Lamb (was Re: [Sca-cooks] Everyone's gone!!!)

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

On 6 Jan 2002, at 2:49, Gorgeous Muiredach wrote:

> The list has been so quiet today, I guess it's due to 12th night, eh?

I had to work Saturday, so I didn't go to EK 12th Night or any of the closer
"pity" events.  But Friday night, our proto-incipient canton had a 12th night
potluck.  It was very nice, with mostly period dishes.  Venison, roast
chicken, heathen peas, applemoyse, darioles, and I don't remember what
else.  I brought a lamb dish from Nola (#144 Potaje que se dice hijada.)

Here's the recipe, and my redaction:

Pottage which is called flank

"You must take a flank of mutton and cook it, and after cooking, chop it
well. And cast honey in a kettle, and cast in up to three dozen blanched
almonds, and let them be in the honey for a bit; and then cast in the
ground meat, and cast in the fattest broth of the pot and cook with it;
and then cast in saffron, cloves, and cinnamon, and your taste of vinegar,
and cook with it; then cast in grated bread until it is quite thick, and then
remove it to the fireside."

I didn't have easy access to flank of mutton, so I used leg of lamb.  I got a
boneless piece weighing slightly over 4 pounds.  I trimmed off the fell (the
hard suety fat) and cut the lamb into a few large chunks.  I put these in a
pot, with enough water to cover, and simmered until tender, between 1 and
1-1/2 hours.  Meanwhile, I soaked 3 dozen blanched almonds in 1/3 cup of
honey.  I removed the lamb from the pot, retaining the broth.  When the
meat was cool, I cut it into 1/2 inch pieces.  I transferred the meat to
another pot.  The lamb broth had a very strong flavor, so I diluted it 50/50
with water.  I think I used 6 cups of diluted broth.  I added a pinch of saffron
which I had ground up with a little salt, the cloves and cinnamon, the honey
and almonds, and some white wine vinegar.  I brought the lamb to a simmer
and let it cook for a maybe two hours.  I tasted it regularly, and adjusted
the seasonings.  When it was done, I stirred in some store-bought dry
breadcrumbs, then covered the pot and left it on low until it was time to
leave for the potluck.

If I had to guess at quantities, I'd say I used 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1-1/2
teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, and 1/4
cup breadcrumbs.  The pinch of saffron was too large.  I thought it worked
out pretty well, and would certainly make it again for a feast.  Next time I
might use slivered blanched almonds instead of whole.




Brighid ni Chiarain *** mka Robin Carroll-Mann
Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
rcmann4 at earthlink.net