Authors: Alan Kistler
Tags: #recipes, #cookbook, #Game of Thrones
Illyrio’s Buttered Parsnip Purée
As if
Illyrio’s Goose Liver Drowned in Wine
,
The Cheesemonger’s Candied Onions
, and
Pentoshi Mushrooms in Butter and Garlic
aren’t enough elegance for one table, the Pentoshi magister’s chefs perfect the opulent spread with a deceptively simple purée. Like the little birds and mice that helped establish Illyrio’s wealth and power, this sweet and creamy dish could easily go unnoticed when present, but when absent might be missed sorely. (
A Dance with Dragons
, Chapter 1 — Tyrion)
Serves 6
2 pounds parsnips
1
⁄
2
cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
Salt
A Word of Wisdom
Some farmers leave some parsnips in the ground over winter. The frozen earth turns starches into sugars, so when the ground thaws and the parsnips are dug up, the roots are super-sweet.
Winterfell Black Bread
In the halls of Winterfell, black bread is easy to find. Of course, bread can be found in many lands and nations, but the black bread of the North is fitting for its inhabitants. It possesses a darker color, higher fiber, and stronger flavor than other breads. It’s denser as well, implying a great inner strength. Such food seems to symbolize the soul of the Stark family: gritty and stronger than anyone gives them credit for, with hidden resources that emerge when needed. Flavorful and healthy, it’s both a treat and practical nourishment. (
A Game of Thrones
, Chapter 5 — Jon)
Makes 1 loaf
2
⁄
3
cup warm water
1
3
⁄
4
teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup medium rye flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground
2–3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon strong coffee
A Word of Wisdom
This dough is commonly baked in loaf pans that are short in height and long in length. Slices of these mini loaves make the perfect base for appetizers like
Blackbird Salt Cod Toast
,
Illyrio’s Goose Liver Drowned in Wine
, and
Desperate Travelers’ Acorn Paste
.
Inn at the Crossroads 7-Grain Loaf
Though she made Winterfell her home and became a mother to a family of children that respect the old gods, Catelyn Tully originally hailed from Riverrun, where they practice the Faith of the Seven. But after tragedy and conspiracy, she finds herself crossing her father’s territories of the Riverlands and stops at the Inn at the Crossroads. Her thoughts drift to her childhood and those around her who worship the Seven. This 7-Grain Loaf might be a familiar flavor for such a busy inn — and would reflect the innkeep’s faith as well as her patrons’. (
A Game of Thrones
, Chapter 28 — Catelyn)
Makes 2 loaves
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1
3
⁄
4
teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1
⁄
2
cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 cup 7-grain cereal (see A Word of Wisdom)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons kosher salt
2–3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
A Word of Wisdom
Homemade 7-grain cereal is easy to make. For 1 cup, combine 2 tablespoons each of rolled oats, brown rice, rye groats, cracked wheat, buckwheat, barley, and spelt. Add 1 tablespoon each of flax and sesame seeds for good measure, then coarsely grind the whole mixture in a food processor or coffee grinder.
Westerosian Barley Bread
Barley can be found in several parts of Westeros — from the Reach to the Vale — and is traded to northmen like Yoren when they travel to southern cities. Barley can often be found at various meals, in bread and in stew. The nutty smell of a freshly baked loaf of this rustic bread would be welcome in any inn, tavern, cottage, or keep. (
A Clash of Kings
, Chapter 9 — Arya)
Makes 3 loaves
1 cup wheat berries
1
⁄
2
cup spelt groats
1
⁄
4
cup barley groats
2 tablespoons whole millet
2 tablespoons dried green lentils
1 tablespoon dried white beans
1 tablespoon dried red beans
1 tablespoon dried black beans
1
⁄
2
cup cracked wheat
1
1
⁄
2
cups boiling water
2 cups warm water
1
⁄
2
cup honey
1
3
⁄
4
teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1
⁄
4
cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
A Word of Wisdom
Barley is a favorite grain for malting. Bakers use barley malt as a sweetener and brewers swear by it when making beer. Pairing this with a brew like
Direwolf Ale
or
Merman’s Black Stout
would be a perfect match.
Black Brothers’ Oat Bread
Warm, thick slices of this breakfast bread would thaw any ranger to the core. Whether you’re eating it with a pat of butter or covering it with
Northmen’s Soft-Boiled Eggs and Bacon
, the Black Brothers’ Oat Bread can even fill Qhorin Halfhand’s stomach. (
A Clash of Kings
, Chapter 43 — Jon)