Historic, heritage, and traditional recipes
Buttered wortes Gerry Wilbert's dill pickles To make a dish of spinach
Cheese and sesame sweatmeats Isfanakh Mutajjan (fried spinach) Vitellian peas
Garlic cheese Rhubarb conserve
Grene Pesen Strawberry shortcakes
Buttered Wortes (buttered greens)
2-3 lbs beet greens, spinach, or other greens, plus some parsley
2-3 leeks
2 Tbsp (or more) butter
4-6 slices bread, diced and lightly toasted
Blanch greens and leeks in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 3-4 minutes, no longer. Drain in a colander; squeeze out excess water with a potato masher or broad spoon, then chop roughly by running a knife through the mass in the colander. Combine with butter and 1/2 cup fresh water in a pan; stir, cover, and leave over very low heat for another five minutes. Salt to taste and serve mixed with the bread cubes.
From: Pleyn delit : medieval cookery for modern cooks / Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, Sharon Butler. 2nd ed. University of Toronto Press, c1996.
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Cheese and sesame sweatmeats (Globi, from Philoxenus and Cato)
1.25 c. milk
2 Tbsp. semolina
3 Tbsp. honey (divided)
4 oz. ricotta cheese
.75 c. lightly roasted sesame seeds (divided)
olive or vegetable oil for deep-frying
Bring the milk to a boil and sprinkle the semolina over it, stirring constantly. Cook briefly but do not let it burn. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally, until it forms a firm paste. Add 1 Tbsp. honey and the cheese; mix well and stir in the sesame seeds. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or saucepan until a little of the mixture dropped into the oil rises and begins to color. Form mixture into balls between two spoons and drop into the oil 2-3 at a time. Turn occasionally until they are golden-brown on all sides; lift from the oil and drain on paper towels. Warm the remaining honey and toss the cooked balls in it, then in the remaining sesame seeds. May be served hot or cold.
From: The classical cookbook / Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger. J. Paul Getty Museum, c1996.
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Chili butter
1 Tbsp. chili sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
toast round
thin slice liver sausage
paprika
Mix chili sauce and butter. Spread on toast round, top with liver sausage, and sprinkle with paprika.
From: Yum-yum recipes. Compiled and pub. by the Tonasket Civic League, 1938.
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Dilly Beans
6 cups water
1 cup pickling salt
6 cups distilled white vinegar
8 heads fresh dill weed
1/2 cup pickling spice
1/2 cup mustard seed
8 dried red chile peppers
16 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon alum
5 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
Sterilize 8 (1 pint) jars in boiling water for at least 5 minutes.
Bring the water, pickling salt and vinegar to boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to low and keep at a simmer while you pack the jars. In each jar place the following: 1 head of dill, 1 tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 tablespoon of mustard seed, 1 dried chile pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon of alum. Pack beans vertically into the prepared jars. Ladle the hot brine into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top. Screw the lids onto the jars, and process in a hot water bath for 6 minutes to seal. Store for at least 2 weeks before eating.
From: Allrecipes.com
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Garlic cheese (Moretum, from a poem attributed to Virgil)
2 bulbs garlic (very roughly, 15-25 cloves)
8 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese
1 large handful cilantro
2 tsp. chopped fresh rue
2 heaped tsp. chopped fresh celery leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Peel and roughly chop the garlic and herbs; grate the cheese. If you are grinding by hand, start with the garlic and salt and break it down to a pulp, then add the cheese and herbs. When you have a smooth mixture add the liquids and mix well. If you are using a food processor, process all the solid ingredients into a smooth mixture, then add the liquids. Chill. Serve with a crusty loaf as a snack.
From: The classical cookbook / Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger. J. Paul Getty Museum, c1996.
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Gerry Wilbert's dill pickles
Wash the cucumbers and pack into quart jars with a sprig of dill and 1-2 cloves of garlic at the bottom, middle, and top of each jar. Pour in 1/3 to 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 rounded tbsp. canning (pickling) salt; top off with cold water. Boil lids 10 minutes and seal the jars; place upside-down for 24 hours. Let cure for several weeks before using. Any jars that don't seal should be kept refrigerated until used or the pickles will be soft.
From: Dorothy Huffman's recipe collection
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Grene Pesen (Green peas)
3 lb fresh shelled peas, or 20 oz. frozen peas
1 c beef broth
2 sprigs parsley
a few leaves of fresh mint, or 1/2 tsp. dried
1-2 fresh sage leaves (1/8 to 1/4 tsp. dried)
sprig of savory (1/8 to 1/4 tsp. dried)
1 slice bread, crusts removed
Boil peas about 12 min until almost done (less for frozen). Blend herbs and bread with enough broth to moisten. Drain peas and add about 1/2 c to the herbs; blend into a smooth, fairly thick sauce, adding more broth as needed. Gently reheat remaining peas in this sauce
From: Pleyn delit : medieval cookery for modern cooks / Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, and Sharon Butler. University of Toronto Press, c1996.
