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Lady picking cabbages early 15th century. The recipe for Joutes takes into account the many, many different kinds of greens that were known to be eaten in period. I have labeled this recipe as "Braised Spring Greens with Bacon" because the greens that are called for all bloom very early in spring. I imagine that while we may wrinkle our nose at similar dishes, this dish was very welcome after a long winter. I have included this recipe and its interpretation here, but I will not be cooking it until early spring. I will add an updated picture when I do. I will be including as part of my greens, my favorite weed "Dent-de-lion" aka Dandelion.. Recipe retreived from "Two fifteenth-century cookery-books. Harleian ms. 279 (ab. 1430), & Harl. ms. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole ms. 1429, Laud ms. 553, & Douce ms. 55" Thomas Austin .iij. Joutes.—Take Borage, Vyolet, Malwys, Percely, Yong Wortys, Bete, Auence, Longebeff, wyth Orage an oþer, pyke hem clene, and caste hem on a vessel, and boyle hem a goode whyle; þan take hem and presse hem on a fayre bord, an hew hem ryght smal, an put whyte brede þer-to, an grynd wyth-al; an þan caste hem in-to a fayre potte, an gode freshe brothe y-now þer-to þorw a straynowr, & caste [supplied by ed.] þer-to .ij. or .iij. Marybonys, or ellys fayre fresche brothe of beff, and let hem sethe to-gederys a whyle:an þan caste þer-to Safron, and let hem sethe to-gederys a whyle, an þan caste þer-to safron and salt; and serue it forth in a dysshe, an bakon y-boylyd in a-noþer dysshe, as men seruyth furmenty wyth venyson For more information on this recipe, or similar recipes, please visit "Medieval Cookery" hosted by Dan Myers by clicking the link below. iij - Joutes. Take Borage, Vyolet, Malwys, Percely, Yong Wortys, Bete, Auence, Longebeff, wyth Orage an other, pyke hem clene, and caste hem on a vessel, and boyle hem a goode whyle; than take hem and presse hem on a fayre bord, an hew hem ryght smal, an put whyte brede ther-to, an grynd wyth-al; an than caste hem in-to a fayre potte, an gode freshe brothe y-now ther-to thorw a straynowr, and caste ther-to .ij. or .iij. Marybonys, or ellys fayre fresche brothe of beff, and let hem sethe to-gederys a whyle: an than caste ther-to Safron, and let hem sethe to-gederys a whyle, an than caste ther-to safron and salt; and serue it forth in a dysshe, anbakon y-boylyd in a-nother dysshe, as men seruyth furmenty wyth venyson. 3. Joutes -- Take Borage, Violet, Mallow, Parsley, Young Wortys, Beets, Avens, Hawkweed, with Orach and other, pick them clean, and cast them on a vessel, and boil them a good while; then take them and press them on a fair board, and hew them right small, an put white bread there-to, an grind with-all; an than caste them into a fair pot, an good fresh broth of beef, and let them seethe together a while; an than caste there-to saffron, and let them seethe together a while, an than caste there-to saffron and salt; and serve it forth in a dish, an bacon boiled in another dish, as men serve furmenty with venison. Interpreted Recipe Serves 6-8 people as a side dish At least 1 cup each of whatever green I can find to include violets, dandelion, parsley, beet greens -OR- if making this dish outside of springtime at least 1 to 2 pounds of mixed greens, including spinach, chard, kale, collards and or mustard greens and a handful of herbs such as parsley, thyme, leeks or marjoram (see below for the reason why I would add greens not mentioned in the recipe) Water to boil the herbs in 1/3 cup grated breadcrumbs 1 1/2 cups fresh beef broth Pinch of Saffron 1 tsp. salt 1/4 pound slab bacon boiled in half cup water until cooked through (approximately 10 minutes) Optional: flowers from the greens you have used as garnish Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, add your greens and cook until they have wilted and become tender. