Way back in 1996 I created this menu for a twelfth
night event based on the theme of the Spanish explorers.
Accordingly, each remove covered a different part of
the journey. The first was food being eaten in Spain slightly before the
Galleon headed West. The recipes are from A Baghdad Cookery Book or Cariadoc’s
compilation of sources. The redactions were worked out either by me while in
Cariadoc’s kitchen in Chicago, or by Richard Perry.
Orange and Onion Salad
Insfanakh Mutajjan
Tabahajah of Lamb
Couscous
Lemon Sherbet
The Second remove was food being eaten in The New
World as described by Spanish visitors.
Many of these are dishes that developed after Europeans had lived in
Mexico for a while-Cows are not native to Central America, hence no milk. Most
of the recipes are modern, from the most historically accurate cookbooks I could
find-Diana Kennedy’s Cuisines of Mexico being a prime example. The dishes match
the descriptions found in Bernard Daiz’s journals, but other period evidence
was sketchily available at the time.
Meat Tamales
Corn Tamales
Frijoles de Olla
Horchata
The Third remove was food imported back to the Old
World. The recipes are either adaptations of contemporary techniques or from
sources I no longer remember, although Platina sounds awfully plausible.....
Roast Turkey- We had a turkey carving competition,
and it was great fun-the idea was to see who could prepare their table’s turkey
most neatly.
Sopa de Calabeza
Bread Bowls-mostly an affectation of mine for nifty
serving, I’ll admit.
Paella with Lima Beans
Then we did a round of sweets and served with great
fanfare with hot chocolate. The recipes are from
Al-Andalus and more of the forgotten sources. I swear
they were really period!
Rosettes
Hais
Canisiones
Flan
Bibliography, such as it is-
Diaz del Castillo,
Bernal. The True History of the Conquest of Mexico. Edited and
translated by Albert
Idell. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co, 1957.
Kennedy, Diana. The Cuisines of Mexico. New York:
Harper & Roe, 1989
We gathered the recipes into a booklet which we sold
for $1.00 at the event. This made it
very easy for anyone to check ingredients. Alas, in making the booklet
user-friendly for the home cook, I left out info that the serious
SCA cook would want, such as sources. Also, in the
ensuing years I’ve gotten more comfortable with sourdough breads (I’m a pastry
chef) and have learned a lot more about period ingredients and viable
substitutions for them. In the spirit in which we set forth, therefore, pray
enjoy eating your way through-
THE GALLEON RETURNEH
Recipes from Twelfth Night,
January 13th, 1996
Tree-Girt Sea
ASXXVIII
As assembled and prepared by Rumi Sim elHalzun and the many volunteers of the province
kitchens.
Murri
Yield: About 2 cups
Murri is one of those recipes that can make a feast
truly special. This recipe comes from an Islamic manuscript translated by
Charles Perry and redacted by Cariodoc. Using this period ingredient will give
your food a more authentic flavor. This recipe is not the original-Mr. Perry
states that as the original required rotting barley in the ground for 30 days
it is probably not to safe to eat. The murri given here is a period
"false" murri, written for those who didn't have a month to watch the
barley rot.
INGREDIENTS
Honey 3 Tbl
Bread 1.5 Oz
Flour 1 Tbl
Anise seed 1
tsp
Fennel seed 1
tsp
Celery seed 1/2
tsp
Saffron 1/4
tsp
Carob 1/4 oz
Walnuts 1/4 oz
Quince 1
1/2 oz
Salt 1/4 cup
Honey 3 Tbl
Water 2 cups
Lemon 1/4
of 1
Bring the first honey to a boil and let cool several
times. It should taste scorched. Toast bread until slightly charred and grind
in a mortar. Toast anise and fennel and grind with celery seed and walnuts.
Quarter and core
quince. Simmer everything together for 2 hours and
squeeze pulp in potato ricer or
cheesecloth. Add lemon juice to liquid. Add 1/2 cup water to the reside and
simmer 1/2-1 hour, squeeze and repeat with another 1/2 cup of water once more.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If making large amounts of murri for
an event DO NOT use more than 2 cups of salt.
