SCA Feast - Ceilidh XVI March 29th, 2003

Ceilidh XVI - March 29th, 2003

Featuring Several Recipes from Mary Savelli’s “Tastes of Anglo Saxon England”

First Course

                       

Mearh Smeamete -Sausage Casserole

Hlaf - Bread

Æppla Syfling -Apple Butter

Caules Wyrtmete -Cabbage salad     

Second Course

Hriðer Smeamete Stewed Beef

Beren Briw Barley Polenta

Hunigbæe Moran Honeyed Carrots

Third Course

Sciellfisc-Shellfish*

Brǣdan Fisc-Fish baked with Coriander*

Pisan Peas with salt and oil*

Fourth Course

Sumerlio rnearhgehæcc Summer Pudding***

Hunigæppel Honey Nut Cakes

**Caveat** It has been 12 years since this banquest was cooked, once again, many of my redactions have been lost to time. Several recipes (denoted with a *) my best guesses on food that could have been served based on archeological digs and cooking methods.  The "Fish baked with Coriander" is Roman in origin, as well as the Honey-Nut Cakes.  Summer pudding is modern in origin. I have taken my best guess on the names for the items that are not

Image taken from Jen Delyth Celtic Art Studio

                    

Mearh Smeamete -Sausage Casserole Serves 6

1 small onion chopped

1 tbsp. oil

1 pound pork sausage

1 large apple chopped

½ tsp. each salt and cinnamon

¼ tsp. each black pepper and cardamom

2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

Approximately 2 cups cubed bread

1 large baking dish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease casserole dish with butter and line the bottom of the dish with half of the bread.  Heat oil and sauté onion and sausage. Stir the apple into the sausage mixture and spoon it over the bread in the casserole dish.  Sprinkle with seasonings and vinegar; set the dish aside. 

In a saucepan, melt the butter, stirring in the flour to form a roux.  Add the milk all at once and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Spoon this mixture over the sausage and apple.  Top with remaining bread and bake in a casserole uncovered for 30 minutes (Savelli, 2002).

Hlaf – Bread

Guests were offered rye, oat and wheat breads purchased at the local bakery.  The bakery uses sourdough starter to make it’s bread J

Æppla Syfling -Apple butter Makes 1 ½ cups

2 medium apples peeled and finely chopped

1 cup apple cider (or apple juice)

2 tbsp. Honey

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp.  Each dried mint and cumin leaves

Boil the apples in the cider for 30 minutes or until soft, puree.  Thoroughly mix the remaining ingredients into the apple puree and cool. 

Caules Wyrtmete -Cabbage Salad Serves 4

½ head of cabbage shredded and rinsed

2-4 spinach leaves torn and rinsed

1 small leak chopped fine

½ cup fresh or frozen peas cooked and cooled

½ cup feta cheese, cubed

¼ cup cider vinegar

½ cup olive or salad oil

¼ tsp. each salt and pepper or to taste

Toss vegetables together in a large bowl.  Mix together salt, pepper, oil and vinegar and pour over the salad, tossing gently.  Top with cheese.

Hriðer Smeamete-Stewed Beef Serves 4-6

¼ tsp. saffron threads

1 tbsp. hot water

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 ½ to 2 pounds stewing beef or beef brisket

2 tbsp. oil

¾ cup dried breadcrumbs

1 small apple chopped

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup dates chopped

½ cup honey

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. each ground black pepper and cinnamon

¼ cup apple juice (or dry red wine)

2 tbsp. butter

1 baking dish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Crush saffron and add to the hot water and vinegar and set aside.  Brown the beef in the oil and set aside. Grease the casserole dish with butter and spread ½ cup of breadcrumbs in the bottom of the dish.  Spread the beef, fruit, saffron-water and other spices evenly over the crumbs. Mix the honey with the wine and gently pour this mixture over the beef.  Spread the remaining bread crumbs over the beef and dot the crumbs with butter.  Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Beren Briw- Barley Polenta

1 cup barley

4 cups water

4 radishes minced

2 tbsp. butter

½ cup water

1 ¾ cups beef broth or stock

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Soak the barley in water for four hours.  Drain the water and reserve the barley.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan; sauté the radish. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to boil.  Reduce the heat, cover the pan with the lid and let mixture simmer until barley is tender.  Approximately 40-60 minutes.

Hunigbæe Moran- Honeyed Carrots

5 carrots chopped

½ tsp. salt

2-4 medium radishes sliced

½ cup butter

¼ cup honey

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. dried mint

1 tbsp. cress chopped

Boil the carrots with salt.  Simmer for approximately 15 minutes.  Saute radishes in butter, add honey and vinegar.  When this is well blended, add the carrots, cinnamon, mint and cress.  Lower heat and heat through (approximately 5 minutes).

Note: For this recipe I used a mix of carrots and parsnips

Sciellfisc-Shellfish* Serves 6-8

Note: This recipe is very loosely based on a recipe I had located on the internet and can no longer find.  However, I believe it very closely resembled the one found at the Ribe Viking Center website (Fish and Shellfish: Seafood for Vikings).

