asparagus-msg - 1/22/05
Period asparagus and asparagus recipes.
NOTE: See also the files: vegetables-msg, vegetarian-msg, turnips-msg, fd-Mid-East-msg, fd-Italy-msg, veg-stuffed-msg, fruits-msg.
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Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 16:44:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: Gretchen M Beck <grm+ at andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: SC - re:period recipes and sources/mustards
Excerpts from internet.listserv.sca-cooks: 4-May-98 SC - re:period
recipes and .. by Ceridwen at commnections.co
> Asparagus: found a reference to it in Digbie (p 194) in the Savoury
> toasted cheese recipe, but no actual recipe. I was unable to find it in
> any of the other cookbooks I checked, (earlier ones). I haven't been
> through the Islamic ones yet.. anyone else???
Platina has asparagus--prepared exactly as described some 150 years
later in Castelvetti (sp?): "Boiled asparagus is laid out on a platter
and salt, oil and vinegar are added." Platina adds "There are those who
sprinkle it with herbs...There are those who cook them in wine and they
are even more effective in this way (i.e. good for chest, spine, and
intentinal pains). I'm pretty sure Apicus has asparagus recipes, too.
Platina also describes Fennel, one recipe is for fennel potage, and
another is for verjuice with fennel.
toodles, margaret
Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 23:45:14 -0700
From: david friedman <ddfr at best.com>
Subject: Re: SC - re:period recipes and sources/mustards
At 4:01 PM -0400 5/4/98, Ceridwen wrote:
>Asparagus: found a reference to it in Digbie (p 194) in the Savoury
>toasted cheese recipe, but no actual recipe. I was unable to find it in
>any of the other cookbooks I checked, (earlier ones). I haven't been
>through the Islamic ones yet.. anyone else???
There is an "asparagus with meat stuffing" in the Andalusian--and the
Miscellany. Also two or three other asparagus recipes in the Andalusian. I
haven't checked al Baghdadi.
David/Cariadoc
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 19:13:38 +1000
From: Robyn Probert <robyn.probert at lawpoint.com.au>
Subject: SC - RE: Recipes as promised (long)
TOMC = The Original Mediterranean Cuisine
Fried Asparagus TOMC
"If you want to eat asparagus, clean them and parboil. And when parboiled,
coat them in wheat flour; then out them in the frying pan, and fry them
until cooked. And serve them on platters. And if you like, add vinegar."
Aspargus with Shallots TOMC
"Take asparagus, and boil it; and when boiled, set it to cook with onions,
salt and saffron, and with ground spices, or without."
<snip of fennel recipes>
Rowan
Date: Wed, 6 May 1998 15:18:15 -0700
From: david friedman <ddfr at best.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Seeking period recipes & sources...
At 4:49 PM -0400 5/2/98, Kallyr wrote:
>I am seeking period recipes, documentation and sources for the following:
>
>Asparagus
Mentioned in Kenelm Digby (mid-17th c. English) Savory toasted cheese
recipe, also in 13th-c. Andalusian cookbook.
>Fennel (fresh as a veggie, not as a spice)
Fenkel in soppes, in Curye on Inglysch (specifically, Forme of Cury), 14th
c. English. I think there is a worked-up version in Pleyne Delight.
>~~MinnaGantz <KALLYR at aol.com>
Elizabeth/Betty Cook
Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 11:58:16 -0500 (EST)
From: Gretchen M Beck <grm+ at andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: SC - Side dish suggestions needed
My favorite side dish is the asaparagus recipe from The Herbs, Fruits
and Vegetables of Italy (echoed almost exactly in Platina):
Boil asparagus for a few minutes. Place on a plate. Toss with olive
oil. Toss with good vinegar (my favorite is balsamic, but a good red
wine vinegar works, too). Add salt and pepper. Serve.
toodles, margaret
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 09:16:00 EST
From: ChannonM at aol.com
Subject: SC - Re: Asparagus
owner-sca-cooks at ansteorra.org writes:
<< No, storage usually isn't a problem; they're rarely in the house for
more than a couple of hours. I've heard of people cooking them upright
in a tall pot, like a coffee pot, though.