It will make your murri unusable.
Tabahajah of Lamb
Yield: 18 3 oz servings
One of my favorite Medieval Arabic dishes, also
translated by Charles Perry. If you
know people who hate "period" food, try this on them with out telling
them how old the recipe really is.
INGREDIENTS
Murri 1 1/2
Cups
Honey 1 Cup
Coriander 2 1/2 Tsp
Cinnamon 1 Tbl
Pepper 1 Tsp
Lamb, cut in thin
strips 5 3/4 Lbs
Oil, 3:1 veg and olive mix 2 Cups
Salt 2 Tsp
Cilantro 1 Oz
Mustard Greens 1 Leaf
Beat Murri and honey in a bowl, add spices and stir
well. Add trimmed meat and marinate 1 1/2 hours. Chop herbs. Heat oil in a
large pan, add meat and brown. Add marinade and cook until sauce is reduced and
honey is starting to crisp on the meat. Sprinkle with chopped herbs on platter.
Cook this in batches-you cannot get the nice exterior if the meat is crowded in
the pan-and it should be a shallow pan, too.
Serve over cous-cous. Cous-cous is a semolina pasta from Morocco and Lebanon.
These days you buy it in a box and follow the directions.
Isfanakh Mutajjan
A quick and tasty dish of spinach from A Baghdad
Cookery Book. Use "salad cleaned” spinach and leave in the stems.
Yield: 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
Fresh Spinach 20
Oz
Sesame oil 1 Oz
Vegetable oil 1 Oz
Garlic 1/2 oz
Cumin, ground 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp
Coriander 1/2 tsp
Rinse spinach and shake dry. Heat oil in pan and
sweat garlic. Add spinach and wilt. Add spices, stir well and season to taste.
Bread Bowls
Yield: 60 3 oz bowls
This recipe is scaled for a 20 quart Hobart mixer. To
make a batch that will fit in a
Kitchen-aid 5 quart mixer simply divide by 4.
INGREDIENTS
Cracked wheat 1/4 lb
Cracked rye 1/4 lb
Yeast 2 oz
Water 4 lb (2
quarts)
Whole Wheat Flour 3/4 lb (12 oz)
White Wheat Flour 5 lbs
Salt 2 oz
Egg Wash 3 beaten with 1 Tbl. water
Soak cracked wheat and rye overnight and drain. Mix
yeast in warm water in mixer bowl and stir to dissolve.
Add grains, flours and salt (Salt must go in LAST or it will kill the yeast) and mix on
lowest speed until all of the flour is incorporated. Mix on speed 2 until dough
is smooth and elastic. Place dough in oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in
bulk. Punch down and divide into 3 oz rolls. Shape rolls and place on trays.
Let rise again, and when doubled in bulk slash each roll 4 times to resemble a
pumpkin. Egg wash. Bake at 400, approx.
20-30 minutes. When cooled cut off the tops and scoop out the insides. Let the
bowls dry out for at least 1 day before serving soup in them. They can be
frozen.
Sopa de Calebeza
Yield: About 1 gallon
I have adapted this soup to use canned pumpkin. If
you want to use fresh, simply chop up a pie pumpkin, seed and peel it. Drop the
chunks of pumpkin into the stock and let it simmer until tender, then strain, puree the solids in batches and adjust the
consistency. You will need 1 1/2 lbs.
of peeled pumpkin. Adding some hot soup to the cream is called tempering and
helps prevent curdling.
INGREDIENTS
Garlic, Chopped 1/2 oz
Celery, Diced 5
oz
Onion, Diced 6
oz
Leeks, diced 3
oz
Butter, Unsalted 1 oz
Canned pumpkin 1 1/2 lbs
Stock (chicken or veg) 1 gallon
Grated ginger 1
tsp
White Wine 2
oz
Nutmeg 1
tsp
Heavy Cream 1
Cup
Sauté garlic, celery onions and leeks in butter. Add
pumpkin and stir well. Add stock slowly
until desired consistency is reached and bring to a simmer. Soak ginger in white wine for 15 minutes and
strain. Add wine and nutmeg to soup. Mix some hot soup into the cream and add
to the pot. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve in bread bowls.
