Protecting Traditional Origins - was Re: [Sca-cooks]Hotoffthepresses: A new Feudal Gourmet pamphlet!

[Elaine Koogler]

Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius wrote:
> Sorry, just a little Brunswick joke there... y'know, Braunschweiger 
> Leberwurst. The English used to call Braunschweig (which I think was 
> in Flanders) Brunswick, as in the beer, Brunswick Mum.
>
> What I've seen called Brunswick Stew seems to fall into two main 
> categories: ones with squirrel or other game, sometimes a mixture, and 
> ones with more domestic meats like ground beef and/or chicken. To my 
> mind, the domestic-ingredients-version doesn't sound too terrific, but 
> maybe if one made it in bulk for canning, it might be nice to have in 
> emergencies. I'm a little frightened by the recipes that tell you to 
> open tin cans of ingredients,  cook them further in a stew,  then 
> pressure-can them, but perhaps this is somebody's idea of being 
> practical while still observing traditions so ancient their meaning 
> may be somewhat obscured...
>
> Adamantius
Well, YMMV, but the recipe I have is incredibly good.  It can be made 
with all fresh ingedients...or from frozen/canned ones.  I use chicken 
in mine...but it's the seasonings that make it good.  I've served it to 
a lot of people and have never had a complaint.  The recipe follows:

Brunswick Stew (Virginia Hospitality...probably from Chownings Tavern, 
Williamsburg, VA)

1 whole chicken, cut up (I use chicken breasts)
1 onion, quartered
2 ribs celery, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
16 1/2 oz. white shoepeg corn
10 oz. frozen small butterbeans
1 lb. canned tomatoes
2 small potatoes cubed
1/3 cup ketchup
2 - 3 Tb vinegar
1 Tb. brown sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1/4 tsp. marjoram
2 - 3 Tb butter
(I also add a "glug" or two of white wine...find it brings up the flavors)
Place chicken in a dutch oven and add enough water to cover well.  Add 
onion, celery, salt and pepper.  Boil until chicken comes off of the 
bones easily.  Remove chicken to cool and add corn, butterbeans, 
tomatoes, potatoes, ketchup and vinegar.  Cook 2 hours or until tender.  
Remove chicken from bones and add to stew, along with the 
Worcestershire, Tabasco, marjoram, sugar and butter.  Serves 6 - 8. 
Note:  Vary amount of water for a thick or soupy stew.  Add a cup of 
chicken bouillon  after the first or second serving.

I use any kind of corn I happen to have...fresh Silver Queen in the 
summer.  Baby butterbeans really are best.  Fresh tomatoes can be used 
as well, though you may have to add more liquid.  It freezes well, but 
don't leave it longer than a couple of months as the potatoes tend to go 
a little "wonky."  I usually make a double or triple recipe of this, 
freeze it and take it to Pennsic for one of our meals there. 

Kiri