SC - chicken on string

[Mark Schuldenfrei]

Mark Schuldenfrei wrote:

> John Murrell is debatable.  To those that think that period runs to 1650, it
> is of course acceptable.  To those that think that period runs to 1600, and
> stuff written by people alive before then is acceptable, it also works.  To
> strict constructionists, it is barely post period.  You have to make the
> call.

Uh huh! I respond with a decisive, emphatic, "I dunno!"
 
> I don't think I know what I am doing with this recipe: but having urged so
> many to try things (not knowing the outcome) I'll try too.  Be kind.
> 
> I must admit, the start is a poser to me.  To "blood" the fish may mean to
> clean and drain the blood out of it.  I haven't much experience with tench,
> although I dimly recall they are greatly in appearance like catfish.

Loosely transcribed from Andre L. Simon's "A Concise Encyclopedia of
Gastronomy" , copyright 1952 Andre L. Simon, reprinted copyright 1981
Overlook Press, Woodstock, NY:

TENCH
Lat. Tinca Tinca; Fr. Tanche; Ger. Schleie; It. Tinca, Sp. Tenca. One of
the small members of the large cyprinoid or carp family, inhabiting
English and Continental rivers; unknown in the U.S.A. Of real
gastronomical value either au bleu or grilled.

This would make sense; carp (and presumably their relatives) have a
great deal of dark muscle tissue, commonly known as bloodmeat. This meat
often tastes of mud, which is why carp are frequently bled live to
remove some of the gaminess, and also served with strongly flavored
sauces to counteract this. 
> 
> I'd gut the fish carefully, leaving as much of a sealed belly pocket as I
> could.  Scald it (meaning cook very briefly in boiling water), and dry it.
> 
> Make the stuffing as it says: bread, cream, eggs, re-hydrated currants (soak
> them in hot water: they expand), some "sweet herbs" (I'd start with oregano
> or basil, but I don't know why) nutmeg and pepper.

Marjoram seems to have been an Elizabethan standard for sweet herbs...
 
> It says make a stiff pudding.  That means that I'd probably start with
> everything but the cream, and dilute as needed.  I'd have to figure this by
> eye.  Right now, I don't know how big a tench is!  Do I need one cup, or one
> gallon of stuffing?

Figuring it is going to fit into a pie, unlike some carp which can get
upwads of four feet long, I'd say three or four pounds, tops. Just a
guess, though.
 
> I'd beat the yolks, gently, just to mix them up, add herbs and spices to
> taste, and the fruit.  I'd probably grab about half as much bread, in volume
> as I have egg liquid (should be about a quarter cup with the currants and 3
> eggs) and add enough cream after it is all mixed, to make a dough that is
> just this side of runny.  Pour that pudding into the fish belly, rub the
> fish with butter, season with the salt, pepper and a little nutmeg, and bake
> in a closed casserole dish.  Probably 20 minutes at 300, or so.  (I'd want
> a cooler oven, and a longer time, so the pudding can set.  The fish is
> already parboiled, so it won't require much cookery.)
> 
> I don't have a clue what the "Orenge Minct" is.  If forced to guess, I'd say
> it's a piece of orange peel, preserved, and then minced.  Probably as
> garnish.  (Preserved orange peel would, if I guess right, probably be
> sugared.)

Either that or fresh minced orange zest. Probably a seasonal choice, to
some extent.
> 
> In a saucepan, take an egg yolk, probably a teaspoon of butter and sugar,
> and perhaps a tablespoon of vinegar, and heat it to scalding, stirring.
> Just before the egg starts to set, pour it over the hot fish, and it would
> gild the fish.  (Shog today means to move something along).  Serve the fish.
> 
>         Tibor

Correction. Serve the fish to me ;  ) .

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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