Entry 5: DOUBLE FEATURE: Personal Favorite + Food In Game - Rivaini Cuisine

Lately I have wanted to perfect an old favorite of mine. I had this draw or craving to cook my seitan recipe. Seitan is a reliable and healthy meat-substitute that can be served a variety of ways: sliced and served as part of a delicious sandwich or diced and baked in a casserole, or as we say in Ferelden, hot dish. Seitan can also be served as a loaf.

I excel at making loaves, so I chose to venture into uncharted territory and cook up a new, Dragon Age-themed sauce recipe: Llomerryn Red. I then realized I had to take the opportunity to cook a full course. And it really turned out great! Even my non-vegan parents and husband, all of whom I politely forced to eat this meal, declared they loved it! Seriously, they did not leave any leftovers. Even my increasingly-picky kid wanted more. And because it was a Ravaini dinner, we had banana bread for dessert! Banana bread also happens to be my dad's favorite. I make amazing vegan banana bread, but I'll save that recipe for another time. For now, let's walk through cooking some wheat-meat and blood-like sauce!

The Llomerryn Red sauce is from Dragon Age: World of Thedas Volume 2. The book details some Rivaini food favorites and has a real recipe for this delicious sauce. It describes it as being very versatile and when made well, tastes as sweet and spicy as blood. The recipe could be considered complicated for a beginner cook and it is time-consuming, so I modified it a little for ease and to fit everything into my time frame for the day.

DISCLAIMER: So, the seitan made for this blog entry is not 100% vegan. I am in the process of transitioning to a totally vegan, oil-free diet. Currently, I am in a weird place where I have non-vegan ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry that I am using up. I intend to replace them with vegan ingredients in the future. I feel it is important I use these items instead of tossing them in the compost or trash, which would create unnecessary waste. The seitan recipe I used calls for a total of 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth and vegan-friendly Worcestershire sauce. As my image below might suggest, I only had 1 cup of vegetable broth on hand so I prepared some powered chicken broth to add. And my Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in it. Still working on using that up but I'll get there! Llomerryn Red totally checks out though: 100% vegan, 100% oil-free. See below for full recipes and sources.

Let's start with our wheat-meat, the seitan! The recipe I used is based off of a recipe from The Vegan Zombie (it is from the No-Killy-Philly "cheesesteak" sandwich recipe). I used to make this way back when I was a wet-nosed vegetarian.


To begin, I arranged my ingredients on the counter.

Then I mixed my dry ingredients together: vital wheat gluten, cup nutritional yeast, garbonzo bean powder (or chick pea flour), brown sugar, mesquite (for that imitation cooked-meat flavor), garlic powder and a wee bit of turmeric.

Then I mixed the wet ingredients: Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth, soy sauce, liquid smoke (for some additional imitation-meat flavor) pressed garlic and a hefty pinch of pepper.

Next I carefully poured the wet ingredients in with the dry and began kneading them together. It is important to be careful to knead the mixture gently and quickly, just until most of the ingredients are combined to make a dough. It should feel a little sticky. Over-kneading can make for a thick and tough seitan loaf.

At this stage, I was able to easily mold the dough into two balls of the same size, which I rolled into loaves.

Then I prepared the stock to cook them in: cup vegetable broth, onion, smashed cloves garlic, bay leaves (always remember to mind your leaves!), brown sugar, red cayenne pepper or for bolder flavor chili powder, dried parsley, dried thyme, soy sauce, molasses and water.

I had recently run out of bulk molasses (that honestly was about as old as Zathrian) but I picked up a jar from my local grocer. I had not used this brand before and it worked well, but really any type of molasses will do. I recommend going light on the molasses to keep a sticky, cake-like coating from forming around your cooked loaves.

It does not really matter how you prepare your stock ingredients; how you depose of the stock after the loaves are cooked is entirely up to you. You can save it for soup, or toss it into your compost. If you don't have compost in your area, I recommend writing your local bann about that.

Ta'da! Now we're ready for the oven!

At a 350 degrees, the loaves need about an hour to cook...

...Then comes the flipping.

The goal is to flip or turn the loaves over onto their opposite sides in the casserole dish and place them back in the oven. I have always had this somewhat-frustrating problem with my loaves sticking to the bottom of my dish. It makes for a messy experience. It might just be my old dish (it's also about as old as Zathrian), or maybe the seitan just settles and cooks like that. Either way, I realized that a little coconut oil would have served me well... Had I thought it is sooner.

Anyway, then these sweet non-meats went back in the oven for another 30 minute.

