SERVES 32–40
Katniss remarked on the whole cows, goats and turkeys being spit-roasted in the Capitol. Such a feast of meat, which was so rare in District 12, must have been eye opening.
This is a very old recipe for roasting goat on a spit. It’s long and involved, but if authenticity is what you seek, this is a great recipe to try. This method of cooking renders the goat moist and beautifully tender.
12 SPRIGS FRESH ROSEMARY, DIVIDED
3 HEADS GARLIC, SEPARATED INTO CLOVES AND PEELED
1 WHOLE GOAT, ABOUT 25 POUNDS
2 LEMONS, HALVED
½ CUP OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED, MORE AS NEEDED
3 TABLESPOONS SEA SALT, DIVIDED
1½ TABLESPOONS GROUND BLACK PEPPER, DIVIDED
3 LARGE ONIONS, QUARTERED
STAINLESS STEEL OR COPPER WIRE
1 LARGE FIREBOX
ABOUT 30 POUNDS OF CHARCOAL
Pull the leaves from 8 of the rosemary sprigs and put them in a food processor, along with the peeled cloves from the heads of garlic.
Finely chop. Refrigerate for 2 days! (It is worth the time.)
Put the goat on a large work surface with the chest cavity up.
Squeeze the juice from the lemons into a bowl, discarding the seeds but saving the rinds.
Rub the entire goat inside and out with the lemon juice.
Rub the entire cavity of the goat with ¼ cup of the olive oil and season the goat with salt and pepper.
Put the onions, remaining rosemary and lemon rinds into the cavity.
Push the spit rod through the goat, parallel to the backbone, and out through the neck or upper chest.
Lay the goat on its side with the cavity toward you so that you can wire the backbone to the spit rod.
Secure the goat to the spit rod using wire.
Slide the spit rod’s skewers over the front and rear ends of the rod. Push the skewers firmly into the shoulders and thighs or hips of the goat, then tighten the skewers onto the rod.
Attach the hind legs and forelegs to the rod with wire, twisting the ends of the wire until secured. Afterward, attach the neck the same way.
Wire the goat cavity shut by sewing from one end to the other with 1 long piece of wire. Twist each end of the wire with pliers to secure it.
Rub the goat all over with the remainder of the olive oil, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt and 2½ teaspoons pepper.
Roast over indirect heat for 4½–5½ hours, turning slowly but constantly.
When done, the meat should be well browned on the outside and tender on the inside, with some pink meat only near the bones. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest parts of the thighs and shoulders should register 155 degrees.
Move the goat to a large, clean work surface and let rest for 20 minutes. Pull meat off bone and serve.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
HUNGER GAMES–THEMED PARTIES are a great way to transport you and your friends back into the post-apocalyptic world known as Panem. Parties also provide an excellent excuse to prepare an assortment of the recipes offered in this cookbook.
This section offers party menus that allow you and your guests the opportunity to inhabit District 12 and devour the more rustic and unusual foods of the series. Or better yet, take a trip to the Capitol and treat your guests to a table filled with opulence and delicacies.
No matter what type of Catching Fire party you decide to host, this section offers plenty of ideas to get you started. The menus for kids offer dishes that youngsters will love, such as Homesick Cheese Buns and No Manners Needed Chocolate Cake. Adventurous teens can experiment with the rustic menu, while a more mature audience will find pleasure engaging in conversation over an elegant dinner party at the Capitol.
From Paprika Duck and Rosemary Tubers with Gravy to Peppermint Ice Cream, there’s a dish for everyone and every type of party.
Like the books themselves, Hunger Games–themed celebrations provide entertainment for all ages.
KIDS’ CATCHING FIRE BUFFET MENU
These recipes from Catching Fire will appeal to both young and older kids, with their dramatic references to the story and their “exotic” ingredients. They will also hold well on a buffet table without any loss of taste or texture.
APPETIZERS
Cold Raspberry Soup with Fresh Berries
ENTRÉES AND SIDES
DESSERTS
Fruit Kebobs and a Fountain of Chocolate
No Manners Needed Chocolate Cake
ADULT AND YOUNG ADULT CASUAL PARTY MENU
This menu is perfect for a casual party where people can nibble while they mingle or sit down at the table to eat.
APPETIZERS
ENTRÉES AND SIDES
Ocean Creatures and Cocktail Sauce
Fruit-and-Herb-Stuffed Portobello Caps
Baby Vegetables in Lemon Butter Sauce
DESSERTS
Orange and Sweet Berry Coolers
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Custard
ELEGANT CAPITOL DINNER PARTY MENU
Many fans like to stage a dinner party to rival anything President Snow might put together. This is the menu for just such a party. It’s elegant but fun and the recipes are far easier than the often dramatic presentations would suggest.
APPETIZERS
Chestnut and Apple Salad With Toasted Bread Croutons
ENTRÉES
Paprika Duck and Rosemary Tubers with Gravy
Rue’s Cold Carrot and Yam Puree
DESSERTS
Lavender Cookies Fit for a President
Creative edibles combined with a passion for the Hunger Games is a recipe for adventure. The Hunger Games trilogy has become a phenomenon, not only because it’s wonderfully crafted, but also because the story and the characters are so compelling. Food is practically its own character in the Hunger Games trilogy; it was scarce and precious to Panem’s poor, and a status symbol to the rich. The lack of food in the Districts and the abundance of it in the Capitol was at the foundation of Katniss’ adventure.
The ability to cook the foods that feature so prominently in the trilogy is another way to relive the captivating story. Like the trilogy, Catching Fire Cookbook will whisk you away and deliver your senses to the land of the Hunger Games.
DISCLAIMER This cookbook is unofficial and unauthorized.
This book is not authorized, approved, licensed, or endorsed by Suzanne Collins, her publishers, Scholastic Press, Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation, or the producers, writers, distributors and licensors affiliated with Lionsgate Entertainment.