[Sca-cooks] Chefs in History up to 1500 A.C.

[Suey]

Adamantius replied to me:
>> England of course has Harry Cock, chef to Eduard III, no??? inventor of Hariote  
>> Mutton today called Irish Stew.
>>     
>
> Uh, no. Taillevent's (and presumably others') halicot/hericot de  
> mouton is browned before braising, what distinguishes Irish Stew  
> (apart from the potato thing) is that it is a "white ragout".
>
>   
I am not talking about Irish Stew but its medieval predecessor. _Sent 
Sovi_ does not brown his in either of the two recipes he provides, nor 
does Nola's which is a repetition of _Sent Sovi's_. In _Pleyn Delit_ and 
_Le Me'nagier de Paris_ it is parboiled, fried and then boiled (see 
Stefan's A-French-Mrsat-art - 7/21/01). It does not seem to me that 
braising was a requirement at least not in medieval Spain. Now Robin 
Carrol-Mann claims the word hericot is of French origin. I have another 
source stating it is of Germanic origin from the 14th C, also meaning to 
cut unto pieces. Corominas says it comes from Cook Harry. As far  I can 
see it has always been white whether using turnips, almond milk or after 
the 15th C broad beans or potatoes.
Suey