The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight OpenedDigby, Kenelm
History
The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened
Digby, Kenelm
Cooking -- Early works to 1800; Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665; Liquors; Wine and wine making -- Early works to 1800
Master Adrian May put's up His Venison in pots, to keep long, thus:
Immediately as soon as He hath killed it, he seasoneth and baketh it as
soon as He can, so that the flesh may never be cold. And this maketh that
the fat runneth in among the lean, and is like calvered Salmon, and eats
much more mellow and tender. But before the Deer be killed, he ought to be
hunted and chafed as much as may be. Then seasoned and put in the oven
before it be cold. Be sure to pour out all the gravy, that settleth to the
bottom, under the flesh after the baking, before you put the Butter to it,
that is to lie very thick upon the meat, to keep it all the year.
ABOUT MAKING OF BRAWN
It must be a very large oven, that so it may contract the stronger heat,
and keep it the longer. It must be at least eight hours heating with wood,
that it be as hot as is possible. If the Brawn be young, it will suffice
eight hours or a little more in the oven. But if old, it must be ten or
eleven. Put but two Collars into each pot, for bigger are unwieldy. Into
every pot, put twelve corns of whole Pepper, four Cloves, a great Onion
peeled and quartered, and two bay-leaves, before you put them into the
oven. Before they are set in, you do not fill them with water to the top,
least any should spill in sliding them in; but fill them up by a bowl
fastned to a long Pole. No water must be put in, after the oven is closed
(nor the oven ever be opened, till after all is throughly baked) and
therefore you must put in enough at first to serve to the last; you must
rowl your Collars as close as may be, that no air may be left in the folds
of them: and sow them up in exceeding strong cloth, which a strong man must
pull as hard as He can in the sowing. Their cloths must not be pulled off,
till the Collars have been three or four days out of the oven, least you
pull off part of the Brawn with them. You may put the same proportion of
Pepper, Cloves, &c. into the Souce drink as you did in the baking them;
which at either time (especially at first) give them a fine taste. The
Souce-drink is made of six shillings Beer, and Thames or River-water, of
each an equal quantity, well boiled with Salt. When boiled and cold, put in
to it two or three quarts of skimmed Milk, only to colour it; and so change
it once in three Weeks. Tender Brawn sliced thin, and laid Sallet-wise in a
dish as the sliced Capon, and seasoned with Pepper, Salt and Vinegar and
Oyl, with a little Limon, is a very good Sallet.
SALLET OF COLD CAPON ROSTED
It is a good Sallet, to slice a cold Capon thin; mingle with it some
Sibbolds, Lettice, Rocket and Tarragon sliced small. Season all with
Pepper, Salt, Vinegar and Oyl, and sliced Limon. A little Origanum doth
well with it.
MUTTON BAKED LIKE VENISON, SOAKING EITHER IN THEIR BLOOD
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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