M20 The Mage Cookbook
M20 The Mage Cookbook
M20 The Mage Cookbook
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Credits
Authors: R.S. Udell, with Victor Joseph Kinzer
Additional Material, Recipes, Brain-Trust, and Kitchen Staff: Eva Cruz Andrade, Satyros
Phil Brucato, Abie Ekenezar, Nina Galati, Antonios Galatis, Kayla Graves, J.F. High, Rafael
Mastromauro, Balogun Ojetade, Sandra Damiana Swan, Chef Wang, Coyote Ashley Ward,
Jason Weeks, and Zack Wilson
Developer: Satyros Phil Brucato
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
Editor: Carol Darnell
Art Direction and Design: Mike Chaney
Art: Aaron Acevedo, Scott Baxa, Joel Biske, Dan Brereton, Echo Chernik, Robert McNeil,
Steve Prescott, Alex Sheikman, Chris Shy, and Joshua Gabriel Timbrook
Table of Contents 3
The Subtle Bastard 44 Beef Wellingtons, with Spinach,
The Tankard of St. George 44 Caramelized Onions,
The Time Tripper 45 and Blue Stilton Cheese 80
The Witchie-Poo 45 Orphans 84
Specialty Drinks 46 Coyote Cannibal Stew 84
The Digital Web 46 Cannibal Stew 86
MECHA Grease 46 Sisters of Hippolyta 88
The Orphan 47 Lahanodolmades 88
Porthos’ Revenge 47 Lahanodolmades (Cabbage Rolls) 90
The Secret Agent 47 Sons of Ether 92
Cult of Ecstasy 48 Battenburg Cake,
New England Lobster Bisque, or Gateau á la Domino 92
with Crusty Bread 48 Battenburg Cake,
Lobster and Mushroom Bisque 50 or Gateau á la Domino 94
Crusty Bread 52 Preparation 94
Dreamspeakers and Assembly and Decoration 95
the Thunder Society 54 Taftani 98
Fry Bread and Wojapi 54 Sharbat, Sharbat Sorbet,
Navajo Fry Bread 56 Rahat Lokum, and Borrage Flower Tea 98
Wojapi 57 Sharbat 100
Euthanatos /Madzimbabwe 58 Sharbat Sorbet 101
Muamba Nsusu, with Corn Fufu 58 Rahat Lokum 102
Muamba Nsusu 60 Borrage Flower Tea 103
Corn Fufu 61 Verbena 104
Hollow Ones 62 Polpetted’estate
Decadent Desserts 62 in Tomato Ragu,
with Pizza Bianca 104
Chocolate Chiffon Cake 64
Polpetted’estate in Tomato Ragu 106
Blackberry Creme Patisserie 65
Pizza Bianca with
Port Wine Jelly 66
Carmelized Onions and Provolone Dolce 108
Red and Black Trifle 67
Virtual Adepts 112
Kopa Loei 68
Kuih Lapis 112
Tuna and Salmon Poke 70
Kuih Lapis 114
N’goma 72
Wu Lung 116
Southern-Style Hoppin’ John,
Hongshao Shizitou
Collard Greens, and Gullah Seasonings 72
(Red Braised Lion’s Head),
Hoppin’ John 74 with Mandarin Fried Rice 116
Gullah Seasoning 75 Hongshao Shizitou 118
Collard Greens 76 Mandarin Fried Rice 119
Order of Hermes 78
Beef Wellingtons, with Spinach,
Caramelized Onions,
and Blue Stilton Cheese 78
Table of Contents 5
Introduction:
A Humble
Baker’s Son
I love food.
Who doesn’t, right? Growing up as I did on a farm, some of my fondest memories
are of the delicious meals that used to emerge out of our kitchen, made from the fresh
vegetables harvested from our garden; the milk, cream, butter, and cheese that came from
our cows and goats and that made our living; the eggs gathered straight from beneath the
hens. The only thing we didn’t provide for ourselves was meat, and that we got fresh from
down at the butcher’s, just a short bike-ride into town. My father, who had a veritable gift
for cheese-making, was also a skilled baker. To this day, my favorite smell in the world is
that of bread, fresh out of the oven, ready to be broken and slathered with aged butter. I
still keep a jar of his thirty-year-old starter in our refrigerator at the lodge and I’ve taught
some of my brothers how to keep it well-fed whilst I’m off on my travels.
