Category Archives: Sides

Stewed Plums

“In the airy chambers beneath the rookery, his girl served them boiled eggs, stewed plums, and porridge, while Pycelle served the pontifications.” -A Clash of Kings

Stewed Plums

Our Thoughts:

These stewed plums are like a simpler version of our Medieval Plum Mousse recipe. The fruit breaks down and mixes with the honey and cinnamon, resulting in mushy spoonfuls of delightfulness. It’s a great way to used plums that are slightly underripe or out of season, and make them into a wonderful topping for a dessert (Ice Cream! Cake!), or as a sweeter side for a slice of meat.

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The Hound’s Ideal Meal

Unlike our previous character themed meals, there was a lot of consensus about the Hound’s ideal meal: Nothing fancy, a cheap cut of meat, bitter drinks, and possibly a lemoncake or two for dessert.  Kathleen summed it up well, stating that the meal “should be charbroiled, unpretentious, and drowned in a sea of wine”.

We liked where a lot of you went with game meat, what with Sandor being a “hound”. The subtle poetry of hound and quarry was too appealing to resist. So, game meat it was, and we chose venison and rabbit. True, in our Middle Ages, only the nobility could hunt, but are you about to stand between the Hound and his meal? Didn’t think so.

Our grill was recently stolen, right off our porch. Otherwise we’d do a spit roasted rabbit to go with the meal. Barring that, though, we swapped in some oven roasted rabbit legs alongside the venison sausages.

A big question was whether to sear the meat, or no. Personally, we liked the idea, but could see how the Hound might not. So, we hedged our bets, searing the lamb, then hiding the evidence by braising. :) We also liked the idea of lamb, because while Sandor might be a Hound, he’s also more than a bit wolfish. Lamb shank it was, then.

Both Kate Quinn and Irian suggested bone marrow, which we loved. It evokes the image of a big mastiff gnawing on a bone in front of the fire, and also ties in with Random’s thought that “Joffrey would probably find it amusing to throw his dog a bone.” Ours is topped with applewood smoked salt.

For smaller sides, we liked Frank’s suggestion of beans thick  with molasses, and Duckchick’s of sharp cheese with apples, for the Hound’s sharp words.

Our final bill of fare: black bread, bone marrow, leg of lamb, venison sausages, rabbit legs, savory beans and sharp cheese, wilted greens, and rustic lemoncakes.

 Our Thoughts:

Good Lord. Or the Seven. Or any other deity the Hound probably doesn’t believe in…

This is a fantastic meal.

It is obviously very heavy on the meat, but given the fighter’s lifestyle that the Hound leads, this makes sense. The three meats- lamb, venison, and rabbit- all give amazingly rich flavors to the meal. Of course, it helps that we braised the lamb and then the rabbit in mead and molasses. The venison sausage already has port in it, so each of the meats has essentially been cooked in/with booze. Even the vegetables have been braised in mead, along with the lamb, so they’re incredibly tender and tasty. And the bread! Also made with beer.

The rustic lemoncakes are a much lighter finish to a very heavy meal, and you’ll probably only have room for a couple of them.

Our drinks consultant recommends a beer made with juniper to pair with the meat dishes, in the style of a traditional Finnish Sahti.  A couple good examples of this are Huvila Arctic Circle Ale and Lammin Kataja.  Another interesting pairing would be a rauchbier, such as Spezial and Schlenkerla, given that the smokiness would pair particularly well with the molasses beans and cheddar.

