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Honeyed Chicken Handpies

Honeyed Chicken Handpies, from Game of Thrones

These mini pies are a great way to enjoy one of the staple dishes from Winterfell. I came up with the recipe for them back in February for HBO’s Take the Black event in NYC. Recently, reader Rachel asked if I could post the recipe. Naturally, that meant I had to make another batch of them. What a shame… ;)

The pies are transportable, and savory with just a hint of sweetness from the raisins and honey. If you happen to have leftover honeyed chicken (I know, it’s unlikely!), you can use it to make this pie. They are conveniently made in a muffin pan, either regular or jumbo-sized, and will quickly disappear. After you have thoroughly picked over the chicken for all the good meat, use what’s left to make some awesome chicken stock!

Mini Honeyed Chicken Pies

–makes around 6 jumbo muffin size pies, or around 12 smaller pies

Cook’s Notes: If you have already made honeyed chicken, you can skip several of the steps here. Just add the sauce to the roux, followed by the broth, and continue as below.

Ingredients for pastry dough:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 egg yolk (save the white for glazing)
  • ½ cup water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1 egg white beaten with a bit of milk, for glazing

Ingredients for Filling:

  • ~1 ½ lb. cooked and shredded chicken meat
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • ½ cup dried currants, or chopped golden raisins
  • 1 ½ cup chicken broth
  • Hefty pinch of salt
  • Pepper to taste

Roux:

  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs flour

Rub the stick of butter into the flour and salt, then add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring the whole mixture together. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling. Combine all ingredients except the chicken and the roux in a saucepot, and cook for around 10 minutes. In a smaller separate pan, make the roux by melting the 2 Tbs. butter, then add the 2 Tbs. flour. Stir to combine, then add a ladle of the broth from the other pot. Do this a couple of times, while stirring, then add the butter/flour mixture back into the main pot. Add the chicken and cook for a few more minutes, stirring to make sure the meat absorbs the juices. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out to 1/4″ thick. Cut circles large enough to fit into the muffin pan you intend to use, as well as smaller discs to serve as the tops of the pies. Press the larger discs of dough into the muffin cups. Spoon the filling into each dough-cup, then wet the top of the dough with water. Place the smaller discs on top of the filled pies, and gently fold down the outer dough so it covers the tops. Poke a couple of vent holes in the top of each mini pie, brush with glaze, and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on size, until the tops are nice and golden.

preparing the mini pies

Folding over the edges

May Brewing Update

I flagged a little this month, mostly due to other, secret projects that I’m very excited about. More on that later… :)

I cracked open a colonial American Apple Beer, which was a curious experiment. For those familiar with brewing, the water that goes into the wort is replaced by apple cider, which ups the sweetness and gives it a subtle fruity flavor. I also incorporated the yeasty sediment into a wonderful bread, and the spent grain into an apple barley pudding that was amazing with some whiskey whipped cream.

Other projects:

I started a batch of Dandelion wine on St. George’s day, as is traditional. I quickly swore that I would never make this again until I had a fleet of small children to separate the yellow petals from the bitter green parts, but I recently tasted a two year old bottle of a friend’s dandelion wine that was just amazing. I’d love to try his recipe, as well as a version where I see if there are enough good natural yeasts on the dandelion blossoms to ferment the batch. For science!

I also managed to squeeze a new batch of Violatium into the calendar. When I made it before, I had left on the green stems, which threw the flavor of the whole thing off. This time, it turned into a delicate, violet-hued wine that is just sweetened to taste, and oddly enticing. I hope that it will last until my next informal brewing competition in late July.

I’ll be giving my Gose (salted beer) another try this week, and possibly adding in some seaweed for a proper Iron Islands brew.

New Brews:

New Food Recipes:

Venison Stew

“‘You can stand by the fire as long as you like. You’ll have food and drink, too. Hot mulled wine and a bowl of venison stewed with onions, and Hobb’s bread right out of the oven, so hot it will burn your fingers.’ Sam peeled off a glove to wriggle his own fingers near the flames…” -A Storm of Swords

Venison Stew

After episode 3.6, where Sam longingly describes this stew, I decided to finally get the venison and have a go at it. Fortunately, it coincided with a bit of a cooler spell here in Boston, which suited the heartiness of this stew perfectly.

