Tis the season to be cooking! We’re all rocketing towards the end of the year and that means the kitchen is going to be putting in PLENTY of work. But why should we stick with the boring mainstays of yore when we could try to make things a little more fandom! To help with that, I was lucky enough to check out the brand new The Witcher Cookbook from TenSpeed Press and written by the enterprising explorers at WitcherKitchen.com. Not only is it a treasure trove of recipes from the world of The Witcher, it’s a glimpse back into the most iconic locations of the books and games through the lens of their food. To illustrate that, I picked five recipes from the book that you can try this season to make the winds howl at your dinner table.
Ard Skellig Roasted Ham
Let’s start with something that will no doubt be at the center of many holiday meals: the ham. This version of the classic dish comes from the rocky, windswept isles of Skellige and reflects some of the Celtic and Nordic influences seen there. The thing that make this recipe really stand out is the preparation. The ham is first marinaded in apple or pear cider mixed with spices then glazed with a honey mustard sauce that incorporates marjoram (a unique little herb similar to oregano) and floral honey to give the pork a spicy sweet bite.
Forefather’s Eve Toffee Candy
The holidays are the best time for sweets and there’s PLENTY to choose from in this cookbook, from the Ladies of the Wood Gingerbread Cookies to a Pear and Est Est Wine Tart. One of our favorites is this recipe for a sugary treat from Fyke Island in Velen, which are a tasty mix of honey, nuts, fruits, and sugar meant to combine sweet and salty in a way that will placate any sort of angry spirit. It’s a very old school method of candy-making but one that will really stand out at any gathering.
The Gran’Place Festival Honey Croissants
Simple baked croissants are not enough for the people of Beauclair and these honeyed morsels are a great example. These don’t just use the honey to glaze the croissant but actually incorporate it (and a little lemon zest) into the dough itself to create something light, flaky, and sticky sweet. The book recommends serving with plum jam, but they’d also be a great accompaniment to the Corvo Bianco Lemonade the book also features.
Kaer Morhen Fried Mushroom Salad
Sides are an important part of any holiday meal, so why not take one from the kitchens at Kaer Morhen? A Vesemir classic that utilizes the Witcher’s natural ability to forage to its max ability, this salad uses fresh oyster mushrooms fried in oil with butter, garlic and thyme and then tops that with some honey, pepper, and a sharp cheese. A great light snack or something to start out your holiday dinner with, it’s an easy meal to make that’s on season for the winter.
Ofieri Spiced Chicken and Pumpkin Stew
While the distant lands of Ofir are not so prominent in The Witcher as other lands, this recipe is perfect for a cold winter’s evening in between the big gatherings. It uses the cookbook’s Ofieri Spice Blend (turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, chili powder, and cloves) to elevate its main ingredients into something exotic and guaranteed to warm you from tip to toes.
You can grab The Witcher Official Cookbook from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite independent bookstore!
Images via TenSpeed Press
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