Writings: Katira al-Maghrebiyya (aka Kay the Innocent of Bel Anjou)

Silver Spoon
Sausage or Ground Meat
Mists Coronet A.S. XXXIII
Entrant: Kay the Innocent of BelAnjou
Recipe: Yrchouns (Hedgehogs)

Documentation

Source: Harleian ms 279.20 as shown on page 54 in: Siobhan Medhbh O'Roarke, Traveling Dishes or, foods for Wars, Peace, and Pot-lucks. 1995, 1996.

Take Piggis Mawys & skalde hem wel: take groundyn Porke & knede it with Spicerye, with Pouder Gyngere, and Salt and Sugre: do it on the mawe, but fille it nowt to fulle, then sew hem with a fayre threde and putte hem in a Spete as men don piggys. Take blaunchid Almoundys and kerf hem long, smal and scharpe, & frye hem in grece and sugre. Take a litel pryke and prycjje the yrchouns. An putte in the hole the Almundys, every hole half, & leche fro other. Ley hem then to the fyre, when they are rostid, dore hem, sum with Whete of Flowre and mylke of Almoundys, some grene, sume blake with blode, and lat hem nowt browne to moche; & serue forth.

Using A Culinary Reference Manual published by the Madrone Culinary Guild, and the glossary in Curye on Inglysch published by the Early English Text Society, I translated the original recipe:

Take pigs stomachs and parboil them well; take ground pork and knead it with spicery(spices), with powdered ginger, and salt and sugar; put it in the stomach, but fill it not to full, then sew them with a fair thread and put them in a spit as men do pigs. Take blanched almonds and cut them long, small and sharp(sliver them), and fry them in grease and sugar. Take a little skewer and pierce the hedgehogs. And put in the hole the almonds, every hole half, & slice from other(every other hole??). Lay them then to the fire, when they are roasted, glaze them, some with wheat flour and almond milk, some green, some black with blood, and let them not brown too much; & serve them forth.

I agree with Siobhan's comments about not liking to work with casings and I too avoid or remove casings when eating sausages. With that in mind, and since the presentation should allow for easy sampling during the brewing competion, I have chosen the traditional SCA hedgehog presentation instead of the stomach-sized one of the original. Siobhan used a blend of pork and veal. I happened to have some ground veal and used just that. She used sage and mace for the "spicerye" and this was tasty in an earlier dish.

Recipe

1/2 lb ground veal
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground sage (spices)
1/8 tsp ground mace (spices)
1/4 tsp salt
blanched and slivered almonds for spines
currents for eyes

Mix veal and spices. Shape into 2 inch ovals, pinching one end for a "face". Stud "body" with almond slivers to suggest spines. Add two currents for eyes. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot, but they are ok at room temperature.

Note: I had two entries for this competition and this one came in second. My presentation had the little beasties hiding in a forest of green parsley sprigs.

Last updated 01/03/2007