While this particular description of the stew is fairly limited, there are others throughout the books that contain other tidbits. In other passages, descriptions of Hobb’s venison stew includes carrots and barley, and in the south, it’s stewed with beer. So, everything went into the pot, along with a few more additions of my own.

I used spent grain from brewing (see link below) for the barley component, because I can’t imagine the Night’s Watch letting anything go to waste. It gave the stew a unique texture, and was the source of some of those black flecks you see in the photo. The bacon, I’ll admit, was also my addition, but I don’t think anyone who has read the books can fault me for that. Everything tastes better with bacon. :)

The resulting stew is thick, hearty, and filling- just the thing for a cool night in the North. It’s wonderful with a hunk of rustic bread and a sharp cheese, and a flagon of the same beer that went into the recipe.

Venison Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 strips bacon
  • 1 lb. venison (I used ground, but use any small cut you like)
  • 2 Tbs. butter, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • 3 cups broth
  • 1 bottle dark beer (12 oz/335 ml)
  • 1 cup spent grain, or other barley of your choice, cooked according to its own directions
  • 1 cup small boiler onions, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked salt
  • 1/2 tsp. savory, or thyme
  • 1 Tbs. flour

Cook the bacon in a medium frying pan. Take out the cooked bacon, reserving the grease, and chop the bacon into small pieces. Brown the venison meat in the bacon grease, then pour it all into a medium pot, along with the bacon bits. In the same frying pan, melt 1 Tbs. butter. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, until it’s not quite browned. Add the carrots and peas, stir to coat with butter, then pour in 1 cup of broth. Cover, and simmer for a few minutes, until the carrots are tender. Add this mixture, along with the rest of the broth, the beer, barley, onions, and seasoning.

If you’d like the stew to be a little thicker, make a roux: melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter and add to it the 1 Tbs. flour. Stir to combine over medium heat. When the butter-flour looks bubbly and golden (under a minute), begin to add ladlesful of broth, whisking to combine. This should create a thick mixture that can be poured back into your stew. Cook the stew for at least 1 1/2 hours on medium-low heat. Enjoy with some sharp cheese and rustic bread. If you’re using spent grains in the stew, consider also using them in the bread!

About Dragons

St. George, Rackham,1918

“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”

-G.K. Chesterton

Dina’s Rugelah

 Thoughts:

 This recipe comes from a very dear family friend, Dina Jacobson. She makes it for her family, and even made large batches of it herself recently for her 90th birthday party. She learned it from her mother, which makes it profound, because Dina lost her entire family in the Holocaust. But this recipe is so filled with love and happiness that it’s sometimes amazing to think that it has any remote connection to such a horrible event.

The finished rugelah are simple, yet temptingly addictive. Soft dough that puffs slightly in the oven, not too sweet, but bursting with cinnamon. They are so small that you’ll find yourself thinking, “Oh, I’ll just have one or two more,” and swiping quite a few more than that.

In our family, they’re a favorite, and every time we eat them,

We will remember.

Dina’s Rugelah Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, soft
  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided
  • 1 Tbs. cinnamon

Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and 1/4 sugar. Combine the baking powder and flour, and add to the first mixture. Blend thoroughly, using your hands. When the dough completely pulls together, roll out onto a slightly floured surface to a thinness of around 1/8″. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and remaining sugar, and spread out with your hands until the dough is covered evenly.

Cut the dough into small triangles, as below, roughly 1.5″x3″. Don’t worry about making the pieces perfect: they’ll all still be delicious! Roll each triangle like a croissant, curving the ends around slightly, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, until the ends of each rugelah are just golden.

