And now for one Richard II liked . . .
Simmering Through the Ages
Prof Roland Rotherham and Simon Smith
Steve Brookes Publishing
IF you are looking for something different for dinner parties then this is a book that might just be the ticket as you bring out a recipe that the Crusaders used to wolf down after a hard day's . . . crusading.
There is even a recipe popular with the home team in
the Crusades with a lamb dish from Saladin's camp. It certainly makes a
change from telling guests “this is Delia’s starter” or ”I found
this in Jamie’s new book” or Nigella did it on TV or whatever.
Rotherham, an expert of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, is also an authority on food though the ages and an avid collector of ancient recipes. Smith, a renowned chef, runs Thrales in Lichfield and makes recipes from the Egyptians and Romans to the Victorians work in a modern kitchen with ingredients you can pick up from supermarkets.
The pair have been running demonstrations at the Garrick for three years which was the inspiration for the book published this month in associated with the theatre.
The result is almost 80 recipes which are all steeped in history from an 18th century Christmas pudding - rated the best pudding ever by Smith - to mediaeval mince meat – with pork the meat part of the original dish.
The recipes all have some history attached and there are a few unuusal combinations - unusual for now that is, for example in Norman times rabbit and apple pie was probably as common as steak and kidney.
There is a couple of thousand years to go at in Simmering through the Ages although some of the dishes appear so modern that I suspect people would not know they were eating something that was enjoyed several hundred years ago.
That shows that first that there is actuially not a lot really new in cookery and second that our ancestors were much more imaginative and much more skilled cooks than we give them credit for.
The dishes range from light to hearty feast. How about a chicken and caper salad from the War of the Roses or a coriander and pine nut salad from the Crusades? From a 15th century monastic cookbook comes herring pie or how about one of the Iron Duke’s favourites, liver and bacon with capers?
There are 17th century strawberry tarts, Victorian strawberry and peppercorn pancakes, boar and pear pie from the Middle Ages as well as Sir Kenelm Digby’s Winter Soup.
Sir Kenelm was a courtier in the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I and this recipe comes from his household book. If that is a bit too modern then how about an Egyptian recipe from around the time of Christ with a spatchcock pigeon in a beer and berry sauce.
There are tavern dishes, fast foods as well as fine dining with salads, fish, meat and puds in a book with plenty of historical food facts, cooking tips and , most important in any cookbook, interesting and tasty recipes which are easy to make and don't demand great technical skill.
It could make an unusual gift for someone who enjoys cooking or provide a topic of conversation at your next dinner party. “Yes, this was one of James I’s favourites” tends to beat telling people you found the recipe in a Sunday supplement.
The cover price is £19.99 but the book is on sale at The Garrick or Thrales, currently at £14.99 or can be found discounted on the internet for under a tenner.
Roger Clarke
Christmas Pudding
(The very best recipe in the
world).
Ingredients:
(Makes 3 two pound puddings or 6 one pound puddings)
1 lb currants.
1 lb sultanas.
1 lb raisins.
4 oz mixed peel.
4 oz glace cherries.
4 oz chopped almonds.
1 ½ lbs breadcrumbs.
1 lb grated carrot.
1 lb suet.
2 lbs brown sugar.
8 oz flour.
Rind and juice of 1 lemon.
Rind and juice of 1 orange.
8 eggs.
½ teaspoon of salt.
1 teaspoon of mixed spice.
1 teaspoon of cinamon.
1 large bottle of Guinness.
1 cup of brandy.
½ cup of rum.
Method:
Mix all ingredients well. Pack into 3
two pound well greased basins. Cover with foil or a basin lid. Steam for
8 hours. If you are making one pound puddings steam for 6 hours.
Keep „feeding“ the puddings with
brandy each week between making them and serving them at Christmas.
Re-heat by steaming for a further 1 hour (minimum). Serve with cream.
Real Mincemeat Pies
The perrenial Christmas favourite
A medieval classic.
1 lb minced pork, ordinary mince is
acceptable.
2 cups of sugar
2 tbsp allspice
1 lb mixed fruit
Butter for sealing
Brandy
Pastry of your choice
Prepare the pastry and line your pie
shapes.
