Authors: Alan Kistler
Tags: #recipes, #cookbook, #Game of Thrones
Cersei’s Creamy Chestnut Soup
Tyrion may suspect Cersei’s motives, but he does not question his sister’s taste in food. Chestnuts seem to be a foil to the Queen: while the raw, spiny fruit looks ominous to the passerby, Cersei’s menace is less apparent, except to those who know her as well as Tyrion does and, like him, are clever enough to survive obtaining such insight. But once chestnuts are roasted, boiled, and puréed — all of which Cersei might do to those who threaten her person or power — they can be all sweetness and delight. (
A Clash of Kings
, Chapter 44 — Tyrion)
Serves 8
2 pounds chestnuts, roasted
1 tablespoon butter or chicken fat
6 leeks, well-trimmed and thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
Pinch thyme
8 cups chicken broth
1
⁄
4
cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
A Word of Wisdom
This recipe is a play on cock-a-leekie soup, which doesn’t traditionally feature chestnuts. Cock-a-leekie is usually garnished with thinly sliced prunes to add nutritional value.
Queen’s White Bean Soup
Queen Cersei’s food may be decadent, but she often has ulterior motives when she sits down to share her meal. With a battle on her doorstep, Cersei’s dinner with her brother is especially tempting — so much so that Tyrion thinks twice before eating anything she doesn’t. This fragrant soup, inspired by Cersei’s dish of white beans and bacon, would loosen anyone’s lips as trouble brews. (
A Clash of Kings
, Chapter 44 — Tyrion)
Serves 10
2 pounds hot Italian sausage
3 yellow onions
4 sprigs thyme
4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 gallons
Redwyne Brown Stock
, made with beef
2 pounds cooked cannellini beans
1 large bulb garlic
1 cup black olives, pitted
1
⁄
4
bunch fresh parsley, cleaned and chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 loaf fresh Italian bread, thinly sliced
About
2
⁄
3
cup store-bought roasted red pepper purée
A Word of Wisdom
For easier-to-cut raw sausages, freeze them for about 30 minutes before you slice them. Just let them thaw a little before cooking.
Late Lord Frey’s Leek Soup
Pale and cold, this is the perfect dish for the ancient and devious Lord Walder Frey of the Crossing. It’s also an appropriate and delectable allusion to the heartless destruction of those he deems his enemies, and far more palatable than the stewed crow and maggots Robb Stark swore he’d eat to please the Freys. For a touch of irony, serve it with bread and salt — just don’t serve it at a wedding. (
A Storm of Swords
, Chapter 51 — Catelyn)
Serves 6
4 tablespoons (
1
⁄
2
stick) butter
4 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
5 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
Chopped fresh parsley or chives
A Word of Wisdom
If you prefer your leek soup warm, by all means, enjoy. Just return it to the saucepan after puréeing, add cream, and heat — do not boil. No need to curdle this traitor’s soup, too!
Lord Nestor Royce’s Wild Mushroom Ragout
To get their caravan moving down the Giant’s Lance, Alayne promises little Lord Robert Arryn mushroom soup and venison and lemon cakes at Lord Nestor Royce’s feast — but it may be Alayne who needs real fortification after the harrowing journey. Sturdy and satisfying, this Royce-inspired ragout would welcome any traveler off a cold, dangerous path. (
A Feast for Crows
, Chapter 41 — Alayne)
Serves 4–6
1 pound wild mushrooms (morels, shiitake, cremini, or oyster)
1
⁄
4
cup (
1
⁄
2
stick) butter
1 leek, cleaned and tender white part sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1
⁄
4
cup dry white wine
1
⁄
2
cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste
A Word of Wisdom
Sometimes it is best to buy exotic or wild mushrooms dried. Reconstitute them in warm water for about an hour, until flexible. Discard the water.
Volantene Cold Beet Soup
“Sweet” is a word Quentyn Martell uses to describe Volantis and he means it both accurately and ironically. In his time there, he finds people most unhelpful in the hot, humid city that is known for its Triarch rulers constantly scheming against each other, as those who belong to the Tigers or the Elephants will do what they must to influence votes and politics. And yet, they do love their sweet wines and sweet beets. An accurate picture of Volantene tastes, this soup is a strangely skewed reflection of many of its people. (
A Dance with Dragons
, Chapter 6 — The Merchant’s Man)
Serves 6–8
4 cups fresh beets, peeled and shredded
1 whole onion, peeled and stuck with 4 cloves
2 quarts water
1
⁄
4
cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream