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| Cockentrice
(A Marvelous Beast) |
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1 Suckling pig, about 7
pounds
1 lg Roasting chicken, about 6 pounds
6 Egg yolks
1/4 ts Powdered saffron
1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/4 c White wine
1 tb Fresh parsley leaves, very finely chopped
1 tb Flour
"The extraordinary "beasts" created by these instructions never were
seen on land or sea. A bestiary pair, these chicken and pork visual as well
as edible delights were intended to startle as well as feed. The creation
of such illusion foods was an important contribution of the medieval cook to
the flamboyant art forms of the medieval feast."
Bake the chicken and the suckling pig separately at 375 F until tender; the
chicken ought to take 2 hours, the suckling pig closer to 3.
Cut the chicken in half with the incision running around the body behind the
wings. The forward half is thus separated from the hind parts. Similarly cleave
the pig so that the "head and shoulders" are cut from the back half of the
animal. With a strong butcher's thread or "carpet" thread sew the
forward half of the chicken to the back half of the pig; sew the pig's "head
and shoulders" to the hind half of the capon. Each is now a
cockentrice. Turn oven up to 400F.
Lightly beat the egg yolks. Mix in the saffron and flour to make a
thick fluid. Paint this on the suture lines as well as various parts of
either the "face" or appendages--gold snout and gold nails were
typical adornments.
Return these marvellous animals to the oven so the gold "endoring" may
set and the final creatures appear resplendent.
Mix the parsley in white wine with flour until the green color well permeates
the fluid. If not a bright green, add two drops of green food
coloring.
Paint on "feathers" or designs for final embellishing of the
cockentrice,
your fancy guiding your hand.
From: Fabulous Feasts, Medieval Cookery and Ceremony Shared By: Pat Stockett
Collected by Bert Christensen
Toronto, Ontario
web site: http://bertc.com
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