>>
In Apicius, this method is outlined as
Asparagos siccabis, rursum in calidam summittes: callosieres reddes
from Flowers & Rosenbaum
"Dry the asparagus. Plunge again into hot water: this will prevent them from
getting too soft"
rursum suggests that the boiling of asparagus is interupted, ie first they
are blanched then dried and put again into boiling water
From Vehling
"Asparagus (Tor. In order to have it most agreeable to the palate)must be
(peeled, washed and) dried 1 and immersed in boiling water backwards 2
1Vehling believes the asparagus must be dried because the cold water clinging
to the stalks is likely to chill the boiling water too much.
2Vehling translates rursum in calidum as rursum being a contraction of
revorsum or revursum (reverse in English)-
I have to say that although Vehling is off on a lot, sometimes he has some
insight that Flowers & Rosenbaum lack.
On a search in a Latin dictionary
rursus, rursum, and arch. r¡sum or russum (rursum and rusum are the most
usual forms in the ante-class., and rursus in the class. per.), adv. [contr.
from revorsus or revorsum, from reverto; cf. prorsus and sursum], turned back
or backwards, back, backwards (opp. prorsus): rursus retro, Non.
Maybe we should all hold on to those Vehling editions of Apicius?
Hauviette
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 18:39:08 -0500
From: "Robin Carroll-Mann" <harper at idt.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
And it came to pass on 27 Mar 00,, that Elaine Koogler wrote:
> I am looking for a recipe...or at least references...to/for asparagus in
> the late Tudor/Elizabethan period. I'm getting ready to cook a feast
> based in that period, and would love to serve asparagus.
If Spanish of that period will suit, here's what Granado (1599) says:
PARA HAZER ESCUDILLA DE ESPARRAGOS SILVESTRES Y
DOMESTICOS -- To make a dish of wild or cultivated asparagus
Take the most tender part, cause it to boil in hot water until they seem
tender, and finish cooking them with good broth of capon or of veal: and
these want to be served with a little broth. With the wild ones you can
put raisins. The cultivated ones can be served with orange juice, sugar,
and salt.
note: orange juice would refer to the juice of sour oranges. In _The
Medieval Kitchen_, it is suggested that one can substitute the juice of
two oranges mixed with the juice of a lemon.
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 19:37:39 -0600
From: Magdalena <magdlena at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
> The accompanying commentary
> states that asparagas was known in England as early as 1000 C.E. I know
> that Italian sources, like Platina, have references to it, but even
> Epulario has nothing.
Gerard says:
ch171 Of Spearage or Asparagus
The Vertues
The first sprouts or naked tender shoots hereof oftentimes be sodden in flesh
broth and eaten; or boiled in faire water and seasoned with oile, vinegar, salt,
and pepper, then are served up as a sallad; they are pleasant to the taste.
- -Magdalena
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 10:52:20 EST
From: MPengwyn at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
There are two recipes for asparagus in The Original Mediterranean Cooking by
Barbara Santich. One is Fried Asparagus and the second is Asparagus with
Shallots. Both very simple.
Fried Asparagus - Esparaguat - Sent Sovi
If you want to eat asparagus, clean them and parboil. And when parboiled,
coat them in wheat flour; then put them in the frying pan, and fry them until
cooked. And serve them on platters. And if you like, add vinegar.
Asparagus with Shallots - De Li Sparaci - Libro Della Cocina
Take asparagus, and boil it; and when boiled, set it to cook with oil,
onions, salt and saffron, and with ground sppices or without.
Meghan
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 03:10:34 +0200
From: Thomas Gloning <gloning at Mailer.Uni-Marburg.DE>
Subject: SC - asparagus salad from Rumpolt 1581
Rumpolt (1581) has a recipe for "Spargel Salat" (asparagus salad):
"15. Spargel Salat/ der auch gequellt ist/ vnnd klein geschnitten/ oder
gantz angemacht/ ist auff beyde manier gut. Du kanst jn machen mit
Erbe?bru:eh/ mit ein wenig Butter/ Pfeffer vnnd Essig/ warm auff ein
Tisch gegeben" (fol. 158a).
Roughly: 'Asparagus salad. Soak/water the asparagus and cut to small
pieces or leave it in whole pieces and dress it, it is good in both
ways. You can make it with pea broth/ with some butter/ pepper and
vinegar. Serve it warm'.
Best, Thomas
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 23:06:57 -0500
From: "Siegfried Heydrich" <baronsig at peganet.com>
Subject: Re: SC - asparagus salad from Rumpolt 1581
> I'm curious as to how often vegetables were eaten raw in the "olde
> dayes" (and, yes, i understand that if so, it would vary from place
> to place) and when vegetables were cooked, just how "well done" were
> they?
