Sarah’s

Cookbook

An Ancient Arts Fellowship Publication

Contents
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 3
THE GREAT POTATO DEBATE (AND OTHER VEGETABLES).......................... 4
ROOT VEGETABLES AND TUBERS ..................................................................................... 4
LEAF AND FLOWER VEGETABLES ..................................................................................... 5
FRUIT VEGETABLES .......................................................................................................... 5
FAST FEAST FOOD ........................................................................................................ 6
PARSNIPS WITH ALMONDS........................................................................................ 7
CHICKEN IN ORANGE SAUCE ................................................................................... 7
LOMBARD CHICKEN PASTIES .................................................................................. 8
CHICKEN WITH RICE AND ALMONDS ................................................................... 8
SAUCES FOR A BARBECUE CHICKEN .................................................................... 9
LEMON SAUCE.................................................................................................................. 9
CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE ........................................................................................... 9
CASSEROLE OF BEEF WITH ALE ........................................................................... 10
BRAISED BEEF.............................................................................................................. 10
CASSEROLE OF ONIONS WITH ROSEMARY....................................................... 11
LASAGNE LAYERED WITH CHEESE ..................................................................... 11
WINTER VEGETABLE HOT-POT............................................................................. 12
GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLE TART........................................................................ 13
PEARS IN RED WINE................................................................................................... 13
BEN’S BIT—STOO ........................................................................................................ 14
Introduction
This article and the ones that follow it will be a practical guide rather than a
discourse on historic foodstuffs. I am going to include recipes that are of a
medieval/dark age style rather than what they probably would have cooked and
eaten. From what I have read most Dark Age cooking consisted of trying to mask
the taste of the poor quality meat they had to use. I have tried to make the recipes
as easy as possible, so even if you have never cooked before, it is worth giving
these a try. A feast is more enjoyable when you haven’t had to throw everything
together at the last minute.

If you find that cooking one of these dishes is too expensive, share the cost with
someone else. Each person should bring a dish that will serve four people. One and
a half times one of the recipes in this booklet should be perfect for the two
contributions.

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The great potato debate
(And other vegetables)
There is much debate in Medieval Societies over
the use of potatoes in period dishes, due to their
anachronistic nature. While some groups
maintain the principle of historical authenticity,
others couldn't be bothered trying to find another
cheap, bulky vegetable, and never—it would
seem—the twain shall meet.

Potatoes are not, however, the only non-period vegetables sometimes used by
medievalists, often unwittingly. The following is a brief outline of the history of some
(but by no means all) common vegetables.

Root Vegetables and Tubers

Beetroot and its relatives, chard, spinach beets, and the sugar beet, are all native to
Europe, and were developed from a seashore plant named beta maritima. This plant was
grown in Germany during the Middle Ages.

Carrots are variously thought to be natives of Europe, Asia, or Asia Minor. The wild
variety was certainly cultivated in Holland during the Middle Ages, however, and these
plants are therefore quite easily in period. They were originally used for medicinal
purposes, and were yellow or purple in colour. Orange roots did not develop until the
18th Century. However, due to the difficulty of finding authentic (and not very nice)
yellow or purple carrots, orange ones should be fine. Carrots are related to both celery
and parsnip.

Parsnips are natives of Eastern Europe, but have been grown and eaten in the rest of
Europe, including England, since time immemorial.

Potatoes are not natives of Europe, as surely any medievalist who has ever attended a
feast will know. It is a native of the Peruvian Andes, and (along with maize) formed a
staple of the diet of the Incas. It was imported to Europe by the Spanish in the 16th
Century, but was not actually eaten there until the 18th Century as Europeans were
unwilling to eat something that so closely resembled it's cousin, Nightshade. It is of little
use to medievalists, as it is even to hard to be used in catapults.

Radishes, although natives of Asia, have been grown since ancient times in the Middle
East and Europe. There are black, white and red skinned varieties. A large, white variety
known as Daikon, is a native of Japan.

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Swedes are course-skinned, orange vegetables which are often served alongside the
Scottish haggis. Like their cousins, turnips, they are native to Europe and are
widespread. Swedes are also know as the Swedish Turnip, Russian Turnip, and Rutabaga.
They are believed to be a cross between the turnip and the cabbage, and to have
originated during the middle ages.

Turnips are thought to be natives of Asia, but have been cultivated in Europe for untold
centuries. They are closely related to the Swedish Turnip, or Swede.

