Compost (recipe)

From Cunnan

Contents 1 Period Recipe 1.1 Notes 2 Modern recipe 2.1 Ingredients 2.2 Method 3 Notes

Period Recipe

From the Forme of Cury

COMPOST. C.

Take rote of parsel. pasternak of rasenns. scrape hem waisthe hem clene. take rapes & caboches ypared and icorne. take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire. cast all þise þerinne. whan þey buth boiled cast þerto peeres & parboile hem wel. take þise thynges up & lat it kele on a fair cloth, do þerto salt whan it is colde in a vessel take vineger & powdour & safroun & do þerto. & lat alle þise thinges lye þerin al nyzt oþer al day, take wyne greke and hony clarified togider lumbarde mustard & raisouns corance al hool. & grynde powdour of canel powdour douce. & aneys hole. & fenell seed. take alle þise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe. and take þerof whan þou wilt & serue forth.

Notes

• Compost. A composition to be always ready at hand. Holme, III. p. 78. Lel. Coll. VI. p. 5.
• Pasternak of rasenns. Qu.
• ypared and icorne. The first relates to the Rapes, the second to the Caboches, and means carved or cut in pieces.

Modern recipe

• Serves 12 - 15.
• May be stored for a week or more.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. carrots, sliced
• 1/2 head cabbage, in small pieces
• 3-4 pears, sliced thin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbs. vinegar
• 2 tsp. ginger
• few threads saffron
• 1 bottle (750 ml.) white wine
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 Tbs. ground mustard
• 3/4 cup currants
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbs. each anise seed & fennel seed

Method

1. Boil carrots and cabbage for several minutes
2. Add pears. Cook until tender; drain well.
3. Lay vegetables and pears on a clean cloth. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Let cool, then place in a large dish or container and add the vinegar, ginger, and saffron.
5. Cover (the cloth works fine for this) and let stand overnight.
6. Mix the vegetables with the currants and the seeds. Place in a non-metallic sealable container and set aside.
7. In a separate pot, bring the honey, cinnamon, and wine to a boil, skimming off the scum until clear. Remove from heat and pour over the vegetable mixture.
8. Let cool and seal.

Redacted by Elspeth Caerwent

Notes

The historical version of the recipe was taken from the Project Gutenberg e-text of the Forme of Cury.