Bursews & Sauge yfarced

I have recently been planning for another medieval feast, so have been scouring over my recipes to find just the right ones for the facilities I have available and the people who will be attending.   This (and seeking out a new job) has kept me from my blog-ly duties, but now comes to benefit us as a source for this recipe.
Bursews are a pork meat ball that is battered and fried.  I have chosen to include Sauge yfarced in this post because of the great similarity between the two.  Slight seasoning differences aside, the one thing that truly distinguishes one from the other is that sauge yfarced (stuffed sage) has the cook wrap the small meat balls in sage leaves before battering them.

Bursews:

My transcription:

Burſews.Take pork ſeeþ hyt & grynde hyt ſmale wiþ ſoden ayroֿn. do þerto gode poudours and hole ſpyces & ſalt wiþ sug۶ make þ۶ of smale balles & caſt hem ī a bato۶ of ayroֿn. & wete hem in flo۶ & frye hē ī grece as frytour۶ & ſuē forth.

My modern translation:

Bursews.Take pork boil it & grind it small with soden egg. do thereto good powders and whole spices & salt with sugar make thereof small balles & cast them in a batter of egg. & wet them in flour & fry them in grease as fritters & serve forth.

Sawge yfarced:

My transcription:

Sauge yfarced.Take pork and seeþ hit wel & grynd hit ſmal. & medle hit wiþ ayroֿn & brede y grated. do þ۶to poudo۶ fort & saffroֿn wiþ pyn9 and ſalt take & cloſe litulf balles ī foyles of sauge. wete hit wt a bato۶ of ayroֿn & fry hit and serue hit forth.

My modern translation:

Stuffed sage.Take pork and boil it well & grind it small. & meddle it with egg & breadcrumbs.  do thereto powder fort & saffron with pinenuts and salt take & close little balls in leaves of sage. wet it with a batter of egg & fry it and serve it forth. 

These two recipes  have little that needs to be interpreted.
-"Soden" has meaning which may be interpreted as wet (as in soggy, waterlogged, sodden) or in some cases boiled (the similarity being that it has been put into water.)
-Powder fort is the common mixture of strong flavored spices conceptually similar to curry powder, chili powder, garam masala, or "pumpkin pie spice"- this doesn't mean it has the same spices as these (though it does share some) simply that it is a spice mixture known by a certain name, and though it may have a similar content to others bearing the same name, it varies in content and proportion by who made it.  See my Spice Page.
-"pynes" likely refers to pignolia nuts (pine nuts), though in certain recipe it also seems to refer to mulberries (some say likely because they have a pinecone-like structure)  I say go with either or both if the recipe can handle it.

The breakdown:

Cooking technique:  deep fry

nothing complicated here, we are battering and frying in grease, a technique which requires enough oil to cover the entire fritter, thus a deep fry.

The cooking of the pork before grinding is a less critical step in the process. Nearly any method which cooks it through may be used, or it may be done with raw pork- the size of the balls and the cooking temp is more critical in this case.

Note also that putting the meatballs into egg then flour is rather similar to the standard 3 part breading process we use today.  Basically, stuff fries the same now as it did then, so similar techniques for breading would be used.

Special Ingredients: fresh sage, pine nuts, powder fort

-Most grocers carry fresh herbs, sage being commonly available. Check a local farmers market, try a larger market, or a whole food type market or coop, ask a neighbor with a garden, or grow your own.  Whole consistently sized leaves matter to this recipe, though I make an adaptation to adjust for that.

-Pine nuts- commonly available. sometimes even bulk. these are not cheap, most of them you will find to be the korean variety, which I find to be perfectly acceptable for most uses. They are available from major brands like Fisher and Diamond and in all sizes (don't buy much unless you really use them a lot)

-Powder Fort- I will be covering this in a future post.  The key is to use stronger flavored spices when it is called for.  I prefer to think of it as a list of common ingredients and I simply adjust and use them as I find appropriate and balance for the recipe at hand.  In this case I will break it down within the recipe itself, simply including the spices I find to work the best.

