Narnia Menu: “Caspian’s Venison Pastries”

Near the end of Prince Caspian, things are looking pretty grim. Caspian has been bitten by a “wolf thing,” and a treacherous conspiracy has been unmasked. After some first aid and body disposal, Trumpkin says, “Now. Before everything else we want some breakfast.” Peter and Edmund dream of “buttered eggs and hot coffee,” while Cornelius and Caspian “were thinking of venison pastries.” Harsh reality consisted of “a little bit of cold bear-meat (out of the boys’ pockets), a lump of hard cheese, an onion, and a mug of water. But from the way they fell to, anyone would have supposed it was delicious.”

Let’s make Caspian’s dreams come true with some luscious venison pastries. The recipe makes 12, so it’s perfect to put out as a substantial appetizer. Or serve a few as an entrée with a salad; I might eat two or three, but my husband might eat six. It pays to know your diners’ appetites and it’s easy to double the recipe if you need to feed more people.

“Caspian’s Venison Pastries”

 1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon nutmeg

⅓ cup soft salted butter

½ cup water

Preheat oven to 375°. Coat 12 regular-sized muffin cups with cooking spray. Combine the flour and seasonings in a large bowl. Cut in the butter. Add the water and combine well with a wooden spoon. Knead a few times on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide dough into 12 portions and roll into balls. Place in each muffin cup. With floured fingers, press dough up the sides of each cup. Bake 10 minutes. Don’t bother washing the bowl and use later on.

1 tablespoon salted butter

½ pound ground venison (any other ground meat will work as well)

About ¾ cup minced shallots

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

Meanwhile, coat a medium skillet with cooking spray. Melt the butter over rather high heat. Add the venison through the white pepper and sauté until the pink is gone, breaking up the meat until it is almost dry. Divide evenly between the 12 baked shells.

⅓ cup half-and-half

2 extra large eggs

¼ teaspoon white pepper

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 ounce finely shredded Romano cheese

Whisk the half-and-half, eggs, and seasonings well in the large bowl. Whisk in the cheese. Spoon on top of the meat carefully, just until full. Don’t overfill; there might be a little bit leftover—discard it. Bake 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Use a sharp knife around the edges to facilitate removal from the pan. Cover and chill leftovers. Makes 12.

Astrid Tuttle Winegar is the author of Cooking for Halflings & Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls, which is currently available exclusively in e-book form on the Amazon Kindle, but will soon be released by Oloris Publishing! Stay tuned for details. For now, she is mostly telling a culinary Middle-earth story here on Legendarium. Astrid has loved C. S. Lewis since childhood, J. R. R. Tolkien since middle and high school, all Star things, both Trek and Wars, all things Whedon, and many other things besides… She lives in the enchanted city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband and dog. She blogs occasionally at Cooking for Halflings & Monsters. You can check out (and like!) her Facebook page or visit (and follow!) her Twitter feed. Staff Reporter.