As I recall, one of Octavian's (Caesar Augustus) favorite sayings was
'as quick as boiled asparagus', which would indicate to me that it was eaten
crisply, and not reduced to mush..
Sieggy
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 00:17:35 EDT
From: allilyn at juno.com
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
Kiri,
I realize I'm back on line too late for your feast, but in terms of
asparagus, I tried some according to some suggestions/recipes in the
mediterranean books--Redon et al's Medieval Kitchen, etc.
Use nutmeg, lemon juice and butter on the asparagus. I was working on a
time-sensitive project and didn't have time to grate my numeg, so used
mace. Heavenly! The aspaagus is still lovely in the stores, today, so
get out your mace and nutmeg, guys.
Regards,
Allison, allilyn at juno.com
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 02:48:05 EDT
From: CBlackwill at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
allilyn at juno.com writes:
> Use nutmeg, lemon juice and butter on the asparagus. I was working on a
> time-sensitive project and didn't have time to grate my numeg, so used
> mace. Heavenly! The aspaagus is still lovely in the stores, today, so
> get out your mace and nutmeg, guys.
Taragon, Chervil, and Sweet Woodruff are also very good on asparagus (either
sprinkled on fresh after cooking, or infused into the cooking liquid)
Balthazar of Blackmoor
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 12:00:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: Gretchen M Beck <grm+ at andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
CBlackwill at aol.com said:
> Taragon, Chervil, and Sweet Woodruff are also very good on asparagus (either
> sprinkled on fresh after cooking, or infused into the cooking liquid)
I've always found the best to be "boil in salted water until al dente,
remove to platter, add olive oil, toss. Add salt, toss. Add balsamic
vinegar, toss." It's period too (Platina and Castrovetti [sp] both
describe boiled with oil, vinegar, and salt)YUmmmmm. Even my butter
loving husband has abandoned asparagus in butter for this.
toodles, margaret
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 04:45:11 EDT
From: CBlackwill at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Asparagus anyone??
LrdRas at aol.com writes:
> << Tarragon, Chervil, and Sweet Woodruff are also very good on asparagus
> (either sprinkled on fresh after cooking, or infused into the cooking liquid)
> >>
>
> This is interesting. I am familiar will the asparagus recipe Allison posted
> but a was not aware that the herbs you mentioned were used in any pre-1600s
> asparagus recipe that I am aware of. Documentation, please?
I'm sorry...I was not aware that this was a period recipe she was referring
to. No, I have no documentation for use of these herbs on asparagus. This
was just my personal suggestion. Sorry for the confusion.
Balthazar of Blackmoor
From: "Vincent Cuenca" <bootkiller at hotmail.com>
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 18:51:06
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Asparagus in sauce (long)
>By the way, I tried the recipe for asparagus in sauce last night. Now, I
>ordinarily don't like asparagus all that much, but this stuff... I ate
>nearly a pound by myself. Hooboy!
>I'll post it to the list separately; don't want to be a spoon tease.
>Vicente
Here's that recipe:
"Libre de Sent Sovi (Receptari de Cuina). 1979 Editorial Barcino. Edited by
Rudolf Grewe.
Capitol CXVII. Qui parla con sa deuen aperellar esparechs ab salsa.
Si vols aperellar esparech ab salsa, se ffa axi: Prin lo tendre dels
esparechs, e cou-los be'. E quant seran cuyts, prem-los de aquella aygua, e
capole-us be': e puys soffrig-los en una casola ab molt holi. E talle-y hom
ceba manut tallada e escaldade. E quant son prop de soffits ab les sebes
una pessa, a hom arop o mel, met-n'i hom un poc.
E ffa hom salsa axi': Prin om pa torrat mullat en vinagre e de bones salces,
e trempa hom ab un poc d'ayguo calda ho brou. E quant los esparechs son
soffrits, a hom la salsa, axi com demunt es dit; e va ab ells, e axi cou-se.
E no.n deu hom pertir la ma entro' que an perdut lo bolir e son levats del
ffoch.
Quick and dirty translation (wanna help me out, Master Thomas?)
Chapter CXVII. Which speaks of how to prepare asparagus in sauce.
If you wish to prepare asparagus in sauce, it is done this way; take the
(tenderest?) of the asparagus, and cook them well. And when they are
cooked, take them out of the water, and chop them well; and you can sweat
them in a pan with much (holi? oil?). And add finely chopped and blanched
onion. And when they are properly sweated (ab les sebes una pessa?
