gary@ur-cvsvax.UUCP (Gary Sclar) (11/23/84)
Hello, I have decided to put out some more Medieval Recipes. These come
from a book called "Fabulous Feasts", written by Madeleine Pelner Cosman.
It is published by George Braziller, One Park Ave., N. Y., N. Y., 10016
and, I think, available from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Bookstore in N.
Y. C. I paid $10.95 for it, in paperback a few years ago and highly
recommend it since, not only does it contain recipes, but much lore about
the production of food, eating, grocery shopping, etc . of victuals from
medieval times.
Some appetizers:
************************************************************************
BRIE (Brie tart)
Ingredients: 1 8 inch unbaked pastry pie shell; 1 lb. brie cheese w/ rind,
6 egg yolks; 1/4 tsp. ginger; 1 tsp brown sugar; 1/8 tsp saffron; 1/4 tsp
salt; 1 tsp white sugar; 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Method: Bake pie shell "blind" to harden- 10 mins. at 425 degs. Cool &
reset oven to 375. Remove rind from chilled cheese; cut it into small
pieces w/ a moistened knife and reserve. Beat softened brie, yolks, ginger,
brown sugar, saffron, & salt until smooth; then pour into pastry shell;
strew rind evenly over surface of pie; combine cinnamon & white sugar and
sprikle around pastry edge; bake until set and golden brown- around 30 mins
at 375. Serve warm or cool.
************************************************************************
NUTTYE (Spiced Chestnut cream)
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh chestnuts; 2 cups cold water; 2/3 cup raisins;
1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp cinnamon;
1/4 tsp ground cloves; 2 pints heavy wipping cream; 2 Tablespoons sugar;
1/4 tsp salt
1 unblemished lemon; cut in eights
Method: roast nuts in 400 deg oven for 10-15 mins. Remove shells & quarter
the nuts; Mix all ingredients except cream sugar and salt in a large
enamelled pot; Bring to a boil and simmer very slowly for 45 - 55 mins.
Remove lemon wedges & drain; Mash chestnut mixture coarsely w/ a fork;
cool; whip cream w/ sugar & salt until it peaks; fold in chestnut mixture,
swirl and serve.
************************************************************************
POTROUS(Spicy egg in a coddler) This one, it says, was originally made in a
fireplace shovel hardpacked w/ salt. Hmm.
Ingredients: 1 raw egg per portion; 1/2 tsp butter for greasing coddler;
1 Tablespoon ricotta cheese; 1 Tblspn honey; 1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard;
1 sliver spicy cheddar cheese; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp dried sweet basil;
1/2 tsp crushed fresh sorrel
Method; Break egg into well greased coddler, piercing the yolk as you do;
Carefully spoon the ricotta into the center of the egg; make a cavity in
the ricotta and spoon in the honey; into a well the honey spoon in the
mustard; Place the cheddar sliver in the middle of the mustard; sprinkle
salt, basil and sorrel on top and cover the coddler; measure enough water
into a small pot so as to equal the height of the coddler; bring the water
to a rapid boil; gently place the coddler in the pot & continue boiling for
7 minutes or so. Check to see whether egg has hardened and the concentric
egg stuffings have warmed. If egg is still soft, return to pot for another
3 minutes. Serve hot.
************************************************************************
Some soups:
ROTA(Barley Fruit Soup)
Ingredients: 1 cup pearl barley; 2/3 cup tart apple slices (cores & stems
removed, cut thin); 1/2 cup minced dried apricots; 8 cups chicken broth; 1
tsp ginger powder; 1/2 tsp salt; pinch pepper; 1 cup fresh peas. Optional:
2 Tblspns flour; 2 Tablespoons butter
Method: Simmer all ingredients, except peas, in a large covered pot for 3/4
hour; add fresh peas and continue for 15 minutes. Serve hot; If you like
thicker soup melt butter in a frying pan over low flame; stir in flour,
constantly stirring until frothy; add this roux to soup, stirring well;
cook for 5 minutes longer.
************************************************************************
COBAGES (Cabbage and Almond Soup)
Ingredients: 1 shredded head of cabbage; 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds;
6 cups beef broth; 4 Tblspns honey; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp dried sweet
basil;2 cups fresh peas
Garnish: 2 Tablespoons of grated candied red anise (or grated black or red
licorice)
Method: slowly simmer all ingredients, except peas and garnish, for 20
mins. Add peas and simmer for another 10 mins. Portion soup into bowls and
garnish each portion with candied anise strewn over surface of soup.
************************************************************************
CHARLETTE(CURDED BEEF SOUP)
Ingredients; 1 quart milk; 1 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp saffron; 1 cup lean minced
beef (or pork); 6 eggs; 1 cup ale;2 Tablespoons, or more, of butter (for
sauting)
Method: Gently heat milk w/ salt & saffron, preventing boiling, but slowly
simmering. A skim will form- this can be removed or simply stirred into the
milk; briefly saute beef in butter until browned (or more thouroughly for
pork). Drain well on absorbent paper towel; add meat to spiced milk and
simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally; beat eggs w/ ale; add
aled eggs to the pot, constantly stirring until curds form (2-3 minutes)
Ladle into individual bowls.
************************************************************************
DESERTS
BURREBREDE (Shortbread)
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour; 1/2 cup superfine
sugar; 2 tsps cinnamon; 1/2 tsp powdered cardamon; 1/2 tsp powdered ginger;
3/4 tsp allspice; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup butter at room temperature
Method: Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar, spices & salt evenly; separate
into 2 equal portions, reserving one; On strong, clean kneading surface,
gently mix, by hand, one half the spice mixture into the flour; squeeze the
butter in hands, and, bit by bit add spiced flour by working it into the
butter on the board; take time to thoroughly integrate dry and butter
mixture; press batter into 8 inch square shallow pan; score the surface of
batter to make "fingers" (2 x 1 inches) of shortbread; also make several
shallow fork pricks on each "finger"; with reserved spice mixture- strewn
all cuts; bake 1 hr or less until firm, yellow, not brown; cool in pan;
break into fingers & serve. they, apparently, often taste better when
several days old; keep well in airtight tins.
************************************************************************
CIRCLETES (Almond-Cardamon Cakes)
Ingredients:1 cup butter; 2/3 cup brown sugar; 1 beaten egg; 2 1/2 cup
flour; 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel; 3/4 tsp crushed cardamon; 1/2 cup ground
almonds; 1 cup currants; butter for greasing cookie sheets
Method: Preheat oven to 350; cream butter; blend in sugar, beating w/ a
spoon until frothy; whip in the beaten egg; Stir peel, cardamon, sugar,
almonds, and currants into the flour;
beat the dry mixture into the sweetened butter; chill dough for at least 1
hr; using well-floured fingers, shape dough into small balls (1 inch
diameter) placing them 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets; bake 7-10
mintues until light golden; cool on racks.
That's it for this edition of Medieval Recipes. There will be more. Please
feel free to write, and in particular, invite me to dinner;
{seismo!rochester!cvsvax!gary}