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Isfanakh Mutajjan (fried spinach)
2 lbs fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
2-3 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
pinch ground cinnamon
Parboil the spinach in a large pot of salted water for 2-4 minutes. Press out excess water and chop the spinach roughly. Stir-fry in the oil until fragrant, adding the spices towards the end; or put in a heavy saucepan or casserole with the oil and spices, stir, and leave to cook over very low heat another 10-15 minutes; or cook, covered, in a low oven 15-20 minutes (or microwave 3-4 minutes if that doesn't seem too weird).
From: Pleyn delit : medieval cookery for modern cooks / Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, Sharon Butler. 2nd ed. University of Toronto Press, c1996.
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Lettuce cocktail
1 crisp head lettuce, cut fine with scissors
4 Tbsp catsup
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 hard boiled eggs, shredded
4 Tbsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. sugar
4 small onions, shredded
salt to taste
Mix lettuce, eggs, and onions. Melt butter and allow to cool; add catsup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, vinegar, and salt. To serve, pour sauce mixture over lettuce mixture and chill in cocktail glasses.
From: Yum-yum recipes. Compiled and pub. by the Tonasket Civic League, 1938.
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Pois en cosse (Peasecods)
2 lb. young peas in the pod, untrimmed
2 Tbsp butter
salt to taste
Boil peapods in salted water 10-15 min., until done. Stir in butter and serve.
From: Pleyn delit : medieval cookery for modern cooks / Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, and Sharon Butler. University of Toronto Press, c1996.
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1 lb. rhubarb, washed and sliced
2 c sugar
1/2 c raisins
Juice and grated peel of 1 lemon or 1/2 orange
Sprinkle rhubrab with sugar. Mix with remaining ingredients and let stand a half hour to draw the juice. Bring slowly to boiling and simmer until thick, about 1/2 hour. Let cool and seal.
From: 28 delicious ways to serve Sumner hot-house rhubarb. Sumner Rhubarb Growers Association, [1930]
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Strawberry shortcakes
1 quart strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
Mix strawberries and sugar; let stand 1 hour. (If you need to save time, stop here and just spoon the strawberries generously over good vanilla ice cream. Everyone will say "oooh" and you won't even have to turn on the oven.)
1/3 cup shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 450. Use a pastry blender or two table knives to cut shortening into flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk until just blended. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently smooth into a ball and knead 20-25 times. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut with a floured 3-inch round cutter (or other shapes as desired, adjusting baking times). Place about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, abotu 10-12 minutes. Split crosswise while hot. Butter them if desired; fill and top with strawberries and top with sweetened whipped cream: For 1 cup of whipped cream, beat 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream with 1 Tbsp. granulated or powdered sugar in a chilled bowl until stiff.
From: Betty Crockers' cookbook (40th anniversary edition). Prentice Hall, c1991.
A slightly different way to do the berries:
10 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Crush 3 cups strawberries with a potato masher. Add remaining berries. Sprinkle with sugars and add vinegar. Stir until all berries are coated. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hrs.
From: Cooking pleasures, June-July, 2000.
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To make a dish of spinach
10-oz fresh spinach leaves, washed well and stems trimmed
1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 oz. pitted prunes, chopped
Fry spinach in the oil until wilted, then add broth and prunes. Simmer until spinach is tender.
Source: Libro del Arte de Cozina / Diego Granado (1599), translated and redacted by Robin Carroll-Mann.
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Vitellian peas
8 oz. marrowfat or other dried peas, or 1 lb. fresh fava beans
(probably peeled)
3/4 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
2 tsp. chopped lovage or celery leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 egg yolks, cooked
3 Tbsp. honey (+ more to taste)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2/3 c white wine
1/3 c white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Soak peas overnight in cold water, strain, and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, 1 to 1.5 hours, adding more water if needed. Drain and beat (or puree in a food processer) until smooth. If using broad beans, boil 4-6 min., until tender, drain and puree. Pound ginger, lovage, and pepper in a mortar. Add egg yolks and pound until a smooth paste forms. Stir in honey and fish sauce until smooth. Flush out the mortar into a saucepan with the wine and vinegar; add oil and simmer gently for a few minutes. Add the peas and reheat. Add more honey if desired.
From: The classical cookbook / Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger. J. Paul Getty Museum, c1996.
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