Here are some of my favorite tried-and-true recipes from my friends in Middle Earth. They are delicious and you really should try them. And as this seems the most appropriate place to put them, sorry if this doesn't belong here.
Here we go!
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Elven Lembas Bread Recipe
6 TBSP butter or margarine, slightly softened
2 cups self-rising flour*
1 TBSP granulated sugar
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup milk
4 TBSP heavy cream
Mallorn leaves
With a pastry blender of fork, cut margarine into the flour in a mixing bowl until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Do this rapidly so the butter does not melt. Add the sugar and if desired, ½ cup of raisins. In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together until mixed. Reserve 1 TBSP of this mixture to brush the tops of the Lembas. Add the cream and egg mixture to the flour and mix just until combined into a stiff, soft dough. Knead three or four times on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a ¾" thickness and cut with an oval or leaf shaped cookie cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving 1" of space between Lembas. Brush the tops of the Lembas with the reserved egg-milk mixture. Bake for 12 -13 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven.
For safe keeping, wrap each Lembas individually in a fresh, clean Mallorn leaf. If these leaves are unavailable in your area, store the Lembas in a tightly closed container. Makes about 1 ½ dozen Lembas (or 9 if you cut them into squares instead of cookie cutters). Tastes best fresh out of the oven with cold maple syrup. -
From my very good friend Arwen Lakestone
Athelas Tea
*since herb-lore of Middle-Earth is mostly confined to herbs native to the Shire, records of True Athelas are scarce. However, it seems by all accounts that Mint is the closest relative.*
Juice of 2 lemons
3-4 1/2 inch coins of fresh Ginger
1 clove of garlic (“You *must* trust Master..”)
3 sprigs of Mint (approx. 7-10 leaves)
2L. Filtered water, boiling
Unpasteurized Honey
Echinaccia extract, liquid
No matter how weird it may sound, DO NOT REPLACE/OMIT ANY INGREDIENT!!!
Place Ginger, Mint and Garlic(peeled, but not crushed!) in a cheesecloth and tie off. Add to boiling water and cook for 5-7 min. Turn off heat and add lemon juice. Remove spices and transfer to an insulated tea pot. Into each cup, add a tsp. of honey(or to taste), and echinaccia extract to the bottle’s instructions. Rx: Serve to any Man, Hobbit, or Dwarf suffering from congestion, sore throat, dry cough or Morgul blades.
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Given to me by Aragorn This really works; i use it for colds all the time!
Merry’s Mushrooms
“They’re mine! Mrs. Maggot gave them to me- A Queen among farmers’ wives!” -Frodo, Fellowship of the Ring, book.
I onion, small dice
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 c. small mushrooms, washed (can also use large mushrooms sliced in half or quarters)
3 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. thyme
2 c. water
2 tbsp. arrowroot
Salt&Pepper
In a medium pot or a deep pan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil until the onions are soft. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for two more minutes.
Add 1 1/2 c. water and simmer uncovered for 15 min. Mix the arrowroot with the remaining 1/2 c. of water, and add to pot. Cook until thickened, approx. one minute. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately to hungry Hobbits (Or eat them all yourself:drool: )
Enjoy!
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My brother Merry and I make this all the time
Po-Tay-To Onion Soup
4 Tbsp butter
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 cups milk
5-½ cups canned chicken broth
¼ cups fresh chives, chopped
½ tsp celery seeds
¼ tsp dried thyme, whole
1 cup light cream
salt, to taste
black pepper (freshly ground, if possible), to taste
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
½ cup fresh chives, chopped
6 slices bacon, crisply fried and chopped
In a large stockpot, melt butter and sauté onion until translucent (do not brown). Add potatoes, milk, chicken broth, chives, celery seed and thyme. Cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and water, stirring well. Add to soup, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes.
Using a potato masher, mash potatoes into small pieces. (Or use food processor or immersion blender to puree soup). Add cream, salt and pepper. Heat about 5 minutes.
Garnish with chives and/or bacon pieces.
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Sam gave me this recipe for a most delightful soup; he and Frodo ate this while in Ithilien.
Ok, I won't give you anymore, but i may post some in this topic later.
I'm off to eat!
The usual Hobbit hobby.... Tee hee... Hope you enjoy!!! Gladdy
*You can make your own self rising flour by following these directions:
For every cup of flour needed, add 1/2 TB baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt and mix well. i.e. if it were 2 cups of self-rising flour, you would add to the flour 1 TB baking powder and 1 tsp salt and mix. GB