The Unofficial Recipes of The Hunger Games (9 page)

CREAMY ROASTED KATNISS SOUP

SERVES 4

This soup is as rich in flavor and texture as anything served at the Capitol, but it's made with the humble katniss plant. Katniss fondly remembered her father teaching her to find and harvest these roots.

If you can't find katniss tubers, cassava or yucca will work just as well. Their flavor and texture is similar.

2 POUNDS KATNISS TUBERS OR YUCCA, PEELED AND CLEANED, CUT INTO 1-INCH PIECES

4 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED

1 TEASPOON PAPRIKA

½ TEASPOON SALT

½ TEASPOON PEPPER

1 DICED WHITE ONION

2 CLOVES GARLIC, CRUSHED

½ TEASPOON MILD CURRY POWDER

2 CUPS VEGETABLE BROTH

1 CUP PLAIN YOGURT

½ CUP SOUR CREAM

½ CUP HEAVY CREAM

½ CUP SCALLIONS OR CHIVES, CHOPPED

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the katniss tubers onto a baking sheet; add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper and roast for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onions and cook until they are golden but not dark.

Add the garlic and curry powder and cook for 3 minutes more.

Combine the katniss and the onion mixture in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk in the broth, and then add the cold ingredients (yogurt, sour cream and cream).

Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.

Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped scallions or chives to serve.

7

AUTHENTICITY FOR THE ADVENTUROUS

“But I told Rue I'd be there. For both of us. And somehow that seems even more important than the vow I gave Prim.”

KATNISS,
THE HUNGER GAMES
BY SUZANNE COLLINS, CHAPTER 18

THE RECIPES IN THIS CHAPTER
are for those of you who would like a bit more of the wild in your menu, or who are happy to go through a bit more trouble to replicate the foods and meals you've read about in
The Hunger Games.

These recipes include foods found throughout the book, such as dishes from District 12, the Capitol and the Arena.

GREASY SAE'S SPECIAL WINTER SOUP

SERVES 6

While dining on the rich offerings of the Capitol, Katniss thought back almost fondly to this Seam specialty that uses a little of this and a little of that.

One of the ingredients is “pig entrails,” which are commonly called chitterlings, a popular Appalachian ingredient. We'll forgo Greasy Sae's mice meat and use rabbit. Many spices are made of “tree bark,” and we include some here.

2 POUNDS CLEANED CHITTERLINGS, THAWED

3 TEASPOONS SALT, DIVIDED

1½ TEASPOONS FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER, DIVIDED

½ TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES

1 POUND RABBIT PIECES, THAWED

4 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED

3 CARROTS, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1-INCH PIECES

2 STALKS CELERY, SLICED THINLY

1 ONION, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

1 TEASPOON CARDAMOM

½ TEASPOON CINNAMON

1 QUART BEEF STOCK OR BROTH

Wash and rinse the thawed chitterlings and cut into 2-inch pieces. Rinse again and place in a bowl of cold water to soak for 1 hour.

Rinse again, tossing out water.

Fill a pot with 2 quarts water, add chitterlings and bring to a boil.

Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and ½ teaspoon pepper flakes.

Cook at a good simmer, covered, for 2 hours and drain.

After the chitterlings have been cooking for 1 hour, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Rub the thawed rabbit pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the juices run clear when poked with a fork. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a second large pot, heat final 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.

Add carrots, celery, onion, cardamom and cinnamon and stir.

Sauté about 15 minutes, until the carrots and celery are soft.

Add chitterlings and beef broth, bring to a boil and turn heat to low.

Simmer 25 minutes, then add rabbit and simmer on low for another 10 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste as needed.

MOM EVERDEEN'S BREAKFAST OF MUSH

SERVES 6

In the Capitol, Katniss remembered her mother's meal of breakfast mush made from ration grain. In the real Appalachia, breakfast mush was likely a type of fried mush, using up leftover cooked cereal. Mrs. Everdeen may have fried hers using tesserae oil, or a little leftover groosling fat if she had it.

You can use chicken or goose fat if you have it, or just use bacon drippings as we do here. It's a filling and delicious breakfast that is well suited to cool weather.

3 CUPS COW'S MILK OR GOAT'S MILK

¼ TEASPOON SALT

1¼ CUPS QUICK COOKING BARLEY

2 TABLESPOONS BACON DRIPPINGS

MOLASSES OR SYRUP IF DESIRED

In a medium saucepan, bring milk and salt to a boil.

Add barley and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for about 5 minutes.

Pour into a large bowl and allow to congeal for 1 hour, or leave in fridge overnight.

Heat bacon drippings in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat, taking care not to let it burn.

Turn mush out onto a cutting board, roughly shape into a rectangle with your hands and slice ½-inch thick slices.

Fry each slice for 1–2 minutes on each side, until browned and crusty on the outside.

Serve with molasses or syrup if desired.

MRS. EVERDEEN'S RABBIT STEW WITH WILD GREENS

SERVES 6

As Katniss taught herself to hunt and forage, she not only provided survival for her family, but also prepared herself to survive the Arena. The first time she brought home a rabbit, the family had been without meat for months. Her mother roused herself from her grief to skin the rabbit and cook it up with some greens.

Rabbit is a tender and moist meat when used in a stew. This dish is hearty and filling, and tastes even better the next day.

2 POUNDS CUT RABBIT, FRESH OR THAWED

1 TEASPOON SALT

4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL

2 CLOVES GARLIC, CRUSHED

2 LEEKS, CUT INTO 1-INCH PIECES (ALL BUT DARKEST GREEN TOPS)

1 TABLESPOON FRESH THYME, CHOPPED

1 TABLESPOON FRESH ROSEMARY, CHOPPED

6 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK

2 CUPS FRESH DANDELION GREENS

½ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Salt the rabbit pieces and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the butter and oil on medium-low heat and sweat the garlic, leeks, thyme and rosemary just until leeks are soft. Remove to a plate.

