Have you always wondered what Katniss’ favorite Lamb Stew tastes like? Did you read about all the glorious food of the Capitol and just want to eat it along with Katniss and Peeta? Even some of the food in District 12 sound appetizing? You’re in luck! Short-Story author Emily Ansara Baines debuts ‘The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook‘ on December 14th!
After a short introduction, the chapter lists include Breakfast of Champions, Breaking Bread, Humble Beginnings and Wild Games for Wild Girls. The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook also includes Tips from Your Sponsor, which are some small tips to make the recipes a little easier, and Katniss’s Family Book of Herbs. Want to try a recipe before you buy? The recipe for Katniss’s Favorite Lamb Stew has been released! If you give it a try, let us know what you think!
“Katniss’s favorite food from the Capitol is the delicious lamb stew with dried plums. It’s no coincidence that this is her favorite dish. Soups and stews are common foods in the Seam, and this healthy and filling dish likely reminded her of the home and family she desperately missed.” (The Hunger Games, Chapter 9)
Katniss’s Favorite Lamb Stew
Yield 8-10 servings
- 5 pounds lamb fillet, shoulder or leg, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- ½ cup water
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar
- 3 cups diced carrots
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1½ cups diced celery
- 2 large onions, diced
- 3 potatoes, cubed
- 5 cups dried plums
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup ginger ale
- Place lamb, salt, pepper, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Toss to coat meat evenly.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan and brown the meat, working in batches if you have to.
- Remove lamb to a side plate. Pour off fat, leaving ¼ cup in the pan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion becomes golden. Deglaze frying pan with the ½ cup water, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan to stir up all of the tasty bits of meat and onion. Cook to reduce liquid slightly, then remove from heat.
- Place the lamb and garlic-onion mixture in a large stockpot. Add beef stock and sugar, stirring until sugars are dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours.
- Add the vegetables, dried plums, herbs, and ginger ale to the pot. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until meat and vegetables pierce easily with a fork.