The point I’m coming to is that I grew up in a community where everyone cooked.
Men, women, children, everyone. Trips to restaurants where some fancy trained chef
prepared the food were exceedingly rare. In point of fact, though my parents appreciated
the sentiment when my sisters and I would surprise them with a dinner out, they’d have
much rather stayed home and made a special meal themselves. People cooked with joy, with
creativity, with fearlessness, even. I know my Uncle Richard was never afraid to experiment,
though some of his more daring attempts were received with rather less enthusiasm than
he would have liked. But that was expected. It was half the fun! We also ate seasonally,
for the most part. I remember hunting for strawberries with my elder sister in the spring.
My mother and my aunts used to have huge preserving parties at Mabon, and old Jack
Rattigan would invite everyone ‘round for a taste of the new brew at Lughnasadh.
Oven Temperatures
ºF ºC Oven Settings
200 90 Very Cool
220 105 Very Cool
225 110 Cool
250 120 Cool
275 135 Moderate Cool
300 150 Moderate Warm
325 160 Medium
350 180 Medium
375 190 Moderate Hot
400 200 Fairly Hot
425 220 Hot
450 230 Very Hot
475 250 Very Hot
500 260 Very Hot
US Fluid Oz US Milliliters
1/8 1/2 tsp 2.5
1/6 1 tsp 5
1/4 2 tsp 10
1/2 1 tbsp 15
1 2 tbsp 30
2 1/4 60
4 1/2 cup 125
5 150
6 3/4 175
8 1 cup 250
9 275
10 1 1/4 cups 300
12 1 1/2 cups 375
15 450
16 2 cups 500
18 2 1/4 cups 550
20 2 1/2 cups 600
24 3 cups 750
Dry Measurements
Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.
– Harriet van Horne
still functional. Ahead, beyond the garden, was the vast building that held common rooms, the
kitchen, and living quarters. The most amazing thing about traditional Japanese living spaces is
how easily they can be converted to accommodate whatever requirements the space must fulfill –
often by the deft arrangement or re-arrangement of sliding doors, screens, and partitions. When I
was there, it was in the last part of summer, leading into early fall… which meant that, thankfully,
the worst of the summer heat had passed. The days were pleasantly warm, and the evenings were
balmy and cool.
Yuki is an incredible cook. When I suggested we have our own underground dinner, she
and her Akashic friend Michihiro were eager participants. The Japanese have a phrase to describe
the plethora of seasonal foods available at this time of year: yokushokuaki, roughly translated as
“good eating in the Autumn.” In addition to a heavenly array of fresh sashimi, Miyazaki beef,
fresh vegetables, and handmade soba noodles, Yuki and her friends prepared a couple of local
delicacies that stood out from the rest: Chicken Nanban and Miso Nasu.
Chicken Nanban – which can be roughly translated as either “southern style” or “European
style” depending on who you ask – is crispy fried chicken tossed with a slightly sweet vinegar
dressing and topped with a fresh and snappy tartar sauce. This dish was so common in Miyazaki
that you could get it to go from most grocery stores. The homemade version Yuki made blew
the store-bought kind out of the water.
Nasu is a small Japanese eggplant that is abundant in the late summer and early fall. When
cooked and combined with a flavorful miso glaze, this humble vegetable transforms into something
remarkably delicious. Once I learned to cook it for myself, it became my go-to side dish for the season.
You may not be able to get Japanese eggplant at your market, but Chinese eggplant is similar in flavor
and texture and will do as a substitution. Miso paste and some of the other ingredients might take
some tracking down, but the dish is worth the effort!