Equipment- fryer or pot suited to frying, a spider or fryer scoop

If you have or can easily get a deep fryer of any variety (fry daddies work just great, I have a steamer/fryer and have been happy with it.)  

Don't be scared- but be careful!

Pots for stove top frying-  A thicker walled/thicker bottomed pot is better for transferring and maintaining heat.  It is easy to over heat your oil on a stove top, so watch your temperature closely.  The pot should be wide enough and deep enough to allow the balls to freely float.  It needs to be wide enough to easily get the spider in and out. You also need enough depth to avoid boiling over.  The steam bubbles released when frying can easily double the volume of the oil, depending on how much oil you are using.  You have to leave enough space for what you are frying and all the steam bubbles, or you can be severely injured or burn your house down.  Stove top deep frying ALWAYS takes extra care.

NEVER OVER FILL A FRYER.  TOO MUCH OIL OR TOO MUCH OF WHATEVER YOU RE FRYING CAN HAVE EXPLOSIVE RESULTS OR CAUSE GREASE FIRES.

***When putting out grease fires, do not use water!!!  SMOTHER THE FIRE- Salt is an excellent way to do so.*** On a stove top turn off the stove and dump salt all over the flames and areas where grease has spilled.

Modern recipe:

meatballs:

1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1/2c breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp grains of paradise, ground
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground ginger
pinch fresh grated nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
Optional:
pinch ground cubeb
pinch ground long pepper
1 Tbsp pine nuts toasted and chopped

egg batter:

1 egg
3/4 c flour
pinch salt
about 1/4 c water or beer
1 Tbsp oil (optional)
1 to 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (optional)

pinch of saffron 

-extra 1/2c flour for coating meat balls.
-2-4 c oil for frying ( or up to the fill line of your fryer)

Procedures:

1. In a bowl, spread out ground pork wash your hands then add spices to it evenly over the surface.  Gently break up the pork, and fold it together, to evenly spread out seasonings through the meat, without turning it to goo. *
• At this point you can cook the pork-Additional instructions below. 
2. Add your egg, gently mix through, then add breadcrumbs (and pinenuts if you so choose) and gently fold the mixture until it is evenly distributed- no clumps of egg or breadcrumb or meat without either. 
3. Make sure your mixture is moist but not gooey, and holds together well.  Form balls no bigger than 1/2 ounce, and let them rest while you begin heating your oil. Chill them if you arent ready to proceed right now.
4. Keeping an eye on your oil as it heats, whisk together egg, water and oil for batter, add them to flour and salt in a bowl and whisk until smooth, you may add sage and or saffron at this time.  Adjust your batter so it is thick enough to coat the balls well, but not glob up on them (to use the technical term.)
5. When your oil is ready* put the meat balls in the extra flour, and give them all a very light even coating before dipping them in the batter. Too much will make the batter fall off.  Coat them fully and let the excess batter drain, then using tongs or a spider, touch them to the oil and gently release them into it, letting them roll/fall AWAY from you.  Put as many in as you can while still allowing them to move freely in the oil.
6. Use the spider to gently turn them as the begin to brown.  When they are a nice golden brown all around remove them to a rack or tray with paper towel to drain.   You may lightly salt them at this time if you think they need it.  They should be heated all the way through and the egg fully solidified.  They should technically peak at about 165 F while resting, but if your pork is nice and fresh, I personally would be happy and pretty safe at 145 F.  Remember that the FDA tells us that undercooked meats can be harmful to your health, this being ground (or precooked as the case may be) 145 is "undercooked."

NOTES:

