[Sca-cooks] Bukenade

[Terry Decker]

>> I think in this specific recipe the thing that intrigues me the most
>> is the "erbes ystewed in grees" which I read as herbs stewed in
>> grease. In my mind if you are stewing something in grease then it is
>> being fried, at least that is how I would interpret the phrase.
>>
>> Does anyone else get that?
>
> Yes, I saw that last week and wondered about this.
>
> <<< I had the same thought -- make sense, heating/frying the aromatics 
> before
> adding to the stew.
>
> toodles, margaret  >>>
>
> But why does it make sense? I can imagine doing this with spices. 
> Roasting them is often done in recipes, although I'm not sure if it  was 
> done in period.
>
> But wouldn't frying herbs in grease just give you wilted leaves and  some 
> grease? Can someone tell this inexperienced cook (me) what this  does for 
> you? This is done with spinach, right? But that's a texture  thing, 
> correct?
>
> Stefan

Sauteing herbs and spices in a fat causes the flavors to spread through the 
fat and to meld, then to be transferred relatively evenly to the foods 
cooked in and the sauces prepared from the fat.  The technique is commonly 
used in the preparation of curries.  I suspect Adamantius could give you 
more and better details than I.

Bear