Roast Turkey
Yield: 1 16 lb. Turkey
These birds cook on a bed of vegetables which can be
used to make a pan gravy. When oven roasting large fowl or cuts of meat an accurate
meat thermometer is essential. Stick it into a meaty part of the bird, avoiding
bones. The bird is done when the temperature is 140 F. A good instant read
thermometer costs under $12.00 and can save lives.
INGREDIENTS
Turkey 16 lb
Bird
Carrots 6 oz
Celery 6 oz
Onion 3 oz
Lemons 3
Whole cloves 15
Egg Yolks 3
Clean turkey, being sure to remove all giblets from
both cavities. Chop vegetables into large dice and pile in roasting pan. Stick
5 cloves in each lemon and cut lemons in half. Stuff into turkey. Place bird on
bed of vegetables and roast at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and roast
to an internal temperature of 150. (approx. 4 hours) During last 30 minutes or so
glaze with egg yolks for a golden look. Let rest at least 15 minutes before
carving.
Lemon Sherbet
Yield: 20 small servings
Sherbets came to Spain through Islam. Cooled drinks
were highly popular, and were probably sticky-sweet to our tastes. This is a nice
way to expand the period feel of a feast, and can be served either frozen or as
a slushy. Since most would be slushy by the time they were all served anyway,
we diluted it at a half-frozen state and poured it from pitchers.
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Juice 1 quart
Sugar 4 1/2 lbs
Water 3 1/2
quarts
Egg whites, lightly whipped 4
Combine to sugar and water and heat the mixture to
form a syrup. Add the lemon juice and check the flavor. Let the flavored syrup
cool completely. Test the syrup density
with the floating egg trick-float a raw egg in the syrup. when a nickel-sized
patch of egg shows above the surface the density is right. Add water or sugar
to adjust if necessary. Add the whipped egg whites and freeze in an ice cream
freezer. Store in freezer. At serving time, thaw. When slushy, serve in
goblets, diluting to taste.
Orange and Red Onion Salad
Yield: 16 servings
This is a typical sallat of the times, mixing sweet
and savory flavors.
INGREDIENTS
Oranges4
Red Onions 1
Calamata Olives 16
Olive oil 2 Tbl
Fresh tarragon 1 Tsp
Salt pinch
Pepper pinch
Peel oranges with a knife, removing inner membrane
but leaving orange round. Slice into 8
slices. This will require a VERY SHARP knife or an electric slicer. Peel onion
and slice into 16 slices. Chop
tarragon.
Arrange orange and onion slices in a decorative
fashion on plate or platter. Add
olives. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with tarragon, salt and pepper.
Paella with Lima Beans
Yield: 15 Servings
Paella is named for the pan it's cooked in- it
resembles a kneecap, or patella. The method of cooking rice also comes to Spain
from Islam. This dish is colorful and tasty, and by using a vegetable stock
makes a useful vegetarian offering.
INGREDIENTS
Olive Oil 3 oz
Garlic, chopped 1 1/2 oz
Onion 12 oz
Red Pepper 12
oz
Green Pepper 12
oz
Rice 2 lbs
Saffron 1 Tbl.
Pepper 1 Tsp
Salt 2 Tbl
Vegetable Stock 1 quart
Lima beans 1/2 lb (Fresh or frozen, NOT dried)
Soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm water. In large
casserole heat garlic in olive oil until aromatic but not brown. Add vegetables. Add rice, pepper, salt and saffron (with its water)
and stir well to coat rice. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover pan and place
in a 400 F.oven for 10 minutes. Add lima beans and return pan to the oven for
10-15 minutes or until done. Adjust seasonings.
Meat Tamales
Yield: 40 Tamales
Tamales were recorded in the writings of Bernard
Diaz, a monk who traveled with Cortez during the overthrow of the Aztec Empire. The addition of almonds
and raisins is an example of Spanish influence in the New World.
