Review: The Fever Tree – Mulligatawny Stew

I received a copy of this book as part of a giveaway on Goodreads.com, and was delighted. I didn’t know what to expect, but figured it was some sort of romance. I anticipated a quick read, and if I was lucky, a few descriptions of food.

What I got was an experiential novel that is more like watching a film than reading a book.

Frances Irving, the story’s protagonist, is a proper young woman thrown into extreme circumstances that were not uncommon for her sex during the time period. Forced to make difficult decisions that take her from comfort and security of the world she has always known, she must confront the 19th century South African diamond trade,

It paints a devastatingly harsh picture of the Kimberley Diamond Mine and the politics that surround it. In the photo below, you can see the massive hand-dug mine, the largest in the world, and the cables that brought dirt up from the bottom to dump at the top. The mine was a veritable jigsaw puzzle of different claims, which is why there were so many levels of digging. And as is so often the case, where there is potential for wealth, there is also cruelty, injustice, political schemes, and abject poverty.

Kimberley Diamond Mine, late 1800s

Frances can be an irritating, impractical twit of a girl. The beginning of the story is difficult to get through because Frances struggles so much to adapt to her new life and surroundings, and we readers struggle with her.

But the really remarkable thing about the writing is that as the story progresses, as Frances grows and evolves, we begin to not only like her, but admire her. As her understanding of the world into which she has been thrust deepens, so too does our perspective of the novel. She is surrounded by complex and interesting characters, in settings as harsh or lovely as the landscape. Her loves become our loves, her victories, ours.

Honestly, I don’t have the word-skills to fully convey what an amazing book this is (if I did, I’d be a novelist, too). All I can do is heartily recommend giving it a read- it’s a story that will stay with you.

For the dish selection from this book, I toyed with several ideas: peaches in syrup, mulberry jam, coffee with ground figs, leg of lamb, and poached salmon with hollandaise sauce. In the end, though, I chose Mulligatawny Stew, a dish that comes from an amalgamation of cultures, much as South Africa is a collection of many different cultures and backgrounds.

“The boy knocked on the door, and William got up and took the tray from him. There was a tureen of soup and a loaf of bread. He sat on the floor, pulling her down next to him, along with a heap of sheets, so she was propped up against the bed with her hair falling about her knees. She ate hungrily. The soup was mulligatawny, thick and hot with a deep spiciness, and the butter tripped off the bread down her fingers. She was starving and ate with intent, aware of him watching her closely.”

-The Fever Tree, by Jennifer McVeigh

Mulligatawny Soup Recipe

serves 4-6

Cook’s Notes: The basis for this recipe comes from Mrs. Beeton’s giant book of recipes, circa 1860. I reduced the amount of onions from the original 6 down to 4, figuring that our modern onions might be a tad larger than those available in the 19th century, and likewise tweaked down the cumin from a full 2 tablespoons. By nature, this is a sort of hodge-podge stew, so I encourage you to include whatever ingredients you might have on hand.

Ingredients:

4 slices of lean bacon
4 onions
1 clove of garlic
1 lb. meat (chicken, rabbit, and pork all work well)
1 oz. of pounded almonds
1 1/2 Tbs. of curry powder
2 quarts of stock
a little lemon-pickle or mango-juice, to taste

Fry the bacon until just crispy, and remove to a plate lined with paper towels to dry. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and fry the onions and garlic until light brown and soft. Scoop them out and add them to a medium saucepan. Crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces and add those to the stew pot. Brown your meat in the same pan and add that to the saucepan, along with the stock. Simmer until the meat is tender, skimming periodically. Grind the curry and almonds with a bit of the stock, then add to the pot. Flavor to taste with a bit of lemon juice, or if you have it, lemon-pickle.

Serve hot with bread or rice.

Zeppolle and Zabaglione, circa 1570

Thoughts:

In my ongoing quest to prove that medieval food is not gross, I knew I had to try these two recipes. I discovered the cookbook of Bartolomeo Scappi this summer at a medieval food lab (yep, I’m a dork), and was so diverted by the wonderful recipes in the book that I quickly added a few of them to my queue. You can check out the cookbook itself on Google Books, here.