Crap. Third bell. Now I'm just late.

I had started the sauce and things got a little out of hand. And messy.
It is like blood, after all.

And just look at those loaves!

Mm, looking gorgeous and delicious! 

Now for the sauce, I had some choices to make and some multitasking to do, as noted above. The recipe for Llomerryn Red calls for hand-crushed tomatoes. For ease and brevity, I chose to use canned-crushed tomatoes. The next choice was entirely focused on the unforgettable ages-old grudge: mage versus Templar:

Meredith vs Orsino! 

The recipe calls for the cooked tomatoes, onion and pepper to be pressed through a sieve. The closest thing I have to a sieve is my flour sifter. My creaky, old hand-crank Templar has its uses, since I bake bread every other week for my family. So I was not keen on squeezing fruit and veggies through it. Plus, I honestly did not have enough time to really try, so yay for Team Mage! Food processor wins the day!


But first, the ingredients! There are two sets of ingredients in this recipe, one for the sauce itself and one for the spice ball. Spice balls are easy to make and can really boost the flavor of a sauce.

For the sauce.

For the spice ball. But something is missing. 

Aha! Magic item found!

Cheesecloth. It is essential for making spice balls.

I began by dicing the onion and red pepper (while the seitan was in the oven) and prepping the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar. I chose to go a little light on the brown sugar, which really means I did not pack it in the measuring cup too much. The tighter you pack, the more sugar you have.

I had four of cans of tomatoes available, but ended up using three.

Then into the pan on medium heat.

I brought everything to a boil, stirring occasionally, and allowed it to bubble for about twelve minutes, which was probably longer than needed. Eight to ten minutes would have been fine too, but I wanted to cook off some of the water from the canned tomatoes. Then I turned the heat down to simmer and began to prepare the spice ball. Time to simmer is important after boiling. Be prepared to allow the sauce to simmer for 40 minutes to up to an hour overall.


To make a spice ball, start with a pair of kitchen scissors and cheesecloth.

You will also need string or thread. Optional: a ruler for measuring length.

Cut a six inch by six inch square of cheesecloth.

Then add spices. For the Red Llomerryn, I added a small stick of cinnamon, fennel seeds, dill seeds, mustard seeds, black pepper corns, a bay leaf, and a nicely cracked garlic clove. The recipe calls for whole allspice and whole clove, but I did not had those on hand. Instead, I used the ground versions (not in the spice ball, though - their presence below is purely for show). I also skipped the mustard seed.

Next, grab the corners, hold them together and then grab the ends of the folded sides.

Wrap the string around the top, making sure to gather and close the cheese cloth together firmly (no openings!). Tie a double knot and cut thread from spool. And now you have a spice ball!

By this point, my onions were looking a little translucent and felt quite soft.

It was time for the Harrowing.

I have a small food processor, so I needed to spoon small portions in three or four times.

Once processed, I stirred everything back into the pan to simmer some more. Then I added the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and the spice ball, as well as the ground clove and allspice.

This is the part where you put a lid on it.

That sounds like something a sarcastic Hawke would say.

I let this sweet-smelling delight simmer for about 20 minutes, then tasted it to see if the spice ball was doing its job - and though it was - I let is simmer for another 10 minutes.

Once boldly flavored and thickened to my liking, I tossed the spice ball and was left in awe of my creation.

Thick, smooth, and as sweet as blood, and ready to enjoy! And don't these two look handsome together?

Red Llomerryn and Seitan, served with baked potatoes and some wine.

Proof: No leftovers. My dad and I split this last piece.

And hey, banana bread! Is that a recipe you would like to see sooner rather than later? If so, please leave a comment below!

Seitan:
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup garbonzo bean powder (or chick pea flour)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp mesquite
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric

Wet Ingredients:
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 cloves of shredded garlic
pinch of pepper

Stock Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 diced onion
4 smashed cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp molasses
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350℉.

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients, then mix both together to make a dough, then knead into loaves. Place in a casserole dish (optional: add a little coconut oil to the bottom on the casserole dish to prevent loaves from sticking).

Combine and stir stock ingredients together and add to casserole dish.

Place in oven for 55-60 minutes. Then remove from oven, turn loaves over in casserole with tongs or a spatula and place back in the oven for another 25-30 minutes.

Depose of stock and remove loaves from casserole dish. Allow to cool slightly and slice as desired.
Enjoy!

Seitan can be stored frozen for up to 3 months or refrigerator and enjoyed over 3 to 4 days.


