SC - FRANKISH BRAISED BEEF

Thu Aug 31 07:45:55 PDT 2000

Actually, catnip tea is just wonderful for humans, especially those
suffering from stomachaches, headaches, or menstrual cramps.  It is a
member of the mint family, not so strongly flavored as peppermint or
spearmint, although the latter of those two would be my choice if that's
all you have.  Lemon balm would make a reasonable substitute as it is
also part of the mint family, very commonly sold as a tea, and is not
terribly strong in menthol.  Pennyroyal, also a mint, is the one that we
are cautious about consuming.  It is not necessarily poisonous in small
(culinary) doses, but can cause uterine contractions and has
abortifacient properties when taken in large doses.  It also keeps the
fleas off.  
Spikenard has been discussed here very recently, I believe the
conversation included "is it lavender, is it not lavender...".  I have
never used it in cooking, and on a recent fact-finding mission, could not
find it in our store.  
I do not recall off the top of my head anything about costmary, although
I'm sure someone will fill in here. 
Christianna

On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 10:18:27 EDT Seton1355 at aol.com writes:
> I saved this recipe when Clotild of Soissons posted it and now I have 
> some 
> questions if you please,
> 
> 1> Can humans eat catnip?  I thought it was poisonous for humans.  
> And 
> anyway, I don't have catnip nor pennyroyal.  Never having tasted 
> either, are 
> there any suggestions on what to use to replace it?
> 
> 2> What is spiknard and costmary?  And never having tasted either 
> what can I 
> use to replace these flavors?
> Many thanks in advace for the help and advice.
> YiS
> Phillipa
> 
> FRANKISH BRAISED BEEF
> A Recipe from Anthimus' De obseruatione ciborum
> 
> redaction and notes by Clotild of Soissons
> 
> 3.  de carnibus uero uaccinis uaporatis factis et in sodinga coctis 
> utendum, 
> etiam et in iuscello, ut prius exbromatas una unda mittas, et sic in 
> nitida 
> aqua quantum ratio poscit coquantur, ut non addatur aqua, et cum 
> cocta fuerit 
> caro, in uaso mittis acetum acerrimum quantum mediam buculam, et 
> mittis 
> capita porrorum et pulegii modicum, apii radices uel feniculi, et 
> coquatur in 
> una hora, et sic adddis mel quantum medietatem de aceto uel quam 
> quis 
> dulcedinem habere uoluerit, et sic coquas lento foco agitando ipsam 
> ollam 
> frequenter manibus, ut bene ius cum carne ipsa temperetur.  et sic 
> teris: 
> piperis grana L costum et spicam nardi per singula quantum 
> medietatum solidi, 
> et cariofili quantum pensat tremissis I. ista omnia simul trita bene 
> in 
> mortario fictili addito uino modico, et cum bene tribulatum fuerit, 
> mittis in 
> ollam et agistas bene, ita ut antequam tollatur de foco, modicum 
> sentiat et 
> remittat in ius uirtutem suam.  ubi tamin fuerit mel aut sapa uel 
> caroenum, 
> unum de ipsis, sicut superius continetur, mittatur, et in buculari 
> non 
> coquatur, sed in olla fictili meliorem saporem facit.
> 
> TRANSLATION:
> 3.  Beef which has been steamed can be used both roasted in a dish 
> and also 
> braised in a sauce, provided that, as soon as it begins to give off 
> a smell, 
> you put the meat in some water.  
> 
> Boil it in as much fresh water as suits the size of the portion of 
> meat; you 
> should not have to add any more water during the boiling.  
> 
> When the meat is cooked, put in a casserole about half a cup of 
> sharp 
> vinegar, some leeks and a little pennyroyal, some celery and fennel, 
> and let 
> these simmer for one hour. 
> 
> Then add half the quantity of honey to vinegar, or as much honey as 
> you wish 
> for sweetness.  
> 
> Cook over a low heat, shaking the pot frequently with one's hands so 
> that the 
> sauce coats the meat sufficiently.  
> 
> Then grind the following:  50 pepper corns, 2 grammes each of 
> costmary and 
> spikenard, and 1.5 grammes of cloves.  Carefully grind all these 
> spices 
> together in an earthenware mortar with the addition of a little 
> wine.  When 
> well ground, add them to the casserole and stir well, so that before 
> they are 
> taken from the heat, they may warm up and release their flavour into 
> the 
> sauce.  
> 
> Whenever you have a choice of honey or must reduced either by a 
> third or 
> two-thirds, add one of these as detailed above.  
> 
> Do not use a bronze pan, because the sauce tastes better cooked in 
> an 
> earthenware casserole.
> 
> 
> The Redaction:
> 
> 3-4 lbs. beef bottom round, cut into one-inch chunks
> Water to cover beef
> 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (organic)
> 1/4 cup fresh catnip leaves, washed and torn (replacing pennyroyal)
> 2 leeks (white parts only), cut in 1/4-inch rounds
> 3 stalks celery, in 1/4-inch slices
> 1 bulb fennel, in 1/4-inch slices
> 1/4 cup honey (can use must reduced by 1/3 or 2/3, according to the 
> recipe)
> 50 peppercorns
> 2.5 grams spikenard root, dried
> 2.5 grams costmary leaf, fresh
> 1.5 grams cloves
> 1/4 cup red wine
> 
> Put the beef in a large pot and cover with water.  Boil until the 
> beef
> is cooked through. Drain the beef and place in a pre-soaked unglazed
> earthenware casserole.  Pour the vinegar over the beef and add the
> catnip leaves, leeks, celery and fennel on top.  Put the cover on 
> the
> casserole and put it in a cold oven.  Turn the oven on to 400 
> degrees.
> 
> In an hour, add the honey to the beef mixture.  Cover and shake to 
> mix. 
> Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and return the mixture to the 
> oven
> for another 30 minutes.
> 
> Using a mortar and pestle, grind the spikenard, peppercorns, 
> costmary
> and cloves together.  Add the red wine to the spices and then add 
> the
> spice mixture to the casserole.  Cover, shake and let rest for a few
> minutes before serving, so that the flavors of the spices will be
> released into the sauce.
> 
> 
> Bibliography
> 
> Primary Source:
> 
> Grant, Mark (translator and editor).  Anthimus:  De obseruatione
> ciborum; On the Observance of Foods.  Devon, Great Britain:  
> Prospect
> Books, 1996.
> 
> 
> Secondary Sources:
> 
> Boak, Arthur E. R. and Sinnigen, William G., A History of Rome to 
> A.D.
> 565.  London:  The MacMillan Company, 1965.
> 
> Dendy, David.  E-mail on Spikenard, archived on Stefan's 
> Florilegium: 
> www.florilegium.com
> 
> Garland, Sarah.  The Complete Book of Herbs & Spices.  New York:  
> The
> Viking Press, 1979.
>
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