Historical recipe #2: Saffron rice.
Continuing with my recipe postings, for the interested, here's my recipe for Saffron Rice.
I made this recipe to accompany the Meat of Cyprus Royal (recipe to follow shortly) at the 12th Night feast, which is something of a modernistic presentation (the whole "meat + starch on a plate" combo seems to be fairly modern), but they make a good pairing that's popular with modern audiences.
The original version from A Forme of Cury (14th c. English) was called "Ryse of Flesh," probably because meat broth was used in cooking the rice, but since I was making a vegetarian/vegan version to suit a wide range of dietary needs, "Saffron Rice" seemed a bit more accurate (also more appetizing, to be honest); here's a site that quotes the original recipe I modified, and a modern redaction (which is probably a bit nicer and less rough-and-ready than mine).
When prepping this as an accompaniment to Meat of Cyprus for a completely omnivorous audience, I like to take the broth generated by cooking the chicken and "recycle" it as the cooking liquid for the rice. However, if you're taking vegetarians into account, vegetarian broth or water works equally well. Because I was planning a feast for a site with limited cooking time and facilities, I also simplified the prep slightly by cooking the rice ahead of time, then adding almond milk, salt and saffron afterward to the reheated rice. My version:
1 c. long-grain white rice (I used jasmine, since it was a good deal)
2 1/4 c. water
Rinse rice, add water, bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until water is absorbed. If needed, store rice in refrigerator until ready to proceed with the recipe.
1/3 c. ground slivered blanched almonds *
2/3 c. water
Small pinch saffron threads, lightly crumbled **
Salt to taste
Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-10 min. on medium-low. If the rice has been refrigerated, reheat it in an oven or microwave, then pour the hot almond milk mixture over it and mix it well. Makes about 4-5 servings.
* I use a dedicated coffee grinder for grinding almonds; if you do a lot of medieval cooking, it's worth having a way to produce your own almond meal.
** To get a smoother dispersion of the saffron, you can grind it in a mortar with a little bit of salt for "grit," but I wanted some visible flecks of saffron in this version (completely personal preference), so I left it in larger pieces.
More to come, as I get a chance to type it up . . . :)
I made this recipe to accompany the Meat of Cyprus Royal (recipe to follow shortly) at the 12th Night feast, which is something of a modernistic presentation (the whole "meat + starch on a plate" combo seems to be fairly modern), but they make a good pairing that's popular with modern audiences.
The original version from A Forme of Cury (14th c. English) was called "Ryse of Flesh," probably because meat broth was used in cooking the rice, but since I was making a vegetarian/vegan version to suit a wide range of dietary needs, "Saffron Rice" seemed a bit more accurate (also more appetizing, to be honest); here's a site that quotes the original recipe I modified, and a modern redaction (which is probably a bit nicer and less rough-and-ready than mine).
When prepping this as an accompaniment to Meat of Cyprus for a completely omnivorous audience, I like to take the broth generated by cooking the chicken and "recycle" it as the cooking liquid for the rice. However, if you're taking vegetarians into account, vegetarian broth or water works equally well. Because I was planning a feast for a site with limited cooking time and facilities, I also simplified the prep slightly by cooking the rice ahead of time, then adding almond milk, salt and saffron afterward to the reheated rice. My version:
1 c. long-grain white rice (I used jasmine, since it was a good deal)
2 1/4 c. water
Rinse rice, add water, bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until water is absorbed. If needed, store rice in refrigerator until ready to proceed with the recipe.
1/3 c. ground slivered blanched almonds *
2/3 c. water
Small pinch saffron threads, lightly crumbled **
Salt to taste
Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-10 min. on medium-low. If the rice has been refrigerated, reheat it in an oven or microwave, then pour the hot almond milk mixture over it and mix it well. Makes about 4-5 servings.
* I use a dedicated coffee grinder for grinding almonds; if you do a lot of medieval cooking, it's worth having a way to produce your own almond meal.
** To get a smoother dispersion of the saffron, you can grind it in a mortar with a little bit of salt for "grit," but I wanted some visible flecks of saffron in this version (completely personal preference), so I left it in larger pieces.
More to come, as I get a chance to type it up . . . :)