SC - Looking for period crabmeat recipes
Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
Fri Aug 4 19:14:46 PDT 2000
Platina has an entry on crabs. After describing several varieties and
their habits, he says:
All these should be cooked with water and vinegar and with a lot of salt.
The ought to be left to boil so that they foam over from the pot two or
three times. When they are cooked and set on dishes, they are eaten
with vinegar. The hollowed-out shell is also stuffed with the ground meat
of its own tail and claws, and ground almonds, raisins, egg yolk and
ground cheese, if the season permits, finely chopped parsley and
marjoram. When they are stuffed, they should be fried in oil over a
gentle flame. I should think one could do likewise with crayfish, which
are quite small and tender, taken from the shores of lakes as well as
seas. These should be cooked in the same way as above."
Platina, _On Honest Indulgence_ (Falconwood Press edition)
Granado has quite a few crab recipes (though he mentions that lobster
is better). Here's one:
Para freyr las pulpas de los Congrejos, y Langostas
Source: Diego Granado, _Libro del arte de cozina_ (Spanish, 1599)
Translation: Brighid ni Chiarain (Robin Carroll-Mann)
To Fry the Flesh of Crabs and Lobsters
Take the flesh after they are cooked, and cut them into slices the
thickness of a finger, moisten them in water, and dredge them in flour,
and fry them with oil, or purified cow's butter, and serve them with fried
parsley, and orange juice, pepper, and salt on top, and after they are
fried you can also serve them with garlic sauce, and green sauce, and
other flavors.
note: orange juice would be the juice of sour oranges
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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