Red Llomerryn:
Sauce:
3 18 oz cans of crushed tomato
2 medium to large white onions, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp pf mustard powder
A pinch of red cayenne pepper or chili powder
A pinch of salt

Spice Ball:
Cheesecloth, 6x6 inch square
1 small cinnamon stick
1 1/2 tsp whole allspice
1/2 tsp whole clove
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp dill seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/2 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

Place crushed tomatoes, diced onions and diced pepper into a large pan or pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables are soft. Press cooked vegetables through a sieve or puree or blend in a food processor.

Return vegetables to pan or pot. Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings. Continue to simmer until sauce is thick, stirring occasionally.

Wrap the spices in the cheesecloth and tie into a ball, then drop the ball into the pot. Cover and continue simmering for 20-30 minutes, leaving lid slightly ajar.

Once thick and flavored to your liking, remove spice ball. If liquid seeps from the edge, continue to simmer, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately or transfer to a sealed container and store in your refrigerator for up to three days.


I hope you give these recipes a try!


Like what you are reading? Great! There's more to come in the next few weeks. Please follow and share widely!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at Essem_Jay on Twitter.
You can also follow me on Instagram at gourmetveganthedas.

Walk always in the Maker's light.

__

Sources:

Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 2: https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/22-389/Dragon-Age-The-World-of-Thedas-Volume-2-HC#prettyPhoto

The Vegan Zombie:
The Vegan Zombie, No Killy Philly: http://theveganzombie.com/cooking-with-the-vegan-zombie-daiya-cheesesteak/

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Entry 4: Food In Thedas - Ham from the Anderfels

Food and drink come up often in the Dragon Age franchise in one form of another but one particular mention that always stuck out to me as especially peculiar was the ham from the Anderfels. They say it tastes of despair.

In this entry, I am focusing on the famous Anderfels Ham and ham-related recipes. We will break down the reference, where is it from in Thedas, and check out some ways you can have your own Anderfels Ham at home. "Now how exactly is this vegan?" you may be asking. And I have an answer for you: wheat-meat. Seitan! The vegan eater's despair-less ham. The... Joyful ham. The uplifting ham! Or- Er- um, that's all I really have, so let's move on.

Let's begin with the first mention of the strange dish in game. The Anderfels Ham is first mentioned by an elven servant in the Dragon Age 2 DLC, Mark of the Assassin. While trying to locate a key to obtain entry into a castle keep, your Hawke approaches a servant passing hors d'oeuvres. The servant, in a thick yet whispy Orleasian accent, offers a tray, asking, "Can I interest you in some Antivan olives? Or I have some smoked 'am from the Anderfels. They say it tastes of despair."

Tallis, your heist leader and Qunari spy in disguise, asks, "Wait, does it really? How can ham taste of despair? Why would anyone eat it if it did?"

"That's what the importer said. They all talk like that."

It's marketing at it's finest, if you ask me.

If you select the causal dialogue option, your Hawke asks in jest, "Who needs more despair in their diet? What is that good for?"

To which the elven servant, and arguably the star of this scene, replies, "I have heard artists are fond of it."

(Video from YouTube channel jason horth, Dragon age 2 - Mark Of The Assassin- Best moments)

The second in-game mention comes from your party companion, Dorian, in Dragon Age: Inquisition. After completing the quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, when you speak to Dorian, he mentions that the scene at the Winter Palace in Orlais felt an awful lot like noble-class parties in his home country, Tevinter. He also says, "I hope you tried the ham they were serving, by the way. Tasted of despair. Fascinating." This to me, indicates that Tevinter and the Anderfels don't engage in trade very often, probably as a result of ages old grudges.

(Video from YouTube channel Video Game Sophistry, Dragon Age: Inquisition "Post Winter Palace" Dorian LOVES the Ham of Despair (5th Convo))

The Anderfels Ham of Despair has always struck me, mostly because while playing it felt like something so random and obscure but also provided depth to the world of Thedas. It adds a layer of immersion to the game. However, it may very well be a mere TV pop-culture reference. The ham that tastes of despair is apparently a "Better off Ted" reference, or so Reddit tells us.


The Anderfels is known in Dragon Age lore as a nation of harsh climates and ruthless people. Farming is said to be nearly impossible because the land and soil are difficult to work with due to dust storms. I imagine four blights throughout the area's history hasn't improved the situation much. But it seems pig farming is not as daunting. If you are interested in more Anderfels lore, YouTube channel Ghil Dirthalen covered the Anderfels in her Nations of Thedas video series. It is a fun watch for a general overview of this unique nation.