A final note about mayonnaise: Japanese mayo tastes profoundly different from American
mayo. I’m not sure why, but if I could hazard a guess, it would be because the Japanese variety
is closer to the flavor of homemade mayonnaise. Because the creamy tartar sauce is a star of
this dish, do yourself the favor and make up a batch of homemade mayonnaise. It is super-easy,
and the flavor cannot be matched. I have included a simple recipe below.
• Spoon the curry into the leaf cup. Repeat until all the curry is used, then place leaf cups
in a steamer and steam for 20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque. If you are using foil
for this step, fold a doubled piece of foil into a boat shape and fill with curry.
• When the curry is done, shred the lime leaves and chili, and sprinkle them over the
top of the curry.
• Serve over steamed rice or coconut rice, and squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top.
Ingredients
2 lbs [907 g] of fresh, firm-fleshed fish fillets (snapper, tilapia, grouper), completely
deboned and cut into ½-inch pieces
1/2 cup of fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 cup of chopped, fresh-seeded tomatoes
1 Serrano chili, seeded and finely diced
2 tsp of salt
dash of ground oregano
pinch of cayenne pepper
cilantro
avocado
tortillas or tortilla chips
Preparation
• Combine the fish, onion, tomato, chili, salt, oregano, and cayenne in a large glass
casserole dish. Pour the lime and lemon juice over the fish mixture, covering as much
of it as possible. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Stir, ensuring that
any fish that was previously uncovered is introduced to the lime and lemon juice. Allow
to marinate for another hour or two, until the fish is opaque and no longer translucent.
• Serve in a transparent glass dish. Garnish with chopped cilantro and slices of avocado,
and serve on fresh tortillas or with tortilla chips.
Mofongo
Ingredients
For the Broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb [454 g] beef bones (any type would do)
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 onion, halved
4 cups water
1 sprig cilantro
1 sprig of cilantro (optional)
1/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
Ingredients
For the Mofongo
1 lb [454 g] crisp fried pork rinds (also known as chicharrón)
4-5 green plantains
2 cups olive oil
kosher salt (to taste)
6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra- virgin olive oil
2 slices of thick-cut bacon, cooked
1 cup beef stock
Preparation
• Peel the plantains and cut into one-inch slices.
• In a large saucepan or deep fryer, heat 2 cups of oil to º350 F [º178 C]. Add the plantain
slices in two batches, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until they’re light-golden
all over, but not browned. Drain on paper towels.
• In a large mortar, crush garlic cloves with a pestle, and sprinkle with salt.
• Add olive oil to the mixture, and keep pounding until it’s well-incorporated.
• Transfer to a small bowl.
• In the same mortar or bowl, crush half of the fried plantain slices with half of the pork
rinds, 1 slice of cooked bacon, and half the garlic aioli. Pound it all together.
• Add up to 1/2 cup stock as needed, to make it moist.
• Spoon the mixture, and shape into two-inch balls. Repeat with remaining ingredients,
and keep in warm oven until ready to serve.
• Garnish with a spoonful of broth, and top with more crushed chicharrón, or cilantro,
if you wish.
Sekahnjebin
A refreshing Persian hospitality drink. For those who can’t or don’t drink alcoholic
concoctions, substitute this recipe for the other drinks in this entry.
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 bouquet of fresh mint
sprigs of fresh mint
2-3 tbsp of grated cucumber for each drink
Preparation
• Put the water and sugar into a 2-quart [2 l] steel pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over
medium-high heat.
• Remove pot from stove, and drop the bouquet of mint into the hot syrup. Cover the
pot, and allow the syrup to cool completely.
• When mixture is cool, remove the mint plants, discard them, and pour the syrup into
a glass or ceramic jar. This syrup will keep fresh for a long time without refrigeration,
so long as it is kept out of direct sunlight.
• To serve, pour roughly 3-4 oz [89-118 ml] of syrup into a glass, top it off with cool water
(and perhaps ice, if desired). Add 2-3 tablespoons of grated cucumber to each drink,
and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.
