron, and let sit to cool.

When the pie is done, gently pour the cooled syrup over it, making sure most of it gets down into the cracks. Let the pie cool for at least 15 minutes, then serve with a dollop of the maple whipped cream. The pie can be kept for several days in the refrigerator, but don’t cover it, as that will make it soggy. Enjoy!

Maple Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 pint heavy cream
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

Beat the cream with an electric mixer until it thickens. Add the maple syrup, and sugar, if using, and continue to beat for a few more minutes. The end result should be a nice thick whipped cream with a hint of maple flavor. Best served immediately.

Elk Meatballs stuffed with Blue Cheese

“Roundels of elk stuffed with ripe blue cheese were being brought out when one of Lord Rowan’s knights stabbed a Dornishman. The gold cloaks dragged them both away, one to a cell to rot and the other to get sewn up by Maester Ballabar.” –A Storm of Swords

Thoughts:

This recipe has been on my to-make list for quite some time, pending only the acquisition of some elk meat. I had originally imagined them as small elk tenderloins, but despite a long search, could only track down ground elk meat locally. So I thought, “How can I stuff them with blue cheese?” And then inspiration struck: meatballs stuffed with cheese. It’s only a little stretch. :)

These are awesome. As they bake, the kitchen gradually fills with this wonderful meaty smell that heightens the anticipation of finally tasting the finished meatballs. They’re roughly two-bite morsels; the first bite reveals a center of melted cheese, the flavors of which meld incredibly well with the gaminess of the elk. I’d planned to serve mine with a sauce, but every last one was eaten before I could produce any… Maybe next time!

Recipe for Elk Meatballs with Blue Cheese

Makes about a dozen small meatballs

Cook’s Notes: Can’t find Elk? Venison, Bison, and Lamb would all work well with this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground elk
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
hefty pinch each of salt and pepper
~4 oz. block blue cheese, cut into 1/2” cubes

Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix together the first four ingredients, taking care that it is evenly combined. Pinch off a little of this mixture and form around a cube of blue cheese, working to seal the edges. Roll into a ball, and set aside.

Place the meatballs on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet with raised edges (to catch the grease). Bake for around 16 minutes, or until cooked through and the cheese is melty. Allow to cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!

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