Honorable Mention:

  • Chris’s suggestion of black and white truffles to represent the duality of his nature (only if you’re buying!)
  • Wildling, Selkie, and Julia’s suggestions of “little birds”. We’ve got something else planned for those, though… ;)
  • Irian’s list of other cheap meats, including like black pudding, head cheese, ox tongue, lard, goose fat and bacon
  • Richard’s suggestion of “Black Dog” wines, especially if served on a yellow tablecloth
  • roussefolle’s wonderful ideas, just exotic enough to be Westeros, amazingly delicious
  • Verity’s suggestion of Baked Alaska for dessert, first for the irony of a flambe, and also because they can be made to look like a mountain, and the Hound would enjoy symbolically demolishing and devouring a Mountain

 

Pease Pie laced with Bacon

Medieval Pease Pie laced with Bacon

“We must take you out of that vile dungeon, then. Scrub you pink again, get you some clean clothes, some food to eat. Some nice soft porridge, would you like that? Perhaps a pease pie laced with bacon. I have a little task for you, and you’ll need your strength back if you are to serve me.” -A Dance with Dragons

Modern Pease Pie

Modern Pease Pie labeled

 

Our Thoughts:

If you love peas, then this is the dish for you. But I mean really, really love them, because that is a lot of peas… The bacon helps to alleviate the near overdose of peas, but still.

The medieval pease pie was a delight to discover in our cookbooks. Sadly, the reality didn’t quite live up to our hopes. The flavor of the juices was overwhelmed by the sheer number of peas. Additional bacon might have helped this, as well as the occasional pearl onion. The pie also had some serious structural issues, as the crust got soggy, and the peas rolled everywhere when a slice was dished out.

The modern pease pie solved all of these problems. Because the peas are mashed, they hold their shape when the pie is cut. We used a little extra to make the tart in the photo above, but a closed top pie will ensure the peas don’t burn. The flavors are much better rounded and full, the shallots and mustard coming to prominence. We also used purple pearl onions for a splash of color.

Conclusion? The modern pie is definitely the winner in this mash up.


Medieval Pease Pie Recipe

To make a close Tart of greene Pease. Take halfe a peck of greene Pease, sheale them and seeth them, and cast them into a cullender, and let the water go from them then put them into the Tart whole, & season them with Pepper, saffron and salte, and a dishe of sweet butter, close and bake him almost one houre, then drawe him, and put to him a little Vergice, and shake them and set them into the Ouen againe, and so serue it. -The Good Housewife’s Jewell, 1596

Our changes: to better match the description in the novel, we added bits of crunchy bacon to the pie. We also substituted the verjus for more readily available grape juice. We also downsized from half a peck (~5 lbs!) to an amount of peas that would actually fit into a modern pie pan.

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups shelled fresh green peas, or most of one 32 oz. bag frozen, thawed
  • pastry crust, top and bottom (get a recipe)
  • 3 Tbs. butter
  • pinch saffron
  • pinch each salt and pepper
  • 4 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 1 Tbs. grape juice
  • 1 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs. cider vinegar
  • 1 egg for glaze

Preheat oven to 425.

Divide your pastry dough in half. Roll out one half and lay in a pie pan. Set the other half aside.

Put your peas into a saucepan with water, and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Drain in a collander, then pour into your prepared pie crust.  Using the palm of your hand, press firmly down on the peas to pack them down.

Melt 3 Tbs. butter, and add the saffron to it. Allow to cool slightly, then pour over the peas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spread the crumbled bacon on top of everything.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Fill the prepared shells with the cooled peas and top with some small pieces of butter.  Lay remaining dough circles over tops of tarts.  Pinch crusts together, using a little brushed-on water as glue.  Trim off any excess dough, and crimp.  Make a few slits in the top crusts with a sharp knife so that steam can escape.  Brush top crusts with beaten egg.

Bake until brown, about 30 minutes.  Let settle on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Be careful as the peas will roll and spill from the sliced pie.

 

Modern Pease Porridge Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Pastry dough for a large 9″ pie dish, or similarly sized springform pan
  • 2 lb. peas
  • 2 Tbs. butter, divided
  • 1 cup rough cut bacon
  • 3-5 shallots, sliced thin
  • 1 tsp. mustard
  • 2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg, beaten

Boil the peas until they are soft enough to be thoroughly mashed, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash them with 1 Tbs. butter.