Leaf and Flower Vegetables

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower are all descendants of the wild
cauliflower, a native of western Europe and Britain. All have been grown as food crops in
Europe since ancient times, except the Brussels sprout, which was first grown in quantity
near Brussels (surprise, surprise) in the 16th Century. These vegetables are related to kale
and rape, and kale—which greatly resembles the wild cauliflower—is one of the oldest
cultivated vegetables. Rape is used to make canola oil, as well as soap and rubber, which
goes some way to explaining the taste of canola oil.

Fruit Vegetables

Cucumbers are natives of India, but have long been

distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. They
are closely related to melons and squashes (or squish)
such as pumpkins.

Melons originated in Persia and Africa, but have long

been widely grown in the warmer areas of Europe.
This group includes rockmelon (cantaloupe),
honeydew melon, watermelon, muskmelon, Persian
melon, and the Crenshaw. Melons are related to both
cucumbers and squashes.

Peppers such as capsicum, chili, cayenne pepper, paprika, and the Spanish pimiento,
are natives of the West Indies and the Americas, and were imported by the Spanish in the
16th Century, along with potatoes. Like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and—it would
seem—almost everything else, they are members of the nightshade family.

Squashes, pumpkins and gourds have all been cultivated for so long that, in the case of
the common pumpkin, a wild form no longer exists. Not all forms are edible, but most
have some kind of use, whether it be for the oil, the pulp, or the shell.

Tomatoes, like the potato and the pepper (to which it is closely related) originated in
Central America. Spanish explorers introduced tomato seeds into Europe in the 16th
Century, but the "love apple" did not become popular until the 19th century.

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Fast Feast Food
It's twenty minutes before the feast and you haven't even thought about what you are
going to take. You could always go and get a roast chicken, but you are pretty sure that
Sarah is going to yell at you if do. Well, Sarah is here to give you some other ideas.

One of the best places to get good quality last minute food is a bakery. To start off with
they usually have a range of savory breads. It is not a good idea to just buy plain bread
unless the feast flyer specifically asks for it. Sweet or fruit bread is also a good idea. The
main thing is to use a little imagination. Most bakeries also have a range of pies. Meat,
fruit or custard pies are all good ideas, but try to buy something that looks home made.
Quiche is another easy to find last minute food. Almost anything from a bakery is a good
choice.

If you don't want to buy something from the bakery, the next place to go is a deli. Cold
roast meats of any kind are a useful addition to the food being served at a feast. Unusual
cheeses can be good too, but you have to be careful about how much you are spending.
Some places sell hot turkey hindquarters, a good substitute for the barbecue chicken.

Fresh or canned fruit are easy to dress up into a good dessert. By adding different juices,
or some fresh berries, or even just some cream, you can make an interesting dish. If you
really want to impress people, add some alcohol. Make sure you tell the people in the
kitchen that the dish is alcoholic, otherwise there could be problems.

If you have time to do some chopping, a salad or a platter of raw vegetables would be
good, but refer to the section above (The Great Potato Debate) as to what they did and did
not have.

I know that some people always end up bringing a chicken, but if you do you can make it
more interesting by bringing some kind of sauce to go with it. Raid your cupboards and
see what you can concoct.

This article is designed to give you ideas about what to buy at the last minute. In
Troubadour's to come I hope to write other articles containing simple recipes that
everyone should be able to cook. An integral part of a potluck feast is the food that people
provide. To make the night a success, people need to use their imagination and some
forethought in the food they prepare.

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Parsnips with Almonds
• 450g of small parsnips
• tablespoon of butter
• 25g of flaked almonds
• tablespoon of brown sugar
• Pinch of mixed spice
• tablespoon of lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper
Make a day in advance or on the day.

Peel and cook the parsnips in boiling salted water until almost tender. Drain well. When
the parsnips are cool enough to handle cut each in half along its width. Quarter the wide
halves lengthwise.

Heat the butter in a frying pan. Add the parsnips and almonds and cook gently, stirring
and turning the parsnips until they are lightly flecked with brown.

Mix together the sugar and mixed spice, sprinkle over the parsnips and stir to mix, then
trickle over the lemon juice. Season with the salt and pepper and heat for one minute.
Store in an airtight container and reheat at feast until warmed through. Serve.

Chicken in Orange Sauce

• 1 large BBQ chicken
• 2 oranges sliced, not peeled
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
• Salt to taste
Cut up chicken into pieces. Put all
other ingredients into a pan and cook
for 15 minutes. Cool sauce and store.
At feast, reheat chicken pieces and
then place them into a roasting pan.
Pour sauce over them and cover
tightly. Simmer for 15 minutes. DO
NOT cook too long or the chicken
will become bitter. Serve.