Unsure.), add a little sugar syrup or honey.
And make the sauce this way: take toasted bread moistened with vinegar and
some fine spices, and temper them with a little hot water or broth. And
when the asparagus are sweated, add the sauce to them, as is said above; and
it goes with them, and so cook it. And you should not remove yur hand from
it until it has lost its boil and you remove it from the fire.
Redaction:
1 bunch asparagus
2-3 scallions, finely chopped (I had no small onions)
1 handfull (perhaps 1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
1/2 t. honey (approx)
1 pinch ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground ginger
4-5 peppercorns
2 cloves
1/8 t grains of paradise
red wine vinegar
I peeled and trimmed the asparagus, then set a pot to boil. I ground the
peppercorns, grains of paradise, and clves to a fine powder, then added the
other spices. I toasted the breadcrumbs in a small pan, then added them to
the mortar. While the asparagus was cooking, I sweated the scallions in a
little oil. As soon as the asparagus were done, I lifted them out into the
pan with the scallions, then mashed up the breadcrumbs with a little
vinegar, the honey, and some of the cooking liquid from the asparagus to
form a thin paste. I scraped it out over the onions and asparagus, then
added more cooking liquid to thin the sauce a little more.
Since I was working so fast, I didn't take the time to chop the asparagus.
The sauce was a nice light brown color, and was absolutely amazing with the
asparagus. Much easier than hollandaise!
I served it with a recipe from "Renaissance Cooking"; that one with the
pomegranate on the cover and the nice pictures inside. The recipe I did is
supposedly from Scappi; pot-roasted capon stuffed with breadcrumbs, egg,
cheese, nuts and herbs, then braised in water, wine, verjuice, and dried
fruit. I used figs and raisins, and oh by der yumpin Yiminy dot dere vas
goot. Anybody know what the actual recipe is?
Vicente
(If I can track down the original, I'm putting it on a feast menu.)
From: "a5foil" <a5foil at ix.netcom.com>
To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Asparagus in sauce (long)
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 22:05:43 -0400
Vincent and folks: I'm making a long post longer still, but it's hard to
comment without the original post. I'm going to make some minor adjustments
to the translation and offer some comments and suggestions to augment
Vincent's excellent redaction. And Vincent, please don't take these as
corrections, just expanding on the idea.
> Here's that recipe:
>
> "Libre de Sent Sovi (Receptari de Cuina). 1979 Editorial Barcino. Edited by
> Rudolf Grewe.
>
> Capitol CXVII. Qui parla con sa deuen aperellar esparechs ab salsa.
Actually it is Chapter CXVIII. 117 is another asparagus dish, equally good,
but different (fried asparagus with sugar and spices).
> Si vols aperellar esparech ab salsa, se ffa axi: Prin lo tendre dels
> esparechs, e cou-los be'. E quant seran cuyts, prem-los de aquella aygua, e
> capole-us be': e puys soffrig-los en una casola ab molt holi. E talle-y hom
> ceba manut tallada e escaldade. E quant son prop de soffits ab les sebes
> una pessa, a hom arop o mel, met-n'i hom un poc.
>
> E ffa hom salsa axi': Prin om pa torrat mullat en vinagre e de bones salces,
> e trempa hom ab un poc d'ayguo calda ho brou. E quant los esparechs son
> soffrits, a hom la salsa, axi com demunt es dit; e va ab ells, e axi cou-se.
> E no.n deu hom pertir la ma entro' que an perdut lo bolir e son levats del
> ffoch.
>
> Quick and dirty translation (wanna help me out, Master Thomas?)
>
> Chapter CXVII. Which speaks of how to prepare asparagus in sauce.
>
> If you wish to prepare asparagus in sauce, it is done this way; take the
> (tenderest?) of the asparagus, and cook them well. And when they are
My interpretation was "take the tender [part] of the asparagus", so wash the
asparagus and snap off and discard the woody part of the stems, leaving the
tender part.
> cooked, take them out of the water, and chop them well; and you can sweat
Don't confuse "prim" and "prem". Prem means to press them. In this case,
remove them from the water and press them of that water. The technique
explained elsewhere in the original text is to put the asparagus between two
platters and (gently) press the water out. They end up slightly flat, but
they fry better.
