SC - Mock Sturgeon-Final results-long

[LrdRas at aol.com]

Sloan MS. 1108 (Curye on Inglysch, pp.155-6):
 To make sturgyn.  Take [th]e houghys of vele and caluys feete and sethe hem
 in hony.  And whan [th]ou hast soden hem all to poudre, take [th]e bonys
 oute.  In case [th]at [th]e flesshe be longe, take it a stroke or ii and
 put it in a fayre cannevasse and presse it welle.  Than take it and lese it
 fayre in thynne leches, and not to brode.  Take onyons, vynegre, and
 percelly and ley [th]eron, and so serue it forthe.
 
Literal Translation:
To make Sturgeon. Take the hooves of veal and calf's feet and seeth them in
honey. And when you have seethed them all to powder, take the bones out. In
case that the flesh be long, take it a stroke or two and put it in a fair
canvas and press it well. Then take it and <slice ?> it fair in thin <slices
?> , and not too broad. Take onions, vineger, and parsley and lay thereon,
and so serve it forth. 
 
Probable Modern Translation:
To Make Sturgeon. Take veal hooves and calf's feet and simmer them in honey.
When you have simmered them <until the meat falls apart>, take out the bones.
<If there are large pieces of flesh, chop them smaller> and put it (the flesh
removed from the broth) and in a clean piece of canvas and press it well.
Then take it and slice into thin slices, and not too <thick>. Take onions,
vinegar and parsley and lay thereon. Serve.

My redaction:

STURGEON (An Illusion)
(Copyright Nov. 24, 1997 L. J. Spencer, Jr., Willaimsport, PA 17701)

4 veal feet, cleaned (substitute 1 whole veal shank)
2 calf's feet, split (substitute 2 pig's feet, split)
Water to cover
1/2 cp honey
1/4 cp onion, finely minced
1/4 cp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Wine Vinegar

 Wash meat and place in a large kettle. Cover with water. Add honey. Bring to
a boil. Reduce heat to a slow boil. Cover. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. or until
meat falls apart. Remove meat from liquid. Remove bones from meat when cool
enough to handle, chopping large pieces smaller including skin if any. Put
meat on a clean sterilized white cloth ( canvas is best but muslin works
fine). Wrap into a large sausage shaped roll. Place on a large pan or baking
dish. Set a pan the same sixe on top and place a weight on it. (A one gallon
jug of water works well or 4 bricks). Refrigerate for several hours or
overnight.
Remove cloth. Place on an oblong serving platter. Slice thinly. Sprinkle with
onions, parsley and wine vingar. Serve. 
Note: A line of thinly sliced onion rings down the center and parsley springs
around the outside makes a nice garnish. The broth remaining can be strained
and reduced to half, refrigerated and then unmolded to serve as an
accompanying aspic.

You wrote:

<<  Is the meat or the broth, or both, copper-colored?>>

Both.
 
<< b) a mostly-whole smoked sturgeon is shown in one book.  The flesh is
 indeed copper-colored! The skin is black & grey in a sort of diamond-backed
 pattern, >>

Since the recipe is from Cury, smoked sturgeon would make since. The thin
layer of fat surrounding the finished roll was graying colored and retained
the pattern of the cloth. It was also flattened ressembling a fish filet.
When cut into it revealed a nice coppery color that looked without too much
of a stretch of the imagination like smoked fish.
 
 <<  A little history:>>

Absolutely fascinating! :-) Thanks.
 
 Comments and Observations:

This dish is a nice looking dish and is really rather tasty. I am of the
opinion that the recipe for Mock Sturgeon which calls for boiling in honey is
exactly what was intended and the quest to explain the word honey as a
scribal error or otherwise is totally unnecessary. All and all this dish is
good enough to serve at feast and definately will go in my modern recipe
collection as a thing to be served at special occasions or dish to passes.
IMHO, the search for corroberating evidence by looking in similar recipes is
an exercise in futility as there were many versions of the same recipe. Such
exercises may help in filling the missing parts of obscure or missing texts
but, as this recipe shows, it should never become the first thing one does
when trying to understand a recipe from the Middle Ages. The first thing one
should do is throw off the scholars robe, roll up one's sleeves and "get thee
hence to the kitchen"! :-)

al-Sayyid Ras al Zib, AoA, OSyc
Kingdom of Aethelmearc
Shire of Abhain Ciach Ghlas
Mountain Confederation
Clan Ravenstar
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