[Sca-cooks] Question about Janete of Hens....

[Harris Mark.S-rsve60]

Maire asked:
>>>>
Has anyone ever done this recipe? I'm trying to figure out a redaction 
(last minute, I know, but the feast is next weekend....*sigh*), and I'm 
wondering about the chicken liver in the dish.  I'm not an organ meat 
person, so I'm entirely unsure as to how much I should figure on adding.....
--maire, starting to tear her hair out....
<<<<

For those not familar with this recipe, here is the translation of this recipe from the Florilegium, although this may not be the only recipe for this dish.
Guisados1-art    (220K)  5/28/01    A translation of Ruperto de Nolaís 
                                       1529 "Libre del Coch", part 1 of 2 
                                       by Lady Brighid ni Chiarain.

21. POTTAGE OF MARINATED HEN WHICH IS CALLED JANETE OF HENS 

POTAJE DE ADOBADO DE GALLINA QUE SE DICE JANETE DE GALLINAS

Take a hen which is more than half-cooked and cut it up as if to make portions; and take good bacon which is fatty, and gently fry it with a little bit of onion. And then gently fry the cut-up hen with it. And take toasted almonds, and grind them, and mix with them quinces or pears which have been conserved in honey; and take the livers of the hens, and roast them on the coals. And when they are well-roasted put them in the mortar of the almonds, and grind everything together; and then take a crustless piece of bread toasted and soaked in white vinegar, grind it in the mortar with the other stuff. And when it is well-ground, blend it with hen's broth that is well-salted; and strain it all through a sieve; and cast it in a pot; and cast the hen in also; and cast in all fine spices, and a good quantity of sugar. And this sauce must be a little bit sour. And when the sauce is cooked, cast in a little finely shredded parsley, and prepare your dishes, and then [cast] upon them sugar and cinnamon.
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For how many hens, Maire? I note that the recipe says "hen" but says "livers of the hens" later. Otherwise I might have guessed one liver from one hen for one hen's amount of this dish. Brighid, any comments on the translation? You do have it implying a multiple of livers in several places, though. So I assume there isn't a question on whether the recipe said one of a multiple of livers.

Maire, what are you using for the "quinces or pears which have been conserved in honey"? And if you are soaking fresh pears in honey, how long are you soaking them? I would expect the length of time would have an impact on both taste and texture, but maybe since these are being mixed with the ground almonds, the roasted livers and the bread into a paste, it doesn't matter.

Stefan