[Sca-cooks] German Pickles

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Well, in the next few days i'm going to make the pickles for the Boar
Hunt Feast that's on Dec. 8. I had planned on four kinds: red
cabbage, cucumber, beets, and mushrooms.

But now i'm thinking maybe i should only make two of the German
pickles. I'm definitely making my version of Pickled Champignons -
based on recipes by Eleanor Fettiplace and Digbie. So, i have two
problems/questions for your perusal.

FIRST QUESTION
I'm trying to decide whether or not to eliminate one of the German
pickles. I have two German recipes for "pickles". I have worked up
two variations on the first, one for cucumbers, one for red cabbage.
The second recipe is for beets with horseradish.

Think i should make all four (the German pickles are not much work),
or eliminate one, and if so, which one? I'm cooking for 80 diners, at
10 tables. I'm serving four meat dishes.

Here are the original German recipes. Comments in [square brackets] are mine.

Ein Buch von Guter Spise, 14th c.
48. Ein condimentlin (A condiment)
Mal kümel und enis mit pfeffer und mit ezzige und mit honige. und
mach ez gel mit saffran. und tu dar zu senf. in disem condimente maht
du sulze persilien, bern und clein cumpost oder rüeben, waz du wilt.

Translated by Alia Atlas
Flavor [my note: or does "mal" mean "grind"?] caraway seeds and anise
with pepper and with vinegar and with honey. And make it gold with
saffron. And add thereto mustard. In this condiment you may make
sulze (pickled or marinated) parsley, and small preserved fruit and
vegetables [my note: it actually says "compost", and are "bern"
berries?] or beets, which(ever) you want.

I have worked up two variations on the first, one for cucumbers with
mustard, one for red cabbage without mustard, each with slightly
different spicing.

Marx Rumpolt, Ein New Kochbuch, 1581
3. (in the chapter on accompaniments to fried meat)
Rote Ruben eyngemacht mit klein geschnittenen Merrettich/ Aniss/
Coriander/ und ein wenig Kuemel/ sonderlich wenn die Ruben
geschnitten/ gesotten mit halb Wein und halb Essig.

Translated by M. Grasse:
Red beets preserved with small cut horseradish/ anise/ coriander/ and
a little caraway/ special if the beets are cut/ marinated in half
wine and half vinegar.

QUESTION NUMBER TWO

The "Ein condimentlin" recipe calls for mustard. Is this more likely
to be powdered mustard or a "prepared" mustard, such as Lombard
mustard?

BTW, here are the recipes i worked out for the pickles...


* Marinated Beets with horseradish - Marx Rumpolt, Ein New Kochbuch, 1581

10 large red beets, cut into medium-small chunks
2 cups red wine
2 cups red wine vinegar (but white or cider will do)
several cups prepared horseradish - the kind that's just horseradish,
vinegar, and salt
1-1/2 TB salt
1 tsp whole anise seed
1 tsp whole caraway seed
2 tsp whole coriander seed

1. Cut up beets.
2. Combine all ingredients except beets in a pot. Bring to a boil,
then lower heat and simmer 5 minutes
3. Add the beets and heat through.
4. Place in non-metallic container and let stand for 24 hours.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings.
6. Keep in refrigerator until serving.

* A condiment of Cucumber - Ein Buch von Guter Spise, 14th C.

3/4 tsp whole caraway seeds
3/4 tsp whole fennel
3/4 tsp whole dill seed
1 tsp whole peppercorns
2/3 cup honey
2 cup white wine vinegar to cover, more as needed (white will do, but
not cider)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp saffron
1 tsp mustard powder
5 cucumbers, sliced in circles

1. Prepare cucumber.
2. Mix caraway, fennel, and dill seeds with salt, pepper, vinegar,
and honey. Then add saffron..
3. Put in saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the honey
melts into the vinegar. Remove from heat.
4. Put cucumbers in warm marinade. Make sure there is enough marinade
to cover. If not, make more.
5. Let stand for at least 1 hour.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. Keep in refrigerator until serving.
[NOTE: i substituted fennel seed for anise and added dill seed]


* A condiment of Red Cabbage - Ein Buch von Guter Spise, 14th C.

1 TB caraway seeds, whole
2 tsp ground anise
2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp salt
1 quart red wine vinegar
2 cups honey
3 or 4 heads of Red Cabbage

1. Prepare cabbage.
2. Mix caraway seeds, aniseed, pepper, salt, honey and vinegar. Then
add saffron.
3. Put in saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the honey
melts into the vinegar. Remove from heat.
4. Put cabbage in warm marinade. Make sure there is enough marinade
to cover. If not, make more.
5. Let stand for at least 1 hour.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings - add more vinegar if needed.
7. Keep in refrigerator until serving.
[NOTE: i left out the mustard from the original recipe so it would
taste different from the cucumbers]

Thanks for any ideas,
Anahita
whose car broke down so she won't be going to San Diego to have
Thanksgiving with her family.
I guess i'll just stay home and eat canned tuna...

LATER Wednes. night:
I borrowed a friend's pick-up and went to the Health Food Store
where, in a "festive" mood, i bought...
Tofurkey (yes, that's not a typo)

It's made with seitan, tofu, and has bread and wild rice stuffing. I
got the small one that makes 4 servings. The big one includes tempeh
drumsticks and tofu jerky wishbones. I also got the company's
"Un-Giblet Gravy". I'll cook it for myself Thursday and report on it
to the list... I'm not completely insane. I also bought mixed
braising greens to saute in butter and raw cranberries to make my own
cranberry sauce - i got an orange to toss in, and i think i'll toast
some pecans and toss them in, too.

Happy Turkey Day - And Let the Annual Butter Festival Begin!