Turn heat up to medium high. Pat the rabbit pieces dry and place in the pot, adding more olive oil if needed. Working in batches, brown rabbit on all sides quite well. Do not crowd the pot because the rabbit won't brown properly.

Once all of the rabbit is browned, scrape the bits from the bottom and sides of the pot, leaving them in the pot to flavor your stew. You can use about ½ cup of stock to deglaze the pan.

Return rabbit to pot, add sautéed leek mixture and remaining stock, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.

Add dandelion greens to pot, taste for salt and pepper, cover and let simmer for 30 more minutes.

Ladle over rice if you like, or serve with crusty bread.

RICH GOOSE LIVER AND PUFFY BREAD

SERVES 6

This is another variation of the goose liver and puffy bread that Katniss snacked on when she first got to the Capitol.

Foie gras, which is probably what the Capitol served, can be extremely expensive. Alternatively, you can use goose liver pate, which is much less expensive and is made from regular goose liver.

12 SHEETS OF PUFF PASTRY DOUGH, THAWED

3 TABLESPOONS MELTED BUTTER

½ CUP GOOSE LIVER PATE

2 EGGS, WELL BEATEN PLUS 1 TABLESPOON OF WATER

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking sheet.

On a clean surface, lay out 4 sheets of puff pastry dough, one on top of the other. Brush top sheet with melted butter.

Add another 4 sheets on top of this stack.

Use a spoon to make 6 small mounds of liver filling in 2 rows, 3 in each row, lengthwise along the pastry dough.

Brush the egg wash around these mounds, using about half of the egg wash.

Carefully lay 1 sheet of pastry over this stack and use your hands to gently mold the pastry over the mounds so that they're very visible.

Brush with more melted butter, covering the entire sheet.

Now lay the other 3 sheets on top, 1 at a time, being careful to keep the liver mounds rounded and visible.

Use a pizza wheel to cut the stack into 6 even squares.

There will be excess around each mound. One at a time, brush the outer edges of each square with more egg wash and use your hands to crimp the outer edges inward into a roughly round, almost pie-crust edging.

As each one is molded, place it on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining sections.

Baste with any remaining butter and bake for 15–17 minutes, or just until golden.

Serve warm.

PALE PURPLE MELON

SERVES 10–12

The pale purple melon Katniss spied on the lavish table in the Capitol was probably genetically engineered. It certainly doesn't exist in nature as we know it, but you can engineer it, too.

This recipe is very sweet, so it's best left for decorative purposes or the taste buds of very young kids. It does look remarkable, so it is great for a
Hunger Games
-themed party.

½ CUP SUGAR

1 PACKET UNSWEETENED GRAPE DRINK MIX

½ CUP HOT WATER

2 CUPS WATER

1 HONEYDEW MELON, SLICED INTO ½-INCH SLICES

In a large measuring cup, combine sugar and drink mix packet, and then add in hot water.

Stir well until sugar is melted.

Add cold water and pour into a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish.

Place the melon slices in a single layer in the dish and let sit for 15 minutes.

Turn the slices over and let sit another 15 minutes.

Remove the slices and place into a re-sealable plastic bag.

Carefully pour the drink mixture into the bag and seal tightly.

Place back onto the baking dish and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours, shaking the bag up at least once.

To serve, remove the melon, drain on paper towels and then arrange on a platter.

BACKPACK TREASURE DRIED FRUITS

ABOUT 4 SERVINGS

When Katniss is able to steal a backpack from one of the Careers, she finds a bounty of dried fruits to sustain her.

Drying fruits is easy, but takes some time. This recipe will keep well in a tightly closed jar or airtight re-sealable plastic bag for up to two weeks. Use very ripe fruits for the best flavor.

4 MEDIUM GRANNY SMITH APPLES, PEELED AND SLICED THINLY

4 BARTLETT PEARS, PEELED AND SLICE THINLY

6 WHOLE APRICOTS, UNPEELED, SLICED THINLY

Preheat oven to 150 degrees.

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spread the apples on the first, the pears on the second and the apricots on the third.

Place all of the pans in the oven and dry for about 10 hours.

The apples and pears should be pliable but quite dry. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Allow the apricots to continue drying for about another 2 hours, or until quite dry but still pliable. Remove and allow them to cool.

Mix all of the fruits and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 2 cups.

DISTRICT 12 JERKY

SERVES 8

Venison was a rare treat in District 12, and Katniss was able to sell deer meat at a good price. Since meat was scarce and conditions were somewhat primitive, what couldn't be eaten fresh was preserved.

Drying or jerking was a popular way to preserve and serve venison in the real Appalachia, and it results in a deliciously different snack.

1 POUND BONELESS VENISON ROAST, TRIMMED OF ALL VISIBLE FAT AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE

4 TABLESPOONS SOY SAUCE

2 TABLESPOONS HONEY

2 TABLESPOONS LIQUID SMOKE FLAVORING

1 TABLESPOON KETCHUP

½ TEASPOON PEPPER

¼ TEASPOON GARLIC POWDER

¼ TEASPOON ONION SALT POWDER

½ TEASPOON SALT

Slice the venison into long strips about 1 inch wide and
⅛
inch thick.

In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine soy sauce, honey, liquid smoke, ketchup and all of the spices and seasonings. Shake well to blend.

Place meat into the bag and close securely. Place on a plate or glass-baking dish and refrigerate overnight.

Turn the bag occasionally to evenly distribute the liquid.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch drips.

Place meat strips on cake cooling racks so that they do not touch each other, and dehydrate for 6–7 hours, or until desired consistency is reached.

To store, seal in clean plastic bag.