Soffrig-los means to lightly fry. The translated term is deceptive. The
technique is a low-temperature fry (as opposed to a saute' which is a
high-temp fry), but the food might or might not be fried until well done
(e.g., onions gently fried until caramelized and dark brown, but never
burnt). Makes you wish for a time machine so you could go back and see just
how far they were or were not frying this stuff. I would fry these until the
asparagus just starts to brown.
> them in a pan with much (holi? oil?). And add finely chopped and blanched
molt = much/plenty, holi/oli = olive oil
> onion. And when they are properly sweated (ab les sebes una pessa?
> Unsure.), add a little sugar syrup or honey.
and when they are properly (or sufficiently) lightly fried with the onions
awhile (una pessa = a time), add a little grape syrup or honey.
Arrop/arop = a grape syrup made from reduced grape juice that has just
started to ferment before it is reduced. There should be a recipe for this
in "confits". There is a recipe in MS 2112, but I haven't gotten that far,
yet. Today, Arrop refers to a unique dish made with reduced grape juice and
calabash.
> And make the sauce this way: take toasted bread moistened with vinegar and
mullat = wet or soaked. Adding the acid to the toasted bread is vital to the
outcome of the sauce. The bread needs to soak in the vinegar.
> some fine spices, and temper them with a little hot water or broth. And
> when the asparagus are sweated, add the sauce to them, as is said above; and
> it goes with them, and so cook it. And you should not remove yur hand from
N.B.: This implies that there is enough liquid in the sauce that you have
time to finish the dish without drying up the sauce. Better to start with a
sauce that is a little thin that to end up with goop.
> it until it has lost its boil and you remove it from the fire.
stirring constantly, so the sauce doesn't burn (and it will, if you let it).
> Redaction:
>
> 1 bunch asparagus
> 2-3 scallions, finely chopped (I had no small onions)
> 1 handfull (perhaps 1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
> 1/2 t. honey (approx)
> 1 pinch ground cinnamon
> 2 pinches ground ginger
> 4-5 peppercorns
> 2 cloves
> 1/8 t grains of paradise
> red wine vinegar
>
> I peeled and trimmed the asparagus, then set a pot to boil. I ground the
If you set the pot to boil, first, you can parboil your onion while you prep
the asparagus. Then, while the asparagus is cooking in the water, mince the
onion. By the time you finish mincing the onion, the asparagus will be
cooked. Remember that you are going to fry it, too, so you don't want it
overcooked. When I do this dish, I try to get it just cooked, but still with
a little bit of crunch.
The wild, mountain asparagus I saw in the markets was pencil-thin or
slightly larger in diameter - about 3/8 inch - like early spring asparagus
in the U.S. If you get asparagus this size, you won't need to peel them,
just snap off the woody stems. Much thicker and you really do need to peel
them, because as elegant as this dish is, you don't want to be fighting
thick, fibrous asparagus.
> peppercorns, grains of paradise, and clves to a fine powder, then added the
I used the Salsa Fina mixture described in the collection. You could use the
one from Nola, too. In my beta testing, I've found that cloves make
asparagus go bitter. Try grating some fresh nutmeg in place of the cloves.
Incredible.
> other spices. I toasted the breadcrumbs in a small pan, then added them to
> the mortar. While the asparagus was cooking, I sweated the scallions in a
> little oil. As soon as the asparagus were done, I lifted them out into the
> pan with the scallions, then mashed up the breadcrumbs with a little
Remove the asparagus from the water and put them on a flat plate. Place
another flat plate on top of the asparagus, and holding the plates together
(gently), turn the plates up on end and press out the excess water from the
asparagus. Press too hard, and the asparagus will go flat and mushy. Don't
press hard enough, and the asparagus falls out. If you did it right, the
asparagus will be relatively free of excess water and oval in shape instead
of round. Being oval also makes them easier to turn in the frying pan...
Cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Put the chopped asparagus in a pan
with plenty of olive oil. Add the minced onion, which will soak up a lot of
the oil. Lightly fry until the onions are nicely caramelized, but not burnt,
and the asparagus are just beginning to brown.
As you prep the sauce, let the toasted bread soak with the vinegar for 10 to
20 minutes. You only need enough vinegar to make the bread thoroughly wet
without leaving excess vinegar in a puddle. The acid seems to break down the
toast, and when you cook the sauce, it makes for a velvety finish you just
don't get without the acid.
> vinegar, the honey, and some of the cooking liquid from the asparagus to
I realize this is a matter of taste. The medieval Catalan aesthetic called
for the sweet and sour to be in balance. Just keep the honey and vinegar in
balance, however much you are making.