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Drain your greens and set aside. Note: The recipe says to press your greens onto a fair board and hew them small. You will want to wrap your greens in a towel and press down upon them to remove as much of the liquid as possible. You will be surprised at how much liquid these will hold. The dryer your greens are before the next step, the better. Bring your broth to a boil and add saffron. Meanwhile, roughly chop the herbs (if you haven't already). Add the greens to your broth. Boil until very tender, approximately 15 minutes. Once the greens have reached the desired doneness add the breadcrumbs. The bread will thicken the broth. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Once the broth has thickened, place your greens in a dish, along with some of the broth, garnish with the bacon and flowers. Note: As an alternative, you could fry and dice regular bacon with the leeks and add to the greens. I find this recipe to be a surprising example of the ingenuity that was used in cooking. Essentially, find, forage, or grow whatever tasty green you can, and braise it in beef broth--enough. Add bread to thicken, saffron for color, salt for flavor, and serve with boiled bacon. This recipe makes use of "pot herbs", or, any leafy green grown for the purpose of usage in cooking. One item of note, eventually, the word "joute" would come to refer to Chard sometime around the 12th century. The "Fromond List" published approximately 1525, and originally titled "Herbys necessary for a gardyn' contains a list of Herbs for pottages. This list includes the following: Agrimony Alexanders Avens Basil Beet Betony Borage Cabbage Caraway Chervil Chives Clary Colewort Columbine Coriander Daisy Dandelion Dill Dittander Fennel Good King Henry Hartstongue Langdebeef Leek Lettuce Lupin Mallow Pot Marigold Marjoram Mint Nepp Red Nettle Christi Oculus Orach Parsley Patience Pepperwort Radish Rape Safflower Sage Spinach Milk Thistle Thyme Valerian Violet Wood Sorrel Onions Sowthistle If you wish to know more about the many kinds of vegetables that were enjoyed by folks in the middle ages, please see this article written by Jadwiga Zajaczkowa/Jennifer Heise: Medieval Sallets and Green Pottages Similar recipes can be found in the following cookbooks located at the various links included in the recipe name. Forme of Cury (England, 1390) Eowtes Of Flessh. VI. Take Borage, cool. langdebef. persel. betes. orage. auance. violet. saueray. and fenkel. and whane þey buth sode; presse hem wel smale. cast hem in gode broth an seeþ hem. and serue hem forth. Liber cure cocorum [Sloane MS 1986] (England, 1430) For Ioutes. Take most of cole, borage, persyl, Of plumtre leves, þou take þer tyl, Redde nettel crop and malues grene, Rede brere croppes, and avans goode, A lytel nept violet by þo rode, And lest of prymrol levus þou take, Sethe hom in water for goddes sake. Þenne take hom up, presse oute þou shalle Þe water, and hakke þese erbs alle And grynd hom in a morter schene With grotene. and sethe hom thyk by dene In fresshe brothe, as I þe kenne. Take sklyset, enbawdet þenne Besyde on platere þou shalt hit lay To be cut and eten with ioutes in fay. A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468) To mak smale joutes tak dyners and sethe them in clene water and hewe them smalle and bet them in a mortair but put out the water and tak of the stalkes then put them in a pot to swete brothe and alay the pot withe bred and sett the pot on the fyer and let it boille and salt it and serue it. |
Harleian MS 279 Joutes (~1430) Braised Spring Greens with Bacon
Medieval Wortys
Kale and cabbage are descended from the same common ancestor, but kale was the more common of the two vegetables during the middle ages. It was known as cole, or colewort and was one of the most widely eaten vegetables in our period. In fact, kale most likely resembles some of the very earliest cabbages. The round headed cabbage that we are familiar with was developed during the 14th century and was referred to as cawel, cabaches or caboches. Cabbage itself has a long culinary history. Little is known about how the plant was cultivated. It is natural to assume that the plants that developed with the largest and the most leaves, were those selected to be propagated.
