SC - FRANKISH BRAISED BEEF

[Seton1355 at aol.com]

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.