SC - SCA-Cooks traffic
Stefan li Rous
stefan at texas.net
Fri Dec 15 22:21:08 PST 2000
And it came to pass on 15 Dec 00, , that Olwen the Odd wrote:
> > carrot candy
> Recipe please...
Sorry, I didn't mean to be a spoon tease. I posted this one back in
February.
Source: Diego Granado, _Libro del Arte de Cozina_ (Spanish, 1599)
Translation & redaction: Brighid ni Chiarain (Robin Carroll-Mann)
ZANAHORIA RALLADA -- Grated Carrot
You must clean the carrot of its peel, and then wash it, and grate it
with a knife. And set it to cook in a kettle of water which has first
been brought to a boil, and cook it a little while, and then set it
aside and squeeze it. And have clarified honey and cast the carrot
into it, and let it cook slowly, until it absorbs the syrup. And cast
in the pinenuts. And it must be one azumbre of honey to six
pounds of carrots, and when they are cooked cast in a little
cinnamon, and ginger. And cast them into your box, and if you
must decorate it, it must be with pinenuts.
Carrot Candy
1-1/2 pounds carrots (weight after peeling and trimming)
1/2 liter honey (2 cups + 2 tablespoons)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teasooon ground ginger
up to 1 cup pinenuts (or as desired)
Grate the carrots finely. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high
heat. Add the carrots, return to a boil, and cook until tender, about
8-10 minutes. Remove and discard any scum which forms on the
surface. Drain the carrots into a strainer or colander lined with a
tea towel or several layers of cheesecloth. When it is cool enough
to handle, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the carrot
pulp.
Place the honey in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over
medium-low/medium heat. Add the carrots and mix well. Simmer
gently, stirring frequently. Do NOT boil. In about 20 minutes, the
mixture will begin to thicken and clump together. At this point, you
should stir constantly. Cook until the carrots have thoroughly
absorbed the honey, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add spices, stirring well. Mix in pinenuts.
Spread the mixture as evenly as possible onto a well-greased pan
or baking sheet, about 1/2-inch deep. To smooth the top, lay a
piece of waxed paper across the candy and stroke gently with a
spatula or the back of a large serving spoon. Remove waxed paper
and allow to cool. If desired, decorate the top with pinenuts.
Cut into small squares or shape into balls. If you leave them
exposed to air for a few days, turning occasionally, they will dry a
bit on the outside and be less sticky to handle. Store in a tightly-
closed container in a single layer, or with waxed paper between
layers.
Notes:
An "azumbre" is a medieval Spanish measurement equivalent to
approximately 2 liters.
I grated the carrots in my Cuisinart by using the shredding disc,
then finely chopping the shreds with the steel blade. I think the
finest side of a box grater would also work. And, of course, you
can use a knife.
I used a non-stick pan, which made removing the cooked mixture a
lot easier.
The pinenuts can be added in whatever quantities are
desired/practical. One cup makes a fairly nut-dense candy, and I
think the nut taste nicely complements the intense honey flavor.
The original recipe does not specify amount, and using less will not
cause problems. I get pinenuts at Costco for $8/pound, but if you
are limited to those absurdly expensive little jars, then just use a
token amount on top for decoration.
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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