Week 6 - Stewed Lombard

We're entering the home stretch of our nine week cook off. After five weeks of successively more difficult recipes, Lori and Madeline are up for a challenge. And if you've been cooking along with us, we're hoping you are to. 

This week's recipe comes from A Noble Boke Off Cookery For A Prynce Houssolde Or Eny Other Estately Houssolde, first printed around 1480. This book dates from waaaaay before the arrival of  Ferryland's colonists in 1621. However, similar recipes remained popular well into the 17th century. 

A Stewed What?

"Lombard" isn't a beast, but a place. According to Medievalist Rudd Rayfield, north-west Italy (then referred to as Lombardy) was once considered a source of haute cuisine. Judging by the number of surviving recipes that were "Something-or-other Lombard", Rayfield suggests the term may have been used as a way of adding a touch of sophistication to a dish, rather than an indication that the recipe actually came from that region. Think "French" dressing and "French-cut" beans today. Which means "stewed Lombard" might be translated as "fancy stew".

The original recipe, or "receipt", provides absolutely no quantities … zero, zip, nadda. In fact, it's little more than a list of ingredients. L & M figure it will be a week of trial, error, taste and refine. And if things really go off the rails, they've threatened to drown their sorrows in the week's supply of "wyne". HA! 

So here goes. If you're cooking along at home, we'd love to hear your feedback. If you'd rather eat than cook, stop by the Colony's kitchen for a taste. Constructive criticism is always welcome!  

To mak Stewed Lombard:

Tak pork and rost it and chop it into a pot with wyne sugur and hole clowes onyons guingere saffron and sanders then fry almondes and temper them up with wyne pouder gyngyure canelle and galingale and serue it.

One quick note …. Sanders, or saunders, has nothing to do with the Colonel. It's actually an early term for Red Sandalwood (Santalum rubrum) which was used as a food colouring in medieval and renaissance food. Disolved in alcohol it makes a scarlet colour. Since Red Sandalwood isn't readily available (and we're not entirely sure it's safe to eat!) we're going to use saffron instead.