LARGE ONION, QUARTERED
2 LARGE SPRIGS OF FRESH ROSEMARY
½ CUP MELTED BUTTER, DIVIDED
YUCCA:
1¼ POUNDS FRESH YUCCA
1 TEASPOON SALT, DIVIDED
4 TABLESPOONS SALTED BUTTER, MELTED
6–8 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 LARGE SPRIG OF FRESH ROSEMARY LEAVES
½ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 CUP CREAM
1 BUNCH ITALIAN PARSLEY, LEAVES CHOPPED
GRAVY:
4 TABLESPOONS FLOUR
1 CUP CHICKEN OR DUCK STOCK
DUCK:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Make a dry rub of salt, paprika and pepper and generously rub into the skin and cavity.
Put the duck into a roasting pan and stuff with onion and 2 sprigs of rosemary.
Roast for 1 hour. Then baste duck with about ¼ cup of melted butter until skin is nicely coated.
Cook for another 45 minutes.
Baste again and allow 15 more minutes in the oven. Duck should be a nice golden brown.
YUCCA:
Peel and wash the yucca. Put in a small pan and fill with water, just until yucca is covered.
Add ½ teaspoon of salt to water. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes, until a fork goes through the yucca without effort.
Drain and leave in the colander for cooling.
When it’s cool enough to handle, pull the roots and veins out of the yucca.
Melt the butter and sweat the garlic and the rosemary petals on medium-low heat until tender but not brown, then add the remaining salt and pepper.
Add the cream and bring to a soft simmer, stirring frequently so the bottom doesn’t burn.
Add the yucca and mash until desired consistency (a bit lumpy).
Put the mixture into a baking dish, cover and place in oven (already preheated to 375) for 8–10 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley.
GRAVY:
Use drippings from the duck. Measure out ½ cup of drippings, pour into a heavy pan and bring to a boil on high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, whisk in the flour and whisk constantly until it forms a thick golden paste.
Slowly pour in stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Continue to cook over medium heat until thickened.
HAYMITCH’S HANGOVER MUFFINS
YIELDS 18 MUFFINS
One morning during the tour of the districts, Katniss found Haymitch nursing a hangover and nibbling at a muffin. It’s doubtful that any muffin could have cured Haymitch, but these are at least very tasty.
These muffins are especially good as a breakfast or snack in the winter months. Try them with some cream cheese or a smear of orange marmalade.
3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE WHEAT FLOUR
¾ CUP BROWN SUGAR
¾ CUP WHITE SUGAR
1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER
2 TEASPOONS GROUND CINNAMON
1 TEASPOON GROUND GINGER
½ TEASPOON BAKING SODA
½ TEASPOON SALT
½ TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG
1¼ CUP MILK
1 CUP BUTTER, MELTED
2 EGGS, BEATEN
1 CUP DRIED CHERRIES, CHOPPED
1 CUP APPLE, PEELED AND CHOPPED
¾ CUP TOASTED HAZELNUTS, CHOPPED
½ CUP DRIED FIGS, CHOPPED
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together all the dry ingredients minus the fruit and nuts.
Add milk, butter and eggs to mix. (Create a well in the middle of your dry ingredients to effectively combine liquids and solids.)
When batter is smooth and without dry pockets, add the cherries, hazelnuts, apples and figs.
Grease a muffin pan well and sprinkle it lightly with flour.
Fill each muffin pan cup ¾ full.
Bake 15–20 minutes.
PEETA’S MULTIGRAIN BREAD
MAKES 2 LOAVES
Peeta brought this yeasty bread to Haymitch one morning and Haymitch had the bad grace to hand him a filthy knife to cut it. Ever respectful of the work and ingredients that go into a loaf of bread, Peeta opted to clean the knife before using it.
If you’ve never baked bread, this is a good recipe to use for your first time. It’s a very basic recipe that yields delicious results.
1 CUP WARM WATER (110 DEGREES)
1 PACKAGE ACTIVE DRY YEAST (2¼ TEASPOONS)
1 TABLESPOON WHITE SUGAR
6 CUPS WHEAT BREAD FLOUR, DIVIDED
1 CUP MILK, ROOM TEMPERATURE
2 EGGS
2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER, SOFTENED
2 TEASPOONS SALT
¼ CUP FRESH THYME, CHOPPED
¼ CUP FRESH CHIVES, CHOPPED
1 EGG WHITE
2 TABLESPOONS WATER
In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together the yeast