The Choirgirl
“Classic and lyrical without the frills.”
Ingredients
Glassware: 1 pitcher
1 bottle of white wine (as preferred, sweet not dry)
1 cup of sliced oranges
1/2 cup of grapes
1 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of raspberries
4 oz [118 ml] triple sec
2 oz [60 ml] brandy
Preparations
• Mix all together into pitcher. Put pitcher in refrigerator for an hour or more.
• Pour into wine glasses. Drink. Simple and good.
The Man-Machine
“Modified to graft the best parts of a Texas Tea and a Mai Tai into one monster of a drink.”
Ingredients
Glassware: pounder
1/3 oz [9 ml] Tarantula Tequila
1/3 oz [9 ml] Svedka Clementine Vodka
1/3 oz [9 ml] Don Q’s Coconut Rum
1/3 oz [9 ml] Malfy Con Lemon Gin
1/2 oz [15 ml] amaretto
1/3 oz [9 ml] grenadine
pineapple juice
orange juice
sweet-and-sour mix
Preparation
• In a pounder, add in grenadine, then add light ice over the top.
• Add in Tarantula Tequila, Svedka Clementine Vodka, Don Q’s Coconut rum, and the
Malfy Con Lemon Gin.
• Then float the amaretto on top, and layer in the sweet-and-sour mix, and pineapple juice.
• Top off with orange juice.
The Moreau
“Altered to the point of perfection.”
Ingredients
Glassware: pint glass
green tomato mixer (see below)
2 oz [60 ml] potato vodka
1 skinned carrot
lemon pepper seasoning
kosher salt
For the Green Tomato Mixer
2 cups tomatillo juice (or green tomato juice)
1/2 of a peeled yellow onion
2 celery stalks
2 oz [60 ml] lime juice
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 dashes of Green Tabasco Sauce
Preparations
• Combine all green tomato mixer ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth.
Let chill before using.
• Combine mixer into a glass with the remaining ingredients. Serve cold.
The Witchie-Poo
“And your little dog, too!”
Ingredients
Glassware: pint glass
2 oz [60 ml] Rouge GYO Single Malt Whiskey
Montreal seasoning
Bloody Mary mixer (below)
1 celery stalk
1 piece of bacon
For the Bloody Mary Mix
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 of a peeled white onion
2 celery stalks
2 oz [60 ml] lemon juice
1 red pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp horseradish
1 tsp black pepper
2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
1 sweet pepper
Specialty Drinks
Generally given “on the house,” only to the right people.
MECHA Grease
“It gets between your gears.”
Ingredients
Glassware: beer stein and shot glass
Irish Death (or your choice of dark beer)
1/2 oz [15 ml] Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey
1/2 oz [15 ml] honey whiskey
Preparation
• Fill the beer stein 3/4 full of Irish Death.
• Add Honey Whiskey and Rogue Whiskey to shot glass.
• To drink, drop the shot glass into the beer stein, and then down the drink in one go.
Porthos’ Revenge
“Hot and fiery, as in spicy, and rum as in… well, rum.”
Ingredients
Glassware: Collins glass
1 1/2 oz [15 ml] Silver Rum
1 oz [30 ml] simple syrup
soda water
1 jalapeno pepper
3 lime wedges
sprigs of mint
Preparation
• Muddle mint, jalapeno, and 2 lime wedges in bottom of glass.
• Fill glass with ice, and then add in rum and simple syrup.
• Fill with soda water, and garnish with lime.
Preparation
• Place the neck bones in a large pot with just enough cold water to cover them. Bring the
pot to a simmer /low boil over medium heat, and cook until the meat is just about done.
• While the pork stock is cooking, wash and de-stem your greens. (Some people enjoy
the stems, but depending on the season, those stems can be bitter and woody. If you
choose to use the stems, chop them in a 1/4-inch dice [6.4 mm].) Then cut the leaves
into about 2-inch wide [50 mm] diagonal strips.
• Add a generous amount of salt (about two teaspoons) and pepper (about 1 1/2 teaspoons).
