SC - need calamari advice

[Ron Rispoli]

Lars asked for a friend:
>         I have a quest for your food list.  I'm looking for a recipe for 
> pickled limes.  

While I don't have a period recipe specifically for pickled limes, there
is a message in this file in the FOOD-FRUIT section of my Florilegium
on pickled oranges and lemons, including directions.
fruit-citrus-msg  (27K)  4/ 1/99    Period citrus fruits. Recipes.

I imagine limes could be used. I'm still not sure of the periodicity
of limes but Baron Akim showed me an article of his that does say
they are period. I hope to have this article in the Florilegium in the
near future.

I have gone ahead and pasted the message below. I hope this isn't too
long for this list. It did come from here originally.
- -- 
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://www.florilegium.org ****

> Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 16:24:20 -0600
> From: L Herr-Gelatt and J R Gelatt <liontamr at ptd.net>
> Subject: SC - A bit Bland--Now Jazzed up
> 
> >I have recently whipped up an almond tart, which is remarkably period,
> >however that is the only remarkable thing about it.  While I don't know
> >much about English cooking in the late 1500's, I would love some...
> >topping to use that would be period.
> >
> >Bogdan
> 
> Bogdan, here are a cuple of ideas for your use: Pickled lemons (recipe
> follows) which is basically based on anecdotal evidence and adapted from two
> other similar recipes, or preserved oranges from Good Huswife's Jewel
> (Dawson). Both are English, and fit into your time frame. I can paraphrase
> my redaction for the oranges but don't have my source right in front of me.
> Devilish Idea: Use both since they have a similar process, and then
> alternate the thin slices on the top of the almond tart, making a fan.
> Beautiful! Now I feel inspired!  BTW the syrup from both the recipes is
> wonderful and makes a great beverage mixed with cold water. So that would
> kill two birds with one stone at a forthcoming feast, Yes?
> 
> Hope that the oranges/lemons "make" the dish, the next time you try it. I'm
> Sorry I saw your message after the offending tart had already been consumed!
> 
> Aoife
> _______________________________________
> Preserved Oranges:
> 
> Take four perfect oranges (I like tangerines, actually, because of flavor
> and medieval-type size. Bonus: with a thin skin, they are far less bitter
> after preserving. I'm not sure how thick the skin of period fruit would have
> been, but some recipes such as the original in Dawson have us soaking the
> fruit overnight to partially re-hydrate them ). Take two oranges that are
> not so perfect. Wash them all. Juice the two imperfect oranges and set aside
> the juice (discard the peel). The perfect oranges are treated thusly: Make a
> small core-type hole in the stem end big enough to insert your little
> finger, pulling out any white membrane attached to the core. Discard.
> Holding the orange over a bowl to catch any juice, insert a paring knife and
> twist it several times, to break up the membranes inside. Insert your little
> finger into the hole and press gently towards the side walls, dislodging as
> many seeds as possible. Allow the seeds and juice to flow into the bowl.
> Now, take the tip of the knife and prick the outer skin all over fairly
> closely together (these pricks do not show up in the finished product). Set
> aside and repeat with the remaining three oranges.
> 
> On the rangetop, have two large pots of boiling water (2/3 full) going at a
> rolling boil. Immerse all the oranges in the first pot. Return to a boil and
> boil for five minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place in the second
> pot. Discard the water in the first and boil it again with fresh water.
> Continue shifting the oranges between pots until they are tender and the
> skin is slightly transparant. A thin sliver of the skin should taste citrusy
> but not bitter. As this point (which may take 5-7 boilings), set the oranges
> aside in your drippings-bowl to drain.
> 
> In a clean saucepan, put one cup of water, all the orange juice, all the
> drippings (strained of seeds), and 2 cups sugar. Beat in the white of one
> egg with a whisk. Slowly bring to a boil and continue beating, until you are
> sure no threads of egg white will form. Scum off any foam that rises (there
> will be a lot---discard it or eat it as you please). Carefully lower the
> oranges into the sugar syrup, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn the fire
> off and let the oranges cool in the pot. They can be sealed airtight and
> stored in the fridge, or they can be canned. I kept mine on the counter, in
> a period method sealed with a waxed parchment on top, but it grew a beard of
> white mold. When the mold was removed, however, the oranges were uneffected.
> I can't keep them longer than a month (they're devoured), so I can't speak
> to longevity.
> 
> That's the gist of the recipe that won me the Dessert category at Ice
> Dragon, served with almond butter and crisp flaky pastry rounds . Hope it
> works for you!
> 
> __________________________________
> 
> Pickled Lemons (adapted from Preserved Orenges, Dawson, and A Sallet of
> Lemons from A book of Fruits and Flowers, and various  anecdotal evidence
> such as  Elizabeth Ayreton's Food in Briton, etc.). This recipe copyright
> 1997 by L. Herr-Gelatt.
> 
> 2 blemish-free lemons
> Juice  and zest of 1 lemon (no white)
> 1 cup white wine (sweet, like Rhine wine)
> 1 c.  sugar
> 1/3 cup vinegar (I used home-made costmary/lemon verbena vinegar)
> 
> Cut a small round hole in the 2 lemons the size of the end of your little
> finger. Remove the piece of peel. Insert  a paring knife into the hole and
> give it several twists to loosen and break the membranes. Insert little
> finger and press gently against the flesh to try and loosen any pits. Remove
> the pits that fall out, and reserve the draining lemon juice for syrup, below.
> 
> Gently bring to boil 1 quart of water in a suacepan. Lower lemons into the
> pan and boil rapidly 5 minutes. Remove and drain. Repeat 3 more times with
> fresh water (it is more efficient to have a pan heating while boiling in
> another). Drain them well.
> 
> In a separate saucepan combine remaining ingredients (and the drained lemon
> juice from above). Bring to a boil to combine, and turn off heat. When
> lemons have been boiled in the 4 changes of water, put them (drained) into
> the wine-syrup mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approx.
> 15 minutes or until syrup volume has reduced by 1/3-1/2. Cool. Remove lemon
> zest and reserve for another use (it is now candied).
> 
> Store in an airtight container. Slice lemons thinly  or dice and use pieces
> in salads.