Meat Filling
INGREDIENTS
Pork Shoulder 3 Lb
Onions, Sliced 8 oz
Garlic 1 oz
Salt 2 Tsp
Lard 3 oz
Peppercorns 8
Whole cloves 5
Cinnamon stick
2" piece
Raisins 1/4 cup
Candied Fruit 1
oz
Blanched almonds 1 oz
Tomatoes, peeled 1 1/4 lbs
Cut pork into large cubes, put in large pan with 4 oz
onion, 1/2 oz garlic and 2 tsp salt. Cover with cold water and simmer 45
minutes. Let meat cool in the broth. Strain, reserving broth. Chill broth and
skim fat, saving fat.
Shred the meat. Melt the lard and the saved fat from
the broth and cook 4 oz onion and 1/2 oz garlic. Add the meat and cook for a
few minutes. Crush the spices and add them, with the rest of the ingredients
and cook a few minutes longer. Mash the tomatoes some and add them to the pan.
Cook over a high flame for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. It should be almost
dry.
Masa Paste
Masa Harina is a special type of corn meal. It can be
found at any Mexican market or at many larger supermarkets
INGREDIENTS
Masa Harina 1 Lb
Salt 2 Tbl
Lard 1/2 lb
Chicken stock 1 1/2 Cups
Cold Water 1
Cup
Mix the salt into the masa harina. Beat the lard in a
mixer for 5 minutes. Gradually add the
masa, alternating with the stock beating well after each addition. Test for
readiness-put a small piece on the surface of the
water-if it floats its ready.
ASSEMBLY
Corn Husks 45
Meat filling 1
batch
Masa paste 1
batch
Soak the corn husks
until soft-usually overnight. Cut 5 husks into long strips 1/8 inch
wide. With bottom of husk pointing towards you, spread with paste, leaving a
1/2 inch border. Add a stripe of filling
(about 2 oz) in center. Fold husk closed and tie with thin strips. Pack
tightly into a steamer and steam for 2 1/2-3 hours.
Corn Tamales
Yield: 20 Tamales
A sweet tamale, these are steamed lying down because
the filling is very soft and glops in an ugly way if you steam them vertically
INGREDIENTS
Corn kernels 4 Cups
Water 1/2 Cup
Anise seed 1
Tbl
Cinnamon 4
Tsp
Masa Harina 8
Oz
Brown Sugar 8
Oz
Salt 1/4 Tsp
Vegetable shortening 4
Oz
Butter 4 Oz
Corn Husks 22
Soak the corn husks until soft.
Blend the corn kernels in batches with the water to a
rough textured puree. If the blades stick loosen them, but do not add more
water. Set aside. Grind the spices to a fine powder, mix with the sugar, salt,
masa and corn puree. Melt the butter
and shortening over low heat- don't let them get too warm. Stir into the corn mix. You will have a very
loose paste. Put about 1 ½ tablespoons onto each leaf, fold and tie. Place tamales
horizontally in the steamer and cook for 2-3 hours.
Frijoles de Olla
Yield: 10 Servings
These beans are soft and mildly spicy-if you don't
like heat use less chili or remove it sooner. Tying the chili in cheesecloth
guarantees that all of the seeds will be easily removed.
INGREDIENTS
Pinto Beans 1
Lb
Water 12 Cups
Onion 2 Oz
Bay leaves 2
Each
Ancho Chilies 1 dried pepper
Vegetable Shortening 1
Oz
Salt 1 Tbl
Check beans for stones. Put beans in pot and cover
with cold water. Add onion, bay leaves, chili pepper and shortening and bring
to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. DO NOT STIR
DURING THIS TIME. Taste beans, and remove chili if spicy enough. Add the salt
and simmer another 30 minute or until very soft. Adjust seasonings.
Horchata de Arroz
Yield: 12 Servings
Horchata is another example of Mexican cooking. Its
ancestors can be found in Medieval France and Spain, but it traveled well. Rice
came to the New World with the Spanish, who brought it from the Philippines.