• Ground Pork- Ask the butcher, it isn't often available, but I have frequently found that if you ask, they will grind a cheaper cut of pork for you at no additional charge, butts often cost me half the price of typical ground pork.  They can use the trimmings from the cuts they sell, making it cheaper for you and more profitable for them.
• Bread crumbs Sometimes they are cheap, but usually-make your own. seriously. let a piece or two of bread sit out and dry up for a day or two and crush it in a plastic bag.
• Spices- Check the My Medieval Kitchen Spices Page for more info. on spices, how to use them, and where to find them. You also can scroll down to my Stewed Beef posting and get the info there.  The spices page is a work in progress, so I will be adding more info over time.
• "Pynes" As I said earlier this could mean pine nuts or mulberries, either of which would be a nice addition to this dish.  
• For a more savory option, use the pine nuts and maybe add a little grated parmigiana to the meat ball mix. 
• Want to try it with mulberries? Add about 1/2 c of them with the bread crumbs.  Best place to get mulberries is off of a tree. They are tart and fruity, a mild blackberry like flavor.
• Too much spice? If you want a milder version I recommend keeping only the salt, pepper, coriander and maybe a tiny bit of nutmeg.
• Cook it first? This is a good way to ensure doneness, and fits the recipe, you may also substitute already cooked pork- extra chops off the grill, left over loin roast, etc.  Start with unseasoned pork, add your salt, when it is partially cooked, pour off the fat, add the spices evenly and finish cooking the pork, until it has begun to brown just a little and the fat has mostly rendered- keep this fat.  If you can, allow the pork to cool and put it into a food processor, and proceed to the next step, pulsing a few times to mix- this helps to bind the already cooked pork and fits the recipe's instruction to grind the cooked pork, the less you pulse, the more texture it will have.  You can also make larger balls with out fear of over cooking the outside before the pork is cooked.  This doesn't make a difference by government standards for a restaurant, but it makes it easier at home- the FDA requires that food be reheated to 165 F, but at home, as long as your egg is cooked and your pork isn't raw- you can do as you choose (assuming you don't want raw pork or eggs, if you do- I do not recommend it, but good luck with that, just don't feed it to anyone else.)
• OIL!-  Peanut, corn, or canola get the best results for deep frying, soy might be okay.   Don't over fill your pan, leave room for the meatballs and the boiling oil.  It is ready when it is 325 F to 350 F. The more you put in  the lower it drops, but it should be in that range to brown your breading. Lower gives it more time to heat the meatballs through before the outside browns. Too low makes them soggy and oily and probably under cooked, to hot make them over done crispy critters on the outside and raw inside.  To test your oil, drop a small drop of batter in, it should not hit the bottom (unless you are using a shallow pan.) It should quickly be surrounded by bubbles and float to the surface, solidifying quickly. 
• Batter up!
• A standard three stage breading process would also work well for this.  in this case, have a tray of flour, a shallow dish of beaten egg, and a tray of flour or breadcrumbs (panko is great for this type of thing.)  Season your first flour tray (sage can go here or in the final tray.)
• With your right hand coat the balls with flour and shake off the excess then drop them in the egg.  
• With your left hand coat them with the egg and allow all the excess to drip off- at this point there should be a thin glue like coating of flour and egg on the meat ball- and drop it in the final tray. 
• Again using your right hand, coat the ball withe the flour or breadcrumbs in the final tray, and place them on a tray to be taken to the fryer.  When they are coated, wash and dry your hands thoroughly and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
• Want a lighter version? - just coat the balls with a thin layer of flour, rice flour, or corn starch, let them rest a moment then fry.  This reduces carbs and fat and still gives you the nice crispy coating and juicy inside. You can also substitute rice crispies  or crushed cheerios for the bread crumbs to make it gluten free.

Resources:

"Forme of cury" MS7 Rylands Collection

As usual this blog is intellectual property David Weinberg and any use beyond personal or for non profit anachronism requires my express written permission.

Stwed Beeff

I have decided to kick off My Mediaeval Kitchen with a recipe for stewed beef which fared well at my most recent medieval feast.  (Yep that's an 'S' in the title, I like the font, so it stays.) It originates from the Harleian MS 4016, a mid-15th century roll of recipes which, in conjunction with another in the same collection, Har 279, has come to be known under the title "Two Fifteenth- century Cookery-books."  Interestingly Har 4016 is nearly duplicate of a MS in another collection, Douce MS 55, which provides a source for clarification and verification of the recipes. This recipe and the information regarding the quoted MS may be found from multiple sources, the most concise I have found being RecipeWise, which I have cited below.  A modern translation of this recipe with a modern interpretation may also be found at Celtnet.org, a site which has numerous medieval recipes organized by type.