1 pounds mixed shellfish (muscles & clams)

1 pound Shrimp or prawns

Approximately 3 cups water or broth

1 onion chopped

1 clove of garlic chopped

Saffron threads

Salt and Pepper to taste

Vinegar to taste

Clean the shellfish-be sure to remove any that are broken, chipped, not closed tightly or are dead prior to the cooking.  Also remove the “beard” from the mussel. Bring onion, garlic, saffron, salt and pepper to a boil.  Add the shellfish, and cook until the shells are opened.  Throw in the shrimp, and stir.  Food is ready when shrimp have turned pink.  Remove from broth and serve with vinegar on side as a dipping sauce.

Brǣdan Fisc-Fish Baked with Coriander* aka Aliter ius in pisce elixo, Apicius Serves 6-8

1 ½ to 2 pounds fish (salmon, trout, tilapia)

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. coriander seeds

2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. liquamen (or fish or soy sauce)

2 tbsp. dill to garnish

Clean and wash the fish.  Crush the salt and the coriander seed together until it has become a fine powder.  Place the spices into a pan and press one side of the fish onto the spices.  Place the fish into an oven proof casserole dish, cover with a lid and bake at 350 degrees until the fish has cooked through.  Sprinkle with vinegar and liquamn, and garnish with the dill. Serve hot (Ancient Roman Recipe Page for Cooking: Fish Cooked in its Own Juice).

Pisan-Peas with salt and oil*   

There was no recipe for this.  I cooked frozen peas until they were tender with a handful of chopped onions until they were tender.  They were slightly smooshed before put into the serving bowl.  I topped with salt and a drizzle of oil.

Sumerlio rnearhgehæcc-Summer Pudding* Serves 8

1 ½ cups each mixed berries (I used strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries)

10-15 slices thin white bread, crust removed

Approximately 1 brown sugar loosely packed

Clean the fruit gently and dry.  Cut strawberries in half and keep them separated from the remaining fruit.  Heat sugar and 3 tbps. Water in a large pan until the sugar is dissolved.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute and add all of the fruit except the strawberries.  Cook for 3 minutes over low heat, stirring 2-3 times.  The fruit should be softened and mostly intact.  Put a sieve over the bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.

Meanwhile, prepare the bread. Line your serving dish with cling wrap.  This will allow you to tip the pudding out easier.  Cut the crusts off the bread, cut 4 pieces of bread in half, and cut at least 2 slices into 4 triangles each. 

Dip a whole piece of bread into the juice for a few seconds until it is coated.  Push this into the bottom of the basin. Then fit in the triangular shaped pieces around the sides of the basin so that they fit together neatly.  Fill in as much space as possible.  Spoon the softened fruit into the hollow space of the pudding, and add strawberries here and there as you go.  Cover with remaining bread soaked in juice, and seal with cling wrap. Top with a weighted bowl and let the flavors mingle for several hours or overnight. Serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream (Goodfood).

Hunigæppel-Honey Cakes aka Gastris, Apicius Makes about 15 pieces

1 each almonds and hazelnuts

1 tbsp. bitter almonds

2 tbsp. poppy seeds

1 ½ cups sesame seeds

7 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the nuts and poppy seeds and roast them to give them color.  Roast the sesame seeds briefly and allow them to cool.  Pound or process the sesame seeds to a fine texture (I skipped this step). Place the honey into a pan and bring to the boil, simmer about 7 minutes and add the pounded sesame seeds, stirring well.  Allow the honey and seed mixture to cool enough it can be handled easily and turn onto a greased table or marble slab.  Grease your hands and knead until firm but still warm.  Divide into 2 equal portions and keep one of these warm.  Grease a shallow square baking tray or pan with olive oil, then using a greased rolling pin, roll the cooler portion of the seasame paste into a thin sheet and fit inside the tray.

Place the roasted nuts and the pepper into a food processor and pulse briefly, alternately, you can break them up in a mortar and pestle. Meanwhile, heat the other half of the honey, and simmer for 7 minutes the same way as before. Add the nut mixture and stir well.  While still hot, spread this over the sesame layer and level it off. 

Roll the second sesame layer into a sheet and use it to cover the nuts.  Put it in place for an hour or until set and without delay, cut it into lozenges, squares or any shape you desire (I sliced it).  Serve with fruit at the end of the meal, or as a sweet any time (Dalby, 1996).

Bibliography

Ancient Roman Recipe Page for Cooking: Fish Cooked in its Own Juice. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from Celtnet Recipes: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/roman/fetch-recipe.php?rid=roman-fish-own-juice

Dalby, A. a. (1996). The Classical Cookbook. London: British Museum Press.

Fish and Shellfish: Seafood for Vikings. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from Ribe VikingeCenter: http://ribevikingecenter.dk/en/learn-more/food-fish,-shellfish.aspx

Goodfood. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from Summer Pudding: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4516/summer-pudding

Savelli, M. (2002). Tastes of Anglo-Saxon England. Anglo Saxon Books.

#medievalfood  #scafeast  #scacook  #historicfood