Although Scappi provides much more detail about his methods of cooking, as well as proportions for ingredients, these recipes fought back a little. It took a few tries, and even now, I’ll probably take another crack at them to try and perfect the recipes. For those unfamiliar with these dishes, they are traditional Italian desserts. Zeppole are like little fried doughnut holes, and Zabaglione is like a thick alcoholic pudding. While I knew they were traditional, I didn’t know they dated so far back as 1570. I imagine they might even go back to Ancient Rome… I’ll take a look.

Medieval Zeppole, from Scappi

As mentioned, the Zeppole need a little work. I followed the recipe very closely, and met with some difficulties. I boiled the chickpeas and chestnuts, which seems now unnecessary, unless you are using dried chestnuts. The yeast was not sufficient to leaven the dough, so I added the six egg whites suggested at the end of the original recipe, which helped fluff the fritters up. I ground up the nuts myself, which made for a lumpy sort of dough that was prone to falling apart without the eggs. These were the many trials I struggled with in the process of working through this recipe. In the future, I would use a variety of nut flours, rather than the coarsely ground nuts I had, which should result in a more cooperative dough.

Medieval Zabaglione, from Scappi

The Zabaglione, on the other hand, is wonderful. Rich and boozy, it’s also somehow also light and fluffy, somewhere between a custard and a mousse. The modern version tends to be plainer, but I love the traditional addition of the cinnamon, which gives it a nice spiciness. This recipe took me two tries to get right, but once I did, it’s an instant house favorite. I omitted the water the second time, and the mixture fluffed up beautifully, just the way it ought to.

One very cool thing about these two recipes is that they are so complimentary. One uses six egg yolks, the other the whites. The flavors and textures go well together, and the result is a tasty dessert pairing worthy of any dinner party.

Zeppole Recipe

Makes around 2 dozen small fritters. Time: around 1 hour

Cook’s Note: I’m putting in the recipe as I made it, but plan to revisit and improve in the coming month or so. You’ll have an easier time if you just use nut flours rather than trying to grind the nuts yourself. Be sure to check back for the update!

Zeppole Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
6 oz. chestnuts, shelled
6 oz. walnuts, shelled
4 oz. sugar
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. combined cloves and nutmeg
dash of rosewater
optional seasonings: mint, marjoram, burnet, wild thyme
6 egg whites
oil or fat for frying (I used Crisco)
cinnamon sugar, for dusting

Wash the chickpeas, removing any of the outer skins that peel off. Boil the chickpeas and chestnuts in a light meat broth for 20-30 minutes, until the chestnuts are soft. Strain, then grind together the chickpeas, chestnuts, and walnuts until you have a relatively fine meal or paste. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, followed by the yeast mixture. If you like, add in some minced herbs to taste. Stir in the egg whites.

Bring your oil to medium heat. Using a spoon, scoop out about two tablespoons of the batter at a time. gently drop this mixture into the hot oil. They should sink to the bottom of the pan, but then rise to the top as they cook (you may need to loosen them up if they stick to the bottom). Fry for about a minute, until the fritters are a dark golden brown. It may take some time to get the hang of this part, but keep trying!

When the fritters are done, remove to a plate covered with paper towels to drain. Brush each fritter with rosewater and roll in cinnamon sugar.

Zabaglione Recipe

Makes about 6 small servings Time: ~20 minutes

Zabaglione Ingredients:

6 egg yolks
6 oz. sweet malmsey
3 oz. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 oz. water
butter

Combine six egg yolks with the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk briskly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks like a very pale yellow cream. Add the white wine, whisk to combine, then place the mixture in a bowl over a double boiler, and whisk while it cooks until it is the consistency of a thick pudding. Carefully remove from heat (the bowl is hot!) and stir in the butter. Serve warm, as in the original instructions, or pour into serving dishes and chill for a thicker set.

Apricot-Plum Smoothie, from City of Bones

Clary spoke up hastily. “What’s all the raw meat for?” she asked, indicating the third page of her menu.

