SC - Re: Allergies in General

[RichSCA@aol.com]

Tonight I made the lamb again, with the changes I had contemplated, 
and was very pleased with the results.  Here goes:

Source: Ruperto de Nola, _Libro de Guisados_ (Spanish, 1529)
Translation & redaction: Lady Brighid ni Chiarain (Robin Carroll-Mann)

ADOBADO DE CARNERO -- Marinated Mutton

You must take breasts of mutton; and cook them in a pot with your salt; 
and when it is almost half cooked, remove it from the pot, and cut them 
to pieces the size of two fingers; and then gently fry it with bacon fat; 
and then take honey and all spices, and put it in a little pot, and take 
hard bread grated and cast it inside of that honey and the spices; and 
let there be a greater quantity of cinnamon than the other spices; and 
the take the best broth of the pot and cast it inside; and then the fat 
which shall be necessary, according to the quantity of the bread and the 
meat; then cast in a good cup of white vinegar because the sauce of 
this pottage is desired to be sweet-sour; and cook all this: and while it 
boils cast in the meat with a little saffron, because this sauce is desired 
to be deep in color; then prepare dishes of the said pottage, and upon 
them cinnamon, however you should cast in pears; and quinces which 
should be cut and have first been brought to a boil; and set them on the 
meat.


Sweet and Sour Lamb (ADOBADO DE CARNERO)

2-1/2 pounds lamb breast, excess fat trimmed
2 TBS bacon fat
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 TBS + 2 tsp. honey
4 tsp white wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch saffron
salt and pepper to taste
sliced pears canned in juice, drained (or fresh pears, poached until 
tender)

Put the lamb in a large pot and just cover with salted water.   Simmer 
until half-cooked, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove the lamb from the pot, 
reserving the broth.  Cut the ribs apart into inch-thick pieces.  Heat the 
bacon fat in a large skillet.  Add the lamb and slowly fry over medium-
low heat until well-cooked, about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, set aside 2 
cups of the lamb broth and steep the saffron in it.

In a large pot, combine the bread crumbs, honey, spices, broth, and 
vinegar.  Mix well.  Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent lumps.  Reduce 
heat to medium-low.  Place the lamb in the sauce and simmer gently 
until the meat is very tender and the spice flavors have blended together.
Serve, garnished with pears.


Notes:  This time, I bought my meat at a local ethnic grocery, and the 
pieces of lamb breast were closer to chops than ribs.  It's not clear to 
me from the original recipe if the meat is meant to be boneless or not.  I 
think this would work with any cut of lamb, as long as the meat was 
given enough time to cook to tenderness.  I intend to try it sometime 
with cubes of boneless leg.  Mutton is hard to come by in this area -- 
those who have access to it might try it.

The bacon fat could be replaced by oil, if desired.

I decreased the amount of sauce from 3 cups to 2, but there was still 
plenty to go around.  I kept the same proportions, except for increasing 
the spices.  Changing over to white wine vinegar made a noticeable 
improvement in the flavor -- the sourness was subtler and less harsh.  

I forgot to buy pears for garnishing, but it was tasty anyway.  I loved the 
sauce, and would happily make this dish again.


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net