Testing Recipes - Of various accompaniments to roasts/ for dipping. Marx Rumpolt, Ein New Kochbuch, c. 1581

I would not consider these "dishes" so much as garnishes--things to put around the roast to make it look pretty.  This is one of those "if there is room in the budget" dishes.  Still fun to decipher and try to create a recipe for.  These are from Rumpolt's Ein New Kochbuch. 

2. Weiß Ruben im Senff/ mit neuwem Wein/ der süß ist/ angemacht/ wol dick gesotten/ vnnd durch ein Härin Tuch gestrichen/ die Ruben in Wasser erst gesotten/ das fein steiff ist. Oder daß man die Ruben brat/ vnd wenn sie gebraten seyn/ so schelet man sie/ vnd leßt sie kalt werden/ schneidt sie zu vier stücken/ vnd thu sie in Senff/ laß darinnen ligen/ so wirdt es gut vnd wolgeschmack.

2. White turnips in the mustard/ mixed with new wine/ that is sweet/ cooked until thick/ and strained through a hair cloth/ the turnips are first boiled in water/ that are nicely stiff/ Or one can roast the turnips/ and when they are roasted/ then peel them/ and let get cold/ cut them in four pieces/ and put them in the mustard/ and let them lay in it/ so it becomes good and well tasting.

Ingredients

Turnips

Wine

Mustard

Note: Can be boiled or roasted. 

Since this is a second course dish, the turnips should be roasted--to roast I will need to add a bit of oil, and salt and pepper to satisfy modern taste. 

My recipe

1 pound turnips

2 tbsp. Oil

2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 tbps. Wine (sub vinegar)

1 tbsp. Mustard (Do you use same mustard as you used for sausages?? or an alternate mustard recipe?)

Opt.  Additional oil for sauce to thin it?? 

Peel turnips and cut into quarters, liberally salt and pepper, and lightly coat with oil.  Heat oven to 375, and roast turnips until fragrant.  Mix wine with mustard, add turnips and serve. Add additional oil if sauce appears to thick to properly coat turnips.

4. Nim~ ein rot Häupt Kraut/ wirffs in einen heissen Ofen/ da man dz Brot hat außgebacken/ wenns wol gedempfft ist/ so zeuchs herauß/ vnd laß kalt werden/ schneidt das verbrannte hinweg/ schneidts viertheil weiß/ vnd thu es in ein Hafen oder in ein Feßlein/ thu ein wenig Fenchel darzwischen/ geuß halb Wein vnd halb Essig darüber/ schneidt auch rote Ruben/ die vorhin gesotten/ vnd kalt seyn/ darein/ thu ein wenig gestossenen Merrettich darvnter/ so ist es gut vnd wolgeschmack.

4. Take a red head cabbage/ throw into a hot oven/ that one has baked bread in/ when it is fully steamed/ then pull it out/ and let become cold/ cut the burned away/ cut in fourths/ and put it in a pot or in a cask/ put a little fennel between/ pour half wine and half vinegar over it/ also cut red beets/ that cooked earlier/ and are cold/ into it/ put a little grated Horseradish under it/ like this it is good and well tasting.

Since vegetable "steaks" are all the new rage, it's nice to see that everything that is old is coming around again.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE roasted cabbage, so this is a definate must have on the list. Question..fennel seeds or fennel bulbs?? Sauce or marinated? Maybe a slaw?? Ohh the possibilities--something is missing in translation, or maybe there is an assumption the cook knows what to do?  

Since the recipe specifically states putting the cabbage into a cask, we are led to believe this is similar to a kraut.  Yummmm

Ingredients

Red cabbage

fennel

wine

vinegar

red beets

grated horseradish

My Recipe

1 head red cabbage cut into quarters

1 fennel bulb thinly sliced

1 tbsp. Salt (for modern taste)

1 tsp. Peppercorns  (for modern taste)

5 tbsp. Wine 

5 tbsp. Vinegar

1 Beet cubed

Opt: Pinch of Sugar

Heat oven to 375.  Place cabbage in a baking dish and put in the oven.  Cook cabbage approximately 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  While cabbage is cooling, cut fennel into very thin strips.  Grate about a teaspoon of fresh horseradish into the bottom of the jar, begin layering cabbage and fennel in the jar, sprinkling with a little bit of salt and pepper between layers.  Finish with a layer of beets. 

Heat together wine and vinegar and a pinch of sugar, pour over cabbage.  

Note: this might be good to make a few days in advance and to allow to mellow. Also note: Fill any remaining space with water and place in fridge. 

10. Seudt Birn in süssem Most/ thu sie auß auff ein saubers Bret/ vnd laß kalt werden/ laß den Most weiter sieden/ biß er dick wirt/ laß jn darnach kalt werden/ streichs mit braunem Senff durch/ thu alsdenn die gesottenen Birn darein/ so wirt es gut vnd wolgeschmack.  Wiltu aber ein guten Senff haben/ so stoß Aniß vnnd Coriander durcheinander/ streichs durch mit braunem Senffmehl/ vnd süssen gesottenem Wein/ so wirt es gut vnnd wolgeschmack.

10. Seethe pears in sweet grape juice/ take them out on a clean board/ and let cool/ let the juice boil again/ until it becomes thick/ then let it become cold/ strain through with brown mustard/ and then put the boiled pears in it/ so it becomes good and well tasting. However if you want to have a good mustard/ then crush anise and coriander together/ strain through with brown mustard powder/ and sweet boiled wine/ so it becomes good and well tasting.

Doesn't this sound decadently delicious? This is a thought for mustard in the second course to serve with the turnips.  The brown mustard referred to is a very simple dish of brown mustard seeds that have been mixed with vinegar. The recipe goes on to say, that if you want to make a good mustard, yyou add spices to the powdered mustard seeds and this is the part of the recipe that I would be interested in recreating. 

Ingredients

Anise

Coriander

Brown mustard paower

Sweet boiled wine

Recipe Courtesy Ranvaig the Weaver. 

Sweet Pear mustard 1 lb pears, 1 c sweet grape juice, 2 T brown mustard seeds Soak the mustard overnight in a little water or juice. Simmer pears and juice until thick. Cool and process with the mustard. Age at least 3 days before serving. 

Spicy mustard 1/2 c black mustard seed, 1 1/2 c sweet wine, 1 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp anise Soak the mustard over night. Process until smooth. Age at least 3 days before serving.