Connynges in Cyrip

PERIOD: England, 14th century | SOURCE: Forme of Cury | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Rabbit served in a wine-currant sauce

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

65. Connynges in Cyrip. Take connynges and seeþ hem wel in good broth. Take wyne greke and do þerto with a porcioun of vynegar and flour of canel, hoole clowes, quybibes hoole, and ooþer gode spices, with raisouns coraunce and gyngyuer ypared and ymynced. Take vp the connynges and smyte hem on pecys and cast hem in to the siryppe, and seeþ hem a litel in fere, and serue it forth.

- Hieatt, Constance B. and Sharon Butler. Curye on Inglish: English Culinary Manuscripts of the Fourteenth-Century (Including the Forme of Cury). New York: for The Early English Text Society by the Oxford University Press, 1985.

GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

Conies in syrup. Take conies and boil them well in good broth. Take Greek wine and do there-to with a portion of vinegar and flour of cinnamon, whole cloves, cubebs whole, and other good spices, with currants and ginger pared and minced . Take up the conies and cut them in pieces and cast them into the syrup, and boil them a little in the fire, and serve it forth.

INGREDIENTS:

• Whole rabbit - it may be easier to obtain this in pieces, but the original recipe calls for whole rabbit; however, since the rabbit is cut into pieces early on in the recipe, there really should be no difference in the final product if whole or pieced rabbit is used at the beginning.
• Gode Broth - the term "good broth" really was generic and implied the use of any decent broth that happened to be on hand. You may use our recipe, or any other that you prefer.
• Wine - Greek wine was a sweet wine that actually came from Italy, so any sweet, Italian-style wine will do for this.
• Vinegar - red wine vinegar may be the most appropriate.
• Spices: cinnamon, whole cloves, whole cubebs, and any other period spice which you prefer.
• Currants
• Fresh ginger root, minced

Boil the rabbit in broth until just done (do not overcook). Remove from broth and let cool. (Save the broth for later use.) Cut the rabbit into serving-size pieces. In a large pot, combine the wine, vinegar, spices, currants, & ginger; bring to a boil. Add the rabbit pieces and return to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to cook for several more minutes, until the currants have plumped and the ginger has become tender. Remove the rabbit; place the meat in a serving dish and cover with the sauce & currants. Serve it forth!

This sauce should be "poynaunt" like many similar medieval sauces - in other words, a sort of sweet and sour. The sweet will be coming from the wine and the juice released by currants as they cook, so be sure that the amount of sour vinegar you add is not overwhelming and that the tartness matches the sweetness. The fresh ginger will also impart a nice fiery bite, so be careful of the amount used.

Note: substitute chicken for rabbit and make this dish "Checonys in Cyrip."