SC - Spanish salmon recipe (was: Spanish noodles)

[Stefan li Rous]

Elizabeth gave her redaction of a Salmon recipe:
> CAZUELA DE SALMON -- Salmon Casserole
> from _Libro de Guisados_ by Ruperto de Nola (Spanish, 1529)
> translation Lady Brighid ni Chiarain of Tethba, Settmour Swamp (Robin
> Carroll-Mann)
> 
> You must take the clean and well-washed salmon; and put it in a casserole
> with your spices which are: galingale, and a little pepper and ginger and
> saffron; and all of this well ground, and cast upon the fish with salt, and
> a little verjuice or orange juice, and let it go to the fire of embers; and
> then take blanched almonds and raisins and pine nuts and all herbs.  That
> is, moraduj, which is called marjoram, and parsley, and mint; and when the
> casserole is nearly half-cooked cast all this inside.
> 
> 1.9 lb salmon
> 1/2 t galingale
> 1/8 t pepper
> 1/4 t ginger
> 15 threads saffron
> 1/4 t salt
> 3 T verjuice (or sour orange juice)
> 1/4 c blanched almonds
> 3 T raisins
> 1 T pine nuts
> 1 t fresh marjoram
> 1 T fresh parsley
> 1 t fresh mint

Thank you, both Brighid and Elizabeth. One question though on this
redaction. Why *1.9* pounds of salmon? This seems like an awlfully
exact measurement. Is this what you just happened to have on hand?
And fifteen threads of saffron? Seems like a lot. Or do you Elizabeth
like saffron as much as Cariadoc seems to dislike it?

Do late-period Spanish recipes show a greater use of saffron than
elsewhere? Since saffron was grown in Spain, and I presume was cheaper 
there, perhaps it was used in greater quantity there? Or are the
amounts unknown and simply up to the recipe interpreter?
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:
         http://lg_photo.home.texas.net/florilegium/index.html ****
============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================