[Sca-cooks] Sorrel

[edoard at medievalcookery.com]

> -------- Original Message --------
> From: Karstyl <karstyl at gmail.com>
> 
> So, if your co-worker just walked in and placed a very generous 2 
> handfuls of Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) leaves with you, what would you cook 
> for dinner?


I'd probably try one of the following:

Diuers Sallets boyled. PArboyle Spinage, and chop it fine, with the
edges of two hard Trenchers vpon a boord, or the backe of two chopping
Kniues: then set them on a Chafingdish of coales with Butter and
Uinegar. Season it with Sinamon, Ginger, Sugar, and a few parboyld
Currins. Then cut hard Egges into quarters to garnish it withall, and
serue it vpon sippets. So may you serue Burrage, Buglosse, Endiffe,
Suckory, Coleflowers, Sorrel, Marigold leaues, water Cresses, Leekes
boyled, Onions, Sparragus, Rocket, Alexanders. Parboyle them, and season
them all alike: whether it be with Oyle and Uinegar, or Butter and
Uinegar, Sinamon, Ginger, Sugar, and Butter: Egges are necessary, or at
least very good for all boyld Sallets.
[A NEVV BOOKE of Cookerie (England, 1615)]

Sauce Sorell. Take Sorell, grynde hem small, And drawe hem thorgh a
Streynoure, and caste there-to Salt, and serue hit forth.
[Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Surelle. Take Surel, wasche hit, grynde it, put a litil salt, ther-to,
and strayne hit, and serue forth.
[Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Chekins upon Soppes. Take sorel sauce a good quantite and put in
Cinomone and Suger, and let it boyle and powre it upon the soppes, and
then laye on the chekins.
[A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye (England, mid-16th c.)]

To mak vert sauce tak parslye mynte sorell cyves and sauce alone then
tak bred and step it in venygar do ther to peper and salt and grind them
and temper them upe and serue it.
[A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

- Doc