Fun factoid about the Anderfels I always loved: There are two statues of Andraste in the Anderfels. One is Our Lady of the Anderfels carved into the Merdaine, a remote and treacherous place but the statue is described as being a magnificent sight. The other is the Red Bride's Grave, formerly known as the Red Bride's Shrine. This statue is described in the novel Last Flight as a tall, red-rock Andraste with lotus flowers and is said to have inspired Our Lady of the Anderfels. The Red Bride's Grave is located in an even more remote and treacherous place beyond the Wandering Hills. Sadly, the Anderfels Ham is not mentioned in the novel.


So what about you and yours? How can you enjoy the fascinating taste of despair at home? Be assured, dear reader, we have Pinterest available for such a circumstance. Here are a couple ham recipes my family enjoys, from my ever-growing trove of recipe Pins on Pinterest:

Orange Honey Glazed Ham (about as non-vegan as you can get) from The Slow Roasted Italian and
Slow Cooker Honey Marmalade Mustard Ham (also about as non-vegan as you can get) from Good Life Eats

For vegans who enjoy meat substitutes, or despair-less ham, there is seitan. You can purchase seitan at your local vegetarian/vegan friendly food mart or big-box supermarket (though I encourage you to support whatever local business you have nearby that caters to vegetarians and vegans). Or you can make it homemade! I prefer homemade and find mixing and kneading this joyful wheat-meat a lot of fun. I have a couple recipes from Pinterest and I will be writing a seitan Personal Favorites entry at a later date:

Pineapple Mustard Seitan from Plant Power Couple and
Steamed White Seitan from Genius Kitchen

Homemade sietan can seem daunting, especially for a newly-transitioned vegan or kitchen novice, but I encourage you to give it a try. And when it doesn't work out, give it another try. Seitan is very hands-on and you can get a good feel for how you can shape the taste and texture of the wheat-meat as you make it more. And as mentioned above, I will post a recipe for you to make and enjoy in the future.


If the trend holds, we may see or hear of the (in)famous Ham from the Anderfels in future Dragon Age games or media. I certainly hope that if when World of Thedas Volume 3 is released, it will include some kind of a despair-themed ham recipe for us to enjoy be fascinated by weep over.


Like what you are reading? Great! There's more to come in the next few weeks. Please follow and share widely!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at Essem_Jay on Twitter.
You can also follow me on Instagram at gourmetveganthedas.

Walk always in the Maker's light.

__

Text Sources:

Dragon Age Wiki: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Age_Wiki
Dragon Age Wiki, Mark of the Assassin: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Mark_of_the_Assassin
Dragon Age Wiki, Dragon Age: Inquisition: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Age:_Inquisition
Dragon Age Wiki, Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Wicked_Eyes_and_Wicked_Hearts
Dragon Age Wiki, Anderfels: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Anderfels
Dragon Age Wiki, Last Flight: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Age:_Last_Flight

Reddit, Dragon Age Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/dragonage/
Reddit, Dragon Age Subreddit, Dorian just asked me if I tried the ham...: https://www.reddit.com/r/dragonage/comments/2ve3ws/dorian_just_asked_me_if_i_tried_the_ham/
Callum Masson: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWBryS839KeCeeYOObdlIjQ
Callum Masson, Despair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnXfLGcENnI

Ghil Dirthalen: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUWYiR2a5iD0cZktuODPoVw
Ghil Dirthalen, Anderfels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O08hc1wVEQ4&index=7&list=PL-YksST7-Pynvag-TEJM-JrAK7W89P7Xr
Ghil Dirthalen, Nations of Thedas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-YksST7-Pynvag-TEJM-JrAK7W89P7Xr


Video Sources:

jason horth: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcG_dLub25kOY8_T_XnSJXg
jason horth, Dragon age 2 - Mark Of The Assassin- Best moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8RxQ5dWHM8

Video Game Sophistry: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEvNGwLX3AKUAZRwTqrhhSQ
Video Game Sophistry, Dragon Age: Inquisition "Post Winter Palace" Dorian LOVES the Ham of Despair (5th Convo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrU0KoHN_es


Recipe Sources:

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/

Orange Honey Glazed Ham: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533184043360936563/
The Slow Roasted Italian: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/
The Slow Roasted Italian, Orange Honey Glazed Ham: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2015/03/orange-honey-baked-ham-recipe.html

