Greens Dressed with Apples and Pine Nuts

“Cersei set a tasty table, that could not be denied. They started with a creamy chestnut soup, crusty hot bread, and greens dressed with apples and pine nuts.” -A Clash of Kings

Greens w/Apples & Pine Nuts

Thoughts:

Wonderful.

I had been putting off many of the salad recipes for lack of inspiration, but no more. This is a terrific salad! The apple slices are the star of the dish, but wouldn’t be nearly as amazing without the cheese and dressing. Creamy cheese between bites of crunchy apple, tangy dressing over soft pine nuts and pomegranate seeds bursting with color: the whole dish is a textural and taste powerhouse that’s as delicious as it is healthy. How could it get any better?

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Roast Swans

No, sadly, we did not get to cook a whole roast swan, although if we had, it might look something like this:

It’s not for want of trying. The truth is that we’re not somewhere we could hunt our own, and they’re just too blasted expensive to order. We’ve searched online and found two options:

Order swan for $900. (Small print: it comes live, still flapping, and very, very annoyed.)
Order frozen, dressed swan for $1500. Yowch.

Clearly, neither of these was a route we could take. Yes, we could substitute goose. But until a benevolent Scrooge delivers one to our door, it’s going to have to wait. Instead, I’ve opted to do a more scholarly post on the roasting and eating of swans from the Middle Ages.

Swans have a long and quirky history in the UK. Back to at least the 12th century, the majority of mute swans on the River Thames have been the property of the crown. The Vintners’ and Dyers’ Livery Companies were also granted ownership of some of the mute swans in the 15th century.

The “Act of Swans”, passed in 1482, formalized the crown’s ownership and the method of marking the swans. The marking is known as the “Swan Upping”, and happens every year. Presumably this began as a way for the royal Swan Master (yes, that’s an official position) to pick out likely cygnets for the royal table, and to divvy out ownership of the year’s new swans. Today, it’s an opportunity to do a headcount of the swans, weigh them, and check their health.

The ownership of the swans used to be denoted by marks on their bills; unmarked swans belonged to the crown. All other swans were catalogued in one of several books of swan marks. The Vintners’ swans had nicks on both sides of the beak, while the Dyers’ had a nick on just one side:

As someone who loves old and absurd traditions, attending this one’s a must for me someday.

Despite the ban on killing and eating royal swans in London, there are a number of historical recipes pertaining to the birds. I’ve included a couple of them for curiosity’s sake.

Be warned: these give a full account of what we ought to do with that live swan once it arrives in the mail, and it’s not altogether pretty! Although from a later period, the account from colonial America is staggering in it’s scope. How many relatives could they have fed at such a groaning table?

GRRM doesn’t seem quite so mad in his descriptions of feasts, now, does he?

Recipes and accounts in Historical Cookbooks:

France, ca. 1380 – from Le Viandier de Taillevent

Subtlety of a swan reclothed in its skin including its plumage. Take the swan, inflate it between the shoulders, slit it along the belly, and remove the skin (including the neck cut close to the shoulders). Leave the feet attached to the body. Put it on the spit, bard it, and glaze it. When it is cooked, reclothe it in its skin, with the neck very upright on the plate. Eat it with Yellow Pepper [Sauce].

England, 1430 – from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books

Swan rosted. Kutte a Swan in the rove of the mouthe toward the brayne enlonge, and lete him blede, and kepe the blode for chawdewyn; or elles knytte a knot on his nek, And so late his nekke breke; then skald him. Drawe him and rost him even as thou doest goce in all poyntes, and serue him forth with chawd-wyne.

America, 1653 – from The Accomplisht Cook

“A Bill of Fare for Christmas Day, and how to set the Meat in Order.: Oysters. 1. A collar of brawn. 2. Stewed Broth of Mutton marrow bones. 3. A grand Sallet. 4. A pottage of caponets. 5. A breast of veal in stoffado. 6. A boil’d partridge. 7. A chine of beef, or surloin roast. 8. Minced pies. 9. A Jegote of mutton with anchove sauce. 10. A made dish of sweet-bread. 11. A swan roast. 12. A pasty of venison. 13. A kid with a pudding in his belly. 14. A steak pie. 15. A hanch of venison roasted. 16. A turkey roast and stuck with cloves. 17. A made dish of chickens in puff paste. 18. Two bran geese roasted, one larded. 19. Two large capons, one larded. 20. A Custard.