“Werewolves,” said Jace. “Though I don’t mind a blody steak myself every once in a while.” He reached across the table and flipped Clary’s menu over. “Human food is on the back.”

She perused the perfectly ordinary menu selections with a feeling of stupefaction. It was all too much. “They have smoothies here?”

“There’s this apricot-plum smoothie with wildflower honey that’s simply divine,” said Isabelle, who had appeared with Simon at her side. “Shove over,” she said to Clary, who scooted so close to the wall that she could feel the cold bricks pressing into her arm. Simon, sliding in next to Isabelle, offered her a half-embarrassed smile that she didn’t return. “You should have one.”

-City of Bones, Book One of the Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare

Thoughts:

What a delightful summery smoothie, from the “human side” of the menu at Taki’s Diner! The skins of the fruit create a colorful confetti appearance throughout the smoothie, the chia seeds give it a little texture, while the ginger gives it a bit of zing. I used a fizzy elderflower drink, which added a minutely floral component.

If you like, make the mixture a little thick, and top with granola. Just make sure that you’re not using Faerie plums: I hear they can make one go mad! ;)

Apricot-Plum Smoothie

makes 1 large serving, or 2 small

Ingredients:

2-3 apricots
1 plum
2 Tbs. wildflower honey, plus more to top
1/2 cup yogurt (vanilla is best)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbs. chia seeds
juice, such as white grape, apple, or elderflower
granola to top (optional)

Combine the fruit, honey, yogurt, ginger, and chia seeds in a blender. Add a splash of juice, and blend. If needed, continue to add juice a small amount at a time until the whole mixture can be easily blended.

Feasts of Epic Proportions

Many of us read about the feasts in Martin’s books, and think to ourselves, “77 courses?! That’s absurd. You’re just making this up! No feast could be that big!” We’d think that, but we’d be wrong.

In fact, some historical feasts were considerably more lavish, more huge, and more absurd than those that GRRM details. In 1213, King John of England’s Christmas feast included 3,000 capons, 1,000 salted eels, 400 hogs, 100 pounds of almonds, and 24 casks of wine. A few decades later King Edward I’s coronation feast featured, among other items, 440 oxen and over 22,000 hens.

Just think of the logistics of that for a moment! How far afield would one have to go, and how far in advance, to secure that amount of livestock for a single event? I’m terrible with numbers, but I can tell you that it’s NUTS.

Richard II and his uncle, the Duke of Lancaster, threw a feast for hundreds in the late 1300s that featured mostly roasts. Roasting animals was a relatively expensive undertaking at the time, given the amount of wood required for the fire and the cost of the animals themselves. In addition to nearly 100 pounds of salted venison, the feast included a wide variety of waterfowl, including herons, cranes, swans, and geese. The bill for the feast also called for 11,000 eggs. If you figure that a good laying hen can lay around an egg a day, ponder for a moment how many hens it would take, and how long, to amass that number. Here are the courses for the rest of the feast:

14 salted oxen
84 pounds salted venison
12 boar, including heads
120 sheep heads
300 marrowbones
More than 100 waterbirds, including cranes, herons and curlews
50 swans
150 capons
1,200 pigeons
210 geese
11,000 eggs

The First Course

Veneson with Frumenty – Venison with a thick, sweet porridge of wheat
A pottage called viaundbruse – A Stew Of Soft Meat
Hedes of Bores – Boars Heads (traditional at nearly every feast)
Grete Flessh – Great Flesh (Roast Oxen)
Swannes roasted – Roast Swan
Pigges roasted – Roast Pigs
Crustarde lumbard in paste – Sweet Pastry Custards Of Wine, Dates & Honey
And a Sotelte – And A Subtlety

The Second Course

A pottage called Gele – A Stew called Jelly
A pottage de blandesore – A White Soup
Pigges Roasted – Roast Pigs
Cranes roasted – Roast Cranes
Fesauntes roasted – Roast Pheasants
Herons roasted – Roast Herons
Chekens endored – Chickens Glazed
Breme – Bream
Tartes – Tarts
Broke braune – Jellied Brawn Of A Deer
Conyngges roasted – Roast Rabbits
And a sotelte – And A Subtlety