“Theoprastus described cabbage in 350 BC and the Greeks cultivated it as early as 600 BC and they believed that cabbage was a gift from the gods. Pliny reported a soft-headed form in ancient Rome and the Saxons and Romans probably cultivated it and introduced it to the British Isles. The hardheaded types were only mentioned in the 9th century. The early Egyptians are said to have worshipped it. The plant was used for medicinal purposes to treat gout, stomach problems, deafness, headache and hangovers in the early days. Cabbage is now grown throughout the world.” CabbageIt is safe to assume, therefore that using a variety of greens from the brassica family that would have been known in period would fulfill the recipes below. This includes mustards, kale, collards (known to the Greeks and Romans), kohlrabi (first described in Europe in 1554), broccoli (known to Greeks and Romans), cauliflower (sixth century), rapini (aka broccoli rabe, known to the Romans), turnips, and rutabaga (also known as swede or neep, first reference 1620 so use your best judgment). The recipes listed below can be found here: Two fifteenth-century cookery-books : Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55 Thomas Austin
.j. Lange Wortys de chare.—Take beeff and merybonys, and boyle yt in fayre water; þan take fayre wortys and wassche hem clene in water, and parboyle hem in clene water; þan take hem vp of þe water after þe fyrst boylyng, an cut þe leuys a-to or a-þre, and caste hem in-to þe beff, and boyle to gederys: þan take a lof of whyte brede and grate yt, an caste it on þe pot, an safron & salt, & let it boyle y-now, and serue forth.
.ij. Lange Wortes de pesoun.—Take grene pesyn, an washe hem clene an caste hem on a potte, an boyle hem tyl þey breste, an þanne take hem vppe of þe potte, an put hem with brothe yn a-noþer potte, and lete hem kele; þan draw hem þorw a straynowre in-to a fayre potte, an þan take oynonys, and screde hem in to or þre, an take hole wortys and boyle hem in fayre water: and take hem vppe, an ley hem on a fayre bord, an cytte on .iij. or iiij., an ley hem to þe oynonys in þe potte, to þe drawyd pesyn; an let hem boyle tyl þey ben tendyr; an þanne tak fayre oyle and frye hem, or ellys sum fresche broþe of sum maner fresche fysshe, an caste þer-to, an Safron, an salt a quantyte, and serue it forth.
.iij. Joutes.—Take Borage, Vyolet, Malwys, Percely, Yong Wortys, Bete, Auence, Longebeff, wyth Orage an oþer, pyke hem clene, and caste hem on a vessel, and boyle hem a goode whyle; þan take hem and presse hem on a fayre bord, an hew hem ryght smal, an put whyte brede þer-to, an grynd wyth-al; an þan caste hem in-to a fayre potte, an gode freshe brothe y-now þer-to þorw a straynowr, & caste [supplied by ed.] þer-to .ij. or .iij. Marybonys, or ellys fayre fresche brothe of beff, and let hem sethe to-gederys a whyle:an þan caste þer-to Safron, and let hem sethe to-gederys a whyle, an þan caste þer-to safron and salt; and serue it forth in a dysshe, an bakon y-boylyd in a-noþer dysshe, as men seruyth furmenty wyth venyson.
.iiij. Caboges.—Take fayre caboges, an cutte hem, an pike hem clene and clene washe hem, an parboyle hem in fayre water, an þanne presse hem on a fayre bord; an þan choppe hem, and caste hem in a faire pot with goode freysshe broth, an wyth mery-bonys, and let it boyle: þanne grate fayre brede and caste þer-to, an caste þer-to Safron an salt; or ellys take gode grwel y-mad of freys flesshe, y-draw þorw a straynour, and caste þer-to. An whan þou seruyst yt inne, knocke owt þe marw of þe bonys, an ley þe marwe .ij. gobettys or .iij. in a dysshe, as þe semyth best, & serue forth.
.v. Whyte wortes.—Take of þe erbys lyke as þou dede for jouutes, and sethe hem in [supplied by ed.] water tyl þey ben neyshe; þanne take hem vp, an bryse hem fayre on a bord, as drye as þow may; þan choppe hem smale, an caste hem on a potte, an ley hem with flowre of Rys; take mylke of almaundys, an cast þer-to, & hony, nowt to moche, þat it be nowt to swete, an safron & salt; an serue it forth ynne, ryȝth for a good potage.
#medievalfood #scafeast #scacook #historicfood
SCA Feast - Push for Pennsic July 9-11,2004 Early Roman Style Feast
Another blast from the past! This was a three course feast done in the Roman Style which would allowed me to offer a selection of several dishes that ran the gamut between savory and sweet in each of the three courses. Most of the items were made ahead of time. Those that required heating were heated on a grill the day of the event. The remaining items were served room temperature. The site of this event is rather primitive, offering no kitchen, and water obtained via a hose. This would have made my third or possibly fourth event that I hosted a feast for over 100 diners where no kitchen was available.
