SC - La Varenne's turkey

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Hullo, the list!

Here's the French text of the La Varenne turkey recipe, as per Wheaton's
"Savoring the Past". Wheaton provides an adapted recipe in English, but
no translation of the original. As you all grit your teeth in
anticipation of some wonderful butchering, I'm sure I can rely on you
all to tell me where I'm wrong.

Here goes, La Varenne's recipe, my attempt at translation:

Apres qu'il est habille' levez  en le brichet et tirez la chair, que
vous hacherez avec graisse, et peu de chair de veau, que vous meslerez
ensemble  avec des jaunes d'oeufs et de pigeonneaux et le tout bien
assaisonne', vous remplirez vostre poulet-d'Inde, avec sel, poivre, clou
battu, et capres, puis le mettez a la' broche, et le ferez tourner bien
doucement, estant presque cuit tirez-le et le mettez dans une terrine
avec de bon bouillon, champignons et un bouquet. Pour lier la sauce,
prenez un peu de larde coupe', le faites passer par le poesle, lequel
estant fondu vous tirirez, et y meslerez un peu de farine, que vous
laisserez bien roussir et delayerez avec peu de bouillon et de vinaigre;
la mettez ensuite dans vostre terrine avec jus de citron, et servez; si
c'est en temps des framboises, vous y en mettrez une poigne'e par dessus.

	Francois La Varenne, Le cuisinier francois (1654)


After it is dressed raise the breast [the skin?] and pull out the flesh,
that you will chop with fat, and a little veal, that you will blend
together with egg yolks and young pigeons and all well-seasoned, you
stuff your India-hen, with salt, pepper, beaten cloves, and capers, then
put it on the spit, and will make it turn very gently, when it is almost
cooked draw it off and put it in a pot with good broth, mushrooms and a
bouquet. To bind the sauce, take a little chopped bacon, pass it through
the pan, which when melted remove it, and stir in a little flour, which
you will let turn well russet, and dilute with some broth and vinegar;
put then in your pot with some lemon juice, and serve; if raspberries
are in season, put a handful of it them over it. 

	Francois La Varenne, Le cuisinier francois (1654)

Wheaton's adaptation (I don't use that r-word, generally) seems to
describe a roasted, braised galantine of turkey, a galantine in the
modern sense of a boneless meat roll with garnishes built inside it. Her
ingredients list seems more or less accurate, she's just using them to
produce a different dish. Since La Varenne doesn't actually seem to be
boning the turkey (or at least the instructions don't seem to specify
it) the possibility exists that the stuffing, including the ground-up
breast meat, is reinserted into its former location under the breast
skin, or perhaps into the body cavity. Maybe the entire breast with ribs
and sternum are removed, boned, then later stuffed into the cavity and
under the skin. Alternately, the entire breast might be removed, skin
and all, and the forcemeat is just packed/mounded up between the legs
and wings in a breast shape, which might explain why you have to turn it
so gently on the spit.

If anybody has comments, this would be a good time...

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com