Stierbach Cooks Guild

June Challenge – Heloise knows what cookbook this is from.

Brasaola of Veal

1.25 C Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Clove
1/8 tsp Nutmeg

3 Veal Cutlets – cut to size, about 3 pieces each
Balsamic vinegar – a few splashes
White Wine infused with crushed garlic – a few splashes
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp Ground Coriander

Flour
4 Tbsp lard
Season the veal with wine, vinegar, coriander, salt and pepper.
Press the cutlets between heavy plates for approx. 1 hour.

Mix the vinegar with the seasonings – sugar through nutmeg.
Simmer on stove until reduced by half.
Dredge cutlets in flour.
(I used bacon grease for lard – by cooking down pancetta)
Fry the cutlets quickly on each side until done.
Serve with sauce.

(Original Recipe:

To make bresaola of lean veal, fried or grilled

When bresaola are cut up the same as croquettes (get the leanest part
of the loin and cut it up into slices a hand in length, four fingers
wide and a knife’s spice think) and beaten on both sides with the
spine of  knife, they are splashed with a little vinegar and Greek
wine containing crushed garlic, and sprinkled with fennel flow or
ground coriander, pepper and salt, and then set in a press for an hour
on top of the other.  To fry them in rendered fat or lard, first flour
them, then fry them so they brown a little and they will soft rather
than dry out.  You serve them hot with sugar, cinnamon and orange
juice over them; Or else dress them with a sauce made of vinegar,
sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

But if you want them done on a grill, after they have been sprinkled
and been in the press put them on the grill with a thin strip of pork
fat for each one, so that the bresaola stay softer, cooking them over
a low fire and turning them frequently.  The smoke that forms beneath
the grill because of the grease that is dripping will give them an
excellent flavour and the very best taste. When they are done, they
should be served with one of the above-mentionned sauces with which
the fried ones are served.

Instead of putting those bresaola on the grill, they can be cooked in
a tourte pan greased with rendered fat, with the same thin slices of
pork fat on them.  They are served with their sauce and orange juice
over them.)

The sauce was very popular and went on other dishes at the meal as well.

MEADHBH

Our dinners seem to be getting better and better. This meeting was a redaction challenge between Heloise and Meadhbh for bresaola of lean veal. The meal started with a thick soup called vivarole made with spinach and cheese dumplings. This was followed by the two dishes of veal and two sides dishes: one of lentils and feta cheese and another of a whole head of cabbage stuffed with meats and seasonings. We finished off with some lovely cheeses.  Next month Iustinos has challenged us to traveling dishes or dishes for the campfire.

Originally Cherry Torte from Medieval Cookery.com

1 lb mixed berries
1 lb drained ricotta cheese – another soft cheese could work as well (goat cheese)
1/2 C sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
good pinch of black pepper
2 unbaked pie crusts
***
Thaw berries if frozen and drain.  Grind in with mortar and pestle (or in a food processor – don’t puree).

Mix berries with ricotta, sugar and eggs.

Add ginger, cinnamon and pepper.  Mix well and pour into pie crust. 

Top with second crust, press edges firmly for a good seal.

Bake at 350F until crust is golden brown – about 30 minutes.

Period recipe from Liber de coquina

To make limonia, fry chickens with fat and onions.  And crush some skinned almonds, moisten with meat broth, and strain.  Cook with the chickens and spices.  If you have no almonds, thicken the broth with egg yolks.  When the time to serve nears, add the juice of lemons, limes, or bitter oranges.

4 chicken breasts and 8 thighs, boned

 1 cup almond milk

1 cup chicken broth

2 onions, chopped

fresh pork fat back or salted pork with a good amount of fat

1 lemon

Spice mixture (start with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon dry ginger and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg), add cayenne pepper to taste

Salt and ground black pepper

Italian style breadcrumbs

 Melt the pork fat until it is well rendered, but not burning.  Brown the chicken on all sides and remove to a plate.  Cook the onions in the rest of the fat, adding a bit of  olive oil if necessary.  When the onions are cooked, add the chicken back, the spices, the almond milk and the broth.  If there is not enough liquid to cover the chicken, add more almond milk and broth, keeping the same proportions.  Cover and cook the chicken in the liquid until completely cooked through.  Once the chicken is done, remove the meat, put in a serving dish and keep warm.  Reduce the liquid to make a sauce, adding breadcrumbs to thicken if necessary.  Add the lemon juice and adjust the spice mix to taste. read more »