Heroes' Feast

[Daos]

Ha, who knows?  Another thing I thought was weird was it said to buy chickens that still had the skin on them, and then after I browned both sides, I was supposed to peel off the skin and throw it away.  So...not sure what the point of that was. 

[Igordragonian]

A sacrafice for Strahd?

[Daos]

Actually I was speaking to someone about this, and he claimed that the bones help distribute the heat so it cooks more evenly, and the skin locks in flavor and juices that would otherwise be lost.  So I suppose there were reasons.

It's funny, as much as I've learned about cooking these past few years, I'm still just blindly following instructions from the book; there's still so much I don't know.

[Daos]

Tonight, I made the third of the Sigil recipes from my new D&D cookbook: Chickpea and Spicy Sausage Soup!

"Serving equally well as a solo course or as a starter paired with a lighter main, Chickpea and Spicy Sausage Soup is a hearty, delicious, protein-filled potage.  As served in Sigil, this soup incorporates Sweet Larissa's sausages, imported from Plague-Mort--the less you know about how she makes them the better.  But one thing you will know is she makes them hot:  with the sort of spices mortals should avoid unless in ethereal form.  The chickpeas offer a starchy and earthy sanctuary from the oily, spicy sausage and red pepper flakes, all of it swimming in a garlicky chicken broth, flavored with tomato.  Common variations on this dish introduce tarragon for a pungent and inspired twist on the classic.  Although widely available, and often considered a meal for the masses, this is nonetheless a delectable soup that has rightfully earned its place in the heart of many citizens of the greater multiverse."

This recipe called for chouriço, linguiça or Spanish chorizo sausage, but I could not find any of those at the market.  So I just used regular smoked sausage.  Also, the recipe called for two ribs of celery, which seemed like a ton of celery.  I don't understand why it called for so much of it; I almost only bought one, and I wish I had.  The soup was still good, but there was just way more celery than anything else in it, as a result.

Still, as I said, it came out good.  A nice kick to it, which would make it good in the winter.  If I ever make it again, though, I'll probably only use half as much celery.

[Igordragonian]

It's looks cozy. Yeah

[Daos]

Tonight, I made the third of the Feywild recipes from my new D&D cookbook: Elfharrow Baked Goat Cheese!

"Centuries of deforestation has caused the elves of Elfharrow to get more creative with their diets than those of their forest-based counterparts.  Raising livestock has become a way of life for these elves, making dairy a central staple of their foodways.  This traditional Elfharrow dish features medallions of goat cheese crusted in breadcrumbs and baked.  The key ingredient, though, is a tangy mustard, said to originate in the Feywild, and the dish goes best with green salad on the side.  A word of caution:  Don't try to source your ingredients in Elfharrow--these elves are quite a bit more territorial and protective than their northern cousins and a visit there could be your last."

I've always had trouble with salads from these books, which is pretty ironic since you'd think salads would be the easiest to get right.  Anyway, it's basically just a standard salad with a vinaigrette dressing, a bit of apple slices and baked goat cheese slices.  The salad itself was...fine.  Kind of mid, as salads go.  The goat cheese was pretty good, though.  It was a lot like eating fried mozzarella, in fact.  Indeed, you could probably easily substitute mozzarella if you wanted to.

I served it with pizza, and I substituted Dijon mustard with honey mustard, because that was what I had on hand.  If it made any real difference, I couldn't tell.  The breading was made with crushed up Melba toast, which turned out way more difficult to find than I had thought.  Acquiring the goat cheese was no easy task, either.  My store had some, but in too small quantities and it was all soft cheese, while I needed firm.  But the internet was able to deliver for me, in the end.  But it cost me a lot more than it should have, as a result.

[Igordragonian]

Intresting.
I usually dont get the concept of salads...
They are raw.
I can just wash and eat them.

but my wife and daughters would probably love something like this

[Daos]

Tonight, I made the fourth of the Yawning Portal recipes from my new D&D cookbook: Rothé Steak!

"One silver piece is an extraordinary bargain for the Rothé Steak at the Yawning Portal--even if it is one of the more expensive things on the menu.  Served sizzling hot right out of the skillet, with just a hint of garlic and garden spices, rothé steak is a carnivore's delight and the perfect protein for a triumphant or aspiring adventurer.  Along the Sword Coast, you can easily source fresh rothé that is either farm-raised or wild game--there are devotees of both.  Why bother with any vegetable sides?  You won't get to them with this slab of meat to tackle."

This was a couple of New York strip steaks that were cooked, seasoned and cut up into small pieces.  I served it with cauliflower and mashed potatoes.

The steak was seasoned with rosemary and garlic.  It came out really good, although it took awhile for me to get it cooked enough that it wasn't pink inside any more.  The recipe called for a cast iron skillet, and I didn't have one so used a regular one, and I think that might have been why it took so much longer to cook.  But, it still came out really good.  Not sure it was worth the price, though.  But hey, steak is steak.

[Igordragonian]

I am easily bought by meat.
But it looks esepciay deliciouse.

[Daos]

Yeah, and it went fast.  My roommate had seconds, which is quite rare.  I managed to save three pieces for dinner tonight.  I'll probably have to pick up something to supplement that.

[Daos]

Tonight, I made the third of the Rock of Bral recipes from my new D&D cookbook: Trencher Bread!

"Predating even the most rustic plates, trencher bread served as a functional, and edible, tool for serving food.  Usually allowed to harden and become stale, this flat, round load can not only hold the meal but also become the next course once the edible 'plate' has absorbed any juices or sauce and softened.  Even when civilization along the Sword Coast advanced, the pre-Netherese tradition of serving food on edible plates remained.  No longer used for pure utility, trencher bread is traditionally prepared hard, flat, and dry, but it is lightly salted and seasoned to make the 'second course' more appealing.  It has also taken on other shapes, notably a bowl, which has become a popular vessel for serving soups and stews.  The bread is served along the crowded, cobbled lanes of major metropolises as far south as Calimport and as distant as the Rock of Bral asteroid spaceport.  Look for street vendors in Middle City's Great Market serving rare mammalian meats and sauces on this bread--a quick and cheap option for on-the-move off-worlders--and embrace the novelty of an ancient taste of Toril."

Trencher bread was a real thing, actually.  Common practice was to donate the soiled edible plates to the poor when you were done with them.  Which...ew.  Anyway, it's basically flat bread big enough to fit a plate.  That was it.  I decided that was probably not much of a meal, so I got a can of Dinty Moore stew for me and a can of chili for my roommate.  We both enjoyed it quite a lot.