Unfortunately--I assumed that I would remember ...years later mind you...where I found many of these recipes. It would be very safe to assume that they came from one of more the following sources, all of which are available new or used from Amazon.com and which I have in my library.
Cucumeres (Braised Cucumber)
Lucanicae (grilled Sausages)
Epityrum (olives)
Moretum (herbed Cheese spread)
Piadina(flatbread)
Mensa Prima
Petaso paro Mustacei (Smoked Pork (ham) with sweet Wine cakes)
Erebinthoi Knakosymmigeis (chickpeas with Saffron)
Krambe (Roman Cabbage)
Mensa Secunda
Itria (Sesame Seed Biscuit)
Basyniai (Fig and Walnut Cakes)
Assorted Fresh and dried fruit
Assorted Sugared Nuts
Beverages
Apple Juice
Grape Juice
Lemonade
Interpreted Recipes
Cucumeres - Braised Cucumbers
1 large cucumber
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. clear honey
Salt to taste
Note: Served at room temperature
Lucanicae--Grilled Sausage
1 pound of ground meat *I like to use a mixture of beef and pork
4 tbs. bulger
1 tsp. grd. pepper
2 ½ tsp. liquamen
2 tbs. pine nut, roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Boil bulgur in water to cover until tender, drain and let cool. When cooled mix with the remaining ingredients together. Shape into sausage patties and grill.
Note: This recipe is significantly different from the recipe prepared for Ceilidh XV's Early Roman Feast. Using the same ingredients but prepared much more simply. I assume that I did it this way because of the availability of a grill.
Mustard
Mustard according to Columella, De re Rustica, XII, 57
Carefully clean mustard seed and sift, then wash in cold water and when well washed leave for two hours in the water. Then remove, press it with your hands and put in a new or a thoroughly cleaned mortar, add pine-kernals which should be as fresh as possible and almonds, pound carefully and pour vinegar on.
*According to Pallidus, VIII, 9: grind to a fine powder 1 1/2 pints mustard seed, add 5 pounds honey, 1 pound spanish oil, 1 pint strong vinegar, mix carefully and use.
The mustard was a mixture of prepared stoneground and honey mustards with the addition of ground pine nuts. Delicious!
Epityrum--Olives
4 oz. each black and green olives (preferably brined)
4 tbs. red wine vinegar
4 tbs. olive oil
1 heaped tsp. chopped fennel leaf or finely diced fennel root
2 tsp each chopped coriander, rue**, mint
Pit and rough chop olives, pour on vinegar and olive oil, prepare herbs and add to mixture. Place olive relish in a sealable container and pour a little olive oil over the top.
Note: Rue is an abortifacient. It is one of the herbs that can lead to miscarriages and should not be used if you are cooking for a crowd without some hefty warnings. Better yet--just DON'T use it.
Moretum -- Herbed Cheese Spread
1/2 head (approximately 10 cloves) garlic
3 1/2oz. pecorino romano cheese
1 small bunch coriander leaves
1 ½ stalks. chopped celery and leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. olive oil
Peel and roughly chop garlic, grate cheese, roughly chop the herbs. Mix well in food processor or by hand until the mixture is smooth in texture. Serve with crusty bread.
Piadina--Flatbread (Modern Recipe)-Adapted from Italian Cuisine Basic Cooking Techniques by Tony May
Piadina are thin, flat disks, chewier and firmer than bread. Originally, piadina was cooked on an earthenware plate called a testo, which was placed over hot coals. Today, piadine (pl.) are made on the range top using a modern day testo of ghisa (cast iron) or a heavy well-seasoned black cast-iron pan.
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. lard **must be lard**
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups water
Pour the flour on the work surface forming a fountain. Add the lard (or extra-virgin olive oil) and knead the dough using just enough lukewarm salted water to obtain a rather firm dough. Knead vigorously for approximately ten minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough in 6 equal pieces. Roll or stretch each piece of dough into a disk 8 inches in diameter. Riddle each disk with the tines of a fork.