Another cooks version, mine has a richer reddish color

The Medieval Recipe:

The recipe transcribed from the original MS (as shown on Recipewise:)

Stwed Beeff. Take faire Ribbes of ffresℏ beef, And (if thou wilt) roste hit til hit be nygℏ ynowe; then̄ put hit in a faire possenet; caste þer-to parcely and oynons mynced, reysons of corauns, powder peper, canel, clowes, saundres, safferon̄, and salt; then̄ caste there-to wyn̄ and a lituƚƚ vynegre; sette a lyd on̄ þe potte, and lete hit boile sokingly on a faire charcole til hit be ynogℏ; þen̄ lay the fflessℏ, in disshes, and the sirippe there-vppon̄, And serve it forth.

In modern English(as directly translated as I can):

Stewed Beef.

Take fair ribs of fresh beef, and (if you want) roast it until it is nearly (done) enough; then put it in a (good/clean pot)...; cast thereto parsley and minced onions, dried currants, ground pepper, cinnamon, cloves, (red)sandalwood, saffron, and salt; then cast thereto wine and a little vinegar; set a lid on the pot, and let it boil soakingly (a low boil/simmer) on a fair charcoal until it is (done) enough; then lay the meat in dishes and the syrup (broth/sauce) thereupon, and serve it forth.

This is a quite straightforward recipe and doesn't require much in the way of interpretation, the English is relatively modern as some recipes go (see Forme of Cury -preferably the MS-for an example of some fairly heavy middle-English.)

Analysis:

Cooking techniques- essentially a braise.  

• We are searing the beef (by way of roasting) as per the recipe until it is nearly cooked, 
• then we are simmering it in a broth until it is tender.

Special Ingredients- Not much in this one.  My version uses grains of paradise and optionally long pepper or cubeb, which I picked up from other stewed beef or venison recipes, some of which call for powder fort or these items specifically. I intend to write a blog or two about spice blends and will link to them appropriately.

• Sandalwood, which is primarily used for red color, may be all but ignored. A purist can use it, but I find the flavor not worth the trouble.  
• Saffron- pretty readily available, but not cheap. 
• Currants- perhaps specifically Zante currants.

Equipment- 

• for searing/roasting: grill, oven, broiler or cooking fire with roasting spit 
• for simmering: large cooking pot ( 3 qt at smallest), crock pot, or cast iron pot/dutch oven.  See possenet in my notes below.

Modern Recipe:

Stewed Beef

2 lb chuck roast (or short ribs)

3 c red wine (1 bottle)

beef broth to cover (about 1 pt)*

1 Tbsp cider vinegar (or 2 Tbs wine vinegar)

1 small onion, med dice (or smaller if you like)

3 Tbsp dried currants (or substitutes)

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves (1/8 tsp)

1 tsp ground grains of paradise*

1/4 tsp ground cubeb * optional

1/4 tsp ground long pepper * optional

1/4 tsp nutmeg fresh grated*

1/2 tsp ground coriander*

1 Tbsp kosher salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)

1 pinch of saffron

1/4 c freshly torn parsley leaves (Italian)

* these ingredients are not originally part of this specific recipe, but are historically and regionally accurate, and are accurate to similar dishes from the medieval period.

Procedure:

