[Sca-cooks] Brussels sprouts was Re: Sca-cooks Digest, Vol 29, Issue 12

[kingstaste at mindspring.com]

Ok, greasy beef or mutton stock.  I like the idea of thickening it with
oatmeal, that sounds very hearty.  I don't know that I like the sound of
pork stock for leeks.  Hm.
And I do like to use 'plenty of bacon' :)
Christianna

> So, if you are to use olive oil in Lent, what sort of oil are they
> calling for the rest of the time?  Could it be interpreted as an
animal-based
> oil such as bacon grease or butter?

No. No oil at all. Use only "greasy pot-water of beef and mutton… but
in no wise that of pork, which is only good for leeks."

Le Menagier tends to write in a very stream of consciousness style, so
his directions are rather confused. He speaks of preparing all sorts of
cabbages higgledy-piggledy in the same paragraph. Basically, tough
cabbage leaves and hearts are to be cooked for a very very long time
with meat broth and/or water until they're nothing but mush. Then the
whole mess is served with greasy pot-water and thickened with bread
crumbs. Sprouts, however, are not cooked to mush; but I imagine he
means for us to serve them with thickened broth too.
Other options include cooking cabbage in water on fish days & serving
them with oil and salt. Or some thicken the mixture with oatmeal
instead of bread, or use butter instead of oil.
Another option: "On a meat day you may put therewith pigeons, sausages
and hare, coots and plenty of bacon."


The Pichon is here: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/menagier/menagier6.html

HTH,

Cindy