Slowly add your greens until they are all in the pot. Next, pour in your two cups of chicken
stock, and spoon in a generous amount of bacon fat. If you don’t have bacon fat close
at hand, you can cube up a stick of butter and toss that in.
• Cover and cook on low, stirring occasionally for about one hour, until greens are tender.
• When transferring the greens to a serving dish, be sure to gather up some of the meat
from the neckbones. Put a bottle of hot sauce or pepper vinegar on the table for folks
who like a bit of a kick with their greens!
Assembly
Step7. Divide Your Fillings into Portions
• Take the mushrooms, onions, spinach, cheese, and filets out of the refrigerator and
arrange them on your counter.
• Divide the portabella strips into six portions. Make sure the caramelized onions are well
drained, and divide them into six portions too. Squeeze the spinach again, divide it into
six portions as well, and leave it on paper towels for any further draining.
Step 8. Shape Your Pastry
• Cover a large rimmed baking sheet (that fits in your freezer) with parchment paper.
Have a ruler, a small sharp knife, and a pastry brush on hand.
• Prepare your egg wash. Lightly flour one area of your counter.
• Pull a pastry round and a few decorative pieces from the freezer and set them on the
floured surface. Work quickly to maintain the integrity of the pastry.
• Lightly score a 4 x 3-inch [101 x 76 mm] rectangle in the center of the round; don’t cut
through the pastry. Extend the lines of the rectangle and cut out the corners of the
round created by the line extensions, leaving a cross of pastry with a 4 x 3-inch [101 x
76 mm] center. Save the scraps to cut out extra decorations, if needed.
Step 9. Assemble Your Wellingtons
• Give a spinach portion one last squeeze, and spread half of it over the rectangle of
pastry. Follow with a portion of blue cheese, a portion of onions, a filet, a portion of
portabellas in one layer, and the rest of the spinach portion.
Cannibal Stew
Ingredients
3 lbs [1.36 kg] bones and connective tissue
1 1/2 lbs [680 g] pigs’ feet
1 or 2 beef heart(s)
1 1/2 lbs [680 g] pork loin, bison, rabbit, and /or venison
2 lbs [907 g] dark-meat pork (with skin attached)
1 sweet onion
1 white onion
1/2 purple /red onion
1/2 yellow onion
3 red potatoes
3 gold or yellow potatoes
3 small white potatoes
olive oil
salt (to taste)
Ingredients
For the Cake
1 1/2 cup butter (do not substitute)
8 oz [227 g] organic cream cheese**
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 tsp orange liqueur
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp orange zest (optional)
3 cups all-purpose or cake flour
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp salt
red food coloring paste
** Testing of this recipe has shown that using regular cream cheese leads to strange dense streaks
within the finished cake. For some reason, organic cream cheese does not produce this result.
Utensils
2 8 x 8 x 3-inch square [200 x 200 x 76 mm] baking pans
baking parchment
cake tester/long toothpick
sifter
Preparation
Several hours before baking, place butter, cream cheese, and eggs on the counter, and allow
them to come to room temperature. As much as possible, all these ingredients should be the
same temperature before you work with them. Resist the temptation to soften the butter in the
microwave; this will make it too hot, and it will not properly behave and incorporate into the cake.
• Arrange the rest of your ingredients in place:
• For the flour: dip out 3 cups into the sifter, and add cardamom and salt.
• Sift into a large bowl to remove lumps. Once all flour has been sifted, measure out 3
cups of the flour mixture as follows: fluff with a fork, spoon flour into measuring cup,
then level with a knife. You do not want to pack down the flour. A light touch is best.
• Preheat the oven to º325 F [º160 C], and liberally butter two 8 x 8 x 3-inch [200 x 200 x
76 mm] loaf pans. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with baking parchment. There
are a variety of methods for doing this; just be sure that your parchment fits snugly
into the corners of your pan. Once the parchment is in the pan, liberally butter the
parchment. You should have butter on both sides of the parchment.