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Lombard Chicken Pasties
• 350g puff pastry (fresh or package, if frozen, thaw)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
• 450g of chicken breast meat, thinly sliced
• 3 large rashers of bacon, trimmed of fat and cut in half
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F. Cut pastry into six large circles 16cm across. Mix 2
beaten eggs with the lemon juice, pepper and ginger. Dip the slices of chicken in the
mixture, then divide them between the pastry circles. Place them on one side of the round,
but not right up to the edge. Lay a piece of bacon on each pile. Brush the edge of the
pastry with the remaining egg mixture. Fold the bare half of each pastry round over the
meat and match the two pastry edges. Pinch the edges together and press with a fork.
Prick the pastry in several places.

Bake the pasties on a baking sheet for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 190°
C/375°F and cook for another 20-25 minutes. Cool and store. Either serve cold or reheat
at feast.

One of the standard feast foods is stew. There are many different types of stew and you
should be able to find a recipe in any cookbook.

Chicken with Rice and Almonds

• 225g long grain rice
• 1.4 litres/6 ¼ cups strong chicken stock
• 125g ground almonds
• 450g poached chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
Wash the rice in lukewarm water. Then boil it in 1.1 litres/5cups of chicken stock until
almost tender. Heat the remaining stock and use it to steep the ground almonds for about
15 minutes. Drain the rice well when done and let it cool. The return it to the dry pan and
strain in the almond ‘milk’. Bring to simmering point. Stir in the chicken meat, stir round
and cook until the meat is heated through. Season while cooking. If preparing this dish for
a potluck feast let it cool after the meat has been added, store in the ‘fridge and it can be
reheated at the feast.

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Sauces for a Barbecue Chicken

Lemon Sauce
• 250g butter
• 4 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoon chopped parsley
Melt butter in a saucepan, add the remaining ingredients except parsley and mix them
well. Cool, reheat at feast and stir in parsley just before serving. Pour over a cut up BBQ
chicken

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

• 120g butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 200g button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cup cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter and sauté the onion and mushrooms. Add the mustard and cream and boil
this mixture rapidly. Season it with salt and pepper and reduce it to a suitable consistency.
Cool and reheat at feast. Pour over a cut up barbecue chicken

9
Casserole of Beef with Ale
• 1kg chuck steak cut into small portions
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 250g of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 ½ cups of ale/beer
Combine all the ingredients in a casserole
dish or aluminium tray and cover with lid or
alfoil. Cook at 150°C for 2 hours. The
casserole may be stored in the freezer and
reheated in the oven.

Braised Beef
• 900g/2lb boned and rolled beef ribs (braising joint)
• Dripping or other fat for roasting
• 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoon currants
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 275ml/1 ¼ cups red wine
• 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Pre heat oven to 190°C/375°F. Smear beef with the fat and roast it on a rack for 40
minutes. Transfer it with its drippings to a flameproof casserole dish. Cover it with the
parsley, onions, currants, spices and salt, and add the wine and vinegar at the side of the
pan. Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes on top of stove or at 160°C/325°F in the oven
for the same time. Remove the meat from the casserole dish and carve. Put it back in the
dish, cool and then reheat at feast.

10
Casserole of Onions with Rosemary
• 500g of onions, peeled and sliced
• ½ cup of oil
• teaspoon of black pepper
• tablespoon of paprika
• teaspoons of sugar
• Fresh rosemary
Combine the oil, pepper, paprika, sugar and rosemary in a small
casserole dish or aluminium tray. Add the onions and cook them in the oven at 180°C for
20-30 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Cool, store and reheat at feast.

Lasagne Layered with Cheese

• 9–10 sheets dry lasagne
• 7 ½ cups (1.7L) of water
• Butter for greasing
• Cinnamon and white pepper for spicing
• 175g grated cheddar cheese
Choose a square or oblong baking dish which will hold the pasta in three layers. If you
pile it higher in a smaller dish it may be difficult to slice. Bring the water to boil in a
fairly big pan and boil the lasagne in three or four batches until all the sheets are cooked.
As each batch is done, remove the sheets with tongs to a damp tea towel on a flat work-
top and lay them flat side by side. Pre heat the oven to
180°C/350°F. Grease the inside of your chosen dish with butter.
Sprinkle the bottom lightly with spices and a quarter of the
cheese. Cover with a layer of pasta, trimmed to fit the dish if
required. Repeat the layers of spice, cheese and pasta twice, and
end with a last layer of spice and cheese. Cook in oven until
cheese is melted. Reheat at feast.

