Give it Forth: Adventures in Medieval Cookery

Kabocha no Nimonao かぼちゃの煮物 (simmered squash)  Shōga pōku-maki nasu  茄子の肉巻き生姜焼き - (Ginger Pork Rolls with Eggplant)  Kakuni   角煮 (braised pork belly) The third tray of items that were offered at the Crown Tournament feast were symbolic and did not follow the items that had been served to Iemetsu.  Two kinds of pork were served, one dish, a braised pork belly with quail eggs, the other eggplant stuffed pork roles with miso.  The vegetable is simmered kabocha squash. This series of dishes were put together as plausibilities, containing ingredients that would have been readily available in the time period. During the Nara period (710-784), the primary religion in Japan was Budhism which eschewed the eating of meat. It was believed that meat contaminated the body. Individuals who ate meat were not allowed to worship at shrines or temple. Edicts were issued by the Emperor Temmu in regards to the way animals could be hunted or slaughtered. Gradually, the domestication of animals

 Suppon Nabe - カメのスープ -  (Turtle Soup) I know it's been awhile since I posted anything to the blog. My mind has been on other things. However, I am back in the groove and will be completing the posts for Crown Tournament in the next few weeks.   My wonderful assistant, Miguel Mono De Hierro, whom you may remember made the Himono (grilled dried fish) volunteered to make this luscious Suppon Nabe, a simple and super rich turtle soup most often served in the fall for this event. This was my personal favorite dish of the entire event and I am so grateful that he made it. The third tray of Iemetsu's banquet consisted of two showy dishes and two soups. In lieu of the Carp Soup (Funa no Shiru) Suppon Nabe was served.  To continue the fall dishes in this course, ginger pork rolls stuffed with miso eggplant and braised pork belly with quail eggs served as the main dishes.  Fowl served with its wings (hamori) - spectacle dish Carp soup - Funa no shiru 鮒の汁 (Crucian Carp Broth