“The second course for the same Mess. Oranges and Lemons. 1. A Young lamb or kid. 2. Two couple of rabbits, two larded. 3. A pig souc’t with tongues. 4. Three ducks, one larded. 5. Three pheasants, 1 larded. 6. A Swan Pye. 7. Three brace of partridge, three larded. 8. Made dish in puff paste. 9. Bolonia sausages, and anChoves, mushrooms, and Cavieate, and pickled oysters in a dish. 10. Six teels, three larded. 11. A Gammon of Westphalia Bacon. 12. Ten plovers, five larded. 13. A quince Pye, or warden pye. 14. Six woodcocks, 3 larded. 15. A standing Tart in puff-paste, preserved fruits, Pippins &c. 16. A dish of Larks. 17. Six dried neats tongues. 18. Sturgeon. 19. Powdered Geese. Jellies.”

So there you have it. Hopefully some day, either with goose or proper swan, I can make up a bird stuffed with mushrooms and oysters, or, my personal favorite, slivers of swan poached in a sauce of saffron and peaches. NOM!

Relish of Carrots, Raisins, and bits of Lime & Orange, to be served over Capon

““How far have we come?” the dwarf asked him as they stuffed themselves with cold capon and a relish made of carrots, raisins, and bits of lime and orange.” -A Dance with Dragons

Modern Relish

Our Thoughts:

Capon is just subtly different enough from chicken to give this meal a slightly foreign feel. Because of the higher fat content, capon is generally richer and a bit more decadent than your average hen.

I poked around for several months for a suitable historical recipe, but came up short. It seems this is one of those recipes that, like Athena, sprang fully formed from GRRM’s head. And since the modern version was so surprisingly yummy, I’ve left it at that.

The modern relish has a nice crunchy texture, The citrus is the first taste to hit your tongue, followed by the fast tang of the vinegar, then finishes with the carrots and raisins. The carrots stay crunchy, vying for texture with the tender raisins. When paired with a bite of the capon, the combination is excellent, entirely gobbleable.

It’s equally delicious served hot from the oven, or as cold leftovers, as described in the book.

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Leche of Brawn

Leche of Brawn

“Tyrion was toying with a leche of brawn, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and almond milk, when King Joffrey lurched suddenly to his feet. ‘Bring on my royal jousters!’ he shouted in a voice thick with wine, clapping his hands together.” -Storm of Swords

Our Thoughts:

It’s slightly unclear as to what exactly a leche of brawn was to the medieval diner. It seems to have evolved from once being a simple cut of pork to what we know as brawn, or today as headcheese, sometime between the Middle Ages and Victorian Age. We’ve opted for an historical version of the brawn, and in order to keep the disembodied craniums in the kitchen to a minimum, have made only one version. Perhaps there is a modern version in our future, who knows!

With a binding aspic similar to that used in our jellied calves’ brain recipe, this dish is salty, savory, and sweet at the same time. Essentially a rustic, primitive version of a mortadella, the brawn is perhaps not the first choice for out modern palates, but it is easy to see why this would be an historical staple food. Cheap to make, packed with nutrients, and essentially self-preserving, a brawn like this would be gold in a medieval kitchen. George’s addition on non-traditional spices and accompaniments (cinnamon, cloves, almond milk) gave our Victorian recipe a decidedly medieval turn toward the unexpectedly sweet, adding another layer of complexity to the dish.

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Mustard recipe from Oldtown

Roman Mustard

“‘There’s cold beef in the kitchens. And mustard in a big stone jar, from Oldtown.’ The thought of that mustard made the old woman smile.” -Feast for Crows

Modern Mustard

Our Thoughts:

I have a confession to make.

I don’t actually like mustard.

I’ve tried to cultivate an appreciation for it over the years, but without any great success. Thankfully, the Inn is filled with mustard fiends, all of whom were more than happy to be tastetesters for this particular post.

Because it is hand ground, the Roman mustard is very coarse, with a bit of a crunch lent it by the larger pieces of mustard seed. The ground nuts combined with the vinegar and honey to make a sort of binder for the seeds, tying the whole condiment together. The resulting spread has a notable bite to it, and is deliciously rustic. Even I could learn to love it.

The modern mustard also has a bite, but like any good mustard, the bite is not cumulative. Not as coarse as many imported French mustards, it has just enough graininess to give it a pleasant old world feel. Rich and profoundly mustardy, it i Is particularly delicious with a sharp cheddar, and would pair brilliantly with ham. It tastes like an expensive blend from a rural farmer’s market, one that you would have no regrets about purchasing.