> form a thin paste. I scraped it out over the onions and asparagus, then
> added more cooking liquid to thin the sauce a little more.
This effectively stops the browning of the onions and the asparagus. At this
point, you are mostly heating up the liquid, and blending in the remaining
olive oil, to achieve a starch-thickened sauce. It will be velvety smooth
and nicely thickened. Using the mortar beforehand significantly reduces the
time it takes to achieve this. Stir constantly, so the starch and sugar
don't burn.
> Since I was working so fast, I didn't take the time to chop the asparagus.
> The sauce was a nice light brown color, and was absolutely amazing with the
> asparagus. Much easier than hollandaise!
I think you did a marvelous job. If you felt that way about the sauce, you
got it right, because it is amazing.
Regards,
Thomas L.
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 19:51:11 -0400
From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler1 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Easter morning, was Verjus
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Carper, Rachel wrote:
> You will be posting recipes won't you? And the asparagus with sauce is
> that the good stuff made with all the cheeses? I can never remember the
> name but it was an Atlantian staple. And soooooo good.
>
> Elewyiss
Yes, for whoever is interested, I will share the recipes. No, it is not
the one you remember. You remember "Savory Toasted Cheese" which is
adapted in Atlantia from the Digby recipe. The feast I'm doing is
Italian Ren...and the asparagus has a totally different kind of sauce.
This one is from Libre de Sent Sovi, as translated and redacted by
Vincent Cuenca:
Asparagus in Sauce
Libre de Sent Sovi (Receptari de Cuina). 1979 Editorial Barcino. Ed.
By Rudolph Grewe. Translated and redacted by Vincente Cuenca (SCA
Cooks' List)
Capitol CXVII. Qui parla con sa deuen aperellar esparechs ab salsa
Si vols aperellar esparech ab salsa, se ffa axi: Prin lo tender dels
esparechs, e cou-los be'. E quant seran cuyts, prem-los de aquella
aygua, ecapole-us be': e puys soffrig-los en una casola ab molt holi.
E tall-y hom ceba manut tallada e escaldade. E quant son prop de
soffits ab les sebes una pessa, a hom arop o mel, met-n'I hom un poc.
E ffa hom salsa axi': Prin om pa torrat mullat en vinagre e do bones
salces, e trempa hom ab un poc d'ayguo calda ho brou. E quant los
esparechs son soffrits, a hom la salsa, axi com demunt es dit; e va ab
ells, e axi cou-se. E no.n deu hom pertir la ma entro'que an perdut lo
bolir e son levats del ffoch.
Chapter CXVII. Which speaks of how to prepare asparagus in sauce
If you wish to prepare asparagus in sauce, it is done this way; take
the (tenderest?) of the asparagus, and cook them well. And when they
are cooked, take them out of the water, and chope them well; and you can
sweat them in a pan with much (holi? Oil?). And add finely chopped and
blanched onion. And when they are properly sweated, add a little sugar
syrup or honey.
And make the sauce this way: take toasted bread moistened with vinegar
and some fine spices, and themper them with a little hot water or
broth. And when the asparagus are sweated, ad the sauce to them, as is
said above; and it goes with them, and so cook it. And you should not
remove your hand from it until it has lost its boil and you remove it
from the fire.
Redaction:
1 bunch asparagus
2-3 scallions or onions, finely chopped
1 handful (1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. honey
1 pinch ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground ginger
4-5 peppercorns
2 cloves
1/2 tsp. grains of paradise
red wine vinegar
Peel and trim asparagus, then set pot to boil. Grind peppercorns,
grians of paradise and cloves to a fine powder, then added other
spices. Toast breadcrumbs, then add to mortar. Sweat scallions in a
little oil. When asparagus is done, lift them out into the pan with the
onions. Mash breadcrujmbs with a little vinegar, the honey and some of
the cooking liquid from the asparagus to form a thin paste. I scraped
it out over the onions and asparagus, added more cooking liquid to thin
sauce a little more.
Since I was working so fast, I didn't take time to chop the asparagus.
The sauce was a nice light brown color, and was absolutely amazing with
the asparagus.
Be sure sauce is thin enough...by adding asparagus water.
Serves 4
We did cut the asparagus up into lengths of about 2". And we used
regular onion. It was a yummy dish, and one that I think our folk will
enjoy.
Kiri
<the end>