• Using a food scale, measure the weight of your mixing bowl, and write it down. This will
be needed later when it comes time to divide the batter equally between the cake pans.
94 The Mage Cookbook
• In that same large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese
until smooth. Add in the sugar, and beat for 5-7 minutes, until the mixture is light and
fluffy and almost white in color. This is a vital step, so be sure to let your butter and
sugar cream together for at least 5 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. A good practice is to crack each
egg into a small cup or dish first, then transfer the egg into the batter. This ensures that
you don’t get any stray egg shells in your cake!
• Blend in orange and vanilla flavorings, and the orange zest.
• With the mixer on low, stir in flour, about 1 cup at a time. Do not over-beat!
• Place your bowl back on the food scale, and write down the measurement. Subtract the
weight of the empty bowl that you recorded earlier. What remains is the weight of the
batter. Divide this number in half, and then add back the weight of the empty bowl to
the result; this measurement will let you know when you’ve poured half of your batter.
• Pour half of the batter into one of the prepared pans (or enough to fill the pan 2/3 of
the way full). If you have any extra batter, set it aside.
• Add enough red food coloring paste to the remaining batter to give it a rich pink color.
Pour the pink batter into the other prepared loaf pan. Tap pans on the counter to
eliminate any air bubbles in the batter.
• Arrange the pans in the center of the oven and bake for 25 minutes to half-an-hour, or
until the smell of the cake begins to permeate the kitchen.
• Take a cake tester or a long toothpick – anything that will extend into the center of the
cake – and test for doneness. When the tester comes out clean (that is, no raw cake
batter sticks to it), the cake is done. If your cake needs to bake a bit longer, set your
timer for 5-minute intervals and re-test until the cake is done.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Then turn the cakes out onto
a wire rack and cool completely. When cool, wrap cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Roll out half of the marzipan, about 1/4-inch thick [6.4 mm], and shape it into a large
rectangle the length of the cake and wide enough to wrap around both sides.
• Using a pastry brush, liberally paint some apricot jam along the center of the sheet
of marzipan, about the width of two rectangles of cake. Paint one long edge of a plan
rectangle of cake and then join it to the long edge of a pink rectangle of cake. Place the
“glued” pieces onto the marzipan where you brushed it with jam. Brush the top of the
cake with jam and then place two more rectangles of cake together on top to create a
checkerboard effect.
• Brush the top of the cake with jam. Next, spread jam on the sides of the marzipan,
leaving about 1 1/2-inch [38 mm] at the edge.
• Wrap the marzipan tightly over the sides and top of the cake, pressing to mold the
marzipan in place. Overlap the unpainted marzipan edges and press together to form a
seam. Turn the cake over so that the seam is on the bottom. “Hug” the cake with your
hands to ensure that the marzipan is well bonded to all sides of the cake.
• Trim each open edge so that it is neat. If you wish, with a fork or with a fondant decorating
tool, score a quilted pattern on the top and sides of the cake.
• Repeat these steps with the remaining cake, jam, and marzipan. This recipe yields two
8 x 4 x 4-inch cakes [200 x 100 x 100 mm].
• Slice, and serve with tea.
Sharbat
Ingredients
1 lb [454 g] of stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries)
1/2 lb [227 g] strawberries
1 1/2 cups almonds
1 cup borrage flower tea, cooled
4 mint leaves
zest of 1 lemon (cut into strips that can be strained out)
2-4 tbsp honey to taste based on the ripeness of your fruit
1 tsp rose water
Preparation
• Thoroughly rinse the almonds, then roughly chop them.
• Next, rinse and mash the strawberries with a potato masher. Push the mashed strawberries
through a fine mesh strainer, until the pulp is dried out and you have a somewhat thick
gelatinous strawberry “juice.” Rinse the stone fruit, cut into slices, and put them into
a non-reactive bowl.
• Now add the rose water, borrage tea, strawberry juice, honey, mint, and almonds to the
bowl with the fruit. Cover the liquid, and leave it to macerate for 8 hours (or overnight)
in the refrigerator.