Heat a heavy well-seasoned black cast-iron pan on the range top. Before cooking, test the pan by letting a few drops of cold water fall on it. The pan is ready when the water skips and sputters across its surface. If the water just sits and boils, the pan is not hot enough to use. When the pan is hot, place a disk of dough on its surface. Let the disk heat well on one side and then turn it over. When little charred bubbles form on each side of the disk, the dough is ready. Cook each disk of dough in this manner, stacking the cooked piadine in a towel so that they stay warm.
Petaso paro Mustacei--Smoked Pork (ham) with Sweet Wine Cakes
2 pound smoked ham
2 ½ cups pearl barley
10 dried figs
1 celery stalk
10 peppercorns
1 cup honey
Soak meat overnight in water. Discard water and place meat in a large saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and add the barley, figs, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and ½ cup honey. Bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the meat from the saucepan and retain the liquor, cool the meat slightly before coating with honey.
Sauce
1 ¼ cup red wine
1 ¼ cup raisin wine
½ tsp. grd. black pepper
Prepare the sauce. By bringing to boil and reducing slightly.
Sweet wine cakes
2 cups flour
2 tbs. lard
2 oz. cheese grated
1 tsp. grd. Cumin
1tsp. aniseed
3-4 tbs. red wine
bay leaves
½ tsp. dried yeast
To make sweet wine cakes, sift flour and rub in lard. Add cheese cumin and anise seed. Dissolve the yeast in the wine and add bay leaf. Remove bay leave when the yeast has dissolved and add wine to flour. Form a soft dough and knead well, divide into 8 portions and mold into a bun shape. Place on a greased baking tray. Cover and let rise for 1 ½ hours. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden.
Erebinthoi Knakosymmigeis--Chickpeas with Saffron
6 ounces dried chickpeas
a generous pinch of saffron
salt
Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and put them in heavy pan with 2 pints water and salt. Bring to the boil, add saffron, stir and simmer, covered, gently at least an hour. Serve warm.
Krambe--Roman Cabbage
1 medium cabbage
3 ounces olive oil
1 tbs. liquamen
1 tbs. white wine
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 onion sliced fine
coriander,salt and pepper to taste
Boil cabbage in water 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain, then rinse in cold water until cool, drain again and chop well. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over cabbage. Mix well and serve.
Itria--Sesame Seed Biscuit
Roast sesame seeds and nuts in the oven at 350 degrees until they take on a little color. Put the honey in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then skim and continue to simmer gently for 7 minutes. Add the nuts and sesame seeds to the honey while warm and mix well. Grease a shallow baking tray or dish and spread the mixture out on it. Allow to cool until you can handle the mixture then mold into balls. Wrap in little pieces of paper and serve with fruit at the end of the meal.
Basyniai--Fig and Walnut Cakes
For the Pastry:
7 ounces unbleached flour
2 ounces olive oil
3 ounces water
Combine flour, olive oil and water in a large mixing bowl. Knead until you have smooth dough, adding more water or flour as needed. Gather up the dough and place in a plastic bag for an hour.
For the filling:
3 ounces walnuts
1 ounce dried figs
Olive oil for Frying
3 ounces warmed honey
Finely grind walnuts and figs together until they form a thick paste
Roll the pastry out as thin as possible (I cheated and used won ton wrappers). Cut with a cutter into 2 1/2 “rounds. Place a teaspoon of the filling onto the dough, wet the edges and seal with another round of dough, pinch the edges closed. Fry in oil until pastries are crisped on both sides. Drain the grease. Drizzle with warmed honey and serve warm.
#medievalfood #scafeast #scacook #historicfood
Unfortunately--I assumed that I would remember ...years later mind you...where I found many of these recipes. It would be very safe to assume that they came from one of more the following sources, all of which are available new or used from Amazon.com and which I have in my library.
- Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius
- The Roman Cookery Book by Apicius and Barbara Flower
- Cooking Apicius by Marcus Gavius Apicius and Sally Grainger
- The Roman Cookery Book: A Critical Translation of the Art of Cooking by Apicius and Elisabeth Rosenbaum
- Cookery And Dining In Imperial Rome: A Bibliography, Critical Review and Translation of Apicius De Re Coquinaria by Apicius and Joseph Dommers Vehling
- Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens by Mark Grant
- A Taste of Ancient Rome by Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa and Anna Herklotz
Feast Menu
GustumCucumeres (Braised Cucumber)
Lucanicae (grilled Sausages)
Epityrum (olives)
Moretum (herbed Cheese spread)
Piadina(flatbread)
Mensa Prima
Petaso paro Mustacei (Smoked Pork (ham) with sweet Wine cakes)
Erebinthoi Knakosymmigeis (chickpeas with Saffron)
Krambe (Roman Cabbage)
Mensa Secunda
Itria (Sesame Seed Biscuit)
Basyniai (Fig and Walnut Cakes)
Assorted Fresh and dried fruit
Assorted Sugared Nuts
Beverages
Apple Juice
Grape Juice
Lemonade
Interpreted Recipes
Cucumeres - Braised Cucumbers
1 large cucumber
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. clear honey
Salt to taste
Peel and cut the cucumber into thick slices. Pour the vinegar, olive oil and honey into a heavy pan and cook the slices of cucumber gently in the sauce until tender, shaking the pan occasionally to redistribute the cucumber slices and ensure even cooking.
Note: Served at room temperature
Lucanicae--Grilled Sausage
1 pound of ground meat *I like to use a mixture of beef and pork
4 tbs. bulger
1 tsp. grd. pepper
2 ½ tsp. liquamen
2 tbs. pine nut, roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Boil bulgur in water to cover until tender, drain and let cool. When cooled mix with the remaining ingredients together. Shape into sausage patties and grill.
Note: This recipe is significantly different from the recipe prepared for Ceilidh XV's Early Roman Feast. Using the same ingredients but prepared much more simply. I assume that I did it this way because of the availability of a grill.
Mustard
Mustard according to Columella, De re Rustica, XII, 57
Carefully clean mustard seed and sift, then wash in cold water and when well washed leave for two hours in the water. Then remove, press it with your hands and put in a new or a thoroughly cleaned mortar, add pine-kernals which should be as fresh as possible and almonds, pound carefully and pour vinegar on.
*According to Pallidus, VIII, 9: grind to a fine powder 1 1/2 pints mustard seed, add 5 pounds honey, 1 pound spanish oil, 1 pint strong vinegar, mix carefully and use.
The mustard was a mixture of prepared stoneground and honey mustards with the addition of ground pine nuts. Delicious!
Epityrum--Olives
4 oz. each black and green olives (preferably brined)
4 tbs. red wine vinegar
4 tbs. olive oil
1 heaped tsp. chopped fennel leaf or finely diced fennel root
2 tsp each chopped coriander, rue**, mint
Pit and rough chop olives, pour on vinegar and olive oil, prepare herbs and add to mixture. Place olive relish in a sealable container and pour a little olive oil over the top.
Note: Rue is an abortifacient. It is one of the herbs that can lead to miscarriages and should not be used if you are cooking for a crowd without some hefty warnings. Better yet--just DON'T use it.
Moretum -- Herbed Cheese Spread
1/2 head (approximately 10 cloves) garlic
3 1/2oz. pecorino romano cheese
1 small bunch coriander leaves
1 ½ stalks. chopped celery and leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. olive oil
Peel and roughly chop garlic, grate cheese, roughly chop the herbs. Mix well in food processor or by hand until the mixture is smooth in texture. Serve with crusty bread.
Piadina--Flatbread (Modern Recipe)-Adapted from Italian Cuisine Basic Cooking Techniques by Tony May
Piadina are thin, flat disks, chewier and firmer than bread. Originally, piadina was cooked on an earthenware plate called a testo, which was placed over hot coals. Today, piadine (pl.) are made on the range top using a modern day testo of ghisa (cast iron) or a heavy well-seasoned black cast-iron pan.
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. lard **must be lard**
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups water
Pour the flour on the work surface forming a fountain. Add the lard (or extra-virgin olive oil) and knead the dough using just enough lukewarm salted water to obtain a rather firm dough. Knead vigorously for approximately ten minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough in 6 equal pieces. Roll or stretch each piece of dough into a disk 8 inches in diameter. Riddle each disk with the tines of a fork.