Hand Washing Waters

medieval Hand-washing Water recipe

Hand-washing Water

There is a curious medieval custom that evolved through the ages of having scented water on dining tables with which to wash one’s hands. I remember as a child being delighted that my grandmother had china finger-bowls, even though they were never used. Although this doesn’t make an obvious appearance in Song of Ice and Fire, I imagine that it would fit very well with the more well-heeled families. The Lannisters would use expensive ingredients such as ambergris, while the Tyrells might use rose petals, the Starks juniper and spruce tips, and so on. 

The basic version is a fun, easy recipe to make, and adds a fun upscale element to a dinner party! It makes enough for two small bowls, and is a pale green-yellow color with the slightest of pleasant herbal and citrus elements.

Recipes for Hand Washing Waters

TO MAKE WATER TO WASH THE HANDS AT TABLE. Boil sage, then strain the water, and let cool until it is luke-warm. Or instead you can use camomile or marjoram, or rosemary : and cook with the peel of an orange. And also laurel leaves [bay leaves] are good for this. –Le Menagier de Paris, 1393

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup fresh sage, chamomile, marjoram, rosemary, bay leaves, etc.
  • 1 heaping Tbs. orange peel

Here’s another later recipe that calls for distilling the liquid, which is a different approach as it seems to make a kind of concentrate for scenting water; I particularly like the quirky pairing of lavender and cloves:

This is an excerpt from Delights for Ladies (England, 1609)

An excellent hand water or washing water very cheape. Take a gallon of faire water, one handfull of Lavender flowers, a few Cloves and some Orace powder, and foure ounces of Benjamin: distill the water in an ordinarie leaden Still. You may distill a second water by a new infusion of water upon the seces: a little of this will sweeten a bason of faire water for your table.

Happy 2nd Birthday, IatC!

Two years!

Happy Birthday, IatC!

Celebratory Lemoncakes!!

March 27th marks the 2nd year bloggiversary of Inn at the Crossroads, and what an awesome two years they’ve been! I never dreamed when Sariann and I started this blog that it would go so far, or that I’d still be here two years on.

March of last year witnessed an epic S2 premiere party, held at the Asgard pub in Cambridge. Two full days of cooking (including a suckling pig) enabled us to feed more than 20 guests. The spread was ridiculously elaborate, and bits of it can be seen here, amidst my nervous eye-widening. ;)

The end of May brought boxes of finished cookbooks to our doorstep. I cannot begin to describe the amazing feeling of seeing all those months of hard work turned into a gorgeous, real, physical book.

The summer was full of interviews and signings for the book, the most notable, perhaps, being San Diego Comic Con. I’d been once about 10 years ago, but this year, going as a “somebody”, was unbelievably cool. We got to dart around the hall before the crazy masses of people were let in, and met a number of authors, illustrators, and all around creative people. Oh, and then there was the part where we had drinks with GRRM, which was only interrupted when he posed for a photo with a visiting R2 unit. (true story- the R2 wore his hat)

Over the winter, I launched Game of Brews, IatC’s sister site for brewing. I’ve loved taking my approach to historical cookery and applying it to brewing, and the results, if I may say so, have been delicious. The forum is up and running, and is a place for fans and brewers to exchange ideas, recipes, suggestions for ingredients, etc. I hope in the coming months to start a section on labels, so any of you artistically minded folks out there, keep an eye open.

And now, just in time for Season 3 viewing parties, I’ve launched a party planning ebook. It was a blast to put together, and I hope will help others bring a little immersive fantasy oomph to their own celebrations. And really, who doesn’t want to know how to say, “That’s what she said!” in Dothraki? :)

In the last year alone, nearly 300,000 visitors have stepped into the Inn, and more are arriving every day. The cookbook is being translated into 3 other languages (Spanish, German, Polish), and has sold over 20k copies so far. You all are the best foodies and fans that anyone could ask for!

Below is a photo selection of the past year’s highlights. I’ve included events, recipes, and some of my favorite food photos. I’ve got some new things up my sleeves for the coming year, so be sure to keep checking in!