The Third Course

Potage. Bruete of Almonds – Sweet Stew Of Almonds, Honey & Eggs
Stwde lumbarde – Sweet Syrup Of Honey, Dates & Wine
Venyson roasted – Roast Venison
Chekenes Roasted – Roast Chickens
Rabettes Roasted – Roast Rabbits
Partrich Roasted – Roast Partridge
Peions roasted – Roast Pigeons
Quailes roasted – Roast Quail
Larkes roasted – Roasted Larks
Payne puff – Pan Puff
A dissh of Gely – A Dish Of Jelly
Longe Frutours – Long Fritters
And a sotelte – And A Subtlety

According to the HRP site (Historic Royal Palaces), in a typical year, the royal kitchen in Henry VIII’s time served 1,240 oxen, 8,200 sheep, 2,330 deer, 760 calves, 1,870 pigs, and 53 wild boar. That’s more than 14,000 large animals, meaning each member of the court was consuming about 23 animals every year. The whole of this was washed down with about 600,000 gallons of Ale. Is it any wonder the king ended up looking like this?

Clearly Robert Baratheon and Henry VIII would have been the best of chums. In order to process such quantities of ingredients and turn them into the feasts we all imagine, a staff of 200 worked extremely hard in the 3,000 square foot kitchen. Other notable features included:

6 fireplaces with spits
a pastry house (!) with four ovens
the ale cellar had double locks, and the keys were held by two separate officials
three larders: for meat, fish, and all dry goods
a boiling house, for making stock- the copper kettle could hold 75 gallons!

I would dearly like to have a pastry house of my very own…

Like her father, Queen Elizabeth I was no stranger to awesome food. The Spanish began cultivating a lot of sugar in the 1400s, and the English queen grew fond of the stuff. One of her earls, trying to gain the queen’s favor, threw a dessert feast for her. Lizzie sat in a gallery watching fireworks, while men carried up hundreds of desserts, among them:

Sugar sculptures of castles, guns, soldiers and forts (English & French), as well as peacocks, swans and other animals.
Marzipan creatures, fictional and real – eagles, lions, apes, frogs, snakes, worms, unicorns, mermaids and whales.
Crystallized fruits, mostly apricots, damsons and plums.
Preserved citrus peels (citrus fruits were still exceptionally rare in England)
Sugar-coated almonds and spices, such as aniseed and fennel.
Clear, cream and coloured jellies, flavoured with fruit juice, wine, rose-water, cinnamon and ginger, wobbling in bowls and or served in stiffened slices.
Biscuits made from almonds, rosewater and ambergris.
Fruit tarts of apples, pears and plums.
Spice cakes made with cinnamon, cloves, saffron and mace.

Renaissance Sugar Cake, via marmitelover.blogspot.com

That lineup might not include sugar skulls, but here’s dearly hoping that GRRM includes a similar sugary feast in one of his books. He’s given us cream swans and spun sugar unicorns, but I’d love to make some of the dishes above!

And of course, lest we forget the royalty of Pentos, Meereen, and other far flung cities across the Narrow Sea, I’ll take a look at some of the dinners put on by the Explorers Club in NYC. Stay tuned for that in a future post…

Rosehip Soup

Thoughts:

This is a sweet and refreshing soup. The flavor of the rosehips is earthy and filling, with a bit of an acidic tang. The color of the soup is a rich dark orange-brown color, which can be lightened with a bit of yogurt. The additional ingredients, of vanilla and spices, add to what is already a subtle and complex flavor. Overall it tastes healthy, and no wonder. Rosehips have a very high vitamin C content, so I especially recommend this soup if you are feeling a little under the weather.

Proposed Location?

Either practically in the north, or aesthetically down in the Reach. Apart from the obvious rose connection to House Tyrell, this soup speaks of a summer outing. I imagine the Tyrells enjoying this soup in King’s Landing, and delighting in being able to incorporate rosehips and rose water into their feasts.

I could also see a very different version of it being consumed up in the North, where the high vitamin C content of the rosehips would be highly valued. The Night’s Watch could boil down the rosehips into a syrup that could be added to mulled wine, porridge, or any number of other dishes and drinks.

