[Sca-cooks] Beets and backfiles was Beets

[david friedman]

>Although these are not English recipes, here are
>some period German recipes that call for beet
>roots of various types.

I think the first one is clearly the root, since 
it talks about the problem of the broth being too 
red, which I don't think happens with the greens. 
For the rest, how do we know if what is being 
used is the root or the green? At least in 
English "red beets" is the name of the 
plant--Gerard talks about the use of its greens, 
as well as recommending the use of the root.

>
>Huette
>
>>From Sabina Welserin, 1553
>
>202 To make smoked tongue, recipe from Herr J–rg
>Fugger
>
>Take fresh tongues and cut the throat completely
>from it. Then they should be well pounded or
>beaten, lengthwise, over a block or a chair, not
>too hard, so that they are not smashed or do not
>become mangled. One must beat them until they
>become soft underneath and also at the tip. They
>do not, however, become as soft at the tip as at
>the back on the thick end. When they are so
>beaten, then put them into a trough with salt for
>a good while. Then they should be salted like
>other meat and a nice red raw beet cut into cubes
>and also peas sprinkled under them and in between
>them and over the top of them, but not all too
>much, and let them stay thus for a day or
>overnight in a warm place. Then lay a small board
>over them and a good heavy stone and let it
>remain so for four weeks. If, after four or five
>days, they should not be covered with brine,
>finely chop some red beets and cook them in water
>and drain the water off the beets and pour a
>glassful of vinegar into the water. The water
>should be cool enough that one could just bear to
>dip a finger into it. One could also cook a few
>peas with the beets, if the broth would otherwise
>be too red, and put the red beets and the
>likewise red peas together with the salt on the
>bottom and in between and on the top. They can
>lie for five weeks or longer, and when they are
>hung, the thick ends should be turned to the top,
>poke a hole through them with a baling needle and
>hang them on a coarse thread in a kitchen, which
>has no chimney, and not over the fire in the
>thick smoke, so that the outsides become nicely
>brown, they become splendidly brown.
>
>>From Marx Rumpolt, 1581:
>
>7. Green salad/ that is small and young/ red
>beets cut small/ and tossed thereover/ when the
>salad is prepared/ and the red beets are
>cooked and cooled.
>
>21. Take white beet (according to Hopf #378)
>stems/ peel and poach then in water/ prepare it
>with oil/ vinegar and salt.
>
>29. Red beet salad/ when they are cooked/ so cut
>them small/ long or diced/ season it with oil/
>vinegar and salt/ may make it sweet or sour.
>
>39. Take sugar (sugar beet!)/ season it and
>scrape it/ so they turn white/ poach then
>in water/ and cool/ season it with vineger/ oil
>and salt. You can also serve them raw/ if they
>are clean and well peeled or scraped.
>
>3. 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>=====
>Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they
>shall never cease to be amused.
>
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-- 
David Friedman
Professor of Law
Santa Clara University
ddfr at daviddfriedman.com
http://www.daviddfriedman.com/