Heat a heavy well-seasoned black cast-iron pan on the range top. Before cooking, test the pan by letting a few drops of cold water fall on it. The pan is ready when the water skips and sputters across its surface. If the water just sits and boils, the pan is not hot enough to use. When the pan is hot, place a disk of dough on its surface. Let the disk heat well on one side and then turn it over. When little charred bubbles form on each side of the disk, the dough is ready. Cook each disk of dough in this manner, stacking the cooked piadine in a towel so that they stay warm.
Petaso paro Mustacei--Smoked Pork (ham) with Sweet Wine Cakes
2 pound smoked ham
2 ½ cups pearl barley
10 dried figs
1 celery stalk
10 peppercorns
1 cup honey
Soak meat overnight in water. Discard water and place meat in a large saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and add the barley, figs, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and ½ cup honey. Bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the meat from the saucepan and retain the liquor, cool the meat slightly before coating with honey.
Sauce
1 ¼ cup red wine
1 ¼ cup raisin wine
½ tsp. grd. black pepper
Prepare the sauce. By bringing to boil and reducing slightly.
Sweet wine cakes
2 cups flour
2 tbs. lard
2 oz. cheese grated
1 tsp. grd. Cumin
1tsp. aniseed
3-4 tbs. red wine
bay leaves
½ tsp. dried yeast
To make sweet wine cakes, sift flour and rub in lard. Add cheese cumin and anise seed. Dissolve the yeast in the wine and add bay leaf. Remove bay leave when the yeast has dissolved and add wine to flour. Form a soft dough and knead well, divide into 8 portions and mold into a bun shape. Place on a greased baking tray. Cover and let rise for 1 ½ hours. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden.
Erebinthoi Knakosymmigeis--Chickpeas with Saffron
6 ounces dried chickpeas
a generous pinch of saffron
salt
Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and put them in heavy pan with 2 pints water and salt. Bring to the boil, add saffron, stir and simmer, covered, gently at least an hour. Serve warm.
Krambe--Roman Cabbage
1 medium cabbage
3 ounces olive oil
1 tbs. liquamen
1 tbs. white wine
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 onion sliced fine
coriander,salt and pepper to taste
Boil cabbage in water 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain, then rinse in cold water until cool, drain again and chop well. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over cabbage. Mix well and serve.
Itria--Sesame Seed Biscuit
1 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup chopped mixed nuts
3/4 cup clear honey
3/4 cup chopped mixed nuts
3/4 cup clear honey
Roast sesame seeds and nuts in the oven at 350 degrees until they take on a little color. Put the honey in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then skim and continue to simmer gently for 7 minutes. Add the nuts and sesame seeds to the honey while warm and mix well. Grease a shallow baking tray or dish and spread the mixture out on it. Allow to cool until you can handle the mixture then mold into balls. Wrap in little pieces of paper and serve with fruit at the end of the meal.
Basyniai--Fig and Walnut Cakes
For the Pastry:
7 ounces unbleached flour
2 ounces olive oil
3 ounces water
Combine flour, olive oil and water in a large mixing bowl. Knead until you have smooth dough, adding more water or flour as needed. Gather up the dough and place in a plastic bag for an hour.
For the filling:
3 ounces walnuts
1 ounce dried figs
Olive oil for Frying
3 ounces warmed honey
Finely grind walnuts and figs together until they form a thick paste
Roll the pastry out as thin as possible (I cheated and used won ton wrappers). Cut with a cutter into 2 1/2 “rounds. Place a teaspoon of the filling onto the dough, wet the edges and seal with another round of dough, pinch the edges closed. Fry in oil until pastries are crisped on both sides. Drain the grease. Drizzle with warmed honey and serve warm.
#medievalfood #scafeast #scacook #historicfood
A Hobbit's Feast
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| Retrieved from: If more of us valued food and cheer |
"Hobbits love their food and enjoy simple, home country food and drink like home-brewed beer and wine, soups, stews, roasted meats, lots of fruits like apples and blackberries which they grow and pick." Bilbo Baggins
In 'The Hobbit' where the dwarves come to tea unexpectedly, Bilbo serves them seed cakes, beer, ale, porter, coffee, cakes, buttered scones, tea, red wine, raspberry jam, apple tart, mince pies, cheese, pork pies, salad, cold chicken, pickles, hard-boiled eggs and biscuits!