Rosehip Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cups crushed dried rose hips
4 cups of water
1/4 cup honey, or more to taste
1/4 of a vanilla bean, split and scraped and then tossed in, or a dash of vanilla extract
a dash of cinnamon
1 Tbs. arrowroot, mixed with 1/4 cup cold water, to thicken
yogurt (optional)
additional toppings, as wished (nuts, granola, etc.)

Combine the crushed rosehips and water in a medium saucepan. Simmer for around 45 minutes, or until the rosehips are very soft. Strain the liquid through a sieve, and then using a spoon, press as much of the pulp through the sieve as will go.

Pour this liquid back into the cleaned saucepan, and heat over medium. Add the remaining ingredients except the yogurt and cook for 5 minutes more. Pour into bowls, top with yogurt, and enjoy!

dried rosehips

Goose sauced with Mulberries

“[Lady Tanda] invites you to sup with her again. There’s to be a haunch of venison, she says, a brace of stuffed geese sauced with mulberries, and–” “–her daughter,” Tyrion finished sourly. Since the hour he had arrived in the Red Keep, Lady Tanda had been stalking him, armed with a never-ending arsenal of lamprey pies, wild boars, and savory cream stews.” -A Clash of Kings

Goose sauced with Mulberries

Thoughts:

The goose is rich, somewhat similar to duck, but also much like dark meat on a turkey. Pricking the skin all over allows the extra fat to run off (which can then be used in many amazing dishes), so the meat itself isn’t too fatty. Goose is definitely a win, but a bit on the pricey side. It’s great for wooing potential suitors, or for snazzy holiday feasts.

The sauce is based on a renaissance recipe from Maestro Martino’s “The Art of Cooking”, and is a highlight of this meal. Mulberries are in season in June, so I took full advantage and picked enough to finally finish off this recipe. The fruitiness of the berries is complimented by the vinegar, but as with the honeyed chicken sauce, the vinegar doesn’t overpower the whole. The almond meal provides some thickness and slight texture, while the spices lend it a piquancy that increases the longer the sauce sits. It pairs beautifully with the goose, resulting in a decadent meal.

Recipe for Goose with Mulberry Sauce

Goose:

1 goose, around 10 lb.
4 apples
~3 cups cubed bread
1 cup currants
4 Tbs. melted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
thyme
marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and wash the goose inside and out. Pat dry with towels, and arrange on a roasting tray. Cut off excess neck fat, then prick the skin all over with a sharp knife or skewer, which will help drain the fat from the bird. Sprinkle liberally with coarse salt.

Combine all the remaining ingredients to make the stuffing, and stuff the bird. Tuck the wings in to keep them from burning. Roast for 2 hours, then check the goose. If the juices run clear from the thigh, then it should be done. The legs often need a little more time than the body, so it’s alright to take the goose out, carve it, then continue to cook the legs until done. Periodically remove fat with a baster, straining and reserving it for future use.

When the goose is done, allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Serve with sauce below.

Mulberry Sauce:

2 cups mulberries
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
ginger
pepper
nutmeg
vinegar

Mix together the mulberries, almonds, and breadcrumbs. Grind all the ingredients together, then pour through a sieve. Add spices to taste (a pinch of each should do), plus enough vinegar to make a sauce consistency, then simmer over medium-low heat for around 5 minutes. Serve warm over the goose, and garnish with fresh mulberries, if you like.

Mulberry Sauce for Goose

Greywater Watch Frog Stew

“They used Meera’s helm for a cooking pot, chopping up the catch into little cubes and tossing in some water and some wild onions Hodor had found to make a froggy stew. It wasn’t as good as deer, but it wasn’t bad either…” -A Storm of Swords

Thoughts:

I cheated a little with this recipe. Since I’m not starving out on the moors of Northern Westeros, I opted to actually cook some elements of this dish differently than described. I knew it had to include trout, frogs, and an equivalent to wild onions (not many of those in Boston), but since I’d be eating it, I also wanted it to be as tasty as possible while staying pretty close to the book.