• Strain the liquid, and pour it into a wide baking dish. Place the baking dish into the
freezer for 45 minutes. Remove the dish from the freezer, and scrape a fork along the
surface of the liquid to break up any ice crystals. Place the dish back in the freezer,
and take it back out every 15 minutes to scrape the crystals apart, until the mixture is
completely dry.
• If you have access to an ice shaver, you can alternatively put the syrup over shaved ice.
This preparation is more traditional, and is the one that Aydin used at the camp.
• Arrange pieces on a decorative tray to serve, or place them in an air-tight container along
with the remaining powdered sugar /corn starch mix. Note: Do not store this in the
refrigerator, as that will cause the jelly to “sweat.” It will keep quite nicely in an airtight
container at room temperature.
Ingredients
For the Dough
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups water at room temperature
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp rapid-rise yeast
1 1/4 tsp sugar
about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz [227 g] shredded mild provolone cheese
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
For the Onions
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp light brown sugar
4 medium onions, sliced into 1/4-inch [6.4 mm] thick rounds
1 tbsp water
ground black pepper
Utensils
stand mixer, with dough hook attachment
rubber spatula
pizza stone
1-2 rimmed, 18 x 13-inch [457 x 330 mm] baking sheets (one can be used in place of a
pizza stone)
Preparations
Make the Dough
• Place a damp towel, or a rubber shelf-liner, underneath a stand mixer in order to keep it
from “walking.” In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough-hook attachment, mix flour,
water, and salt on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until there are no dry patches of
flour. You may need to occasionally scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with
a spatula. Turn off the mixer, and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
108 The Mage Cookbook
• Sprinkle the yeast and the sugar over the dough, and knead on low speed for about 2
minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Increase the
speed to high, and knead for 6-10 minutes until the dough is glossy, smooth, and pulls
away from the sides of the bowl. Be aware: Once you turn the mixer off, the dough will
fall back to the sides.
• Coat a large bowl with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Use your fingers for this. Rub
the excess from your fingers onto the blade of a rubber spatula. Use that oiled spatula
to transfer the dough to the oiled bowl, and then pour another tablespoon of oil over
the top.
• Again, using your oiled spatula, flip the dough over so that it is well-coated with oil.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise at room temperature
until it has tripled in volume and large bubbles have formed. This should take about
2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Prepare the Onions
• Heat the butter and the oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat, and allow the
bubbling of the butter to subside a bit before adding in the salt and sugar. Introduce
the onions, and stir well to coat them. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally,
until the onions start to soften. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the onions
are a deep, rich brown and are slightly sticky. This will take about 30 to 40 minutes.
Note: Stir frequently, and be mindful of your heat. If your onions are scorching, reduce
the heat. If they haven’t browned after 15 to 20 minutes, raise the heat.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the water. Season with pepper (to taste), then
transfer to a wide, shallow bowl to cool to room temperature.
Prepare Your Oven
• About an hour before baking, move your oven rack to the middle position and place a
pizza stone on the rack. If you do not have a pizza stone, you can substitute an inverted
baking sheet with a low rim. Turn the oven on to º450 F [º230 C].
Bake the Pizza
• With your fingers, coat a rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
Re-oil your spatula if necessary.
• Using your spatula, turn the risen dough out onto the baking sheet with any excess oil
that remains in the bowl. Press the dough out towards the edges of the pan. Use your
fingertips, and be careful not to tear the dough. Don’t panic if the dough doesn’t fit
snugly into the corners of the pan.
• Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes, until it is slightly bubbly. Poke the surface of
the dough with a fork all over (about 40 times), and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the surface is just beginning to brown in spots.
• Remove the pizza from the oven, spread the onions evenly over the surface, and sprinkle
with the Provolone and the thyme.
• Put the pizza back in the oven, and bake until the cheese becomes bubbly and starts
to brown in spots.