And above all, happy cooking!

this happened…
S2 invites
S2 premiere!
sweetsleep herbal tea mixture
an assortment of fresh fruits, fit for a khaleesi
the first amazing look at the finished cookbooks
Beef and Barley stew
the ever helpful sous chef
San Diego Comic Con, for the win.
signing at SDCC
a hint of things to come…
my favorite new salad
THE COOKBOOK!
exploring more non-canon medieval dishes
food words from the books
I launched Game of Brews, IatC’s sister site devoted to homebrewing
menu and foods, photo courtesy of Unspoiled! Podcast
raven decals inside Best Buy, during S2 dvd launch
My awesome Targaryen scarf
my new party planning ebook

 

T-shirt Giveaway

It’s another giveaway!

Do you want to rock the Season 3 premiere in true fan style? Check out these great Game of Thrones shirts, one of which could be yours, compliments of Tshirts.com:

GoT shirts

T-shirts, from left to right: Almighty, Stark, Lannister

For your chance to enter, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or leave a comment below stating what tasty dishes you’ll be eating while you wear your new threads.

Entries will be accepted through Friday, March 23, at which point one winner will be chosen at random. If you win, you can take your pick of the three options above! Just provide your shipping address, the shirt of your choice and your shirt size.

May the bravest among us win!

(sadly, this giveaway is for U.S. residents only)

Ommegang Iron Throne Beer prizes

With only 13 more days until the Season 3 premiere, it’s time to crank those party preparations into high gear!

To celebrate the launch of Brewery Ommegang and HBO’s first Game of Thrones beer, Iron Throne Blonde Ale, Chicago area distributor River North Beer is giving away prize packs to their Facebook and Twitter fans. To enter, fill in the form HERE, and good luck!

River North Restaurant Week Feature

Take a look at the prize packs below. Personally, I love those glasses, and think they’d be amazing for the brewing blog. I’ll probably have to snag some of my own in the near future. :)

First Prize:

  – One copy of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition).

– A set of four laser engraved house pint glasses from Emporium of Fluff.

  – One copy of A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook.

Second Prize:

– One copy of A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook.

– A set of four offical Ommegang Iron Throne glasses

 

Valabar's Salad – Vlad Taltos

“Valabar’s has several salads. Today’s was a combination of the round and the tall, broad-leaf kinds of lettuce, along with flatnuts, blanched tomato wedges, soul of palm, pimentos, scallions, and artichoke heart marinated in sweet vinegar, which functioned as a dressing. A grated nithlan cheese—sharp and musky—was shredded over it, and the whole thing was topped with candied rose petals.

Mihi dished it up with his usual matter-of-fact fluid elegance, and my mouth was watering.”

-Dzur, by Steven Brust

Valabar's Salad

Valabar’s Salad

Thoughts:

This is a most excellent dish.

The artichoke hearts are particularly nice, as their leaves soak up more of the balsamic, making them a flavor powerhouse. The richness of the hearts of palm contrasts pleasingly with the sharpness of the vinegar. The almonds, in conjunction with the scallions, invoke some taste-memory that I can’t quite place. It’s surprising how well the flavors work together, giving the impression of one dish with several different accents.

All in all, it is a thoroughly quirky salad, but so easy to make, and so well received that it may well become a staple dish in this house!

Recipe for Valabar’s Salad

Makes 2 large salads

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 medium-sized tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup heart of palm, chopped into 1″ slices
  • 1/4 cup pimento or roasted red pepper, diced
  • 4 artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 1 head large leaf lettuce
  • 1 scallion, sliced thin
  • grated cheese, such as parmesan or gruyere
  • 2 Tbs. Marcona almonds
  • 1 Tbs. candied rose petals

Blanch the tomatoes: Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Cut the stems out of the tomatoes, and cut a small X on the bottom of each fruit. Place in the boiling water, and scoop back out when the skin begins to peel off. Once cool, remove the skins and slice into quarters.

Combine the vinegars in a small bowl. Add the tomatoes, hearts of palm and artichoke, and pimento. Toss and let infuse for at least an hour.

To serve, arrange the lettuce in two serving bowls. Spoon the vinegar ingredients into the bowls, and sprinkle scallions, cheese, and almonds over them. Top with a few small rose petals, and enjoy!