1. Season the chuck roast with salt & pepper, some of your grains and some of the coriander. Let rest covered at room temperature while heating up a grill ( charcoal is preferable) or oven broiler if you have no grill, or getting a fire ready: hint- cook with coals not flames.  (DO NOT leave meat out of refrigeration more than a total of 4 hours- this creates a high risk of bacterial growth, not to mention general funkiness, and the FDA says it isn't safe.  If you want to risk your own gut, fine, just don't risk someone else. Be safe, be sanitary.  I know what I would or wouldn't eat by look and smell, but I would never serve something that has been time-temp abused to anyone else.)
2. Sear the meat on all sides at a high temperature (450-500 degrees F) I like to take it off as soon as it has a nice sear on the outside, but you could cook it until it is about medium rare and have good results.
3. Let the meat rest for a few minutes then cut into about 1 inch cubes. Reserve juices. Short ribs may be left intact.
4. Heat your pot and cast your beef thereto.  Cast therein the onion, currants and spices, but not saffron.  Allow onions to begin to cook and brown.  Deglaze with vinegar and beef juices. (I like to caramelize my onions a bit first, use oil or butter for this or throw a fattier piece of the beef in first; putting the spices in with the onions really helps their flavors to bloom.)
5. Cast thereto the wine, if your pot is good and hot it should boil.  Cast therein beef stock or (shudder) water enough to cover it.
6. Bring it to a boil but keep enough liquid to just cover the beef.  As soon as it boils cover your pot and reduce the heat to allow a slow simmer, cook until it is done. a few hours at least. The longer you cook it the more tender and flavorful your beef.  dutch oven should be set in good coals with some on top or hung over good coals with room to move it to slower coals if they are too much. Get it simmering and just slowly replace coals on and around (or under) it to keep the heat consistent.
7. When done add saffron and allow sauce to reduce some, add parsley, and serve beef in its own juices. (We don't want the saffron or parsley to over cook. This way the saffron has a chance to flavor the sauce well without getting cooked out during the long slow cook.)

Yeah, I got all medieval with my wording, but you understood right?  Just having some fun and showing how little the language has really changed.  With some basic etymology  knowledge of a few different letters and abbreviations and the occasional squint at a scribe's odd penmanship, most people can pretty easily understand the language.

NOTES:

• MEAT: I have chosen chuck roast for this recipe because it is excellent for this cooking method, is far better priced than short ribs- which have skyrocketed in recent years, and I was cooking for about 70 people, so portioning ribs would have added an element of difficulty due to the nature of the feast I was doing.
• WINE: The wine you choose for this recipe holds critical influence over the flavor. When you slow cook with wine many of the subtle flavors are lost, and the stronger flavors are intensified.  Choose based on the dominant flavors, because that is what will really come through. I recommend a blend, which usually will have a smooth easily palatable flavor and will be somewhat inexpensive. Some period recipes call for Greek wine- a St. George would do well I think.  A merlot, burgundy (pinot noir) or malbec would do ok for this recipe, but they may get a little bitter, don't be afraid to just get a "red."  I'm sure the French would want you to use Burgundy- which is good with beef- if you have ever had boeuf bourguignon you know.  Something with good color but not super dark, with a fruitier, just slightly on the dry side works well. Perhaps a Beaujolais that isn't so nouveau anymore.  Cheap jugs or boxes are just fine, table wines, and blends work well, a somewhat flat but pleasant flavor is a perfect choice.  The flavors of this recipe are strong, don't expect subtleties to come through.  Choose how dark and strong you want the wine to be by how strong you want the sauce to be.  Remember that you need it to work with the fruitiness from the currants, too sweet or too rich of a wine may not fare well.
• SPICES: The following three "peppers" may be found on the internet or in some stores (a tiny local natural foods co-op has them in my area- follow the hippies)-  the brand Frontier carries them in grinders in a series called "peppers of the world" I believe.  Currently they are about $7/jar- which is not bad at all for the amount you get- if you can find them bulk- even better.
• Grains of paradise- also known as alligator pepper (I think that is a Louisiana thing...) is related to cardamom (both of which are part of the ginger family- but dont taste like ginger), and it has a very subtle flavor, with a slightly aromatic peppery heat at the end.  Subtle, but present. 
• Long pepper- it is pepper much like black pepper, its close relative, a long narrow cone shaped fruit with tiny seeds. it is dried like black pepper and tastes slightly woodsy and a bit hotter than its black cousin.
• Cubeb- or tailed pepper- is a relative of black pepper, but a little more distant than piper longum, it has a peppery taste as well but a bit camphorous, sometime described as slightly citrusy, piney, and bitter.
• Coriander- the seeds- not the leaves (cilantro.) It has a lovely slightly citrus like flavor. I recommend trying it on any meat you cook- it is unbelievably universal. Try it baked on cod sometime with a little s&p and garlic with lemon juice and white wine... no greasy tartar needed on that piece of fish...
• Saffron- EXPENSIVE- you can get a jar of McCormick for about $13. that is enough for 5 or 6 of this recipe if you stretch it.  I found mine bulk at my local co-op for 5.79 for slightly less saffron.  
• Cloves are POWERFUL.  Beef holds up well against them but they can get way too strong very quickly. A tiny pinch will do just fine.
• CURRANTS:  A subtle fruity but slightly tart berry.  Though the term used could be interpreted to mean just dried currants, the original recipe actually may call for Zante currants which were known as raisins of Corinth and are actually a raisin, coming from a seedless grape rather than from shrubs like true currants (Ribes.)  You are unlikey to find zantes, especially not for a decent price, though SunMaid does produce them. I believe they cost around $55/lb.  A happy correction for the price of zante currants- Though I had never seen them at a better price than I mentioned before, I found a 10 oz. box for $2.58.  To be honest, I much prefer true currants.  Again, my hippie co-op comes through for me with packages of bulk dried currants. Some chains that carry a decent selection of dried fruits have them. I'd bet Whole Foods does.  Substitutions- think small dried berries. American gooseberries are a close match - and in finding a reference to them I have discovered that they are in fact closely related to currants, likely information that I had buried in the back of the botanical section of my mind. Raisins would be ok- white more so than red, lingonberries wouldn't be a huge stretch, and you could go for boysenberries or wild blueberries for a nice if slightly different flavor profile.  You could even go for wild American grapes (though they are very tart and seedy.) Golden raisins are your easiest substitution but I highly recommend seeking out currants or gooseberries- the tartness and subtle differences are so worthwhile if you are into flavors.
• POSSENET-  A possenet is a solid metal, some say tri-footed  pot, much like a dutch oven though I would speculate higher walled.  They were clearly designed with or to be used with a lid. It is clearly distinguished from a sauce pan, or a typical brass pan (not to say one couldn't be made of brass,) and probably should not be mistaken for the more modern posset, which is possibly a descendant form.  Recipes frequently instruct the cook to place in on, as opposed to "ouer" the coals, which is consistent with it being footed, thick walled metal, as thin walls or ceramics would over heat or unevenly heat and crack. Some recipes and inventories I have read have referred to ones made of silver or pewter or to them having a sort of conic shape to the vessel itself- which is interesting considering how it would affect the application of heat.  

