SC - RECIPE CHALLENGE II

[Mark Schuldenfrei]

>>From "Utilis Coquinario", Book III of "Curye on Inglysche", a.k.a. Ms S,
>ff. 80r - 92r.
>
>33	To make a syrosye. Tak cheryes & do out the* stones & grynde hem wel
>& draw hem thorw* a streynoure & do it in a pot. & do therto* whit gres
>or swete botere & myed wastel bred, & cast therto* good wyn & sugre, &
>salte it & stere it wel togedere, & dresse it in disches; & set theryn*
>clowe gilofre, & strew sugre aboue.
>
>* The asterisks denote use of the character "thorn", pronounced
>somewhere between a "d" and a "th", which I can produce, but which
>ASCII-based mail readers often can't read.
>
>Or, for the faint at heart:
>
>33	To make cherries. Take cherries and take out the pits, and grind them
>fine. Put the puree through a strainer, and put it in a pot. And add
>white grease or sweet butter to it, and grated white bread, and throw in
>some good wine and sugar, and salt it and stir it well together, and put
>it in dishes, and garnish it with cloves gilofer, and sprinkle it with
>sugar.


I am reminded of the Russian Cherry Soup, made with sour cherries and sugar
and BEEF, and beef stock, thickened with sourdough breadcrumbs, that can be
found in "Elena Molokhovet's Gift to Young Housewives". That soup is
stupefyingly wonderful, and so rich it is impossible to eat an entire bowl
full. So, this is my potential redaction (mind you, I havn't tried it in
this version, I am merely guessing as to quantities):

Poach 1 lb. sour cherries (stems removed, and washed) in liquid to cover
plus 1 cup. When tender, remove the pits and puree. Add 3 tbsp. butter,
fresh bread crumbs (approx 1 cup---and I'd cheat and go with the sourdough),
1/2 cup of mild sherry and 2 tbsp. sugar or to taste, plus salt to taste.
Simmer gently until thick (do not boil). Serve warm sprinkled with the
chopped petals of a white "Pink" or Gillyflower.

Note that I think the absence of beef here is detriment, having tasted it in
it's other incarnation. In addition, I believe the butter is present solely
to meld the flavors and smooth the rough edges, not for frying. 

I can't wait to read the other attempts---I felt that to play fair I had to
give my reaction BEFORE reading them.


Aoife