In a separate pan, fry up the bacon until just shy of crispy, then scoop it out with a slotted spoon and add it to the mashed peas. In the remaining bacon grease, cook the shallots until they are soft. Add them to the peas and bacon, followed by the mustard, cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Roll out your pastry dough and line the pan with it. Spread the remaining butter over the bottom of the pastry, then dump the filling in. Smooth it out, and cover with remaining pastry. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Stuffed Green Peppers

“Seven courses were served, in honor of the seven gods and the seven brothers of the Kingsguard. The soup was made with eggs and lemons, the long green peppers stuffed with cheese and onions.” -A Dance with Dragons

Modern Stuffed Peppers

Thoughts:

Because this is a Dornish dish, we decided to use “fiery” green peppers. We didn’t have much luck finding an older recipe, but would be delighted to add it if we do!

The modern peppers are a mouth-watering explosion of hot peppers and cheese, deliciously textured by the cornflake topping.  One of our taste-testers commented that we had accidentally stumbled on the best Jalapeno poppers he had ever had, but that they really needed a dipping sauce to round out the flavors. We agreed. Because poppers are usually served thus, we raided our freezer and heated some marinara. Dipped, the peppers were easily twice as delicious.

The dish is the perfect appetizer for a modern take on a Dornish dinner.

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Mock Dormice

“Aggo gave an urchin a copper for a skewer of honey-roasted mice and nibbled them as he rode. Jhogo bought a handful of fat white cherries. Elsewhere they saw beautiful bronze daggers for sale, dried squids and carved onyx…”  -A Clash of Kings

 

Our Thoughts

This was a dish from the books that we couldn’t actually make, but after giving it some thought, we came up with a fun solution.

These are tasty little morsels. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth, while the sausage pops with juices when you bite into it. Plus, they look like mice. There is a residual feeling of decadence that accompanies the eating of these tiny faux creatures, bringing you just a tad closer to your favorite Roman emperors and Dothraki bodyguards.

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Pigeon Pie, version 2.awesome

Pigeon Pie with Bacon and Artichoke Hearts

Our Thoughts:

We couldn’t have made up a better pie than this. It’s absolutely incredible. AND it’s historically authentic. Utter win.

This is completely unlike any meat pie I’ve previously tried. The artichoke hearts are sort of a baffling yet intriguing addition. Because there are so many other ingredients, the pigeon doesn’t really get a chance to shine in its own right, but the spices help bring it forward. We used a very flavorful bacon, which was one of the strongest elements, while the egg yolks and meatballs just added some depth and body.

Overall, much more interesting and dynamic than our original Pigeon Pie recipe, but definitely for those more adventurous epicureans.


Medieval Pigeon Pie

After ye pidgeons are made fitt to put into your pye season them with grose pepper, salt, mace & nutmeggs then lay ym into your Pot; you must have palatts ready boyld and cut into what bigness you like and lay over your pidgeons with ye yolk of hard egg, e marrow and balls of meat, made of ye lean of a legg of veal. Beat in a mortar with beef suett and some bacon amongst it when ye meat is a small as for sausages. Then add as much spice as is agreeable to your taste and a few sweet herbs. You may put in artichoke bottoms. This pye must be baked in a patty pan. -Lucayos Cookbook, 1690 

My Changes: I, personally, did not include the tongue from the original recipe. However, many people swear by it as a tasty ingredient, so if you would like, feel free to add it, and let us know how it turns out! I also swapped out the beef suet and marrow for a dash of grease left over from cooking the bacon.

Ingredients:

  • 1 springform pan with high sides
  • Pastry dough (get the recipe)
  • 5 pigeons
  • 1/4 tsp. each pepper, salt, mace, nutmeg
  • boiled palatts (tongue! – optional)
  • 3 hard boiled egg yolks
  • 3 large meatballs, preferably of veal (cooked or uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup cooked chopped bacon
  • artichoke hearts
  • 1-2 Tbs. bacon grease
  • 1 egg for glazing

Roll out pastry dough and drape over the pan. Gently press the dough into the pan to make sure it molded to the sides and bottom. Trim the excess dough and reshape into a ball- this will be your lid.

Put your pigeons in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer for around 45 minutes, or until the meat can be easily pulled from the bone. Remove all the useable meat and discard the bones.

