The Witches Recipes

Book

The Witches
by Roald Dahl

Grandmamma grew up in Norway, and our hero goes to live with her when he’s seven years old. Join our hero and his Grandmamma in Norway for a dinner of Roasted Cod.

Then, join them in hunting down the evil, child-snatching Witches. Start by making up a vat of Witches’ Green-Pea Soup. Hopefully you don’t turn into a mouse after eating it.

Cook

Roasted Cod

Complexity: Basic mixing and roasting.
Time: 15 minutes prep plus 10 minutes cooking.

Ingredients

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Six 1- to 1-1/2-inch-thick cod fillets (about 6 oz. each)
Handful of greens

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
In a medium bowl, combine the panko, butter, parsley, and lemon zest. Add a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper and stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Arrange the cod fillets on the baking sheet and season all over with salt and pepper. Divide the panko topping among the fillets, pressing lightly so it adheres. Roast until the breadcrumbs are browned and the fish is mostly opaque (just cooked through), with a trace of translucence in the center (cut into a piece to check), 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Serve immediately on a bed of greens.

Cook

The Witches' Green-Pea Soup

Complexity: Easy soup.
Time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients

2 large leeks (white parts plus the pale green parts), quartered and sliced to yield 2 cups (alternatively, use 2 cups chopped scallions or 2 cups thinly sliced white onion)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons white basmati rice
2 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 sprigs fresh cilantro; more for garnish
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups fresh or frozen sweet peas
4 cups lightly packed coarsely chopped spinach leaves, any thick stems removed
7 oz. coconut milk (half a can, or about 1 cup)
Freshly ground white pepper

Directions

Clean leeks well, soaking in a bowl of water to remove grit.
In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the rice. Scoop the leeks from the water, shaking off excess, and add them to the pot along with the curry powder, salt, cilantro, and 1 cup of the broth. Cook over medium-low heat at a vigorous simmer for about 12 min, so the rice is almost done.
Add the remaining 3 cups broth, the peas, and the spinach. Bring to a boil. Boil for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk.
In a blender or a food processor, purée the soup in batches until smooth (vent the lid and hold a folded dishtowel over the lid). Season with white pepper, and serve, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves.