MORTERO WITH ANOTHER 15TH CENTURY RECIPE FOR CORIANDER SAUCE FOR FOWL

A Wooden Mortar and a Stone Mortar
Two of the Numerous Kinds
Photo by: Lord-Williams

OCast mortalio, Ar. hūwūn, MEng  mortrews, Eng mortar for mashing and grinding ingredients. In Middle English word means to finely grind and strain but the later action is not always necessary as in Nola’s recipe: Potage dicho Mortereulo (Mortrews Pottage). 

Gourmet cooks in the Middle Ages preferred for mashing specific ingredients in mortars made of one material or another such as bronze, copper, tin and wood. In the Maragato region of León for example a walnut mortar with a handle has been used to mash garlic over the centuries. See morteruelo. 

[Ares. “La Comidas. 1994:92; ES: Carroll-Mann. Guisados 2-art. Jun 6, 01:ftn 26; Nola: 1989:xviii-5; and Sánchez-Albornoz. 2000:130:198]

See blog titled almirez, published August 22, 2011 for different types of mortars.

ANOTHER  OF CORIANDER "POTTAGE"CALLED THE SECOND CELIANDRATE WHICH IS ACTUALLY A SAUCE FOR FOWL ADAPTED FROM NOLA’S xix-2 OTRO POTAJE DE CULANTRO LLAMADO CELIANDRATE SEGUNDO

Ingredients

1 chicken or partridge

Sauce:

Chicken Wings with Coriander Sauce
A Unique Treat
Photo by: Lord-Williams

1 tbsp dry coriander grains

⅔ c peeled almonds

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ginger scrapings

½ tsp ground cloves

2 oranges

1 lb white grapes

¼ c sugar[1]

Garnish

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation

Cook or roast chicken or partridge.

Wash and mash coriander seeds in a mortar.

Boil almonds in water. Peel and grind in a mortar with coriander. Add spices. When well ground blend with juice from the oranges and that from the grapes. Cook over low heat until the sauce is sweet and sour and gray.

Before serving, garnish with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Serve with chicken or partridge.

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[1] Sugar was added as the sauce is too bitter for modern palates.

NOLA’S xix-2