Citations:  

• RecipeWise : http://recipewise.co.uk/harleian-manuscript-4016
• The remainder of information found is personal knowledge resulting from some years of research and experience.  I have provided specific links within the blog to allow readers to confirm and further research the information I have given, the majority of them leading to Wikipedia.org which I find to be a good general source of information which may then be verified by more specific study, and one to
• Encyclopedia Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19741/American-gooseberry, mainly because Wikipedia was too imprecise to actually have any information about American gooseberries. 
• Cornell University actually provides better information about Ribes : http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/gooseberries.html
• On the possenet-  I do not have specific sources for my information, though I do recall reading a will from late period I believe, which listed assets and provided a clear distinction which supports my assertions that the possenet was not a saucepan, nor thin walled, brass, or short walled.  I have also come across a number of recipes and inventories which clearly distinguish the possenet from brass pots, kettles and chafers.   I recall reading an excerpt from Oxford English Dictionary, a contemporary edition, though probably a few decades old at this point, which essentially defined the possenet as being a metal boiling pot with a handle and feet.  The nature of the word and perhaps a faint memory suggests to me that word stems from old French.  Wikipedia was useless except to reiterate that the posset may be related to the possenet via a preparation of similar name which I have read about before, but didnt deeply explore yet.  

Product links:
Dutch ovens:
I often like the Lodge stuff. They make a nice 3-footed dutch oven
A lot of variety at Amazon
A few good options and good prices from major retailers: Target  Walmart

Spices:
A great source for a number of bulk spices, but watch the price on some things... Spice Sage
Saffron: Amazon Frontier bulk Frontier
Cubeb: Amazon
Long pepper: Amazon
Grains of Paradise: Amazon Frontier

And if you're into organized spices this site is pretty cool: Spicecubed.com