Ingredients
1 suckling pig, about 7 pounds
1 large roasting chicken, about 6 pounds
6 egg yolks
1/4 tsp powdered saffron
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, very finely c, hopped
1 tbsp flour
Directions
"The extraordinary "beasts" created by these instructions never were
seen on land or sea. A bestiary pair, these chicken and pork visual
as well as edible delights were intended to startle as well as feed.
The creation of such illusion foods was an important contribution of
the medieval cook to the flamboyant art forms of the medieval feast."
Bake the chicken and the suckling pig separately at 375 F until
tender; the chicken ought to take 2 hours, the suckling pig closer to
3 hours.
Cut the chicken in half with the incision running around the body
behind the wings. The forward half is thus separated from the
hindparts. Similarly cleave the pig so that the "head and shoulders"
are cut from the back half of the animal. With a strong butcher's
thread or "carpet" thread sew the forward half of the chicken to the
back half of the pig; sew the pig's "head and shoulders" to the hind
half of the capon. Each is now a cockentrice. Turn oven up to 400F.
Lightly beat the egg yolks. Mix in the saffron and flour to make a
thick fluid. Paint this on the suture lines as well as various parts
of either the "face" or appendages--gold snout and gold nails were
typical adornments.
Return these marvelous animals to the oven so the gold "endoring" may
set and the final creatures appear resplendent.
Mix the parsley in white wine with flour until the green color well
permeates the fluid. If not a bright green, add two drops of green
food coloring. Paint on "feathers" or designs for final embellishing
of the cockentrice, your fancy guiding your hand.
From: Fabulous Feasts, Midieval Cookery and Ceremony
Servings: 1 servings
Cockentrice (A Marvelous Beast) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Rice; Vegetable
The History of Recipes
Written recipes as a concept can be traced far back into antiquity, in truth as far back as pharonic Egypt, and possibly even further. Having said that, mostly, these old cookbooks were just simple hieroglyphic or cunieform instructions for food preparation.
In an interesting twist, the most ancient recipe found, according to experts in ancient history is a collection of tablets in the Sumerian language which describe the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made people feel `exhilarated, wonderful and blissful`. Much later, in Roman times a roman called Apicius wrote some documents which described recipes cooked by wealthy roman citizens. He tells us how the roman meals were divided into starters, main meal and afters, a very modern way of dining. Additionally, he recounts how the Romans were skilled in the use of many different herbs, including a few you will know such as basil, fennel and parsley. Continuing our culinary historical journey, we find two interesting recipe books published in the 1300s : a book entitled `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary called `Curye on Inglish`. Don`t be fooled by the titles though, they are unconnected to the curry that we all know today, but rather recipes for the types of food prepared by the cooks of the rich people of the period. Later on, in the 15th century, people returning from the crusades brought back many new foods and spices from the East, such as parsley, basil and rosemary. The introduction of these new foods and spices was responsible for an eruption in manuscripts on cooking, most of which still exist in private libraries. When we get to the twentieth century, cook books are starting to become popular as a result of increased literacy, more free time and a general increase in wealth. |
We hope you enjoy this Cockentrice (A Marvelous Beast) recipe.
