sorrel-msg - 6/5/09
Medieval uses of sorrel. Recipes.
NOTE: See also the files: salads-msg, verjuice-msg, The-Saucebook-art, sauces-msg, eggs-msg, herbs-msg, greens-msg.
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This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
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Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 12:31:25 -0700
From: edoard at medievalcookery.com
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
-------- Original Message --------
From: Karstyl <karstyl at gmail.com>
<<< So, if your co-worker just walked in and placed a very generous 2
handfuls of Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) leaves with you, what would you cook
for dinner? >>>
I'd probably try one of the following:
Diuers Sallets boyled. PArboyle Spinage, and chop it fine, with the
edges of two hard Trenchers vpon a boord, or the backe of two chopping
Kniues: then set them on a Chafingdish of coales with Butter and
Uinegar. Season it with Sinamon, Ginger, Sugar, and a few parboyld
Currins. Then cut hard Egges into quarters to garnish it withall, and
serue it vpon sippets. So may you serue Burrage, Buglosse, Endiffe,
Suckory, Coleflowers, Sorrel, Marigold leaues, water Cresses, Leekes
boyled, Onions, Sparragus, Rocket, Alexanders. Parboyle them, and season
them all alike: whether it be with Oyle and Uinegar, or Butter and
Uinegar, Sinamon, Ginger, Sugar, and Butter: Egges are necessary, or at
least very good for all boyld Sallets.
[A NEVV BOOKE of Cookerie (England, 1615)]
Sauce Sorell. Take Sorell, grynde hem small, And drawe hem thorgh a
Streynoure, and caste there-to Salt, and serue hit forth.
[Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]
Surelle. Take Surel, wasche hit, grynde it, put a litil salt, ther-to,
and strayne hit, and serue forth.
[Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]
Chekins upon Soppes. Take sorel sauce a good quantite and put in
Cinomone and Suger, and let it boyle and powre it upon the soppes, and
then laye on the chekins.
[A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye (England, mid-16th c.)]
To mak vert sauce tak parslye mynte sorell cyves and sauce alone then
tak bred and step it in venygar do ther to peper and salt and grind them
and temper them upe and serue it.
[A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]
- Doc
Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 15:31:45 -0400
From: "Mairi Ceilidh" <jjterlouw at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Mmmmm, white bean soup: Chicken broth, a can or two of your favorite white
beans, some leftover meat is you like. Heat, toss in chopped sorrel at the
end. Serve with crusty bread.
Mairi Ceilidh, wishin' someone'd bring me a bunch of sorrel
<<< So, if your co-worker just walked in and placed a very generous 2
handfuls of Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) leaves with you, what would you cook
for dinner?
-Reyni-Hrefna >>>
Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 11:25:41 -0500
From: "Gwen Barclay" <gwenb at cvtv.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
A word of caution. Be careful when using sorrel - cut edges tend to turn
dark, as badly as basil. I like to add fresh parsley when cutting in a
chiffonode or blending for a soup or sauce to brighten the color. Also, add
the sorrel at the last minute. Sorrel is excellent in a French or sour
bread stuffing - again with parsley or other herb which holds its color -
use to stuff mushroom caps or shrimp. Top with a soft cheese such as
Fontana; bake a few minutes to melt cheese. Delish!
Gwen
Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 14:06:02 -0400
From: "Jim and Andi" <jimandandi at cox.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
I have to say, I would probably make the sorrel verjuice again from my
last feast. It was incredible, really showing off both the flavor of the
verjuice and the flavor of the sorrel, and was the perfect complement to
the poached mahi-mahi I served it with. The sharp/sour/sweet of the
sorrel verjuice cut the richness of the fish. The combination was just
great.
Madhavi
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 02:34:21 -0600
From: James Prescott <prescotj at telusplanet.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] sorrel verjuice?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
At 2:01 AM -0500 5/15/09, Stefan li Rous wrote:
<<< I have to say, I would probably make the sorrel verjuice again from my
last feast. It was incredible, really showing off both the flavor of the
verjuice and the flavor of the sorrel, and was the perfect complement to
the poached mahi-mahi I served it with. The sharp/sour/sweet of the
sorrel verjuice cut the richness of the fish. The combination was just
great.
Madhavi >>>
Was this your own invention? Or do you have some evidence for
verjuice being made with sorrel in period? Or is this just an
addition to green grape or crabapple juice, which is what I thought
verjuice was made from.
Along those lines I wonder if there are medieval recipes for green
sauces made with sorrel?
Stefan
----------------
There is indeed reference to verjuice made from various sour items
including sorrel, not just unripe grapes or crabapples. Also to
verjuice made with and without the addition of salt.
As for a sauce including sorrel, how about Viandier:
216. Green Verjuice [Sauce].
Take sorrel including the stem, steep in some other verjuice, strain
[through cheesecloth], and add a bread crust so that it does not
turn. (A 1490 printed edition quoted by Pichon et al., p. 194.)
Thorvald
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 07:24:42 -0400
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius1 at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] sorrel verjuice?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
On May 15, 2009, at 3:01 AM, Stefan li Rous wrote:
<<< Was this your own invention? Or do you have some evidence for
verjuice being made with sorrel in period? Or is this just an
addition to green grape or crabapple juice, which is what I thought
verjuice was made from.
Along those lines I wonder if there are medieval recipes for green
sauces made with sorrel? >>>
As Thorvald states, both verjuice and green sauce can be made from
sorrel, and I believe a couple of recipes for sorrel sauce were posted
(puree, add salt, serve, essentially). Sorrel verjuice is, I gather,
most often made by steeping sorrel in verjuice, but it's quite tangy
on its own: a key in understanding the situation might lie in the fact
that in parts of the US and other English-speaking locations, wild
sorrel is more commonly known as sourgrass.
