[Sca-cooks] totally confused marbled, caulifowered, (WHAT IS THIS - ) leaded??? - MECHADA

[Susan Lord]

> On Mar 8, 2016, at 17:05,Galefridus Peregrinus wrote:
> 
> I saw something that leads me to believe that isfidaj might be used as a 
> generic word for white things/ingredients. That would explain how it 
> might be translated as cauliflower, a white vegetable. I do not have the 
> source with me right now, but it was something I saw in al-Warraq. I'll 
> try to chase it down tonight.
> 
My only sources are Huici’s translation and Perry’s opinions. I agree that the Hispano-Arab recipe must have been a white vegetable but I have a problem with cauliflower as a translation as I have no documentation of it in the 13th century manuscripts which I have reviewed. I don’t know why Huici contradicts himself using cauliflower as part of the title and then asparagus as the ingredient. 

Further, I have a problem with Perry’s marbled meat. I no confirmation of meat being that exquisite in the 13th century.

In the end, I barded the meat with lard (incorrect as Muslims do not eat pork - should have used sheep fat) and slices of onion. After browning I added tips of white aspargus to the stew. It came out to be delicious. The blog will be published on May 4. You can find it on google by searching for the Medieval Spanish Chef - mechada -