Authors: Chelsea Monroe-Cassel,Sariann Lehrer
A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook (A Song of Ice and Fire) (7 page)
Pairs well with
Black Bread
,
Buttered Carrots
, dark beer
Black Bread
,
Buttered Carrots
, dark beer
This is an ideal meal to make with lamb leftovers, such as one might have after Easter, as it utilizes meaty bones, stale bread, and flat beer. We have added in or changed only a few things in the original 15th-century recipe. The onions go in whole and come out surprisingly sweet, and the flavors in the black bread suit the mutton dish very well. Overall, this is a primitive, hearty soup that is perfect for the brothers of the Night’s Watch.
About 1 pound lamb bones or bony stew meat
8 pearl onions, skinned
1 bottle dark beer, preferably flat
Pinch of saffron (optional)
½ cup wheat berries, soaked until soft (at least 6 hours or overnight)
Salt to taste
½ pound ground lamb, or reserved meat from bones
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or oil
Day-old bread slices, or toasted bread slices of your choice
If you are using stew meat, remove the meat from the bones and set it aside. Place the bones in a large pot, cover with water, and simmer for 1 to 2 hours. Skim the surface of the broth occasionally to remove scum and excess fat.
To the large pot of broth, add the onions, beer, saffron (if using), wheat berries, and salt. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 15 to 30 minutes. While the broth is cooking, heat the butter in a skillet and gently brown the ground lamb or reserved stew meat. Add the meat to the broth pot and keep the stew warm until you are ready to serve.
Break the bread slices into large pieces and place them in the bottom of individual soup bowls, then ladle the hot soup over the bread. Serve immediately.
Cook’s Note:If you serve the bones with the broth, be sure to warn your diners, lest they be surprised by them. Personally, we love the way the bones look in the bowl, and like a brother of the Night’s Watch, you can then be sure to get every scrap of meat!
Bean-and-Bacon Soup
[Sam] had not eaten since that bowl of bean-and-bacon soup with Pyp and Grenn
. Well, except for the bread and cheese, but that was only a nibble,
he thought. That was when he took a quick glance at the empty platter, and spied the mouse feasting on the bread crumbs
.
—A FEAST FOR CROWS
Traditional Bean-and-Bacon Soup
Soak in lukewarm water a quart of dry beans, lentils, or peas, drain and put them in a crockery kettle, with two leeks, half a head of celery, two middling sized onions, one carrot, two cloves, salt, and pepper, half a pound of bacon, or four ounces of butter; cover entirely with cold broth, set on the fire and boil gently till the whole is well cooked; then take from the fire, throw away the cloves, put the bacon aside, mash the beans and seasonings, strain them, and put back in the kettle with the broth in which they have been cooked; in case there should not be enough to cover the whole, add a little to it, set again on the fire, stir, give one boil, pour on croutons and serve
.
—WHAT TO EAT, AND HOW TO COOK IT, 1863
Serves 4 to 6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour
Prep: 20 minutesCooking: 1 hourPairs well with
Black Bread
,
Sweetcorn Fritters
, sharp cheese, ale
Black Bread
,
Sweetcorn Fritters
, sharp cheese, ale
This soup embodies the best kind of stick-to-your-ribs heartiness, ideal for the damp, bone-chilling sort of winter day that is the norm on the Wall. The vegetables all cook down until they are very tender, and each bite of soup contains a bit of everything. The fava beans are unusual enough that they defamiliarize what would otherwise be just a normal soup; it is easy to imagine this being served in the dim, chilly mess hall of Castle Black.
2 leeks (white and light green parts only)
2 stalks celery
2 medium onions
1 carrot
Two 15-ounce cans fava beans (about 4 cups)
2 whole cloves
Salt and ground black pepper
6 cups beef broth
½ pound bacon (6 to 8 strips), cooked crispy and crumbled
To clean the leeks, cut the roots off just above the base. Cut off the tough, dark green top of the leek, and discard or save for making vegetable stock. Slice the stalk in half lengthwise, and rinse, fanning the leaves out to remove the dirt. Slice the leeks into thin crescents, and put into a bowl of water. Swirl the leeks in the water to remove any sediment. Remove the leeks and allow to drain on a towel.
Chop the celery, onions, and carrot into small chunks.
Combine all the ingredients except the bacon in a large pot. Add the broth and as much water as needed to cover everything. Simmer over medium heat for about 1 hour, keeping an eye on the level of the liquid, and adding water if needed.
When all the vegetables have gone soft, ladle out some of the extra broth and reserve it. Remove the cloves.
Mash the soup with a potato masher until there are no whole beans remaining. Don’t be tempted to puree it with a modern device; this would ruin the rugged authenticity. If you want a thinner soup, add some of the reserved broth back in until you get the desired consistency.
Add the bacon, stir to incorporate, and serve.
Modern Bean-and-Bacon Soup
Serves 3 to 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Prep: 10 minutesCooking: 20 minutesPairs well with
Crusty White Bread
,
Pork Pie
,
Honey Biscuits
, dry white wine
Crusty White Bread
,
Pork Pie
,
Honey Biscuits
, dry white wine
Wonderfully simple yet surprisingly elegant, this soup is rich in flavors without being too heavy. The beans give the soup body, while the feta melts into the puree, creating
a near-perfect blend of tastes. The thyme adds a touch of sophistication, and the whole dish comes together beautifully.
a near-perfect blend of tastes. The thyme adds a touch of sophistication, and the whole dish comes together beautifully.
3 strips of bacon, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus extra for garnish
2 cups chicken stock
¼ cup feta cheese, plus extra for garnish
¼ cup orzo
1 cup water
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
In a small skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is well browned but not burned. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of bacon fat from the pan. Add the olive oil to the remaining fat.
Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is just starting to brown. Add the beans, thyme, and stock, then raise the heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Half cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes.
Puree the soup either with an immersion blender, or in batches with an upright blender. Return the soup to medium heat, then add the feta, orzo, 2 strips of crumbled bacon, and water. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
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