Chike Endored

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: Harleian MS. 4016 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Gilding Paste for Fowl

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Take a chike, and drawe him, and roste him, And lete the fete be on, and take away the hede; then make batur of yolkes of eyroun and floure, and caste there-to pouder of ginger, and peper, saffron and salt, and pouder hit faire til hit be rosted ynogh.

- 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.

MODERN RECIPE:

• chicken, whole or in pieces, roasted until nearly done
• 6 raw egg yolks
• 2 T flour
• 1/4 tsp each powdered ginger and black pepper
• 1/2 tsp saffron
• 1/8 tsp salt

2. With a pastry brush, spread the endoring paste as thinly and evenly as possible over the chicken, and return to the oven (400°) for ten or fifteen minutes, or until the endoring has set.

3. Arrange on a serving platter.

Serves four to eight.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

Endoring is gilding; sometimes whole birds or other spectacular dishes were endored. If real gold leaf was not available, then this paste of egg yolks and saffron was substituted.