SC - Sweets to the sweet, have some fruitcake...

[Nanna Rognvaldardottir]

Ras wrote:
>Recipes, please? I have been growing angelica for several years to the
point
>where it has developed a woody base and have found no substantial recipes
in
>which to use it. I have been diligently picking off it's flower heads each
>year to assure it's survival until the next year since it oftentimes acts
>like a  biennial and dies after setting seed but maintains it's perennial
>nature when kept seed free :-)

I don´t think there are any period recipes but the plant seems to have been
much used - our highest mountain (Hvannadalshnúkur) is named for it, for
instance - and many old sources mention "root excursions" into the
wilderness, which had to be undertaken either in early spring or in late
autumn. In between the root is considered too bitter. Also, the root of a
plant that grew partly in a shade was considered less bitter than one which
grew in the sun so I don´t know how plants grown in a warmer climate than
here will turn out.

I haven´t found any recipes for the root yet but many descriptions of their
use - they were eaten fresh, plain or with dried fish, butter and often
dulse. Or they were fried in butter or grilled. Or preserved, either in whey
or simply wrapped in hay and buried in the ground. Or used to flavor brandy
(angelica root brandy is still being produced commercially here).

The stalks were cut when young, before they became woody. They were eaten
raw with butter, or chopped fine and eaten as a salad with fresh fish. Or
used in soups and stews along with the leaves, or in jam with rhubarb (after
mid 19th century). Or boiled and preserved in whey. Or chopped, raw, and
mixed with skyr (curds).

A few recipes (I´ll try to find more, I have them somewhere)

Pickled angelica

250 g (1/2 lb) young angelica stalks
salt
3 medium-sized angelica flower clusters
3 dl (1 1/3 c) good vinegar
2 dl (1 c) water
150 g (2/3 c) sugar
2 tsp mustard seeds
6 black peppercorns
a small piece of ginger, fresh or dried
6 cloves

Simmer the stalks in salted water for about 15 minutes, then drain them, let
them cook and peel them. Simmer the flowers in the same water for 5 minutes,
then drain. Mix vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger
and cloves in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or so.
Arrange stalks and flowers in a hot, sterilized jar, pour the boiling
vinegar in the jar to cover. Close and seal.

Rhubarb and angelica jam

1 kilo (2 lbs) rhubarb stalks
500 g (1 lb) angelica stalks
1 kilo (2 lbs) sugar
2 1/2 dl (scant 1 cup) water

Peel and chop rhubarb and angelica stalks and soak them in cold water. Put
sugar and water in a nonreactive pan, bring slowly to the boil and stir
until the sugar has dissolved. Let boil for one minute, then add the drained
rhubarb and angelica. Simmer for an hour or more, or until the jam is fairly
thick. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars and seal.

Angelica soup

1 kilo (2 lbs) angelica leaves
3 litres (3 quarts) good meat or vegetable stock
60 g (1/4 c) butter
75 g (1/2 c) flour
1/2 - 1 tsp sugar
salt
2-3 carrots
1 medium rutabaga (swede), or turnip

Wash the leaves and blanch them in lightly salted water for 2 minutes or so,
then drain and chop them. Peel the vegetables, chop them roughly and parboil
in lightly salted water until almost tender. Heat the stock to boiling point
and . Melt the butter in a large pan, stir in flour and cook for a minute or
two, then gradually whisk in the hot stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for
5 minutes. Add angelica leaves and vegetables and simmer for 5-10 minutes
more. Season to taste with sugar and salt and serve with quartered
hard-boiled eggs or dumplings.
The book I quote from gives virtually the same recipe for scurvy-grass soup
and Northern dock soup, BTW.

Nanna

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