[Sca-cooks] Easter morning, was Verjus

[Elaine Koogler]

Yes, for whoever is interested, I will share the recipes.  No, it is not 
the one you remember.  You remember "Savory Toasted Cheese" which is 
adapted in Atlantia from the Digby recipe.  The feast I'm doing is 
Italian Ren...and the asparagus has a totally different kind of sauce.  
This one is from Libre de Sent Sovi, as translated and redacted by 
Vincent Cuenca:

Asparagus in Sauce

Libre de Sent Sovi (Receptari de Cuina).  1979 Editorial Barcino.  Ed. 
By Rudolph Grewe.  Translated and redacted by Vincente Cuenca (SCA 
Cooks' List)

 Capitol CXVII.  Qui parla con sa deuen aperellar esparechs ab salsa

 Si vols aperellar esparech ab salsa, se ffa axi:  Prin lo tender dels 
esparechs, e cou-los be'. E quant seran cuyts, prem-los de aquella 
aygua, ecapole-us be':  e puys soffrig-los en una casola ab molt holi.  
E tall-y hom ceba manut tallada e escaldade.  E quant son prop de 
soffits ab les sebes una pessa, a hom arop o mel, met-n'I hom un poc.

 E ffa hom salsa axi': Prin om pa torrat mullat en vinagre e do bones 
salces, e trempa hom ab un poc d'ayguo calda ho brou.  E quant los 
esparechs son soffrits, a hom la salsa, axi com demunt es dit; e va ab 
ells, e axi cou-se.  E no.n  deu hom pertir la ma entro'que an perdut lo 
bolir e son levats del ffoch.

 Chapter CXVII.  Which speaks of how to prepare asparagus in sauce

 If you wish to prepare asparagus in sauce, it is done this way; take 
the (tenderest?) of the asparagus, and cook them well.  And when they 
are cooked, take them out of the water, and chope them well; and you can 
sweat them in a pan with much (holi? Oil?).  And add finely chopped and 
blanched onion.  And when they are properly sweated, add a little sugar 
syrup or honey.

 And make the sauce this way:  take toasted bread moistened with vinegar 
and some fine spices, and themper them with a little hot water or 
broth.  And when the asparagus are sweated, ad the sauce to them, as is 
said above; and it goes with them, and so cook it.  And you should not 
remove your hand from it until it has lost its boil and you remove it 
from the fire.

 Redaction:

 1 bunch asparagus
2-3 scallions or onions, finely chopped
1 handful (1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. honey
1 pinch ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground ginger
4-5 peppercorns
2 cloves
1/2  tsp. grains of paradise
red wine vinegar

 Peel and trim asparagus, then set pot to boil.  Grind peppercorns, 
grians of paradise and cloves to a fine powder, then added other 
spices.  Toast breadcrumbs, then add to mortar.  Sweat scallions in a 
little oil.  When asparagus is done, lift them out into the pan with the 
onions.  Mash breadcrujmbs with a little vinegar, the honey and some of 
the cooking liquid from the asparagus to form a thin paste.  I scraped 
it out over the onions and asparagus, added more cooking liquid to thin 
sauce a little more.

 Since I was working so fast, I didn't take time to chop the asparagus.  
The sauce was a nice light brown color, and was absolutely amazing with 
the asparagus.
Be sure sauce is thin enough...by adding asparagus water.

 Serves 4

We did cut the asparagus up into lengths of about 2".  And we used 
regular onion.  It was a yummy dish, and one that I think our folk will 
enjoy.

Kiri


Carper, Rachel wrote:

>You will be posting recipes won't you? And the asparagus with sauce is
>that the good stuff made with all the cheeses? I can never remember the
>name but it was an Atlantian staple. And soooooo good. 
>
>
>Elewyiss
>  
>
-- 
Learning is a lifetime journey...growing older merely adds experience to 
knowledge and wisdom to curiosity.
					-- C.E. Lawrence