This was my first time trying frog, and I was pleasantly surprised. The meat was soft, not chewy as I had expected, and tasted mostly like a slightly gamey chicken with a hint of fish. The overall soup, while not the tastiest thing I’ve made for the blog, was better than I expected.

In the end, though, I’ve got to agree with Bran: it’s pretty good, but it’s no venison! :)

Continue reading →

GoT Trivia?

Oh, you lucky New Yorkers!

Random House, publishers of all things Ice and Fire, are sponsoring a Game of Thrones (book) trivia night. It promises to be a really fun time, and includes the chance for teams of 6 to win some really cool prizes. I might even hop a bus down to NYC for this:

– Copies of A Song of Ice and Fire series SIGNED by George R.R. Martin himself

– Copies of the brand new A Game of Thrones graphic novels

– Copies of The Lands of Ice and Fire, an illustrated book showcasing maps and landscapes from A Song of Ice and Fire

Here’s the relevant poster, and additional info and tickets can be had here.

Turnip Greens, Fennel, & Sweetgrass Salad

“She stared at the supper set before her: trout wrapped in bacon, salad of turnip greens and red fennel and sweetgrass, pease and onions and hot bread.” -A Clash of Kings

Catelyn’s Salad – turnip greens, fennel, apple, lemongrass, walnuts, and raisins

Thoughts:

Let me start by saying that I don’t especially care for fennel, or any of the flavors on the anise/licorice spectrum. However, when combined with the other ingredients in this salad, especially the apples, even I found it bright and refreshing. The crunch of combined fennel and apple, along with the walnuts, counters the sort of ordinary salad element of the turnip greens. Overall, it’s on the sweeter side, from the fruits and balsamic, and a really nice, unique salad for summer.

Catelyn’s Salad

Cook’s notes: as with all salads, feel free to meddle and mix to suit your tastes. Turnip greens can be difficult to find, so baby spinach is a good substitute.

Ingredients:

2 cups turnip greens
1/2 cup fennel, julienned
1 Tbs. lemongrass, sliced very thinly
1/2 apple, julienned
1/4 cup golden raisins
fennel tops
1/4 cup walnuts (candied is even better!)
balsamic for dressing
edible flowers (optional)

Combine the all ingredients except the dressing and edible flowers, and toss to combine. Drizzle with balsamic, and sprinkle with flowers, if using. Enjoy!

Salad of turnip greens, fennel, apple, lemongrass, walnuts, and raisins

closeup of Catelyn’s Salad

Boiled Beef with Horseradish

“Maester Vyman returned at evenfall to minister to Lord Tully and bring Catelyn a modest supper of bread, cheese, and boiled beef with horseradish. ‘I spoke to Utherydes Wayn, my lady. He is quite certain that no woman by the name of Tansy has ever been at Riverrun during his service.'” -A Storm of Swords

Boiled Beef and Horseradish

Thoughts:

This is one of those dishes that just gets better and better, and honestly couldn’t be easier to make. Basically: boil some meat for several hours, until the meat is tender and falls apart, then serve. The meat can be cut into thick, flavorful slices, and the vegetables are so soft that they nearly melt in your mouth. Add a hunk of bread, a few slices of cheddar, and you’re set.

Seriously. And if you toss the leftovers in a crock pot, and let it simmer on low overnight, it becomes extra amazing. The broth reduces down and the meat falls apart. I serve it for breakfast, over biscuits.

YOM!

Boiled Beef & Horseradish Recipe

Ingredients:

4 lb. beef roast
water to cover
2 teaspoons salt
3 whole cloves
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 leeks, white parts sliced

Place the roast in a pot large enough to hold it, along with the vegetables. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for at least 5 hours, until the meat is tender and cooked all the way through. Serve hot, or cold as leftovers. If dry, pour some of the broth over it.

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup of the beef stock
3 Tbs. freshly grated horseradish
4 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste.

Melt the butter, add the flour, and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes, then when it’s a pale golden color, pour in a ladle of the beef broth from the roast. Stir to combine everything, then add the remaining ingredients except the cream. Simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat and add the cream.

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