Roman Mustard Recipe

[204] MUSTARD BEANSALITER: FABACIÆ EX SINAPI[The beans previously cooked are seasoned with] CRUSHED MUSTARD SEED, HONEY, NUTS, RUE, CUMIN, AND SERVED WITH VINEGAR. – Apicius

Ingredients:

1 cup black or brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup almonds, chopped fine
1/2 cup pine nuts, chopped fine
2-3 teaspoons salt
a pinch of cumin
honey to taste (I used about 2 Tbs.)
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Grind the whole mustard seeds for a few seconds in a spice or coffee grinder, or by hand with a mortar and pestle. You want them mostly whole. Add the chopped nuts and grind into a paste. Move everything to a bowl and add the salt, cumin, honey, and cold water. Mix well and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and stir well. When the vinegar is incorporated, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge. Wait at least 24 hours before using. Mustard made this way will last several months in the fridge.

Modern Mustard Recipe

1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
3 Tablespoons dry mustard
1 cup water
3/4 cup tarragon vinegar (or any other herb vinegar)
1 Tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or any mixture of fresh herbs that you enjoy)

Put the seeds, dry mustard, and water in a bowl. Let this mixture stand 2 hours or until the seeds become soft. Stir mixture every 15 minutes or so. When the seeds are soft, put the mixture in the food processor and run until the mixture is smooth. This took about 5 minutes. I wanted some texture to remain in my mustard so I left some seed pieces. Add the vinegar, honey, salt and herbs. Place in a lidded jar and allow to stand at room temperature to mellow. This mixture will be very hot. Once the mustard is to your taste (mine took about 1.5 hours) keep it in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for several months, but could be stored if you choose to use the proper canning technique.

Cod Cakes

Roman Cod Cakes

“The wedding guests gorged on cod cakes and winter squash, hills of neeps and great round wheels of cheese, on smoking slabs of mutton and beef ribs charred almost black…” -A Dance with Dragons

Modern Cod Cakes

Our Thoughts:

The Roman cod cakes are quirkier than what we’re used to when we think of fish cakes, but they’re also quite good. The cod is a nice, mild white fish, which lets the other flavors and textures have a turn in the spotlight. The cilantro is not overpowering, and the wine imparts a subtle sweet flavor. The leeks give an overall crunchiness, while the occasional caper provides a pop of vinegar. We weren’t great fans of the sauce, however; It’s a little too peculiar a pairing for our taste!

The modern cakes were excellent. Just a little crispy on the outside, but with a moist cod-potato filling on the inside. A little salt and a dash of lemon complete the meal, and they’re equally good right out of the frying pan as they are straight from the fridge.

Winner? I’m really not sure. The modern cakes win for general likeability, but the Roman cakes are unique and special. My personal ideal might be a combination of the two, with turnips swapped in for the spuds, and the sauteed leeks added in.

Historical Cod Cakes Recipe

Minutal marinum: pisces in caccabum, adicies liquamen, oleum, uinum, cocturam. porros capitatos, coriandrum minutatim concides, isiciola de pisce minuta facies et pulpas piscis cocti concerpis, urticas marinas bene lotas mittes. haec omnia cum cocta fuerint, teres piper, ligusticum, origanum, fricabis. liquamen suffundes, ius de suo sibi, exinanies in caccabum. cum ferbuerit, tractam confringes. obligas. cum ferbuerit, agitas. piper aspargis et inferes. [Place the fish in a saucepan, add broth, oil, and wine. Also finely chop leek heads and coriander. Form it into small cakes, adding capers and well-cleaned sea nettles. These fish cakes cook in a liquor of pepper, lovage, and crushed oregano, diluted with broth and the above fish liquor. Skim well, bind, stir over the cakes, sprinkle with pepper and serve.] – Apicius, 4th Century

Cook’s Notes: Sea Nettle is a jellyfish. Although there were a few washed up on the beach when I went to photograph the dish, I left out it out for simplicity’s sake. I also opted for the more traditional route of frying the cakes, as they fell apart completely when I tried to cook them strictly according to the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. cod, cut into large chunks.
1/2 cup broth
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup wine (I used a semi-sweet red)
1 leek, diced
1-2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, diced
2 Tbs. capers
2 eggs
1/2 – 1 cup breadcrumbs
olive oil for frying

For sauce:

pinch of pepper
1 tsp. lovage root
1 tsp. oregano
remaining broth, from above
roux (1 Tbs. oil, 1 Tbs. flour)

Poach the cod in the broth until it is flaky, around 5 minutes. Fish out the cod, place in a bowl, and crumble. Add the leek, cilantro, and capers, then the eggs and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. Mix this thoroughly by hand, and try to make a few patties with them. Add more breadcrumbs as needed.

Once you have a consistency that will work, form the mixture into cakes and fry in oil over medium heat. The cakes should be golden brown, and just a tad crispy. Place on a plate covered with paper towel to drain.