Season the meat with your spices, then lay in the bottom of the pastry. If using tongue, lay over the pigeon meat. Crumble the egg yolk over top of the meat, then flatten or crumble the meatballs to form the next layer. Sprinkle the bacon over that, then lay sliced artichoke hearts on the very top. Pour the bacon grease evenly over the top.

Roll out the remaining pastry dough and cut into a circle the size of the bottom of the pan. Lay this circle over the pie filling, brush the edges with water, and roll the outside dough down until it touches the top crust. Pierce the top of the pie in several places to vent the steam, flute the edges in a decorative pattern, and brush the whole thing with beaten egg.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, until the crust is golden.

Autumn Greens and Ginger Soup

“…her young hostages Miklaz and Kezmya were laying out a simple supper of autumn greens and ginger soup for her…” (Dance with Dragons)

Autumn Greens and Ginger Soup

Our Thoughts:

This is a wonderful pairing of dishes for late autumn, or unseasonably warm winter days. Light enough to satisfy a between holidays diet, yet with enough oomph to see you through to the next meal. The small amount of ginger in the salad dressing compliments the heavier ginger in the soup, while the fig flavors in both dressing and on the salad lend the dish an exotic flair.

The soup pairs exceptionally well with some crusty bread and sharp cheese.

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Spiced Squash

Medieval Spiced Squash

“This evening they had supped on oxtail soup, summer greens tossed with pecans, grapes, red fennel, and crmbled cheese, hot crab pie, spiced squash, and quails drowned in butter. Each dish had come with its own wine. Lord Janos allowed that he had never eaten half so well.” (A Clash of Kings)

Modern Spiced Squash

Our Thoughts

Fantastically seasonal, this menu item was a must make for October. The medieval recipe yielded tender pumpkin cubes that tasted remarkably similar to butternut squash. The stock in which the squash was cooked imbued it with an interesting savoriness that we didn’t expect. This recipe will surely make us think twice the next time we pass over the sugar pumpkin as a singularly sweet component.

Our modern acorn squash is New England Autumn in a dish. The appearance of the squash itself screams Fall, and the flavorful sauce completes the package. Tender, sweet, and spicy, this recipe is one for the Thanksgiving table.

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Acorn Flour




“When an oak-tree is felled the whole forest echoes with it; but a hundred acorns are planted silently by some unnoticed breeze.”

-Thomas Carlisle, 1795-1881




Our Thoughts:

 The smell of boiling acorns is entirely unexpected.  From the bubbling pot, tendrils of  steam curl up, bearing the familiar oakey scents of brown sugar and vanilla that are found in some wines, compliments of the cask they were aged in. Together, absurdly, the boiling mixture smells like creme brulee.

The resulting flour also tastes sweeter than we anticipated, with a subtle nutty flavor.  It is very rich in protein, so a little goes a long way.  We began mixing some in with our oatcakes, and have been very happy with the result.

We had expected this post to be a grueling sort of undertaking, and were pleasantly surprised to find how straightforward it is.  It is a nice project to have going on the side while you prepare the real meal of the day.  We boiled and strained ours three times just to be sure we got rid of the bitter tannins, but two times probably would have been sufficient.

So, with relatively little work, acorn flour is a definite win in our book! How to Make It!

Honey Spiced Locusts

“Hizdahr had stocked their box with flagons of chilled wine and sweetwater, with figs, dates, melons, and pomegranates, with pecans and peppers and a big bowl of honeyed locusts. Strong Belwas bellowed, “Locusts!” as he seized the bowl and began to crunch them by the handful.” (Dance with Dragons)

Our Thoughts:

The things we do for food…

As soon as we read the description of honey-spiced locusts in Dance, we knew we had to rise to the challenge.

This Volantene recipe results in a sweet & spicy, super crunchy snack that is surprisingly good. It takes a bit of psychological adjustment to get over the idea of eating bugs, but the novelty and brag-factor makes it well worth the effort. Underlying the more familiar tastes of honey and spice is the real flavor of the crickets- a sort of smoky nuttiness that takes several bites to savor.

We dared to try it. Do you?

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