CONDUMIO WITH 13TH CENTURY POWDERS TO HELP DIGESTION

Gum Arabic Powder, Anise Seed and Chopped Fennel
Before Adding Sugar and Water
Photo by: Lord-Williams

food, grub. Gázquez explains that meat was considered a delightful food in the Ruiz’ epoch 14^th century poem the Archpriest of Hita. [Gázquez. Cocina. 2002:118]

POWDERS TO HELP DIGESTION ADAPTED FROM HUICI’S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN AL-ANDALUS #540 POLVOS QUE DIGIEREN LA COMIDA, p 292

Ingredients[1]

12 ½ oz  mastic[2]

12 ½ oz sugar

1/3 oz anise

1/3 oz fennel

An Interesting Syrup for Anise Lovers
Photo by: Lord-Williams

Preparation

Pound the mastic into powder. Add an equal amount of sugar and anise and fennel finely chopped. Add 25 oz water. Mix in a food processor until all is blended. Let sit 20 minutes. Pour the mixture into a double boiler. Heat, stirring from time to time, until the desired thickness is obtained. Administer ½ oz before sleeping to facilitate digestion.

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[1] It is important that each ingredients be weighed because of weights of substances vary, meaning 1 cup of one item might be 1 cup and 1 ¼ of another.

[2] Gum Arabic, a common substitute was used. The difference is that mastic is resin from incisions made in the trunk of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) and Gum Arabic is from Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal trees. Mastic is chewed and was the first natural as gum. It tastes like cedar and pine. Gum Arabic is tasteless and orderless. Both are used to help digestion. The Gum Arabic was obtained from a Spanish pharmacy. Mastic is available in hardware stores but it is not known if that sold there it is eatable. Mastic was the first natural chewing gum.

CONDIMENTO WITH BOILED AND ROASTED LAMB RECIPE FROM THE 13TH CENTURY

Lamb Boiled and Seasoned
Photo by: Lord-Williams

condiment, dressing, seasoning. Fadālat includes a recipe for the most famous condiment in medieval times murri. See almoría, brazocitos and cabra. [ES: Lord. Fadalat. posted Jan 26, 08; Ibn Razīn/Granja. 1960:156:26:171:26:176:27 etc; and Fernández González. 1994:193]

BOILED AND ROASTED LAMB ADAPTED FROM FADALAT [156] OTRO PLATO

Ingredient

1 leg of lamb

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp freshly ground coriander seed

1 sm chopped onion

1 tbsp murri[1]

1 tsp saffron

Preparation

Browned, Fresh from the Oven
Photo by: Lord-Williams

PREHEAT OVEN TO 360ºF/190ºC

Select the best parts of lamb, clean and place them in an iron casserole, fill it with water and add salt, oil, pepper, coriander seed, a little chopped onion, and murri naqi to taste and heat. When it is boiling color it with dissolved saffron if desired and when the meat is cooked, in about 20 minutes, put it in the oven to brown. Let cool and serve.

Fish murri is recommended if preferred instead of murri naqi.

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[1] See blog titled almorí de pescado published August 26, 2011

CONCHUELAS WITH ARTICHOKES AND MEAT RECIPE FROM THE 13TH CENTURY

Removing Tough Leaves from Artichokes
Photo by: Lord-Williams

small shells or the tough leaves of artichokes. [Villena/Calero. 2002: 40b]

ARTICHOKES WITH MEAT ADAPTED FROM HUICI’S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN AL ANDALUS #281 HECHURA DL PLATO DE ALCACHOFAS CON CARNE, p 162

Ingredients

½ lb meat

salt to taste

2 tbsp murri

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp caraway

1 tsp coriander seed

1 lb artichokes

1 lemon

2-3 eggs

1/2 c breadcrumbs

Garnish

Pepper

Artichokes and Meat Ready for Serving
Photo by: Lord-Williams

Preparation

Cut the meat into pieces for stewing. Fill a pot half full of water. Add the meat, salt, murri, vinegar, oil, pepper, caraway and coriander seed crushed.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Boil gently for 10-15 minutes until meat is teder.  Remove the meat reserving the broth.

Wash the artichokes. Cut off stems and crowns. Remove hard leaves.  When only light green leaves are showing, rub the surface with a slice of lemon.

Bring the broth to a boil, adding more water if necessary. When boiling add the artichokes. Reduce heat and gently boil for 35 minutes. When cooked quarter the artichokes.

Dice the meat into small pieces. Add the beef and the artichokes to the pot. The Anón Al-Andalus now instructs to cover the contents of the pot with two eggs and breadcrumbs.

What the Medieval Spanish Chef did:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 360ºF /190ºC

Pour the artichokes and meat with a little broth into and oven-proof dish. Sprinkle a very thin layer of breadcrumbs on top. Beat the eggs and pour over the breadcrumbs. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the eggs solidified.  

Sprinkle pepper on it and serve, God willing.

CONCO WITH A 15TH CENTURY RECIPE FOR GOOD BRUET WITH MEAT BROTH

Straining the Broth
Photo by: Lord-Williams

1. cordiality. 2. the favor of giving a rich pilgrim on the Way to St. James as much broth as he liked. [Pacho. 1994:149; and Viñayo. 1994:56]

GOOD BRUET WITH MEAT BROTH ADAPTED FROM NOLA xxviii-2 BUEN BROETE CON CALDO DE CARNE

Ingredients

½ lb chicken breast

¼ lb mutton

¼ lb bacon

salt to taste

Boiling Spices an Crushed Almonds
Photo by: Lord-Williams

1 garlic clove mashed

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp mashed and dissolved saffron

2 egg yolks for ea dish

1 c verjuice

½ c almond (optional)

1 shaving ginger

Garnish:

parsley

Preparation

Cook chicken breast with mutton or bacon and 1 qt water. Add salt to taste.

A Delightful Chicken Soup with a New Taste
Only 500 Years Old
Photo by: Lord-Williams

When cooked strain the broth through a woolen cloth into a clean pot and let cool. Disgard the lamb and bacon but reserve the chicken.

Add garlic, thyme, pepper, ground saffron, verjuice and ground almonds if almond milk desired to the broth.  Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Add two egg yolks for each dish and blend them with the broth. The verjuice is suppose to prevent the eggs from curdling. Strain this through a woolen cloth into a pot and add ginger. Taste saltiness and for sourness before heating.

Return to medium heat, stirring constantly until cooked. Add the chicken cut into small pieces Continue boiling until the chicken is warm. Prepare dishes and garnish with parsley.

CONCIERTO WITH 13TH CENTURY OVEN BAKED CHEESE PIE

Organizing the Right Percentage Of Cow's and Ewe's Cheese
Photo by: Lord-Williams

orchestrated. organized, in order. Miguel Lucas de Iranzo, Constable of Castile, gave food and alms at the majority of his festivities organized in Jaen during the third quarter of the 15^th century. Not only did this have an affect on the poor but it won confidence and loyalty among “vassals”, touching the most sensitive fiber, the stomach. Too this checked discontent among the masses. Constable Iranzo also organized post-Lenten afternoon refreshments with food to which he invited the most influential people in the city, clerical and lay. Dishes offered included fowl, pastries, cheeses, stews, eggs and wine. [Mata. 1940;69:123:166; and Nola/Pérez.1994:192]

OVEN BAKED CHEESE PIE, WHICH IS CALLED TOLEDAN ADAPTED FROM HUICI’S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN, AL-ANALUS #414. RECETA DE LA  ALMOJÁBANA AL HORNO, QUE SE LLAMA ENTRE NOSOTROS LA TOLEDANA, p 228

Ingredients

As a Dinar was not available a US quarter was used
Photo by: Lord-Williams

leafy dough for 1 pie

¼ lb cow’s cheese

¾ lb ewe’s cheese

¼ c anise

Preparation

Make leafy dough. Roll it out and cut in a circle[1].

Grate the two cheeses[2] together.  When well mixed place them in the middle of the dough. Fold over the ends of the dough. Dampen the seams and press them together with the tip of  a spoon. 

Make a hole the size of a diner[3] through which the cheese may be seen. Sprinkle the pie with anise.

An Excellent Dish for Any Occasion
Photo by: Lord-Williams

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325ºF/160ºC

Then place it in the oven on a cookie sheet. Bake until done (about 35-45 minutes). After 20 minutes baking time cover the top crust with aluminum wrap to prevent burning. [4]

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[1] The Medieval Spanish Chef made a rectangular piece instead.

[2] This is one of the first manuscripts calling for grated cheese. but this recipe actually mashed cheese.

[3] A US quarter was used.

[4] Cut into small pieces, it is an excellent hor'dourves. In bigger pieces it can be a first course of a meal or a light lunch or supper accompanied by a salad.  

