Brawn en Peuerade

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: Harleian MS 279 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Pork or chicken in a thick wine sauce

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

.xxxj. Brawn en Peuerade. Take Wyne an powder Canel, and draw it þorw a straynour, an sette it on þe fyre, and lette it boyle, an caste þer-to Clowes, Maces, an powder Pepyr; þan take smale Oynonys al hole, an par-boyle hem in hot watere, an caste þer-to, and let hem boyle to-gederys; þan take Brawn, an lesshe it, but nowt to þinne. An yif it sowsyd be, lete it stepe a whyle in hot water tyl it be tendre, þan caste it ti þe Sirip; þen take Sawnderys, an Vynegre, an caste þer-to, an lete it boyle alle to-gederys tyl it be y-now; þen take Gyngere, an caste þer-to, an so serue forth; but late it be nowt to þikke ne to þinne, but as potage shulde be.

- Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. London: for The Early English Text Society by N. Trübner & Co., 1888.

GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

Brawn in Peverade. Take Wine and powdered Cinnamon, and pass it through a strainer, and set it on the fire, and let it boil, and add there-to Cloves, Mace, and powdered Pepper; then take small Onions all whole, and parboil them in hot water, and add there-to, and let them boil together; then take Brawn, and slice it, but not to thin. And if it is soused, let it steep awhile in hot water until it is tender, then add it to the Syrup; then take Sandalwood, and Vinegar, and add there-to, and let it boil all together until it is done; then take Ginger, and add there-to, and so serve forth; but let it be not too thick nor too thin, but as a pottage should be.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Wine
• Cinnamon
• Cloves (powder)
• Mace
• Pepper
• Small Onions, whole but peeled, & parboiled until just tender
• Dark meat of chicken or pork, thickly sliced. Brawn was the Medieval term for the dark, heavy, & slightly fatty meat of poultry or boar.
• Red food coloring (substituting for Sandalwood, which was used primarily as a coloring agent)
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Ginger

Place wine in a saucepan; add cinnamon & bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for several minutes. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool. Pass through a cheesecloth to strain the cinnamon residue from the wine. (This entire first step may be eliminated by including cinnamon sticks with the spices in the next part of the recipe. Be sure to remove the sticks before serving.) Place wine in a large pot; add the cloves, mace, & pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the parboiled onions; return to a boil. Add the food coloring, vinegar, and meat, return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook until the sauce has thickened and reduced - you want a "pottage." Place in a serving dish and sprinkle ginger on top. Serve forth!