Tag Archives: Hunger Games

Flower Rolls – The Hunger Games

“Cinna invites me to sit on one of the couches and takes his place across from me. He presses a button on the side of the table. The top splits and from below rises a second tabletop that holds our lunch. Chicken and chunks of oranges cooked in a creamy sauce laid on a bed of pearly white grain, tiny green peas and onions, rolls shaped like flowers, and for dessert, a pudding the color of honey.”

–The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

These are a fun and decorative way to add to a dinner spread. The rolls are beautiful and unique, and can be filled with whatever you like. I enjoyed the filling I’ve included here, which includes goat cheese, garlic, and a bit of parsley or basil. The inside of the rolls stays warm and melty, and peeling back the “petals” to get to the filling is a fun way to play with your food. They are especially delicious next to a nice savory soup.

Flower Rolls Recipe

Roll Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all purpose/plain flour, added gradually
  • 1 tsp. instant yeast
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 tbsp. oil
  • 1 egg, divided
  • 2 Tbs. honey
  • warm water (enough to make the dough a firm but workable consistency- exact measurement to come!)

Filling Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. goat cheese
  • 1 egg, divided
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 Tbs. parsley or basil, diced

In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for your dough, using just the egg yolk. Add flour gradually until the dough is a nice cohesive consistency. Knead to a medium soft dough that bounces back when poked, and leave to rise for 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, combine all the ingredients for the filling. Set aside.

Divide the dough into 15-16 sections and shape them into neat balls; now you can start shaping the flowers. Roll out each ball to about 5″ diameter. Brush a bit of butter on the circle of dough. Make 4 diagonal slits, leaving the center intact. Add about 1 Tbs. filling in the center.

Brush the outside of each filled dough circle with beaten egg white. Take the first section and wrap it around the blob of filling, pinching the sides of that “petal” together to hold it in place. Take the opposite side’s “petal” and cover the other side of the filling with it. Repeat with the two last sections, pinching or pressing the dough on the side to seal it. Repeat with each round of dough until all the rolls are made up. The rolls should look roughly like roses, with swirls of doughy petals.

Place the prepared rolls on a greased tray. Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Brush each roll gently with the remainder of the egg white. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden.

Serve soon after baking.

Lamb Stew with Dried Plums – The Hunger Games

“Before I can stop him, he’s out in the rain, then handing something in to me. A silver parachute attached to a basket. I rip it open at once and inside there’s a feast– fresh rolls, goat cheese, apples, and best of all, a tureen of that incredible lamb stew on  wild rice.”

–The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Thoughts:

No wonder this is Katniss Everdeen’s favorite dish from the Capitol. 

The finished stew is thick and gooey, with small melting lumps of lamb, vegetable, and shallot, and the occasional crunch of a slivered almond. The flavor is a complex combination of savory herbs, with an unexpected sweetness imparted by the cooked down plums and the yam. Served over a bed of wild rice, the whole is a hearty, near-divine fictional food experience that  absolutely lives up to its reputation.

In keeping with the original excerpt, I paired my stew with apples, rolls, and goat cheese. YOM!


Lamb Stew with Dried Plums Recipe

Prep:  15 minutes          Cook Time: 1 hour plus

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the skillet (abt. 3 Tbs)
  • 3 shallots, sliced very thin
  • 1 medium yam, cubed
  • 1kg diced lamb (3-4cm cubes)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • salt, black pepper, and paprika or Aleppo pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbs. cocoa
  • 6-8 prunes, cut up
  • 1 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
  • wild rice, enough for 4

Pour the oil into a large skillet, then add the shallots. Cook over medium heat until they are soft but not brown. Add the diced yam and a splash of water, then cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, or until just soft. Transfer the veggies to a large pot. 

In that same skillet, pour in enough olive oil to cover the bottom again. Toss the lamb with flour and spices, then brown in the skillet. Add the browned lamb to the pot, along with the remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for around an hour. As with all stews, the flavors will be better the second day, but you’ll have a tough time not eating it straightaway. 

Serve the stew on a bed of wild multigrain rice.