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Winter Vegetable Hot-Pot
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 2 parsnips sliced
• 3 small turnips, sliced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mixed herbs, such as parsley and thyme
• 300ml/1 ¼ cups of vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 675g red skinned potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• Vegetable oil

I know this recipe has potato in it. If you would like to, you can remove the potato. Pre
heat oven to 190°C/375°F. Arrange vegetables except potatoes in layers in a large
casserole with a tight fitting lid. Season the layers lightly with salt and pepper and
sprinkle them with garlic, crumbled bay leaf and chopped herbs as you go. Blend stock
into flour and pour over vegetables. Arrange the potatoes in overlapping layers on top.
Brush with vegetable oil and cover tightly. Cook in oven for 1 ¼ hours or until the
vegetables are tender. Remove the lid and cook for a further 15-20mins until the top layer
of potatoes is golden and crisp at the edges.

12
Golden Delicious Apple Tart
• Frozen pie case, 9 in/23 cm in diameter
• large Golden Delicious apples
• tablespoon of lemon juice
• ¼ cup of sugar
• tablespoon of melted butter
• ½ cup of apricot jam
Peel and core apples and cut into slices about ¼ inch/5mm thick. Toss with lemon juice
and sugar. Arrange apple slices, slightly overlapping, in circles on the pastry. Make 2 or 3
layers. Drizzle with the melted butter. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake at
200°C for 35 minutes or until golden brown. If apples start to brown too much cover
loosely with foil. In a small saucepan heat apricot jam until melted and then spoon it
evenly over the apples. Bake for about five minutes longer or until apples are glazed. Let
cool to room temperature.

Pears in Red Wine

• 2 large cans of pear halves, drained
• 2 cups of red wine (not sweet)
• ½ a cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
• 4 whole cloves
Cook wine and sugar until slightly thickened. Add spices and simmer gently for 15
minutes. Pour over pears. Let pears cool in syrup. Store and then serve at the feast with
syrup and a little cream.

13
Ben’s Bit—Stoo
• ½kg Red meat (veal, lamb, mutton, beef, • 2 Turnips
venison, whatever. This recipe can also • 1 Small pumpkin (or ½ a normal-sized
be made using chicken, but use beef one)
stock where chicken stock is indicated • Chicken stock
below) cut into 1” cubes • More pepper
• Pepper • Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
• 1 tablespoon of lard (then she’ll be a true love of mine)
• 2 Large onions • ½ a handful of gravel if you’re feeling
• 2 Leeks particularly medieval
• Wholemeal flour
• 2 Large parsnips
Stoo is just like stew, except is has more “O”s and less “E”s and “W”s. It’s also a bit more
medieval. Remember the folk song Scarborough Fair (very popular in the ‘70s)? It’s a great guide
on how to make any recipe medieval. Simply remove all the herbs and replace them with Parsley,
Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, or any combination of the four. I generally use all four, but that’s
not compulsory. In fact, none of this recipe is compulsory, but refer to the section on The Great
Potato Debate above before you get too carried away.
Anyway, to cook stoo, put the cubed meat in a plastic bag (you don’t have to be medieval at this
point, especially considering that the period equivalent of a plastic bag is probably a pig’s
stomach) with the wholemeal flour (make sure you’re not using self-raising flour. I’ve never tried
it, but I dread to think) and some pepper (measurements are simply to taste, don’t panic about
exact amounts). Shake it all up until the meat is coated in flour and pepper.
Melt the lard in a large saucepan (or vat if you’re doubling the measurements as I usually do).
Fry the onions (chopped) and leeks (also chopped) until they are golden brown. Add the floured
meat and stir it all about. The flour will tend to stick to the saucepan a bit and burn. This is not a
problem, but make sure all the doors between the kitchen and the smoke detectors are closed.
Add all the vegies (chopped into about 1” cubes). Stir them around a bit.
Add the chicken stock. Again, the measurements are according to taste. If you want something
that looks like soup with lumps in, add 4 cups. If you want something a bit more solid, go for 2
cups.
Let it simmer for a while (about 45 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Add the herbs and pepper. ½ a handful of each herb (remember I’ve got small hands), but again,
add the herbs to taste (I know it’s Peter Russel-Clarke cooking, but that’s the way it is. You
should have seen how I was in Chemistry). I would recommend not getting too carried away with
the rosemary or thyme. The other two are fairly harmless.
Let it simmer for a while longer, stirring during the ad breaks. Let it go for as long as you have
time. Less than about half an hour could be bad, and two hours is ideal.
Bung it in a casserole dish and take it to the feast.

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