Adamantius
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 07:04:51 -0600
From: "S CLEMENGER" <sclemenger at msn.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] sorrel verjuice?
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Really? Mine doesn't look anything at all like a grass. Looks like spinach,
more than anything.
It is "french" sorrel. Are there others?
--Maire
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius1 at verizon.net>
Sorrel verjuice is, I gather,
most often made by steeping sorrel in verjuice, but it's quite tangy
on its own: a key in understanding the situation might lie in the fact
that in parts of the US and other English-speaking locations, wild
sorrel is more commonly known as sourgrass.
Adamantius
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 06:30:31 -0700
From: edoard at medievalcookery.com
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] sorrel verjuice?
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
-------- Original Message --------
From: Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com>
<<< Was this your own invention? Or do you have some evidence for
verjuice being made with sorrel in period? Or is this just an
addition to green grape or crabapple juice, which is what I thought
verjuice was made from. >>>
Green Verjuice [Sauce]. Take sorrel including the stem, steep in some
other verjuice, strain [through cheesecloth], and add a bread crust so
that it does not turn.
[Le Viandier de Taillevent]
<<< Along those lines I wonder if there are medieval recipes for green
sauces made with sorrel? >>>
Yup. I thought I posted them earlier this week. Here are links to
three of them:
Vert sauce - http://www.medievalcookery.com/cgi/display.pl?nob:127
Sauce Sorell - http://www.medievalcookery.com/cgi/display.pl?tfccb:300
Surelle - http://www.medievalcookery.com/cgi/display.pl?tfccb:453
- Doc
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 15:16:27 -0700
From: "Laureen Hart" <lhart at graycomputer.com>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel Grass
To: <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
As Thorvald states, both verjuice and green sauce can be made from
sorrel, and I believe a couple of recipes for sorrel sauce were posted
(puree, add salt, serve, essentially). Sorrel verjuice is, I gather,
most often made by steeping sorrel in verjuice, but it's quite tangy
on its own: a key in understanding the situation might lie in the fact
that in parts of the US and other English-speaking locations, wild
sorrel is more commonly known as sourgrass.
Adamantius
Really? Mine doesn't look anything at all like a grass. Looks like spinach,
more than anything.
It is "french" sorrel. Are there others?
--Maire
*************
We have sorrel Grass in the North Seattle area.
It grows wild.
It is 1.5 to 3 inches long and .5 to 1 inch wide.
It has the little pointy top and trailing pointy things that extend down
towards the stem.
It looks a lot like a skinny miniature French sorrel leaf.
They prefer damp shady places, of which we have lots in the PNW.
The stems and green flowers are sour as well, but not texturally pleasing.
They are kind of a pain to harvest because they are small and you have to
pick a lot to get a decent serving.
On the other hand you don't have to chop them, just pull the leaves from the
stems.
I learned about them from a neighbor kid when I was 3 or 4.
He suspected I would not like it because of the sour, contrary as I am, I
adored it and have picked it ever since.
When I did a Scottish themed Peasant's stew I picked a big baggie of them
and added them at the last minute.
Yum!
--Randell Raye of Crianlarich
Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 18:33:37 -0400
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Here's another sorrel recipe that I just came across.
Note the title:
This is an excerpt from *Ouverture de Cuisine*
(France, 1604 - Daniel Myers, trans.)
The original source can be found at MedievalCookery.com
<http://www.medievalcookery.com/notes/ouverture.shtm>
To make May eggs. Take eggs, & put them to boil that they will be soft:
then make an hole in the egg at both sides with a point or skewer of
wood, that the hole is for putting a pea therein: then blow the yolks
out, & chop parsley very finely, & mix it with the egg yolks, a little
salt & pepper therein, & put again an egg yolk or two, or more, & refill
the eggs with the point of a knife thereon, that it will be layered
thereon with a little white bread, that it does not run at all: then
have a cauldron of boiling water, & cast the eggs therein, & let them
boil hard, afterwards take them out & peel, & cut them in half, & put
thereon melted butter & juice of sorrel.
Johnnae
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 06:34:08 -0700
From: edoard at medievalcookery.com
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sorrel
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
-------- Original Message --------
From: Johnna Holloway
<<< Here's another sorrel recipe that I just came across.
Note the title:
To make May eggs. Take eggs, & put them to boil that they will be soft:
then make an hole in the egg at both sides with a point or skewer of
wood, that the hole is for putting a pea therein: then blow the yolks
out, & chop parsley very finely, & mix it with the egg yolks, a little
salt & pepper therein, & put again an egg yolk or two, or more, & refill
the eggs with the point of a knife thereon, that it will be layered
thereon with a little white bread, that it does not run at all: then
have a cauldron of boiling water, & cast the eggs therein, & let them
boil hard, afterwards take them out & peel, & cut them in half, & put
thereon melted butter & juice of sorrel. >>>
Shoot, and I've even made that one! I always end up leaving out the
sorrel because I can't find any around here.
Note that this recipe - taking half-boiled eggs, removing the yolks,
adding stuff, putting the yolks back in, and continuing to boil them -
is potentially very, very messy. The end result is really cool though.
- Doc
Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 23:28:36 +0200
From: "Susanne Mayer" <susanne.mayer5 at chello.at>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] sorrel
To: <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
We used to have sorrel (french garden variety with BIG leaves, not so sour
as the wild one) in the garden and made soup, either mixed with other spring
herbs (nettel, allium ursinum or wild garlic,...). The greens cooked like
spinach diluted with either vegetable or chicken broth and (sweet) cream
added.
Katharina
<the end>