Lemon Syrup
© Rhiceneth Rhieinfellt uerch Rhieinwylydd Rhybrawst uerch Rhydderch Rhuddfedel Rhydern
The Receipt
Take lemon, after peeling its outer skin, press it and take a ratl of juice, and add as much of sugar. Cook it until it takes the form of syrup. Its advantages are for the heat of bile, it cuts the thirst and binds the bowels
Redaction – How did I read this Receipt?
Ingredients Method Lemons
remove peel, juice enough lemons to produce juice (approx 468g) Sugar add an equal amount of sugar as to that of the juice heat until the mixture thickens all to cool, serve with water to taste The method of redaction I prefer (as shown above) – breaks the receipt down into the ingredients and what you do with them. As the receipt did not give quantities I needed to select an ingredient, choose a quantity and work from there.
The Modern Recipe
5 medium lemons (approx 500ml/2 cups equal quantity Sugar Rind of 5 Lemons piece of straining lawn Grate the lemon rind, put rind into saucepan.
Juice lemons, strain and add to saucepan.
Bring Juice & Rind to warm temperature, then add Sugar.
Stir until all sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to thicken.
Remove from heat.
Strain through lawn into a container.
Strain for a second time through lawn and put into fridge overnight.
Put into pretty container.
Serve diluted to taste with chilled water.
Notes / Changes
The original recipe calls for a ratl measure of the ingredients. A ratl is approx 468gm. As I did not have enough lemons to make this quantity I adjusted for the amount that I did have. The original recipe did not call for the use of the peel – I decided to add the peel to the mixture before heating to add to the flavour as the peel had a strong aroma.
Bibliography
Syrup of Lemon – An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th Century – Translated by Charles Perry
Ratl – Some General Notes on Islamic Cooking – An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th Century – Translated by Charles Perry
An Apple Tart
© Rhiceneth Rhieinfellt uerch Rhieinwylydd Rhybrawst uerch Rhydderch Rhuddfedel Rhydern
The Receipt
Peel the apples cleanly and take out the cores, chop them small and fry them in fat, put raisins, sugar and cinnamon therein and let it bake. (Translation by Valoise Armstrong 1998
Redaction – How did I read this Receipt?
Pastry Ingredients Method Flour
Put flour in bowl, make well in middle Egg add eggs to flour and mix to dough turn dough onto board knead gently, roll our to 5mm thickness – put into pie dish – trim excess
Filling Ingredients Method Apples
Peel, core, chop small, put in frypan and lightly fry in fat Raisins add to apples Sugar add to apples mix, stir gently Cinnamon add to apples mix stir over gentle heat until sugar becomes a light syrup, remove from heat add to pie shell
The method of redaction I prefer (as shown above) – breaks the receipt down into the ingredients and what you do with them. As the receipt did not give quantities I needed to select an ingredient, choose a quantity and work from there.
The Modern Recipe
Pastry Filling 1 1/3 Cup Wholemeal Flour 4 medium Apples 2 Eggs Butter or Oil for frying 1 C Sultanas 1/3 Cup Sugar 2 tspn Cinnamon Pastry
Put flour in bowl making a well in the middle. Add eggs to the well. Combine gently. Turn out on a floured board, knead gently, roll to 5mm thickness, line pie dish.
Filling
Peel, core and dice Apples
Fry apples in butter or oil (I prefer Macadamia nut oil – not period but light in flavour and good for your health)
Add Raisins
Mix Sugar and Cinnamon, add to apples
Stir briefly, until the sugar just turns to syrup
Put mixture into pie shell
Bake at 200 for 20 min then lower to 120 for a furtehr 10 – 15 min
Take out.
Can be served cool or hot.
Notes / Changes
The above receipt fill the foil pie cases. To fill a large pie/tart dish multiply the fill by 3, except for cinnamon
Bibliography
Tart of Apples – Sabrina Welserin – Translated by Valoise Armsront
Tart of Apples – Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin (c. 1553)