CONCAVIDAD WITH 13TH C STUFFED HOLLOWED PASTRY

Hollowing Out the Pastry
Photo by: Lord-Williams

concavo, concave, hollow. See truébano.

STUFFED MUQAWWARA, A HOLLOWED PASTRY, ADAPTED FROM HUICI'S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN, AL-ANDALUS #166. “MAQAWWARA” RELLENA, p 108-109

Makes about 6-8 pastries  about 5 ½” in diameter

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs wheat flour[1]

15 egg yolks

½ c whole milk

2 pk or 2 tsp yeast

olive oil for frying

½  c walnuts

½ c almonds

½ c sugar

½ c rosewater

½  c butter

½ c honey

Filling a Hollow Pastry
Photo by: Lord-Williams

Garnish:

Powdered sugar

Preparation

Sift flour well, knead it with the egg yolks  and yeast. Add milk cautiously and more flour if necessary for dough to be stiff.  Make a ball and cover with a warm cloth. Let rise 90 minutes.

Divide dough into portions to roll out like raghîf s (flattened rolled out thinner than pita). Circles were cut out using the lid of a pan 5 ½” in diameter but the presentation would be better if half that size. Warm a frying pan and add oil. When hot, add a flat cake or cakes, turn  when browned underneath. When the other side is browned remove it from the frying pan and put it on a plate.

Divine for Rosewater Lovers
Photo by: Lord-Williams

Cut out a lid in each flat cake. When cool enough remove all the crumbs inside taking care no to break the crust. Crumble the crumbs by hand or in a food processor until fine.

Pound shelled walnuts, almonds and sugar well or use a food processor. Put a layer in the muqawwara, (the flat cake) of the nut and sugar mixture and then a layer of crumbs. Sprinkle with sugar and squirt with rosewater. Repeat this four times.

Boil fresh clarified butter and honey. Pour 1 tablespoon over the open muqawwara. Cover with the lid and pour a tablespoon of the honey and butter over the lid, sprinkle with sugar, and serve.

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[1] The original recipe calls for 1 ½ lbs flour which is far to little. 

CONCA, (OLeon) WITH RECIPE FOR THE 13TH C. EMIR'S TURNOVERS

shell bowl
Photo from: Queen Conch

OCast conchas (shell bowl), 10^th C bowl, large cup or small plate. It could be earthenware, bronze, copper or silver. [Sánchez-Albornoz. 2000:146:147:190]

RECIPE KNOWN AS THE THARDA OF THE EMIR ADAPTED FROM HUICI’S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN, AL-ANDALUS 167. RECETA CONOCIDA POR “TARDA[1]” DEL EMIR, p 108-109

Ingredients

For the dough:
2 c flour

Filling Turnovers with Nut/Crumb Mix
Photo by: Lord-Williams

¼ tsp salt
1/2 c water
1 pk dry yeast
50 g animal fat[2] or oil

2-3 c canola or olive oil for frying

For the filling

¼ c pistachios

¼ c almonds

¼ c pine nuts

½ c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1 scraping fresh ginger

1 c total rosewater

½ c honey

Preparation

A Superb Dessert!
Photo by: Lord-Williams

Knead white flour well with salt water, a little oil and yeast, make four thin raghîfs (flat cakes thinner than pita), with half the dough. Fry each in a frying pan with ¼ c fresh oil, until they brown a little. Remove them from the frying pan and pound them well.

 Make tiny hollow little almojábanas (tarts or turnovers), and tops out of the dough for them.[3] Fry them in fresh oil (if making tarts), watch them and take care do not turn brown. Fry the lids as well.

Pound peeled pistachios, almonds, and pine-nuts, and sugar coarsely, add spices and knead them with rosewater and mix with the ground raghîf until completely mixed. Fill the pastries with this, and cover them. (Turnovers are stuffed before frying. They should be fried now.) Arrange them in a bowl and fill the spaces with the leftover stuffing.  Sprinke with rosewater and plenty of powdered sugar. Make a honey and rosewater syrup heating ½ c of each. Drizzle this over the dish. It will be good, God willing.

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[1] Huici explains that this word was spelt tharda, tarid and taríd, which is a soppes with bread, a pastry or a meat pie.

[2] Being a Hispano-Muslim recipe lard cannot be used.

[3] The Medieval Spanish chef made turnovers by cutting the dough into 2 ½”circles, and filling them with 1 tbsp stuffing. These were folded over and the edges were sealed with the end of a teaspoon.