Ingredients
1 cup dried beans
4 cups of water
Preparation
• Rinse the garbanzo beans, and then add them to a saucepan with the water, and simmer
that combination on a stove with the lid on. The simmering time with vary, depending
on the beans, but will range between 1 and 2 hours.
• Set the beans aside for use in another recipe. Reduce the remaining liquid until it
has reached roughly 3/4 of a cup for weak aquafaba (which can be used in simple
applications, such as meringue or cheese), or to 1/3 cup for strong aquafaba (for use
in applications where the meringue will have to support heavier ingredients, such as
macarons or chiffon cake).
• If the aquafaba seems too weak at these volumes, leave them in the liquid for anywhere
from a few hours to overnight (once the beans are done cooking) before reducing the
liquid. This will allow you to get more protein out of the beans without overcooking them.
• Aquafaba from a can of chickpeas should be considered weak. It can be whipped
immediately for meringues, but needs to be reduced to make macarons.
Omelette Preparation
• Preheat a 10-inch stainless steel skillet, and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the pan. The
butter should quickly froth, but should not immediately brown or burn. If it browns
slightly, then the temperature is fine; if it burns and smokes, the pan is too hot.
• Put 2 beaten eggs in the pan, and let them cook for several seconds while tilting the
pan to make sure the entire bottom is covered in egg.
• Very lightly ease the edges of the cooking egg up with a rubber spatula, allowing the
egg to cook for a few more seconds so that the bottom sets. Flip the pan a few times to
gather the eggs at the far edge of the pan.
• While the eggs are still wet on top, add your fillings. Allow the egg to cook to the desired
consistency, and then pour out onto your plate and fold over with a spatula. The insides
should ideally be thick and custardy, but not entirely set.
Appendix 143
Lamb Stew
Ingredients
2 lb [907 g] of potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 lb [454 g] of boneless mutton or lamb cutlets, cut into 2-inch [50 mm] chunks
2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of roughly chopped onion
1 cup of leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced (white parts only)
1 cup of carrots, roughly chopped
3 cups of dark beef stock
2 to 3 cabbage leaves, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
Preparation
Please note that this stew is best made a day before serving, to allow the flavors to marry
and develop.
• Preheat the oven to º350 F [º177 C].
• In a large frying pan, heat half the oil until it is shimmering but not smoking. Add half
of the lamb chunks, and allow them to brown all over. Use tongs to place the meat in
a large casserole dish, and cover it with a half of the quartered potatoes, onions, leeks,
and carrots. Repeat with the remaining oil, lamb, and vegetables.
• Make a roux by adding the flour to the frying pan, and then stirring constantly to
absorb the fat and juices from the meat. Cook on a low heat for 3 minutes, and then
add the beef stock in, one ladle at a time and whisking constantly, until you have thick
gravy that’s smooth, silky, and free of lumps. Pour this over the lamb and vegetables.
• Add the remaining stock to the casserole, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and bake in the
oven for 1 hour. Add the cabbage, replace the lid, and cook for another hour.
• Check from time to time to make sure the stock isn’t reducing too much. If it is, add a
small amount of boiling water to ensure that the meat and vegetables are always covered
by liquid. If the gravy is too thin at the end of the cooking time, remove the lid, and cook
a bit longer until the desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Appendix 145
Irish Cheese and Butter
The Kerrygold brand sells a lovely and flavorful Irish butter, which truly does
make a difference in this dish where butter is rather the star. Likewise, a good
Irish cheese can easily be found at most supermarkets. Do yourself the favor
and splurge on these quality ingredients. They are well worth the extra cost.
Enchanting Recipes
From Mandarin lion’s heads to alchemical booze, Brother Oliver’s collection of
delicious recipes spans the cultural realms of Mage’s human world. Among these many
culinary concoctions, you’ll find…
Lobster Bisque Angel Torte
Chicken Nanban Corn Fufu
Beef Wellingtons Battenburg Cake
Cannibal Stew, and so much more
Feed Your Body
Feed Your Soul
The Mage Cookbook is a non-canon but tasty culinary
perspective on the world of Mage: The Ascension