[Sca-cooks] Foods for Begining SCA Cooks

[Nick Sasso]

> -----Original Message-----
> > Does anyone have any suggestions for good foods to
> introduce to newbies?
> > The
> > recipes must be able to be made the night before and served room
> > temperature
> > or cold.
>
> I've had a good deal of success at demos with meat pasties
> which are sweet rather than savory.  <<SNIP>>>


This sparked the memories of Lombard Pasties from Le Menagier.  Chicken,
barded with pork belly (often bacon is used) and herb.  Baked in crute.
These done well are quite spectacular room temp.  I recommend parcooking the
chicken, and even a  light sauce to keep it moist. Original calls for young
chickens whole, but is often modified for modern convenience to use boneless
hunks o' bird and an edible crust.

My version is on:
http://franiccolo.home.mindspring.com/olde_eng_fest_recipes.html#lombardpast
ies
It is from a long time back, and now I'd use something like pancetta or even
uncured belly instead of American smoked bacon (a little pre-cooked).  When
I do this for modern catered affairs, I dice/chunk the chicken and lightly
saute with pancetta or salt pork, then make a very light veloute sauce with
the drippings and roux (to simulate the effect of the egg dip on the cooking
juices of a whole bird).  In some pastry crusts folded over, these always
rock.

niccolo difrancesco
(making my first attempt at shrimp/lobster cannoli tonight for a mundane
Valentine's event . . . ah, sweet fusion of southern Italian and Asian)