INGREDIENTS
Rice 8 Oz
Cinnamon stick 4
Inches
Boiling Water 4
Cups
Cold Water 10
Cups
Limes, juiced 1
lime
Cinnamon, ground 2
Tsp
Sugar 3 1/2 Oz
Put rice and cinnamon stick in a pan and pour the
boiling water over them. Let soak until
the water is milky. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer
and cook uncovered until the rice is partly softened but not fluffed up, about
15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and let the rice cool, covered. Puree
the rice in batches, using a little water if necessary. Force through a medium
sieve, using more of the water to rinse it
through. Combine the pureed rice with the lime juice,
ground cinnamon and sugar to taste. Thin
with water to the consistency of heavy cream. Add more lime juice or cinnamon
if desired. Chill well or serve over ice.
Rosettes
Yield: 36
A crispy fritter dusted with powdered sugar, Rosettes
can be fried the night before being served but they don't freeze well.
INGREDIENTS
Eggs 2
Salt 1/4 Tsp
Sugar 1 Tbl
Butter 1 Oz
All Purpose Flour 4
Oz
Milk 1 Cup
Oil for frying 4
Cups
Mix eggs with salt and sugar. Melt butter and mix
with milk. Stir flour and milk into
eggs in alternating batches. Let rest in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Heat oil to 375. Heat iron in oil, dip in batter (dip to just below the top of
the iron, or the rosette won't slip off) and return to oil. The rosette should
slip off of the iron. When golden brown, remove and drain. Just before serving
dust with powered sugar.
Canisiones
Yield: 32 slices
An excellent example of period baking in the Arabic
world, this is another dish translated by Charles Perry. We owe the man several
votes of thanks. Rosewater can be powerful, so go gently with it until you know
your idea of enough. It can be found in Indian markets and some large supermarkets.
INGREDIENTS
Blanched Almonds 14
Oz
All Purpose Flour 1
1/2 Lbs
Sugar 6 Oz
Rosewater 2
Tbl
Water 3/4 Cup
Sugar 10.5 Oz
Soak almonds
overnight in water to cover. Mix the flour, first sugar, water and
rosewater into a stiff but not dry dough. Cover dough. Drain almonds and coarse
grind with second sugar. Roll dough into thin sheets,spread with almond fill in
roll up, sealing edges with water. Bake in a 300 oven for 30 minutes or until
light brown. SLICE WHILE WARM! into 1" slices.
Flan
Yield: 12
The trick in this is to caramelize the sugar with
burning it. Mix a few drops of lemon juice with the sugar and melt 1/4 of it,
then add another 1/4, and so on. Use a heavy bottomed pan. When it's a deep
amber color remove it from the heat and pour it into an oiled Pyrex measuring
cup to stop the cooking. If it gets too cold to pour, warm
it either in a microwave or pan of boiling water.
INGREDIENTS
Sugar 10 1/2 Oz
Milk 2
Quarts
Sugar 7 Oz
Cinnamon, ground 1
1/2 Tsp
Vanilla bean 3
inch piece
Salt 1/4 Tsp
Eggs, whole 8
Egg yolks 12
Butter 12 4 oz molds. Caramelize the first sugar and
pour into each mold enough to cover the bottom in a thin layer, about 2
tablespoons. Heat the milk, second sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla bean and
let simmer for 15
minutes. Let cool. Beat eggs and egg yolks together,
add to the cooled milk and mix well. Strain through cheesecloth. Pour into the
prepared molds and bake in a water bath at 350 for 1 hour or until stiff but
not cracked. Chill overnight. Warm molds in hot water bath and turn out onto
small plates. The caramel will form a thin sauce.
Hais
Yield: 30 pieces
Hais is a great, not too sweet munchie or dessert. It
works really well as war food, since it requires no refrigeration. When making lots
it's nice to have a crew to work with.
INGREDIENTS
Bread crumbs 5
1/3 Cups
Dates, pitted 1
Lb
Ground Almonds 3
Oz
Pistachios, shelled, raw 5 Oz
Butter, unsalted, melted 6 Oz
Sugar 7 Oz
Grind the bread crumbs, dates and nuts in a food
processor. While running add the melted butter until the mixture hangs together
in a paste. Roll into small balls and roll in sugar.