To the poaching broth, add lovage, oregano, and pepper. Simmer until this sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Strain, then thicken with a roux.

Serve cod cakes while still warm, with sauce on the side, or drizzled over.

Modern Cod Cakes Recipe

Cook’s note: This recipe is “modern” because of the inclusion of potatoes, a decidedly non-Westerosi ingredient.

Ingredients:

1 lb of cod fillets
2 medium-sized russett potatoes
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Grapeseed oil, or other high smoke point oil such as canola oil, for frying

Boil and mash the potatoes, set them aside. Boil the codfish until it flakes easily. Drain and flake the fish with a fork. Be sure to remove all bones. Mix the flaked fish, the potatoes and the rest of the ingredients together well by hand. If the mixture is too crumbly, add another egg. If too sticky, add some more bread crumbs. Form the mixture into cakes and fry them on medium high heat in a skillet coated with oil, until nice browned on one side, then flip them over and continue to cook until well browned on the other side. Yield: Makes 12 fish cakes. Serves 4-6.

Chocolate Carrageen Pudding

Plants that welcome the stranger,
Sea-swept and driven astern,
Beloved by the wide-world ranger—
Seaweed, tussock, and fern.

-Henry Lawson, 1910

Chocolate Carrageen Pudding

Our Thoughts:

Carrageen, or carraigín, is a wonderful foraged seaweed from the coasts of Ireland. Historically, it has been used as a binding agent in foods, as well as a clarifying agent in brewing. We order ours direct from foragers in Ireland, although it is available in most bulk herb sections, and in many home brewing stores.

The custard itself is interestingly savory, while still clearly a dessert. The carrageen adds a slight, unoffensive sea flavor that’s hard to place if one doesn’t know the secret ingredient. For those that enjoy a sweeter dessert, the sugar content can be increased, and other flavorings can be added as well.

Carrageen pudding has made more than one appearance at the dinner table in our house, equally suited to dinners for Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey. A relatively quick and easy set pudding to make, it’s an winner in our books.

Why it should be in the Next Book:

This pudding is a perfect dessert for GRRM to include in the next books. It’s use of seaweed as a binding agent, and just a bit of decadent cocoa powder for flavor makes it an ideal course to be served on the Fingers. We imagine Littlefinger enjoying a bite of it, having funded the import of the exotic flavorings, but still unable to shake his seaweedy origins. :)

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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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Magister Illyrio’s Dubious Mushrooms

“Mushrooms,” the magister announced, as the smell wafted up. “Kissed with garlic and bathed in butter. I am told the taste is exquisite. Have one, my friend. Have two.” -A Dance with Dragons

Black Mushrooms, take 2

Our Thoughts:

This dish proved to be more of an adventure than we anticipated.

We looked in several markets for black mushrooms, without success. Then, brilliance. I went to our local Asian supermarket, and cast about until I found an entire aisle filled with dried mushrooms. This, surely, was the perfect place to obtain suitably sketchy mushrooms. The winning bag reads, “Superior Quality Dried Fungus”, and beat out both the “AAA Dried Fungus” and the merely “High Quality Dried Fungus”.

Having obtained my dubious black mushrooms, I returned home to experiment.

They were horrible. I tried to prepare them many different ways, only to be met with the incontrovertable fact that the texture is simply unbearable. The butter and garlic just slipped right off the rubbery mushrooms, leaving us with a wholly unappetizing dish.

The second take is what you see above, and is wholly delicious. They might not have the same dubious backstory to go with them, but the trade off for great flavor is well worth it. Plump mushrooms bursting with butter and garlic- does it get better?

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Ham with Cloves, Honey, and Dried Cherries

“Sad to say, the kitchens proved to have no wild boar on hand, and there was not time enough to send out hunters. Instead, the cooks butchered one of the castle sows, and served them ham studded with cloves and basted with honey and dried cherries. It was not what Cersei wanted, but she made do.” -A Feast for Crows

Ham with cloves, honey, and dried cherries

Our Thoughts:

Salty, juicy goodness. The sweet punch of a cherry. Slow drips of honey.

All this can be yours.

This recipe is so good that it nearly defies description. Even as someone for whom ham and pork generally hold little appeal, I still had 3 servings. It’s the kind of flavor combination that will keep you eating in an effort to really nail down a description. We at least had the excuse of writing this post, but you’ll have to come up with your own.

What’s more, this is a great way to sneak a little Westeros into your otherwise normal family holidays.

This tasty ham, followed by episode 2.2, and chocolate Easter eggs? WIN.