Thankfully for Bilbo, the Dwarves did the washing up!
A Shire Pie
"P'raps there are more like him round about, and we might make a pie," said Bert. ~ a Troll
2 deep dish pie crusts **
1 pound mushrooms, quartered
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery diced
1 carrot diced
1 pound sausage **(I used a half pound of ground venison and a half pound sage sausage)
2 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups broth (I used beef)**
2 tbsp. butter**
Several sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
This recipe is very loosely based on "Rosie's Shire Pie". I have noted where I made substitutes. Saute carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms and celery in butter or oil until golden brown and tender. Add sausage and cook till no longer pink. Prebake pie dish for approximately ten minutes. Add meat and vegetables. Close the pie with the second crust, and make a slit in the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until crust is brown.
Meanwhile, pan gravy can be made by making slurry with the flour and the broth and using it to deglaze the pan the vegetables and meat were cooked in. Serve on the side.
Roasted Roots
Merry: I don't know why he's so worked up. It's only a bundle of carrots.
Pip: And cabbages. And the sack of potatoes we lifted last week. And then the mushrooms the week before! And--
Merry: Yes, pip!!! The point is he's completely overreacting.
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 sweet potato
2 Yukon gold potatoes
1 bunch of beets, scrubbed tops trimmed
2 large parsnips
1 onion
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and separated
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the vegetables into 1" cubes, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables in a 425 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables become tender and golden brown.
Note: You can cook the vegetables with the Shire Pie, but it will take longer for them to become tender.
Braised Cabbage with Bacon
Pippin: "Can I have some bacon"
1 head red cabbage
1 onion, chopped
1 tart apple (granny smith), peeled, seeded and chopped
2 slices of bacon, diced
1 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Handful of golden raisins
In a large pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon in your pan and remove it. Saute onion and apple in the drippings until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until tender. In the last five minutes of cooking, add the bacon back into the pot.
Apple and Blackberry Tartlets
"I hope I never smell the smell of apples again!" said Fili. "My tub was full of it. To smell apples everlastingly when you can scarcely move and are cold and sick with hunger us maddening. I could eat anything in the wide world now, for hours on end - but not an apple!" ~ Fili
Pie or tart crust
1 pound of mixed apples (granny smith, golden delicious and gala is what I used)
8 ounces blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. blackberry jam
1 tbsp. cornstarch
To make the filling peel, core and slice the apples, toss with the blackberries. Mix the cornstarch and sugar together and then toss into the fruit. Spread jam on the bottom of the pie or tart crusts. Fill with the fruit.
Bake at 400 degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden and fruit is bubbling. Cool at least ten minutes before serving.
We served with homemade whipped cream...mmmmsss.
Elven Lembas
“The lembas had a virtue without which they would long ago have lain down to die. It did not satisfy desire, and at times Sam’s mind was filled with the memories of food, and the longing for simple bread and meats. And yet, this way bread of the elves had potency that increased as travelers relied upon it alone and did not mingle it with other foods. It fed the will, and it gave strength to endure, and to master sinew and limb beyond the measure of mor
tal kind.
6 tbsp. butter
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp. heavy cream
Optional: handful of raisins
Blend butter and flower in bowl until it resembles sand. Add sugar and raisins. In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together until mixed. Add the wet ingredients to the flour and mix until it forms a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface and roll out to approximately 3/4" thickness.
Note: At this point the kids were given cookie cutters and told to enjoy themselves! There was not a clean cookie cutter in sight, but the kids were very pleased with themselves and their efforts.
Place the cookies on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving about an inch between them. Brush the tops of the cookies with milk or a mixture of milk and egg, sprinkle with sugar if desired and bake in a 400 degree oven approximately 12 minutes. You want them to be light in color when you remove them from the oven.
I hope you enjoy!
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." ~ Thorin
Many of the recipes for this feast can be found here: Middle-earth Recipes compiled by MithrandirCQ and Primula with additions .
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