Fill your pies with the mincemeat and
place your lids on the pies. Cook at 180c for 30-35 minutes until
golden. Serve with brandy cream.
Christmas pheasant
with cream and apples
Journey back in time to the reign of the great Queen Elizabeth 1st. This dish was seen on the royal and tables from the late medieval period and remained popular throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
This dish gives us classic English
flavours and makes an ideal alternative to turkey.
Ingredients:
(Allow 1 pheasant for 2 people).
1 pheasant
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
2 oz mushrooms, finely sliced
½ lb peeled, cored and sliced
Cox‘s apples
¼ pint white wine
¼ pint double cream
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
Watercress for garnishing
Season the pheasant with the salt,
pepper and nutmeg to taste. Heat the oil and butter in a casserole dish
and brown your bird. Remove the pheasant and saute the mushrooms in the
same dish.
Add the apples to the dish and replace
the bird. Pour over the wine cover with a lid and cook at 180c for 1
hour. When cooked remove and rest the bird. In the dish reduce the stock
and add the cream.
Pour over the bird and garnish with the watercress.
Somerset Partridges
A superb 18th
century tavern dish from the West Country. This delight is excellent for
your Christmas lunch. Allow 1 bird per person. This employs the use of
cider brandy, the superb Somerset Royal is marvellous
in this dish.
Ingredients:
2 partridges
4 oz butter
Salt and pepper
2 streaky bacon rashers
1 ½ lb eating apples, Russets are
excellent
½ pint double cream
4 tbsp cider brandy
Chopped parsley to garnish
Preheat the oven to 180c. Melt half
the butter in a casserole and brown the birds. Season well. Place a
piece of the bacon on the breast of each bird.
Peel, core and cut the aplles into
wedges. Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and add the apples.
Cook for 5 minutes and then add to the birds.
Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Mix together the cream and brandy,
season to taste. Heat gently but do not boil. Pour over the birds and
apples and garnish with the parsley.
Hohoho!
Courgettes with almonds
A medieval side dish that is an
ideal accompanying treat to your Christmas lunch. A favourite of Henry 5th.
Ingredients:
(Serves4).
1 oz butter
1 oz blanched and split almonds
1 lb ribboned courgettes
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped chives or parsley
Serve after seasoning to taste and
garnish with chives.
Panfried Onion and Apple
Ingredients:
(Serves
4).
1 1/2 oz butter
12 onions, sliced into rings
1 lb cooking apples
2 tsp caster sugar
Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan.
Add the onions and fry gently. Peel, core and slice the apples and add
them to the pan. Sprinkle with the sugar and cook through for 20
minutes. Season well and serve.
For an added flavour why not add 1 tsp
of Carraway seeds to mix?
Bananas in rum
A royal favourite from Victorias
court. This dish was particularly loved by
Prince Albert.
Ingredients:
(Serves 3-4).
3 tbsp light soft brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large bananas, peeled and halved
lengthways
4 tbs rum (or brandy)
½ pint double cream
Mix together the sugar and cinnamon
and coat the bananas in the mixture. Melt the butter in a frying pan and
fry the bananas for 2-3 minutes then turn and cook for a further 3
minutes.
Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon
mixture and add the rum/brandy. Coat the bananas well and flambe with
extra spirit. Serve with whipped cream!
(Alert cardiac arrest unit).
Dried Fruit Compote
A masterpiece from Mrs Beeton.
This was served at Balmoral Castle
to the Emperor Napoleon 3rd and Empress
Eugenie after their arrival in England and their exile.
Ingredients:
4 oz dried apricots
4 oz dried prunes
4 oz dried figs
2 oz dried raisins
2 oz apple rings
2 tbsp
honey
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
Rind and juice of ½ lemon
2 oz flaked almonds
Soak the fruits overnight in brandy.
In a saucepan bring slowly to the boil
1 pint of water and add the honey. Add the cinnamon, cloves and lemon
rind. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain the fruit and add to the liquid
mixture.
Simmer for 10 minutes and remove the
cinnamon, cloves and lemon rind.
Drain the fruit and serve. Whip couble
cream adding some of the soaking brandy and spoon on the fruit.