Slow Cooker Honey Marmalade Mustard Ham: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AaBh3LCDJ0r_51ow9xrO8RtzqMnk_boYQvEjYMb_tsSU-X394epxedbVETs0ocQQ2CTip3sYwmLtZX_ozep1TTI/
Good Life Eats: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/
Good Life Eats, Slow Cooker Honey Marmalade Mustard: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/slow-cooker-ham-with-honey-marmalade-mustard-glaze/?pp=1#_a5y_p=5900057

Pineapple Mustard Seitan: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533184043379270855/
Plant Power Couple: http://www.plantpowercouple.com/
Plant Power Couple, Vegan Seitan Ham W/ A Pineapple Mustard Glaze: http://www.plantpowercouple.com/recipes/vegan-ham/

Steamed White Seitan: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/535506211920966475/
Genius Kitchen: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/
Genius Kitchen, Steamed White Seitan: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/steamed-white-seitan-fake-chicken-or-pork-446028
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Entry 3: Personal Favorite - Rainbow Roasted Vegetables

Saturday night is my night to make dinner, and I decided to make a colorful, healthy dish. I love meals that give me energy or a second wind rather than put me out for a nap like a sleepy Mabari after a hunt. And this dish did just that. I'm a night owl by trade so a dinner that peps me up rather than knocks me out is essential (especially on my weekends when I want to play some Dragon Age and have some fun).

So here is another Personal Favorite: Rainbow Roasted Vegetables!

I initially found this recipe on Pinterest from Simple Vegan Blog during the last age and have always wanted to give it a try. It is simple, quick, and delicious! See below for my full recipe and the original in the sources section.

So to put a Dragon Age twist to this dish, I imagine this as an Orleasian recipe (big surprise, right? But stay with me.) with a unique cooking method: as a cooking performance or a part of a dinner theater show. Orlais is known for its over-the-top theater and decorative food. Why not combine the two? Think of it: synchronized, rhythmic chopping, fanciful handiwork assembling and dancing the dish over a fire. And while it cooks, the performers juggle knives and cutting boards as they trade fashion jabs with the audience. If anything, this sounds like an excellent opening act for Zither.


As always, I began by assembling my main ingredients on the counter. The recipe calls for red bell peppers and I did not have any so I used small sweet red peppers, which I thought worked well with the other vegetable flavors.

I find chopping vegetables really satisfying. Clockwise: Zucchini, sweet red pepper, yellow bell pepper, and carrot.

Red onion! Which is the purple in our rainbow. I actually sent my partner to the grocery store down the block to pick up a "purple" onion and he was really confused when he could not find it at first. (Why I did not ask him to pick up a red bell pepper too I am still trying to figure out.)

Clockwise again: Zucchini and yellow bell pepper, sweet red peppers, carrots, and broccoli.

I chopped the sweet red peppers a bit too small and I will probably stop myself from doing that again in the future.


Next, I tossed each vegetable type in a bowl with a sprinkle of Balsamic vinegar. I used just enough to lightly cover my vegetables. Then I arranged them all into a lovely rainbow on a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Taking advantage of the excellent afternoon sunlight in my kitchen here for a nice close up.

After seasoning with thyme, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, I set the baking sheet into the oven and baked my vegetables for about 22 minutes.

And here we have a lovely roasted spread of deliciousness!

Another close up (by this time I was working with evening light).

You can store and save this dish for up to 4 days in your refrigerator or enjoy it fresh. You can eat this on it's own, or pair with potatoes or flatbread. Or you can prepare it as side dish to share if you are eating with family and friends. And let's be honest, eating is always better with family and friends. I hope you give this easy recipe a try! Chop, chop!


Rainbow Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 C Broccoli florets
2 C Carrots
3/4 C Sweet red repper
1 C Red onions
1 tbsp Thyme, dried
1/3 C Yellow bell peppers
1 2/3 C Zucchini
Balsamic vinegar to taste
(Optional: salt and black pepper to taste)

Directions:
Set oven to 400℉.
Dice vegetables and toss with Balsamic vinegar.
Arrange on a baking sheet and add thyme (and salt and black pepper).
Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Like what you are reading? Great! There's more to come in the next few weeks. Please follow and share widely!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at Essem_Jay on Twitter.
You can also follow me on Instagram at gourmetveganthedas.

Walk always in the Maker's light.

__

Sources:

Simple Vegan Blog: https://simpleveganblog.com/
Simple Vegan Blog, Oil Free Rainbow Roasted Vegetables: https://simpleveganblog.com/oil-free-rainbow-roasted-vegetables/
Oil Free Rainbow Raosted Veggies: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533184043379185105/
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